9k slot casino real money Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that no matter how hard detractors tried to starve the State of funds, his administration will continue to provide social services and infrastructure projects to the people. The Governor said, his determination remains to make the people happy with the mantra of “Rivers First”, which is why he will not politicise projects’ delivery. Fubara spoke when he inaugurated the reconstructed 11.8 kilometres of Okehi-Umuola-Eberi Link Road, along Okehi-Omuma Road, in Etche Local Government Area on Wednesday. He stated that the 14 days that have been set aside in December 2024 will be used to showcase the landmark projects undertaken by his administration to prove that it has remained focused. These set of projects, he said, are definitely going to transform the socio-economic status of communities in the benefitting Local Government Areas in the State. He said, “But, today, we are starting to showcase what we have done in those months when people were asking what are we doing? Where is the fund? “I am happy to say here, that I stand to be challenged, this administration has not borrowed to execute projects. The only money we borrowed was the one we used for the Ring Road project, and everybody is aware of it. “Go and bring any paper. Go to the Debt Management Office and check if we have asked for anything. We don’t need it. What is important is the little we are getting, we are applying it rightly.” Fubara asserted that everybody is also aware that his administration has paid the N85,000 new minimum wage he promised Rivers civil servants, which is more than the N70,000 national minimum wage. This, he said, further affirms the commitment and love of his administration to Rivers people, who have continued to stand by his government with unalloyed support. Fubara, however, acknowledged how tough it has been amidst the political crisis, to provide a climate of peace and security to Rivers people, which has been achieved on a continuous basis. He said, “Even when we are struggling to meet the basic needs of government, which is protecting the lives of the people, their property and providing services; even when they are working to make sure that we can’t provide services, that we have to stave, we are determined to make sure that our people are happy. “And we said, whatever it will cost us, we must make sure that we did this. So, I am happy the contractor didn’t disappoint us. I am also happy that the communities, both in Etche and Omuma, gave us the needed support.” Fubara said the Okehi-Umuola-Eberi Link Road is a major access route, and cannot be left in deplorable condition, adding that the Umuakali-Eberi-Omodu Road on the other end has already been earmarked for commissioning. He noted, “We were here about five months ago when we came to inspect the extent of the job that was ongoing in Omuma. “I stand to be challenged, Omuma for more than eight years had not witnessed any project. It was in our administration that we awarded the Umuakali-Eberi road. “The road was almost completed when we came. So, we said, how can we be going to commission a project and the access road is bad? “So, I said we must, no matter what it will cost us, ensure that the access road to Omuma is properly fixed so that when we go to Omuma to commission that project, it will be an easy and smooth drive.”

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Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina KhanPublished 4:20 pm Sunday, November 24, 2024 By Data Skrive The Memphis Tigers versus the UConn Huskies is one of many solid options on Monday in college basketball action — suggested picks against the spread for two games are available below. Watch men’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Commentary: Why you shouldn’t lie to your children about Santa Claus – even if it’s just for fun

Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha The Al Jazeera Media Institute(AJMI)has announced the dates for the launch of the second edition of the Al Jazeera Artificial Intelligence in Media Conference, which will be held on Januray 11 and 12, 2025, at the Sheraton Doha Hotel. The conference is organised as part of the Institute’s commitment to its pioneering role in anticipating the future of media. Its aim is to discuss the latest developments in artificial intelligence and their impact on the media industry. Additionally, the conference aims to showcase advanced applications that contribute to verifying news, analysing data, and enhancing media production. This reflects the important role of technology in shaping the contours of modern journalism. Through this conference, the Institute aims to create a space for meaningful dialogue between technology experts and media organisations on the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence, ensuring that core journalistic values are preserved while adapting to technological advancements. Eman Al Amri, director of the Al Jazeera Media Institute, emphasised that through organising this conference, the Institute aims to create a space for serious dialogue between technology experts and media organisations on the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence. Al Amri stated, “We want to ensure the preservation of core journalistic values and adapt to technological developments.” Al Amri further added that the conference provides an opportunity to blend in-depth discussions with practical application. It features scientific sessions and debates on the ethical and professional challenges related to the use of artificial intelligence. Additionally, the event includes practical workshops that allow participants to explore the latest developments