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Jacques Audiard’s audacious musical “Emilia Pérez,” about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirming surgery to become a woman, led nominations to the 82nd Golden Globes on Monday, scoring 10 nods to lead it over other contenders like the musical smash “Wicked,” the papal thriller “Conclave” and the postwar epic “The Brutalist.” The nominations for the Globes, which will be televised by CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Jan. 5, were announced on Monday morning by Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut. The embattled Globes, which are no longer presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are still in comeback mode after years of scandal and organizational upheaval. Working in the Globes favor this year: a especially starry field of nominees. Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Denzel Washington, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Glen Powell and Selena Gomez all scored nominations. The young Donald Trump drama “The Apprentice” also landed nominations for its two central performances, by Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn. The president elect has called “The Apprentice” a “politically disgusting hatchet job" made by "human scum.” How much the recent president election will figure into Hollywood's awards season remains to be seen. In the season's first awards ceremony, the Gotham Awards, Trump went unmentioned but sometimes alluded to. Stan also received a nomination Monday for the dark comedy “A Different Man.” While “Oppenheimer” and, to a lesser degree, “Barbie,” sailed into the Globes nominations as the clear heavyweights of awards season, no such frontrunner has emerged this year — and, with the exception of “Wicked," most of the contenders are far lighter on box office. The Globes don’t often align with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, a much larger group that far more closely reflects the film industry. But they can give movies a major boost, and ripe fodder for their awards marketing. Netflix, which acquired “Emilia Pérez” after its Cannes Film Festival debut, dominated the nominations, leading all studios in both film nods (13) and in the TV categories (23). “Emilia Pérez," an operatic genre-skipping movie that combines elements of a narco thriller, a Broadway musical and a trans drama, scored nominations for its three stars: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña and Gomez. Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” landed seven nominations, including best picture, drama, and acting nods for Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce. The soon-to-be-released film, from A24, is uncommonly ambitious, with a runtime of three-and-a-half hours, including an intermission. A24 narrowly trailed Netflix in the film categories, scoring 12 nominations overall, including best actor, drama, for Hugh Grant's darkest turn yet in the horror film “Heretic.” Grant, in a statement, thanked the directors, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods “for spotting my need to kill." Close behind it was Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” starring Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal tasked with leading the conclave to elect a new pope. It landed six nominations, including best picture, drama, and acting nods for Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini. Sean Baker's Palme d'Or-winning “Anora,” starring Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, was nominated for five awards, including best picture, comedy or musical, and best female actor for Madison and best supporting actor for Yura Borisov. The Globes will be hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, who scored her own nomination for best stand-up special. CBS, which began airing the Globes last year on a new deal, will hope Glaser manages to do better than last year’s emcee, Jo Koy, whose stint was widely panned. The nominees for best motion picture drama are: “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown,”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Nickel Boys;” “September 5.” The nominees for best film musical or comedy are: “Wicked”; “Anora”; “Emilia Pérez”; “Challengers”; “A Real Pain”; “The Substance.” Coralie Fargeat's gory body horror satire “The Substance," starring Demi Moore as an actress who resorts to extremes to stay young in a Hollywood obsessed with young beauty, landed five nominations overall, including nods for both Moore and her younger doppelganger, Margaret Qualley. Among animated movies, DreamWorks' “The Wild Robot” also had an especially good day. The tale of the shipwrecked robot came away with four nominations, including one for cinematic and box office achievement, a relatively new category populated by big ticket-sellers like “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Inside Out 2.” The strong showing suggests the other animated nominees — “Flow,” “Inside Out 2," “Memoir of a Snail," “Moana 2," “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” — may have a hard time besting “The Wild Robot.” The Bob Dylan film “A Complete Unknown," starring Chalamet, also had a lot to celebrate. Coming off an endorsement from Dylan, himself, the film landed nominations