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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — The first woman to command Canada's military called out a U.S. senator on Saturday for questioning the role of women in combat. Gen. Jennie Carignan responded to comments made by Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch , the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who was asked on Friday whether President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth , should retract comments that he believes men and women should not serve together in combat units . “I think it’s delusional for anybody to not agree that women in combat creates certain unique situations that have to be dealt with. I think the jury’s still out on how to do that," Risch said during a panel session at the Halifax International Security Forum on Friday. Carignan, Canada's chief of defense staff and the first woman to command the armed forces of any Group of 20 or Group of Seven country, took issue with those remarks during a panel session on Saturday. "If you’ll allow me, I would first like maybe to respond to Senator Risch’s statement yesterday about women in combat because I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with this idea that women are a distraction to defense and national security," Carignan said. “After 39 years of career as a combat arms officer and risking my life in many operations across the world, I can’t believe that in 2024, we still have to justify the contribution of women to their defense and to their service, in their country. I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with this idea that this is that it is some kind of social experiment.” Carignan said women have participating in combat for hundreds of years but have never been recognized for fighting for their country. She noted the women military personnel in the room. “All the women sitting here in uniform, stepping in, and deciding to get into harm’s way and fight for their country, need to be recognized for doing so," she said. “So again, this is the distraction, not the women themselves." Carignan received a standing ovation at the forum, which attracts defense and security officials from Western democracies. Hegseth has reignited a debate that many thought had been long settled: Should women be allowed to serve their country by fighting on the front lines? The former Fox News commentator made it clear, in his own book and in interviews, that he believes men and women should not serve together in combat units . If Hegseth is confirmed by the Senate, he could try to end the Pentagon’s nearly decade-old practice of making all combat jobs open to women. Hegseth’s remarks have generated a barrage of praise and condemnation. Carignan was promoted to the rank of general during the change-of-command ceremony this past summer, after being chosen by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to become Canada’s first female defense chief. Carignan is no stranger to firsts. She was also the first woman to command a combat unit in the Canadian military, and her career has included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Syria. For the last three years, she has been the chief of professional conduct and culture, a job created as a result of the sexual misconduct scandal in 2021. Her appointment this year comes as Canada continues to face criticism from NATO allies for not spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defense. The Canadian government recently said that it would reach its NATO commitment by 2032. Risch said Friday Trump would laugh at Canada’s current military spending plans and said the country must do more.

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Iowa followed its lowest-scoring game of the season with a 110-point eruption the next time out. The Hawkeyes will be one week removed from that scorching effort when they host Northwestern in Tuesday's Big Ten opener in Iowa City, but rust won't be the only roadblock for a potential repeat showing. Iowa (6-1) also is bracing for stiffer competition in conference play while navigating an injury to Seydou Traore. The reserve forward suffered a sprained ankle midway through the first half of a 110-77 home rout of South Carolina Upstate on Nov. 26. Also missing frontcourt contributors Even Brauns and Cooper Koch, the Hawkeyes still flexed their resilience and depth. Brock Harding notched a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds and Owen Freeman netted 17 points as five Iowa players scored in double figures. "Coming off a loss, going into Thanksgiving break here, we've got a couple days off coming, it'd be easy to kinda (think), ‘All right, let's relax for this one, guys sit out,'" Harding said. "But I think we really locked in." Northwestern (6-2) overcame 40.8 percent shooting to defeat UNLV 66-61 in the third-place game of the Arizona Tip-Off on Friday in Tempe, Ariz. Brooks Barnhizer, a preseason All-Big Ten pick who was sidelined by a foot injury during the Wildcats' first four games, had team highs of 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He has scored at least 20 points in three of four games. Northwestern limited UNLV to a 42.1 percent effort from the floor. Matthew Nicholson propelled the defense with two of the Wildcats' seven steals to go with two blocks. "We're a defensive-minded team and, you know, our identity is just getting stops," Barnhizer said. "Everything else will take care of itself. So, the older guys were trying to come out here and do that tonight and I think we did a pretty good job of it." Strong ‘D' helped Northwestern's ball movement, too, as the Wildcats assisted on 15 of 20 made field goals. Northwestern went 8-for-18 (44.4 percent) from long range to improve to 3-0 this season when connecting on 40 percent of its 3-point shots or better. --Field Level Media

