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U.S. Lime Market is Booming Worldwide | Gaining Revolution In Eyes of Global ExposureIsraeli forces have detained more than 240 Palestinians including dozens of medical staff and the director of a north Gaza hospital they raided on Friday, according to the Health Ministry in the enclave and Israel's military. or signup to continue reading The Health Ministry said it was concerned about the wellbeing of Hussam Abu Safiya, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, as some staff freed by the Israeli military late on Friday said he was beaten up by soldiers. The Israeli military said the hospital was being used as a command centre for Hamas military operations and those arrested were suspected militants. It said Abu Safiya was taken for questioning as he was suspected of being a Hamas operative. On Friday, Hamas dismissed as lies Israel's assertion that its fighters had operated from the hospital throughout the 15-month-old Gaza war, saying no fighters were in the hospital. The group had not yet commented on the 240 arrests. In its statement on Saturday, Hamas urged the UN and relevant international agencies to intervene urgently to protect the remaining hospitals and medical facilities in northern Gaza and supply them. The group also called for UN observers to be sent to medical facilities in Gaza to refute the Israeli allegations that they were being used for military purposes. The raid on the hospital, one of three medical facilities on the northern edge of Gaza, put the last major health facility in north Gaza out of service, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a post on X. Some patients were evacuated from Kamal Adwan to the Indonesian Hospital, which is not in service, and medics were prevented from joining them there, the Health Ministry said. Other patients and staff were taken to other medical facilities. The Israeli military said 350 patients and medical personnel had been evacuated prior to the Kamal Adwan operation, while another 95 had been evacuated to the Indonesian Hospital during the operation, in coordination with local health authorities. Separately, the Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli strikes across the enclave had killed 18 Palestinians on Saturday, at least nine of them in a house in Maghazi camp in central Gaza. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes and fatalities. In the past few months, Israeli forces have pushed people out and razed much of the area around the northern Gaza towns of Jabalia, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. Palestinians have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing by depopulating those areas to create a buffer zone. Israel denies it is doing this, saying it aims to prevent Hamas fighters from regrouping in the areas. The Israeli military said on Saturday it had begun operating overnight against targets in the Beit Hanoun area, adding that "troops are enabling civilians still in the area to move away for their own safety". It then ordered residents to leave and head towards southern parts of the Strip, saying rockets had been fired from the area. It said two rockets fired from north Gaza, including one towards Jerusalem, had been intercepted. Israel's campaign against Hamas, which previously controlled Gaza, has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, according to health officials in the enclave. Most of the population of 2.3 million has been displaced and much of Gaza is in ruins. The war was triggered by Hamas' attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which 1200 people were killed and 251 taken to Gaza. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement

Percentages: FG .394, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 7-24, .292 (Steffe 2-5, Hensley 2-6, Davis 2-7, Sykes 1-1, Mayo 0-2, Dibba 0-3). Team Rebounds: 1. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 2 (Aligbe, Massey). Turnovers: 17 (Davis 4, Hensley 3, Aligbe 2, Dibba 2, Mayo 2, Sharp 2, Steffe, Sykes). Steals: 10 (Davis 3, Dibba 2, Aligbe, Massey, Sharp, Steffe, Sykes). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .435, FT .867. 3-Point Goals: 5-20, .250 (Cooper 2-5, Green 2-6, Ree 1-2, Abram 0-2, Newman 0-5). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 6 (Batcho 4, Cooper 2). Turnovers: 16 (Abram 6, Batcho 4, Newman 3, Cooper 2, Crawford). Steals: 14 (Abram 6, Cooper 4, Green 3, Newman). Technical Fouls: None. A_542 (7,186).FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Ahmad Robinson scored 25 points as Mercer beat Jacksonville 90-89 in overtime on Monday. Robinson had three steals for the Bears (3-3). Tyler Johnson scored 18 points while shooting 7 for 13 (0 for 4 from 3-point range) and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line and added five rebounds. Alex Holt had 14 points and finished 7 of 10 from the floor. The Dolphins (3-3) were led by Robert McCray, who recorded 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Kendall Munson added 14 points, six rebounds and two steals for Jacksonville. Zach Bell also had 13 points and two steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Commentary: Are we becoming a post-literate society?Emmerdale delivered a jaw-dropping Kim Tate (played by Claire King) twist on Monday (November 25), as it was shockingly revealed that Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) was still alive. Previously, an embittered Kim had attempted to bribe Will with £100k to vanish after their acrimonious breakup. However, Will's refusal to depart from Home Farm led Kim to desperate lengths as she coerced Ross Barton (Michael Parr) into a scheme to oust him, but the plan disastrously backfired. A violent skirmish with Ross concluded with Will hitting his head on a rock, leaving everyone to believe he was dead. Yet, in the most recent visit to Emmerdale, a guilt-stricken Ross admitted to a flabbergasted Kim that he thought he had accidentally killed Will, riddling her with regret. To everyone's astonishment, Will strode into Home Farm, stunning Kim with his presence. His words, "Surprised to see me, sweetheart?" left Kim stunned. Post-recovery from his assault, Will was resolute in his determination to bring Kim down. Both shocked and elated at Will being alive, Kim declared her love for him and the duo made their way to the bedroom, evidently reigniting their romance following the life-threatening incident, reports Leeds Live . However, viewers were thrown for another loop when Will subsequently rendezvoused with her financial adviser and lover Peter. It was then unveiled that they were actually plotting together all along. Will now seemed intent on discontinuing his grand plan against Kim. Peter then issued a warning to Will, saying: "I told you I was working to bring Kim down. You swore that's what you wanted too. Have you any idea how much time, money and effort it took to pull together that dossier on Kim?" He then firmly promised to reveal Will's treachery to Kim unless he stuck with their planned vendetta. Emmerdale fans are now expressing their worries over Kim's wellbeing as the grand scheme devised by Will and Peter finally comes to light. Taking to a social platform, one fan penned: "Didn't actually see this coming. Here was me thinking Kim should be with her solicitor, but he's been working to take Kim down all along #Emmerdale." Another fan voiced in shock: "OMG! ! ! Kim's lawyer was hustling her all this time.. WTF is going on #emmerdale." Someone else made a pledge, saying: "There is no way Kim phoned to stop the divorce it's part of her games. I hope will doesn't phone to cancel it. It's about time someone takes Kim on and plays her at her own games. #Emmerdale." One viewer praised the storyline twist: "So Kim's lawyer was hustling her all this time.. great twist #emmerdale", while another commented: "He doesn't believe you Will. #Emmerdale." Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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Kentucky will aim to improve upon its best start in seven seasons when it hosts Western Kentucky on Tuesday night in Lexington, Ky., in the final game of the BBN Invitational. The Wildcats (5-0) are ranked No. 8 in the latest Associated Press poll and are setting impressive offensive milestones even for a program as tradition-rich as Kentucky, which includes eight national championships. The Wildcats have scored 97 or more points in their first four home games for the first time in program history and eclipsed the 100-point mark in three of those games. Their lone trip out of state was a solid 77-72 victory over Duke in a matchup of top-10 teams in Atlanta. Kentucky has also made at least 10 three-pointers in each of its first five games of a season for the first time ever. "I think Kentucky attracts good people," Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after the Wildcats' 108-59 win over Jackson State on Friday. "It's the one place in all college basketball where you represent just a fanbase in a different, unique way." Otega Oweh and Koby Brea have led the Wildcats' early scoring outburst. Oweh, who is averaging 16.2 points per game, had 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting against Jackson State. "He gets us off to unbelievable starts every night," Pope told reporters after that game. "He's probably been our most consistent guy in games." Brea, who scored 22 points against Jackson State and is averaging 16.0 points per game, is leading the nation in 3-point accuracy at 74.1 percent. As a team, the Wildcats are shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. And the few times they miss, Amari Williams has been doing the dirty work on the glass, averaging 10.8 boards in addition to 9.6 points per game. Kentucky faces a different challenge than it's had to contend with so far in the Hilltoppers (3-2), who have won three in a row after losing their first two games to Wichita State and Grand Canyon. Their up-tempo play hasn't exactly resulted in great offensive output, but in the Hilltoppers' 79-62 win over Jackson State on Wednesday, they shot 45.2 percent from 3-point range (14 for 31). "I was happy to see a lot of different guys contribute tonight and, hopefully, get their feet under them a little bit and get some confidence," said Western Kentucky coach Hank Plona, who is in his first season as head coach. "Obviously, Tuesday will be quite a test and challenge for us and we'll need them to be at their absolute best." Western Kentucky has an experienced group, which returned mostly intact from last season. The team is led by Conference USA first-team selection Don McHenry, who is leading the team with 17.2 points and 2.2 steals per game. McHenry is one of four Hilltoppers with scoring averages in double