Biden visits Amazon rainforest en route to G20 summit
Biden visits Amazon rainforest en route to G20 summit
Joe Biden will become the first sitting US president to visit the Amazon rainforest as he flags the dangers of global warming often dismissed by Donald Trump, who will enter the White House vowing to scrap measures to ****** climate change.
Biden is travelling from Lima, Peru, to Manaus, Brazil, to meet with local leaders working to preserve the Amazon before he flies to Rio de Janeiro for a summit of the Group of 20 major economies addressing issues from hunger and ******** to global governance and climate change.
Scientists say the conservation of the Amazon is vital to curbing climate change because of the vast amount of climate-warming carbon dioxide its trees absorb.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has vowed to end deforestation in his country’s rainforest by 2030 and urged wealthy nations to contribute to the cause.
Biden said in 2023 he would request $US500 million ($A774 million) from the US Congress to support the Brazilian-administered Amazon Fund.
However, by July the US had delivered on just 10 per cent of that pledge.
Trump has called climate change a hoax and plans to roll back much of Biden’s landmark climate legislation to help pay for the extension of tax cuts secured in his first term.
The incoming *********** president also aims to boost record US oil and natural gas production and eliminate rules imposed by Biden to wean gasoline-powered cars off US roads.
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A lion cub evacuated from Lebanon to a South ******** sanctuary escapes airstrikes and ******
A lion cub evacuated from Lebanon to a South ******** sanctuary escapes airstrikes and ******
BEIRUT (AP) — When Sara first arrived at her rescuers’ home, she was *****, tired, and was covered in ringworms and signs of ****** all over her little furry body.
After spending two months in a small Beirut apartment with an animal rights group, the four-and-half-month-old lion cub arrived Friday at a wildlife sanctuary in South ******* after a long journey on a yacht and planes, escaping both ******** airstrikes and abusive owners.
Sara is the fifth lion cub to be evacuated from Lebanon by local rescue group Animals Lebanon since Hezbollah and ******* began exchanging ***** a day after the Oct. 7 ******* in southern ******* by ****** that ignited the war in Gaza last year.
Animals Lebanon first discovered Sara on social media channels in July. Her owner, a Lebanese man in the ancient city of Baalbek, posted bombastic videos of himself parading with the little lion cub on TikTok and Instagram.
Under Lebanese law, it is prohibited to own wild and exotic animals.
The lion cub was “really just being used as showing off,” said Jason Mier, executive director of Animals Lebanon.
In mid-September, the group finally retrieved her after filing a case with the police and judiciary, who interrogated her owner and forced him to give up the feline.
Soon after that, ******* launched an offensive against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah – after nearly a year of low-level conflict – and Baalbek came under heavy bombardment.
Mier and his team were able to extract Sara from Baalbek weeks before ******* launched its aerial bombardment campaign on the ancient city, and move her to an apartment in Beirut’s busy commercial Hamra district.
She was supposed to fly to South ******* in October, but international airlines stopped flights to Lebanon as ******** jets and drones hit sites close to the country’s only airport.
Hezbollah began ******* rockets across the border into ******* in support of its ally, ******, on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after ************ militants staged the deadly surprise incursion into southern *******. ******* responded with shelling and airstrikes. Beginning in mid-September, ******* launched an intense aerial bombardment of much of Lebanon, followed by a ground invasion.
Before the conflict, Animals Lebanon was active in halting animal trafficking and the exotic **** trade, saving over two dozen big cats from imprisonment in lavish homes and sending them to wildlife sanctuaries.
Since the war started, Animals Lebanon has also been rescuing pets that have been trapped in damaged apartments as hundreds of thousands of Lebanese fled bombardment – almost 1,000 over the past month alone.
“Lots are still in our care because the owners of these animals are still displaced,” Mier said. “So we can’t expect the person to take this animal back when he might be living on the street or in a school.”
Before the conflict escalated, the rights group was able to move around the country more freely as the fighting largely remained in southern Lebanon along the border with *******. But things became more difficult as airstrikes became more frequent and spread over wider swathes of the country.
Unaware of the war around her, Sara thrived. She was fed a platter of raw meat daily and grew to 40 kilograms (88 pounds). She cuddled every morning with Mier’s wife Maggie, also an animal rights activist.
But the activists faced a major obstacle: How would they get her out of Lebanon?
Animals Lebanon collected donations from supporters and rights groups around the world to put Sara on a small yacht to take her to Cyprus. From there, she flew to the ******* ***** Emirates before her long journey ended in Cape Town.
Days before her evacuation Sara played in one of the bedrooms at Mier’s apartment, with cushions and chew toys scattered.
Thursday at dawn, she arrived to the port of Dbayeh, just north of Beirut. Mier and his team were relieved, but also struggling to hold back their tears at her departure.
Mier anticipates Sara will be held for monitoring and ********-control, but soon will be part of a community of other lions.
“Then she’ll be integrated with two recent lions that we’ve sent from Lebanon, so she’ll make a nice group of three hopefully,” he said. “That’s where she will live out the rest of her life. That is the best option for her.”
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Rafael Nadal: The King of Clay’s career in numbers
Rafael Nadal: The King of Clay’s career in numbers
Since turning professional in 2001 as a 15-year-old, Nadal has spent 2,543 hours and 15 minutes on court in 1,307 ATP Tour matches – winning 1,080.
The first title of his career arrived in 2004 on the clay courts of Sopot, a tiny city in northern Poland, before he shot to fame the following season.
