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By Funto Omojola, NerdWallet Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. The Kroger grocery store giant has a co-branded credit card that earns the most when you pay using an eligible digital wallet, and some major credit cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories have a history of incentivizing digital wallet use. But again, these days it’s not just about the rewards. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal can offer immediate access to your credit line while you wait for your physical card to arrive after approval. Indeed, most major issuers including Bank of America®, Capital One and Chase now offer instant virtual credit card numbers for eligible cards that can be used upon approval by adding them to a digital wallet. Additionally, many co-branded credit cards — those offered in partnership with another brand — commonly offer instant card access and can be used immediately on in-brand purchases. Credit cards typically take seven to 10 days to arrive after approval, so instant access to your credit line can be particularly useful if you need to make an urgent or unexpected purchase. Plus, they allow you to start spending toward a card’s sign-up bonus right away. As issuers push toward mobile payments, a growing number of merchants and businesses are similarly adopting the payment method. The percentage of U.S. businesses that used digital wallets increased to 62% in 2023, compared to 47% the previous year, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the Federal Reserve Financial Services. Wider acceptance is potentially good news for the average American, who according to Experian has about four credit cards. While that won’t necessarily weigh down your wallet, it can be hard to manage multiple cards and rewards categories at once. Mobile wallets offer a more efficient way to store and organize all of your workhorse cards, while not having to carry around ones that you don’t use often. They can also help you more easily monitor your spending and rewards, and some even track your orders’ status and arrival time. Plus, paying with a digital wallet offers added security. That’s because it uses technology called tokenization when you pay, which masks your real credit card number and instead sends an encrypted “token” that’s unique to each payment. This is unlike swiping or dipping a physical card, during which your credit card number is more directly accessible. And again, because a mobile wallet doesn’t require you to have your physical cards present, there’s less chance of one falling out of your pocket or purse. More From NerdWallet Funto Omojola writes for NerdWallet. Email: fomojola@nerdwallet.com. The article Activating Your Credit Card? Don’t Skip the Mobile Wallet Step originally appeared on NerdWallet .Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump's most contentious picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted on Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Storm inundates Northern California with rain, heavy snow. Thousands remain in the dark in Seattle HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain from a major storm prompted evacuation warnings for communities near a Northern California river that forecasters say could break its banks Friday, as the system continued to dump heavy snow in mountainous areas where some ski resorts opened for the season. The storm reached the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands before moving through Northern California, where several roads were closed due to flooding and strong winds toppled some trees. Forecasters are warning about the risk of flash flooding and rockslides in areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by this season’s strongest atmospheric river. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Brazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. The findings are to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation. The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.
Southampton boss fumes at VAR and two crucial decisions that went in Liverpool's favourSomething tender seems all the more charming when it exists in a hectic world. Cary Gitter’s “ Gene & Gilda ” now running at New Brunswick’s George Street Playhouse shows us that even big Hollywood, with all its noise and demands, can be the breeding ground for a charming love story. Gitter’s title characters are Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner, famous Hollywood love birds throughout the 1980s until Radner’s death at 42 years old from ovarian cancer. The 80-minute two-hander opens shortly after that death: Wilder (Jonathan Randell Silver) is giving his first public interview and trying with everything he has to keep the conversation professional and not discuss the still-too-raw loss of his wife. Unfortunately, the specter of Radner (Jordan Kai Burnett) crashes the festivities and forces Wilder to recount the pair’s brief yet engulfing love. The story starts, as we might expect, on a movie set. Wilder is a big star. Radner is parlaying her Saturday Night Live fame into a first film role. He is polite enough, but standoffish and maybe even aloof. She is assertive and unabashed in her professional and personal admiration for her famous costar. It is ultimately Radner who initiates the mildly scandalous backstage love affair that blossoms into a grand romance, and it is Wilder who proves powerless to her advances. Gitter paints Wilder as a ball of neuroses and nerves, and Radner as the relationship’s steadying influence despite her manic energy. Radner seems not too far removed from the woman who created Roseanne Roseannadanna and Emily Litella for SNL, but Wilder could not be any less Willy Wonka. This dynamic offers a unique and intriguing perspective on this relationship. We always want our funny stars to be funny people, but “Gene & Gilda” is far more concerned with the people behind the comedic masks. Gitter could very well have written a larger-than-life Wilder to meet the bustling energy he gave Radner, but in the contrasts the playwright creates between the characters and in relief of their screen personas, the play achieves an air of authenticity. The story feels ultimately like it is about lovers who are trying to navigate the fame that happens to be in their lives. Gitter’s writing