jili lucky slots The Rajapaksa governments used labels such as ‘traitor’ and ‘terror sympathiser’ to vilify their political opponents. They effectively created a bogey to rally support for their repressive actions, on the pretext of protecting national security, which they made out to be their raison d’etre . They succeeded in marketing their brand of patriotism to retain their hold on power and go on enriching themselves until they bankrupted the economy, provoking the public into rising against them. Most of those who voted for them became so frustrated in the end that they switched their allegiance to the JVP-led NPP, enabling its mammoth electoral wins. The NPP government has moved to the other extreme. It promptly dubs those who flag potential threats to national security as ‘racists’ and enemies of ethnic reconciliation in a bid to prevent its opponents from criticizing its policies and actions aimed at consolidating its electoral gains in the North and the East. Several persons have already been arrested over what the government calls the dissemination of false information to promote racial disharmony and derail its reconciliation efforts. The CID has gone to the extent of using the much-dreaded Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which the NPP bigwigs condemned during their opposition days, to deal with some social media activists who have highlighted a recent commemoration of slain LTTE members, including Velupillai Prabhakaran. It is a case of using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Thankfully, the draconian police action against the aforesaid suspects has not passed muster with the judiciary. When some of them were arrested and produced in court, recently, Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilana Gamage pointed out that the CID should have taken action against the organisers of the commemorations at issue rather than those who reported on them. The suspects were released on bail. On Thursday, Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake likened such police action to shooting the messenger, when the CID produced in court another person arrested for using social media to highlight the commemoration of dead LTTE members. That suspect was also granted bail. If anyone abuses social media to incite racial hatred and disseminate misinformation to disrupt social order by destabilising ethno-religious relations and instigating violence, he or she must be severely dealt with, according to the law. But that task does not require the invocation of the PTA; there are enough and more other laws that can be used for that purpose. Above all, arrests must not be politically motivated, and the police must not provide their service to the politicians in power as stormtroopers or hunting Mastiffs on the pretext of bringing ‘the enemies of national reconciliation’ to justice. They must desist from making arrests at the behest of politicians. Many police high rankers unashamedly did political work for previous governments so much so that one wondered whether they had sold their souls to the rulers of the day, such as the Rajapaksa brothers, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena. Worryingly, some of those puppets in uniform are occupying key positions in the Police Department and serving the interests of the incumbent government. No wonder they swoop on the critics of their current political masters at the drop of a hat. The Rajapaksas realised that they had failed to fool all the people all the time, only when they had to head for the hills, with angry mobs in close pursuit, after bankrupting the country. Their method of labelling and vilifying their political opponents came with a short sell-by date. It will be a huge mistake for the JVP/NPP leaders not to learn from the dreadful experience of the Rajapaksas. Demonising political rivals is no substitute for effective governance and fulfilling promises.

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RECOMMENDED • nj .com Girls soccer photos: Non-Public B final - DePaul vs. Rutgers Prep, Wednesday, Nov. 20 Nov. 20, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Girls soccer photos: Non-Public A final - Paul VI vs. Immaculate Heart, Wednesday, Nov. 20 Nov. 20, 2024, 9:08 p.m. Mobile device users: For the best experience downloading high-resolution images (available free and to subscribers only) and making photo purchases, it’s best to visit this page from your desktop or laptop computer. The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Police believe the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO quickly left NYC on a bus after shooting NEW YORK (AP) — Police officials say the gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene on a bicycle and hopping in a cab. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny says video of the gunman fleeing Wednesday’s shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson showed him riding through Central Park and later taking a taxi to a bus terminal, directly across from New Jersey. Police have video of the man entering the bus station but no video of him exiting. Investigators on Friday found a backpack in Central Park that was carried by the shooter, police said. Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the Pentagon WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth's ability to win confirmation by the Senate is wavering as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. Trump posted on social media that Hegseth is a winner “and there is nothing that can be done to change that.” Hegseth spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead the Pentagon. One critical senator, Republican Joni Ernst, said Friday that Hegseth deserves a “fair hearing.” IAEA chief: Iran is poised to 'quite dramatically' increase stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Iran is poised to “quite dramatically” increase its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium. That's according to comments by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday. Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke in Bahrain, on the sidelines of the International Institute of Strategic Studies’ Manama Dialogue. He says Iran had begun preparing advanced centrifuge cascades to spin at nuclear facilities to increase its supply of 60% enriched uranium. That kind of material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Grossi says this is “very concerning." Iran did not immediately acknowledge the preparations, which Grossi said had begun on Friday. Inspectors hope to examine what’s going on. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Trump taps forceful ally of hard-line immigration policies to head Customs and Border Protection WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's immigration and border team is filling out. Trump has announced a former Border Patrol chief, Rodney Scott, to head the Customs and Border Protection agency. Scott is a career Border Patrol agent who rose to head the agency during Trump's first term. He's been a vocal supporter of tougher enforcement measures. At CBP he'll head a department of roughly 60,000 employees responsible for protecting the country’s borders while also facilitating trade and travel. Trump also said he’d nominate Caleb Vitello as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency that, among other things, arrests migrants in the U.S. illegally. Vitello is a career ICE official with more than 23 years in the agency. Romania's top court annuls first round of presidential vote won by far-right candidate BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court has annulled the first round of the country’s presidential election, days after declassified intelligence alleged Russia ran a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outsider who won the first round. Friday's unprecedented and final decision by the Constitutional Court came after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence on Wednesday that alleged Russia ran a sprawling campaign comprising thousands of social media accounts to promote Calin Georgescu across platforms like TikTok and Telegram. Despite being a huge outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner on Nov. 24. He was due to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a runoff on Sunday. Crews recover the body of a woman from a Pennsylvania sinkhole after a 4-day search Police say the remains of a woman who fell into a sinkhole have been recovered four days after she went missing while searching for her cat. Trooper Steve Limani said Friday that the body of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard was sent to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy. Pollard disappeared while looking for her cat on Monday evening, and authorities found her car close to what is thought to be a newly opened sinkhole above a long abandoned coal mine a few hours later. The sinkhole is in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. Jury will consider lesser charge in NYC subway chokehold case, judge dismisses manslaughter charge NEW YORK (AP) — The judge overseeing the trial of a man accused of using a deadly chokehold on an unruly subway passenger has dismissed the top charge in the case at the request of prosecutors, allowing the jury to consider a lesser count after the panel indicated it was deadlocked on whether Daniel Penny was guilty of manslaughter. The judge’s decision on Friday came hours after Manhattan jurors sent him a note saying they were unable to agree on a manslaughter verdict. Penny is facing charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, who Penny held in a chokehold for about six minutes on a New York City subway in 2023. Vance tells residents in hurricane-stricken North Carolina that they haven't been forgotten FAIRVIEW, N.C. (AP) — Vice President-elect JD Vance is surveying hurricane damage in western North Carolina in one of his first public appearances since the November election. Vance and his wife, Usha, visited the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department, which was flooded with 4 to 6 inches of water in the storm. They heard that roughly a dozen people contracted walking pneumonia while responding to the hurricane's destruction and that power outages prevented some first responders from talking with their families. Vance said, “My simple message to the people of Appalachia is that we haven’t forgotten you — we love you.” Vance has largely stayed out of the public eye since the election aside from shepherding Trump’s Cabinet nominees around Capitol Hill.Discover exclusive installment offers on appliances, furniture, and gadgets to bring home the perfect gifts for yourself and your loved ones this holiday season The holiday season holds a special place in the hearts of us Filipinos. 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This platform provides a comprehensive overview of Home Credit’s Todo Pasko offers, ensuring you find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list. To learn more about the latest updates from Home Credit Philippines, visit its official website, www.homecredit.ph . You may also follow its official Facebook , Instagram , and TikTok accounts. Home Credit Philippines is a financing company duly licensed and supervised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). More information on HCPH is available at www.homecredit.ph . Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.Colorado State center Jacob Gardner highlighted a group of nine CSU Rams honored by the Mountain West on its football all-conference teams released Tuesday.