for Chalamet, Edward Norton (who plays Woody Guthrie) and best picture, drama. Pamela Anderson also landed her first Golden Globe nomination. In “The Last Showgirl,” Anderson plays an aging Las Vegas showgirl, a performance that's led to the best reviews of Anderson's career. She was nominated for best female actor, drama, alongside Jolie ("Maria"), Nicole Kidman ("Babygirl"), Tilda Swinton ("The Room Next Door"), Fernanda Torres ("I'm Still Here") and — in a surprise — Kate Winslet ("Lee"). “The Bear,” which dominated the 2024 Globes, led all series with five nominations for its third season. That included nods for Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Liza Colón-Zayas and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Its stiffest competition this year might come in the FX series “Shogun" (four nominations, including acting nods for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada) or Apple TV's “Slow Horses" (nods for Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden). “Only Murders in the Building” again led the comedy or musical category, with nominations for it stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Gomez, her second nomination to go with hers for "Emilia Pérez." The Globes aren’t ever quite drama-free, but things have settled down for the embattled awards body. After The Los Angeles Times reported that the HFPA voters included no Black members, among other issues, most of Hollywood boycotted the show and the 2022 ceremony was scrapped. Last January's Globes were the first after the disbanding of the HFPA and their acquisition by Dick Clark Productions and billionaire Todd Boehly’s private equity firm Eldridge Industries. However, earlier this fall, the Ankler reported that former members of the HFPA filed a letter with the California attorney general’s office questioning “the validity of the purchase.” Though the 2024 Globes were mostly panned, ratings improved. According to Nielsen, some 9.5 million watched, leading CBS to give the show a five-year deal. Last year, the Globes introduced two new categories that remain this time around: the cinematic and box office achievement award and the best performance in stand-up comedy on television. One tweak this time comes in the lifetime achievement awards. This year, those are going to Ted Danson (for the Carol Burnett Award) and Viola Davis (for the Cecil B. DeMille Award). Those will be handed out in a gala dinner on Friday, Jan. 3, two days before the Globes. For more coverage of the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awardsCRA International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRAI) Short Interest UpdateMy job is welcoming members to lounge. "Are you new here," customers often ask. "No," I'll reply. "I've checked you in many times before." They can't believe that I'm the same person I was 11 months ago. It's all because I've lost 109 pounds in weight after a non-surgical procedure to lessen the size of my stomach. My portion sizes are about a quarter of what they used to be. I feel full after eating much smaller amounts. My new figure has given me a lot of confidence and a new lease in life. I tried every diet in existence My weight has been up and down my whole life. I started dieting at 9. It was triggered by an unkind comment from a boy up and down a hill. "Wow, you're fat and you can rollerblade?" he said. I went home and looked in the mirror. In my mind, I saw a large person staring back at me. I regretted raiding the fridge for pizza and eating sugary cereal with sweet, condensed milk. But I couldn't stop myself as an emotional eater. As I got older, I realized I could get through a $4,000 calorie meal and remain hungry. Over the years, I tried every diet under the sun such as Keto or only eating pineapple or eggs. In my 20s, I lost 60 pounds but regained it within months with an extra 20 pounds on top. I suffered aches and pains, despite my young age. My back hurt. Everything hurt. I had to slide out of bed because I was too heavy to pull myself up. Then, last year, at 244 pounds — far to heavy for my 5ft 6in frame — I was . It was a shock. "I either have to change my ways, or this disease will kill me," I thought. I looked for solutions on the Internet. I chance upon the , which cost me $11,000. It was approved by the FDA in 2022. The weight came off quickly The procedure is an hour-long endoscopic techniques that shrinks the stomach by 70%, causing the reduced capacity to take food. The experts told me it alters gut hormone signaling, leading to reduced appetite and increased feelings of fullness. I took one day off work and . I lost exactly 45 pounds in 45 days. Then I graduated to protein shakes and regular food, including raw, vegan meals. I make sure to drink at least a gallon of water a day. The weight came off quickly. I now weigh 135 pounds. I went from a size 18 to a size 0 and had to buy a new wardrobe. Best of all, my bloodwork showed I was no longer pre-diabetic. My confidence is much better. I have a good social life. I can swim and rollerblade again. I'm happier than I've ever been since that boy's thoughtless comment in 1991. Read the original article on

NFL Upholds Lengthy Suspension for Texans Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair

NEW YORK—What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. US stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin, gold and other investments also drove higher. Here’s a look at some of the numbers that defined the year. All are as of December 20. 1998 Remember when President Bill Clinton got impeached or when baseball’s Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run against the Montreal Expos? That was the last time the US stock market closed out a second straight year with a leap of at least 20 percent, something the S&P 500 is on track to do again this year. The index has climbed 24.3 percent so far this year, not including dividends, following last year’s spurt of 24.2 percent. 57 The number of all-time highs the S&P 500 has set so far this year. The first came early, on January 19, when the index capped a two-year comeback from the swoon caused by high inflation and worries that high interest rates instituted by the Federal Reserve to combat it would create a recession. But the index was methodical through the rest of the year, setting a record in every month outside of April and August, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The latest came on Decmber 6. 3 The number of times the Federal Reserve has cut its main interest rate this year from a two-decade high, offering some relief to the economy. Expectations for those cuts, along with hopes for more in 2025, were a big reason the US stock market has been so successful this year. The 1 percentage point of cuts, though, is still short of the 1.5 percentage points that many traders were forecasting for 2024 at the start of the year. The Fed disappointed investors in December when it said it may cut rates just two more times in 2025, fewer than it had earlier expected. 1,508 That’s how many points the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by the day after Election Day, as investors made bets on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world. The more widely followed S&P 500 soared 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. Aside from bitcoin, stocks of banks and smaller winners were also perceived to be big winners. The bump has since diminished amid worries that Trump’s policies could also send inflation higher. $100,000 The level that bitcoin topped to set a record above $108,000 this past month. It’s been climbing as interest rates come down, and it got a particularly big boost following Trump’s election. He’s turned around and become a fan of crypto, and he’s named a former regulator who’s seen as friendly to digital currencies as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing someone who critics said was overly aggressive in his oversight. Bitcoin was below $17,000 just two years ago following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. 26.7% Gold’s rise for the year, as it also hit records and had as strong a run as US stocks. Wars around the world have helped drive demand for investments seen as safe, such as gold. It’s also benefited from the Fed’s cut to interest rates. When bonds are paying less in interest, they pull away fewer potential buyers from gold, which pays investors nothing. $420 It’s a favorite number of Elon Musk, and it’s also a threshold that Tesla’s stock price passed in December as it set a record. The number has a long history among marijuana devotees, and Musk famously said in 2018 that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share. Tesla soared this year, up from less than $250 at the start, in part because of expectations that Musk’s close relationship with Trump could benefit the company. $91.2 billion That’s how much revenue Nvidia made in the nine months through October 27, showing how the artificial-intelligence frenzy is creating mountains of cash. Nvidia’s chips are driving much of the move into AI, and its revenue through the last nine months catapulted from less than $39 billion the year before. Such growth has boosted Nvidia’s worth to more than $3 trillion in total. 74% GameStop’s gain on May 13 after Keith Gill, better known as “Roaring Kitty,” appeared online for the first time in three years to support the video game retailer’s stock, which he helped rocket to unimaginable heights during the “meme stock craze” in 2021. Several other meme stocks also jumped following his post in May on the social platform X, including AMC Entertainment. Gill later disclosed a sizeable stake in the online pet products retailer Chewy, but he sold all of his holdings by late October. 1.6%, 3.0% and 3.1% That’s how much the US economy grew, at annualized seasonally adjusted rates, in each of the three first quarters of this year. Such growth blew past what many pessimists were expecting when inflation was topping 9% in the summer of 2022. The fear was that the medicine prescribed by the Fed to beat high inflation—high interest rates—would create a recession. Households at the lower end of the income spectrum in particular are feeling pain now, as they contend with still-high prices. But the overall economy has remained remarkably resilient. 