baccarat bet

baccarat bet NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The right frame can freeze a moment in time, creating meaning for the masses from a fist pump over a bloodied ear , a bridge crumbled by a ship , towns shredded by nature , and a victory sealed with an on-field kiss . In 2024, photographers across the U.S. captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election , to hurricanes and fires that ravaged communities, to campus protests over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The gallery from The Associated Press illustrates a new chapter of political history — the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump , the moment President Joe Biden announced he would no longer run again , the campaign sprint by Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s place, and the raw emotion from voters during a grueling contest ultimately won by Trump . Hurricanes whipped through the country with devastating imagery, leaving a path of wreckage and death from Florida to Appalachia . After Hurricane Helene , Lake Lure in North Carolina was shown in a jarring photo covered in shards of debris thick enough to hide the surface of the water. Hurricane Milton ripped apart the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The scale of destruction experienced in some corners of the country in 2024 was hard to capture and might have been harder to fathom. That was the case when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and crumple around the vessel, killing construction workers on the bridge. As flames torched the landscape in California , another image captured firefighters and sheriff’s deputies pushing a vintage car away from a burning home. Elsewhere in California , one photo is aglow with bright orange flames, broken up only by the subtle features of an animal running through them. But hope also persevered in the face of devastation. In Helene’s aftermath , an image from Crystal River, Florida, shows Dustin Holmes holding hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, as they sloshed through floodwaters with her 4- and 7-year-old children to return to their flooded home. And in Manasota Key, Florida, a family was lit up by the glow of flashlights as they walked to check on their home damaged by Milton. Other photos from 2024 also grabbed the darkness and shadows to emphasize light: among them, a rocket liftoff and a total solar eclipse . And, yes, eclipse glasses were back in style for a shared moment of skygazing. But many other photos delivered a blast of color, from the spectrum of the northern lights across a Maine sky to a crew of workers wading into the deep-red of a Massachusetts cranberry bog . And, once again, Taylor Swift captured the country’s attention, even as a part of the crowd. She rushed down from the stands to kiss her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, after the Chiefs won the AFC Championship , en route to another Super Bowl win.Supermarket giant Woolworths has asked the Fair Work Commission for a circuit-breaker to ban warehouse workers from blocking their distribution centres. United Workers Union members are blocking all entrances to a distribution centre in suburban Melbourne and three other sites over better conditions and pay. Plans to bring in staff on Monday never eventuated, but picketers at the Dandenong South site turned away logistics trucks trying to enter. Woolworths Group has filed an urgent application with the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday. “The application comes after the UWU refused to give any assurance of safe passage for team members seeking to return to work at our Melbourne South Regional Distribution Centre (MSRDC) yesterday and this morning,” Woolworths said in a statement on Tuesday morning. The application to Fair Work alleges a breach of the Good Faith Bargaining requirements in the Fair Work Act. The matter has not yet been listed for hearing. Woolworth says the majority of staff at the Dandenong South site are not members of the union, and want to return to work and get paid. The supermarket giant confirmed it would again try to reopen the distribution centre again today but would follow advice from Victoria Police on whether it was safe to do so. The strike action has seen supermarket shelves across Victoria stripped, with scenes akin to the COVID-19 pandemic. One store, on Collingwood’s Smith Street, had most of its toilet paper aisle emptied along with large portions of its bread and fridge sections. Those ordering grocery deliveries are also warned to allow substitutions to ensure they receive the products they want. The decision to go to Fair Work follows the company and union returning to the negotiating table on Monday. “We are hopeful of a breakthrough because our workers deserve to be safe at work,” United Workers Union National Secretary Tim Kennedy said. Workers are protesting against “unrealistic performance expectations” which they claim lead to frequent injuries, demanding better wages, and an agreement that workers at different sites are paid the same amount. In late November, Woolworths insisted all stores were still receiving regular stock deliveries, but some were getting their goods less frequently than previously scheduled. No product limits were in place at the time apart from eggs, which have been rationed for months following bird flu outbreaks in NSW and Victoria. It’s believed the strike is yet to affect Victorian farmers, whose produce normally hits supermarket closer to Christmas – but items such as nappies, toilet paper and drinks have been affected.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions spent three months scoring at a historic rate. Now with the weather changing outside, they’re winning with old school football, too. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

