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49 jili RFK Jr shares bizarre shirtless workout video claiming he’s ‘practicing moves for my confirmation hearing’Councillor at the centre of Doug Beattie’s resignation removes UUP from social media accounts

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a special election timetable to replace former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. It's a marked contrast to the delay in setting a special election to fill a vacancy in South Florida.

B.C. Premier David Eby is promising to seek new export opportunities for the province after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on all Mexican and Canadian goods. British Columbia exports billions of dollars’ worth of commodities and products – coal and lumber, plastics and machinery – every month, with just over half bound for the United States. It could be worse. Canada as a whole sends three-quarters of its exports to the U.S. B.C. has less exposure to that single market thanks to a long-running policy, embraced by political parties of every stripe, of maintaining a diversified trade portfolio. “We’re going to continue to do our work to expand those trading opportunities,” Mr. Eby told reporters Wednesday. In the 1980s, B.C.’s political leaders set their economic sights on Asia, opening trade offices in Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan with the intent of reducing the province’s dependence on its dominant customer to the south. The province has bankrolled countless trade missions and now maintains 19 overseas trade offices. Yet the U.S. has consistently remained its most important trading partner over the past four decades. At best, the diversification strategy has dampened the siren call of the behemoth at its doorstep. “Canada is so privileged to be next door to this giant economic engine of the United States,” noted former B.C. premier Glen Clark in an interview. “We understand the laws there, we understand the language, we understand the people, and it’s very close, so it’s a natural.” But too much dependence on a single market – no matter how big, no matter how easy – comes with risk. Mr. Trump’s tariff threat should be a catalyst for a fresh commitment to cultivate new markets, said Mr. Clark, who led 13 trade missions to China alone during his term as premier, from 1996 to 1999. “Reviving that trade policy, only with different focus on parts of the world, makes a lot of sense as we move forward in this kind of dangerous time.” In 1987, Mike Harcourt, then the NDP opposition leader, stood up in the legislature and endorsed the Social Credit government’s early trade missions. Even as some Socred backbenchers dismissed the trips as “boondoggles,” Mr. Harcourt pressed for a more aggressive strategy. “We support those initiatives, but we’re not bold enough,” he said, insisting that the province needed to establish outposts in China and India. At the time, the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber dispute was demonstrating the ability of the U.S. to cripple the province’s forest sector. That conflict continues today – a textbook example for Canada of how U.S. protectionism can supersede good trade relations. British Columbia’s position as a trade gateway for Pacific Rim countries was already a reality before politicians tried to help. The year Mr. Harcourt was calling for trade offices in China, just 46 per cent of the province’s exports went to the United States. When he became Premier in 1991, Mr. Harcourt took the opportunity to pursue new markets aggressively. “I started talking about Vancouver being, not the last stop of the CPR railway, but the front door to Asia for Canada,” he said in an interview. But today he believes the province’s trade strategy needs an urgent update to prepare for 2025, when Mr. Trump returns to office. B.C.’s Trade Diversification Strategy was updated in 2023, but much has changed since. The value of softwood lumber exports has stagnated and is now rivalled by sales of machinery and equipment. Meanwhile, energy exports – especially coal – are climbing in value. Mr. Trump’s tariff threats aside, global trade relations are also more complex, particularly with China and India. The two countries are host to almost half of B.C.’s international trade offices outside the U.S. David Emerson helped steer Canada toward trade diversification. As deputy finance minister under then-Premier Bill Bennett and deputy minister to Premier Bill Vander Zalm, he crafted B.C.’s Asian Pacific trade strategy and later introduced the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative as the federal Minister of International Trade. He also was the minister who negotiated the one and only settlement on softwood lumber, in 2006. That agreement expired in 2015. Mr. Emerson says this is not a good time for British Columbia – and Canada – to face a strong protectionist leader in the U.S., because the alternatives are limited. “I do believe we need to grow market penetration in markets other than the U.S., but the greatest potential is in markets where we now have terrible relations,” he said. “Today, relations with China and India are a mess, and the great trade diversification strategy has run into serious trouble.” China is B.C.’s second-largest export destination – one that is growing in value. But Canada and China are in the midst of a trade spat. In August, Ottawa announced a 100-per-cent import tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25-per-cent tariff on steel and aluminum products from China, after the U.S. and the European Union introduced similar measures. The following month, Beijing launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of rapeseed from Canada. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has signalled he is prepared to reignite trade tensions between the U.S. and China, which could put other trading partners in the crossfire. Canada’s relations with India soured after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last year that there were credible allegations the Indian government had links to the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Canada has since alleged that India’s Home Affairs Minister, Amit Shah, ordered the targeting of Sikh activists in Canada. Both countries have now expelled each other’s top diplomatic officials. Mr. Trump’s rationale for slapping tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports is to punish both countries for lax border security, allowing illegal migrants and illicit drugs to slip through into the U.S. On Wednesday, Mr. Trudeau met with the premiers to strategize and emerged with a promise to strengthen border security by pumping more money into the Canada Border Services Agency and the RCMP. Mr. Eby, who advocated for that investment as an answer to Mr. Trump’s complaints, said Canada should put up a united front to take on the U.S. trade threat. But in the meantime, he said, he’ll renew his government’s commitment to diversification. “This was definitely the right direction, obviously, in hindsight, and we do have to redouble those efforts, given the instability south of the border.” The decades of previous efforts have shown, however, that changing those trade patterns will be exceptionally difficult.With favourites out MLS playoffs promise more upsets

McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules

Lea Miller-Tooley hopped off a call to welcome the Baylor women’s basketball team to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, where 80-degree temperatures made it easy for the Bears to settle in on Paradise Island a week before Thanksgiving. About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley, the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Notre Dame takes on Chaminade during the first half of a 2017 game in Lahaina, Hawaii. Marco Garcia, AP File Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time – and staff and families – that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence – they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo argues a call during the first half of a Nov. 16 game against Bowling Green in East Lansing, Michigan. Mi zzo is making his fourth trip to Maui. Carlos Osorio, Associated Press The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina. It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021. “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii. Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal serves during a training session at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Manu Fernandez A fan takes a picture of the moon prior to a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Uruguay and Colombia in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich) Santiago Mazzarovich Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark reacts after missing a shot on the 18th hole in the final round of World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Altaf Qadri Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) fails to pull in a pass against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson) Brynn Anderson Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, top right, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Nam Y. Huh India's Tilak Varma jumps in the air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20 International cricket match between South Africa and India, at Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Themba Hadebe Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski warms up before facing the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Lindsey Wasson Kansas State players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Charlie Riedel A fan rapped in an Uruguay flag arrives to the stands for a qualifying soccer match against Colombia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) Matilde Campodonico People practice folding a giant United States flag before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Julia Demaree Nikhinson Brazil's Marquinhos attempts to stop the sprinklers that were turned on during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Ariana Cubillos Georgia's Georges Mikautadze celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili) Tamuna Kulumbegashvili Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, right, attempts to score while Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) and Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) keep the puck out of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Ellen Schmidt Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Carolyn Kaster President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Fans argue in stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Thibault Camus Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova hits a return against Danielle Collins, of the United States, during a tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Malaga, southern Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Manu Fernandez St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) falls after driving to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against New Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) Pamela Smith England's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Kin Cheung Katie Taylor, left, lands a right to Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner, right, tackles Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington, left, on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Lynne Sladky UConn's Paige Bueckers (5) battles North Carolina's Laila Hull, right, for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Ben McKeown Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the final match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Antonio Calanni Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario misses the third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Italy and France, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Luca BrunoSome Democrats are frustrated over Joe Biden reversing course and pardoning his son Hunter

Don't Forget About Holiday Poisoning PitfallsGov’t unveils P629-B domestic borrowing plan for Q1 2025

