Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.fb777 app 。

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Real World Economics: Bitcoin is in a bubble phase; the bubble will burstECU CB Shavon Revel Jr. declares for NFL draftMary Fowler's decision to appears to have worked wonders after she scored a cracking goal for Manchester City on Sunday night. And the young crop of emerging Matildas players have shown the future is bright amid and other veterans when they retire. Fowler made her return to the field on Monday morning (Australian time), scoring a superb goal in City's 4-0 trouncing of Leicester. The 21-year-old decided to and Chinese Taipei last week to prioritise her physical and mental health amid a gruelling recent schedule. And she looked back at her brilliant best as City hammered the lowly Leicester thanks to a first-half double from Khadija Shaw. Fowler and Jess Park got on the scoresheet after the break, with Fowler smashing home a brilliant volley near the edge of the area. It was Fowler's second league goal of the season to go with her two in the Champions League. However City's win did little to help them in their pursuit of league leaders Chelsea, who made it nine wins out of nine with a 4-2 win over Dario Vidosic's Brighton side - equalling the record for consecutive wins at the start of a WSL season set by Arsenal on 2018-19. Meanwhile, Katrina Gorry enjoyed a big day for West Ham, scoring in a player-of-the-match performance in their 5-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace. And Kyra Cooney-Cross helped set up the convincing 4-0 win for Arsenal over Aston Villa, with Steph Catley and Cailtin Foord also featuring. Matildas keeper Teagan Micah had four goals put past her as Manchester City also thrashed Liverpool 4-0. While Clare Hunt and Hayley Raso were part of the Tottenham team that beat Everton 2-1. insanity. mary fowler. insane. — laur (@spooongs) Wow 😲 — Leo Go (@GodfreyLeo4) What an Effort by Mary Fowler ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 — RAFI AN (@Rafi_anee) MARY FOWLER WHAT A STRIKEEEEE — Saif (@MCWFC_saif) The Matildas' superstars all returned to their club teams in England after the second game against Brazil, leaving interim coach Tom Sermanni to field a . But it also allowed him to provide fans a glimpse into the future, and some of the young stars showed there's plenty to look forward to in 3-1 and 6-0 victories. for failing to plan well enough for the future, and there are concerns about who will step up to replace ageing veterans like Kerr, Gorry, Alanna Kennedy and Michelle Heyman. But the likes of Sharn Freier., Tash Prior and Bryleeh Henry have shown they're up for the task. The 23-year-old Freier appears a star in the making after playing at the Olympics earlier this year and scoring in back-to-back starts against Chinese Taipei. "To be honest, I didn't think playing for the Matildas (was an option) - I wanted to, 100 per cent, but did I think it was going to happen this fast? Absolutely not," she said on Saturday night. "It's been a very big year for me personally ... I get lost for words sometimes when I still sit back and think about it." Sermanni, who handed debuts to Kerr and Foord during his first stint as Matildas coach, likes what he sees. "If you look at one of those wildlife films, she looks like one of those lions that just sort of float about, and then suddenly there's a bit of prey, and then whoosh, they're off and they get them," he said. "You just never know what she's going to do. She looks like she just lobs along, but then her pace is so deceptive, and her ability to go past players. So she's got real raw potential. When you start to look at the ingredients that make an international player, and we look at the ingredients in a player that can make a difference, I think she's got all those parts." 6️⃣ goals from 6️⃣ different goalscorers! 🤩 🧵 2/2 — CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas)

USC women move to No. 4 in AP poll as top three unchangedThe world stands at the dawn of a “third nuclear age” in which Britain is threatened by multiple dilemmas, the head of the armed forces has warned. But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”

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Fresno State QB Mikey Keene transferring to MichiganPackham resigns as RSPCA president after animal cruelty claims at approved farmsCILT looks to transform face of global logistics