is crisp, and Joe Brancato’s direction is sprightly: the show’s 80-minute run time dances by with a lively rhythm just as its two stars occasionally share their love in short, cute dance numbers. Beyond looking the part of their famous characters (eerily so at times), Burnett and Silver do fine work to find the depth in their characters. Burnett’s Radner is full of freewheeling energy, but she is best when she is most poignant and displaying the humanity inside the actress. The play does not dwell on her illness and death, but Burnett does well to preserve Radner’s spirit as cancer pulls away her life. Silver’s Wilder is full of neurotic energy, his story less the tears of a clown and more the nerves of a clown. But the character still feels very real as he shows us how this relationship provides him respite and uplift his career as a comic superstar never could. “Gene & Gilda” is a tender and brief play about a tender and brief romance, finding a uniquely human perspective on a story full of Hollywood lore. “Gene & Gilda” George Street Playhouse, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick Tickets online: https://georgestreetplayhouse.org/ . Running through Dec. 22. Patrick Maley may be reached at patrickjmaley@gmail.com . Find him on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @PatrickJMaley. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook
Dejan Kulusevski cannot wait for the opportunity to play against Manchester City again after Tottenham ran riot at the Etihad Stadium. The Sweden midfielder hailed Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of the champions as the best game of his career. The 24-year-old delivered an outstanding performance as Spurs shattered the champions’ 52-game unbeaten home run, helping start the rout with a superb cross for James Maddison’s opening goal. Kulusevski said: “I believed (we would win) this because in the past years, we’ve come here and played really well. “So this is the game I look forward to most in the year and, once again, it happened – glory to God. “I’d say it’s the best result ever in my career. It’s a big night for the whole club, for the coach, for the players. “Because City have a lot of the ball sometimes, we can rest when we defend. There’s also so much space up there, we play one against one and then it’s always dangerous because we have a lot of quality. “It’s always great to play great teams because they always want to play football. When you play lower teams, sometimes it’s not. There’s not much football played because they are a lot of fouls, a lot of injuries and it’s slow going.” Maddison stole the show with two goals in quick succession in the first half while Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson later got on the scoresheet. Kulu-chef-ski cooked 👨🍳 📊 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) Yet Kulusevski’s performance was also eye-catching and the player himself believes there is plenty more to come from him. Asked if his form made him feel “unstoppable”, Kulusevski said: “I feel like that. I feel very good and I’m trying to keep this way. I’m very happy, I’m trying to improve. “I started the season good but there is over half of the season left and I hope I can do much better. “I think I have something that no other player has. With my engine, with my heart – I don’t get tired – I feel like I can do a lot still in my career.” Spurs have won more matches against Pep Guardiola's Man City than any other side 👀 — Premier League (@premierleague) Tottenham’s scintillating performance marked a spectacular return to form after their dismal loss to Ipswich in their previous Premier League outing. Kulusevski said: “We have to be much more consistent. It’s not a turning point. We just have to be better in other games. “This game suited us perfectly but we have a lot of improvement to make in the other games.”
1929’s “Black Thursday” was a stock market crash that marked the beginning of the great depression. 1987’s “Black Monday” was also a devastating blow to financial markets that decimated $1.71 trillion of wealth in a single day. Despite its similar name, Black Friday is the moniker of a much more benign phenomenon — the biggest and most publicized shopping day of the year. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was blocked Wednesday from quickly advancing a bill that would allow local law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones, ensuring Congress won't act this year on the mysterious drone sightings that have bewildered residents of New Jersey and across the eastern U.S. Schumer, a New York Democrat, sought to speed a bipartisan bill through the Senate by seeking unanimous consent on the floor, but Sen. Rand Paul , a Kentucky Republican, objected to its passage. “The people in New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions, and they’re not getting good enough answers,” said Schumer. “The utter confusion surrounding these drone sightings shows that the feds can’t respond all on their own.” Schumer has also called for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators. The Senate bill would have also enhanced some federal agencies’ authority to act on drones, as well as started a pilot program to allow states and local authorities to disrupt, disable or seize a drone without prior consent of the operator. “This bill would ensure that law enforcement has the technology needed to quickly and clearly identify exactly what the reported sightings of drones across the country actually are,” said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who sponsored the bipartisan bill. National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But they can’t say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones over parts of New Jersey, New York and other eastern parts of the U.S. Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against the drones, including shooting them down. Paul, the Kentucky Republican who often advocates for limiting governmental powers, said that he was objecting because it is not clear there is a threat that warrants urgent action. He said the bill would “expand federal authority to intercept communications and disrupt drone activity — powers that raise serious concerns for Americans' privacy, civil liberties, and Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure.” Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.
