nice profile picture “One of the major problems we have faced in Nigeria as a filmmaking industry has been funding,” said Ini Edo, star and co-producer of Nigerian Netflix series Shanty Town . “So, the success of [ Shanty Town ] really made people in the private sector start to realize that this can actually be a commercial success, and this is a business worth investing in and...we can actually get global acceptability.” Stepping into Deadline’s Red Sea Studio in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Nollywood star said that the experience of making Shanty Town , which is now Netflix Africa’s most watched Nigerian drama on the streamer, was “pretty intense...and something, perhaps for us, that had never been done before.” The series, which was co-produced with Chichi Nworah, also stars Chidi Mokeme, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bellow and Ali Nuhu and more. It follows a group of courtesans attempts to escape the grasp of a notorious kingpin, but political corruption and blood ties make freedom a near-impossible goal. It ended up sitting in the Top 10 in 8 countries, including the UK. “I think the originality of the story was a driving factor and also, we did a lot of upscaling with the technical quality of the [series],” she said. “We took very special interest in the cinematography, the sound, the scoring and it was a story that resonated a lot with the times that we filmed it. It did also touch on a lot of social vices and what we’re dealing with presently in the continent as Africans and even the world at large.” Edo continued: “The subject of the story is something that a lot of other countries could relate to because those were the ills that were happening in society at the time and are still happening. It just really shed light on the underworld as much as you’re trying to drive the original narrative of the Nigerian story.” She admits the project has caused “investors to open up some more” in the industry and said that Nigeria’s government is “taking us more seriously and has started paying attention to the industry.” Edo also talked about her latest projects, which includes upcoming Christmas comedy One Night Guests so for more on that news, check out the full interview above.SACRAMENTO — The Butte College men’s soccer team made history when it advanced to the California Community College Athletic Association Final Four for the first time with a win on Nov. 30, and the Roadrunners made history once again when they defeated Long Beach City College 1-0 Friday to advance to the program’s first-ever CCCAA state championship. “Unbelievable,” Butte head coach Ross Sandberg said when asked about his first reaction to advancing to the state championship. “These guys showed their resilience. Long Beach City brought a lot of pressure. Their number 10 (Jose Mariscal) advertised, number 17 (Ulises Grado) was elite. My backline was top-notch as well. It was a fun game for the crowd to watch, hands down, and it was not fun for either one of us coaches to coach in. It was sheer excitement and tears, and these guys have been through so much. I’m still at a loss for words.” Butte will face Cuyamaca (18-4-2), which defeated Cañada 2-1 in double overtime in the other CCAA semifinal. The Coyotes have won 14 straight, entering the CCCAA championship Sunday, while the Roadrunners have won seven straight and nine of their last 10. As the Roadrunners prepared to depart for Sacramento for their Final Four matchup on Friday, Sandberg told his team he wanted to stay for the full weekend. This meant winning Friday and competing for the CCCAA championship on Sunday. On paper, the Roadrunners (18-4-4) had their odds stacked against them, coming in as the No. 14 seed in the NorCal bracket and facing the No. 1 team in the SoCal bracket Long Beach (19-4-3). However, the Roadrunners played on the road for three of their four playoff matches entering Friday, all five, if you include their first-round match that was forced to be played at Harrison Stadium in Oroville due to field conditions. They also had injuries occur throughout the season, and are as healthy as they’ve been all season and playing their best. They’ve embraced a back-to-the-wall mentality all season, having the mental toughness to play from behind in key matches and come out on top. “We had the option to wear our black uniforms or wear our white uniforms, and we chose to wear our whites,” Sandberg said. “We’ve been in the whites for six games in a row now and on the road still. This whole ride that we’ve been on for the last two and a half weeks is something we’ll all remember forever.” Friday’s match was similar to one the Roadrunners have played all season. Long Beach controlled the ball for much of the first half and out-shot Butte 25-8 and 7-2 in shots on goal. Sandberg said the Roadrunners were outplayed for the first 20-30 minutes due to nerves, but settled down and sharpened up as the match went on. Sandberg said he was OK with the amount of shots taken, as a lot of them were from 20-25 yards away. The Roadrunners’ chances came off of counter-attacks but were limited. Butte goalkeeper and Chico High alumnus Manny Diaz made seven saves to keep the Vikings off the scoreboard. “Manny had, I would say, his best game of the year,” Sandberg said of his goalkeeper. “He was clutch, he was comfortable, his ball distribution continues to get better, he made some great saves that kept us in the game, and he just continues to develop.” With three minutes and 40 seconds left in regulation, Butte forward Matteo Di Gennaro capitalized on a turnover by the Vikings. The Roadrunners knew it was getting close to going to overtime and began to apply pressure. On a pass backward by the Long Beach defender intended for goalkeeper Abraham Ramirez, Di Gennaro beat Ramirez to the ball and flipped it over the goalkeeper’s head on his fourth shot and only shot on goal to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead. The match was as physical as expected, with four yellow cards being shown to the Roadrunners and two to the Vikings. Butte captain Elias Stingl received a red card 89 minutes and 55 seconds into the match, just three minutes after the match’s only goal. As a result of the red card, Stingl is suspended for one match, ending the sophomore’s junior college career. The foul was called on a slide tackle, but Sandberg could not get official clarification from the referee as the refs were busy calming the crowd down. Sandberg said he and Butte College are in the appeal process as of Friday night and sending a video to the CCCAA, in hopes of getting Stingl eligible for Sunday’s match. Sandberg said the commissioner and president of the CA were on site and saw it happen, so “hopefully, they justly do it.” “Hopefully, they make a decision quickly. You can’t do that to a sophomore with one minute left in a game in a state semifinal game,” Sandberg said. “Sophomore, defensive player of the year, probably All-American, second foul called on him all game and a straight red? Unjust. It was crap.” As a result of the red card, the Roadrunners played a man down for the remainder of the match, which included three minutes of stoppage time, but will be able to play with a full team minus Stingl if the appeal is upheld by the CCCAA. “We’ve had next man up all season,” Sandberg said. “We’ve had a ton of injuries and overcome a lot, and this is just another thing. My heart goes out, and I’m gut-wrenched for Elias Stingl as a person and as a player, for what he’s poured into this program, and this being his sophomore season and the captain of this team. Crappy way for this to end.”

