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Top American diplomat begins trip to the Middle East in Saudi Arabia

Jeffrey Bailey — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 14:43:28 +0000

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the first stop of a trip to the Middle East, amid efforts to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas on a pause in Israel’s offensive in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages and a flow of more humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.

The visit to the city of Jeddah comes as the Biden administration hopes to convince Saudi Arabia to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, a long-term goal that the United States considers important for stabilizing the broader Middle East.

The State Department said Mr Blinken would be in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and Egypt on Thursday to meet with the two countries’ “leadership”. No specific officials were mentioned.

Mr Blinken told reporters in Manila on Tuesday that his discussions in the Middle East would also include post-war plans for Gaza and the wider region.

He also said he would focus on “the right architecture for lasting regional peace,” an apparent reference to diplomacy between the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia to reach a joint agreement.

Such a pact would likely require Israel to make concessions to the Palestinians in return for its first-ever formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia. In turn, the Saudis want the United States and Israel to support them the establishment of a civilian nuclear program on Saudi soilas well as greater military support from Washington.

After a period of deep tense relationsSaudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Biden found common ground earlier this year in exploring a potential deal in which Saudi Arabia would recognize Israel and establish diplomatic ties.

Many Arab governments, including Saudi Arabia, have done so as well refused for a long time to establish diplomatic ties with Israel before the establishment of a Palestinian state. Over the past decade, however, that calculus has shifted, as the region’s authoritarian leaders have weighed negative public opinion about a relationship with Israel against the economic and security benefits it could provide—and what they could obtain in return from the United States.

Framing the prospect of building bonds Working with Israel as a way to gain greater rights for the Palestinians could allow Prince Mohammed to limit popular backlash in his own country, where hostility toward Israel and support for the Palestinians is widespread.

Mr Blinken’s trip comes as negotiators from Israel have joined officials from Egypt and Qatar hold meetings in the Qatari capital Doha, aimed at achieving a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants.

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Peter Navarro begins a four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress

Sabir Ansary — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:58:00 +0000

Peter Navarro, a trade adviser to former President Donald J. Trump, reported to federal prison in Miami on Tuesday, becoming the first senior Trump administration official to serve time for his role in the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election to undermine.

The 74-year-old Navarro, who helped develop Trump’s plans to stay in power after his November 2020 election defeat, was sentenced in January to four months in prison for contempt of Congress after serving a subpoena from the commission of the House of Representatives investigating the January 2020 presidential elections. 6 riot.

At a hastily arranged news conference shortly before he was to report to the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami, a low-security prison next to the Miami-Dade Zoo, Mr. Navarro repeated familiar charges from the Justice Department and the Biden administration.

Speaking in the parking lot of a commercial plaza flanked by a pizzeria and a pawn shop, he cast blame on the federal judge in his case, as well as on Mr. Biden and a long list of politicians he said were motivated by hostility toward Mr. Trump .

He added that the “tragedy” of his situation was that he would likely serve his sentence while he continues to appeal his conviction.

“I’m only afraid of one thing,” he told reporters. “I fear for my country because this – what they are doing – will have a chilling effect on every American, regardless of party.”

Sam Mangel, a federal prison counselor who helped Mr. Navarro prepare for his surrender, said he was working to get Mr. Navarro into a unit designed for inmates over 60 in a minimum-security satellite camp at the prison.

The inmates there share bunk beds in an open-plan dormitory with 80 beds and minimal privacy, Mr. Mangel, adding that Mr. Navarro, given his age, hoped to meet his prison work requirements through a job as a law library clerk or another low-paying job. intensity position.

The rambling speech, delivered outside a strip mall, was a typically idiosyncratic finale for Mr. Navarro, whose bravado and idiosyncrasies have been hallmarks of his career.

Mr. Navarro, a Harvard-educated economist, was a fierce critic of China and helped lay out Mr. Trump’s protectionist trade policies.

Before joining the Trump administration, Mr. Navarro drifted in and out of political parties, seeking office as a Democrat in California, but repeatedly fail.

In 1992, Mr. Navarro, running on an environmental platform, nearly won San Diego’s mayoral election, using stunts such as swimming a mile to a campaign event where he addressed a crowd in a Speedo. He was a speaker at the 1996 Democratic National Convention, where he endorsed President Bill Clinton.

Mr. Navarro also turned to academia, spending more than twenty years there a professor at the University of California, Irvine. While on the faculty, he cited a fictional alter ego, often called the Dark Prince of Disaster, in his books to provide scathing descriptions of China.

The start of Mr. Navarro’s prison term ended a lengthy legal challenge that ended at the Supreme Court on Monday as he sought to remain free while he appeals his conviction.

Mr. Navarro had argued that as a former adviser working on behalf of the president, his case raised new legal questions about the separation of powers and the scope of executive privilege.