BART Director Mark Foley will once again serve as president of the regional rail line’s board in 2025 after his eight colleagues unanimously elected him to the position Thursday. Foley, who previously served as the BART Board of Directors’ president in 2021 and its vice president in 2020, 2023 and this year, represents District 2 that includes the Antioch, Concord, North Concord/Martinez, Pittsburg/Bay Point and Pittsburg Center stations in Contra Costa County. He succeeds former BART District 9 Director Bevan Duffy , who represented the bulk of The City’s stations before opting not to run for reelection in 2024. District 5 Director Melissa Hernandez, whose district includes Alameda and Contra Costa counties, was elected vice president. The former Dublin mayor was the first Latina to serve on the agency’s board , according to BART. Foley and Hernandez face significant challenges atop the board in 2025, with BART staring down a deeply uncertain fiscal future. The pair will be tasked with identifying new funding sources and attracting more riders. “I look at 2025 as a year to invest in ourselves,” Foley said during Thursday’s nomination. “We need to let the public know how valuable BART is to their lives.” He said BART would have to continue providing clean, reliable, safe service in an effort to let riders know that public transit is a viable transportation option, as opposed to driving on the freeway. Foley also told the board that BART staff would need to identify how the agency could exist in the future, given that the COVID-19 pandemic upended the agency’s reliance on fares as the primary means of funding operations. November BART weekday ridership was down to 40.4% of pre-pandemic levels , according to Metropolitan Transportation Commission data, although the average station exits (166,035) were about level with the same month in 2023. BART continues to run using emergency funds that the agency says will run out in 2026. It faces a $35 million deficit in the fiscal year beginning July 1 and a $385 million deficit beginning a year later, according to the agency. Foley said regional transit operators were working alongside the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to determine how they could best progress toward placing on a future ballot a regional-transportation bond measure aimed at avoiding service cuts throughout the Bay Area. BART Board Director Janice Li, who served as president in 2023 while Foley was vice president, said Thursday that the job “is extremely thankless because it is truly the role of herding cats.” “It is a significant amount of work on top of everything we already have to do as board directors,” she said. Li told Foley the rest of the directors would support him in his new role to guarantee that “this board and this agency work well, competently and run the service we need.” Hernandez said during the meeting that she is looking forward to “getting stuff done” and “possibly doing some team-building in the next year because we do have so many new board members.” Among the agency’s highlights from this past year, Foley said that staff are “flying through” the installation schedule of new fare gates at BART’s network of stations , with crews expected to install the remaining fare gates next year. Foley said his term would also be focused on building the agency’s remaining electrical power substations, which help operate BART’s trains. A new train-control system is also in the works, which Foley said would improve the agency’s safety and reliability as the system would determine where to distribute power based on which parts of the track are being heavily used. “Folks’ daily schedules revolves around when we’re gonna be at the station, when they can leave, when they’re getting to work,” Foley said, adding that the ability to consistently provide power is critical for day-to-day activities. Looking ahead, Foley said he was also excited about upgrades being made to Clipper’s payment system , with the new technology expected to launch in April. New benefits of “Clipper 2.0” include the ability for riders to cover their fares by tapping onto Clipper stations using debit and credit cards that are capable of contactless payments. Other improvements rolling out later in the year include free and reduced price transfer among regional operators. Foley said the adoption of new technology would allow riders to make easier transactions, fulfilling the agency’s effort to “make transit as simple as possible for people to jump on and use.”