In 2005, Nadal broke into the world’s top 10 – where he would stay for a record 912 consecutive weeks.
Nadal would win a further 91 ATP Tour titles, including 22 Grand Slams – 14 at the French Open, four at the US Open and two at both Wimbledon and the *********** Open.
The US Open eluded him the longest, but when he conquered New York in 2010, he became the youngest man in the Open era to complete the career Grand Slam.
With Olympic singles gold already in his locker from Beijing 2008, that US Open victory also wrapped up a career golden Grand Slam.
It is an achievement matched by only four other players – Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.
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Whitcomb weaves magic to keep Bendigo unbeaten in WNBL
Whitcomb weaves magic to keep Bendigo unbeaten in WNBL
Opals guard Sami Whitcomb has maintained her great early-season form to help Bendigo to a road double and a ladder-leading 5-0 start to the WNBL season
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#Whitcomb #weaves #magic #Bendigo #unbeaten #WNBL
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A Ukrainian brigade armed with French light tanks, artillery, and heavy weaponry is about to enter the ******
A Ukrainian brigade armed with French light tanks, artillery, and heavy weaponry is about to enter the ******
France has trained thousands of Ukrainians for a brigade that’s about to enter the ****** with Russia.
The brigade is set to have French light tanks, artillery, and missile systems.
“Now they are able to ******, they are able to maneuver,” a French colonel told the Associated Press.
A Ukrainian brigade made up of thousands of soldiers trained in France and armed with French-supplied light battle tanks, artillery, and heavy weaponry is about to enter the ****** against Russia.
For more than two months, thousands of troops have been training in eastern and southern France, the Associated Press reported.
A French military task force named Champagne has conducted the training, and more than 2,000 soldiers are undergoing the final parts of training before they return to Ukraine, the AP report says.
The brigade — named “Anne of Kyiv” after a former Kyiv princess who became a queen of France — is expected to eventually have 4,500 members.
It’s also set to have 18 AMX 10 light tanks, 18 truck-mounted Caesar artillery pieces, 128 armored troop carriers, as well as anti-tank and antiaircraft missile systems, according to the French military. France often refers to the AMX-10 as a light tank, but it is widely seen as an armored combat and reconnaissance vehicle.
Before they traveled to France, most of the soldiers had only a few weeks’ basic training, the French military said, according to the AP.
A French colonel told the outlet: “They have improved a lot. Now they are able to ******, they are able to maneuver. They are able to use the different specialists and to use the different equipment they will have on the battlefield.”
The Ukrainian military is also training other troops for the brigade back in Ukraine, French authorities said.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, groups of Ukrainian soldiers have undergone training by Western militaries in locations outside Ukraine.
Partly as a result, Ukraine’s forces are considered significantly better trained than Russia’s, though Russia has military advantages in other areas.
Western intelligence has pointed to Russian troops getting hardly any training before being sent to the front, and Russia’s strategy to win appears to be based on trying to overwhelm Ukraine’s much smaller military through sheer numbers of troops and equipment.
The new Ukrainian brigade is entering the war at a critical time.
Russia has been slowly inching forward in eastern Ukraine as Ukraine calls for more support from its allies. Ukrainian officials have also said that up to 11,000 North Korean troops are now in place to help Russia push back its forces in occupied Kursk.
At the same time, Ukraine is anxiously awaiting US President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to return to the White House in January and has repeatedly criticized the levels of US support sent to Ukraine.
Depending on Trump, the help that Europe is giving Ukraine, such as France training one of its brigades, could become even more critical to Ukraine’s ability to ****** on.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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Brisbane Heat teenager Lucy Hamilton breaks WBBL records in crucial win
Brisbane Heat teenager Lucy Hamilton breaks WBBL records in crucial win
Brisbane Heat teenager Lucy Hamilton has become the youngest player in WBBL history to take a five-wicket haul, skipping schoolies’ week to bowl her side to a crucial six-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars.
Hamilton claimed the equal-second best figures in the competition’s 10-year history on Sunday, with her 5-8 helping the Heat bowl the Stars out for 138.
Brisbane’s batters made light work of the chase, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Charlie Knott leading the way and the Heat reaching the target with 15 ****** to spare.
Rodrigues hit 45 from 31, smashing two big sixes down the ground and five fours before being deceived by an Annabel Sutherland slower ball.
The Heat’s third straight win moved them back up into third on the ladder, while the Stars’ season is now almost over with one win from seven matches.
Hamilton was crucial, after the 18-year-old entered Sunday’s match without a wicket in her eight-game WBBL career.
Weeks after finishing her QCE exams in Bundaberg and with her friends partying on the Gold Coast, she had the biggest day of her career.
After Sutherland got out of the blocks fast with 21, the left-armer bowled both her and Yastika Bhatia in her first over.
She also had superstar Meg Lanning caught behind for 13 edging a wide half volley, before having danger woman Tess Flintoff caught driving on the up to mid-off.
The Bundaberg junior then trapped Deepti Sharma lbw, becoming the first Heat bowler in history to take a five-wicket haul in the WBBL.
Hamilton’s figures sit second only to Megan Schutt’s 6-19 in the competition’s history, and level with Amanda-***** Wellington’s two returns of 5-8.
“All my mates are at schoolies at the moment, on the Goldy living it up,” said Hamilton, adding she couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“Going out there today I was just trying to back myself.
“Getting my first wicket and getting 5-fa, all the ****** were getting around me. It was really exciting.
“I’ve had to be patient, played a few games, and it finally came and was really thrilling.”