figures. Julius Thedford (11.4 points per game) and Babacar Faye (15.0) are each shooting 40 percent or better from 3-point range. Western Kentucky also figures to challenge the Wildcats on the boards as it enters the game ranked in the top 25 in defensive rebounding (30.4 per game). Faye leads the Hilltoppers in that department, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and figures to battle Williams inside. "We're not the biggest team in the world, but our depth and our quickness are our strengths," Plona said. --Field Level Media“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. Related Articles “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.After starting 2-0 in its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, SMU looks to make the month even more special on Sunday, hosting Longwood in Dallas, Texas. The Mustangs seek a seven-game win streak in their final nonconference test before welcoming No. 4 Duke to Dallas on Jan. 4. In recent victories over Alabama State, Virginia, LSU, and Boston College, SMU (10-2) averaged 85.3 points per game, allowed just 66.0 ppg, and climbed to No. 30 in the NET rankings. "We're a different team right now than we were earlier in the season," SMU head coach Andy Enfield said at the beginning of December, his words ringing even truer as the season progresses. "They'd never been under pressure together until recently, so they're starting to learn and figure things out." Longwood (11-3) enters its third consecutive road game, having won five of its last six overall. That includes a major 82-67 win at North Carolina Central on Dec. 20. It was only the sixth nonconference home loss for NCC since 2016, and Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich saw it as a result of his team's growing cohesiveness. "We got great contributions from so many players," Aldrich said. "We have been working to play more and more connected, and this team has really taken positive steps this week." The Mustangs' Matt Cross is among the biggest threats to Longwood's defense, which allows just 66.6 points per game. A 6-foot-7 forward, Cross had 36 points over SMU's last two wins, including a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double against LSU. What Cross does with the ball in his hands is impressive -- he is averaging 13.5 ppg in December -- but it is also what he does off the ball that increases his value. "He's extremely tough," Enfield said after Cross' performance against LSU. "His wall up in transition, where (Corey) Chest came down, was going to dunk the ball, and he stood there and took the contact. ...That's a big-time basketball play." Longwood is paced by Michael Christmas, a veteran forward in his fourth year in the program. A hard-nosed wing who can score at all three levels, Christmas is Longwood's only returner who started at least 30 games on last year's NCAA Tournament team. He is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. "(He) loves this university, loves this town and community," Aldrich said of Christmas. "He opted to come back here to really invest in the program." --Field Level Media

ITV Emmerdale fans 'work out' Kim Tate 'exit' as Will Taylor bombshell is exposed

Igor Severino is back. You may not remember his name per se, but one line will definitely refresh your memory: yes, he’s the guy suspended for biting his opponent Andre Lima during a UFC fight in March. Severino returns to the cage Sunday to faces Jonas Magard at Oktagon 65 in Prague, Czech Republic. Magard is a former bantamweight champion in the organization and that could end up being a No. 1 contender bout, but Severino has more on the line than just victories and title shots. Severino was “heartbroken” after a silly mistake that cost him a deal with the UFC and nine months away from action. Some wanted him to be banned altogether, and his social media was “flooded with hateful comments” and death threats. This fight represents a chance to move on from that, but not entirely. The 21-year-old talent, whose DQ loss was his first defeat as a professional MMA fighter, believes that all publicity is good publicity. Oktagon also embraced that, referred to him as a “disgraced UFC star” when announcing the fight. This weekend, Severino will walk to the cage wearing a Hannibal Lecter mask. “[The bite] became viral worldwide,” Severino told MMA Fighting. “News channels that had nothing to do with MMA were talking about it, so now I’m using that to my advantage. I have the mask, I’m having some fun — but it’s just a joke, that won’t happen again [laughs].” The world of MMA has seen plenty of “Hannibals” already, including UFC welterweight veteran Claudio Silva . And “Cannibals”, too, like UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja . Severino wants a unique nickname related to the bite, so the Hannibal Lecter gimmick is just temporary. His opponent Magard is known as “Shark”, another obvious pun for this fight. “We also have a ‘shark’ here,” said Severino, referring to UFC fighter and teammate Joanderson Brito , known as “ Tubarão ” ( shark ) in Brazil. “I’m used to training with sharks, so it’s all good. I’m at home. The real shark is here [laughs].” Severino was handed a nine-month suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission, but that wouldn’t stop him from fighting sooner in Europe if he chose to. However, since he plans on maybe returning to the North