in this field. The conference aims to explore advanced applications of artificial intelligence in media, address the ethical and legal challenges posed by these technologies, and facilitate the exchange of experiences and expertise between media organisations to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. Al Jazeera is consistently at the forefront of institutions that proactively anticipate the future and invest in modern technologies to enhance journalistic work, improve content quality, and elevate media practices. The Artificial Intelligence in Media Conference includes dialogue sessions and specialised workshops, bringing together global experts, along with speakers from leading technology companies such as Microsoft, Google, IBM, and Cisco. Conference sessions will focus on exploring the latest intelligent tools used in news gathering and verification, detecting deepfakes, and presenting successful Arab and global experiences in employing artificial intelligence in journalism. These case studies include those of Al Jazeera, Reuters, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, and No Border News. The conference will discuss issues with future dimensions, such as algorithmic bias and its impact on the integrity of media content, the impact of artificial intelligence on media professionals, and ways to build trust between the public and content produced using intelligent tools. Attendees will have the opportunity to benefit from workshops that highlight the uses of artificial intelligence in developing the journalism profession. The Al Jazeera Media Institute has invited journalists, academics, and all those interested in modern technologies to participate in this distinguished event, which represents a unique platform for exploring the latest technological innovations and an opportunity to learn about successful global experiences in integrating artificial intelligence into journalism, and to exchange ideas and perspectives on the future of media in light of rapid technological transformations. Copy 24/12/2024 10Attempt to ban Montana transgender lawmaker from using women's restrooms failsNone

ISSAQUAH, Wash., Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today reported net sales of $21.87 billion for the retail month of November, the four weeks ended December 1, 2024, an increase of 5.6 percent from $20.71 billion last year. For the twelve-week first quarter ended November 24, 2024, the Company reported net sales of $60.99 billion, an increase of 7.5 percent from $56.72 billion last year. Net sales for the first thirteen weeks were $66.52 billion, an increase of 7.2 percent from $62.04 billion last year. Comparable sales were as follows: Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange were as follows: E-commerce sales in November were negatively impacted by an estimated 15 percentage points, due to Thanksgiving / Black Friday / Cyber Monday occurring a week later this year versus last year. Total and comparable sales were negatively impacted by approximately one and one-half percent as a result of the shift in E-commerce sales. Additional discussion of these results is available in a pre-recorded message. It can be accessed by visiting investor.costco.com (click on “Events & Presentations”). This message will be available through 4:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Costco currently operates 897 warehouses, including 617 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 109 in Canada, 41 in Mexico, 36 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 19 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, two in France, and one each in Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Certain statements contained in this document and the pre-recorded message constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions, including exchange rates, inflation or deflation, the effects of competition and regulation, uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business spending patterns and debt levels, breaches of security or privacy of member or business information, conditions affecting the acquisition, development, ownership or use of real estate, capital spending, actions of vendors, rising costs associated with employees (generally including health-care costs and wages), workforce interruptions, energy and certain commodities, geopolitical conditions (including tariffs), the ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, regulatory and other impacts related to environmental and social matters, public-health related factors, and other risks identified from time to time in the Company’s public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update these statements, except as required by law. Comparable sales and comparable sales excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange are intended as supplemental information and are not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. COST-Sales

DALLAS (AP) — The Washington Nationals will have the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft next summer after winning the lottery in a drawing of ping-pong balls at the winter meetings Tuesday. Unlike last year, when the Nationals were ineligible after initially coming out with the top spot, they will get to make the first pick in July in Atlanta, the site of the All-Star Game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Oil slips ahead of OPEC+ decision