Union govt’s 100-day campaign against TB begins in 5 Rajasthan dists

The White House has identified a ninth U.S. telecom network that Chinese state hackers have compromised, a senior official said on Dec. 27. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, revealed the new information in a press briefing as officials continue to assess the scope of the cybersecurity breach from China’s state-backed Salt Typhoon hacking group, which has carried out a wide-ranging espionage campaign since 2022. “Our understanding is that a large number of individuals were geolocated in the Washington DC, Virginia area,” she said. Only a fraction of them had their communications affected, Neuberger said, as the hackers are more interested in eavesdropping on U.S. government officials. “The scale we’re talking about is far larger on the geolocation, probably less than 100 on the actual individuals,” she said. Shortly after the briefing, the Justice Department issued a final rule naming China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela as countries of concern over their ambitions to exploit sensitive U.S. personal and government-related data by bulk. Under the rule, certain individuals and groups whom authorities deemed as threat actors are barred from transactions involving six types of U.S. data, including certain personal identifiers such as social security numbers or government identification numbers, precise geolocation data, biometric identifiers, human genetic or molecular data, personal health data, and personal financial data. The regulation applies to entities over which China has an ownership of 50 percent or more, those that principally conduct business in China or are organized under Chinese law, their contractors and employees, and foreign individuals who primarily reside in China. The hacking group has targeted now-Vice President-elect JD Vance and now-president-elect Donald Trump, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris. To deter Chinese hacking attempts, Neuberger said, the first step is to build a “defensible infrastructure.” “We wouldn’t leave our homes, our offices unlocked, and yet our critical infrastructure, the private companies owning and operating our critical infrastructure often do not have the basic cybersecurity practices in place,” she said in the press call. Authorities are also scrutinizing government contracts to enforce stricter cybersecurity practices, Neuberger said. In doing so, she said, the United States is following in the footsteps of Australia and the UK. “The nation’s secrets, the nation’s economy, lies on our telecommunications sector,” she said. “When I talked with our UK colleagues and I asked, ‘Do you believe your regulations would have prevented the Salt Typhoon attack?’ their comment to me was, we would have found it faster, we would have contained it faster.” Neuberger said it was a “powerful message.” “Those networks are not as defensible as they need to be to defend against a well resourced, capable offensive cyber actor like China,” Neuberger said. In assessing the Salt Typhoon breach, she said, authorities have found one administrator account that had access to more than 100,000 routers. “So when the Chinese compromised that account, they gained that kind of broad access across the network,” she said. Neuberger said officials are looking to segment the telecom networks so that in the event of a cyber attack, the potential damage could be contained. The Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 5 proposed cybersecurity rules requiring communications service providers to certify annually that they have a plan to protect against cyberattacks. The rule is waiting for a vote by Jan. 15, Neuberger said, noting that they are eager to see bipartisan support across the commission to see it through. The Chinese were “very careful about their techniques. They erased logs,” she said. And as “we will never know regarding the scope and scale of this,” she said, the United States is “looking forward.” Neuberger said more actions will be coming out in the next few months. “Let’s lock down this infrastructure. And frankly, let’s hold the Chinese accountable for this,” she said.