American circuit in the future — possibly rejoining the UFC one day —, it made sense to sit and wait. The Chute Boxe Joao Emilio bantamweight knocked out Jhonata Silva at Dana White ’s Contender Series before his unforgettable UFC appearance, and said he never stopped training during the suspension nor contemplated retirement despite the online attacks. “I wasn’t that affected by any of that, really,” Severino said. “People worried that I would want to stop [fighting] or something like that after being cut by the UFC, but I never considered it. I’ve learned a lot from all that. It helped me see who were by my side, and who was not.” Severino said he’s “very confident” that a win Sunday earns him a shot at the belt which was left vacant after Felipe Lima left Oktagon to join the UFC. Magard, who lost the throne to Lima in July of 2023, went the distance in nine of his 23 MMA bouts and was finished in five of six defeats. “He doesn’t go in there to put on a show or any of that,” Severino said of his opponent. “He talks a lot, he likes to promote his fights. I don’t like bring friendly with my opponents so I’ll be very comfortable with all that. And I’m not impressed by his game either. I won’t underestimate him, of course, but I believe I have more weapons than him. He’s very predictable.”

Daniel Cormier pitches a fresh challenge for Sean O’Malley’s UFC comeback fight after losing the bantamweight titleAfter starting 2-0 in its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, SMU looks to make the month even more special on Sunday, hosting Longwood in Dallas, Texas. The Mustangs seek a seven-game win streak in their final nonconference test before welcoming No. 4 Duke to Dallas on Jan. 4. In recent victories over Alabama State, Virginia, LSU, and Boston College, SMU (10-2) averaged 85.3 points per game, allowed just 66.0 ppg, and climbed to No. 30 in the NET rankings. "We're a different team right now than we were earlier in the season," SMU head coach Andy Enfield said at the beginning of December, his words ringing even truer as the season progresses. "They'd never been under pressure together until recently, so they're starting to learn and figure things out." Longwood (11-3) enters its third consecutive road game, having won five of its last six overall. That includes a major 82-67 win at North Carolina Central on Dec. 20. It was only the sixth nonconference home loss for NCC since 2016, and Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich saw it as a result of his team's growing cohesiveness. "We got great contributions from so many players," Aldrich said. "We have been working to play more and more connected, and this team has really taken positive steps this week." The Mustangs' Matt Cross is among the biggest threats to Longwood's defense, which allows just 66.6 points per game. A 6-foot-7 forward, Cross had 36 points over SMU's last two wins, including a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double against LSU. What Cross does with the ball in his hands is impressive -- he is averaging 13.5 ppg in December -- but it is also what he does off the ball that increases his value. "He's extremely tough," Enfield said after Cross' performance against LSU. "His wall up in transition, where (Corey) Chest came down, was going to dunk the ball, and he stood there and took the contact. ...That's a big-time basketball play." Longwood is paced by Michael Christmas, a veteran forward in his fourth year in the program. A hard-nosed wing who can score at all three levels, Christmas is Longwood's only returner who started at least 30 games on last year's NCAA Tournament team. He is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. "(He) loves this university, loves this town and community," Aldrich said of Christmas. "He opted to come back here to really invest in the program." --Field Level MediaYPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — On a damp Wednesday night with temperatures dipping into the 30s, fans in sparsely filled stands bundled up to watch Buffalo beat Eastern Michigan 37-30 on gray turf. The lopsided game was not particularly notable, but it was played on one of the nights the Mid-American Conference has made its own: A weeknight. “A lot of the general public thinks we play all of our games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, not just some of them in November,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a telephone interview this week. “What it has done is help take what was a pretty darned good regional conference and has given it a national brand and made it a national conference.” When the conference has played football games on ESPN or ESPN2 over the last two seasons, the linear television audience has been 10 times larger than when conference schools meet on Saturdays and get lost in the shuffle when viewers have many more choices. The most-watched MAC game over the last two years was earlier this month on a Wednesday night when Northern Illinois won at Western Michigan and there were 441,600 viewers, a total that doesn’t include streaming that isn’t captured by Nielsen company. During the same span, the linear TV audience has been no larger than 46,100 to watch two MAC teams play on Saturdays. “Having the whole nation watching on Tuesday and Wednesday night is a huge deal for the MAC,” Eastern Michigan tight end Jere Getzinger said. “Everybody wants to watch football