Share Tweet Share Share Email It’s official: Embedded payments are the fastest growing segment in embedded finance, expected to account for nearly 63% of the $800 billion embedded finance market by 2030. As demands for faster transactions and optimized customer experiences have reached a fever pitch, embedded payments have emerged as a critical solution for software platforms seeking to improve customer value and retention metrics while gaining a competitive edge in a crowded market. Forward-thinking software platforms are choosing white-label embedded payment solutions to offer seamless, branded payment experiences without the cost or complexity of developing the underpinning infrastructure themselves. In addition to bringing technical simplicity, payment facilitator (payfac) as a service offerings also shield software platforms from the operational and compliance issues that come with being a licensed provider and pave the way for optimized payment monetization and scalable global expansion. So, what does the future hold for embedded payments, and how can businesses capitalize on this rapidly growing market? Let’s take a closer look. Michael Misasi Embedded Payments: A Brief Primer The term embedded payments refers to the integration of payment processing capabilities directly into a company’s software or platform. There are two general approaches to embedding payments into your platform: Become a payment facilitator and manage every aspect of payments in-house or partner with a payment provider for white-label payments. Both approaches give platforms access to the benefits of embedding payments, including increased revenue from payment monetization, optimized customer experiences, greater control over the payments process and competitive advantages; however, becoming a payfac adds several layers of complexity and risk. Partnering with a third-party payment provider is a simpler solution , enabling software platforms to offer a branded payment experience without the burden of developing the technology, managing the operations and taking on the risk themselves. Additionally, white-label payments providers offer the global scalability needed to adapt to different markets and regulatory environments, empowering platforms to expand into new regions without the associated complexity of managing everything in-house. It’s little wonder that 89% of companies choose to partner with established payment providers rather than developing and maintaining these systems on their own. How to Optimize Embedded Payment Programs As embedded payments — whether developed in-house or powered by a partner — continue to gain traction, software platforms must pay close attention to emerging trends to stay ahead of the competition. Many platforms were reactive in developing their initial embedded payments offering — whether in response to competitors, customers or something else — and now, seeing the value of embedded payments, are looking to optimize their programs. Let’s take a look at three common scenarios platforms find themselves in and how they might optimize their embedded payments programs: They Embed Payments by Becoming a Payfac Software platforms are realizing that it doesn’t pay to become a payment facilitator when they can partner with providers to reap the benefits of monetizing payments. By January 2024, registered payfacs in North America saw a 6% annual attrition rate ; the EU and UK say a 14% annual attrition rate. It’s clear that while many platforms believed becoming a payfac was either the right or only path to embedding payments, they’re changing course after realizing the operational and financial burdens. By partnering with a provider to enable embedded payments, platforms enjoy the benefits of additional revenue, increased customer loyalty and greater value without the risks and overhead associated with becoming a payment facilitator. This approach will enable more platforms to add payments to their software at a more rapid pace. Any platform considering becoming a payment facilitator themselves should thoroughly research the associated costs — they are often higher than most platforms anticipate. Optimize by Choosing a Payments Provider That Can Be a True Partner The right payments partner should provide guidance and support in every aspect of growing a payments program, from merchant onboarding and monetization strategies to risk management and support. Payment providers should offer expertise and capabilities to help you deliver the experience you want for your customers. Don’t settle for a support team that only tells you what happened — insist on a team that can explain why something happened and offer a pragmatic recommendation for improvement. They Simply Added Payments as a Feature When many software platforms first got their start in payments, they responded to customer requests for improved billing and payment capabilities, not realizing payments can be a highly profitable business segment of its own. According to Bain & Co. , embedded B2B payments will reach $2.6 trillion by 2026, generating $6.7 billion in revenues for platforms and enablers. To stay competitive and reap the profits, platforms need to take another look at their payments offering to position themselves for maximum profitability. Optimize by Understanding Your Options and Potential for Payment Monetization Monetizing your payments is about designing a solution where software plus payments creates tangible value for your customers. Depending on the vertical, common areas of focus include improved authorization rates, accelerated cash flow, lower transaction risk, increased addressable market, easier reconciliation, and better compliance. Platforms that create value through a combination of software and payments can often charge more than standalone payments providers. Once you’ve identified your value proposition, consider all the ways you can monetize it, including higher SaaS fees, transaction fees, payer fees, or other new fees that directly relate to your value proposition. They Chose the Wrong Partner Many