20.1% This is the vacancy rate for US office buildings—an all-time high—through the first three quarters of 2024, according to data from Moody’s. The fact the rate held steady for most of the year was something of a win for office building owners, given that it had marched up steadily from 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Demand for office space weakened as the pandemic led to the popularization of remote work. 3.73 million That’s the total number of previously occupied homes sold nationally through the first 11 months of 2024. Sales would have to surge 20% year-over-year in December for 2024’s home sales to match the 4.09 million existing homes sold in 2023, a nearly 30-year low. The US housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. A shortage of homes for sale and elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many would-be homebuyers.Ruling on Monday after an emergency hearing at Belfast High Court, judge Mr Justice McAlinden rejected loyalist activist Jamie Bryson’s application for leave for a full judicial review hearing against Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. The judge said Mr Bryson, who represented himself as a personal litigant, had “very ably argued” his case with “perseverance and cogency”, and had raised some issues of law that caused him “some concern”. However, he found against him on the three grounds of challenge against Mr Benn. Mr Bryson had initially asked the court to grant interim relief in his challenge to prevent Tuesday’s democratic consent motion being heard in the Assembly, pending the hearing of a full judicial review. However, he abandoned that element of his leave application during proceedings on Monday, after the judge made clear he would be “very reluctant” to do anything that would be “trespassing into the realms” of a democratically elected Assembly. Mr Bryson had challenged Mr Benn’s move to initiate the democratic consent process that is required under the UK and EU’s Windsor Framework deal to extend the trading arrangements that apply to Northern Ireland. The previously stated voting intentions of the main parties suggest that Stormont MLAs will vote to continue the measures for another four years when they convene to debate the motion on Tuesday. After the ruling, Mr Bryson told the court he intended to appeal to the Court of Appeal. Any hearing was not expected to come later on Monday. In applying for leave, the activist’s argument was founded on three key grounds. The first was the assertion that Mr Benn failed to make sufficient efforts to ensure Stormont’s leaders undertook a public consultation exercise in Northern Ireland before the consent vote. The second was that the Secretary of State allegedly failed to demonstrate he had paid special regard to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK customs territory in triggering the vote. The third ground centred on law changes introduced by the previous UK government earlier this year, as part of its Safeguarding the Union deal to restore powersharing at Stormont. He claimed that if the amendments achieved their purpose, namely, to safeguard Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, then it would be unlawful to renew and extend post-Brexit trading arrangements that have created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK. In 2023, the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland are lawful. The appellants in the case argued that legislation passed at Westminster to give effect to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement conflicted with the 1800 Acts of Union that formed the United Kingdom, particularly article six of that statute guaranteeing unfettered trade within the UK. The Supreme Court found that while article six of the Acts of Union has been “modified” by the arrangements, that was done with the express will of a sovereign parliament, and so therefore was lawful. Mr Bryson contended that amendments made to the Withdrawal Agreement earlier this year, as part of the Safeguarding the Union measures proposed by the Government to convince the DUP to return to powersharing, purport to reassert and reinforce Northern Ireland’s constitutional status in light of the Supreme Court judgment. He told the court that it was “quite clear” there was “inconsistency” between the different legal provisions. “That inconsistency has to be resolved – there is an arguable case,” he told the judge. However, Dr Tony McGleenan KC, representing the Government, described Mr Bryson’s argument as “hopeless” and “not even arguable”. He said all three limbs of the case had “no prospect of success and serve no utility”. He added: “This is a political argument masquerading as a point of constitutional law and the court should see that for what it is.” After rising to consider the arguments, Justice McAlinden delivered his ruling shortly after 7pm. The judge dismissed the application on the first ground around the lack consultation, noting that such an exercise was not a “mandatory” obligation on Mr Benn. On the second ground, he said there were “very clear” indications that the Secretary of State had paid special regard to the customs territory issues. On the final ground, Justice McAlinden found there was no inconsistency with the recent legislative amendments and the position stated in the Supreme Court judgment. “I don’t think any such inconsistency exists,” he said. He said the amendments were simply a “restatement” of the position as set out by the Supreme Court judgment, and only served to confirm that replacing the Northern Ireland Protocol with the Windsor Framework had not changed