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fortune gems free trial JANUARY Glynis Johns, 100. A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4. David Soul, 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.” Jan. 4. Joyce Randolph, 99. A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on “The Honeymooners” provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13. Jack Burke Jr., 100 . He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. Dexter Scott King, 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22. Charles Osgood, 91. He anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence. Jan. 23. Chita Rivera, 91. The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident. Jan. 30. FEBRUARY Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1. Toby Keith, 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who both riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. Stomach cancer. Alexei Navalny, 47. The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16. Jacob Rothschild, 87. The financier and philanthropist was part of the renowned Rothschild banking dynasty. Feb. 26. Richard Lewis, 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27. MARCH Iris Apfel, 102. A textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style. March 1. David E. Harris, 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8. Eric Carmen, 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11. Joe Lieberman, 82. The former U.S. senator of Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later. March 27. Complications from a fall. Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28. APRIL Lou Conter, 102. The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1. John Sinclair, 82. A poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him. April 2. O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. Robert MacNeil, 93. He created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12. Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Carl Erskine, 97. He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Roman Gabriel, 83. The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. MAY Dick Rutan, 85. He, along with copilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling. May 3. Pete McCloskey, 96. A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8. Roger Corman, 98. The “King of the Bs” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9. Alice Munro, 92. The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers. May 13. Dabney Coleman, 92. The mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie.” May 16. Morgan Spurlock, 53. The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry. May 23. Complications of cancer. Bill Walton, 71. He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. JUNE Janis Paige, 101. A popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 90s. June 2. L ynn Conway, 86. A pioneer in the design of microchips that are at the heart of consumer electronics who overcame discrimination as a transgender person. June 9. Jerry West, 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. Willie Mays, 93. The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18. Donald Sutherland, 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20. Martin Mull, 80. His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development.” June 27. JULY Shelley Duvall, 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96. The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12. Shannen Doherty, 53. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13. Richard Simmons, 76. He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13. Bob Newhart, 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18. Lou Dobbs, 78. The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18. Francine Pascal, 92. A onetime soap opera writer whose “Sweet Valley High” novels and the ongoing adventures of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and other teens captivated millions of young readers. July 28. AUGUST Susan Wojcicki, 56. A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9. Wallace “Wally” Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13. Gena Rowlands, 94. She was hailed as a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son’s tear-jerker “The Notebook.” Aug. 14. Phil Donahue, 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre. Aug. 18. Ruth Johnson Colvin, 107. She founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received the nation’s highest civilian award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aug. 18. John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21. SEPTEMBER James Darren, 88. A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget.” Sept. 2. James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9. Frankie Beverly, 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go.” Sept. 10. Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15. Maggie Smith, 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27. Kris Kristofferson, 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28. Pete Rose, 83. Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo, 58. A basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer. OCTOBER Cissy Houston, 91. A two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7. Ethel Kennedy, 96. The wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10. Lilly Ledbetter, 86. A former Alabama factory manager whose lawsuit against her employer made her an icon of the equal pay movement and led to landmark wage discrimination legislation. Oct. 12. Liam Payne, 31. A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16. Died after falling from a hotel balcony. Mitzi Gaynor, 93. The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17. Phil Lesh, 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25. Teri Garr, 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29. Multiple sclerosis. NOVEMBER Quincy Jones, 91. The music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3. Elwood Edwards, 74. He voiced America Online’s ever-present “You’ve got mail” greeting. Nov. 5. Tony Todd, 69. An actor known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and for roles in many other films and television shows. Nov. 6. Bobby Allison, 86. He was founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Nov. 9. Bela Karolyi, 82. The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Arthur Frommer, 95. His “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad. Nov. 18. Chuck Woolery, 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster. Nov. 23. DECEMBER George Joseph Kresge Jr., 89. He was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin. Dec. 10. Fred Lorenzen, 89. A NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1965 Daytona 500 champion. Dec. 18. Rickey Henderson, 65. The baseball Hall of Famer was the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball’s leadoff position. Dec. 20. Richard Parsons, 76. One of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup. Dec. 26. Get local news delivered to your inbox!(The Center Square) – Homeowners in the market for washers and dryers may have better-performing options to choose from in the near future due to a bill limiting the extent of energy efficiency mandates on laundry appliances passing the U.S. House. The Republican-led House Resolution 1612 , or Liberty in Laundry Act, would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from enforcing energy conservation standards for clothes washers or dryers that “are not cost-effective or technologically feasible.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Representative image (Picture credit: AP) Pakistan's military courts have sentenced 60 more civilians to prison for their alleged involvement in the violent May 9, 2023, riots that targeted military sites and other facilities following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan . This brings the total number of convictions related to the unrest to 85, according to announcements from the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Among those sentenced is Hassan Niazi , Khan’s nephew, who received a 10-year prison term for his alleged role in the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence, also known as Jinnah House. Convictions and legal process The ISPR stated that the Field General Court Martial handed down the sentences after reviewing evidence and ensuring due process. “Sequel to the announcement of the May 9 punishments... the Field General Court Martial has promulgated the punishments to the following remaining 60 culprits after examining all evidence, ensuring the provision of all legal rights to the convicts, completion of due process, and the appropriate legal proceedings,” the ISPR announced. The convicted individuals face sentences ranging from two to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. They have the right to appeal the decisions under Pakistan's Constitution. May 9 Riots and aftermath The unrest on May 9 erupted after Imran Khan’s arrest in a corruption case. Supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party allegedly attacked key military installations, including the Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore, and an ISI office in Faisalabad. In response, authorities detained hundreds of individuals, and 103 were handed over to military courts for trial, sparking widespread criticism of the opaque judicial process. International outcry The convictions have drawn sharp rebukes from international entities, including the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union. Critics argue that the use of military courts to try civilians undermines judicial independence and transparency. “These military courts lack judicial independence, transparency, and due process guarantees,” the US State Department said. Similarly, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCO) criticized the lack of transparency and independent oversight in the trials, emphasizing the importance of adhering to fair trial standards under international law. The European Union also expressed concern, highlighting that Pakistan’s actions contradict its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and commitments tied to the GSP+ trade program. Pakistan's response The Pakistani government has defended the use of military courts, citing the Supreme Court’s decision that allowed the military to proceed with trials of civilians involved in the riots. The Foreign Office reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to international human rights obligations, asserting that the trials were conducted in accordance with national laws. The ISPR emphasized that the convictions reflect the military’s resolve to uphold justice and maintain the authority of the state, stating, “The Nation, Government, and Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained.”

