milyon88 apk download BAKU, Azerbaijan – Countries agreed on Sunday, November 24, to an annual finance target of $300 billion to help poorer countries deal with the impacts of climate change, with rich countries leading the payments, according to a hard fought deal clinched at the COP29 conference in Baku. The new goal is intended to replace developed countries’ previous commitment to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance for poorer nations by 2020. That goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025. Countries also agreed Saturday evening, November 23, on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say could mobilize billions more dollars into new projects to help fight global warming, from reforestation to deployment of clean energy technologies. – Rappler.com

Drug Modeling Software Market to Observe Prominent CAGR of 9.2% by 2030, Size, Share, Trends, Demand, Growth, Challenges and Competitive OutlookMaryland Gov. Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott hope a newly planned weeks-long festival will draw more fans, and revenue, to the Preakness Stakes and the area as the city prepares to host the second jewel of the Triple Crown. The biggest event on Baltimore’s spring calendar has lost money in recent years. Crowds have dwindled from an average of more than 100,000 in the decade before the coronavirus pandemic to 63,423 on Friday and Saturday last May. Young people have turned away from thoroughbred racing and the signature event, despite the presence of headlining musical acts such as and . Moore and Scott hope to turn the tide leading up to the 150th running of the race on May 17 — the final turn around the current version of the soon-to-be renovated Pimlico Race Course. “Preakness is a chance for Baltimore to show off,” Moore said at a presentation Wednesday on the sixth floor of the warehouse at Camden Yards. “And that’s what’s going to happen with Preakness 150.” Shortly after next year’s race, bulldozers and wrecking balls will begin demolishing the dilapidated facility as part of a expected to have a new Pimlico ready to host the Preakness by 2027. The refurbished track, in tandem with a new off-site training facility, is expected to become the headquarters for Maryland thoroughbred racing by the end of that year. Wednesday’s presentation was short on specifics, with festival organizers saying only that the buildup to the Preakness will last for months and that a list of events — including free and ticketed cultural gatherings, arts activities, and a headline concert — will be released in early 2025. But the co-chairs of the initiative are heavy hitters, from the first lady Dawn Moore to Orioles owner David Rubenstein to Stronach Group CEO Belinda Stronach, whose Canadian company still owns the Preakness despite having sold Pimlico to the state earlier this year. They said its events will “deliver experiences that equitably enhance economic growth, promote tourism and inspire civic pride through collaborative work with small-, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses.” Dawn Moore said the seed of the idea hit her after she and her husband visited the Kentucky Derby two years ago and recognized that the parties and community events leading up to the first jewel of the Triple Crown take over Louisville for weeks leading up to the actual race. Dec 11, 2024: Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott speaks at a media event at the Warehouse at Camden Yards previewing plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, a Preakness Festival and future plans for Pimlico Race Course and the Park Heights community. Listening are Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore, Governor Wes Moore and David Rubenstein, owner of the Baltimore Orioles. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore speaks at a press event to preview plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes. A Preakness Festival, future plans for Pimlico Race Course and the Park Heights community were highlighted at the event held at the Warehouse at Camden Yards. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore speaks at a press event to preview plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes. A Preakness Festival, future plans for Pimlico Race Course and the Park Heights community were highlighted at the event held at the Warehouse at Camden Yards. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott helped announce the creation of a new weeks-long festival designed to draw more attention to the Preakness Stakes. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaks at a press event about plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes including a Preakness Festival, future plans for Pimlico Race Course and the Park Heights community. (Kim Hairston/Staff) From left, Terry Hasseltine, executive director of the Maryland Sports Commission and president of Sports and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, Governor Wes Moore, First Lady Dawn Moore and David Rubenstein, owner of the Baltimore Orioles, watch a video promoting the Preakness Festival for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes. The press event is held at the Warehouse at Camden Yards. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaks at a press event about plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes including a Preakness Festival, future plans for Pimlico Race Course and the Park Heights community. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Terry Hasseltine, executive director of the Maryland Sports Commission and president of Sports and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland speaks about plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes during a press event at the Warehouse at Camden Yards. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Dec 11, 2024: Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott speaks at a media event at the Warehouse at Camden Yards previewing plans for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, a Preakness Festival and future plans for Pimlico Race Course and the Park Heights community. Listening are Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore, Governor Wes Moore and David Rubenstein, owner of the Baltimore Orioles. (Kim Hairston/Staff) “We could do it better,” she recalled telling the governor. “Well, go do it then,” she remembered him responding. One of the festival’s other co-chairs, Stella May Contracting chief financial officer Christian Johansson, noted that the Derby generated $396 million in economic impact for Kentucky in 2023 while the most recent study on the Preakness showed it generated just $41 million for Maryland. “The main reason is the Derby isn’t one or two days,” Johansson said. “Maryland historically has not fully captured the economic impact the Preakness could have.” Rubenstein donated to supplement funds from the Maryland Lottery’s major events fund to help get the new festival off the ground. The Orioles owner said he was dining with the Moores when the first lady ran the play by him. “That’s a pretty clever idea,” Rubenstein recalled thinking. “How come nobody else thought of that before?” He noted that he grew up a mile from Pimlico but never visited the track as a child because he wasn’t old enough. He promised to be there to celebrate the winner in 2025. Related Articles Scott grew up even closer, in Park Heights, but recalled not feeling welcome at the Preakness, which he did not attend until 2019. He said that this new initiative is about forging deeper connections between the event and the community around it. He and Moore noted that the Pimlico rebuild project includes $10 million for affordable housing and job creation in surrounding neighborhoods and that the festival will play off that mission. “We want to show the world the real and true Baltimore,” the mayor said. “One that is resilient, fun and on the rise, one that is the home of excellence but in particular, this Old Bay-sprinkled Black excellence. “That’s not what Preakness has always been. It hasn’t always been a place where we felt welcome. It was held in Northwest Baltimore, but it was very clear that it wasn’t Northwest Baltimore. But over the past few years ... we’ve begun to change that narrative.”Countries agreed on Sunday to an annual finance target of $300 billion to help poorer countries deal with the impacts of climate change, with rich countries leading the payments, according to a hard fought deal clinched at the COP29 conference in Baku. The new goal is intended to replace developed countries' previous commitment to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance for poorer nations by 2020. That goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025. Countries also agreed Saturday evening on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say could mobilise billions more dollars into new projects to help fight global warming, from reforestation to deployment of clean energy technologies.

Sinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’

I f you believe the old marketing adage that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about, Rawdon Glover should be the happiest man in business. More than 100 million keyboard warriors have posted, read, liked or shared social media messages about the brand he runs, Jaguar cars. They include Elon Musk, America’s most powerful motormouth, and Reform UK MP Nigel Farage. The snag is, most of the comments lack the grace of the great Jaguar sports cars and saloons of the past. “I predict Jaguar will now go bust. And you know what? They deserve to,” said Farage. Critics’ tyres are smoking at Jaguar’s radical rebrand, unveiled on Tuesday. Out goes the aggressive leaping cat on the bonnet of its new cars and also the predator’s face on the roundel badge. In its place is a soft, golden double J logo. Teaser images of Jaguar’s sharp-edged, all-electric, £100,000 new concept car, which will be unveiled at Miami Art Week on December 2, have been dismissed as looking like Musk’s brutal Mad Max -style Tesla Cybertruck.The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theater debuts NEW YORK (AP) — “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” have debuted in theaters with a combined $270 million in ticket sales. Their worldwide performance breathed fresh life into global box office results that have struggled lately. Together the films turned the moviegoing weekend into one of the busiest of the year. Jon M. Chu’s lavish big-budget musical “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is a sequel to his 2000 best picture-winning original and launched with $55.5 million in ticket sales. “Moana 2” is being released Wednesday, so it looks like Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday. Trump's Republican Party is increasingly winning union voters. It's a shift seen in his labor pick WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class voters helped Republicans make steady election gains this year and expanded a coalition that increasingly includes rank-and-file union members. It's a political shift spotlighting one of President-elect Donald Trump’s latest Cabinet picks: a GOP congresswoman, who has drawn labor support, to be his labor secretary. Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members. They're a key part of the Democratic base but are gravitating in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. Trump raced to pick many Cabinet posts. He took more time to settle on a treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his choice for treasury secretary. The Republican not only wanted someone who jibes with him, but an official who can execute his economic vision and look straight out of central casting while doing so. With his Yale University education and pedigree trading for Soros Fund Management before establishing his own funds, Bessent will be tasked with a delicate balancing act. Trump expects him to help reset the global trade order, enable trillions of dollars in tax cuts, ensure inflation stays in check, manage a ballooning national debt and still keep the financial markets confident. Trump chooses Bessent to be treasury secretary, Vought as budget chief, Chavez-DeRemer for Labor WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent, 62, is founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management. He previously had worked on and off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. Trump also said he would nominate Russell Vought, 48, to lead the Office of Management and Budget, a position he held during Trump's first term. And Trump chose Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican, as his labor secretary, and Scott Turner, a former football player who worked in Trump’s first administration, as his housing secretary. Afraid of losing the US-Canada trade pact, Mexico alters its laws and removes Chinese parts MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has been taking a bashing for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America. Officials here are terrified that a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Justin Trudeau could simply expel their country from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. Mexico's ruling Morena party is so afraid its has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones. And its legislators are consciously tweaking the wording of major laws to try to make them compatible with the trade pact's language. Mexico hopes the rules of the trade pact would prevent the U.S. or Canada from simply walking away. Australia withdraws a misinformation bill after critics compare it to censorship CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s government has withdrawn a bill that would give a media watchdog power to monitor digital platforms and require them to keep records about misinformation and disinformation on their networks. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said Sunday that the government was unable to drum up the support needed to pass the legislation. The opposition spokesman, David Coleman, said the bill “betrayed our democracy” and amounted to “censorship laws in Australia.” The bill would have granted the Australian Communications and Media Authority power over digital platforms by approving an enforceable code of conduct or standards for social media companies if self-regulation fell short. He'll be the last meatpacker in the Meatpacking District. Here's how NYC's gritty 'hood got chic NEW YORK (AP) — The last meatpackers in New York's Meatpacking District have agreed to end their leases early and make way for development on their city-owned lot. A third-generation meatpacker says he is ready to retire and he'll be proud to be there when the building closes. The closure date has not been set, but will mark the end of over a century of industrial life in the Meatpacking District. Starting in the 1970s, a new nightlife scene emerged as bars and nightclubs moved in. Today it's a hub for shopping, tourism, and recreation and only echoes of that grit remain. US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems? DALLAS (AP) — Delta and United Airlines have become the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning a significant share of budget travelers. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday. Some travel industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate less-wealthy passengers will have fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on better financial footing but also are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Most industry experts think Frontier and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks, and that there's still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. What to know about Scott Bessent, Trump's pick for treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen money manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction and deregulation, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent is a past supporter of Democrats who has become an enthusiastic supporter of Trump. He’s an advocate of cutting spending while extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in Trump’s first term. He has said tariffs imposed during a second Trump administration would be directed primarily at China.DID the courts just abolish our municipal waters? Pertinent provisions of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines and in its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were declared unconstitutional by Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 170 a year ago. On Aug. 19, 2024, the Supreme Court's First Division affirmed the RTC's ruling. Specifically, the Fisheries Code's Sections 4 (58), 16 and 18, and the IRR's corresponding provisions were struck down. Section 4 (58) defines Municipal Waters. Section 16 states that, "The municipal/city government shall have jurisdiction over municipal waters as defined in this Code." Section 18 identifies the users of municipal waters: the municipal fisherfolk and their associations. Local government units (LGUs) may also grant permits to commercial fishing vessels to operate within 10.1 to 15 kilometers from the coastline. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.

And the bad-news Bears' season-ending record will be ...LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 24 points and No. 6 Notre Dame defeated JuJu Watkins and third-ranked Southern California 74-61 on Saturday in a marquee matchup on the West Coast. Watkins and the Trojans (4-1) fell behind early and were down 21 points in the fourth quarter. She had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Hidalgo came out shooting well, hitting 5 of 8 from the floor in the first quarter and had 16 points at the break. She added six rebounds and eight assists. Hidalgo's backcourt mate, Olivia Miles, added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Fighting Irish (5-0). Even though Hidalgo outshone her, Watkins’ imprint was all over the game. A documentary about her life aired on NBC leading into the nationally televised game. A buzz arose when Snoop Dogg walked in shortly before tipoff wearing a jacket in USC colors with Watkins' name and number on the front and back. Her sister, Mali, sang the national anthem. Notre Dame: The Irish struck quickly, racing to a 20-10 lead in the opening quarter. Even after cooling off a bit, they never trailed and stayed poised when the Trojans got within three in the second and third quarters. USC: The Trojans were without starting guard Kennedy Smith, whose defense on Hidalgo would have proven valuable. It was announced shortly before tipoff that she had a surgical procedure and will return at some point this season. The Trojans got within three points three times but the Irish remained poised and never gave up the lead. Notre Dame's defense forced the Trojans into 21 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Irish. Watkins, Kaleigh Heckel and Talia von Oelhoffen had five each. USC was just 1 of 13 from 3-point range Notre Dame plays TCU on Nov. 29 in the Cayman Islands Classic. USC plays Seton Hall in the Women's Acrisure Holiday Invitational on Nov. 27 in Palm Desert, California. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) on Wednesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $1.68 billion. The San Jose, California-based company said it had net income of $3.79 per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $4.81 per share. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $4.66 per share. The software maker posted revenue of $5.61 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Ten analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $5.54 billion. For the year, the company reported profit of $5.56 billion, or $12.36 per share. Revenue was reported as $21.51 billion. For the current quarter ending in February, Adobe expects its per-share earnings to range from $4.95 to $5. The company said it expects revenue in the range of $5.63 billion to $5.68 billion for the fiscal first quarter. Adobe expects full-year earnings in the range of $20.20 to $20.50 per share, with revenue ranging from $23.3 billion to $23.55 billion. Adobe shares have decreased 8% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $548.84, a decline of 12% in the last 12 months. This story was generated by Automated Insights ( http://automatedinsights.com/ap ) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ADBE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ADBE