the constitutional fact that Article Six of the Acts of Union had been lawfully “modified” by post-Brexit trading arrangements. “It does no more than that,” he said. The framework, and its predecessor the NI Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. Under the arrangements, which were designed to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland continues to follow many EU trade and customs rules. This has proved highly controversial, with unionists arguing the system threatens Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. Advocates of the arrangements say they help insulate the region from negative economic consequences of Brexit. A dispute over the so-called Irish Sea border led to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022, when the DUP withdrew then-first minister Paul Givan from the coalition executive. The impasse lasted two years and ended in January when the Government published its Safeguarding the Union measures. Under the terms of the framework, a Stormont vote must be held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpin the EU trade laws in force in Northern Ireland, before they expire. The vote must take place before December 17. Based on the numbers in the Assembly, MLAs are expected to back the continuation of the measures for another four years, even though unionists are likely to oppose the move. DUP leader Gavin Robinson has already made clear his party will be voting against continuing the operation of the Windsor Framework. Unlike other votes on contentious issues at Stormont, the motion does not require cross-community support to pass. If it is voted through with a simple majority, the arrangements are extended for four years. In that event, the Government is obliged to hold an independent review of how the framework is working. If it wins cross-community support, which is a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists, then it is extended for eight years. The chances of it securing such cross-community backing are highly unlikely.'One GP to 1900 people' was the stark headline on the front page of last week's Taupō & Tūrangi Herald , above a story about the "magnitude of burnout" for doctors there. But the same day, there was more stark news for the readers of the free community weekly: there could soon be no newspaper at all for them to read. The paper's publisher NZME had just announced plans to close almost all its free local papers in the North Island, including the Taupō & Tūrangi Herald , citing mounting costs and slumping ad revenue. The New Herald Zealand Herald Media Insider column said the papers could close as soon as Christmas, with the loss of 30 jobs. NZME's rival Stuff closed its community paper, Taupō Times, in June. Similarly, Stuff closed the Levin-based Horowhenua Mail in 2022. If NZME now closes the Horowhenua Chronicle as planned, there will be no newsroom in the region by the end of the year. "An arid outlook for local media," concluded former New Zealand Herald editor Gavin Ellis, raising the prospect of 'news deserts' overseas appearing here. It refers to the growing number of towns and regions where local news sources have closed down - along with the scrutiny of public life they provided. Research has linked closures of newspapers to declines in civic engagement of citizens, increases in government waste, and increases in political polarisation. "As a metaphor, the desert evokes a sense of arid emptiness and silence. But it also suggests a featureless place where we lose a sense of direction," AUT senior lecturer in journalism, Greg Treadwell, wrote in response to NZME's plan . Many of these papers were their community's central or only source of verified local news, he pointed out. "The NZME announcement shouldn't have come as a surprise ... but local news had been a fixture for so long it's clear many community leaders felt blindsided," Sunday Star-Times editor Tracy Watkins wrote last weekend. Among them was Central Hawke's Bay mayor Alex Walker. "I am devastated. It is a massive blow. Central Hawke's Bay Mail is our community newspaper. It's where we discuss our district, we tell our stories, and most importantly, we connect." And with local elections next year, the closures were an urgent and acute problem, he argued. But Watkins went on to say government and local councils were "probably as much a part of the problem as anyone." "They've increasingly bypassed local media, spending their advertising and marketing budgets on comms teams and newsletters, or social media - and paying vast sums of money for targeted Facebook advertising instead," she wrote in her editorial. Local government advertising is also at the heart of the struggle at Westport News . It is not a community freebie paper from a big chain - but a decades-old independent daily paper that charges readers for news in print and online, and employs 17 people. Westport News said it was now fighting for survival after the Buller District Council moved almost all its advertising to a free weekly paper at the Greymouth Star , which is majority-owned by Dunedin-based Allied Press. Queenstown-based Crux - which did not take local government advertising on principle - went into 'hibernation' recently after seven years covering local issues. As an online-only initiative, Crux did not have the same escalating paper-and print costs as NZME, but editor Peter Newport said: "We are too small to benefit from the necessary scale of national digital advertising - and vulnerable to the substantial and selective financial support of print media by our local councils." For its part, Local Government NZ has called on central government to help. It has urged an expansion of the Local Democracy Reporting scheme run by RNZ since 2019 and part-funded by NZ On Air. It was modelled on a UK scheme filling local and rural reporting gaps there, and our version now deploys 18 journalists at local news organisations around the country to cover local authorities, courts, rūnanga and other bodies. LGNZ president Sam Broughton said in a statement the entire country could be covered this way to help local media report local issues, especially with the prospect of local elections next year in some places with no local journalists. "This and more should be done. The longer we wait, the closer the news desert creeps every day," AUT's Greg Treadwell concluded. An idea whose time has come? The country's biggest paper publisher, Stuff, closed or sold 28 community papers back in 2018. It has shut down other titles too since the local buyout of the company from Australian owners Nine Media in early 2020. But it still has 19 community titles left, as well as its eight regional dailies. "I certainly think that there are areas of the country, and particularly in regional New Zealand, that are really vulnerable and where it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide news coverage - and in particular by newspapers," Stuff's managing director of masthead publishing Joanna Norris told Mediawatch . "Following the NZME announcement we did hear from local communities that they are very much still value print newspapers - and particularly in rural areas. So we're still very much committed to regional New Zealand." So why close the Taupō Times , Horowhenua Mail and others? "It is getting increasingly harder, and we are all also providing strong digital solutions for local communities and local news coverage. But real constraints are starting to hit many publishers ... ranging from the shift of the advertising dollar to the global tech platforms and to things like NZ Post's decision to pull out of rural delivery on a Saturday . "There are simply fewer resources to fund news in those communities. They are telling us that they value these publications, and so our very strong message to both mayors and also to local businesses is: if you do value this, support it. "We cannot afford to be running publications that are non-profitable. So where possible, [they should] ensure that it's a part of their advertising mix. "We will continue to consolidate portfolios where it makes sense to do so. In Taupō and Horowhenua, we distribute The Post into both of those locations and the Sunday Star-Times as well." But there isn't a newsroom or reporter in either place. More than just the ads? The 14 November edition of NZME's Taupō & Tūrangi Herald had several pages of advertising, including full pages promoting national brands and three pages of local display and classified ads. Why would publishers turn away from that revenue - especially if the market is clear for them? "Often these decisions need to be made with a portfolio of publications, because there are economies of scale for producing several publications at once through your print site. It may be that while one publication is washing its face, another is not," Norris told Mediawatch . "But almost half of New Zealanders over 15 are still reading a printed newspaper as part of their news diet. Alongside digital, there's enormous penetration and appetite for news. "What we're all working to achieve are sustainable models that ensure that we're able to keep covering the news that New Zealanders want. Working out the appropriate cost base is an ongoing part of that - and we're committed to covering New Zealand regions." Does she reckon local councils complaining about closures are obliged to spend money on them to keep them going? "It's not so much 'sending money our way'. It's paying for the things that they value. A mayor at a function in the last few days told me how much he valued the local newsroom we had in his community. I said to him: 'Are you a subscriber?' And he said no. "I said to him it would be really valuable if he did subscribe, because that's the support that we need to continue operating in communities like yours" Stuff has Local Democracy Reporting journalists in Marlborough and in Wairarapa. Does Stuff back the expansion LGNZ had called for? "I don't think the LDR service is the entire answer. It has been really useful for some communities, but ultimately we want to ensure that we are not reliant on government support," Norris said. "Their content is available for all media to use ... but the LDR scheme is specifically for local democracy coverage. An LDR reporter in a small newsroom can't cover topics beyond their local council. "Our preference is that we have a regulatory environment that supports a strong and thriving media ecosystem. We are fiercely advocating for the Fair Digital News Bargaining legislation , which would mean that we were able to negotiate with the global tech platforms for fair payment for the content that they use."