NEW YORK, Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mesoblast Limited MESO MSB ), global leader in allogeneic cellular medicines for inflammatory diseases, today announced a key publication in the November 2024 online issue of the prestigious peer-reviewed European Journal of Heart Failure (EJHF) , which reports that a single intramyocardial injection of the Company's allogeneic cell therapy Revascor ® (rexlemestrocel-L) results in improved survival in high-risk patients with ischemic heart failure and inflammation. 1 Results from the randomized, controlled DREAM-HF trial in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) identified the control group at highest risk of cardiovascular death as being those with ischemic etiology and inflammation and showed that a single intramyocardial injection of Mesoblast's mesenchymal precursor cell therapy (MPCs; rexlemestrocel-L) resulted in a sustained reduction in cardiovascular mortality in these high-risk patients. This identifies the target HFrEF population that is responsive to REVASCOR therapy. DREAM-HF's lead investigator, Dr. Emerson C. Perin, MD, PhD, FACC, Medical Director at The Texas Heart Institute, said, "Mesoblast's allogeneic MPCs may restore the balance between anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the damaged, inflamed heart. A single administration of MPCs appears sufficient to improve survival and other major clinical outcomes in high-risk HFrEF patients with inflammation. These effects are seen on top of existing treatments that target neurohormonal imbalances and congestion, providing a disease-modifying approach not achievable with standard-of-care alone." The newly published results showed that over a mean follow-up of 30 months in the DREAM-HF trial: Factors portending the greatest risk for cardiovascular death in control patients were inflammation (baseline plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥2 mg/L; p=0.003) and ischemic HFrEF etiology (p=0.097), with increased cardiovascular death risk of 61% and 38%, respectively. A single intra-myocardial MPC administration significantly lowered the risk of cardiovascular death in HFrEF patients with inflammation regardless of whether plasma hsCRP or plasma IL-6 was used as inflammatory biomarker by 80% (p=0.003) and 60% (p=0.037) respectively. MPCs reduced 2-point MACE (heart attack or stroke) by 57% (p=0.016) and 3-point MACE (cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke) by 35% (p=0.049) in patients with ischemic HFrEF (n=303) compared to controls. MPCs reduced 2-point and 3-point MACE by 88% (p=0.005) and 52% (p=0.018) respectively, in patients with ischemic HFrEF and inflammation (n=158) compared to controls. "We are pursuing potential approval pathways for our STRO3-immunoselected and industrially manufactured heart failure product REVASCOR across the continuum from pediatric congenital heart disease to adults with ischemic HFrEF," said Mesoblast Chief Executive Dr. Silviu Itescu. "Earlier this year we received feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) providing support for an accelerated approval pathway in end-stage ischemic HFrEF patients with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). This new publication identifies the larger ischemic HFrEF population which responds to REVASCOR with mortality benefit." About Revascor ® (rexlemestrocel-L) in Heart Disease REVASCOR is an allogeneic preparation of immunoselected and culture-expanded mesenchymal precursor cells (MPC) and is being developed as an immunomodulatory therapy to address the high degree of inflammation in the heart and cardiovascular system that is present across the spectrum of HFrEF patients ranging from New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II through end-stage disease, in order to reduce the high rate of major cardiovascular events and complications. This investigational therapy has been evaluated in two large placebo-controlled randomized studies in patients with chronic HFrEF. These consisted of a trial with 537 NYHA class II/III treated patients (DREAM-HF) 2 and a 159-patient trial in end-stage HFrEF patients implanted with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Rexlemestrocel-L has US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) and Orphan Drug designations for patients with end-stage HFrEF implanted with an LVAD. About Chronic Heart Failure Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by poor heart function resulting in insufficient blood flow to the body's vital organs and extremities. This condition affects approximately 6.5 million people in the United States and 26 million people globally with increasing prevalence and incidence. Chronic heart failure patients are commonly classified according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) categories based on the patient's physical limitations. Class I (mild) patients have no limitations while Class IV patients (severe/end stage) experience symptoms even at rest. The mortality rate approaches 50% at 5 years as patients progress beyond NYHA early class II disease in parallel with increasing inflammation in the heart and in the circulation. 