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Peter Dutton will use a private Coalition meeting to calm MPs fearful that Labor’s teen social media ban is a Trojan Horse for government control of the internet, ahead of a sitting week in which the major parties plan to ram the legislation through parliament. On Friday Coalition MPs were called to a Monday morning gathering in Canberra, party sources said, where Dutton and communications spokesman David Coleman planned to field questions about Labor’s proposed law to ban children under 16 from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and communications spokesman David Coleman will face concerned MPs. Credit: Louise Kennerley Right-wing Coalition senators Matt Canavan and Alex Antic have been sharply critical of the bill’s potential to require Australians to give tech giants their IDs and the power it would give the eSafety Commission, which is a federal agency that will be charged with overseeing the ban. But doubts about the bill, which was only released last week, have expanded from the pair to more mainstream Coalition MPs, setting up the meeting as a test of the opposition leader’s authority after he hauled his party room into line on abortion earlier this month. On Sunday night, the MPs were informed Monday’s meeting was cancelled, with the conversation to take place on Tuesday as part of the Coalition’s party room meeting. The Coalition leadership remains confident of overwhelming support for the bill inside the party, according to several opposition sources speaking anonymously about internal dynamics. Dutton, whose office declined to comment, plans to hear out his concerned colleagues but ultimately expects the party to back the bill, allowing it to pass parliament this week. The opposition rode a wave of conservative and libertarian campaigning against Labor’s misinformation bill in recent months before the government dropped its plan to crack down on falsehoods online on Sunday. Some of the groups and people behind that campaign, including One Nation, the Libertarian Party and former Coalition MPs George Christensen and Craig Kelly, have launched an email crusade about the social media age barrier that has resulted in complaints flooding into MPs inboxes. They endorse the view of X owner Elon Musk, who wrote on the platform last month that the ban “seems like a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians” because it could require users to prove their identities before accessing major online services. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland was asked about the need to hand over ID in a Labor caucus meeting last week and said her laws would not force people to give ID documents to social media giants, dismissing the prospect as a right-wing scare campaign. However, the government has not announced the technology that would be used to prove a user’s age. ‘A red flag’ LNP MP Garth Hamilton said Labor had rushed the legislation and sent mixed signals about details such as which platforms would be included. The Wiggles successfully lobbied to allow YouTube to remain while Snapchat will be banned, though both apps now also have a TikTok-style feed of clips. “The tests for this bill are that it should not be a proxy for digital ID [to be required to access the internet] and that it actually responds to parents’ needs,” Hamilton said.“I fully agree with Peter Dutton’s concerns about the impacts of social media, and they are long-held. But Labor has had a long time to get details right [and] the utter confusion on the detail is a red flag.” Loading Coleman, who first proposed a teen ban in an April interview with this masthead at a time when Labor opposed such a change , told opposition MPs last week that the government could use a “double-blind tokenised approach” suggested by the eSafety Commission last year. That would allow a third party to verify a user’s age on a social media platform without revealing the identity information used to do so, while another option could force companies that operate app stores, such as Google and Apple, to take on the role. Labor announced the ban early this month after years of claims that social media was harming children’s mental health, much of which is disputed by the technology giants, and argued that it would bolster parents’ ability to reject pestering from kids to go online. But detractors including Ben Thompson, the boss of major Australian tech firm Employment Hero, said on X that bill would make it harder for children with special needs to make friends online. “Not to mention that it’s a Trojan Horse for digital ID and further censorship,” he said. On Sunday, Greens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young called advocates for the ban well-intentioned, but said the bill was rushed compared to the government’s halting approach to gambling reform. “The government and the opposition are ramming through a ban on social media that was introduced on Thursday,” she said on ABC’s Insiders . “We’ve got a joke of a Senate inquiry for three days tomorrow. But they can’t do gambling ... Talk about priorities.” Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Social media Peter Dutton Anthony Albanese Paul Sakkal is federal political correspondent for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald who previously covered Victorian politics and has won two Walkley awards. Connect via Twitter . Most Viewed in Politics LoadingBERWYN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Virpax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRPX) (“Virpax” or the “Company”) , a company specializing in developing pharmaceutical products for pain management, announced that it has been granted an extension of its cooperative research and development agreement with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), an institute/center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This collaboration is for the continued development of Virpax’s product candidate, NES100, an intranasal peptide, for