Plans to add parking charges to a park in Bromley have been scrapped by the council after opposition from a local athletics club. The club had claimed the charges would have had a 'disastrous' effect on its future, but a clause in its lease agreement has quashed the authority's plans anyway. Bromley Council had approved a scheme last week to add charging for the car park in Norman Park in an effort to generate £35,000 a year for the authority. However, following an enquiry by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the council has confirmed it will not be going ahead with the planned charges after reviewing its lease agreement with Blackheath & Bromley Harriers Athletics Club. The lease, seen by the LDRS, states that employees, contractors and visitors of the club have the right to use the car park without charge. It also said that the landlord for the site, Bromley Council, should not impose fees for vehicles parking in the car park. Conservative Councillor Nicholas Bennett, Executive Councillor for Transport, Highways & Road Safety told the LDRS: "I was made aware shortly before the PDS Committee meeting of the existence of a lease. Consequently, I amended the recommendation at the meeting so that a discussion could take place with the lessee." He added: "Having now seen and read a copy of the lease I have decided that it would not be right to proceed with the proposal. As a public body we must always stand by any agreements that are made." Blackheath & Bromley Harriers was founded in 1869 and has produced several nationally recognised athletes, including Dina Asher-Smith who has achieved three Olympic medals for Great Britain since 2016. The track in the park has been in use since 1981, with the club being given planning permission in December 2019 to build a new clubhouse and sports centre, which it formally moved into in February 2023. Tim Soutar, a trustee of the athletics club, told the LDRS: "While it's unfortunate that we weren't approached before the proposal became public, I'm sure that the many users of the Norman Park Community Centre and Track will be relieved to learn that it's to go no further." He added: "When we originally agreed to take on responsibility for the track, we knew we would need to make a major investment to expand the facilities to secure a sustainable future based on community use. Ensuring free parking for users was a key element of the business plan and, accordingly, a red line during our lease negotiations. Since its opening less than two years ago, the centre has proved extremely popular and we hope it will remain so for many years to come." Chris Hilditch is a trustee of Norman Park Track Management, who run the park's athletic track on behalf of the club. He said that aside from the club's athletics teams, the community centre is used for art classes, a dementia hub, sign language courses and a variety of exercise classes. The club had stated that charges for the car park would have had a 'disastrous' effect on its future by adding a further financial burden to individuals using the facilities. Mr Hildtich told the LDRS: "A lot of the things that we do here are very price and footfall sensitive. For instance, we need footfall from the cafe to operate and generate revenue." Regarding the charges, he added: "[Parents] would be looking at probably double the amount they would be paying for their kids to be here and that would definitely impact the amount that comes along. Of course, it would impact the end of the spectrum which are the poorest because they're the ones that can't afford it and I feel very uncomfortable with that as a prospect." The U-turn on the decision also follows a petition against the scheme which was signed by over 5,700 residents. Residents living near the park told the LDRS that they were concerned about the effect the charging would have had on traffic and parking on local streets such as Hayes Lane, where congestion is already 'crazy'. Locals said the car park is frequently full from people doing activities such as parkrun. Bromley Mencap, a charity based in Norman Park that supports disabled residents, said it was concerned that the charges would impact both its staff and clients by creating barriers to the outdoor space. Anna McEwen, CEO of Bromley Mencap, told the LDRS: "We are delighted, and relieved, to hear that the council has made the decision not to proceed with the parking charges proposal at Norman Park. This would have had a detrimental impact on our day service for adults with learning disabilities and the social enterprises (coffee kiosk and bike loan scheme) that we run within the park that rely on visitors to the park." She added: "I am very happy that residents, including the people we support, are able to continue to use the park and facilities within it without being charged to park." Have a story you want to share? Email joseph.coughlan@reachplc.com . Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also resigned as vice-president of the animal welfare organisation, with both of them expressing their “sadness” over leaving the roles. It comes after an Animal Rising investigation made claims of cruelty at “RSPCA Assured” slaughterhouses in England and Scotland, with the campaign group sharing footage of alleged mistreatment. RSPCA Assured is a scheme whereby approved farms must comply with the organisation’s “stringent higher welfare standards”, according to its website. Mr Packham shared the news of his resignation on social media, saying: “It is with enormous sadness that I have resigned from my role as president of the RSPCA. “I would like to register my respect and admiration for all the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to protect animals from cruelty.” Ms Lucas said she and Mr Packham failed to get the charity’s leadership to act. She posted on X, formerly Twitter: “With huge sadness I’m resigning as VP of the RSPCA, a role I’ve held with pride for over 15 years. “But their Assured Schemes risk misleading the public & legitimising cruelty. “I tried with @ChrisGPackham to persuade the leadership to act but sadly failed.” In June, the RSPCA commissioned an independent review of 200 farms on its assurance scheme which concluded the scheme was “operating effectively” to assure animal welfare on member farms. Following Animal Rising’s release of footage last week, the charity said it was “appalled” by what was shown, adding that it launched an immediate investigation and suspended three slaughterhouses from the scheme. In the wake of Mr Packham and Ms Lucas’ resignations, an RSPCA spokesperson said it is “simply not true” that the organisation has failed to take urgent action. They said: “We agree with Chris and Caroline on so many issues and have achieved so much together for animals, but we differ on how best to address the incredibly complex and difficult issue of farmed animal welfare. “We have discussed our work to drive up farmed animal welfare standards openly at length with them on many occasions and it is simply not true that we have not taken urgent action. “We took allegations of poor welfare incredibly seriously, launching an independent review of 200 farms which concluded that it was ‘operating effectively’ to improve animal welfare. “We are taking strong steps to improve oversight of welfare, implementing the recommendations in full including significantly increasing unannounced visits, and exploring technology such as body-worn cameras and CCTV, supported by £2 million of investment.” The charity insisted that while 94% of people continue to choose to eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy, it is the “right thing to do” to work with farmers to improve the lives of animals. “RSPCA Assured visit all farms on the scheme every year, but last year just 3% of farms were assessed for animal welfare by state bodies,” the spokesperson continued. “No-one else is doing this work. We are the only organisation setting and regularly monitoring animal welfare standards on farms. “We have pioneered change through RSPCA Assured, which has led to improvements throughout the industry including CCTV in slaughterhouses, banning barren battery cages for hens and sow stalls for pigs, giving salmon more space to swim and developing slower growing chicken breeds who have better quality of life.”

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AP Business SummaryBrief at 1:35 p.m. ESTWorld News Live: Welcome to our World News live blog, your go-to source for instant updates on major events across the globe. Whether it's political shifts, economic trends, environmental crises, or international conflicts, we deliver real-time reports to keep you informed and engaged with the latest global developments. Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated live blog and has not been edited by Hindustan Times staff. ...Read More World News Live : Woman wins civil damages claim against MMA star Conor McGregor over rape accusation US News Live : Matt Gaetz reveals he will not rejoin Congress next year: ‘I’m still going to be in the fight’NoneTribune News Network DOHA: Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Eng Badr Mohammed Al Meer, took part in this year’s Doha Forum, highlighting the airline’s commitment to sustainable growth, its strategic partnerships and focus on innovation with CNN anchor and correspondent, Julia Chatterley. The 22nd edition of the Doha Forum was held under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Forum welcomed world leaders, policy-makers, and experts to discuss innovative solutions and action-oriented recommendations for globally critical challenges, including security and technological advancements. The discussion with Eng Al Meer explored the impact of transformative investments, the navigation of complex geopolitical landscapes and seizing opportunities in emerging markets. Eng Al Meer shed light on one of his top priorities, Qatar Airways 2.0, which is focused on employee well-being and retention. He also discussed strategic partnerships from Africa to Australia, and the honour of being awarded the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax in 2024 for the eighth time. Eng Al Meer, said: "I was proud to represent Qatar Airways at this year’s Doha Forum." "Our increasingly connected world has introduced unique challenges, but has also unearthed new opportunities for cross-cultural understanding, much to the benefit of the aviation industry. Qatar Airways has strong and strategic diplomatic ties across the world and is a key player on the global stage. The demand for our services has remained high during both peak and low travel seasons." He continued: "With our partnerships in the emerging markets in Africa, the Americas, and India, we have built on our strengths of agility and commitment to sustainable growth to prove time and time again that Qatar Airways remains resilient, nimble, and responsive to change. These qualities are essential for growth in a