Teleidoscope team with upgraded electro-optical/infrared cameras in 2021 (Defense Innovation Unit) Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements. IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER: - AI cameras are giving DC's air defense a major upgrade - America needs drones and the F-35 to win the next war - AI is reshaping business. This is how we stay ahead of China AI CAMERA SURVEILLANCE : The National Capital Region (NCR) is rolling out an advanced artificial intelligence-based visual recognition system that's taking air defense to a whole new level. Advanced artificial intelligence-based visual recognition system (Katie Lange/DOD) THE FUTURE IS NOW: Autonomous, unmanned drones and artificial intelligence have already begun to shape the wars today and the future. Two US Air Force F-35 jets and a Polish Air Force F-16 take part in a military parade in Warsaw on Polish Army Day, August 15, 2023, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1920 victory over Soviet Russia at the Battle of Warsaw during the Polish-Soviet War. (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images) STAYING IN FIRST PLACE: As the U.S. races to maintain its global leadership in AI , much of the conversation revolves around natural language processing, the reshoring of the semiconductor supply chain and powering data centers. A visitor watches an AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign on an animated screen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona. (JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images) AI FOOD TRACKER: The Drop uses advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence to detect meals with remarkable precision. When you start eating, the smart AI chip activates, and a 4K camera takes a cropped image of your meal. (Kickstarter) Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox . FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Health DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Fox News Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE Fox News Go STREAM FOX NATION Fox Nation Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here . This article was written by Fox News staff.

Joy of flowers: Chrysanthemum exhibition returns to Rajasthan University in JaipurWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies.Global Accounting Software Market: Key Trends, Market Share, Growth Drivers, And Forecast For 2024-2033

Tom Brady spent some quality time with his son Jack while playing golf. The retired NFL player took to his official instagram account on Friday to share a glimpse of his outing with his older son John "Jack" Edward Thomas. In the post, the father-son duo can be seen playing golf together, as the 17-year-old hits the ball while Bardy watches him standing aside. "Love this boy," the proud dad penned, adding, "Not sure about this game." It is pertinent to mention that Brady shares the teen with his ex Bridget Moynahan. Previously, Brady gushed over Jack's Athletic prowess and also confessed that he enjoys the teen's company. In the celebratory post uploaded in August, Brady wrote while wishing him his 17th birthday, "Your love of family, friends, school, athletics, hard work, and dedication to everything you put your energy into are just some of your amazing qualities." "I love spending every minute with you and I cherish our time together. (Those are all my favorite things about you. My least favorite is that you can beat me in one on one now," he added.Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More This year's show should be big again. Last year's attendance reached 138,789, according to an audited report by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the group that puts on the show. Last year at CES 2024, I recorded around 80 press events, interviews, and sessions. I walked 46.78 miles, or 105,407 steps, over six days. My feet hurt and my back were sore. There were more than 4,300 exhibitors and 2.4 million square feet of exhibit space to crawl. And the Goodyear blimp was there. I've been attending the Consumer Electronics Show since the 1990s when then-Microsoft CEO Bill Gates gave the opening keynote speeches every year. This time, the biggest speech will come from Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, the graphics chip maker that has become the king of AI hardware with a market value of $3.42 trillion — the most valuable company in the world. He will give a talk at 6:30 p.m. Pacific time at the Michelob Arena at the Mandalay Bay on January 6. Most attendees arrive at the show on January 7 and stay through January 10, when the expos are open. But the press — a few thousand of us — start arriving on January 5 for the afternoon previews and CES Unveiled (press only, in Mandalay Bay), where award-winning exhibitors show their wares at tables. "The CES is an amazing, powerful tech event. I was looking back at what you had written last year about it, before and after," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, in an interview with GamesBeat. "A lot of people go with a very full agenda, but we always say you have to have time for serendipity and discovery. We have a new look, a new feel. We focused the campaign on "Dive in." We're inviting attendees to do three things: connect, solve, and discover." He said the average attendee has about 29 meetings during the show, as face-to-face business is still important. About... Dean TakahashiTrump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office