so if you put it on TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday, people are going to watch.” ESPN has carried midweek MAC football games since the start of the century. ESPN and the conference signed a 13-year extension a decade ago that extends their relationship through at least the 2026-27 season. The conference has made the most of the opportunities, using MACtion as a tag on social media for more than a decade and it has become a catchy marketing term for the Group of Five football programs that usually operate under the radar in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and New York. Attendance does tend to go down with weeknight games, keeping some students out of stadiums because they have class or homework and leading to adults staying away home because they have to work the next morning. “The tradeoff is the national exposure,” Buffalo coach Pete Lembo said. “You know November nights midweek the average fan is going to park on the couch, have a bowl of chips and salsa out in front, and watch the game from there." When the Bulls beat Ball State 51-48 in an overtime thriller on a Tuesday night earlier this month, the announced attendance was 12,708 and that appeared to be generous. There were many empty seats after halftime. “You watch the games on TV, the stadiums all look like this,” Buffalo fan Jeff Wojcicki said. “They are not packed, but it’s the only game on, and you know where to find it.” Sleep and practice schedules take a hit as well, creating another wave of challenges for students to attend class and coaches to prepare without the usual rhythm of preparing all week to play on Saturday. “Last week when we played at Ohio in Athens, we had a 4-four bus ride home and got home at about 3:30 a.m.,” Eastern Michigan center Broderick Roman said. “We still had to go to class and that was tough, but it's part of what you commit to as an athlete.” That happens a lot in November when the MAC shifts its unique schedule. During the first two weeks of the month, the conference had 10 games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays exclusively. This week, there were five games on Tuesday and Wednesday while only one was left in the traditional Saturday slot with Ball State hosting Bowling Green. Next week, Toledo plays at Akron and Kent State visits Buffalo on Tuesday night before the MAC schedule wraps up with games next Friday and Saturday to determine which teams will meet in the conference title game on Dec. 7 in Detroit. In all, MAC teams will end up playing about 75% of their games on a Saturday and the rest on November weeknights. When the Eagles wrapped up practice earlier this week, two days before they played the Bulls, tight end Jere Getzinger provided some insight into the effects of the scheduling quirk. “It's Monday, but for us it's like a Thursday,” he said. Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler said he frankly has a hard time remembering what day it is when the schedule shift hits in November. “The entire week gets turned upside down,” Loeffler said. “It’s wild, but it’s great for the league because there’s two days a week this time of year that people around the country will watch MAC games.” AP freelance writer Jonah Bronstein contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballNone

Von Vascular Presents Data on ALGO Smart Pump at BRAIN Conference in LondonJudge officially dismisses election interference case against Trump

WASHINGTON — When Elon Musk first suggested a new effort to cut the size of government, Donald Trump didn’t seem to take it seriously. His eventual name for the idea sounded like a joke, too. It would be called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a reference to an online meme featuring a surprised-looking dog from Japan. But now that Trump has won the election, Musk’s fantasy is becoming reality, with the potential to spark a constitutional clash over the balance of power in Washington. Trump put Musk, the world’s richest man, and Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, in charge of the new department, which is really an outside advisory committee that will work with people inside the government to reduce spending and regulations. Last week, Musk and Ramaswamy said they would encourage Trump to make cuts by refusing to spend money allocated by Congress, a process known as impounding. The proposal goes against a 1974 law intended to prevent future presidents from following in the footsteps of Richard Nixon, who held back funding that he didn’t like. “We are prepared for the onslaught from entrenched interests in Washington,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal. “We expect to prevail. Now is the moment for decisive action.” Trump has already suggested taking such a big step, saying last year that he would “use the president’s long-recognized impoundment power to squeeze the bloated federal bureaucracy for massive savings.” It would be a dramatic attempt to expand his powers, when he already will have the benefit of a sympathetic Republican-controlled Congress and a conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court, and it could swiftly become one of the most closely watched legal fights of his second administration. “He might get away with it,” said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. “Congress’ power of the purse will turn into an advisory opinion.” Right now, plans