3,4 Despite recent approvals of new therapies for HFrEF, NYHA class II/III HFrEF patients with inflammation remain at high risk for cardiovascular death, heart attacks and strokes. Over 100,000 patients annually in the US progress to end-stage heart failure (NYHA class IIIB/IV). These patients have a one-year mortality exceeding 50%. 5 Use of LVADs in end-stage heart failure patients to improve survival is gaining momentum, with approximately 2,000 LVADs implanted as destination therapy annually in the US, 6 the majority of whom have an ischemic etiology. About Mesoblast Mesoblast (the Company) is a world leader in developing allogeneic (off-the-shelf) cellular medicines for the treatment of severe and life-threatening inflammatory conditions. The Company has leveraged its proprietary mesenchymal lineage cell therapy technology platform to establish a broad portfolio of late-stage product candidates which respond to severe inflammation by releasing anti-inflammatory factors that counter and modulate multiple effector arms of the immune system, resulting in significant reduction of the damaging inflammatory process. Mesoblast has a strong and extensive global intellectual property portfolio with protection extending through to at least 2041 in all major markets. The Company's proprietary manufacturing processes yield industrial-scale, cryopreserved, off-the-shelf, cellular medicines. These cell therapies, with defined pharmaceutical release criteria, are planned to be readily available to patients worldwide. Mesoblast is developing product candidates for distinct indications based on its remestemcel-L and rexlemestrocel-L allogeneic stromal cell technology platforms. Remestemcel-L is being developed for inflammatory diseases in children and adults including steroid refractory acute graft versus host disease, and biologic-resistant inflammatory bowel disease. Rexlemestrocel-L is being developed for advanced chronic heart failure and chronic low back pain. Two products have been commercialized in Japan and Europe by Mesoblast's licensees, and the Company has established commercial partnerships in Europe and China for certain Phase 3 assets. Mesoblast has locations in Australia, the United States and Singapore and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (MSB) and on the Nasdaq (MESO). For more information, please see www.mesoblast.com , LinkedIn: Mesoblast Limited and Twitter: @Mesoblast References / Footnotes Perin EC. Et al. Mesenchymal precursor cells reduce mortality and major morbidity in ischaemic heart failure with inflammation: DREAM-HF. Eur J Heart Fail 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.3522 Perin EC. Et al. Randomized Trial of Targeted Transendocardial Mesenchymal Precursor Cell Therapy in Patients with Heart Failure. JACC Vol. 81, No. 9, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.11.061 AHA's 2017 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Ponikowski P., et al. Heart Failure: Preventing disease and death worldwide. European Society of Cardiology . 2014; 1: 4-25 Gustafsson F, Rogers JG. Left ventricular assist device therapy in advanced heart failure: patient selection and outcomes. European Journal of Heart Failure 2017;19:595-602. Yuzefpolskaya M et al. Ann Thorac Surg 2023; 115:311-28 Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and actual results may differ from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Mesoblast's preclinical and clinical studies, and Mesoblast's research and development programs; Mesoblast's ability to advance product candidates into, enroll and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; Mesoblast's ability to advance its manufacturing capabilities; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals (including any future decision that the FDA may make on the BLA for remestemcel-L for pediatric patients with SR-aGVHD), manufacturing activities and product marketing activities, if any; the commercialization of Mesoblast's product candidates, if approved; regulatory or public perceptions and market acceptance surrounding the use of stem-cell based therapies; the potential for Mesoblast's product candidates, if any are approved, to be withdrawn from the market due to patient adverse events or deaths; the potential benefits of strategic collaboration agreements and Mesoblast's ability to enter into and maintain established strategic collaborations; Mesoblast's ability to establish and maintain intellectual property on its product candidates and Mesoblast's ability to successfully defend these in cases of alleged infringement; the scope of protection Mesoblast is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering its product candidates and technology; estimates of Mesoblast's expenses, future revenues, capital requirements and its needs for additional financing; Mesoblast's financial performance; developments relating to Mesoblast's competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Mesoblast's product candidates, if approved. You should read this press release together with our risk factors, in our most recently filed reports with the SEC or on our website. Uncertainties and risks that may cause Mesoblast's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligations to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Release authorized by the Chief Executive. For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications / Investors Media Paul Hughes BlueDot Media T: +61 3 9639 6036 Steve Dabkowski E: investors@mesoblast.com T: +61 419 880 486 E: steve@bluedot.net.au © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

