5 wild buffalo casino None

Climate tech startup Kapture successfully embeds carbon emissions in concreteCapitol Notebook: Iowans tell U.S. GOP Sen. Joni Ernst to reject RFK Jr. as health secretary

Dutch startup’s new battery material could wean Europe off Chinese graphiteUnitedHealthcare CEO’s shooting opens a door to vent frustrations over insurance

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. The bill passed the House by a vote of 281-140 and will next move to the Senate, where lawmakers had sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill’s 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay has failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. “No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that’s exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “This bill goes a long way to fixing that.” The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation’s borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a “tremendous loss for our national defense,” though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. “We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it,” Wicker said. House Republicans don’t want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a “very real problem.” He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. “These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives,” Smith said. “And in this bill, we decided we’re going to bar servicemembers’ children from having access to that.” Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson’s office insisted upon the ban and said the provision “taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation.” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, “I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates.” Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, “and yet, here it is in this bill.” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team was not telling Democrats how to vote on the bill. “There’s a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well,” Jeffries said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration had requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.Honor and privilege: Stith makes graceful exit from political stage

Bailey scores 19 as Incarnate Word beats East Texas A&M 65-53NoneWhat Snoop wants: Arizona Bowl gives NIL opportunities to players for Colorado State, Miami (Ohio)

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders was taken to a hospital for a neck injury after landing on his head while making a catch late in the first half of Sunday's 30-27 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. As Sanders was brought down near the sideline after a 10-yard reception, he was flipped upside down and landed directly on the top of his helmet as he went out of bounds on the tackle by cornerback Trent McDuffie. After receiving attention from the team's medical staff, Sanders was strapped to a backboard and taken off the field on a cart with 40 seconds remaining in the half. He was taken to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for observation and later released Sunday afternoon, according to the team. On the CBS broadcast following halftime, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Sanders had movement in all his extremities, while extreme precaution was taken because of back tightness. CBS reported he was being examined for a concussion before later amending that to a neck injury. The 21-year-old rookie out of Texas had a team-leading three receptions for the Panthers at the half for 49 yards. In 11 games this season, Sanders has 29 receptions for 302 yards and a touchdown. Sanders was a fourth-round selection in the NFL draft in April. --Field Level MediaUS can continue using Seattle airport for deportation flights, appeals court says

Elon Musk calls Trudeau 'insufferable' after remark on Kamala Harris defeat

Elon Musk calls Trudeau ‘insufferable’ after remark on Kamala Harris defeatJennison Associates LLC Makes New Investment in Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. (NYSE:APAM)

The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Mike Brown less than halfway through his third season with the team mired in a five-game losing streak, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the firing hadn't been announced by the team. ESPN first reported the firing. Brown won NBA Coach of the Year in his first season with the Kings in 2022-23, when he helped Sacramento end the longest playoff drought in NBA history at 16 seasons. But Sacramento lost in the play-in tournament last year and are off to a 13-18 start this season, leading to the move to fire Brown about six months after he agreed to a contract extension through the 2026-27 season. The Kings have lost an NBA-worst nine games this season after leading in the fourth quarter with the worst one coming in Brown's final game as coach Thursday night against Detroit. Sacramento led by 10 points with less than three minutes to play only to collapse down the stretch. Jaden Ivey converted a four-point play with three seconds left when he made a 3-pointer in the right corner and was fouled by De'Aaron Fox. That gave the Pistons a 114-113 win, leaving the Kings in 12th place in the Western Conference. Brown afterwards was critical of Fox's error and the team's overall inability to lock in on the details. The coach conducted the Kings' afternoon practice on Friday and was spotted by local media having a conversation with Fox. Brown has a 107-88 record in two-plus seasons in Sacramento with a winning record in both of his full seasons. Rick Adelman is the only other coach to post a winning record in a full season since the Kings moved to Sacramento. Brown previously had two stints as coach in Cleveland and spent one-plus season as Lakers coach. He has a 455-304 record and has made the playoffs in seven of his nine full seasons. He won Coach of the Year twice, also getting the award in Cleveland in 2008-09. Meanwhile, trade rumours are circulating about star point guard Fox, whose future with the NBA franchise is looking increasingly uncertain.or signup to continue reading Not having a clear footpath for scooters and wheelchairs is discrimination. Once it is brought to the council attention in writing it should be actioned. They are on our back to keep the lawns but they can't cut theirs till it is to late. And if we don't cut our lawns we get fined It's not all bad. I just drove past the art gallery and the grass there looks a million bucks ... I mean $54 million bucks. I wondered what was going on. Entering town from the south you wonder if the council stopped cutting grass all together. There's plenty of contractors out there that if given a chance could get all of it under control. Yeah the council owned land next door to me in White Hills has grass as high as the fence and it's now dried out. Same story from council as the others have got. Bet if I owned the land I would have already got a fine. I have been on the phone to the council, every week, for the last few weeks - the grass out my way is dangerously long, and clearly a fire hazard. Was due to be completed in October, now, almost the end on November. Not good enough. It is appalling that council is once again failing in their responsibilities. The footpath from the Howard Street lights in Epsom to Bunnings the grass is nearly as high as me and also other footpaths in the area. It is a dangerous fire hazard and snake hazard and a dreadful look for travellers entering our town. Once again council is letting down the rate payers. Central Victorian Bat Alliance (CVBA) is a Bendigo-based volunteer community group supporting and advocating for all bats particularly the Grey-headed Flying-fox in Rosalind Park. for seeking community feedback on the new Management Plan for Rosalind Park and outlining their obligations to protect the park's camp of Grey-headed Flying-fox under Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, State Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, and Wildlife Act 1975 under which Victorian wildlife is protected. Our volunteer group regularly undertakes engagement activities around Rosalind Park and we welcome this opportunity to increase place activation of the park precinct to incorporate it into part of the existing tourism structure of the area. CVBA members regularly see flying-fox admirers and tourists in the parkland enjoying the species roosting. Habitat loss has driven bats to take up residence in urban environments and the currently small numbers of bats we have in the park-precinct contributes greatly to our ecosystem biodiversity. The city correctly states it has no authority to remove or relocate the Grey-headed Flying-fox due to their protected and vulnerable status and are obliged to ensure service delivery principles are considered to ensure positive outcomes for bats and wildlife and their habitat. People who wish to frame the bats as being troublesome or not welcome are clearly unawares of the benefits they provide to our surrounding forest health as our only long-distance flying pollinator and a key-stone species. Anyone familiar with poker machines knows that a win is celebrated with flashing lights and loud, jangly music. But did you know this happens when a payout is less than the bet? It's called a 'loss disguised as a win' and is a tactic to keep people gambling even though they're losing. It's one of many 'tricks' built into gambling products that create a sense of excitement and reward while the odds are stacked against you. Led by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), the theme of this year's Gambling Harm Awareness Week (18-24 Nov.) is . We're encouraging Victorians to learn about the design and tactics behind high-harm gambling activities like casino table games, poker machines, and sports and race betting. The aim is to help the community understand the risks so that they can take steps to protect themselves, like setting and sticking to time and money limits. Likewise, we're reminding industry of its legal and social obligations to minimise the risk of harm to customers. Gambling providers have a responsibility for customer wellbeing and the VGCCC is serious about ensuring they honour it. More information about Gambling Harm Awareness Week and community resources are available . Click for more letters. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!