With the holiday season upon us, it’s hard to avoid the constant barrage of seasonal decor ideas. Social media pages are constantly promoting the latest trends, while store aisles are covered in ornaments, wreaths and other products. But how much decor do you really need? We called on design experts to share their thoughts on the mistakes to avoid when getting ready for the year’s festivities. Here’s what they have to say. “Burying the holiday spirit in too many things can be counterproductive at the end of the day,” says Vy Truong, co-founder of Very Handsome Studio. Too many focal points can overwhelm a space, and even your favorite decorations will ultimately end up getting lost in the sea of decor. Instead of giving in to the temptation to go over the top with holiday decor in order to achieve a festive look, go for a “less is more” approach. There’s a practical benefit to a more minimalist approach to holiday decorating, too — you’ll have fewer pieces to put away once the festivities are over. When in doubt, always add more twinkle lights. Interior designer Bianca Ecklund stresses the importance of lights when it comes to holiday decor. “An under-lit tree can be dull,” she says. To avoid this common mistake, make sure you have plenty of strands of both indoor and outdoor lights for a festive feel and to brighten the dark, dreary days of winter. “Light it up for all to see — you can never have too many lights,” Ecklund says. Adding new pieces to your Christmas collection every year is part of what makes holiday decorating fun, but don’t feel pressured to incorporate every new holiday trend. “Don’t fall for every trendy wreath that you see,” Truong says. She suggests you start by picking a color palette and adds, “Try desperately to stick with the design parameters you’ve set out for yourself.” “Don’t buy something just because every store you go in is screaming at you to do so,” says Annie Oberman, principal designer at Forge & Bow. Instead, be intentional about your purchases, and make thoughtful choices that make sense for your overall collection of Christmas decorations. “Make sure your purchases really enhance your overall home for the holidays,” Oberman says. She points out the importance of opting for timeless pieces instead of overly commercialized decor. “I think it is a gift to allow your house to evolve over time, finding the classics that you love and building on that year over year,” she says. “Avoid purchasing chintzy decor that will end up in a landfill,” suggests interior designer Amy Youngblood. She recommends choosing pieces that will last, are meaningful and can be passed down as a special holiday heirloom. “Not only will it elevate your space and look nice, it is much better for the environment,” she adds. Investing in timeless and high-quality holiday decor also saves money in the long run, since you’re not forced to add to or replace decorations every year. While it can be tempting to put up all the holiday decorations you’ve ever purchased, this typically just makes a space look cluttered. “Keep it simple — just because you have it all doesn’t mean it should all be out,” Ecklund says. She recommends a more intentional approach to Christmas decorating. “Pick a theme or color scheme and stick with it, and keep everything else tucked away for next year,” she says. Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at www.bhg.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!Packers' improving run defense ready for challenge against NFC North-leading Lions

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Defending the run has been one of the Green Bay Packers’ weaknesses over the last several years. Not so much lately, though. Green Bay limited San Francisco to 16 carries for 44 yards in a 38-10 rout of the 49ers on Nov. 24, with two-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey gaining 31 yards on 11 attempts. Four nights later, the Packers beat Miami 30-17 by holding the Dolphins to 39 yards on 14 carries. It was the first time since 1995 — and only the second time since 1950 — that the Packers had allowed fewer than 45 yards rushing in back-to-back games within the same season. “I think we’re playing harder and harder each week,” first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “And that’s how you play good defense.” That defense needs to be at its best Thursday as the Packers (9-3) close a stretch of three games in 12 days by visiting the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (12-1), who have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense thanks in part to a rushing attack featuring the speedy Jahmyr Gibbs and the physical David Montgomery. “Gibbs is a great running back,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “I really think the offense really starts with him, honestly. He can do everything — receive, in-and-out runner, can do stretch, duo plays. We’ve got to have all hands on deck with Gibbs. And then Montgomery, he’s a great complement to him. He can do everything, also.” The Lions were the first team since the 1975 Miami Dolphins to rush for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each of their first 11 games. The streak ended on Thanksgiving when the Lions rushed for 194 yards but didn’t have a touchdown on the ground in a 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears. Green Bay outrushed Detroit 138-124 in the Packers’ 24-14 loss to the Lions on Nov. 3 at Lambeau Field. Montgomery rushed for 73 yards while Gibbs ran for 65 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs has 973 yards this season, which ranks fourth in the NFL. Montgomery ran for a combined 192 yards and four touchdowns in the Lions’ two games against the Packers last season. Green Bay’s run defense has come a long way since. The Packers have allowed 106.6 yards rushing per game this season, which ranks eighth in the league. The Packers haven’t closed a season in the top 10 in run defense since 2016 and have finished outside the top 20 in four of the last six years, including 26th in 2022 and 28th in 2023. “I think Haf’s doing a good job of mixing up the fronts and some of the coverages, but really it’s ultimately about tackling, swarming, getting many hats to the football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “And our guys have really embraced that style of play.” The Packers are yielding 4.2 yards per carry to rank seventh in the league after finishing 22nd or worst in that category each of the last three seasons. They haven’t closed a season ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed per carry since 2017. Hafley says the improvement starts up front. “The interior part of our D-line has done such a good job these last few games,” Hafley said. “They really have. They’re hard to block. They’re staying in their gaps. They’re tearing off of blocks, and it’s the same thing with those defensive ends. They’re setting edges, they’re forcing the ball back inside, they’re getting off blocks and then we’re tackling and we’re running to the ball and there’s multiple people to the ball. “And when you turn on our tape right now and when you freeze it, you see that. You see a lot of guys around the football. And then you’re not afraid, right? Like if I have an open-field tackle and I know eight other guys are coming, I’m going to take my shot because I know if I miss, it’s going to be, ‘Bang, bang, bang,’ we’ve got three or four other guys there, and we’re starting to play faster.” Green Bay's defense has the Lions’ attention. “They’ve been playing well,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “I mean, they have, really, all season, and nothing has changed.” ___ AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Steve Megargee, The Associated Press