West Ham star Michail Antonio was trapped in his Ferrari for 45 minutes after it smashed into a tree - as injuries from 'single vehicle crash' are 'revealed' West Ham have issued a statement confirming Antonio's car crash Photos have since emerged showing damage to a Ferrari after the crash LISTEN NOW to It's All Kicking Off! : Why can't Chelsea win the league? They made seven changes and still scored five. Do you think Liverpool could do that? By JAMES SHARPE and MICHAEL PAVITT and MILO POPE and SHEKHAR BHATIA Published: 19:42, 7 December 2024 | Updated: 20:07, 7 December 2024 e-mail 15 shares 72 View comments West Ham star Michail Antonio was trapped inside his Ferrari for 45 minutes after crashing it into a tree. Fire fighters fought to rescue the West Ham striker by using cutting equipment after the horrific accident. Fire crews were called to High Road in Epping Forest, Essex, at 1.02pm today where they found the 34-year-old trapped inside his car. He was eventually cut free at 1.45pm by a team of rescuers and taken to hospital. Sources added that he may have suffered injuries to both legs and damaged a femur and he is being examined by doctors in a central London Hospital. Photos taken at the scene of the crash show extensive damage to the right hand side of a grey Ferrari. Shortly after the images began to circulate on social media, West Ham confirmed the Jamaican international had been involved in a crash. In a recent statement, the club confirmed that the player is 'conscious' after being taken to hospital. Photos have emerged of a smashed Ferrari, reportedly showing the aftermath of the crash West Ham have confirmed forward Michail Antonio has been involved in a car accident Another image appears to show the Premier League star's smashed up vehicle A full statement from the club reads: ' West Ham United can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident this afternoon in the Essex area. 'Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital. 'At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. 'The Club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.' Essex Police is now appealing for dash cam footage as officers investigate the serious collision in Epping on Coppice Row which took place shortly after 12.50pm. It is believed to be a single vehicle collision and the Ferrari has since been recovered and is no longer on the scene. Essex Police said that an investigation into the crash will now be carried out by the Roads Policing unit. The Hammers were not in action on Saturday and host Wolves on Monday evening. The Premier League player had previously been involved in a car crash on Christmas Day back in 2019. The footballer had crashed his £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan into a bin shed of a family home in Balham, south London while dressed as a snowman after losing control of his car. Antonio previously opened up about the financial consequences of the crash. 'I was struggling to get insurance this year,' he said three years ago. 'No-one wanted to insure me! 'I had to go to a specialist insurance company, so my insurance this year is a madness! I've got a G63 now. They were offering me £10,000 for an [Audi] A3 to insure, or get a G63 and pay double the price but get to drive a G63 instead of an A3. 'I'd rather pay £20,000 and drive a G63 rather than pay £10,000 and drive an A3. 'It was Christmas Day. Still to this day it has hurt me. I miss that car. Basically, I was driving but it was a slippery road. 'In the car it corners nicely and holds the road, so I was going 30-35mph on a 30mph road. As it holds corners I think I don't need to break, I'm just going to go round the corner like I do all the time. On Christmas Day 2019, Michail Antonio crashed his car into the garden of a house in London Antonio is seen climbing out of his £210,000 Lamborghini after crashing into a front garden Antonio was dressed as a snowman following club training in the morning of that day 'But as I go round the corner, it skids. So as it skids, I s*** myself and I slam on the brakes - the worst thing you could do on ice as you just speed up when you're meant to just go with it kind of thing. 'So I slam on the brakes, skid and go up on the curb - but I don't really remember it, everything just happened so fast. 'Then smoke comes out of the front of the car, and the engine is in the back so I'm thinking 'the car is gonna blow up!', even though it's just the airbags. 'So I'm having to jump out of the passenger side of the tiny car. It's a madness. 