Although lesser known than Tutankhamuun ’s golden mask or Nefertiti ’s bust, the Narmer Palette is a hugely significant artefact from ancient Egypt . The reason: it boasts a pair of firsts. To begin, it features some of the oldest hieroglyphic inscriptions yet found, leading the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where the palette is on display, to describe it as “the first historical document in the world”. Next, the carved reliefs represent the earliest-known depictions of both Egyptian kingship and of the style of art now so synonymous with the civilisation. From its visualisation of the human form to how different elements of an image are placed and sized, early artefacts like this one established the artistic template used throughout the dynastic period over three millennia. What is the Narmer Palette? Measuring 64 by 42cm and made of flat grey-green siltstone, the Narmer Palette was, as the name suggests, a ceremonial palette resembling the kind that most Egyptians kept in their homes to make their cosmetics. They did so by mixing and grinding coloured minerals and oils together before applying the result to the skin. Makeup held not only aesthetic significance in ancient Egypt, but spiritual. Beauty was a sign of holiness, so the meaning of using ceremonial palettes like this one to depict something important, kingly even, would be widely understood. When was the Narmer Palette found? British archaeologists James Quibell and Frederick Green unearthed the Narmer Palette in near-perfect condition during their 1897-98 excavations. They were digging in the temple of Horus in Nekhen (or Hierakonpolis), which used to be the political and religious heart of Upper Egypt, when they came across an impressive cache of objects. This ‘Main Deposit’ had been ritually buried and included hundreds of artefacts, including statues, ivories, and the so-called Narmer Macehead – a decorative stone mace head. Who is depicted on the Narmer Palette? The Narmer who is thought to be depicted on the palette was a pharaoh in the earliest days of the dynastic period , credited with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3200–2900 BC. Both sides of the Narmer Palette are decorated to celebrate his deeds. His name appears in a serekh (a square cartouche) at the top, in between bovine heads that may represent the goddess Bat or Hathor. On the Recto side, an oversized Narmer wears the white crown of Upper Egypt as he prepares to smite an enemy with a mace. His sandal bearer stands nearby, while the falcon god Horus stands on papyrus flowers (a symbol of Lower Egypt) and holds another prisoner with a rope. The Verso side is busier: the king, in the top-left corner, is again accompanied by his sandal bearer, but this time wears the red crown of Lower Egypt. Ahead of a procession of standard bearers are lines of decapitated and castrated prisoners. What draws the eye most on the Verso side, however, are two mythical creatures – serpopards, lepoard-like animals with serpentine necks – with their necks entwined and held by attendants. At the bottom, Narmer is seen as a bull trampling an enemy and destroying a fort. The use of both crowns, and possibly even the joining of the serpopards, may symbolise the unification. But it has been suggested the reliefs were not intended to honour a literal deed by Narmer, whether he even succeeded in uniting the kingdoms or not. Instead, the palette could represent a metaphorical bringing together of all lands and cosmos under the power of king. Through him, there was the balance of order, or ma’at to the Egyptians.Politechnica's Insights on Women Voters Shaping Indian Elections

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Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the US illegally, was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court. He appeared briefly before a judge and wore a white jumpsuit over a weathered black hooded sweatshirt. He did not speak. He will remain jailed ahead of his next court date on Friday. The apparently random attack occurred on Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Police said on Tuesday that identification of the victim was still “pending at this time”. Authorities say Zapeta approached the woman, who was sitting motionless in the train car and may have been sleeping, and used a lighter to set her clothing on fire. The woman quickly became engulfed in flames, while the suspect then sat at a bench on the subway platform and watched, according to police. Video posted to social media appeared to show the woman standing inside the train ablaze as some people look on from the platform, and at least one officer walks by. NYPD chief of transit Joseph Gulotta said that several officers had responded to the fire and one stayed to keep the crime scene “the way it’s supposed to be” while the others went to get fire extinguishers and transit workers. They were eventually able