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Belfast has enjoyed an incredible transformation in recent decades: from strife-torn city to one of Europe’s coolest new destinations, and its tourism boom is anchored around three “Ts”: Titanic, Thrones and Troubles. There’s Titanic Belfast, a brilliant immersive attraction in the very shipyard where the vessel was built; numerous filming locations for Game of Thrones fans; and the sobering tales and former hotspots of the Troubles, the sectarian conflict that beset Belfast between the late 1960s and 1998. Dolores Vischer leads the Belfast Music Walking Tour. Northern Ireland’s capital also increasingly strikes a chord with folk seeking culture, festivals and gigs. Home to more than 100 live venues – from opulent theatres and futuristic auditoriums to craic-fuelled pubs and the sportsfield where Bruce Springsteen played to a 40,000-strong crowd in May 2024 – Belfast was made a UNESCO City of Music in 2021, with the award providing impetus for up-and-coming local musicians and sparking a late career change for one resident in her 60s. “Music was always my passion – writing songs, playing drums, singing in a choir, so this was the perfect opportunity to follow that passion,” says Dolores Vischer, who swapped roles in publishing and communications to become a qualified guide to Belfast’s vibrant arts scene and musical heritage. We join her popular Belfast Music Walking tour, a leisurely music-themed stroll accompanied by a soundtrack, starting at the Ulster Hall, an elegant Victorian concert hall that has staged everyone from the Rolling Stones and AC/DC to Johnny Cash and Belfast’s own Van Morrison. “Led Zeppelin played Stairway to Heaven here for the very first time in 1971,” says Vischer, who points out Ulster Hall’s 1860s pipe organ and plaques honouring musicians. One is Ruby Murray, “Belfast’s first pop princess”. Explaining that her name was adopted for “curry” in Cockney rhyming slang, Dolores plays us Murray’s Softly Softly , No.1 in the UK singles charts in 1955. Tracks from other Northern Irish legends, plus emerging stars like Dani Larkin and Problem Patterns, float from Vischer’s portable speakers as we shuffle through Belfast, pausing at points of sonic interest, sometimes with our hips swaying and toes tapping. Ulster Hall is a lauded venue for live bands. We see teenagers taking turns to play the grand piano at 2 Royal Avenue, a new creative and community space in a domed former bank that was most recently a supermarket. “Gary Lightbody, frontman of Snow Patrol, said music is in Belfast’s DNA and I’d say we probably have more people who sing or play something than in most cities of this size,” says Vischer, before we jig by Kelly’s Cellars, a 300-year-old watering hole that hosts traditional Irish music. Around the corner, we take a pew in the First Church Belfast, founded by 17th-century Presbyterians and renowned for its spine-tingling concerts and acoustics. The Northern Ireland Opera, led by Australian-born director Cameron Menzies, previously of the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, occasionally performs here. We traverse the cobbled lanes of the Cathedral Quarter, an enclave of bars, hip cafes and Michelin-starred restaurants. Vischer shows us a black-and-white photograph of the area, looking distinctly more derelict, during the Troubles, and describes how Belfast’s music scene was kept alive in the 1970s and ’80s by punk bands such as Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones and Terri Hooley, founder of the Good Vibrations music shop and record label (he was portrayed by Game of Thrones’ Richard Dormer in 2013 film Good Vibrations ). Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Cathedral Quarter’s newest boutique hotel The Foundry is on the site of the Harp Bar, where punk bands played. It’s located next to arts hub The Black Box and is a saxophone’s throw from Berts Jazz Bar, Belfast’s only dedicated jazz bar-restaurant, inside the plush Merchant Hotel. After The Undertones’ rollicking Teenage Kicks , Vischer plays us Oh Yeah by Ash, a power-pop three-piece from Downpatrick, south of Belfast. Ash were just out of their teens, and already UK chart-toppers, when they played alongside U2 at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall in May 1998 to promote the Yes vote in the referendum for the Good Friday Agreement, a deal designed to end the Troubles and bring peace to the province. Later, we watch the Ulster Orchestra perform Star Wars scores at the Waterfront Hall, but first we hit the Oh Yeah Music Centre, a cherished grassroots music hub in a converted whisky warehouse. It’s home to recording studios, a vinyl store and an exhibition jammed with instruments, outfits and snaps of influential Northern Irish musicians, including Van Morrison, Them and Gary Moore. The centre also hosts intimate gigs. Ash launched their latest album, Race the Night, here last year. To round off the tour, we enjoy locally-brewed craft ales and an acoustic show by Aqua Tofana, a young Belfast-based singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer. The Oh Yeah Music Centre features exhibitions about Belfast’s musical history. You don’t have to walk far to catch a live act in Belfast – browse the listings or just follow your ears – but I’d recommend coming in early May when the city has a spring in its step and feels a bit like a mini-Edinburgh with several of its annual festivals running concurrently. These include the Festival of Fools (street theatre and acrobats), Hit The North (a street art festival) and the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival where, across multiple locations, you can catch musicians, comedians, poets, magicians, film screenings and book readings. Venues range from a riverside marquee to friendly backstreet boozers like The Sunflower, which sports a striking green security cage by its entrance, a relic of the Troubles, when patrons would have to be scrutinised by staff before they entered the bar. It’s purely ornamental now, a nod to the bad old days and a symbol of just how far buoyant Belfast has come. Five more things to do in and around Belfast Stormont Estate Stormont Estate, the site of Northern Ireland’s main Parliament Buildings. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto See where the politicians of Northern Ireland’s devolved government face off (and admire the decadent interior design) on a free tour of the neoclassical parliament building set amid parkland east of the city. See niassembly.gov.uk Mcconnell’s Distillery Reviving a whisky brand established in Belfast in 1776, this brand-new distillery offers tours and tastings in a converted wing of Crumlin Road Gaol, a once-notorious prison that has self-guided tours. See mcconnellsirishwhisky.com ; crumlinroadgaol.com Strangford Lough Edged by National Trust mansions, rolling hills and storybook villages, this island-speckled sea inlet south of Belfast was the backdrop for Bloodlands , a television drama starring James Nesbitt. It’s good for boat trips, kayaking and birding. See strangfordloughactivitycentre.com Hillsborough Castle Also south of Belfast is the royal family’s residence in Northern Ireland. Wander the manicured gardens and tour the Georgian property’s lavishly-furnished rooms, hung with paintings by artists including Anthony van Dyck, Joshua Reynolds and King Charles III. See hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle Antrim Coast From quaint fishing harbours to the hulking basalt columns of Giant’s Causeway, plus various Game of Thrones filming locations, the seaside north of Belfast is a delight. Follow the coast round to Londonderry, another once-troubled city reborn. See visitcausewaycoastandglens.com The details Fly Qantas flies to Belfast from Sydney and Melbourne via Perth or Singapore and London Heathrow. Alternatively, fly to Dublin with Emirates via Dubai and take an airport express coach (about two hours) to Belfast. If visiting Britain first, most city airports, including London, Manchester and Birmingham, have regular flights to Belfast. See qantas.com.au ; emirates.com/au Tour The Belfast Music Walking Tour is held fortnightly on Saturdays and costs £20 ($39). See creativetoursbelfast.com ; deetoursireland.com Stay The Merchant Hotel has rooms from around £239 ($469) a night. The centrally located Belfast Hometel has studios with kitchens from around £146 a night. See themerchanthotel.com ; room2.com/belfast Eat Run by celebrity chef Danny Millar, Stock has enticing seasonal menus and daily fish, meat and vegetarian specials. It overlooks St George’s Market, which sells fresh produce, cakes and arts and crafts, Friday to Sunday. At Home, a cosy restaurant behind Belfast City Hall, expect dishes such as rump of local Mourne lamb and roast monkfish with crab bouillabaisse. See stockbelfast.com ; homebelfast.co.uk More visitbelfast.com ; discovernorthernireland.com ; ireland.com The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, in his campaign, promised the American voters to withdraw the country from power struggles across the globe, protect the American industries by imposing high tariffs and bring back the manufacturing industries. However, his recent comments can be seen as a shift from the non-aggressive foreign policy that he had preached. Trump set social media on fire with his remarks, such as "joking" about Canada being the latest state to be added to the U.S., his threat to take back the Panama Canal and his renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, which is a Danish territory that has time and again made it clear it wants none of it. Despite such scenarios being highly unlikely, these provocative statements also show a possibility of Trump’s “America First” concept applying to projecting American power across the world to secure the U.S. trade and security agendas. In a post shared on his social media platform on Dec. 22, Donald Trump accused Panama of imposing exorbitant fees for access to the Panama Canal. He warned that unless the fee policy is revised to accommodate the U.S. demands, he would push for the canal’s management to be restored to U.S. control. For various reasons, the canal, a critical trade artery connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, is highly strategic to the U.S. economy. Any disruption to its operations - unprecedented since Panama assumed control in the 1970s – is expected to trigger significant price hikes on goods imported from China and other Asian nations, drastically affecting supply chains across the entire U.S. coastline. “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” Trump wrote on Truth. In yet another inflammatory move, Donald Trump posted an image on his Truth Social platform depicting a U.S. flag flying over a narrow canal, accompanied by the caption: “Welcome to the U.S. Canal.!” The post further strained relations with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli Mulino, who responded forcefully through a video message on his X account, affirming, “Every square foot of the Panama Canal and the land surrounding it will forever belong to Panama.” This sharp exchange underscores the growing diplomatic rift sparked by Trump’s rhetoric. His threats to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal have sent shockwaves through the global political landscape, intensifying bilateral tensions while signaling deeper geopolitical challenges. The provocative statements – in addition to the Canada and Greenland controversies – have not only negatively affected the U.S.-Panamanian relationship but will also have far-reaching implications for global stability, raising questions about the potential disruptions to the international order and the enduring influence of U.S. foreign policy after Trump’s second entry into the Oval Office. The Panama Canal, a 51-mile engineering marvel connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, has been a symbol of American prowess since its completion in 1914. Initially controlled by the U.S., the canal was later handed over to Panama by the end of 1999 following the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Trump's recent comments have revisited this history, challenging Panama's sovereignty and echoing sentiments of American imperialism in the region. Trump’s claim of "ridiculous" fees and the possibility of Chinese interference in the canal are indicative of high-voltage foreign policy