After turning to Tommy DeVito as his starting quarterback following and over the past week, coach Brian Daboll said he was counting on the second-year passer to recreate the "spark" he ignited last season in his memorable rookie run. On Sunday, however, it was more of the same for the NFL's lowest-scoring offense and a franchise now tied for the league's worst record at 2-9. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rolled to a 30-7 win over the Giants as DeVito threw for just 189 yards and took four sacks. After the game, multiple Giants standouts vented their frustration with the organization. "It ain't the quarterback," said rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who led the Giants with six catches for 64 yards. "Same outcome when we had DJ at quarterback. "I don't know what it is," Nabers added when asked to identify the team's problem. "Everybody know better than me. ... I know I'm tired of losing." Nabers also described the team's performance as "soft as (expletive)." Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence also ridiculed New York's toughness on the day. “We played soft, and they beat the (expletive) out of us today,” Lawrence told reporters after the game. The Buccaneers scored on five of their first six possessions to race out to a 30-0 lead over the Giants by the early third quarter. Four different players scored a rushing touchdown for Tampa Bay, while 11 recorded a reception. Devin Singletary's 1-yard score in the fourth quarter prevented New York from being shut out. Jones was officially waived by the Giants on Saturday in what co-owner John Mara called a "mutual" decision. The sixth-year starter sought a separation after he was demoted and later buried on the depth chart behind DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle. But with DeVito in the lineup, the Giants were sent to their sixth straight loss as the Buccaneers ended their own four-game skid. Frustration with the offensive game plan seemed to boil over for Nabers, who wasn't targeted until the start of the third quarter. "I mean, can’t do nothing," Nabers said. "Start getting the ball when it’s 30-0. What do you want me to do?” Asked why he wasn't getting the ball earlier, Nabers turned the question back to his head coach. “Talk to (Daboll) about that,” Nabers said. “They come up to me and ask me what plays I want, and that was that."There is little chance of a new government being formed by then. But it will almost certainly be clear what it is going to look like. And that will not include the Labour Party. Several party sources, who all spoke on condition of anonymity, said they did not wish to pre-empt any decision taken by the parliamentary party. But all confirmed that it is their strong expectation that leader Ivana Bacik will recommend that the party does not proceed with negotiations about joining a coalition government, and that will be approved overwhelmingly by the TDs. So Labour will be out. The reasoning is simple: the tyranny of the numbers. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil combined are two seats short of a Dáil majority of 88. That means the two parties are close enough to a majority anyway to significantly diminish Labour’s leverage in both the negotiations on a programme for government and in office. Labour sources have examined this from all angles and keep coming back to this point: put bluntly even if they walked out of government there is no guarantee that it would fall and precipitate a general election. A few Independent votes would be found to sustain it. And without the nuclear option, they feel, Labour would be left in a position of untenable weakness. “If we walked away,” says one senior figure, “the government would continue. We know it. They know it.” Sure, there are other reasons too. After 10 years wondering if there was any future for the party, sources say, they now finally feel Labour is rebuilding, on a path of growth. Entering government would put that at risk. That is the reality of coalition politics for a smaller party. And they are looking over their shoulders at the Social Democrats . The two parties – ideological allies on the centre left – are of course deadly rivals for votes. Indeed, Labour has no doubt been especially enjoying the Social Democrats’ difficulties this week. It would be the earnest wish of each for the other to enter government – whereupon the party still in opposition would expect to scoop up support from the other. So that’s a factor too. But mostly it’s about the brutal logic of the numbers. Even those who are inclined to make the best deal that they can recognise the weakness of the Labour position. If the numbers were tighter – if, say, the Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil combination was seven to 10 seats short of a majority – then Labour would be in the game. Another instalment of the party’s periodic internal wrangles over coalition would be on the cards. But the strong expectation of officials and TDs is that will be shut down today. That is also the expectation of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. “If we needed them more they’d be more interested,” said one Government source. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats are holding the door ajar, at least a bit. Their parliamentary party decided to continue discussions with all parties. But there is – at most – little expectation in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that the Soc Dems are serious about engaging on the programme for government. “And even if they were,” says one Government insider, “I’m not sure we’d want them.” After a week of talks and shape-throwing, with plenty more to come, all roads lead back to the Independents.One of the interesting facts about Scott Morrison’s period as prime minister is that he managed to squander public approval twice. The second came via a long, protracted slide through most of the pandemic. But in fact his popularity had sunk as low – and much, much faster, at least in Newspoll – just a few months after his 2019 election victory. The main event involved was that summer’s bushfires. His trip to Hawaii is the symbol of that failure, but the actual problems were long and drawn-out. There was the slowness to act and the failure to meet with emergency leaders, the mangled handshakes, “I don’t hold a hose” and the sidestepping of the climate debate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton are neck and neck in opinion polls. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The political ramifications of a natural disaster are the least important thing about it. I recount this because it’s always worth keeping in mind, in politics, how quickly things can change. Also: how dominant a crisis can be. Morrison’s disastrous summer, in fact, was only really rescued by the advent of another crisis – the early part of the pandemic, when his numbers soared – before that crisis, too, destroyed him. Recent weeks have seen at least two significant shifts, with another at least possible. For a long time, it seemed as though the Albanese government would get a rate cut – even two – before the election. As I wrote a few weeks back, this had the potential to act as tangible affirmation of its economic strategy , the other elements of which – wage growth, job creation – had been lining up nicely. Last week, Westpac joined NAB in predicting the next rate cut would come on May 20 – three days after the last possible date for the election. The government now has to hope voters’ moods improve without that rate cut. It’s possible. Essential poll last week found a small fall in people who say they’re struggling. There was a small but notable shift in one of the more interesting indicators: whether people believe the country is on the right track. It’s too early to spot a trend, and more people disagree than agree – but the “right direction” figure was (just) the highest it’s been since May 2023 . Illustration by Joe Benke Credit: The second change is the victory of Donald Trump. There are signs – like his retreat from the nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney-general – that Trump’s term may be as bizarre as his first. One veteran observer suggested to me some time ago that a Trump victory may play into Albanese’s slow-and-steady approach: that in an era of messiness, boredom becomes appealing. At present, though, the opposite is the case. Last week, a Freshwater Strategy poll in the Australian Financial Review found 36 per cent of voters believed Albanese was best placed to deal with Trump – against 47 per cent who favoured Dutton. Finally, we should all hope this is a quiet season for natural disasters. Recent weeks have reminded us, this can’t be taken for granted. There have been bushfires in Queensland, the ABC reporting that amid the smoke last month Mount Isa was briefly “the most polluted city in the world”. There were evacuations in response to fires in Victoria (arson seems to have played a role in several of these). How bushfires might affect the political situation would depend, to a great extent, on the prime minister’s response. This close to a poll, major conclusions drawn would be about him personally. How Albanese handled the question of climate change would be significant. (That same Essential poll found only half of voters believe hotter summers are the result of climate change.) But what would also move into the spotlight would be the continuing climate change splits within the opposition. Here we come to another recent shift, one that is sharpening the political contest. At the beginning of this term, it seemed Peter Dutton wanted to oppose most things: he had not yet learnt the fine art of picking his battles. In recent months, he has avoided fights on some key issues: aged care, disabilities and social media. Even his apparently “bold” foray on nuclear energy, as I’ve argued before , is best understood in this context: wanting to avoid a battle, either within his party or with Labor, over whether climate change action is necessary. Yet Dutton has picked a very specific fight: he will oppose Labor’s bill to bring down international student numbers – even though he has long suggested that’s his aim too. As journalist Bernard Keane observed , this is a mirror of Donald Trump’s successful move to block an immigration bill to keep the problem alive. This is of a piece with Dutton’s earlier decisions to make Labor’s life difficult on immigration detention bills. Dutton has learnt to use the parliament to narrow the political contest to his preferred issues, with immigration top of the list. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what happens when Labor finally announces its universal childcare policy. Labor is hoping for significant political credit. But what if Dutton simply says he agrees? Meanwhile, there are some fights the nation should be having but isn’t. Bill Shorten, farewelling parliament last week, pointed out “our system still taxes property preferentially and lightly – and income heavily”. Anthony Whealy, chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, pointed out that the government and opposition seem to have reached an agreement, funnily enough, on donations changes that don’t do enough about money in politics while also giving the major parties advantages over independents. As Albanese told Sky News, “we’ve already chosen our slogan as you know, ‘building Australia’s future’.” Dutton seems to have chosen his issues, too. Given how much has changed in the past few weeks, and how much might still change in the months before polling day, both men would be wise to keep their options open. Sean Kelly is author of The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison , a regular columnist and a former adviser to Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.