to douse the fire, but “unfortunately, it was too late”, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said — the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. During Zapeta’s court hearing on Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg said Zapeta at one point fanned the flames on the woman using his shirt. He said a 911 call from a subway rider helped identify Zapeta. Mr Rottenberg added that under interrogation Zapeta claimed he did not know what happened, noting that he consumes alcohol. But he alleged that Zapeta identified himself to interrogators in images related to the attack. Zapeta was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon while riding a train on the same subway line after police got a tip from some teenagers who recognised him from images circulated by the police. A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support. The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal immigration officials said Zapeta had been previously deported in 2018 but at some point reentered the US illegally. The crime — and the graphic video of it that ricocheted across social media — deepened a growing sense of unease among some New Yorkers about the safety of the subway system in a city where many residents take the subway multiple times each day.Lumi Global Acquires Assembly Voting to Strengthen Product Leadership and Accelerate International Expansion

Latur: BJP nominee Archana Patil Chakurkar, daughter-in-law of former Lok Sabha speaker Shivraj Patil, was defeated by Congress MLA Amit Deshmukh, son of late Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh, in Latur City constituency by 6,973 votes. As votes are being counted for the Maharashtra assembly polls held on November 20, Amit Deshmukh polled 1,12,518 votes and Patil Chakurkar 1,05,545. In Latur Rural, BJP MLC Ramesh Karad defeated Congress MLA Dhiraj Deshmukh, brother of Amit Deshmukh, by 6,595 votes. Karad bagged 1,12,051 votes while Dhiraj Deshmukh secured 1,05,456 votes. Out of six constituencies in Latur district, Mahayuti won five constituencies. In Ausa constituency, BJP’s sitting MLA Abhimanyu Pawar defeated his Shiv-Sena (UBT) challenger Dinkar Mane by a margin of 35,000 votes. In Nilanga, BJP’s former minister and candidate Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar triumphed over Congress’s Abhay Salunke by 13,740 votes. In Ahmedpur-Chakur, NCP MLA Babasaheb Patil won by 30,000 votes. In the reserved constituency of Udgir, state minister Sanjay Bansode clinched victory with a significant 92,000 margin over his NCP (SP) rival Sudhakar Bhalerao.Civilians trial in military courts: FO says verdicts made under law enacted by Parliament of Pakistan

Lumi Global Acquires Assembly Voting to Strengthen Product Leadership and Accelerate International ExpansionThailand-South Korea relations are paradoxical. The countries share a dynamic that boasts both heroic achievements and glaring challenges. While their cultural and economic ties have progressed over the decades, they are black-eyed by labour and immigration issues. Solving these irritating issues can elevate friendship and unleash the potential of bilateral cooperation. On the one hand, Thailand has one of the world's most famous faces, Lisa Manoban, the superstar from the K-pop group Blackpink, whose Isan (northeastern region) heritage is celebrated widely in South Korea and beyond. On the other hand, there is the darker reality of over 120,000 undocumented Thai workers also from the Isan region living in South Korea. They often make constant news headlines. These visa overstayers, often young and in their prime, contribute to South Korea's labour force but face legal and social challenges. Tragically, of late, well over 600 Thai nationals are incarcerated in South Korean prisons for drug-related offences. The outlook is not good. This dichotomy of fame and infamy exemplifies the dual narratives in Thai-South Korean relations -- one of cultural admiration and the other of unresolved labour and immigration issues. At a recent meeting in Seoul between Thai Ambassador Tanee Sangrat and Parinya Wongcherdkwan, Deputy Chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, they discussed approaches for managing labour migration and reducing the number of Thai workers who overstay their visas. Indeed, this year, Thai lawmakers from these workers' constituencies have been visiting South Korea for fact-finding trips. By all means, Thailand is still enjoying a visa waiver despite the immigration issue. In the past several months, Thai netizens have been unhappy with South Korea's immigration measures, particularly the high rejection rates for Thai travellers at airports, despite their compliance with the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) system. Anti-Korea websites and hashtags have inundated social media to show their frustration. Even though the 2023-2024 period has been designated as the Thailand-South Korea Mutual Visit Year, the number of Thai tourists to South Korea, once one of the most popular destinationห, has dropped dramatically. This year, around 200,000 Thais visited the country, down nearly 21% from the previous year. When it comes to South Korea and the efforts to mitigate these outstanding tasks, Thailand must be clear-headed and adopt proactive measures. Rhetoric on soft power -- such as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's