under the Trump 2.0. Trump’s threat to take back the Panama Canal has the potential of having consequences that will affect not only the Americas but also other parts of the world in terms of trade and politics. If Trump attempts to realize his plan, then it will create a strong precedent for how other important waterways should be handled. Trump’s rhetoric is an indication of the possible shift in the U.S. foreign policy to a more assertive and unilateral one. By threatening Panama’s sovereignty and stoking concerns over Chinese expansion in the area, he demonstrates a willingness to go to force to advance the U.S. strategic position. However, such a strategy may have the potential of isolating allies and straining relations with other countries, as well as challenging the norms of sovereignty and territorial integrity that are the cornerstone of the existing world order. This episode also shows the increasing rivalry between the U.S. and China for influence networks. Interestingly, China does not have direct ownership of the Panama Canal; a company from Hong Kong manages two of the canal’s ports. However, this is not the first time that Trump has expressed concerns over Beijing’s increasing power in its vicinity. Trump’s statements are in line with the overall discourse on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its attempts to ensure dominance in the sea lanes. There are high chances of increased U.S.-China tension over the Panama Canal in the coming days – with a potential impact on the global economy. Countries that currently depend on the canal for their trade relations with other parts of the world, especially those in Europe and Asia, may become mere victims of this geopolitical war. The EU, for instance, has a lot to lose in terms of trade relations, and any disturbance that may occur at the Panama Canal may significantly affect European economies. A more plausible theory, however, is that Trump is just playing the role of a firebrand populist – similar to how he rages and brags against Mexico, China or Canada, for instance – is another way of playing to the domestic audience. Populist demagogues, by the nature of their office and by choice, create the conditions of external threat, whether real or perceived and wrap themselves in the flag as saviors of the nation. From this point of view, Trump’s latest outburst is consistent with his past demeanor. Trump's statement on the Panama Canal has brought back memories of the controversy surrounding the canal and the questions that it raises regarding the ownership of such a critical asset for world trade. Instead of fabricating conflicts with other nations or targeting immigrants – such as his baseless claim that Haitians are eating cats and dogs in Ohio – Donald Trump should turn his attention to the pressing crises facing the U.S. The nation is grappling with a broken healthcare system, an epidemic of mass shootings, escalating climate disasters decimating entire regions and record levels of income inequality. These issues are far more consequential to Americans than canal fees or outlandish remarks about foreign adversaries. So why isn’t Trump addressing them? Perhaps he’s trying to divert attention from these urgent challenges, or maybe he’s playing to the xenophobic tendencies of his base to maintain political momentum. Either way, this approach does nothing to solve America's real problems and only deepens divisions. It’s a disappointing – and dangerous – display of misplaced priorities.China's First Factory-Based Seawater Hydrogen Production Project Completed At Sinopec Qingdao Refinery

Chelsea’s surprise defeat at home to Fulham earlier in the day had been an unexpected gift for Arne Slot’s side and they drove home their advantage by outclassing the struggling Foxes. Having overcome the early setback of conceding to Jordan Ayew, with even the travelling fans expressing their surprise they were winning away after taking just five points on the road this season, the home team had too much quality. That was personified by the excellent Cody Gakpo, whose eighth goal in his last 14 appearances produced the equaliser in first-half added time with the Netherlands international unlucky to have a second ruled out for offside by VAR. Further goals from Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah, with his 19th of the season, stretched Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 22 matches. For Leicester, who had slipped into the bottom three after Wolves’ win over Manchester United, it is now one win from the last 10 in the league and Ruud van Nistelrooy has plenty of work to do, although he was not helped here by the absence of leading scorer Jamie Vardy through injury. It looked liked Liverpool meant business from the off with Salah’s volley from Gakpo’s far-post cross just being kept out by Jakub Stolarczyk, making his league debut after former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward was omitted from the squad having struggled in the defeat to Wolves. But if the hosts thought that had set the tone they were badly mistaken after being opened up with such simplicity in only the sixth minute. Stephy Mavididi broke down the left and his low cross picked out Ayew, who turned Andy Robertson far too easily, with his shot deflecting off Virgil van Dijk to take it just out of Alisson Becker’s reach. With a surprise lead to cling to Leicester knew they had to quell the storm heading their way and they began by trying to take as much time out of the game as they could, much to Anfield’s frustration. It took a further 18 minutes for Liverpool to threaten with Gakpo cutting in from the left to fire over, a precursor for what was to follow just before half-time. That was the prompt for the attacks to rain down on the Foxes goal, with Salah’s shot looping up off Victor Kristiansen and