'And the thing is, I was in a snowman costume as well. I don't get why I didn't take it off in there, sort it out.' Antonio has been an ever present in West Ham's Premier League team so far this season. The 34-year-old has made 15 appearances in all competitions for West Ham during the campaign, scoring once. Antonio was a key member of the West Ham side to win the 2022 Europa Conference League The forward began representing Jamaica at international level back in 2021 Antonio is West Ham's all-time Premier League top goal scorer having netted 68 times in the top flight. The forward had joined the club in 2015 from Nottingham Forest and was part of the side to win the UEFA Conference League in 2017. He was also named as the club's Player of the Year in 2017. Antonio, a father of four, earlier this year revealed he was undergoing therapy after falling out of love with football to the extent that he had once hoped that he would be sidelined with injury. The 34-year-old increasingly felt a strain on his mental health prompted by his divorce from ex-wife. 'I was going through my divorce and stuff, and I honestly couldn't get my head around it,' Antonio shared on 'After we won, the whole team went out, the gaffer (David Moyes) went out, got steaming, a couple of boys didn't sleep for two days, just got drunk for two days. 'I was asleep on the coach and went back to the hotel. I was just mentally drained because of everything that was going on outside of my football and then I went back to the hotel and went to sleep while everyone was out partying.' Antonio is West Ham's all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League having netted 68 times Antonio joined West Ham from Nottingham Forest (pictured centre, in 2014) nine years ago 'It wasn't until probably December where I was in a better place where I was like "Oh my God, I've won a European championship".' The forward noted during one game in December 2022 that he could not stop thinking 'I'm not enjoying football.' 'During the game, I was like, 'I'm really not enjoying this'. I just felt quite negative. I'm a very positive person myself. 'I didn't score from December until I think it was March, April time. And I just felt run-down. And then I went away with Jamaica because I was enjoying football with Jamaica for some strange reason. But I actually prayed for an injury. 'I was like, "I just want to get injured, I want some time off". 'So, it's all those things that spiral through your mind. You're thinking, "Is this the end for me? Is this my football career over?"' 'I started therapy because I was really struggling. And how I grew up, it was never a thing. I thought therapy was for crazy people. But therapy changed my life. At first it was awkward, I'm not going to lie. You're sat in the room, someone was there and goes, "How are you?" 'And your natural response is "Fine". So, he's like, 'So why are you here?' I was like, "To be honest, like, football, I'm struggling with football, I split up with my missus".' West Ham United Michail Antonio London Share or comment on this article: West Ham star Michail Antonio was trapped in his Ferrari for 45 minutes after it smashed into a tree - as injuries from 'single vehicle crash' are 'revealed' e-mail 15 shares Add commentShoppers in Brockville, Ont. enjoying stress-free last-minute shopping

Civil disobedience: defiance or disruption? In 2014, Imran Khan called for civil disobedience during his protest against alleged rigging in 2013 general elections KARACHI: Academics and analysts say that genuine civil disobedience targets specific laws peacefully, though actions like bill refusals can incur penalties, and that Asuch movements risk deterring investment and creating economic uncertainty. Civil disobedience is back in the headlines after PTI founder Imran Khan announced a potential nationwide civil disobedience movement if his party’s latest demands -- release of detained supporters and a judicial commission to investigate the May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024 protests -- remain unmet by December 14. Part of the PTI’s civil disobedience plan includes urging overseas Pakistanis to limit remittances and initiating a boycott campaign. However, this call has reportedly sparked concerns within the PTI’s leadership, with many party members expressing doubts about its feasibility and timing. Civil disobedience is not an entirely new concept in this region, and can actually be traced to British India’s struggle for independence. After that, say historians, post-Partition Pakistan did not quite see any such attempt as a genuine civil disobedience movement. In 2014, Imran Khan called for civil disobedience during his protest against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections. He urged citizens to stop paying taxes and utility bills. However, the campaign failed to gain significant public traction, with critics arguing it was impractical and harmful to the country’s fragile economy and pointing out that such movements risk undermining already fragile state mechanisms rather than achieving substantive reform. Historian Ammar Ali Jan, a member of the Haqooq-e-Khalq Party, gives a quick overview of just what ‘civil disobedience’ means to our history: “Civil disobedience movements in our region are associated with the Non-Cooperation Movement that began after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. This was the beginning of mass politics in the Subcontinent and turned the anti-colonial movement into