But the judges were not swayed.

The outcome was in stark contrast to that of another former Trump aide, Stephen K. Bannon, who was sentenced to an identical prison term on parallel charges but was allowed to remain free by the federal judge presiding over his case.

The House committee sought to interview Mr. Navarro in part because he, along with Mr. Bannon, devised a strategy to mobilize Republican allies in Congress to delay certification of the election by repeatedly reducing electoral votes in battleground states to challenge. Mr. Navarro discussed the plan, nicknamed the Green Bay Sweep, openly in his memoirs and in interviews.

But when the committee asked for his testimony and documents from that period, Mr. Navarro declined to participate.

During his trial, Mr. Navarro’s lawyers argued that he had acted under the belief that Mr. Trump had asserted executive privilege and expected him not to cooperate.

But Mr. Navarro’s lawyers were able to point to little evidence that Mr. Trump had actually given instructions to that effect.

A lawyer for Mr. Navarro declined to comment on the appeal.

According to the Congressional Research Service, there is criminal enforcement of a congressional subpoena extremely rare. And as in Mr. Navarro’s case, prosecutions still often fail to provide Congress with access to the information sought, especially in cases involving the executive branch.

A special one civil lawsuit The case brought by the Justice Department is ongoing, in which prosecutors have been trying to recover hundreds of pages of presidential records that Mr. Navarro refused to provide to the National Archives and Records Administration after he left office.

The detention of Mr. Navarro, as the first aide to Mr. Trump jailed in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 election, was separate from the experience of other allies of the former president who face legal challenges were met, but ultimately had little consequence.

Mr. Trump’s longtime friend and adviser, Roger J. Stone Jr., was sentenced to 40 months in prison after being convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation into Mr. Trump’s campaign in 2016, after which Mr. Trump paid a commutation delivered at eleven o’clock.

Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser, pleaded guilty twice to lying to the FBI during the Russia investigation, but the Justice Department, after an extraordinary public campaign by Mr. Trump, moved abruptly to drop the criminal case against him traps. In the final months of his presidency, Trump issued a pardon.

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Lok Sabha elections: Nitish Kumar begins visit to Delhi today; Bihar seat-sharing pact on agenda

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 06:35:49 +0000

Nitish Kumar will hold meetings with top BJP leaders and a seat-sharing pact in Bihar for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections is likely to be announced before the JD(U) chief returns home.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar greeted each other during the inauguration and foundation stone laying of various development projects in Aurangabad, Bihar earlier this month. (ANI photo)

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The BJP-LED National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement in 2011 Bihar for the next one Lok Sabha polls as prime minister Nitish Kumar Today begins his four-day visit to Delhi, during which the Janata Dal (United) supremo will hold talks with the saffron party leadership.

Nitish Kumar, who recently returned to the NDA after ditching ties with the Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA blockwill arrive in the national capital this evening for a four-day visit before returning to Patna on Thursday.

Kumar will hold meetings with top BJP leaders and a seat-sharing pact in Bihar is likely to be announced before the JD(U) chief returns home.

Tejashwi in Delhi for seat-sharing talks in the INDIA bloc

Notably, Nitish’s former ally and deputy Tejashwi Yadav will also arrive in Delhi today to participate in seat-sharing talks with Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) INDIA bloc partners, Congress and the Left.

Addressing the mega rally of ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Manzil’-INDIA group at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Sunday, Tejashwi Yadav said the need of the hour was to protect the diversity and brotherhood in the nation and dismantle hateful ideologies that have have been plaguing the country for years. the past decade.

The RJD leader praised Rahul Gandhi and said the Congress MP was “trying to convey a message which is very important today… To save the Indian Constitution, brotherhood and defeat hatred”.

‘Will produce shocking results in Bihar’

Tejashwi Yadav, the son and heir apparent of former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, also took aim at Nitish Kumar, saying the BJP had hijacked “my uncle” in Bihar and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi JD(U) will not be making another U-turn in the near future.

Later, speaking to news agency ANI, Yadav expressed confidence that they will record “shocking” results in the upcoming general elections in Bihar.

“We are very confident and have made all arrangements for the Lok Sabha elections. This time, the election results in Bihar will shock everyone,” he said.

The Lok Sabha elections in Bihar will be held in seven phases starting from Phase 1 on April 19 to Phase 7 on June 1, 2024. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats, the fourth highest in the country after Uttar Pradesh (80) , Maharashtra (48) and West Bengal (42).

(With input from agencies)

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Chicago begins evicting migrants from shelters, citing strain on resources

Sabir Ansary — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 16:54:00 +0000

Officials in Chicago on Sunday began expelling some migrants from shelters, joining other cities that have taken similar steps to ease pressure on overburdened resources.