The corner of 53rd Avenue and 18th Street in Bettendorf received extra light Sunday night as Chabad Lubavitch of the Quad Cities lit a menorah for Hannukah. Sunday marked the fifth night of the festival which lasts eight days and nights. The event commemorates a period in Jewish history when Assyrian-Greeks took control of Jerusalem and tried to ban Jewish customs and religious practices. But a small group of Jewish people fought and drove them from Jerusalem, reclaiming the temple. Despite having a one-day supply of oil to light the menorah in the temple, it stayed lit for eight days. Chabad of the Quad Cities erected an 8-foot menorah at the intersection of 53rd Avenue and 18th Street in Bettendorf, seen here during the lighting during the fifth night of Hanukkah on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. The holiday is celebrated by traditions such as singing songs, playing the game of dreidel and eating oil-based foods such as latke, a potato pancake, as well as lighting menorahs. Hannukah, also spelled Chanukkah, spreads the message that good triumphs evil and light will conquer darkness, according to a news release from Chabad. "At this fraught time for the Jewish community, with war in Israel and American Jews facing a major rise in antisemitism, this year we are doing more to celebrate Hanukkah with joy and Jewish pride,” said Rabbi Shneur Cadaner. “The menorah and Hanukkah represent freedom of the human spirit, freedom from tyranny and oppression, and of the victory of good over evil.” Chabad of the Quad Cities Rabbi Shneur Cadaner gives remarks prior to the lighting an 8-foot menorah in Bettendorf, during the fifth night of Hanukkah on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. At Sunday's ceremony, battery operated votive candles were spread out among the crowd as the rabbi and his wife, Chana Cadaner, spoke about the significance of lighting candles to commemorate bringing light into the world. "We add light to the world and we make it a better place," she said, asking participants to turn on their lights one by one. "We are a community that spreads light no matter how dark it may seem around us." This year’s celebrations carried extra significance as it marks 50 years since the first public menorah was lit at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia in 1974. The public menorah was lit after the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, launched a worldwide campaign in 1973 to build awareness and promote observance of Hanukkah, according to a news release. Maureen and Harry Wellner were on hand for Chabad of the Quad Cities lighting of an 8-foot menorah in Bettendorf, on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. As a small crowd gathered at the busy intersection in Bettendorf, Mayor Bob Gallagher lit the ceremonial first candle on the menorah and wished a peaceful and happy holiday to all. The Quad-Cities' menorah is one of more than 15,000 large public menorahs throughout the world, including menorahs in front of the White House, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Great Wall of China and Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. Hanukkah is a joyous celebration that brings families and communities together to commemorate historical events and reflect on the values of perseverance, faith, and the triumph of light over darkness. Joe McCoy lights the giant menorah at 18th St. and 53rd Ave., the future home of the Chabad Center, on Sunday in Bettendorf. The Quad Cities Jewish community gathered to light a giant menorah on the fourth day of Hanukkah. Guests smile after the first candle is lit Sunday on the giant menorah at 18th St. and 53rd Ave. in Bettendorf. The Quad Cities Jewish community gathered to light a giant menorah on the fourth day of Hanukkah on Sunday, Dec. 10, in Bettendorf. Rabbi Shneur Cadaner holds the torch to light the giant menorah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. The Quad Cities Jewish community gathered to light a giant menorah on the fourth day of Hanukkah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. Robert Lewis, a retired chef, gives a blessing in Hebrew before lighting a candle on the menorah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. The Quad Cities Jewish community gathered to light a giant menorah on the fourth day of Hanukkah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. Mayor of Bettendorf, Bob Gallagher, speaks to guests before the menorah lighting ceremony on the fourth day of Hanukkah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. The Quad Cities Jewish community gathered to light a giant menorah on the fourth day of Hanukkah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. The Quad Cities Jewish community gathered to light a giant menorah on the fourth day of Hanukkah on Sunday, December 10, in Bettendorf. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