a political force. Then in 1942, the Quit India movement was another civil disobedience movement that had a lot of support.” Jan calls these movements “symbolic acts of defiance through which you challenge the legitimacy of the state”. Have any groups or parties attempted a genuine civil disobedience movement in Pakistan? Ammar Jan says there may have been movements “close to that” but we have not seen in Pakistan “the kind of voluntary suffering that is part of civil disobedience -- you’re supposed to get yourself arrested, be peaceful, but also demonstrate your suffering to the world, make the tyranny of the system known to all. That is the key purpose of civil disobedience. You refuse to participate in the system and you publicise your suffering. This sort of concept has not been done in Pakistan. The claims and aims here are to get people out of jail, to avoid jail. The emphasis on peace is often missing as well”. Talking about the potential civil disobedience movement of the PTI, Barrister Ali Tahir says that, while “the complete particulars of the civil disobedience movement are yet to come, it seems that perhaps a boycott will be initiated against companies associated with the military.” For him, a civil disobedience movement “essentially reflects the displeasure of a citizen towards the state when they declare that there are certain laws or government orders they will not follow. However, the word ‘civil’ is included in civil disobedience because it is non-violent and peaceful. This means citizens do not stop following all laws, nor do they resort to acts like murders or robberies; instead, only certain specific laws are ignored”. But when does a movement such as this become illegal? What would be the parameters of a civil disobedience movement or a movement that tries to inculcate part of civil disobedience? Barrister Tahir says that boycotting certain companies for example carries no penalty: “There is neither any unconstitutionality nor illegality involved in this action, and the companies being boycotted cannot do anything about it. Furthermore, there are no legal punishments for those participating in a boycott.” But this would change if someone were to refuse to pay electricity bills or other utility bills since there are certain penalties in the law for these actions. According to Tahir, “the state retains the right to enforce any legal punishment for disobedience. However, the issues targeted by civil disobedience are often so specific that the penalties for them are usually minor, such as short jail terms or fines, without leading to prolonged imprisonment. For example, utility services may be disconnected, or fines and penalties may be imposed.” Legal concerns are not the only consequence that needs to be looked at when thinking of a civil disobedience movement. There are serious concerns regarding what this could mean for an economy that has only now managed to barely stand up. With a focus on remittances and what happens if people refuse to send money back home on Imran’s call, economist Ammar Habib Khan provides some solace: “There will be little to no impact of any such activity, as remittances continued to grow over the last many quarters regardless of political stability. Expatriates sending money back home would prefer a better exchange rate, whether that is through formal, or informal channels”. Dr Khaqan Najeeb, former adviser to the Ministry of Finance, tells The News that for him the effectiveness of any civil disobedience largely depends on its definition. Explaining further, he says: “Should it involve non-compliance with government regulations or a refusal to participate in economic activities, the consequences could be significant. Investors typically seek stability and predictability; thus, any escalation in political unrest can deter both domestic and foreign investments, leading to capital flight and reduced economic growth.” On remittances, Dr Najeeb says that, given Pakistan’s relies on remittances from overseas Pakistanis, “reluctance on the part of expatriates to send financial support or use informal channels during a civil disobedience movement can lead to immediate liquidity issues ...and can hurt Pakistan’s fragile balance of payments account”. More disturbingly, “any turbulence in Pakistan’s IMF engagement can be unsettling for the macro stability that has been attained so far”, adds Dr Najeeb who says that this is why all leaderships need to “consider the broader economic consequences of disruptions”. Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri reminds us of the “huge repercussions” of strikes, protests, and shutter-down strikes, and the government’s disproportionate response to such actions. He says that such frequent use of protests and the response from the government “also creates an overall environment of uncertainty which is a killer for the economy”. Not to mention the disruption in internet services as a response to such calls, which he says “will make our goals for digital transformation impossible”. What about remittances -- and the fear that the hundi system could return? Dr Suleri doesn’t see the hundi system getting restored. This, he says, is “because of tough regulatory regimes both internationally and in Pakistan. The informal mechanism of remittances through friends and family etc will continue though”.