Luna was the most popular name for both dogs and cats in the ACT in 2024 (albeit with three days to go). Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue The ACT government revealed that other contestants for the favourite pet name of the year were: Baguette, Chickpea, Cabbage, Liquorice and White Chocolate Brownie. Meatball, Miso, Sushi Roll, Affogato, Schnapps, Schooner and Mimosa were also popular. Amateur analysis might conclude that some Canberrans chose the pet name from what they were eating or dinking at the time ... or wanted to be eating or drinking at the time. But not in the case of the winner: Luna was - is - a character in Harry Potter. (Luna Lovegood was - is - a witch in the beloved books by JK Rowling). Last year's big choice of Matilda seems to have waned because of the success then of the Matildas soccer team. Tara Cheyne and Poppy. Picture by Gary Ramage The most popular canine breed registered in the ACT, according to the government, was, for the third year in a row, the Cavoodle mix. The Domestic Short Hair cat was the most popular feline breed. "Thanks to everyone who registered or renewed their pet's registration this year," the relevant minister and genuine dog lover Tara Cheyne said. She thought the choice of food names revealed Canberrans were "a culinary bunch, with food and drink names popular for both our feline and canine companions". The ACT government said one of the more creative pet names for 2024 was Stroobie Baloo First of his Name, King of the Pittospuram, Chaser of Birds. The ACT government cited "other honourable mentions" as Vivienne Westwoof, Field Marshal Bernadette Montgomery, Archibald Catsby and Admiral Fuzzy Paws. Of dogs currently registered in the ACT, the top 10 dog names and breeds for 2024 are: Names Luna Daisy Charlie Teddy Milo Ruby Coco Frankie Bella Rose Breeds Cavoodle Labrador Border Collie Groodle Golden Retriever German Shepherd Jack Russell Greyhound Labradoodle Kelpie Of cats currently registered in the ACT, the top 10 cat names and breeds for 2024 are: Names Luna Pepper Misty Coco Shadow Rosie Jasper Daisy Charlie Ash Breeds Domestic Short Hair Domestic Medium Hair Ragdoll Domestic Long Hair Burmese British Short Hair Bengal Russian Blue Maine Coon Siamese Minister Cheyne urged pet owners to be aware of dangers for animals as summer temperatures rise. "It's important to avoid walking your pet in the middle of the day during the warmer months. Early mornings and evenings are best to help protect your pet's paws from burning. You can easily tell if the pavement is too hot to walk your dog by placing the back of your hand on the ground. If you can't comfortably keep it there for ten seconds, it's too hot for your pet's paws. "To keep your pet comfortable and cool over summer, ensure they have access to fresh drinking water and shade all day. You can also visit one of the dog swimming spots or fill a kids' splash pool with water to help your pooch cool down." Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Steve Evans Reporter Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues." Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues." More from Canberra How Luna beat White Chocolate Brownie for most popular dog name in Canberra 28m ago No comment s Police chase through Kambah ends with backyard arrest and man in court 32m ago Takeovers, a title push and Lions: Why rugby fans have a reason to dream 2hrs ago No comment s More details revealed of Geocon's plans for the Phillip Pool redevelopment No comment s Trump wins the election and now liberals can't stand to watch the news No comment s Voters across the world are resentful and angry and are lashing out No comment s Newsletters & Alerts View all DAILY Your morning news Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Loading... WEEKDAYS The lunch break Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Loading... DAILY Sport The latest news, results & expert analysis. Loading... WEEKDAYS The evening wrap Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Loading... WEEKLY Note from the Editor Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Loading... WEEKLY FootyHQ Love footy? We've got all the action covered. Loading... DAILY Early Look At David Pope Your exclusive preview of David Pope's latest cartoon. Loading... AS IT HAPPENS Public Service News Don't miss updates on news about the Public Service. Loading... WEEKLY Explore Travel Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Loading... WEEKLY Property Get the latest property and development news here. Loading... WEEKLY What's On Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Loading... WEEKLY Weekend Reads We've selected the best reading for your weekend. Loading... WEEKLY Times Reader's Panel Join our weekly poll for Canberra Times readers. Loading... WEEKDAYS The Echidna Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Loading... TWICE WEEKLY The Informer Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Loading... WEEKLY Motoring Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Loading... TWICE WEEKLY Voice of Real Australia Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Loading... AS IT HAPPENS Breaking news alert Be the first to know when news breaks. Loading... DAILY Today's Paper Alert Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Loading... DAILY Your favourite puzzles Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Loading...The Who legend Sir Roger Daltrey is adding to his £50m fortune by recording £400-a-time ‘happy birthday’ messages to fans. Rock legend Roger, 80, has joined a video-sharing platform in time for Xmas and devotees are scrambling to get shout-outs from the Mod god. He sings happy birthday to one fan while strumming a guitar in his home office and tells another: "I hear you are a big Who fan. I really, really appreciate it. Keep your chin up and get off your iPhone. Look up, not down - that’s where life is." So far he’s had 10 five-star reviews on the Cameo website after joining just over a week ago. Fans are told: "Whether it’s a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or a long-awaited reunion, make it unforgettable with a one-of-a-kind Cameo video from Roger Daltrey. You’ll have the chance to customize your request for Roger Daltrey, like asking them to mention inside jokes, share words of wisdom, or work in their signature catchphrases. "Don’t be afraid to get creative with your request, especially for celebrations like weddings, retirements, or bachelor and bachelorette parties that call for a good laugh. No matter the occasion, the video will be yours to keep - share the fun and relive the moment for years to come." It’s the latest side hustle for the star. He recently proved he’s a whizz with fizz after his fledgling beer brand was valued at one million quid. The My Generation and Pinball Wizard legend is making a tasty profit from his beer. Sir Roger runs the Lakedown Brewing Company and the firm’s annual accounts make happy reading for the icon. The outfit has cash in its coffers of more than £330,000 and it is worth close to £1m with other assets after two years of trading. The brewery is based at the star’s Lakedown trout fishery in East Sussex. The family-run, independent brewery was founded by the singer, his son Jamie and two sons-in-law, Christopher Rule and Des Murphy. The beer varieties that the brewery makes are all vegan with the Pilsner, English Pale, Pale Ale, and Best Bitter also gluten-free. "They have turned me into a beer drinking convert because their beers are so easy-drinking," said Roger Daltrey. "Lakedown has been a passion of mine since I designed it in the 1980s, as a rural sanctuary away from the mania of touring." The ales come in can, bottle, keg and cask. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's