Part of Australia’s under-19s side, Hamilton will finally move to Brisbane in the coming months after routinely making the five-hour commute down from Bundaberg.
“I was talking to my bowling coach the other day, and it’s now about working on standing the seam up and just backing myself to swing the ball back in,” Hamilton said.
“Progressive training will help that, but it’s having the confidence to be able to do that.”
Only late hitting from Kim Garth (31no from 20 ******) and Maisy Gibson (15 from 11) gave the Stars a faint hope, but the Heat still chased the target down with ease.
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US to deploy world’s first alien-hunting system equipped with 2D, 3D radars
US to deploy world’s first alien-hunting system equipped with 2D, 3D radars
Just two days after the US whistleblowers said Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs, are real and interacting with humans, the Pentagon has announced the full-time deployment of its new surveillance capabilities to monitor the UFOs.
The Pentagon said in its fiscal 2024 report that the capability, known as Gremlin, will be deployed in the first quarter of FY 2025 to support pattern-of-life analysis.
However, the Pentagon maintained that the aliens don’t exist.
US UFO data
The Pentagon report covers UAP incidents from May 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024.
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) received 757 UAP reports during this *******; 485 of these reports featured UAP incidents during the reporting *******.
The remaining 272 reports featured UAP incidents that occurred between 2021 and 2022 but were not reported to AARO until this reporting ******* and were not included in previous annual UAP reports.
AARO resolved 118 cases during the reporting *******, all of which resolved to prosaic objects such as various types of balloons, birds, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
As of May 31, 2024, AARO has an additional 174 cases queued for closure, pending a final review and the Director’s approval.
As of the publishing date of this report, all 174 cases have been finalized as resolved to prosaic objects, including balloons, birds, UAS, satellites, and aircraft.
Many other cases remain unresolved, and AARO continues collecting and analyzing them. It is important to underscore that, to date, AARO has discovered no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology.
None of the reports AARO received during the reporting ******* indicated that observers suffered adverse health effects.
US military aircrews provided two reports identifying flight safety concerns, and three described pilots trailed or shadowed by UAP.
The Pentagon report said that, to date, AARO has no indication or confirmation that these activities are attributable to foreign adversaries.
Gremlin UFO hunting system
The report further details AARO’s efforts to improve its ability to detect, track, and characterize UAP, including more information about the Gremlin sensor architecture, which the office first revealed last year.
The report explains that Gremlin is a network of 2D and 3D radar and long-range electro-optical and infrared telescopes developed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute.
2D radar measures range and azimuth (direction); 3D radar measures the range, azimuth, and elevation of target objects.
The report says that GREMLIN “successfully collected data” during a test in March and will now be deployed at a “national security site” for a 90-day “pattern of life collection.”
The report further states that AARO is developing a new science and technology plan to outline and address “the challenges facing UAP detection and identification, such as a lack of high-quality sensor data and a series of gaps in the scientific knowledge base.”
The Gremlin System was designed, in part, to keep US airspace safe. It isn’t the first UAP surveillance system deployed in the US.
Harvard professor Avi Loeb founded the Galileo Project in 2021, which is developing a network of telescopes and cameras to keep an eye on the sky at all times.
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#deploy #worlds #alienhunting #system #equipped #radars
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At least 400 ***** as Bangladesh dengue outbreak worsens
At least 400 ***** as Bangladesh dengue outbreak worsens
Bangladesh is battling its worst outbreak of dengue in years, with more than 400 deaths as rising temperatures and a longer monsoon season drive a surge in infections, leaving hospitals struggling to cope, particularly in urban areas.
At least 407 people have ***** from related complications in 2024, with 78,595 patients admitted to hospitals nationwide, the latest official figures show.
By mid-November, 4173 patients were being treated – 1835 of them in the capital Dhaka.
“We’re witnessing monsoon-like rainfall even in October, which is unusual,” said Kabirul Bashar, a zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University.
Shifting weather patterns caused by climate change provided optimal conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary carrier of the ********, he said.
“These changes in the season are fostering ideal conditions for the mosquitoes to breed.”
Dense populations in cities exacerbate the spread of the ********, usually more common in the monsoon season from June to September although it has spilled beyond that window in 2024.
A rise in temperatures and longer monsoons, both linked to climate change, have caused a spike in mosquito breeding, driving the rapid spread of the virus.
Bashar called for year-round vector surveillance in Bangladesh to monitor and rein in the ********.
If detected early and treated properly, deaths from dengue can be reduced to less than one per cent, renowned physician Dr ABM Abdullah said.
“Early diagnosis and prevention are key to controlling dengue,” he said.
There were 1705 deaths and more than 321,000 infections reported in 2023 – the deadliest year on record in the current crisis.
The growing frequency and severity of outbreaks have strained Bangladesh’s already overwhelmed health-care system, as hospitals battle to treat thousands of patients.
Health officials have urged precautions against mosquito bites, such as mosquito repellents and bed nets, while experts want tougher measures to eliminate the stagnant waters where mosquitoes breed.
Delays in seeking treatment, particularly among rural populations who must travel long distances to specialised facilities in Dhaka, are swelling the toll, doctors said.
The ******** can often show only mild initial symptoms that go undiagnosed until patients are critical.