multi-lateral environment." "Owing to our new era of Qatar Airways 2.0, dedication to our workforce, and growing investments and partnerships, our airline serves as the optimal case study for thriving businesses in rapidly evolving landscapes." Delivering a record profit of $1.7 billion in the previous financial year, Qatar Airways continues to invest in the latest technologies, most recently as the first global airline to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet. The airline also acquired a 25 per cent stake in Southern Africa’s regional carrier, Airlink, and has been granted interim authorisation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to engage with Virgin Australia in co-operative conduct under an integrated alliance, following Qatar Airways Group’s announcement in October that it intends to acquire a minority 25 per cent equity stake in Virgin Australia from Bain Capital (subject to FIRB approval), as part of its dedication to global connectivity. Copy 08/12/2024 10

NoneHouse control won’t last longAustralia news LIVE: Labor fast-track social media ban; ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas leaderHe is not yet in power but President-elect Donald Trump rattled much of the world with an off-hours warning of stiff tariffs on close allies and China -- a loud hint that Trump-style government by social media post is coming back. With word of these levies against goods imported from Mexico, Canada and China, Trump sent auto industry stocks plummeting, raised fears for global supply chains and unnerved the world's major economies. For Washington-watchers with memories of the Republican's first term, the impromptu policy volley on Monday evening foreshadowed a second term of startling announcements of all manner, fired off at all hours of the day from his smartphone. "Donald Trump is never going to change much of anything," said Larry Sabato, a leading US political scientist and director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "You can expect in the second term pretty much what he showed us about himself and his methods in the first term. Social media announcements of policy, hirings and firings will continue." The first of Trump's tariff announcements -- a 25 percent levy on everything coming in from Mexico and Canada -- came amid an angry rebuke of lax border security at 6:45 pm on Truth Social, Trump's own platform. The United States is bound by agreements on the movement of goods and services brokered by Trump in a free trade treaty with both nations during his first term. But Trump warned that the new levy would "remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country" -- sowing panic from Ottawa to Mexico City. Seconds later, another message from the incoming commander-in-chief turned the focus on Chinese imports, which he said would be hit with "an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs." The consequences were immediate. Almost every major US automaker operates plants in Mexico, and shares in General Motors and Stellantis -- which produce pickup trucks in America's southern neighbor -- plummeted. Canada, China and Mexico protested, while Germany called on its European partners to prepare for Trump to impose hefty tariffs on their exports and stick together to combat such measures. The tumult recalls Trump's first term, when journalists, business leaders and politicians at home and abroad would scan their phones for the latest pronouncements, often long after they had left the office or over breakfast. During his first four years in the Oval Office, the tweet -- in those days his newsy posts were almost exclusively limited to Twitter, now known as X -- became the quasi-official gazette for administration policy. The public learned of the president-elect's 2020 Covid-19 diagnosis via an early-hours post, and when Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani was assassinated on Trump's order, the Republican confirmed the kill by tweeting a US flag. The public and media learned of numerous other decisions big and small by the same source, from the introduction of customs duties to the dismissal of cabinet secretaries. It is not a communication method that has been favored by any previous US administration and runs counter to the policies and practices of most governments around the world. Throughout his third White House campaign, and with every twist and turn in his various entanglements with the justice system, Trump has poured his heart out on Truth Social, an app he turned to during his 20-month ban from Twitter. In recent days, the mercurial Republican has even named his attorney general secretaries of justice and health via announcements on the network. "He sees social media as a tool to shape and direct the national conversation and will do so again," said political scientist Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University professor. cjc/ft/dw/bjt

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. A handful of technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 63 points, or 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3%. Broadcom jumped 5.2% to also help support the broader market. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Honda rose 3.8% and Nissan rose 1.6% in Tokyo. Eli Lilly rose 3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 24% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.58% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.Google Proposes Alternatives to a Breakup