Need help with today’s NYT Connections puzzle? Check out hints and answers for Game #556 (December 18, 2024). Solve it step-by-step with expert tips! NYT Connections: Game #556 hints and answers for December 18, 2024: Are you currently experiencing problems with NYT Connexions? Here are some advice to assist you get through it, so don’t worry! You must choose four sets of sixteen words each, each with varying degrees of difficulty, for this practice. The process is cautious and gradual. It gets a little harder with each step you take. Here’s how to accomplish it: You might start with the simpler phases and work your way up to the more challenging ones as a result. The yellow one is among the simplest, while the green, blue, and purple ones are the most difficult. The work of today isn’t very difficult, but it does require concentration and a deep understanding of social dynamics. Don’t make snap decisions without careful consideration. I won’t go into too much depth, but the following tips should help you get started. Enjoy yourself and remember that it’s quite acceptable to take a vacation somewhere new. NYT Connections Hints for December 18, 2024 (#556) Continue reading if you believe you can manage it. Try beginning each category with one of the following words: YELLOW – FIELD GREEN – BITTER BLUE – HEDGE PURPLE – CAPITOL NYT Connections Clues for December 18 (#556): Yellow Category: DEAL WITH Green Category: STYLES OF BEER Blue Category: INVESTMENT VERBS Purple Category: ___ DOME NYT Connections Hints for December 18 (#556) YELLOW – Terms describing how someone handles a problem or responsibility. GREEN – Different types of beer with unique flavours and brewing methods. BLUE – Verbs commonly associated with financial investments. PURPLE – Words or phrases that include specific kinds of “domes.” If you’ve tried everything, don’t give up; there’s always another way to locate the answers. The following are some examples of modern solutions that make use of the NYT Connexions: NYT Connections Answers for December 18, 2024 (#556) Yellow Category: FIELD, HANDLE, MANAGE, TACKLE Green Category: BITTER, BOCK, SOUR, STOUT Blue Category: HEDGE, HOLD, SHORT, TRADE Purple Category: CAPITOL, CHROME, ONION, TEAPOT Click for more latest Gaming news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Pragya is an accomplished journalist known for in-depth reporting and a keen eye for detail. Delivers insightful and well-researched content that informs and engages readers. Latest News