the management of acute and chronic non-cancer pain. NES100 is an enkephalin drug product based on a type of nanotechnology delivery approach. Enkephalin is a naturally occurring (endogenous) peptide that is not easily administered in its original form. We believe that the nanotechnology may enable and enhance the delivery of this metabolically labile peptide drug into the brain. NES100 is the first investigational product formulation delivered via the nasal route with the potential to enhance enkephalin transport to the brain. NES100 uses a preassembled device and cartridge to propel the enkephalin formulation through the nose to the brain by flowing along the olfactory nerve pathway. The Molecular Envelope Technology (MET) is designed to protect and help carry the drug to the brain with the goal of promptly suppressing pain by binding to the delta opioid receptors. NES100 has demonstrated analgesic potential in animal models without the development of opioid tolerance, withdrawal, respiratory depression, euphoria, or addiction associated with use of opioids. Jatinder Dhaliwal, Chief Executive Officer of Virpax, commented, "We are excited that this collaboration has been extended with NCATS and the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative as we believe that it may help Virpax develop an effective and safe alternative to conventional opioids used by patients to manage acute and chronic pain. We believe that the NIH/NCATS collaborative agreement will enable our team to maintain momentum in both our pre-clinical and clinical development strategies." About Virpax Pharmaceuticals Virpax is developing branded, non-addictive pain management products candidates using its proprietary technologies to optimize and target drug delivery. Virpax is initially seeking FDA approval for two prescription drug candidates that employ two different patented drug delivery platforms. ProbudurTM is a single injection liposomal bupivacaine formulation being developed to manage post-operative pain and EnveltaTM is an intranasal molecular envelope enkephalin formulation being developed to manage acute and chronic pain, including pain associated with cancer. Virpax is also using its intranasal Molecular Envelope Technology (MET) to develop one other prescription product candidate, NobrXiolTM, which is being developed for the nasal delivery of a pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol (CBD) for the management of rare pediatric epilepsy. Virpax has competitive cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) for two of its prescription drug candidates, one with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and one with the Department of Defense (DOD). Virpax is also seeking partners for two nonprescription product candidates: AnQlar, which is being developed to inhibit viral replication caused by influenza or SARS-CoV-2, and EpoladermTM, which is a topical diclofenac spray film formulation being developed to manage pain associated with osteoarthritis. For more information, please visit https://www.virpaxpharma.com .and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including those described below. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which we operate and management’s current beliefs and assumptions. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking expressions, including, but not limited to, “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including the additional capital which will be necessary to complete studies and clinical trials that the Company plans to initiate and other factors listed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that the Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121242163/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact: info@virpaxpharma.com KEYWORD: PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES SOURCE: Virpax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 04:06 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121242163/en

POET Technologies Signs Manufacturing Agreement with Globetronics in MalaysiaCongressional Republicans and former Trump appointees have spent the last year building out their response to the movement protesting Israel’s war in Gaza , and now that Donald Trump is returning to the White House they warn that protest leaders, activists and those who help them raise money could face an onslaught of federal investigations and possible indictments. An NBC News review of congressional hearings and letters, along with lawsuits filed by organizations led by former Trump officials, provides a preview of which federal laws a second Trump administration could use when pursuing investigations and potential prosecutions. Judging from what has been pushed thus far, there are several legal measures most likely to be used once Trump returns to Washington. One would be deporting foreign college students in the U.S. on a visa after they’re found to have openly advocated for Hamas or another U.S.-designated terror group, or after they participated in an unauthorized campus protest and were suspended, expelled or jailed. Another measure would be to pursue federal prosecutions of demonstrators who block synagogue entrances or disrupt Jewish speakers at events. A third approach is to charge protest leaders and nonprofits that aid in fundraising for protest groups with failing to register with the U.S. Justice Department as an “agent of a foreign principal.” And a fourth avenue is to open investigations into protest leaders who are in direct contact with U.S.