platforms knew partnering was the best option but didn’t have enough experience to know how to evaluate which payment provider was best suited for their company. Perhaps they chose the provider with the biggest name or whichever one appeared to offer the largest percentage of revenue share. Payments can be a risky business. Choosing the wrong payments partner can hinder your ability to grow, lose money for you and your clients, and even put your business at risk. Platforms need to consider their longer term embedded payments strategy and then choose the partner best positioned to help them achieve their goals. Optimize by Redefining What a Good Onboarding Experience Looks Like Embedded payments can succeed and fail based on your ability to quickly, efficiently, and compliantly onboard merchants. Look for a partner that can take care of AML and KYC for you without sacrificing speed to market for your clients. If you already have a portfolio of clients, choose a new partner that will migrate them for you, so your merchants don’t miss a beat. Preparing for the Future of Embedded Payments Is All About the Right Partnership Now is an exciting — and profitable — time for software platforms to reexamine or add embedded payments to their offering. Over the past few years, platforms have learned that white-label embedded payments have the highest return on investment. All you need to do is make sure you have the right payments partner. Related Items: Embedding , Embedding Payments , payments Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you UPay Crypto Card Review: Everything You Need to Know Sabeer Nelli’s Innovative Solution for Streamlined B2B Payments Tap Payments & Mastercard Launch World’s First ‘Click to Pay’ Service with Payment Passkey for eCommerce CommentsOne of the most-discussed reforms that the new Trump administration is an advisory group with no budget or paid staff. Heading the curiously named Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are two noted tech billionaires, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have close ties to President-elect Donald Trump. Their combination of technical expertise and direct access to Trump are significant assets that should be deployed quickly after Inauguration Day. However, skeptics abound that because DOGE lacks any official authority, it will not be able to accomplish anything, particularly in a short period. Few can deny that the goal of achieving greater government efficiency is worthwhile, or that not making a renewed effort in this area (which others, such as Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration, attempted with minimal results) represents a preferred option. Surprisingly, there is palpable bipartisan support that indicates the work of DOGE should be taken seriously. As Rep. Tom Suozzi, (D-N.Y., noted, “Democrats and Republicans should work together to make government more efficient without hurting people, and whatever we can come up with as a team would be great.” Politically and practically, the long-term challenge will be to build momentum for larger DOGE initiatives aimed at reducing $2 trillion of federal budget bloat, ideally with the cost savings re-directed for public benefit. How can DOGE achieve an early win that provides it with the necessary credibility and momentum to press ahead? Here, there seems to be a clear candidate where White House action, backed by congressional support, can help make DOGE become a formidable policy player in the coming months. According to a 2023 Government Accountability Office report, the federal government spends over $100 billion on information technology annually. Most of that (80 percent) will be used to operate existing systems, including aging or “legacy” systems that can be costly to maintain and vulnerable to hackers. In recent years, the GAO analyzed 65 federal legacy systems and identified the 10 most critical at 10 agencies, providing essential services such as emergency management, healthcare and defense. To date, most of them have made significant progress in developing plans to modernize their systems. The Department of Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget have been laggards, and DOGE can recommend that they remedy their legacy IT shortcomings with more deliberate speed. These agencies represent just the tip of the iceberg, and DOGE should require intensive across-the-board legacy IT audits and mandate time-based remedial implementation plans — out with the old and in with the new. The problem is so apparent that it can be addressed in the House and Senate if legislation would help the cause. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., have proposed upgrading various outdated and slow federal IT systems. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-sponsored the Legacy IT Reduction Act of 2023, taking several steps to reduce the federal government’s reliance on outdated technology. Trump should task DOGE with overseeing a Legacy IT System Executive Order to signal on Day One that it is ready to improve government efficiency in a tangible way. This action would be widely applauded by politicians and the public. And in the spirit of governing consensus, Trump should let Congress know that when an updated Legacy IT Reduction Act is re-introduced and passed — including additions that require significantly cost reductions coupled with improved government services — he will sign it into law immediately. The photo-ops are sure to follow. Trump, Musk and Ramaswamy clearly will be smiling. More important, they can demonstrate there is genuine political wind at their backs to undertake DOGE’s formidable and complex mission — marking additional wins one step at a time. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stuart N. Brotman is the Alvin and Sally Beaman Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media Enterprise and Leadership at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He serves as a Distinguished Fellow at The Media Institute and is the author of “The First Amendment Lives On.”