NEW YORK (AP) — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. The attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses, she said. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. Leavitt said law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted and Trump and his transition team are grateful. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations ; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general ; Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, whom Trump chose to lead the Department of Labor , and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Law enforcement officials are also looking into whether Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz’s replacement, and other incoming administration officials were also victims — as well as how each was targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation continues. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was investigating with its law enforcement partners. White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma said President Joe Biden had been briefed and the White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and Trump's transition team. Biden “continues to monitor the situation closely," Sharma said, adding the president and his administration “condemn threats of political violence.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. Police swept Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices, New York State Police said. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had also been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X . “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe." In Florida, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area" Wednesday. While a family member resides at the address, the office said, Gaetz “is NOT a resident.” No threatening devices were found. Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration after allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations ended with no charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Trump was also the subject of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot , with a man saying he had been tasked with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect. Also this week, authorities arrested a man they say posted videos on social media threatening to kill Trump, according to court documents. In one video posted on Nov. 13, Manuel Tamayo-Torres threatened to shoot the former president while holding what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle, authorities said Among the other videos he posted was one from an arena in Glendale, Arizona on Aug. 23, the same day Trump held a campaign rally there, according to court papers. An attorney for Tamayo-Torres did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. About a year ago the FBI responded to an uptick in such incidents at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses across the country around the holidays. Many were locked down and evacuated in early January after receiving bomb threats. No explosives were found and no one was hurt. Some of those targeted last year were Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio, received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that anytime a member of Congress is the victim of a swatting' incident, “we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners.” The force declined to provide further details, in part to “minimize the risk of copy-cats.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump," he wrote on X . “Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats.” He added: “It is not who we are in America.” ___ Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.COLLEGE FB NOTESAlex Ovechkin is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks with a broken left leg
Sena (UBT) workers stop BJP MLA outside temple in Maharashtra
Romanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff. Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the European Union and NATO member country, and the vote is expected to go to a second round on Dec. 8. Polls opened at 7.00 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and will close at 9.00 p.m. (1900GMT). Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday. By 8 p.m. local time (1800GMT), 9.2 million people — about 51% of eligible voters — had cast ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau. The final vote could see George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, face off against incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, backed by Romania’s largest party, the Social Democratic Party or PSD. The presidential role carries a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy, and judicial appointments. Romania will also hold parliamentary elections on Dec. 1 that will determine the country’s next government and prime minister. Simion, 38, is a vocal supporter of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and has long been a controversial figure. He campaigned for reunification with Moldova, which this year renewed a five-year ban on him from entering the country over security concerns, and he is banned for the same reason from entering neighbouring Ukraine. “I would like that in the next five to ten years, for Romanians to be really proud to be Romanians, to promote Romanian culture, Romanian products,” he told reporters on Wednesday in the capital, Bucharest. “As a Romanian president, I will promote Romanian interests. In most cases, Romanian interests coincide with partner interests.” Ecaterina Nawadia, a 20-year-old architecture student, said she voted for the first time in a national election on Sunday and hopes young people turn out in high numbers. “Since the (1989) revolution, we didn’t have a really good president,” she said. “I hope most of the people my age went to vote ... because the leading candidate is not the best option.” Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, says Sunday’s vote will be “a tight race” in which the diaspora will likely play a key role in which candidates make it to the runoff. “We are at a point where Romania can easily divert or slip toward a populist regime because (voter) dissatisfaction is pretty large among a lot of people from all social strata,” he told The Associated Press. “And the temptation for any regime, any leader — will be to go on a populist road.” He added that Romania’s large budget deficit, high inflation, and an economic slowdown could push more mainstream candidates to shift toward populist stances amid widespread dissatisfaction. Ciolacu told the AP that if he is elected, one of his biggest goals is “to convince Romanians that it is worth staying at home or returning” to Romania, which has a massive diaspora spread throughout EU countries. “Romania has a huge chance to become a developed economy in the next 10 years, where honest work is fairly rewarded and people have the security of a better life,” he said. “But for this, we need balance and responsibility ... I am running for the Presidency of Romania because we need a change.” Other key candidates include Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR former NATO deputy general secretary Mircea Geoana, who is running independently and Nicolae Ciuca, a former army general and head of the center-right National Liberal Party, which is currently in a tense coalition with the PSD. Geoana, a former foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, told the AP that he believes his international experience qualifies him above the other candidates. “I think I bring a lot of competence and experience and connections in this complicated world,” he said. Lasconi, a former journalist and the leader of the USR said she sees corruption as one of the biggest problems Romania faces and that she supports increased defence spending and continued aid to Ukraine. Romania has been a staunch ally of war-torn Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. But Simion of the AUR party said he opposes Romania — which has sent a Patriot missile system to Ukraine — contributing further military aid and that he hopes Trump can “stop the war.” In 2020, the AUR party went from relative obscurity to gaining 9% in a parliamentary vote, allowing it to enter parliament. Opponents have long accused Simion and AUR of being extremists, charges he denies. “We are sort of a Trumpist party in this new wave of patriotic political parties in Europe,” Simion said.Moana 2: Dwayne Johnson Teases Daughter’s Inclusion in Disney Sequel By took to social media on Thursday to share a video of his daughters doing voice recording for what looked to be a few cameos in the upcoming . What are Dwayne Johnson’s daughters doing in Moana 2? In the video, Johnson shared footage of he and his daughters Jasmine and Tiana (who he calls “Jazzy” and “Tia”) recording lines as, what Johnson calls them, “Moana-Be’s.” It’s unclear exactly what the characters are, but judging by the footage, they seem to be superfans of some sort of Moana. Check out the clip of Johnson and his family recording lines below: Introducing your Moana-Be’s ?? My two tornados ?️? Jazzy & Tia ?? It was a family affair at the recording studios and everyone had a blast! As you can see, Moana is deeply personal and I’m a grateful man ??? Catch the Moana-Be’s handing out L’s... Along with Johnson — who is reprising his role as Maui in the film — and his two daughters, Moana 2’s voice cast also includes the returning Auli’i Cravalho as Moana, Temuera Morrison as Tui, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Simea, Rose Matafeo as Loto, David Fane as Kele, Hualālai Chung as Moni, Rachel House as Tala, Awhimai Fraser as Matangi, Gerald Ramsey as Tautai Vasa, and Alan Tudyk as Heihei. Sign-up today for access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ Moana 2 is directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller from a screenplay co-written by Miller and Jared Bush. The original was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. It was not only a commercial success with a gross of over $600 million, but it also earned positive reviews from critics and earned two Oscar nominations including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. “The film reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers,” reads the official synopsis. “After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.” Anthony Nash has been writing about games and the gaming industry for nearly a decade. When he’s not writing about games, he’s usually playing them. You can find him on Twitter talking about games or sports at @_anthonynash. Share article