HERA SE ISPRIČALA ZBOG LETJELICE NA JARUNU: Gađali smo kuću onog izdajnika Mate Granića OHR BI TREBAO SMJENITI KOMŠIĆA: Pokazuje elementarno nepoznavanje Ustava BIH Ivan Goran Kovačić – pjesnik, Radićevac, ranjen na Sutjesci, stradao potom od četničke kame The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) held its regular retreat in Mostar, where party officials discussed current issues, focusing on the European integration process and necessary reforms. “We had three panels today. The first addressed our European path and the challenges ahead, the second focused on marking the fourth decade of HDZ BiH’s activities, and the third was my task, where I spoke about political, economic, and technological challenges and their impact on the mission of the party,” stated HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović. Constitutiveness: The Foundation of BiH Čović emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s current constitutional framework is based on the principles of the constitutiveness of its peoples, as defined by the Dayton Agreement. “Regardless of how someone envisions a different Bosnia and Herzegovina, whether as unitary or through division and separatism, it was founded on the principles of constitutiveness, and it will live by those principles. How successfully it does so depends on us,” Čović said. Growth Plan and European Integration Responding to questions about the Growth Plan, Čović highlighted the visible progress but warned of potential obstacles. “Whenever we make good progress, someone seems to try to pull the chair out from under us. I hope this time it won’t happen. Everything we planned to agree on should be finalized next week. Two laws are in the final stages of harmonization, as are the Growth Plan and the negotiating framework. I urge our partners from abroad to leave decision-making to the domestic institutions—unnecessary external assistance can complicate the process,” Čović stated. HDZ BiH Renewal and Future Discussing the future of HDZ BiH, Čović underscored the importance of new generations of politicians. “HDZ BiH is already organized as a living organism with decision-making networks. Today, we promoted the 13th generation of the HDZ BiH Political Academy, and I expect significant renewal within the party. These young leaders will be at the forefront of Croatian politics in BiH over the next five years,” he concluded. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); PREDSTAVLJAT ĆE MAFIJU I DILERE MEDICINSKE OPREME? Beroš iz pritvora aktivirao saborski mandat TUSK: Sukob poprima dramatične razmjere. Osjećamo da se približava nepoznato Orban: Era zapadne dominacije je završena – Euroazija preuzima budućnost NAPRETKOVA STIPENDISTICA gradi londonsku glazbenu karijeru, a BBC introducing prepoznao ju je kao talent: Upoznajte našu Karlu Šamadan BUTKOVIĆ: Hrvatska stoji na raspolaganju za pomoć u sanaciji pruge u Komadinovom vrelu PREDSTAVLJAT ĆE MAFIJU I DILERE MEDICINSKE OPREME? Beroš iz pritvora aktivirao saborski mandat TUSK: Sukob poprima dramatične razmjere. Osjećamo da se približava nepoznato Orban: Era zapadne dominacije je završena – Euroazija preuzima budućnost Who is Gert-Jan Koopman and why does the EU think we’re longing for it?

None

New Year Eve 2025: The Best Parties and Events Worldwide