for the Department of Government Efficiency are still coming into focus. The nascent organization has put out a call for “super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.” Applicants are encouraged to submit their resumes through X, the social media company that Musk owns. In the Wall Street Journal, Musk and Ramaswamy provided the most detailed look yet at how they would operate and where they could cut. Some are longtime Republican targets, such as $535 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Other plans are more ambitious and could reshape the federal government. The two wrote that they would “identify the minimum number of employees required at an agency for it to perform its constitutionally permissible and statutorily mandated functions,” leading to “mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy.” Civil service protections wouldn’t apply, they argue, because they wouldn’t be targeting specific people for political purposes. Some employees could choose “voluntary severance payments to facilitate a graceful exit.” But others would be encouraged to quit by mandating that they show up at the office five days a week, ending pandemic-era flexibility about remote work. The requirement “would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.” Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said such cutbacks would harm services for Americans who rely on the federal government, and he suggested that Musk and Ramaswamy were in over their heads. “I don’t think they’re even remotely qualified to perform those duties,” he said. “That’s my main concern.” Kelley said his union, which represents 750,000 employees for the federal government and the city of Washington, D.C., was ready to fight attempts to slash the workforce. “We’ve been here, we’ve heard this kind of rhetoric before,” he said. “And we are prepared.” There was no mention in the Wall Street Journal of Musk’s previously stated goal of cutting $2 trillion from the budget, which is nearly a third of total annual spending. Nor did they write about “Schedule F,” a potential plan to reclassify federal employees to make them easier to fire. Ramaswamy once described the idea as the “mass deportation of federal bureaucrats out of Washington, D.C.” However, Musk and Ramaswamy said they would reduce regulations that they describe as excessive. They wrote that their department “will work with legal experts embedded in government agencies, aided by advanced technology,” to review regulations that run counter to two recent Supreme Court decisions that were intended to limit federal rulemaking authority. Musk and Ramaswamy said Trump could “immediately pause the enforcement of those regulations and initiate the process for review and rescission.” Chris Edwards, an expert on budget issues at the Cato Institute, said many Republicans have promised to reduce the size and role of government over the years, often to little effect. Sometimes it feels like every budget item and tax provision, no matter how obscure, has people dedicated to its preservation, turning attempts at cuts into political battles of attrition. “Presidents always seem to have higher priorities,” he said. “A lot of it falls to the wayside.” Although DOGE is scheduled to finish its work by July 4, 2026, Edwards said Musk and Ramaswamy should move faster to capitalize on momentum from Trump’s election victory. “Will it just collect dust on a shelf, or will it be put into effect?” Edwards said. “That all depends on Trump and where he is at that point in time.” Ramaswamy said in an online video that they’re planning regular “Dogecasts” to keep the public updated on their work, which he described as “a once-in-a-generation project” to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.” “However bad you think it is, it’s probably worse,” he said. House Republicans are expected to put Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump ally from Georgia, in charge of a subcommittee to work with DOGE, according to two people with knowledge of the plans who were not authorized to discuss them publicly. Greene and Rep. James Comer, the Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Oversight Committee, have already met with Ramaswamy, the two people said. Musk brought up the idea for DOGE while broadcasting a conversation with Trump on X during the campaign. “I think we need a government efficiency commission to say like, ‘Hey, where are we spending money that’s sensible. Where is it not sensible?’” Musk said. Musk returned to the topic twice, volunteering his services by saying “I’d be happy to help out on such a commission.” “I’d love it,” Trump replied, describing Musk as “the greatest cutter.” Musk has his own incentives to push this initiative forward. His companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, have billions of dollars in government contracts and face oversight from government regulators. After spending an estimated $200 million to support Trump’s candidacy, he’s poised to have expansive influence over the next administration. Trump even went to Texas last week to watch SpaceX test its largest rocket. DOGE will have an ally in Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican who has railed against federal spending for years. He recently told Fox News that he sent “2,000 pages of waste that can be cut” to Musk and Ramaswamy. “I’m all in and will do anything I