The process starts gradually. Of the nearly 11,000 migrants living in 23 homeless shelters in Chicago, a fraction — 34 single adults — had to leave on Sunday, according to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

Many people will qualify for exemptions. They will be determined on a case-by-case basis, city officials said, for pregnant women, people with certain medical problems and migrants already in the process of securing housing. Families with children can get a renewable 30-day extension.

But officials said more than 2,000 people would be evicted by the end of April. And many families with children may be forced to leave the childcare network altogether by the summer.

Backed by an army of volunteers, Chicago and other cities have found homes for migrants, enrolled their children in schools, provided food assistance and held workshops to help them fill out the paperwork to apply for work permits.

But housing migrants have drained city coffers: Chicago has received more than 37,000 migrants since August 2022. In total, hundreds of thousands of migrants have ended up in major cities in the past year.

The evictions put even more pressure on volunteers as they scramble to fill the void. Many of them said they were deeply concerned about the consequences, especially when targeting families.

“There’s a lot of fear that there will be people on the streets,” said Annie Gomberg, whose volunteer group, People’s Shelter Response, helps migrant families in Chicago.

For families in shelters, there was confusion and concern as news spread about the policy.

A Venezuelan migrant named Nelly, who declined to share her last name for fear of retaliation, said her family’s allotted time at the shelter would expire on March 19. “The social worker said there was no extension order, and we are waiting for the actual day to arrive to find out what happens,” she said.

As a mother of two children aged five and six with special needs, and a former dental hygienist in her home country, she said neither she nor her husband had found a job because they still did not have work permits. “It’s a scary situation,” she said, “because we can’t make any money.”

For months, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration had delayed enforcing a 60-day limit on shelter-in-place stays amid frigid temperatures and concerns about the impact of evicting people who might have nowhere to go.

The mayor, a progressive Democrat who took office last year, has repeatedly struck a welcoming tone toward migrants from Central and South America, while criticizing Governor Greg Abbott of Texas for orchestrating charter buses that have brought tens of thousands of migrants to Chicago.

But citing limited city services, Mr. Johnson decided to enforce the limit. And Chicago isn’t alone.

Denver began clearing hotels where migrants are staying in February. The city has received approximately 40,000 migrants.

Arrivals have declined since late last year, as they have in Chicago. So far this month, Denver has received 11 charter buses from the border, compared to seven in February — significantly fewer than in December, when 144 buses unloaded migrants. Still, the sheer number of newcomers has overwhelmed the city.

“What we have been actively doing is working around the clock with nonprofits to help families secure housing,” said Jon Ewing, a spokesperson for Denver Human Services.

“But we don’t have the resources to do this forever, and neither do the nonprofits,” he said. “It is very important to keep the numbers low.”

Hundreds of local families have taken in migrants and more are expected to do so in the coming months.

In New York, where the migrant shelter population is about 65,000, the city will begin limiting the time most adult migrants can stay in shelters to 30 days.

Some were allowed to stay longer if they met certain criteria. The new cap on shelter stays represents a major shift in the city’s right to shelter policy and is the result of months of negotiations in state court.

The city had already placed limits on how long migrants could stay in various shelters, forcing many out of their shelters and requiring them to reapply if they still wanted a bed, which is also part of Chicago’s new policy.

Families still have 60 days before they have to leave shelters and can apply to be readmitted under the new rules. The city has said that 80 percent of deported migrants eventually give up and voluntarily do not try to stay in the shelter system.

In all cities, the biggest barrier to achieving self-sufficiency for the migrants is their inability to secure a steady job without a work permit, a permit that gives them the legal right to work in the United States. Migrants who have crossed the border illegally and are seeking asylum are eligible for work authorization, but cannot apply for this benefit until 150 days after they submit their asylum application to immigration court.

Many migrants find odd jobs but have been unable to save enough money to pay sky-high rents and support their families in expensive cities, putting pressure on social services. The mayors of the cities, struggling with failed budgets, have appealed for help from the federal government.

Mayor Johnson said in a statement Friday that his city is “committed to compassion. By encouraging resettlement while providing case-specific extensions with an emphasis on health and safety, we are promoting a path to stability and self-sufficiency.”

Although migrants in Chicago who are deported will have the option to return to the city’s so-called landing zone, an intake center, to apply for admission to another facility, the possibility of being repeatedly uprooted is problematic, especially for families with children in Chicago. school.

“There is so much uncertainty and concern,” said Erika Villegas, a volunteer who has helped families secure apartments. “The families are wondering, ‘When am I next?'”

Julie Bosman and Andy Newman contributed reporting.