landing on the roof of the net and Robertson heading against a post. Gakpo’s inclination to come in off the left was proving a problem for the visitors, doing their utmost to resist the pressure, but when Salah curled a shot onto the crossbar on the stroke of half-time it appeared they had survived. However, Gakpo once again drifted in off the flank to collect an Alexis Mac Allister pass before curling what is fast becoming his trademark effort over Stolarczyk and inside the far post. Early the second half Darwin Nunez fired over Ryan Gravenberch’s cross before Jones side-footed home Mac Allister’s cross after an intricate passing move inside the penalty area involving Nunez, Salah and the Argentina international. Leicester’s ambition remained limited but Patson Daka should have done better from a two-on-one counter attack with Mavididi but completely missed his kick with the goal looming. Nunez forced a save out of the goalkeeper before Gakpo blasted home what he thought was his second only for VAR to rule Nunez was offside in the build-up. But Liverpool’s third was eventually delivered by the left foot of Salah, who curled the ball outside Kristiansen, inside Jannick Vestergaard and past Stolarczyk inside the far post.SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers activated linebacker Dre Greenlaw to play Thursday night against the Los Angeles Rams for his first action since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season’s Super Bowl. Greenlaw had been practicing the past few weeks and was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Thursday. San Francisco placed offensive lineman Ben Bartch on injured reserve with an ankle injury to make room on the roster. Greenlaw was one of the emotional leaders of San Francisco’s defense before the freak injury in the first half of the Super Bowl loss to Kansas City. Greenlaw bounced up and down on the sideline and then started to run onto the field with a few teammates when he collapsed holding his left leg. He was then helped off in a cart. Greenlaw was drafted in the fifth round in 2019 and emerged as one of the key defenders for San Francisco in 2022. He started 30 games the past two seasons with 247 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 10 passes defensed and three takeaways. The Niners have missed his intensity and physical play this season, especially against the run. The Rams and 49ers both promoted players from the practice squad for the game with Los Angeles adding defensive back Charles Woods and San Francisco promoting running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. ___ AP NFL:

GC Aesthetics® anuncia avaliação clínica de uma década dos implantes mamários PERLESEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law, as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but the party is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. "We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea," party leader Lee Jae-myung said. "We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end." Many experts worry Yoon won't be able to serve out his remaining 2 years in office. They say some PPP lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties' efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks "further public outrage and national confusion if they don't find a formula fast for Yoon's departure," said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. PPP chair Han Dong-hun said his party will seek Yoon's "orderly" early exit but didn't say when he can resign. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people packed several blocks of roads leading to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP's headquarters near the Assembly, shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon's supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied elsewhere in Seoul, calling the impeachment attempt unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly's 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result "very regrettable" and an embarrassing moment for the country's democracy. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued an apology over the martial law decree, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose it. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, "including matters related to my term in office." "The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot," Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a "den of criminals" bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces." The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. The turmoil has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. "Yoon's credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won't be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered," Kim, the analyst, said. "Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally." Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon's martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon's speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon's early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon's speech was "greatly disappointing" and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon's martial law "unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup." Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon's wife. On Friday, Han, who criticized Yoon's martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country's defense counterintelligence commander to arrest unspecified key politicians based on accusations of "anti-state activities." Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea's spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians including Han, Lee and Woo. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim Yong Hyun resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.