-designated terror groups while advocating on their behalf. The multifaceted law enforcement approach is a marked departure from the Biden administration’s response to the protest movement. Some of the nation’s leading civil rights groups told NBC News that they are gearing up for a flood of legal battles to protect the protesters. “Trying to predict what Trump will do is a fool’s errand. We have to be prepared for the most extreme version of what he’s threatened,” said Ben Wizner, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. “We have to take him both literally and seriously.” ‘A new sheriff in town’ Biden administration officials have told NBC News that prosecuting speech-related crimes related to the anti-war protests is not a high priority for the current Justice Department, nor is seeking out student protesters on foreign visas a top concern for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “President Trump will enforce the law,” said Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, in an email to NBC News. Ernst recently asked the FBI to open an investigation into a pro-Hamas student group at Columbia University called Columbia University Apartheid Divest. A member had threatened “Zionists” on social media , which the organization had initially distanced itself from after a strong public outcry but later supported in an Instagram post . CUAD also has handed out pro-Hamas flyers that circulated around campus featuring masked men holding weapons. “There is a new sheriff in town,” Ernst said. The FBI has yet to respond to Ernst’s request, her office said. An FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to request for comment. A Columbia University spokesperson said CUAD is not a recognized organization by the school and the flyers were under investigation. Members of CUAD declined to comment. Reed Rubinstein, who held high-ranking positions in both the Justice Department and the U.S. Education Department in the first Trump administration, is now a senior vice president at America First Legal, a public policy law firm in Washington, D.C., founded by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller. (Miller is expected to return to the White House as a deputy chief of staff for policy.) Under Rubinstein, America First Legal has in the past year filed four lawsuits that provide a glimpse into how the Trump administration could differ from its predecessor. America First Legal alleges in the suits that the State Department, the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education have protected pro-Hamas extremists. In court papers and in letters to several federal oversight officials, America First Legal has also said it believes the Justice Department should have forced several leaders of pro-Palestinian groups to report themselves under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, known as FARA, which requires individuals acting as “an agent of a foreign principal” to register themselves with the Justice Department. It has also accused the Department of Education of not following Title VI regulations, which prohibits schools that accept federal funding from allowing on-campus discrimination based on race, shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics including being Jewish. “There’s a difference between lawful speech and unlawful conduct,” Rubinstein told NBC News. “Law enforcement has an obligation to act.” Although the lawsuits haven’t progressed in court, they provide a possible road map for how Trump-minded prosecutors could respond to the protest movement. So far, only the Education Department has responded to the allegations, court papers show, and said the agency doesn’t have sufficient evidence to respond to the claims that policies aren’t being enforced. The Justice Department didn’t respond to a request for comment. Spokespeople at the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education all said they can’t comment on pending litigation. Rubinstein in an interview brought up an additional law he expects a second Trump administration could enforce. Known as the FACE Act , the law prohibits people from using force, threats or intimidation while blocking entrances of places of worship. Earlier this month, protesters with SJP Chicago gathered at the Chicago Loop Synagogue to demonstrate against an Arab Israeli speaker who had served in the Israeli military. Videos posted to social media showed demonstrators blocking the synagogue’s entrance, banging on the windows and getting inside. “You do not have the right to deny somebody the ability to congregate in a church or synagogue,” Rubinstein said. “We would like to see the Department of Justice do its job.” A spokesman for the FBI’s Chicago office said its policy is not to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. The Chicago Police Department said it arrested two protesters and charged them with trespassing and one with property damage, both misdemeanor charges. SJP Chicago did not respond to a request for comment. But in an Instagram post, it said protesters were not being anti-Jewish. “Zionist have scrambled to throw together a narrative that these acts were anti-semetic and fueled by hate (what’s new).” An expected flood of legal battles Some of the nation’s leading free speech and civil rights groups say they are gearing up to fight a new Trump administration and any attempts to go after protesters or their funders. Since 9/11, organizations including the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), along with the ACLU, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Knight First Amendment Institute have represented Muslim Americans and pro-Palestinian activists in cases involving free speech, surveillance or abuse. Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s deputy executive director, argued that the Biden administration failed to enforce FARA against leaders of pro-Israel groups. Mitchell said both Trump and President Joe Biden single out pro-Palestinian activists with either a lack of enforcement or with too much enforcement. “Just as Americans who peacefully marched, protested and lobbied against segregation, the Vietnam War and South African apartheid were not deterred when government agencies spied upon, smeared, arrested and brutalized them,” Mitchell said, “the college students, human rights activists and everyday Americans peacefully opposing the Gaza genocide have not been deterred by such government abuses and, God willing, will not be deterred by such abuses in the future.” Both CCR and the ACLU told NBC News that their concerns go beyond what the administration could do to crack down on just the protests. They pointed to the possibility that a Republican-led Congress could pass a bill currently under consideration that would strip away the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that a Trump appointed treasury secretary designates as providing material support to “terrorist supporting organizations.” CCR also said it worries a second Trump administration could wrongly level accusations of failing to register as foreign agents against protest leaders and nonprofits that aid protest groups with collecting donations. CCR is also watching whether a Trump Justice Department will charge certain activists accused of supporting Hamas and other U.S.-designated terror organizations with violating a U.S. anti-terror law that prohibits advocating for terror groups while in coordination with them. “We are prepared for the Trump administration coming in and changing the game, particularly around the question, ‘Where does speech fit into this?’” said Vince Warren, CCR’s executive director. “To the extent that the Biden administration drew a line between speech and actionable conduct, we don’t think that the Trump administration will do that at all.” CCR is also concerned about the plans laid out in Project Esther , an initiative backed by the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank that published Project 2025 . Project Esther urges law enforcement to use a plethora of federal and state laws to dismantle what it terms the “global Hamas Support Network” using racketeering laws — used to break up the mafia — along with anti-terrorism and anti-hate speech laws. “They will throw any type of spaghetti up against the wall,” Warren said. The Knight Institute said although it expects the new Trump administration to aggressively police speech, it is prepared to fight back. Earlier this month, Knight successfully rebuffed the Biden Treasury Department, which had blocked a New York based nonprofit from organizing an overseas conference with Hezbollah members, arguing it can’t work with people sanctioned for ties to terrorism groups. The agency reversed course and settled the case earlier this month after Knight argued that an academic exchange of ideas could not violate anti-terror laws. “If there’s one thing the First Amendment protects, it’s the right of Americans to criticize their own government’s policies,” said Jameel Jaffer, the Knight Institute’s executive director. The ACLU’s Wizner struck a similar note, saying: “The courts have made clear that the First Amendment protects all manner of controversial advocacy, including advocacy of violence, so long as the speaker isn’t actively inciting imminent harm,” Wizner said. Impact on college campuses Kenneth Marcus, who ran the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights during the Trump and George W. Bush administrations, now leads the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, one of the leading civil rights organizations focused on Jewish students. Over the past year, the center has sued a growing list of universities arguing officials failed to stop what it sees as widespread antisemitism on campus. Marcus said he has met with Department of Education officials requesting an expansion of civil rights enforcement to protect Jewish students on campuses. The Department of Education didn’t respond to questions regarding Marcus’ concerns. “We know that President Trump has repeatedly expressed concern about the campus situation,” Marcus said. During the presidential campaign, one of the 20 promises in the preamble to the Republican Party platform was to “deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again.” NBC News reported in August that the Biden administration said it was not targeting visa revocations for foreign students who may have engaged in speech-related offenses or participated in unauthorized campus protests and had not terminated any university or college student visas due to protest activity related to the Israel-Hamas war. Trump’s return to Washington could lead to possible attempts to revoke student visas for foreign students who openly support Hamas or other U.S.-designated terror organizations, Marcus said. Marcus also anticipates more intervention from the Justice Department when Jewish students say they are being targeted on campus. At a campaign stop in September , Trump said that at the start of his second presidency, he would inform universities that if they allow violence and threats against Jewish students, they “will be held accountable for violations of the civil rights law.” “My administration will move swiftly to restore safety for Jewish students and Jewish people on American streets,” Trump said. This article first appeared on NBCNews.com . Read more from NBC News here: Trump’s mass deportations could split 4 million mixed-status families. How one is getting ready. SEC issues summons for Gautam Adani, nephew on bribery allegations Will Trump's former defense lawyer protect the Justice Department from Trump?