For eight incredible years, Kathryn and I have greeted every day with enormous gratitude for the opportunity to serve the citizens of North Dakota as governor and first lady. We have been rewarded with a deeper sense of love and appreciation for this exceptional place where we were born, where we became a family and where we embarked on an immensely rewarding journey into public service. Our two terms in office have reaffirmed what we already knew: North Dakota truly is the best of America. From the farm fields to the oil fields, North Dakotans work tirelessly to feed and fuel the world. Agriculture and energy form the bedrock of a robust and increasingly diverse economy that has continued to expand across manufacturing, technology, health care, aerospace, retail, tourism and other areas. ADVERTISEMENT Our abundant natural resources are the envy of the nation, from the rich soils of the Red River Valley to the bountiful oil and gas deposits of the Bakken, to the highly productive lakes, rivers, grasslands and Badlands teeming with fish and wildlife. On our first day in office, in our first meeting with cabinet agency leaders, and in my first State of the State address, I issued this challenge: Anything being done simply because “that’s the way we have always done it” should be and must be rigorously and respectfully questioned. And no matter what, we must have the courage to admit that we can always do better. In the ensuing years, we harnessed the power of technology to reinvent government processes to be more efficient, responsive and cost-effective for taxpayers. We engaged our tribal nations in new and unprecedented ways, strengthening relationships built on understanding and mutual respect. We prioritized behavioral health and reduced the stigma of the disease of addiction, inspiring thousands to find hope in recovery. We encouraged and supported cities of all sizes in their efforts to create healthy, vibrant communities with smart, efficient infrastructure that can attract and retain a skilled workforce. We empowered teachers with policies and tools to support innovative education. We provided historic tax relief and diversified our economy to make our state more competitive and resilient. Through it all, we fought to protect the freedoms and safety that make our state a great place to live, work and raise a family. Working with the Legislature, Lt. Govs. Tammy Miller and Brent Sanford, and other state and local officials, we expanded Second Amendment rights. We passed “Back the Blue” policies and programs to support our peace officers, firefighters and first responders. We made huge strides toward making North Dakota the most military-friendly state in the nation. This work — firmly rooted in the values of courage, curiosity, gratitude and humility — was fulfilling beyond measure. It’s as President Theodore Roosevelt said: “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” We caught the prize, and the last eight years have been filled with work worth doing. We owe North Dakota’s positive outlook to the private-sector innovators and entrepreneurs, the bold leaders and risk-takers, the teachers, nurses, laborers and other workers on the front lines, and the outstanding efforts of dedicated Team ND members who strive every day to ensure that state government lives up to our purpose statement: Empower People, Improve Lives and Inspire Success. Our state has never been stronger. Our future has never been brighter. Thank you for being an important part of our state’s ongoing success, and thank you for giving Kathryn and me this opportunity to serve the great state of North Dakota! ADVERTISEMENT Gov. Doug Burgum is the 33rd governor of North Dakota. His second four-year term in office concludes Dec. 14.