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#***** #Bangladesh #dengue #outbreak #worsens
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Watch Time-Lapse Of Mars Helicopter Ingenuity's Last Flight Of 2022
Watch Time-Lapse Of Mars Helicopter Ingenuity's Last Flight Of 2022
Watch Time-Lapse Of Mars Helicopter Ingenuity’s Last Flight Of 2022
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#Watch #TimeLapse #Mars #Helicopter #Ingenuity039s #Flight
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AFLW 2024: Fremantle vice captain Laura Pugh says Docker’s are proud despite finals run being cut short
AFLW 2024: Fremantle vice captain Laura Pugh says Docker’s are proud despite finals run being cut short
Fremantle’s AFLW season may be over, but vice-captain Laura Pugh says she is proud of her side despite their finals run coming to an abrupt halt in a 37-point Crows thumping.
The Crows held the Dockers goalless for the first half and allowed the ****** in purple just one major the entire game.
Adelaide’s pressure proved one hurdle too many for a Fremantle side that has leapt many this season, leaving Pugh proud of the group’s accomplishments.
“Adelaide absolutely showed up, but I’m really, really proud of the ******,” she revealed in the wake of the loss.
“In the first quarter, we were definitely with them and had massive belief even coming out of halftime, but unfortunately, they (Adelaide) were up for it today.
The Dockers proved the depth of their squad as they were plagued by injuries throughout 2024, with captain Ange Stannett, key forward Aine Tighe and Kiara Bowers all sidelined for the season.
But Pugh said it meant the side found emerging stars that would hold them in good stead moving forward.
“We pride ourselves on the belief in our entire group with those injuries to some of our core team players (missing),” Pugh said.
“It’s been amazing that people have been able to come in like ‘TK’ (Tunisha Kikoak) and ‘Gabba’ (Gabby Biedenweg-Webster) literally a few weeks before the season started and played massive roles.
“I think everyone really stepped up, and it’s a great experience for next year.”
“People coming in and playing massive roles, a new and fresh forward line, same with the midfield — new personnel going through there — and they’ve put in a mountain of work to get their connection and flow, and that’s going to put us in great stead for next year”
“We’ve got a lot to improve on. We’ll have a nice big break and then get ready to go next year.”
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Russia launches one of the fiercest missile and drone attacks at Ukraine’s infrastructure
Russia launches one of the fiercest missile and drone attacks at Ukraine’s infrastructure
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia on Sunday launched a massive drone and missile ******* on Ukraine, described by officials as the largest over the past months, targeting energy infrastructure and ******** civilians.
The ******* came as fears are mounting about Moscow’s intentions to devastate Ukraine’s power generation capacity ahead of the cold winter.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia had launched a total of 120 missiles and 90 drones in a large-scale ******* across Ukraine. Various types of drones were deployed, he said, including Iranian-made Shaheds as well as cruise, ballistic and aircraft-launched ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian defenses shot down 140 air targets, Zelenskyy said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.
“The ******’s target was our energy infrastructure throughout Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is damage to objects from hits and falling debris. In Mykolaiv, as a result of a drone *******, two people were ******* and six others were injured, including two children,” Zelenskyy said.
Two others were ******* in the Odesa region, where the ******* damaged energy infrastructure and disrupted power and water supplies, said local Gov. Oleh Kiper.
The combined drone and missile ******* was the most powerful in three months, according to the head of Kyiv’s City Military Administration Serhii Popko.
Russian strikes have hammered Ukraine’s power infrastructure since Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, prompting repeated emergency power shutdowns and nationwide rolling blackouts. Ukrainian officials have routinely urged Western allies to bolster the country’s air defenses to counter assaults and allow for repairs.
Explosions were heard across Ukraine on Sunday, including in capital Kyiv, the key southern port of Odesa, as well as the country’s west and central regions, according to local reports.
The operational command of Poland’s armed forces wrote on X that Polish and allied aircraft, including fighter jets, have been mobilized in Polish airspace because of the “massive” Russian ******* on neighboring Ukraine. The steps were aimed to provide safety in Poland’s border areas, it said.
One person was injured after the roof of a five-story residential building caught ***** in Kyiv’s historic center, according to Popko.
A thermal power plant operated by private energy company DTEK was “seriously damaged,” the company said.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at
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#Russia #launches #fiercest #missile #drone #attacks #Ukraines #infrastructure
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AFL Draft 2024: West Coast commit to matching bids for next generation academy product Malakai Champion
AFL Draft 2024: West Coast commit to matching bids for next generation academy product Malakai Champion
West Coast have committed to drafting next generation academy small forward Malakai Champion this week.
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#AFL #Draft #West #Coast #commit #matching #bids #generation #academy #product #Malakai #Champion
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Senegal votes for lawmakers in test for new president
Senegal votes for lawmakers in test for new president
A voter casts his ballot at a voting station in the fishing village of Ndayane on Nov. 17, 2024, during Senegal’s parliamentary elections.
John Wessels | Afp | Getty Images
Senegal headed to the polls on Sunday to vote in legislative elections that the president hopes will give his party a clear majority and the means to implement an ambitious agenda for reforms.
The heated campaign ******* has revived concerns about unrest as political rivals clashed, sometimes violently. The West ******** nation saw some of the worst political ********* in recent history ahead of the presidential election in March.
Polls open at 8 a.m. (0800 GMT) and close at 6 p.m. More than 7 million registered voters will have the chance to vote for candidates for the 165-seat assembly, choosing between 41 registered parties or other entities.
Top priorities for Senegalese voters are jobs and the economy, as inflation has squeezed livelihoods and the nation’s growing youth population struggles to find employment. Many are impatient for change.
The new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has promised to help, but his government is grappling with slower-than-projected growth and a worsening budget deficit.