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Mike Tyson, 57, shows off his incredible strength and fitness as he begins pre-fight training camp with Jake Paul, the YouTube star 30 years his junior!: ‘It’s day one… the fun is just started’

Albert Elence — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 04:10:33 +0000

It has been revealed that the high-profile fight in Dallas will not involve any head guards
Tyson last fought competitively in 2005 and was in an exhibition fight in 2020
DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

By Alastair Talbot

Published: 11:06 PM EDT, March 13, 2024 | Updated: 00:03 EDT, March 14, 2024

Mike Tyson has shown off his incredible strength and fitness at the age of 57 as he begins training for his fight against Jake Paul, the YouTube star 30 years his junior.

Wednesday on .

“It’s day 1…the fun just started,” Tyson said at the end of the video, insinuating that there’s more to come in the next four months.

At the beginning of the month, Tyson, considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, said it would be fun to take on Paul, who has a 9-1 record with six knockouts. The fight will not involve any main guards, it has now been revealed.

‘Iron Mike’, who has a record of 50-6 with 44 knockouts, will be hoping to shake off the rust as it will be the first time in 19 years since his last competitive fight took place. His match against Paul will take place at AT&T Stadium, an 80,000-seat arena.

Mike Tyson showed fans he’s still at it at 57 as he prepares for his first fight since 2020

Tyson and Jake Paul, who has a record of 9-1 with six KOs, will fight on July 20 in Dallas, Texas

The high-profile fight will take place without headgear, with Tyson the odds-on favorite to win

“I’m really looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul,” Tyson said in a statement. “He has grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ”kid” can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

“It’s a full-circle moment that will be more than exciting to watch, as I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”

Paul was on the undercard in 2020 when Tyson and Jones fought in an exhibition fight that was scored as a draw.

“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard,” Paul said.

“Now, less than four years later, I’m going to take on Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most infamous and biggest icons.”

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Haryana floor test begins: CM Nayab Saini moves confidence motion in assembly to prove majority

Sabir Ansary — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:21:40 +0000

Nayab Singh Saini, the Lok Sabha MP from Haryana’s Kurukshetra, met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday to formally stake claim for the formation of the government in the state.

Nayab Singh Saini takes oath as Haryana CM

Haryana Floor Test Latest News: The Haryana floor test started at 11 am and Haryana CM Nayab Saini moved a vote of confidence during the special session of the House to prove majority for his government. A day after taking oath as Haryana chief minister, CM Nayab Singh Saini is conducting the floor test to prove majority in the Assembly.

Nayab Singh Saini, the Lok Sabha MP from Haryana’s Kurukshetra, met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday to formally stake claim to form the government in the state, replacing his predecessor, senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar. He took oath as the Haryana CM at a swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh.

Four BJP leaders Kanwar Pal Gujjar, Jai Parkash Dalal, Moolchand Sharma and Banwari Lal took oath as ministers in the Haryana cabinet.

An independent MLA Ranjit Singh was also administered oath by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya. Former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar was also present.

The newly elected CM said the BJP-led government in the state has the support of a total of 48 MLAs, adding that the Speaker has been urged to conduct the floor test on Wednesday.

“I would like to thank Prime Minister Modi, party president JP Nadda, union leader Amit Shah and other senior leaders of the party for giving me this responsibility. We will work for the development of the state. We have asked the Speaker to conduct the floor test in the Vidhan Sabha tomorrow around 11 am. We have informed the Governor about the support of 48 MLAs,” CM Saini said.

Following the collapse of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) alliance and the subsequent resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, former CM Khattar said the demand of the JJP leaders over the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha polls possibly led to the split of the alliance.

Manohar Lal Khattar said, “JJP leaders’ demand over seat sharing in the Lok Sabha polls may have led to the collapse of the alliance. The 10 seats in the state were won by the BJP. The JJP leaders must have spoken to the central leadership. There is nothing official but they (JJP) have decided that they will contest the Lok Sabha seats separately and the decisions have been taken accordingly.”

Nayab Saini, an influential figure within the OBC (or other backward classes) community, is the BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra and was appointed the party’s state chief in October last year. He is also a close confidant of Khattar, whose second (consecutive) term ends this year.

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Taxes on the rich, school funding, housing: New York’s budget battle begins

Sabir Ansary — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 19:12:39 +0000

What do free bus rides, new taxes for the rich and a stiff drink at the cinema have in common? All three have the support of lawmakers in the New York State Legislature.

These ideas and thousands of others were buried in the Senate Edit budget proposals released this week that offer a glimpse of lawmakers’ positions as Albany’s annual budget battle royale gets underway. Gov. Kathy Hochul must reach an agreement with leaders in the Senate and Congress on how the state can spend more than $230 billion before the April 1 budget deadline.