Bipartisan group of governors join together for national education initiativeLOS ANGELES — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks’ overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson scored 14 for the Gamecocks, whose road winning streak was third-longest in Division I history. It was the first time UCLA took down a No. 1 team in school history, having been 0-20 in such games. The program's previous best wins were over a couple of No. 2s — Oregon in 2019 and Stanford in 2008. Elina Aarnisalo added 13 points as one of five Bruins in double figures. UCLA (5-0) dominated from start to finish, with the Bruins' suffocating defense preventing the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. Takeaways South Carolina: The Gamecocks trailed by double-digits at halftime for the first time since Dec. 21, 2021, against Stanford, according to ESPN. Chloe Kitts, who averages a team-leading 14 points, finished the game with 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting. UCLA: The Bruins led 43-22 at halftime. Eight different players scored and contributed to 11-0 and 7-0 runs in the first and second quarters as they shot 52% from the field. Key moment The first quarter set the tone for a game in which the Gamecocks never led. They missed their first nine shots and were 4 of 18 from the floor in the quarter. UCLA ran off 11 straight points to take a 20-10 lead into the second quarter. Key stats The Bruins dominated the boards, 41-34, and held the Gamecocks well under their scoring average of 80.2 points. Up next South Carolina travels to Florida to meet Iowa State in the Fort Myers Tipoff on Thanksgiving. UCLA travels to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Hawaii to play UT Martin on Friday.Telix Files TLX250-CDx (Zircaix®) BLA for Kidney Cancer Imaging

-- Reduces total emissions by approximately 14 percent since base year -- -- Decreases water withdrawal by approximately 17 percent since base year -- -- Achieves lost-time injury rate of 0.28, representing an approximate 32 percent reduction from prior year -- MORRISVILLE, N.C. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pyxus International, Inc. (OTC Pink: PYYX), a global value-added agricultural company, today published its Fiscal Year 2024 Sustainability Report detailing the measurable impacts of the Company's sustainability initiatives as it progresses toward achieving its global targets. "Fiscal year 2024 was an exceptional year for Pyxus and this report highlights the positive impacts of our environmental and social initiatives, including collaboration with our contracted growers to reduce scope 3 emissions, improvement of our employee health and safety practices, and providing support to those in need," said Pyxus President and CEO Pieter Sikkel . "We remain committed to viewing all aspects of our business through a sustainable lens, helping us progress against our targets while delivering value to our stakeholders, the environment and the communities in which we operate." Notable fiscal year 2024 sustainability achievements include: Minimal Environmental Impact Support for People and Communities Ethical and Responsible Business In preparation of this year's report, Pyxus externally verified 11 global key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with its targets, up from three KPIs in the prior year. The report was prepared with reference to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and discloses the Company's sustainability performance from April 1, 2023 , to March 31, 2024 . About Pyxus International, Inc. Pyxus International, Inc. is a global agricultural company with more than 150 years of experience delivering value-added products and services to businesses and customers. Driven by a united purpose—to transform people's lives, so that together we can grow a better world—Pyxus International, its subsidiaries and affiliates, are trusted providers of responsibly sourced, independently verified, sustainable, and traceable products and ingredients. For more information, visit www.pyxus.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pyxus-releases-fiscal-year-2024-sustainability-report-302329534.html SOURCE Pyxus International, Inc.By MARC LEVY HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning. In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last,” Casey said. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted. That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania’s highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate. Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter

Independent candidate Shivaji Patil, who won from Chandgad Assembly constituency was injured in a fire during his victory celebrations Saturday (November 23, 2024) night, an eyewitness said. Some women who were in the procession have also been injured, the eyewitness said. The video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Also Read: Exit polls get Maharashtra results right, wrong about Jharkhand elections When the women were performing ' aarti' of Shivaji Patil at Mahgaon, a large quantity of ‘gulal’ fell from a crane onto their 'aarti' plates causing a blaze, he said. Along with Shivaji Patil, a few women also sustained burns, he added. Shivaji Patil defeated NCP’s Rajesh Patil by 24134 votes in Chandgad in western Maharashtra. Published - November 24, 2024 12:39 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Maharashtra / Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024Thousands of protesters marched through Barcelona on Saturday demanding lower rents in Spain's second city. Barcelona, which has already taken action to stop the spread of holiday rental apartments, is the latest Spanish city to see protests for cheaper housing. Backed by left-wing parties and unions, the demonstrators gathered in central Barcelona behind a giant banner declaring "Lower the rents". "Today a new political cycle starts concerning housing," Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Catalan Tenants Union, the main organiser, told reporters. "Investors must not be allowed to come to our cities and play with the apartments like a game of Monopoly," she added. The union would target "profiteers" who are taking "half of our salaries", Arcarazo said. The demonstrators demanded a 50 percent cut in rents, leases with an unlimited term and a ban on "speculative" sales of buildings. They threatened to start a rent strike. An estimated 22,000 people took part in a similar demonstration in Madrid on October 13. Campaigns have been launched in other cities. According to the Idealista specialised website, rental prices per square metre have risen 82 percent across Spain over the past decade. The average salary has gone up by 17 percent in that time, according to the national statistics institute. Facing pressure over a housing crisis, the government in 2023 passed legislation calling for more social housing, greater restrictions on rents in high demand areas and penalties for owners who do not occupy properties. But rents have continued to rise while the government has battled city and regional authorities to get some parts of the law applied. vid-vab/tw/jmNone

HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) — Amarri Tice scored 20 points and Paul Otieno added six in the overtime as Quinnipiac defeated Hofstra 75-69 on Sunday. Tice added 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Bobcats (6-7). Otieno scored 17 points and added 14 rebounds. Jaden Zimmerman shot 4 of 8 from the field, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 1 for 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points. Jean Aranguren led the Pride (8-5) in scoring, finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Cruz Davis added 14 points and two steals for Hofstra. Michael Graham had eight points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Quinnipiac entered halftime up 36-32. Tice paced the team in scoring in the first half with 10 points. Quinnipiac was outscored by four points in the second half and the teams finished regulation tied 63-63 after two free throws by Aranguren with 38 seconds remaining. Otieno shot 2 of 3 from the field on the way to their six points in the overtime. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Tuomas Uronen scored at 1:46 of overtime to give Finland a 4-3 victory over the defending champion United States on Sunday in the world junior hockey championship. Uronen, who plays for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League, came down the right side on a rush and beat goalie Trey Augustine high to the glove side. The Americans lost for the first time in three games. They'll finish Group A play Tuesday night against Canada. Finland has won two straight after an opening loss to Canada. In the late game at Canadian Tire Centre, Carter George made 18 saves to help Canada rebound from an overtime loss to Latvia with a 3-0 victory over Germany. Jesse Kiiskinen, Julius Miettinen and Arttu Alasiurua also scored for Finland, and Petteri Rimpinen made 41 saves. Carey Terrance of the Erie Otters of the OHL, Cole Hutson of Boston University and Brody Ziemer of Minnesota scored for the United States. Augustine, from Michigan State, stopped 29 shots. For Canada, Oliver Bonk opened the scoring midway through the first period, Caden Price made it 2-0 with 4:58 left in the game and Mathieu Cataford added an empty-netter. In Group B at TD Place, Sweden and Czechia each improved to 3-0 ahead of their showdown Tuesday night in the round-robin finale. Tom Willander had two goals and assist in Sweden's 7-5 victory over Switzerland. Eduard Sale scored twice to help Czechia beat Slovakia 4-2. AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

House approves $895B defense bill with military pay raise, ban on transgender care for minors“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

STEPHEN DAISLEY: How to lose friends... and influence nobody. If Flynn is their rising star, the SNP is in for some very dark nightsNone