24th annual Bell Capital Cup returns to arenas across Ottawa

S&P 500 closes at record high after strong US jobs report

Romania's far-right candidate Calin Georgescu on Saturday urged voters to go to polling stations despite the country's top court having scrapped the presidential elections over alleged irregularities amid claims of Russian interference. The court's shock ruling, coming just before the presidential run-off which had been due Sunday, opens the way for a new electoral process starting from scratch in the EU and NATO member state bordering war-torn Ukraine. The annulment follows a spate of intelligence documents declassified by the presidency this week detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including claims of "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks. Georgescu -- who unexpectedly topped last month's first round of voting -- called for voters on Sunday "to wait to be welcomed, to wait for democracy to win through their power", said a statement from his team. "Mr. Calin Georgescu believes that voting is an earned right," said the statement. "That is why he believes that Romanians have the right to be in front of the polling stations tomorrow." Georgescu himself would go to a polling station near Bucharest at 0600 GMT, said his team. Earlier Saturday, police raided three houses in Brasov city in central Romania as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery". Among the houses searched was that of businessman Bogdan Peschir, a TikTok user who according to the declassified documents allegedly paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu, Romanian media reported. Peschir has compared his support for Georgescu to the world's richest man Elon Musk's backing of US president-elect Donald Trump. Little-known outsider Georgescu, a 62-year-old former senior civil servant, was favourite to win the second round on Sunday against centrist pro-EU mayor Elena Lasconi, 52, according to several polls. But the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process as it was "marred... by multiple irregularities and violations of electoral legislation". President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that he had discussed with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, and they agreed on the "need to strengthen the security of social media". The European Commission announced earlier this week that it had stepped up monitoring TikTok after Romania's authorities alleged "preferential treatment" of Georgescu on the platform -- a claim the company has denied. Following the court's decision, the United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions and called for a "peaceful democratic process". Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on X branded the vote's cancellation an "attempt at rigging the outcome" and "denying the will of the people". Georgescu called it "a formalised coup d'etat" and said democracy was "under attack". His team on Saturday declined to comment on the raids, saying they "will not comment or provide answers until we have exact data". Georgescu and another far-right party, the AUR, have said they plan to appeal the decision to stop the voting to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. A past admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Georgescu, an EU and NATO sceptic, in recent days had reframed himself as "ultra pro-Trump," vowing to put Romania "on the world map" and cut aid for neighbouring Ukraine. In an interview with US broadcaster Sky News on Saturday, Georgescu said there were no links between him and Russia. Political scientist Costin Ciobanu told AFP that the annulment has "further polarised Romanian society". With trust in institutions and the ruling class already low, the vote's cancellation poses a "major danger that Romanians will think that it doesn't matter how they vote", Ciobanu added. Elsewhere in the EU, Austria annulled presidential elections in 2016 because of procedural irregularities. In Romania, a new government is expected to set another date for the presidential vote. In last weekend's legislative elections, the ruling Social Democrats came top. But far-right parties made big gains, securing an unprecedented third of the ballots on mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in Ukraine. In a joint appeal on Wednesday, the Social Democrats and three other pro-EU parties -- together making up an absolute majority in parliament -- signed an agreement to form a coalition, promising "stability". bur-jza/jj

Elon Musk Declares War on Social Security, Watchdogs Claim - Kawsachun News -