The fact that all three leaders are Democrats does not mean there is less to negotiate: taxing the wealthy, tenant protections and school funding are all up for debate again as Ms. Hochul, a centrist from Buffalo, will be forced to find common ground with an increasingly left-leaning legislature.

And while those debates have sometimes become intractable — last year’s budget came a full month late, after Ms. Hochul pushed to tighten the state’s bail laws — Democrats in both houses are eager to see a protracted ordeal with the avoid any consequential general elections in the offing.

In January, Ms. Hochul unveiled her $233 billion spending plan, which called for significant investments in mental health care, public safety and artificial intelligence research, as well as $2.4 billion to address New York City’s migrant crisis. But she also proposed cuts to education funding and health care, which have drawn criticism.

In their proposals, Democrats in the Senate and Assembly have opposed Ms. Hochul’s desired changes in education funding. while with their own proposals on how to solve the state’s housing crisis, make transportation more effective and accessible, and more.

Here’s what you need to know as budget talks begin.

A battle for financing education

Both the Senate and Assembly rejected key changes to school aid that Ms. Hochul proposed in an effort to reduce education spending, instead maintaining the formula the state uses to determine how much aid is distributed to individual districts. They have allocated $1 million for a study on this topic.

Ms. Hochul’s proposals have been a point of contention on both sides of the aisle. Although the governor’s budget would increase total education aid by about 2.4 percent compared to last year, about half of the state’s school districts would receive less state aid, and no district would receive as much as they expected under the current formula.

Ms Hochul’s budget would base funding partly on the average cost of living over the past ten years, as opposed to the year before. It would also end a decades-old practice that ensures districts never receive less state funding in a school year than the year before, even if enrollment declines.

The governor said these changes would help distribute aid in a way that more accurately reflects the needs of counties. But district leaders and lawmakers have said the changes will negatively impact many schools across the state, including in many low-income rural areas.

The General Assembly and Senate also rejected the governor’s proposal to grant Eric Adams four more years of control of New York City schools. New York City’s mayor has had control of the city’s schools since 2002, subject to renewal by the Legislature — an arrangement that has frustrated some lawmakers and parents who would like to see a new model.

Raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers

Both the Senate and Assembly proposed raising personal income taxes by half a percent through 2027 for people earning more than $5 million. Such an increase could generate nearly a billion in new revenue each year, they estimate.

When Ms. Hochul was asked about the proposal on Tuesday, she was clear: “Increasing income taxes is a non-starter for me,” she said.

The governor is strongly opposed to raising taxes, as she sees the measure as counterproductive to her goal of combating New York’s economic crisis. largest population loss in the country.

However, there has been much debate about whether tax increases on the wealthy actually drive New Yorkers out of the state: This is evident from an analysis by the Fiscal Policy Institute that it was in fact the working and middle classes who led the exodus, trends they linked to affordability issues more broadly.

Both houses also proposed an increase in corporate taxes and new tax credits for working families. The General Assembly would expand two existing credits, the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit. The Senate proposed a new credit, known as the Working Families Tax Credit, that would provide $550 to married couples making less than $130,000.

Will this be the year of housing construction?

Last year, Ms. Hochul proposed an ambitious plan to boost housing construction across the state. But that proposal and all others fell apart last year because all parties could not agree.

Senate Democrats introduced a package that aims to keep people in their homes while building new, affordable housing. The proposal includes initiatives to accelerate residential conversions, legalize basement apartments and free up money to help renters in the state avoid eviction.

Parts of the package — including proposals to replace an expired tax credit for developers, and raising the cap on what landlords who own rent-stabilized buildings can charge after improving a unit — are sure to be celebrated by landlords and developers .

But the package comes with one key condition: Senate Democrats say they won’t make any deal that doesn’t provide protections similar to those in the Good Cause Eviction legislation — a controversial bill that would limit landlords’ ability to to evict tenants or increase their rent above that. 3 percent in times of low inflation.

The General Assembly’s proposal also includes incentives for office conversions and for the construction of new housing on state land. And while it refers to protecting tenants from “erratic rent increases and unreasonable evictions,” it makes no mention of the tenant protection legislation that the Senate prioritized in a blow to progressives.

Tackling climate change

Both chambers proposed allocating millions for climate projects, including infrastructure for electric vehicles, heat pumps and solar panels.

But the Senate went further, eliminating a slew of tax breaks for the fossil fuel industry and backing a piece of legislation favored by environmentalists that would also require companies that have dumped significant amounts of fossil fuels into the atmosphere contribute to a fund to help the state adapt to climate change.

The Senate has also proposed legislation to eliminate subsidies for gas companies and limit energy bills. Ms. Hochul had included part of the proposal in her budget, but jettisoned some measures that the bill’s proponents said would keep costs down for taxpayers.

A high-speed train, free bus lines and cinema cocktails

While most of the budget language focuses on changes to New York’s existing programs, there are some newer ideas as well.