In September, a government audit revealed that Senegal’s debt and budget deficit were much wider than the previous administration had reported, causing the fiscal crisis to spiral.
A $1.9 billion IMF programme agreed in June 2023 has been on hold since the discovery.
To implement reforms, Faye’s government is hoping to win a clear majority in the national assembly.
The main threat to his party Pastef’s ambitions is the unexpected alliance of two opposition parties, including the Republic party (APR) headed by the former Prime Minister Macky Sall.
The race also includes two smaller opposition coalitions. One led by Dakar’s mayor, Barthelemy Dias, has clashed with supporters of Pastef.
A timetable for the results of the vote has not been released.
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#Senegal #votes #lawmakers #test #president
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Everyone Is Pointing Out One Fact About The State Of Oklahoma After Their New ****** In Classroom Mandate
Everyone Is Pointing Out One Fact About The State Of Oklahoma After Their New ****** In Classroom Mandate
The state of Oklahoma has started a Religious Liberty and Patriotism department and is committed to bringing a ****** to every classroom.
Thai Noipho / Getty Images
State superintendent Ryan Walters released a video about it that’s currently making the rounds on social media:
Twitter: @RyanWaltersSupt
“I’m excited to announce today that Oklahoma is the first state to bring the ****** back to the classroom. Today, we purchased over 500 Bibles that will be in the AP government classrooms across the state,” he said. “We have the ******, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights. These are foundational documents in our nation’s history. Our kids have to understand the role the ****** played in influencing ********* history.”
“It’s very clear that the ******** left has driven the ****** out of the classroom which leads to a lack of understanding of ********* history. We will not stop until we bring the ****** back to every classroom in the state.”
Walters also sent a 90-second video to every state superintendent, requiring them to show it to all enrolled students and their parents.
In the video, Walters says this prayer: “Dear ****, thank you for all the blessings you’ve given our country. I pray for our leaders to make the right decisions, I pray in particular for President Donald Trump and his team as they continue to bring about change to the country. I pray for our parents, teachers and kids that they get the best education possible and live high quality lives. I also pray that we continue to teach love of country to our young people, and that our students understand what makes America great and that they continue to love this country. Amen.”
Let’s just say, some people are not happy about it, and everyone is pointing out the same thing…
Twitter: @PeterTwinklage
They’re saying Oklahoma is ranked 49th in the country in terms of education by U.S. News & World.
Twitter: @vinnybutbetter
Yep, 49 out of 50.
And that’s not all!
“Anyone who cares about the constitution understands how insane this is,” one person said.
Twitter: @TheAlexisKraft
“I’m ********** and very ************* but I genuinely do not agree with this,” another person said.
Twitter: @ManyMoonzz
And this person pointed out this extremely unfortunate error: “Forgetting the apostrophe here is really a tell.”
Twitter: @narrenhut
Even the ******* of ****** chimed in, “We don’t condone the indoctrination of children, don’t believe religion should be taught in schools, and we aren’t hypocrites.”
Twitter: @ChurchofSatan
USA Today reports that some large districts in the state say they aren’t complying with the mandate.
Andreypopov / Getty Images
Piedmont schools in the suburbs of Oklahoma City sent a letter to parents saying they have “‘No plans to change course from our current materials.”
In the letter, the school district said they “acknowledge the significant influence of various religions in world history and culture” but “it is important to clarify that while students learn about religion’s role in historical and cultural contexts, teaching any specific religious doctrine or practice is not a part of the current standards.”
Alex Gandara / Getty Images
Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how this one turns out!
Fox
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#Pointing #Fact #State #Oklahoma #****** #Classroom #Mandate
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Senegal votes for lawmakers in test for new president
Senegal votes for lawmakers in test for new president
A voter casts his ballot at a voting station in the fishing village of Ndayane on Nov. 17, 2024, during Senegal’s parliamentary elections.
John Wessels | Afp | Getty Images
Senegal headed to the polls on Sunday to vote in legislative elections that the president hopes will give his party a clear majority and the means to implement an ambitious agenda for reforms.
The heated campaign ******* has revived concerns about unrest as political rivals clashed, sometimes violently. The West ******** nation saw some of the worst political ********* in recent history ahead of the presidential election in March.
Polls open at 8 a.m. (0800 GMT) and close at 6 p.m. More than 7 million registered voters will have the chance to vote for candidates for the 165-seat assembly, choosing between 41 registered parties or other entities.
Top priorities for Senegalese voters are jobs and the economy, as inflation has squeezed livelihoods and the nation’s growing youth population struggles to find employment. Many are impatient for change.
The new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has promised to help, but his government is grappling with slower-than-projected growth and a worsening budget deficit.
In September, a government audit revealed that Senegal’s debt and budget deficit were much wider than the previous administration had reported, causing the fiscal crisis to spiral.
A $1.9 billion IMF programme agreed in June 2023 has been on hold since the discovery.
To implement reforms, Faye’s government is hoping to win a clear majority in the national assembly.
The main threat to his party Pastef’s ambitions is the unexpected alliance of two opposition parties, including the Republic party (APR) headed by the former Prime Minister Macky Sall.
The race also includes two smaller opposition coalitions. One led by Dakar’s mayor, Barthelemy Dias, has clashed with supporters of Pastef.
A timetable for the results of the vote has not been released.