can to help them,” Paul said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Photo shows the book ‘Iban Bejalai’, written by Dr Peter M. Kedit. THIS week, I have taken the liberty to depart from the nearly formulaic manner in which I have previously critiqued contemporary issues, social and economic, and chosen instead to analyse some of the key ideas and topics of interest that have surfaced from a book entitled ‘Iban Bejalai’ that was recently published by Unimas and written by Dr Peter M. Kedit. The concept of Iban ‘bejalai’, traditionally associated with the Iban people’s migratory lifestyle and their connection to nature, has evolved significantly as the community adapts to the complexities of contemporary life, according to Kedit. Indeed, as he rightly describes at the outset, the notion of ‘bejalai’ goes back to the early longhouse days when it represented a rite of passage for young Ibans, involving travels that strengthened cultural identity while simultaneously promoting commercial and social ties. As a student of social anthropology, I should be pardoned for applying a sociological viewpoint to assess the vast corpus of anthropological work in the book by renowned anthropologist Kedit, choosing just that which I feel is suitable and relevant to Putman’s sociological framework vis-à-vis the Iban contemporary society. Essential elements The essential elements of ‘bejalai’, culture, tradition, and commercial endeavours are worth mentioning because they continue to define the adventure story, driven by monetary gain and identity advancement, though not without being influenced by changes and outside forces over time. However, ‘bejalai’ is neither a ritual nor a process that is absolute in its entirety. Times have changed, so have the character and contextual relevance of ‘bejalai’. The core of ‘bejalai’ has changed as a result of the socio-economic context being reshaped by globalisation and urbanisation, as Kedit admits. Under the changing circumstances, the Ibans have to cope with the need to navigate their identity in a world that is becoming more interconnected because it represents a dual cultural space where traditional customs and contemporary influences converge. The challenges of balancing two distinct cultural environments are aptly reflected in the Iban ‘bejalai’ long-distance migration habit. They have a history of seasonal migration, moving to neighbouring cities or countries in search of work opportunities from their rural settlements. In addition to indicating a need for financial stability, this pattern demonstrates the profound cultural interaction that occurs when people are torn between two different cultures. It might be challenging for individuals to maintain their cultural identity, while acclimating to their new surroundings since they frequently encounter contradictory societal norms, attitudes, and expectations in metropolitan environments. Dual cultural domain The passage that has been bequeathed by the ‘bejalai’ tradition is not without its undulating and sometimes repressive features. I share the view of Kedit that the dual cultural domain presents opportunities as well as difficulties for the Iban ‘bejalai’ in that on the one hand, migrants might encounter diverse lifestyles and perspectives, which can foster social mobility and improve their own cultural understanding. On the other, assimilation pressure may also weaken community ties and cultural practices, which can lead to an identity crisis for younger generations. Finding a balance between preserving their cultural heritage and assimilating into a rapidly changing socioeconomic environment is challenging. Given the shifting dynamics within the Iban social and cultural milieu, however, Kedit’s proposal to settle this dispute and eventually recreate themselves in a world that is becoming more networked seemed audacious and urban. For the Ibans, who must respect and uphold their tradition while accepting modernity, the study by Kedit indicates an open and unmapped social path. Kedit uses both qualitative and quantitative data from a mixed research style to support his claims and conclusions. When traversing numerous cultural contexts, people must carefully balance honouring their ancestors’ customs with adapting to the shifting social dynamics of modern life. This is one of the troubling concerns that have emerged from Kedit’s book. As they try to maintain the rich traditions of their culture while also adapting to the expectations of a modern society that values independence and material prosperity, the Ibans find themselves walking a tightrope. Ancestral customs’ expectations – such as social bonds, shared duties, and respect for the natural world – can occasionally conflict with the reality of urban life, where individual success and self-improvement are frequently praised. Navigating two cultures is made more difficult by preconceptions and external opinions that may marginalise local practices. For the Ibans, spreading knowledge and appreciation requires teaching people about the significance of bejalai, whether via storytelling, traditional celebrations, or educational initiatives. Transcendental journey By sharing the meanings embedded in their traditions and their experiences, they may take back control of their narratives and contribute to a broader discussion on cultural diversity and resilience. Bejalai’s journey ultimately transcends national