promotion of Thai culture and cuisine -- must be backed by substantive policies that address underlying problems. True soft power, as political scientist Joseph Nye says, is about building a nation's attractiveness through sustainable frameworks, not just leveraging existing cultural assets. In short, soft power is more than labelling existing popular Thai products or food as such. Truth be told, for too long, the two countries have used the Korean War as the symbol of their relationship. The Thai troops took part in the UN-backed international forces during the Korean War. It is a memory that dates back over 70 years, and Seoul has never forgotten the heroic Thai actions and has continued to offer friendship and assistance to families of Thai veterans. But it is a time for both countries to move into the future together in a creative way. Indeed, Thailand can take inspiration from South Korea's deepened ties with Vietnam over the past three decades, which serve as a model of successful bilateral cooperation. A fresh approach to Thailand-South Korea relations could unlock untapped potential in areas like labour, investment, and education. One of the most pressing issues is the overall plight of Thai workers in South Korea. To improve their conditions and reduce the number of overstayers, Thailand must take decisive action in several areas. First of all, language proficiency is critical for Thai workers to thrive in South Korea. However, language requirements are often ignored by Thai authorities, who prioritise physical labour over communication skills. The Thai Labour Department must enforce mandatory language tests in English or Korean to enhance the workers' employability and integration. Thailand's Ministry of Education should revamp vocational school curricula to align with the demands of the modern labour market. Vocational education in Thailand suffers from a poor reputation and is often associated with school violence and juvenile delinquency. Addressing these issues would make vocational training a more attractive and effective pathway for Thai workers. Japan has been quite successful in technological training for Thai students through its so-called "kosen" schools. Secondly, the government must also crack down on local illegal recruiters who exploit workers, particularly in rural areas. Most brokers have strong ties with local officials or are local influential figures themselves. Thai authorities must implement stricter measures to combat these networks as it would reduce the number of undocumented workers in South Korea. Transparent but stringent background checks on the Thai side can effectively deter any possible dodgers. Furthermore, the Thai authorities' voluntary return programme should be extended, allowing overstayers to return home without penalties. Seoul has responded positively and extended the current deadline, which ended last month, by two more months until January. These programmes would reduce the number of overstayers and pave the way for more legal migration pathways. To increase the quota of Thai workers, Thailand should negotiate with South Korea's Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Employment and Labour for both skilled and unskilled workers. South Korea still needs foreign workers to help with the local economy, especially in the shipping industry. For the Thai workers whose visas will expire, they need help to keep their jobs and stay on with better language and upskilling training. Beyond labour issues, Thailand and South Korea have much to gain from closer economic and strategic cooperation. South Korea's investments in Thailand remain disappointingly low. Sad but true, only around 400 Korean companies invested in Thailand in comparison to 9,000 companies in Vietnam. Expanding Seoul's investments in high-tech industries and renewable energy would significantly promote Thai economic growth and align with the current sustainable economic pathway. Lest we forget, the two countries are members of the US-led alliance in the Indo-Pacific region. South Korea has been participating in the annual Cobra Gold annual exercise since its inception. Enhanced collaboration in areas such as technology, defence and trade would reinforce their strategic importance in the region. Thailand is interested in furbishing hundreds of its armoured personnel carriers. In addition, South Korea's advanced technology sector and the growing local digital economy could form joint ventures and innovation partnerships. Bangkok and Seoul must move beyond the impasse of unresolved labour issues and nostalgia to bolster ties. Both sides must be constructive in their approach to lay a stronger groundwork for deeper economic cooperation integration. As such, Thailand should learn from Vietnam on specific strategies that have won major corporations' investment. For Thailand, this means taking responsibility for its workforce by equipping workers with the skills and support they need to succeed in South Korea. For South Korea, it involves treating Thai workers with dignity and fairness and recognising their economic contributions. By tackling these issues head-on and urgently, they can transform their stoic bilateral ties into a model of cooperation that balances cultural ties with pragmatic policies and shared economic interests. It should be the immediate pathway. Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.