The Assembly and Senate proposed expanding New York City’s free bus pilot program to include three lines in each borough. The Senate also allocated $10 million for a “higher-speed rail” project, though few details were given on what that might be.

The Senate also rejected Ms Hochul’s proposal to make to-go drinks permanent. But instead, lawmakers proposed a change that would allow moviegoers to enjoy cocktails in theaters regardless of whether those theaters serve food.

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Admission Alert: IIM Kashipur Doctoral Program 2024 Admission Begins, Last Date to Apply March 31

Sabir Ansary — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:32:29 +0000

The gender diversity percentage for the batch stands at 27.8% women and 72.2% men.

Kashipur offers a wide range of fruitful areas for specialization under the Ph.D. program. (Image: Facebook/@IndianInstituteOfManagementKashipur)

IIM Kashipur Doctoral Program 2024: Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur, a leading B-school in India, is accepting applications for its Ph.D. courses including economics, finance, HR, public policy and others. With a 100% placement track record, this is your chance to apply to IIM Kashipur before March 31, 2024. IIM Kashipur’s fully residential Ph.D. Carefully designed for professionals, the 2024 program provides essential skills to delve into complex management issues and seek candidates with an excellent academic background, intellectual curiosity and the discipline to make significant scientific contributions.

Kashipur offers a wide range of fruitful areas for specialization under the Ph.D. program in the areas of communications, economics, finance and accounting, IT and systems, marketing, operations management and decision sciences, OB and HR management, strategy and finally public policy. The gender diversity percentage for the batch stands at 27.8% women and 72.2% men. Inviting the eligible candidates to the Kashipur campus, Admission Committee Chairman Abhradeep Maiti said, “Encouraging scientists to pursue research will help them in scientific curiosity, social or environmental aspirations, self-development (academic) and career prospects . The doctoral program offered by IIM Kashipur promises a robust mix of high-productivity areas for specialization curated for professionals. At IIM Kashipur, students will further enhance their ability to deal with complex management-related challenges and make notable scholarly contributions.”

With a 100% placement record, of the 19 scientists who received the Ph.D. degree from IIM Kashipur, placed at IITs, IIMs, Jindal Global Business School, Alliance School of Business, Alliance School of Business and others. Aspiring researchers can apply by visiting the official website of IIM Kashipur. The last date to fill the application form is March 31, 2024. Our faculty and doctoral scholars have published 77 research articles in peer-reviewed journals. IIM Kashipur was associated with another publication in a reputed Financial Times Top 50 Journal (Journal of Business Ethics) in 2022-2023. In addition, Kashipur has published 34 articles in A* and A category Scopus indexed journals such as Annals of Operations Research, Behavior and Information Technology, Business Strategy and the Environment, Computers and Industrial Engineering, Computers in Human Behavior and many others.

According to the Scopus Database, the number of citations of research publications of IIM Kashipur has increased from 621 in 2021 to 1426 in 2022. The research publications of IIM have increased from 26 in 2018 to 71 in 2022 and the number of citations from 131 in 2018 to 1426 in 2022. IIM Kashipur has secured 19th position among the top 50 management institutes/colleges in India in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)-2023 rankings released by the Ministry of Education. IIM Kashipur has also become the only IIM to enter the Top 50 of the NIRF-ARIIA (Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements) quotient, leaving other IIMs behind.

The eligibility for the PhD program 2024 at IIM Kashipur is:

1. A master’s degree or equivalent in any discipline with at least 60% marks.

2. Five-year integrated master’s program in any discipline with at least 60% marks obtained after completion of higher secondary education (10+2) or equivalent.

3. A professional qualification duly recognized by UGC/AICTE/AIU and equivalent to a Master’s degree (such as CA, CS, CMA) with at least 60% marks or equivalent marks average. 4. Bachelor’s degree of 4 years/8 semesters (BE/B.Tech./B. Arch. Etc.) with minimum 60% marks or equivalent marks average. The program also offers a scholarship of Rs. 37000 to Rs. 42000 per month, a contingency subsidy of Rs. 1.25 lakhs, and a conference grant of Rs. 3 lakhs.

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This Is Spinal Tap 2 begins filming 40 years after the original film

Sabir Ansary — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 03:34:08 +0000

Paul McCartney, Elton John. Getty Images (2)

Production of the sequel to Rob Reiniermockumentary from 1984 This is a spinal tap has officially started Elton John, Paul McCartney and more celebrities will appear.

Co-written and directed by Reiner, This is a spinal tap stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean And Harry Shearer as the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap. A satire on rock bands and the rock documentaries about them, This is a spinal tap is now considered a cult classic.