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#Senegal #votes #lawmakers #test #president
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*********** Test stars arrive in Perth ahead of crucial first match against India for Border-Gavasker Trophy
*********** Test stars arrive in Perth ahead of crucial first match against India for Border-Gavasker Trophy
Australia’s Test landed in Perth ahead of their highly-anticipated five-match series against India with one goal in mind — to reclaim the Border-Gavasker Trophy for the first time in a decade.
Led by inspirational Pat Cummins, the Test side will spend the next four days preparing for the first Test against powerhouses India at Optus Stadium starting on Friday.
India have won the past four-series between the two cricketing heavyweights, with Australia last winning a series against the sub-continental side in the 2014-15 summer.
But the home nation has never lost a Test at Optus Stadium, including a 146-run win in the first ever game to be played at the Burswood venue nearly six years ago.
Only six players — Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazewood, Usman Khawaja and Travis Head — will pull on the ******* for the Aussies this week that played in that win more than half a decade ago.
South *********** captain Nathan McSweeney will become the 467th recipient of the famed Baggy Green when he makes his debut at the top of the order, having won the highly-publicised battle to partner Usman Khawaja.
McSweeney said he was ready for the bouncy, fast Optus Stadium surface in what could be a baptism of ***** for the new *********** opener.
“I feel like my game suits those conditions and I’m looking forward to preparing this week in the lead-up,” McSweeney told 7NEWS.
The man likely to be waiting at the other end off a run-up is Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who will skipper the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma.
Camera IconAlex Carey arrive. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
“I’ve been looking at footage over the last couple of seasons, we’re really lucky with the resources we have to try to gain some knowledge of what we might come up against,” he said.
Camera IconScott Boland, Alex Carey and Travis Head arrive. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
“Tapping into guys like Travis Head and Alex Carey and Marnus (Labuschange) who I speak to quite often, so guys that have faced him.
Camera IconMarnus Labuschagne arrives. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
“I can use that knowledge and hopefully I can play well against a quality side.
Camera IconUsman Khawaja arrives. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
“I feel like I’m batting the best I have, so I am looking forward to the challenge and hopefully I can spend some time in the middle.”
Camera IconTravis Head arrives. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
Cummins and Hazlewood were among the last to arrive after flying in from Sydney, while Head and Carey were all smiles when they met up with Victorian fast bowler Scott Boland.
Camera IconMarnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja arrive. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
Khawaja cut a cool figure with his sunglasses on as he got off his flight from Brisbane with Labuschange, as they prepare to lead the *********** top order against a strong Indian bowling outfit.
Camera IconAlex Carey and Travis Head arrive. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West ***********
The *********** will have their first training session at Optus Stadium on Monday morning, before an optional session on Tuesday afternoon.
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West *********** cricket legend Justin Langer warns Aussies to never write of champions like Virat Kohli
West *********** cricket legend Justin Langer warns Aussies to never write of champions like Virat Kohli
Never write off a champion.
It’s the stern disclaimer West *********** cricket legend Justin Langer is echoing ahead of a Border-Gavaskar Trophy series that looks destined for the history books.
Despite having held the Trophy since 2015 and defeated Australia in Australia in two straight visits, a star-studded India team arrived underdogs on our shores last week.
The fanatical cricket nation is coming off a shock home series clean sweep loss to New Zealand, and talisman Virat Kohli, who is entering what is almost certainly his last Test tour of Australia, is battling through the toughest ******* of his illustrious career.
In his past 10 knocks, Kohli has passed 50 just once, and the critics, including Aussie legend Ricky Ponting, have dissected the megastar’s struggles ahead of the heavyweight series.
But Langer was quick to dispel India’s underdog tag.
“One thing you never do is write off champions, and that’s in every sport, because they are a champion for a reason,” he told The West ***********.
“In India, there are one and a half billion cricket-loving people, and then count all the rest around the world, they expect nothing but excellence, and the team will be under intense pressure, so how they ****** back will be important.
“And they’ll be getting written off for being too old, but people say that all the time, and I just can’t wait to see them play.
“I just hope, if this is the last time (Kohli) is out here, people enjoy it because he is a superstar, so is Rohit Sharma, so is (Ravi) Ashwin, so is (Ravi) Jadeja, so is (Jasprit) Bumrah.
“It’s the same with the Australians; the bowling ******* is a very senior ******* now… so really enjoy it while you can; they are not going to be around forever.”
Kohli has a remarkable affinity for *********** pitches, scoring more than 1300 runs at 54.08 with six centuries in his 13 tests in the country.
However, against New Zealand, Kohli averaged just 15.50.
In ominous signs, the No.4 batter appeared to acclimatise quickly as the squad trained at the WACA in the lead-up to Friday’s series opener.
Camera IconVirat Kohli of India looks on while batting. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images
Langer also warned India will be like a cornered animal when Australia face them in Perth as they begin their quest to make amends for their loss against New Zealand.
“India losing to New Zealand is a bit like North Melbourne beating Brisbane in the grand final at the moment,” he said.
“And not for one millisecond is that disrespect for New Zealand, because they are the great overachievers; they are brilliant. I think they’d won two Test matches (in India), and to win the series 3-0, that’s an amazing achievement.
“They’ve just been beaten three-nil by New Zealand, so India will be humbled by that and equally determined to remedy it because the pressure on them will be intense.”
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After confidently predicting Trump was ‘toast,’ Michael Moore lashes out at Americans: ‘Not a good people’
After confidently predicting Trump was ‘toast,’ Michael Moore lashes out at Americans: ‘Not a good people’
******** filmmaker Michael Moore broke his silence about the 2024 election on Wednesday, lashing out at Americans as “not a good people” for electing Donald Trump to a second term by a wide margin.