Radical left-wing documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is roasting outgoing President Joe Biden for starting World War III on his way out of office. Moore published a “Dear Joe” letter to the dotard-in-chief noting that he recently laid out an agenda for Biden’s final days in office for “cementing your status as a ‘Great President’,” and then lamented “you have done none of them.” But worse than just ignoring Moore’s suggestions, the filmmaker insisted, “You on the other hand seem to be trying to cement your legacy as a war monger — doubling down on some of your worst mistakes and worst impulses.” The Bowling for Columbine director then laid out some of Biden’s “warmongering.” Instead of using your precious little time left to do something to HELP THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, your first action after Trump won was to fast track the delivery of over $6 Billion in weapons to Ukraine. Then, you called up Zelensky and gave him the green light to start firing long range ballistic missiles into a country with a massive amount of nuclear weapons, Russia. Then, as if that weren’t enough carnage for one week, you authorized the use of antipersonnel land mines in Russia. LAND MINES, Joe? Seriously? THIS is your legacy? This is how you want to go out? In a blaze of horror? Like, if Joe’s gotta go, we all gotta go with him... right into World War III? Moore pointed out that the U.S. has spent a billion dollars in efforts to remove landmines from war torn places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, adding that these are “the places we invade and then leave our landmines behind.” “Vietnam was 50 years ago, Joe. And kids today in southeast Asia are still getting their arms blown off by our landmines. That’s your legacy, Joe. This is what you’re doing,” Moore railed. Moore was also disgusted by the White House’s lobbying against 19 Democrat senators who moved to block Biden weapons shipment to Israel and expressed his outrage that Biden’s administration accused these senators of being Hamas supporters. The Hollywood elitist then knocked Biden’s administration for blocking a U.N. vote to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, adding, ” America once again single handedly blocked the ceasefire. The only country speaking out in favor of more death and destruction was the one you and I are citizens of. This is your legacy, Joe?” The next “Is this your legacy, Joe?” point Moore included in his screed was Biden’s refusal to back the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. As he began to wrap up his accusatory letter, he had more suggestions for Biden, writing, “Maybe you should stop arming foreign wars and leave that for the next guy. Maybe instead, you should focus on things that matter to Americans,” and demanded that Biden “make some real and powerful change” in the last two months he has left. He then suggests that the Equal Rights Amendment is a “no brainer.” You have the power to order the E.R.A. be officially published in the United States Constitution. You’ve had nearly 4 years to do this. It was ratified by the required number of states and it should be published as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. Women, who make up 51% of the American population — THE MAJORITY — should finally be recognized as equal citizens and equal human beings, endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, just as they are in almost every single other Western Democracy. “You have the power to do this, Joe. You have the power to make this your legacy,” Moore concludes. “So, Joe, I’m really telling you for the last time: JUST DO IT. ” However, it is far from clear that Biden has this power at all. The original E.R.A. language that the states considered for ratification in 1974 contains a seven-year time limit to garner its three-quarters vote (38 states). That time passed with only 35 of the 38 states having ratified the amendment for inclusion as part of the U.S. Constitution. The amendment has been constantly reintroduced in succeeding congressional sessions, but has never passed with the needed percentages. Two U.S. Supreme Court cases — Dillon v. Gloss (1921) and Coleman v. Miller (1939) — both held that adding time limits is a legitimate political practice in which Congress has authority to engage. But, while no direct court case has considered the question of placing time limits on constitutional amendments, there is no reason to believe the SCOTUS would not just adopt the past two dictum decisions as precedent. So, the truth is, it isn’t obvious at all that Biden has the power to just add the ERA to the U.S. Constitution on his own hook. And even if he wanted to, his final two months is simply not enough time to propose the move, and then get it approved for action. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston , or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston

About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley, the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” MTE Madness The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Atlantis rising Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time – and staff and families – that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Popular demand Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence – they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” Packed schedule The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina. It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021. “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii.Mass. Gov. Maura Healey doesn’t think her summertime political flex on the Legislature was ‘pressure’

KABUL — When Zainab Ferozi saw Afghan women struggling to feed their families after Taliban authorities took power, she took matters into her own hands and poured her savings into starting a business. Two-and-a-half years after putting 20,000 Afghanis ($300) earned from teaching sewing classes into a carpet weaving enterprise, she now employs around a dozen women who lost their jobs or who had to abandon their education due to Taliban government rules. 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.

UN publishes new death toll for massacre of older people and Vodou religious leaders in HaitiUndoubtedly, the creative world is taking steps towards massive transformation. With this advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is now playing at the forefront. The new advancements are now reshaping several industries, from visual arts to entertainment. This blog highlights the role of AI in creative technologies with top trends. With the waves of AI making customization easy, it works more as the cornerstone of the creative output. Starting from customized playlists to tailoring advertising visuals, the future of AI in creative technologies is safe. The AI algorithms are well to understand the process of mastering the art of audience analysis. As per the report by Accenture , up to 91% of consumers offer the right recommendations and follow the brands preferred. The technologies that AI drives are helping to generate the right content. The top Generative AI tools can help creators use innovative mediums. The top tools include DALL-E and MidJourney. AI's impact on creative technologies can help creators work with different styles, designs, and modes that were unimaginable previously. For instance, AI can help create 3D models and film effects, saving time and resources. There are limitless possibilities with machine learning in the arts if one gets to explore it correctly. AI is now the right prospect for editing software to transform films, music, and video production processes. Several tools can help find glitches, correct inconsistencies, and check for stylish changes. This is a sure shot to make the creative process quick, efficient, and more refined. As per the study by Adobe , the creators who opt for AI-enhanced software are experiencing a 50% reduction in editing time. This ensures that creators can focus more on storytelling than any technical issue. With AI tools becoming accessible to non-experts, the creative industry is becoming more inclusive. Aspiring creators can now generate professional-grade music, graphics, or scripts without advanced skills. Canva and Descript are examples of how AI is leveling the playing field, allowing smaller businesses or independent creators to compete with larger players. The top-notch impact of AI in creative technologies can be seen in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These technologies are merging with AI to craft better interactive narratives. From video games with story plots that adapt the player’s engagement strategy, AI also enhances lifelike simulation with the top generative AI tools. Moreover, a report from Gartner predicts that approximately 25% of people will spend up to an hour daily in the virtual world by 2026. This clearly shows the role of machine learning in the arts . Since AI won’t stop evolving, it is crucial to know and extend beyond the boundaries of the future of creativity . From defining artistic collaboration to developing customized content experiences, the final impact of AI in creative technologies is just getting started. Well, there are some challenges, including copyright and ethical questions, but there are also some significant benefits for creators and audiences. There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is not just about knowing the creative process; it is also about making the right choice of creative partner. It is crucial to know about AI in creative technologies to shape the right future of artistry. Use the top generative AI tools to enhance the future of creativity now!Amber Heard Breaks Silence On Blake Lively’s SHOCKING Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Justin Baldoni

NASA's 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March