The long-awaited sequel, This is Spinal Tap IIrecently started filming in New Orleans, Variety reported on Monday, March 11, almost exactly 40 years after the first film was released on March 2, 1984.

At the time, Lumbar puncture marked Reiner’s directorial debut. Now he will return to direct the sequel, alongside Guest, McKean and Shearer, who will reprise their respective roles from the original: guitarist Nigel Tufnel, frontman David St. Hubbins and bassist Derek Smalls. Reiner, in turn, will reprise his role as documentary filmmaker Martin “Marty” DiBergi.

“I recently spoke with Marty DiBergi who said he was more than happy to take a sabbatical from his position as a visiting professor assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts to re-document Spinal Tap to take their place in rock’s pantheon to secure. and Roll,” Reiner said in a statement.

Cameos from Quest love And Trisha Jaarwood have been confirmed for the sequel, along with rock ‘n’ roll legends John and McCartney and country icon Garth Brooks. Reiner confirmed John, McCartney and Brooks’ cameos on the “RHLSTP with Richard Herring” podcast in November 2023.

KMazur/WireImage

“We are making a sequel,” Reiner said at the time. “We will start filming at the end of February. And everyone is back. And Paul McCartney comes along, and Elton John, and a few other surprises. Garth Brooks.”

This is Spinal Tap II – which, like the original, was co-written by Guest, McKean, Reiner and Shearer – will follow England’s loudest band as they reunite for one final concert after fifteen years.

“When it was announced that Spinal Tap would reunite for one final concert, Marty DiBergi saw this as an opportunity to make amends with the band who viewed This Is Spinal Tap as a hatchet job,” Reiner said in a May 2022 statement via Entertainment weekly when the sequel was first announced.

This is Spinal Tap II was originally scheduled for a March 19, 2024 premiere, coinciding with the film’s original release date. However, production was postponed due to the twin strikes of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) in 2023. A new release date for Backbone II has not yet been confirmed.

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Mollie King is supported by fiancé Stuart Broad and daughter Annabella, 16-months, as she begins 500km solo cycling challenge for Red Nose Day

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 23:44:54 +0000

Mollie King was supported by her fiancé Stuart Broad and their daughter Annabella as she kicked off her 500km solo cycling challenge for Red Nose Day on Monday.

The BBC Radio 1 presenter, 36, take to the saddle for five exhausting days as she cycles from London to her late father’s hometown of Hull, a place close to her heart.

Mollie lost her dad beloved dad Stephen from a brain tumour in November 2022 – just days after she welcomed her baby daughter Annabella with Stuart, 37.

Beginning her challenge at Television Centre in London, the singer hugged her family before setting off on her journey.

Former English cricketer Stuart and Annabella were seen clutching on to a sign which read ‘Go Mummy.’

Mollie King, 36, was supported by her fiancé Stuart Broad, 37, and their daughter Annabella, 16-months, as she kicked off her 500km solo cycling challenge for Red Nose Day on Monday

Former English cricketer Stuart and Annabella were seen clutching on to a sign which read ‘Go Mummy’

The challenge kicked off during the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James.

Molly said: ‘Today I start my weeklong journey cycling from London to Hull, via Manchester – we wanted to throw in some extra miles!

‘It’s going to be an almighty challenge, six -weeks ago I had never cycled on a road and today is the day I make my way to Hull.

‘I’ve been so nervous over the last few days, but I can’t wait to get going and I know that I have the Radio 1 listeners behind me as well as my amazing friends and family.

Knowing that this journey will make such a difference to so many people will help keep me going to that finish line’.

She added: ‘I unexpectedly lost my dad, just over a year ago, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with a brain tumour and we lost him just three-months later.

‘So, the reason for me doing this challenge is because I want to support people who are struggling, people who are hurting. Just anything at all, if I can possibly raise money then that is what I am doing this for.’

Matt Edmondson, Radio 1 presenter and Mollie’s co-host said: ‘I’ll be travelling alongside Mollie, encouraging her when times get tough and providing all the latest updates from the road.’

The former Saturdays singer lost her dad beloved dad Stephen – just days after she welcomed her baby daughter Annabella with partner Stuart

The BBC Radio 1 presenter take to the saddle for five exhausting days as she cycles from London to her late father’s hometown of Hull , a place close to her heart

Beginning her challenge at Television Centre in London, the singer hugged her family before setting off on her journey

The challenge kicked off during the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James

She was also joined by Melvin O’Doom

The week ahead will see Mollie pedal through the streets of Towcester, Burton-upon-Trent, Manchester and Leeds as she battles both physically and mentally to reach the finish line

He continued: ‘This week, she’s going to be spreading her magnetic energy throughout the UK, in a way that only Mollie can do.