By contrast, the progressive director and activist offered total confidence before the election, predicting Trump was “toast” against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“If you stop and think about it, we’ve come up with a lot of doozies in our history,” he wrote in a post on MichaelMoore.com. “Like the genocide of 20 million Native Americans. Or the enslavement of 12 million kidnapped Africans. Or us invading Vietnam and ******** 4 million ****** people for no reason at all. We are not a good people.”
After saying that America has a “laundry list of evil deeds that led us directly to last week,” he derided fellow citizens for picking “a 34-time convicted felon, a fascist, and a civilly-charged and convicted ******* abuser to be our 47th president of the ******* States.”
******** Filmmaker Michael Moore Confidently Declares Trump Is ‘Toast’
******** filmmaker Michael Moore broke his silence about the 2024 election on Wednesday, lashing out at Americans as “not a good people” for returning Donald Trump to the presidency.
Moore’s current sentiments about Americans are quite the contrast to what he said before the election.
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On November 3, two days before the election, he appeared on MSNBC and cheered his fellow citizens: “The majority of Americans do not want this divisiveness, they don’t want a threat of *********. We are okay to disagree with each other, but that’s where it ends.”
Portraying Americans as largely an easygoing bunch, the filmmaker continued, “We go to vote, who wins, wins. Half the time, I have been very happy with who has won, and the other half of the time, I haven’t been. And we move on with our lives.”
He confidently predicted on MSNBC that Trump was “toast,” saying of Trump’s supporters: “I think they are going to be very surprised – I’m talking about the Trump people and the MAGA nation – by what is going to happen on Tuesday.”
“I feel the same way that I felt a few weeks ago, that Trump is toast, absolutely. I feel it more now.”
In October, he mocked, “Democrats, they’re such a frightened group of people,” telling a CNN host, “I mean, they still think that Trump is going to win.”
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Before the presidential election, Moore confidently called Trump “toast.”
But in his post-election critique on MichaelMoore.com, the director chided Democrats and the Harris campaign: “It’s possible that history may be kinder to us if, next time, the working class doesn’t see our candidate campaigning with Wall Street billionaires. Or having to watch the campaign celebrate being endorsed by war **********.”
Moore concluded by calling for kindness: “The first step in counteracting Trump’s crusade of cruelty, hatred, bigotry, misogyny, ignorance and ***** is for each of us, in our daily lives, to be kind.”
The director also asked his supporters to “forgive someone.” Without naming names, he added, “Just because you know you should. Because it’s been too long. Because it’s the right thing to do.”
Original article source: After confidently predicting Trump was ‘toast,’ Michael Moore lashes out at Americans: ‘Not a good people’
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Amy Wensley case: New claims evidence was ignored over case of Perth mum’s ******
Amy Wensley case: New claims evidence was ignored over case of Perth mum’s ******
An award-winning ********* behaviour analyst said police ‘ticked the box’ while dismissing compelling evidence that a Perth mother’s ****** could not be explained by ********.
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********-taking under way near Paris, French media report
********-taking under way near Paris, French media report
STORY: :: Police swarm a restaurant near the French capital amid media reports of an unfolding ******** crisis
:: Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
:: November 16, 2024
A man holding at least three people ******** has barricaded himself in his father’s restaurant, French TV channel BFMTV has said, citing police sources.
Reuters journalists on the scene saw heavy police presence, with members of tactical units present.
Police and firefighters did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
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#Hostagetaking #Paris #French #media #report
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The Art of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course just released
The Art of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course just released
The Art of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course has just been released, and here’s what it includes and how to order.
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#Art #Cuphead #Delicious #released
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Ex-NBA star gets into it with fan as spectators, players ejected
Ex-NBA star gets into it with fan as spectators, players ejected
A wild incident has unfolded courtside on Sunday with multiple players ejected and one fan getting physical with visiting players.
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6 arrested for ******* of man caught breaking into cars at Atlanta apartment complex
6 arrested for ******* of man caught breaking into cars at Atlanta apartment complex
Atlanta police say they have made half a dozen arrests in the ******* of a man found sitting in a car in the parking deck of an apartment complex in August.
Police say the man was found in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head in the parking lot of the Mark at West Midtown apartments on Bishop Street. He ***** several hours later.
Investigators say the victim, whose identity has not been released, was likely behind several car break-ins near Lenox Square before breaking into two more at the Bishop Street complex.
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Channel 2 Action News previously reported on the arrest of Matt Washington Jr. in Clayton County in connection to this deadly *********. Washington was found hiding underneath the covers of his bed pretending to be asleep in early October.
Officers are now sharing more details about the other men tied to the case.
On August 31, Cedron Tigner was arrested for prowling, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and theft by receiving stolen property. On September 2, while he was still being held at the Fulton County Jail, detectives charged him with *******.
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On September 16, Justin Burton, 19, was arrested in DeKalb County and charged with *******.
On October 28, officers arrested Gary Price, 23, in Conyers and charged him with *******.
Earlier this week, Darius Blake, 19, and Malachi Sanabria, 18, were arrested by Morrow police. Both have been charged with *******.
Investigators haven’t commented on what role each of the six suspects had in the *********.
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‘I feel ***** about signing that phone contract’
‘I feel ***** about signing that phone contract’
Undercover filming of a sales pitch by a Hii Com representative
An undercover investigation into the alleged mis-selling of phone contracts has revealed questionable sales practices, prompting calls for stronger regulation. The BBC has spoken to 12 small businesses who say they were misled.
“I feel ***** every time I think about it,” says Paul Toplass.
“I’ve been in business for over 25 years. We’ve never experienced anything like this.”
Mr Toplass, who runs a pest control firm, says he was misled into signing a business contract for three phones that he is now “powerless” to break free from.
It has left him “being asked to pay over £10,000” for the phones he believes are worth less than £200 each.
Secret filming of a pitch by a representative of Hii Communications Ltd showed them making verbal promises that did not accurately reflect the contract terms and failing to highlight clauses around third-party finance and extra charges.
The Lincoln-based firm, also known as Hii Com, said it worked within “guidelines and rules set out by our funders”.
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Paul Toplass with one of the phones he signed up for
Mr Toplass, from Nottingham, claimed he was not told important facts about the contract he signed in February 2023.
He said he thought he was signing a two-year deal with Hii Com and did not know he was renting the phones under a finance arrangement with another company.
He had “completely trusted” the salesman, but lived to regret not reading the small print.
The contract stated that the equipment would be rented by a third party – the finance company Grenke – over 27 quarters.
Mr Toplass found he now owed more than £10,000, to be paid over seven years.
“They never at any point said we were entering a lease-hire contract,” he said.
“It’s morally wrong on every level. We do business and we are open and transparent with every one our customers. Upfront, fixed pricing.
“This business didn’t do any of that.”
Hii Com claims to have more than 3,000 customers.
The BBC secretly filmed a 90-minute sales pitch by a representative of the firm.
During the meeting, a would-be customer was told three times he would only be dealing with Hii Com. A lease hire agreement was not mentioned.
Undercover filming of a sales pitch by a Hii Com representative
He was told he was signing a five-year contract totalling £18,100 and offered a “price promise” fixing the cost.
After an hour, the salesman asked him to sign a seven-page document.
However, having been made aware by the BBC of complaints from other businesses, the customer began looking through the contract in detail.
He found it contained extra costs after the first year and was for a longer term than discussed.
When questioned, the salesman offered to cross out seven different passages.
They included one detailing an “annual maintenance charge” of £983 after the first year, which the salesman said only applied if the customer had no insurance.
Asked repeatedly why the contract was for 84 months – two years longer than promised verbally – the salesman said the business would own the phones after five years and then pay for a “licence” during a two-year upgrade *******.
‘On your own’
While consumer law gives individuals a cooling-off ******* after signing a contract, there is no such protection for businesses.
Mr Toplass complained to telecoms regulator Ofcom, only to be told it does not deal with individual cases.
He then turned to the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS), but was told he lacked proof such as “photographs of the documents at the time that he signed them”.
CISAS concluded that “on the balance of probabilities” he had “agreed to contracts with minimum terms of 84 months”.
Mr Toplass said it was unrealistic to expect people to be able to provide the kind of photographic evidence wanted.
“You are on your own,” he said.
Financial lawyer Arun Chauhan believes Ofcom or financial regulators should investigate further in light of the BBC’s findings
All 12 of the small businesses spoken to by the BBC claimed sales representatives had not drawn their attention to the third-party lease agreement or extra charges. Once they had signed, all were told they were tied in for seven years.
Shown the undercover footage, financial lawyer Arun Chauhan said: “Whatever is put in writing, you can see how these customers are being told one thing that they almost feel so trusting in that they don’t really need to read the agreement.
“I know that ignorance is no defence in terms of the law, but people get to the contract and they think, ‘I’ve been told everything I need to do’. So they sign it.”
He said he would like to think Ofcom or financial regulators would investigate further in light of the BBC’s findings.
Hii Com said: “All our customers are aware that they are entering a lease agreement from the outset.”
It said CISAS had also determined it had “behaved properly and correctly” in the case of Mr Toplass.
Grenke said it would be conducting a “full internal review” across its telecoms portfolio. It was committed to transparency but there was “an expectation and obligation that the customer completes their own due diligence”.
Fashion wholesaler Miya *** says she feels “betrayed” by Hii Com
Miya ***, who runs a scarves and accessories business in Manchester, said she agreed to meet Hii Com after a representative told her they were a BT wholesaler – a claim the company also made on its website.
She said she had “diligently checked” the contract and it was only when money started going out of her bank account that she learned she was locked into a seven-year agreement with a finance provider.
She felt “betrayed” and worried because “you never know what you’re going to be paying” every month.
BT said Hii Com was not an accredited BT Wholesale partner for fixed broadband products and services, and it was “concerned to hear about the examples raised by the BBC”.
‘Soul searching’
Dave Millett, an independent telecoms advisor, said few people knew CISAS was funded by the industry itself and there was “no obligation on any supplier” to sign up to it.
He called for “a genuine independent ombudsman”.
CISAS said complaints were “carefully assessed by a trained independent adjudicator with legal qualifications”. Businesses unhappy with the findings could ******* them and pursue a claim against a provider through the county courts.
The Financial Conduct Authority said its regulatory powers did not give it the power to investigate the concerns highlighted.
For Mr ********, the experience has led to “soul-searching moments”.
“How have I got myself into this position, how have I put the business into this position?” he said.
“You do business every single day and you trust. It’s about trust with the person who sat opposite you.
“To then find out months and weeks later that you have been conned is not a nice feeling.”
If you would like to get in touch with your own experiences of sales techniques in the telecoms industry, good or bad, then please email [email protected].*** – including a contact number if you would like to speak to a journalist.
Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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