ATLANTA — Holidays are a time for families and friends to gather, but for older people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, it can cause so much stress and confusion that they could be in danger of what experts calls wandering. Related Articles “I would say around the holiday time is the biggest challenge for people with dementia,” said Kim Franklin, senior manager of programs and services at the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Schedules are changing, people are traveling, families are coming together and friends are coming over. There’s a lot of chaos going on and that can cause a person to wander. They want to get away. It’s hard for them to process what’s happening.” The Alzheimer’s Association reports 72% of dementia patients who wander are found alive by the next day. Alerting 911 as soon as the person goes missing is critical. The odds of survival decrease as more time passes. Angel Alonso, president of Georgia Emergency Search and Recovery based in Gwinnett County, said the vast majority — between 60% and 70% — of the 30 to 40 calls the nonprofit received last year involved people with the disease. The GESAR is a volunteer-driven organization that works with law enforcement to find people who have gone missing, including children, people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and people lost during major disasters. “We get so many Alzheimer’s calls,” said Vice President John Clark, who is also volunteer instructor with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. For caregivers and loved ones, a relative who goes missing is devastating. Two of Clark’s grandparents had dementia, so he gravitated to search and rescue to help other families and caregivers keep their loved ones safe. He’s consulted with police departments across metro Atlanta on the best ways to find people with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can cause people to lose their ability to recognize people and places that are familiar. According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are often warning signs that a person might wander. Six in 10 people with dementia will wander during the course of the disease. That includes people returning from a regular walk or drive later than usual. Or they may talk about fulfilling former obligations, such as going to work or talk about going home even when they’re at home. Sometimes they become restless and pace or make repetitive movements. Clark recounted one call for help when a family reported a missing relative, but they insisted she couldn’t have gone far because of a bad knee that limited her to walking no further than the mailbox. Searchers found the missing woman 7 miles from home. Even those who have never shown an interest in wandering might start without warning. Dan Goerke is fortunate. His late wife, Diane, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012, once went missing from the car of a caregiver. The caregiver had stopped for an errand. Diane had waited alone in cars as people ran errands before. But this time, when the caregiver returned, Diane was gone but her seat belt was still fastened. “It was like she disappeared into thin air,” said Goerke, who said he doesn’t blame the caregiver. Fortunately, she was found uninjured and nearby a short time later that same day. Goerke said it’s hard for caregivers to always be on guard for wandering. “We have so many things to juggle that’s not necessarily at the top of our minds. We have to manage medications, take them to doctor’s appointments, cook meals and taking care of things day to day,” he said. Clark said when searching for someone with dementia, one of the keys is to know what the person was like before their diagnosis. Often their long-term memories are still strong. They once found a woman who walked out of her home and went to where she used to shop and to her old job, although it had closed. Recently, GESAR unveiled a new tool to search for missing people: Maverick. An 8-month-old chocolate Labrador retriever, Maverick is in training to be part of the GESAR search and research team that will track missing people, including wandering dementia patients in metro Atlanta. In cases involving children and people with dementia, a dog’s personality can also be an asset. Labs like Maverick are friendly and affectionate, not imposing or threatening like some other breeds — and less likely to scare the person who is lost. Canines can be used in searches in both rural and urban areas. “He’s an asset,” said Maverick’s handler, Carmen Alonso. “His nose can pick up odors and track where a person has been that we might not think to go that direction.” At the Cobb County Police Department, Public Information Officer Sgt. Eric Smith said if dogs are needed to search for a wanderer they call the sheriff’s department, which has bloodhounds. “They’re not apprehension dogs so there’s little or no likelihood of a bite,” he said. Technology can also help, Smith said. Searchers can use drones and families can install technology on a person’s car to help locate it or use other kinds of trackable devices including on their phone. “We get so many Alzheimer’s calls,” said Clark, who is also a volunteer instructor with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Most cases they’ve worked on have had favorable results, according to the Georgia Emergency Search and Recovery organization. No two searches are the same, said Sgt. Jeremy Blake of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. “When responding to calls for a missing person, the response is different than that of a fleeing suspect,” he wrote in an email. “The K-9s that are used to track missing persons are not trained in the apprehension of suspects. ... Often times, if the K-9 cannot locate the missing person, they can provide officers with a more accurate direction of travel than they may previously had.” Nearly 7 million U.S. residents age 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s according to the most recent . Of those, more than 188,000 Georgians ages 65 and older also have been diagnosed with the disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter. There is a better chance of being found in urban environments because of a higher probability of a “good Samaritan” stepping in. Wanderers may give no forewarning. Often those with memory issues wander away during activities they’ve done safely in the past, such as shopping or sitting on a front porch. Some people who still drive can become disoriented and drive for miles away from home. According to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, on average, half the calls for missing persons involve the elderly or someone with disabilities. Call 911 as soon as possible. Have a photograph available for first responders and an article of clothing to provide a scent for search dogs. Sharing what the missing person liked to do in prior years can be a key: Did they have a job they went to every day? Did they like to fish or go to a certain spot? Searchers will need to know the last time the person was seen to help determine how far a person might have wandered. ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Activists expose the working conditions of women in the textile industry of YucatánAnother supportive housing program aimed at assisting people in transitioning out of homelessness is days away from opening in downtown Whitehorse. Starting on Dec. 1, Safe at Home Society will operate a 17-unit supportive housing program located at 408 Alexander Street, in a building the society will lease from the Yukon Housing Corporation. The housing program itself draws funding from the Yukon government’s health and social services department Safe at Home executive director Kate Mechan explained that tenants for the program will be selected from the by-name list, a real-time list of people experiencing homelessness in Whitehorse. She explained that the list has a built-in priority system which considers risk factors, including length of time homeless, substance use and health conditions. From there, input will be provided by the Coordinated Housing Access Team who will assess each possible tenant’s need and likelihood of thriving in the program offered. Mechan said filtering of the list is happening this week and the matching of tenants to units takes place early next week. As most of the units in 408 Alexander have two bedrooms, Mechan said the program is looking at housing couples without children, intergenerational families such as an elder with an adult child and people wanting to live as roommates in order to make the most of the space. She said the goal is to facilitate all such arrangements with a “safety lens” to ensure the tenancies are stable. Mechan said the program would be grateful for donations of items like kitchenwares, art for the walls, houseplants, furniture in good condition and entertainment items like books, TVs and DVD players. The building will be staffed 24/7 and will offer a variety of support services. Mechan said it is hoped that this model will facilitate connections with building tenants and mitigate the “real and perceived safety issues" on Alexander Street which is also the site of the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter. She added that on-site supports will help with life skills like cooking and cleaning as people re-learn life in stable housing. Individual goal-setting, cultural programming and help entering employment opportunities on and off site will also be included. Assistance navigating the justice and healthcare systems will also be offered. Along with its clients, Mechan said the program is engaging with the neighbourhood around the building, offering a 24/7 line for inquiries and concerns. An open house to introduce the program to the community was held Nov. 14. Work is also continuing on the Hearth, a much larger Safe at Home facility than 408 Alexander. It will be located in the former High Country Inn on Fourth Avenue. Mechan said the extensive internal and external renovations there are expected to be complete late next winter with occupancy set for Spring 2026. She described the project as on time and on budget. While they are steps in the right direction, Mechan said that both 408 Alexander and the Hearth are drops in the bucket compared to the need for supportive and affordable housing in Whitehorse, citing the more than 190 people presently on the by-name list. “We are learning as an organization and the community that it really takes a tremendous amount of support resources to support individuals exiting homelessness,” Mechan said. Mechan emphasized that while it partners with government departments and entities such as the Yukon Housing Corporation on its projects, Safe at Home is separate from government.
Holiday stress can lead Alzheimer’s patients and those with dementia to go missingThe development comes amidst a longstanding dispute over Mugabe’s final resting place. Chinhoyi Magistrate Kudzanai Mahaso granted village head Tinos Manongovere’s request for an inspection in loco at both sites. The inspection, which took place Thursday, aimed to verify the places where Mugabe family members are buried in Zvimba and the proposed burial site at the Heroes Acre. Kudzanai Gombiro, the former First Family’s lawyer Kudzanai Gombiro confirmed the development. “Yes, Manongovere requested to show the court places where Mugabe family members are buried in Zvimba and a place they wanted him buried at Heroes Acre and the request was granted by the magistrate. We are going to the two places tomorrow,” he said. The dispute over Mugabe’s burial site began in 2019, when the government and his family clashed over whether he should be buried at the National Heroes Acre or at his rural homestead in Zvimba. The family ultimately opted for the latter, but the government has continued to push for his reburial at the Heroes Acre. In 2021, Chief Zvimba ordered Mugabe’s widow, Grace, to exhume his remains and rebury them at the National Heroes Acre. The order was confirmed by a Magistrate Court. Mugabe’s children have been challenging the ruling, arguing that Chief Zvimba acted outside his jurisdiction. Mugabe’s mausoleum was completed in 2023. The project was spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government in partnership with private contractors.