‘She really wants to help people and her reason for this is so close to her heart. To set off on this challenge a year after losing her dad is extraordinary, she wants to raise money and will need our support and motivation to get her all the way to Hull’.

Greg James added: ‘Mollie will have a love affair with this bike, she’ll want to throw it into a ditch but will guard it with her life at the same time! It’s going to be a life changing experience in the most positive way.

‘My main advice is to take it all in. There are so many people supporting Mollie and we are all behind her on this epic adventure.’

Mollie was joined by her co-host Matt, friends, and family as she departs from central London and begins her mammoth journey north.

The week ahead will see Mollie pedal through the streets of Towcester, Burton-upon-Trent, Manchester and Leeds as she battles both physically and mentally to reach the finish line.

For someone who has never ridden a bike on the road, it’s certainly not going to be an easy ride.

Mollie’s stamina, spirit and strength will be tested like never before as she tackles the unpredictable great British weather while navigating winding country roads, the twists and turns of the Peak District, and busy city centres.

On her journey, Mollie will pass through villages, towns and cities where Comic Relief funded projects are providing essential support to people who need it most.

Radio 1 will be getting behind Mollie throughout the week, offering lots of support and keeping her motivated with messages of encouragement from listeners.

She will also be joined along the route by special guests. Radio 1 listeners can also contribute to special surprises to help Mollie keep pushing on when it’s getting tough and raise as much money as possible for Red Nose Day.

Discussing the challenge, Mollie said: ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be taking on this incredible challenge. The closer the start date gets the more daunting it’s becoming.

In August 2022 Stephen was diagnosed with a brain tumour and sadly died just three months later

For someone who has never ridden a bike on the road, it’s certainly not going to be an easy ride

Mollie’s stamina, spirit and strength will be tested like never before as she tackles the unpredictable great British weather while navigating winding country roads and city centres

‘I’ve been training for the last few weeks on an exercise bike and learning how to cycle on the road too, it’s been an incredibly steep learning curve.

‘I haven’t been able to exercise much since having my daughter, a year ago, so even getting back into the training is pushing me harder than I thought it would!’

She added: ‘I know the wonderful support from our fantastic Radio 1 listeners and my fellow presenters is definitely going to give me a boost when I’m feeling absolutely exhausted.

‘I know they’ll keep me going and I’ll be constantly thinking of the finish line in Hull, which was such an important place to me and my dad.

‘I know that he would be immensely proud that I am doing this for such a great cause. I’m going to give it absolutely everything and do my best for Comic Relief and the brilliant projects they support across the UK and around the world.’

Matt Edmondson, Radio 1 presenter and Mollie’s co-host said: ‘Mollie is my best friend in the whole world, and one of the most strong and determined people I’ve ever met.

‘Nevertheless, this challenge would push absolutely anyone beyond breaking point, so I’m in awe of her courage and ridiculously grateful that she’ll have all of the Radio 1 listeners supporting her through the literal highs and lows of this epic challenge.

‘I’ll be there too, reporting back on her progress, cheering her on and making bad jokes to try and distract her from the pain.’

Aled Haydn-Jones, Head of BBC Radio 1 added: ‘We’re so excited to follow Mollie on this challenge! We’re right behind her at Radio 1 and support every pedal of the journey.

‘We know it won’t be easy, but she will smash it as she always does. Good luck Mollie!’

Mollie King’s Pedal Power for Red Nose Day on Radio 1 will be broadcast live on Radio 1, BBC Morning Live and BBC Sounds across the week, with video highlights on Radio 1’s social channels.

The money raised for Mollie King’s Pedal Power for Red Nose Day on Radio 1 could help break the cycle of poverty for people in UK and around the world.

This includes support for children and young people who are experiencing neglect, abuse, stigma and physical and mental trauma.

Following her father’s death, Mollie revealed he had held on ‘a few extra days’ so he could meet his new granddaughter.

On her journey, Mollie will pass through villages, towns and cities where Comic Relief funded projects are providing essential support to people who need it most

Radio 1 will be getting behind Mollie throughout the week, offering lots of support and keeping her motivated with messages of encouragement from listeners

Discussing the challenge, Mollie said: ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be taking on this incredible challenge. The closer the start date gets the more daunting it’s becoming’

The money raised for Mollie King’s Pedal Power for Red Nose Day on Radio 1 could help break the cycle of poverty for people in UK and around the world

Confirming his passing in November 2022, she wrote: ‘Heartbroken beyond words. In August, my family’s world was shattered when my Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Last week, we had to face the day we hoped would never come and say goodbye.

‘Dad, we love you with all our hearts and we will miss you every single day. You have been our hero and it’s impossible to think of our lives without you.

‘You have always been there for us with every step we’ve taken and you even held on a few extra days to meet baby Annabella.

‘You gave us your everything. You will be in our hearts and our memories every single day.’

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