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REIFFTON — When asked what the turning point of the season was for Harrisburg, Kymir Williams paused for a moment and gave it some real thought. After much consideration, the senior receiver and defensive back spoke with absolute certainty. “I would have to say Cumberland Valley. We needed that second loss to remain focused,” Williams said. “When you’re winning a lot of games back-to-back, you tend to lose focus.” Harrisburg, your 2024 District 3 6A champion. pic.twitter.com/kMZd8a0OPt Q3, 6:42 — Every running back in the Cougars’ stable has eaten today. Four-star Syracuse commit D'Antae Sheffey runs in from 10 yards out. Harrisburg 35, Wilson 6 pic.twitter.com/enSevQBTrP More High School Sports Harrisburg tames Wilson’s rushing attack, wins fourth straight District 3 6A football title Bo Sheptock’s 3 TD’s help lift Danville to PIAA 3A quarterfinal victory over Bermudian Springs Central Pa. contingent helps lead Northwestern, St. Joe’s field hockey into Sunday’s NCAA title game Watch: Highlights of Bishop McDevitt’s District 3 5A title win over Exeter

Nano Nuclear Energy (NASDAQ:NNE) Shares Gap Up – Should You Buy?Stock market today: Wall Street holds near breakeven ahead of ChristmasMILLWALL'S clash with Sunderland was stopped twice due to medical emergencies in the crowd. The Championship game was halted at The Den in the 41st minute as players called on the medics to attend to a supporter. The referee then led the players off the field in stoppage time after they had been waiting by the technical area. Millwall 's medical staff were stood down by paramedics as home fans gave the supporter a round of applause when they were lifted onto a stretcher. Millwall tweeted: "The players have left the pitch following a medical emergency in the crowd. "We send our best wishes to those receiving attention." As the players waited for a resolution, there was then a second medical emergency which further delayed the match. The game was 1-0 to Sunderland at the time of the first incident - with Aaron Connolly having put the visitors ahead in the 10th minute. Reacting to the news, one social media user said: "Fingers crossed for the fan involved." While another added: "Hope all ends up well 🙏🏼 Never want to see this." Most read in Sport And a third replied: "Hope the people are well and sending best wishes 💙⚽️💙😀🙋‍♀️." Sunderland came into the game knowing a win or draw would take them back to the top of the Championship table. Earlier in the day, Sheffield United were held to a 2-2 draw against Coventry . Meanwhile, Millwall came into the game two points adrift of the play-off places.

Poland committed to fostering economic ties with Pakistan: envoy Islamabad:Poland’s Ambassador Maciej Pisarski on Thursday underscored his country's commitment to fostering economic and commercial relations with Pakistan and said the 62 years of friendly and collaborative relations between the two countries were built on mutual respect for sovereignty and adherence to international norms. During a media briefing at the embassy here, the envoy said Poland-Pakistan trade had seen a significant rise, reaching €861 million in 2023 from €456.74 million in 2018. He highlighted initiatives like the GreenEvo mission that brought Polish green technology to Pakistan, and emphasised the contributions of Poland’s oil and gas company POGC/Orlen Group. Mr Pisarski said operating in Pakistan since 1997, POGC had invested over $450 million, pioneering the exploration of unconventional gas deposits in the Kirthar concession. He said the company’s plans to double its investments signalled growing economic collaboration. The ambassador called for a stable and transparent economic environment to attract more foreign investments. He also congratulated Pakistan on its election to the UN Security Council for 2025-2026 and expressed confidence in its role in promoting global peace and security. Mr Pisarski lauded Pakistan’s longstanding participation in UN peacekeeping missions and recalled moments of mutual support during crises, such as the evacuation of Pakistani students from Ukraine and the events in Kabul in 2021. He also detailed Poland’s economic transformation since 1989, marking a GDP growth of over 826 per cent and said his country had emerged as Europe’s most successful economy and the fastest-growing among upper-middle and high-income countries globally. The ambassador reaffirmed Poland’s support for Ukraine amidst Russian aggression and condemned the involvement of North Korean troops and labeled the conflict as a “colonial war.” He highlighted Poland’s extensive military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, allocating over 4.91 per cent of its GDP to the effort. Mr Pisarski also decried Russia’s "disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising Poland, Ukraine, and the EU," and emphasised the importance of countering hybrid warfare. Addressing the migration crisis on the Polish-Belarussian border, he described it as a manifestation of hybrid warfare by Belarus. The ambassador stressed the need for coordinated efforts with EU partners to maintain border security amidst rising attempts of illegal crossings. He also said Poland’s commitment to global peace was evident in its contributions to Palestinian humanitarian efforts. Mr Pisarski said in 2024 alone, Poland provided $5 million in aid, continuing to support vulnerable populations despite the strain of the Ukraine conflict.