Qatar tribune The global fight against climate change could face a grave threat with the election of Donald Trump whose rhetoric suggests he will make a sharp pivot towards fossil fuel dominance, the Al-Attiyah Foundation writes in its latest Special Report titled Trump 2.0: Implications for Energy, Environment, and Trade. In an interview with Fox News in the build up to the November presidential election, Trump explained his plans for United States fossil-fuel production if he wins, saying: “We are going to – I used this expression, now everyone else is using it so I hate to use it, but – drill, baby, drill. Despite such strident remarks, Mr. Trump’s zeal to amp up oil production and repeal the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the landmark climate law that is pouring more than $390 billion into electric vehicles, batteries and other clean energy technology, will quickly face a political test. A cornerstone of the outgoing President Joe Biden’s climate policy, the IRA has already attracted over $200 billion in clean energy investments since its enactment. Although a complete repeal of the IRA is unlikely due to bipartisan support, as much as 30% of its climate funding could be at risk. Electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, valued at $12 billion, are particularly vulnerable, potentially undermining the rapid growth of the U.S. EV market. Meanwhile, China leads globally, with more than 50% of its newly registered cars being EVs or plug-in hybrids—twice the global average. Trump’s proposed rollbacks could leave the U.S. trailing in this critical sector, further delaying domestic progress toward reducing emissions. In parallel, Trump’s administration is expected to champion fossil fuel-aligned technologies, such as carbon capture and “blue” hydrogen, which could sustain jobs. While these measures may boost traditional energy sectors, they risk slowing advancements in renewable energy infrastructure and grid modernisation. The IRA’s technology-neutral tax credits, extended until 2032, have been a driving force behind renewable energy projects, but Trump’s policies may shift focus to emissions mitigation tied to fossil fuels, aligning with his “energy dominance” strategy. On the global stage, Trump’s energy agenda could deepen geopolitical tensions. Proposed tariffs on clean energy imports, alongside his confrontational trade stance with China, might disrupt supply chains and elevate costs for key energy technologies. During his previous term, tariffs on Chinese solar panels reached 25%, inflating domestic production costs and slowing clean technology deployment. Similarly, his withdrawal from international climate agreements and easing of environmental regulations could strain collaborations with allies and impact global efforts to mitigate climate change. During his campaign, Trump extolled the United States’ energy resources saying they have “more energy — we have more liquid gold, as I call it, under our feet than Saudi Arabia, than Russia, than anybody” and that “we’re going to be energy-dominant”. To this end, Trump’s fossil fuel agenda also highlights the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive areas for potential drilling, aiming to boost U.S. oil and gas output. However, higher production costs—ranging between $64 and $70 per barrel for new wells—could limit profitability. Even with regulatory easing, these initiatives may take years to materialise fully. While Trump’s policies may bring short-term economic benefits to fossil fuel sectors, the long-term implications for the U.S.’s role in clean energy leadership remain uncertain. With global markets increasingly embracing low-carbon technologies, — By The Al-Attiyah Foundation Copy 24/12/2024 10None