boundaries and symbolises a multifaceted fabric of identity that is both firmly rooted in the wisdom of past generations and changes throughout time. The Christian values of promoting peace and helping others strike a strong chord with the cultural tradition of many young Ibans as they set out on their ‘bejalai’. Today’s ‘bejalai’ experience, which frequently includes travel and self-discovery, adds a spiritual component where people want to exhibit Christ-like qualities. This mixture enhances the ‘bejalai’ experience and makes them more eager to form cordial bonds within their communities. Furthermore, conversations concerning identity and cultural preservation have been sparked by the ‘bejalai’ framework’s acceptance of Christian ideals. While some elders worry that their customs may be disappearing, others welcome the chance to give their rites fresh significance. This continuous discussion illustrates the dynamic interaction between upholding cultural traditions and accepting Christian moral principles. Christianity and identity of modern Dayak Christianity has significantly shaped the psyche and identity of the modern Dayak. The religious transformation has led to a shift in communal values, emphasising notions of individual morality and community cohesion through church participation. This change is evident in how many Dayaks now prioritise education and personal development, viewing these as essential components of their new identity as Christians. However, this transformation is not without challenges; the tension between traditional Dayak beliefs and the tenets of Christianity sometimes leads to generational divides within families and communities. The elders may hold on to ancestral practices, while younger generations increasingly gravitate towards a Christian identity, which they perceive as more aligned with modern values and opportunities. And as people go through their lives with a sense of purpose derived from both tradition and religion, the incorporation of Christian principles into ‘bejalai’ reveals a significant shift in the community’s spiritual environment. Additionally, navigating two different cultural areas promotes a conversation between tradition and modernity within the Iban community. They are not only leaving their origins behind when they set out on their ‘bejalai’, whether it is through actual or virtual trips; rather, they are enhancing their cultural fabric. By combining the old with the new, the Ibans are able to reinvent themselves in a way that respects their culture and seizes the potential of the modern world. The Iban people’s inventiveness, tenacity, and dedication to preserving their traditional identity in the face of contemporary difficulties and changes are so powerfully demonstrated by the idea of ‘bejalai’. * Toman Mamora is ‘Tokoh Media Sarawak 2022’, recipient of Shell Journalism Gold Award (1996) and AZAM Best Writer Gold Award (1998). He remains true to his decades-long passion for critical writing as he seeks to gain insight into some untold stories of societal value.EDITORIAL: Stumbling from one mess to another

Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha The Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) marked a significant milestone in its 40th anniversary celebrations with the inauguration of ‘Readers’ Nest’ -- ICBF 40th anniversary library at ICBF office. The library was inaugurated by First Secretary at Embassy of India and ICBF Coordinating Officer Eish Singhal, who commended the ICBF Managing Committee for this noble initiative. He emphasised the importance of fostering a culture of reading in the community, especially in an era dominated by technology and gadgets, where the joy of books is often overlooked. The library’s collection, generously donated by community members, reflects the spirit of giving and togetherness that defines ICBF’s mission. Responding to frequent requests from prison inmates, individuals in shelters, and labour camps for books in regional languages, the Managing Committee resolved to establish a permanent library on the ICBF Office premises to serve these needs, as well as for community members. In his address, ICBF President Shanavas Bava expressed gratitude to the community members for their heartfelt contributions toward this meaningful project, which aims to bring solace and enrichment to those in need. ICBF Advisory Council Chairman Sam Basheer, along with members T Ramaselvam, Johnson Antony, and Shashidar Hebbal were present to witness the event. Other dignitaries included ISC General Secretary Nihad Ali, ICC Secretary Abraham Joseph, MC Member Sathya Narayana Mallireddy and IBPC committee member Ramakrishnan. ICBF General Secretary Varkey Boban delivered the welcome address, highlighting the importance of the library as part of the organisation’s 40th-anniversary initiatives. ICBF Vice-President Deepak Shetty delivered the vote of thanks, acknowledging the dedication of all contributors and attendees who made the event a success. The programme was well-coordinated by ICBF Secretary Muhamed Kunhi, Managing Committee Members Shankar Goud, Neelambari Sushant, and Abdul Raoof Kondotty. The inauguration of ‘Readers’ Nest’ underscores ICBF’s commitment to promoting education and community welfare, ensuring that the joy of reading continues to touch lives across Qatar. Copy 29/12/2024 10

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