1 dead after a Russian missile hits a Ukrainian apartment blockSpotify Wrapped 2024 has listeners incredibly confused

Mariah Carey responds to claims her Spotify Wrapped video was made with AI

As John Stonehouse's web of deceit unravelled, he faked his death in MiamiNone

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The right frame can freeze a moment in time, creating meaning for the masses from a , a , towns , and a victory sealed with an . In 2024, photographers across the U.S. captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive , to hurricanes and that ravaged communities, to over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The gallery from The Associated Press illustrates a new chapter of political history — the assassination attempt on former President , the moment President Joe Biden announced he , the campaign sprint by Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s place, and the raw emotion from during a grueling contest ultimately . Related Articles Hurricanes whipped through the country with devastating imagery, leaving a path of wreckage and death from to . After Hurricane , in North Carolina was shown in a jarring photo covered in shards of debris thick enough to hide the surface of the water. Hurricane ripped apart the roof of in St. Petersburg, Florida, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The scale of destruction experienced in some corners of the country in 2024 was hard to capture and might have been harder to fathom. That was the case when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and crumple around the vessel, on the bridge. As flames , another image captured firefighters and sheriff’s deputies pushing a vintage car away from a burning home. , one photo is aglow with bright orange flames, broken up only by the subtle features of an animal running through them. But hope also persevered in the face of devastation. In , an image from Crystal River, Florida, shows Dustin Holmes holding hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, as they sloshed through floodwaters with her 4- and 7-year-old children to return to their flooded home. And in Manasota Key, Florida, a family was lit up by the glow of flashlights as they walked to check on their home damaged by Milton. Other photos from 2024 also grabbed the darkness and shadows to emphasize light: among them, a and a total solar . And, yes, eclipse glasses were back in style for a shared moment of skygazing. But many other photos delivered a blast of color, from the spectrum of the northern lights to a crew of workers wading into the deep-red of a Massachusetts . And, once again, captured the country’s attention, even as a part of the crowd. She rushed down from the stands to kiss her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, after the Chiefs , en route to win.

Hope springs eternal for Maryland football. The Terps received a verbal commitment from five-star defensive end Zion Elee on Saturday, giving the program its highest-rated recruit since landing wide receiver Stefon Diggs in the Class of 2012. The St. Frances star is ranked the No. 2 prospect in the 2026 class in the 247Sports Composite rankings, the No. 1 overall recruit by On3 and the No. 8 overall prospect in the ESPN Junior 300. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Elee, who fielded more than 30 Division I offers, chose Maryland over Oregon, Alabama and Penn State. He posted his commitment . “Maryland felt like home,” Elee . “The coaches really believed in me from the beginning of my recruitment. They saw what I could do for the program. I could connect with the players because they’re from the same area I’m from. The academics are strong. It’s a great environment. I felt I could grow as a person and a player there.” Before transferring to St. Frances, Elee was a star at Joppatowne, finishing his sophomore season with 64 tackles, including 24 for loss, and 13 sacks. He with the Panthers, who went 8-3 — including a dominant 30-3 win over IMG Academy at Morgan State University in early November — and finished No. 18 in the On3 national composite rankings. “When he first got here you could see the God-given tools he has — fast, big and strong, all the measurables,” St. Frances defensive coordinator Justin Winters said earlier this year. “I don’t think he was ever pushed and around players and coaches that are his peers like now instead of him being above and beyond everybody else. So that has made him work harder and playing the tough schedule we have, it was a learning curve for him.” In August, Elee listed Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State as his finalists and then took visits across the country before making his surprising choice Saturday. He is the fourth commitment in the 2026 class for coach Mike Locksley, who just wrapped up the nation’s 25th overall class on Wednesday’s early signing day. The Terps finished the season 4-8 overall and 1-8 in the Big Ten, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2020.

LONDON (AP) — West Ham forward Michail Antonio was taken to hospital after being involved in a road traffic incident on Saturday. West Ham added the 34-year-old player was in a stable condition after the incident in the Essex area. “Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital," the Premier League club said in a statement. “At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. “The club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.” Unverified images of a heavily damaged Ferrari were shared on social media on Saturday. It was not known if it was the car involved in the accident. Antonio signed for West Ham in 2015 and has made more than 300 appearances. West Ham doesn't have a league game until Monday. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer