777 superph

777 superph More prison school offerings like diploma, degree help better prospects for ex-offendersHARTFORD, Conn. — The UConn women’s basketball team remained ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll for the fifth straight week and continued receiving first-place votes after winning the Baha Mar Women’s Championship. The Huskies earned seven of a possible 32 first-place votes entering Week 5, coming in behind No. 1 UCLA with 25. UConn recorded its second ranked win of the season over No. 18 Ole Miss, 73-60, in the Bahamas on Wednesday, and the team also handled Oregon State 71-52 at the tournament to improve to 6-0. UConn star Paige Bueckers was also named Big East Player of the Week for the second time this season for her performance at the Baha Mar Women’s Championship. The redshirt senior averaged 26 points, five assists, 3.5 rebounds and two steals per game across the Huskies’ pair of wins, shooting 66.7% from the field and 55.6% from 3-point range. She currently has the highest field goal percentage in the country among players averaging 22 points or more. After hosting Holy Cross at Gampel Pavilion on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, SNY), UConn is headed into a gauntlet of ranked opponents beginning with No. 22 Louisville on Saturday in the Women’s Champions Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Huskies then travel to South Bend, Indiana on Dec. 12 to face Notre Dame, which dropped seven places to No. 10 after losses to both TCU and Utah in Week 4. The Irish still have an elite ceiling with a statement win over No. 6 USC on their resume, and No. 9 TCU skyrocketed into the top 10 for the first time in program history with the upset. Duke also made its season debut in the top 10 at No. 8 after beating No. 11 Oklahoma last week. The Huskies will face No. 20 Iowa State at Mohegan Sun Arena in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase on Dec. 17, and the Cyclones have also looked less than their best over the past two weeks. They entered the season ranked No. 8 but plummeted after a loss to Northern Iowa on Nov. 20, and No. 3 South Carolina routed them 76-36 last Thursday. UConn then concludes its loaded slate on Dec. 21 with a sold-out home showdown against USC, a rematch from last year’s Elite Eight. AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll: Week 5 ©2024 Hartford Courant. Visit at courant.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

DTE Energy Co. stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the dayRunning into the Swiggy IPO, a key point of debate was the difference in growth rate with its close peer Zomato. For example, in Q1 FY25, Zomato’s year-on-year (y-o-y) revenue growth rate at 62 per cent was much stronger than Swiggy’s 34 per cent. The difference was even more stark when one considers the booming quick commerce segment, where Zomato’s 130 per cent growth was way above Swiggy’s 56 per cent. This and the fact that Zomato was running many quarters ahead of Swiggy when it comes to reaching adjusted EBITDA break-even were key factors resulting in Swiggy IPO being priced at a good 50 per cent discount to Zomato’s prevailing EV/Revenue valuation. Also, the somewhat sombre mood of the Street, as indicated by the lukewarm response to Hyundai Motor India’s IPO, was another factor as well. At bl.portfolio, we had recommended investors to subscribe to the IPO despite this differential growth rate as the discounted valuation more than adequately factored for the same. Further, the competition is still in early stages with outcomes wide open. Insights from Q2 results indicate the same as well. On the face of it, Swiggy’s Q2 y-o-y revenue growth at 30 per cent is still much lower than Zomato’s 58 per cent. But looking into the granular details on a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis (which was not available in the IPO filings), it is clear the growth rates differentials will narrow, going ahead. On a q-o-q basis, Swiggy’s Q2 consolidated revenue growth at 12 per cent is almost on par with Zomato’s 13 per cent. Swiggy’s quick commerce sequential revenue growth at 27 per cent was in fact better than Zomato’s 23 per cent. This implies that although Swiggy’s market share in quick commerce with Q2 gross order value at ₹3,382 crore is lower than Zomato’s ₹6,132 crore, with better sequential growth it has actually gained market share in Q2. If this trend sustains, the y-o-y differential in growth rates will narrow over the next few quarters. This makes it more likely that at some point in time over the next few quarters, markets will take a relook at the wide valuation differential that persists between the two companies. There are other factors too, like, for example, Zomato reached adjusted EBITDA break-even at consolidated level in Q1FY24. Swiggy has now guided to achieving adjusted EBITDA break-even by Q3FY26. This implies Swiggy is 9-10 quarters behind Zomato in profitability. Currently, Swiggy is valued at a trailing EV/Revenue of close to 8 times, while Zomato trades at 17 times. This over 100 per cent premium of Zomato is hard to justify in the current context even after factoring the difference in profitability timelines. Nevertheless, investors must be careful not to interpret this as Swiggy too can scale up to a similar high valuation as that of Zomato. It only indicates that on a relative basis, Swiggy appears a more attractive bet than Zomato. Overall at current levels, Swiggy’s risk-reward appears balanced. IPO investors with long-term perspective can continue to stay invested. New investors can look to accumulate on 10-15 per cent dips. Comments

Civil disobedience from 16th: PTI Sheikh Waqas explains that movement would be implemented in phases PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram on Friday said that his party had changed the date for its civil disobedience movement from December 14 to December 16 (Monday) Talking to Geo News, he said that the PTI had planned to launch the civil disobedience movement on December 16 instead of the previously announced date December 14. Sheikh Waqas explained that the movement would be implemented in phases, adding that PTI leadership was not currently engaged in negotiations with any other political parties. He said that PTI founder Imran Khan had opened the door for talks, should anyone wish to discuss the party’s demands. “Anyone who wants to engage in dialogue regarding our demands is welcome to do so,” Sheikh Waqas, reaffirming PTI’s readiness for negotiations despite the ongoing political standoff.Laurie Essig started receiving texts this year asking whether she was the gender studies professor at Middlebury College. When she responded that she was and then asked who was sending the messages, the replies startled her. “They were texting me to tell me that although men had temporarily lost the sex war, they were going to win it,” she said. Professor Laura Essig, of Middlebury College, received a couple messages a week from young men, some of whom blasted her views on gender, sexuality and feminism. Essig’s cellphone had been doxed on Reddit following comments she made to the New York Times about men struggling and falling behind in college. The unwelcome texts were just one of a growing number of misogynistic incidents on campuses at a time when more college men are embracing the Republican Party and its brand of masculinity. Over the next few months, Essig received a couple messages a week from young men, some of whom blasted her views on gender, sexuality and feminism. Others showed genuine curiosity about her comments. “They didn't call me names and it wasn’t the worst trolling in my life,” noted Essig, who formerly taught gender studies in Russia. “I think they were kind of young and lost and sad.” BETRAYAL AND FEAR The spike in sexist behavior on college campuses surfaced during a heated presidential campaign in which gender took centerstage. President-elect Donald Trump often came under fire for wielding sexist insults against Vice President Kamala Harris and courting misogynistic speakers at his rallies. At a Madison Square Garden rally in October, one speaker compared Harris to a prostitute, declaring she “and her pimp handlers will destroy our country.” In Greensboro, North Carolina, after a rally attendee yelled that Harris “worked on the corner,” Trump laughed and said, “This place is amazing.” Harris and other Democratic candidates also used gender to paint Republicans as anti-woman and present a bleak future for reproductive rights and other women’s issues if Trump won a second term. Essig noted at Middlebury College, following the Harris’ election loss, comments such as “your body, my choice” and “shouldn’t you be getting fitted for your Handmaid’s outfit?” appeared on the social media site Yik Yak, which allows students to make anonymous posts only viewable by others at the college. The Vermont school wasn’t alone. The day after the election, the terms “your body, my choice” and “get back in the kitchen” saw a 4,600% spike on X, according to a study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. One parent said her daughter was told three separate times on campus “your body, my choice,” and another group of boys told her to “sleep with one eye open tonight,” according to the study. At the University of New Mexico, a Reddit user reported women were being harassed by gangs of men in MAGA gear telling them to “go home where they belong.” In another incident at Texas State University, two men not affiliated with the college were escorted from campus for holding signs that said “Women Are Property” and “Homo Sex Is Sin.” Witnessing the surge in misogynistic behavior and reading sexist comments online have left some young women feeling disillusioned and alone, according to Rebecca Ewert, a Northwestern University sociologist who teaches a class on masculinity. “There’s kind of this feeling of betrayal,” she said. “They’re expressing fear, anger and feeling alienated from people they consider to be close, people from home or even friends on campus.” POLITICS TURNS MASCULINE Sylvia Slotkin, a Northwestern sophomore and Democrat studying journalism, said she experienced those feelings after the election. One conservative male friend mockingly told her “Sorry, Trump won” as a way to insult her. Sylvia Slotkin, a Northwestern sophomore and Democrat studying journalism, said she experienced those feelings after the election. “Others were posting like, ‘Boohoo, the liberals are crying’ and just being so tasteless,” she said. “When people think of toxic masculinity, they think of bottling up emotions, so they’re making fun of these people crying because their candidate lost. That was definitely jarring.” That kind of condescending behavior from men is becoming more mainstream at her campus, Slotkin explained, and the culprit can be found in the kinds of social media that college men consume. Slotkin pointed specifically to Joe Rogan, a hugely popular podcaster with millions of listeners, and social-media personality Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports media. Both appeal to a bro-culture, male-centric sensibility sometimes associated with college Greek life. During his campaign, Trump courted those influencers, giving interviews that ranged from discussions about policy to speculation about the existence of UFOs. Others asked Trump whether he’d ever been in a fist fight. Boosting his appeal to young men, Trump attended testosterone-fueled events such as Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions. He was introduced to the Republican National Convention by Dana White, head of the UFC. Hulk Hogan attended and tore off his shirt. Such campaign strategies tap into a growing male perception of politics as an expression of masculinity. The Survey Center on American Life found in 2022 that 54% of Republicans described themselves as “very masculine,” compared to 33% of Democrats. Hulk Hogan speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) In 2022, nearly 40% of college men identified as Republican compared to just 21% who considered themselves Democrat, according to College Pulse's Future of Politics survey that included interviews with over 1,500 undergraduate students. Men in the 18-29 age range, in particular, say it’s personally important that others perceive them as masculine or manly. Nearly half reported feeling that way and also reported they believe American society has become “too soft and feminine,” according to the Survey Center. The fallout of those views was clear after the election. About 56% of young men voted for Trump. The number was even higher, 63%, among young white men. Daniel Cox, director of the Survey Center, believes the survey findings are tied into Republicans’ attempts to reassert aggressive, unapologetic and dominant politics — the kind of masculinity defined by Trump. “I don’t have a hard time believing that certain Republican candidates can attract support from young men,” he wrote in a survey analysis. “... Young men today are adapting to behavioral requirements foreign to older generations of men. It can be disorienting.” Andre Rocker, a Northwestern junior wrestler studying political science, said for college guys who might feel insecure about their masculinity, right-leaning social media influencers provide a playbook on how to be a man. Andre Rocker, a Northwestern junior wrestler studying political science, said for college guys who might feel insecure about their masculinity, right-leaning social media influencers provide a playbook on how to be a man. The influencers' support for Trump and his sexist behavior made it easy for many male students to vote for him. For Slotkin, the journalism student, the connection between Trump and the rise in misogynistic comments and incidents on college campuses is even clearer. “Trump's presidency will impact so many women so negatively,” she said. “I think, just inherently, if you voted for Trump, that is a sign of toxic masculinity. There's no other way to slice that.” ‘A DEAFENING SILENCE’ The impulse of some liberals to define all male Trump voters as toxic is actually causing serious harm to young men, argued Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. The notion that college males have shifted their views on gender equality and become more sexist isn’t supported by data or surveys, he maintained, and it’s a “fatal mistake” to think those who voted for Trump now are more likely to denigrate women. Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, said the notion that college males have shifted their views on gender equality and become more sexist isn’t supported by data or surveys, he maintained, and it’s a “fatal mistake” to think those who voted for Trump now are more likely to denigrate women. “I think it's incredibly important that we don't let the exception get characterized as the rule,” he said. “We are in danger of throwing a generation of men under the bus completely falsely as a new generation of misogynists.” For many young men, the left’s rhetoric about "mansplaining" and patriarchy is unwelcoming and sometimes feels like a personal attack, argued Reeves. That carries over to their perception of college, which some view as liberal bastions where men are blamed for society’s inequities. Today, fewer men than women enroll in or finish college, and men are far more likely to kill themselves while at college, yet university leaders have done little to reach out or support them, according to Reeves. “There has been such a huge blind spot on the left and at progressive institutions, including colleges, towards the genuine challenges of men,” he said. “The deafening silence on men's issues on the left has made ... college-age men feel somewhat politically homeless and up for grabs.” Enter Republicans, whose messaging during the campaign was crystal clear: They like the things most men like, and they like men, Reeves explained. Rocker, the Northwestern wrestler, said when that messaging is packed with not-so-subtle sexist undertones, it can normalize bad behavior toward women. He sees it happening with some of his peers. “I do feel like, generally, our youth is not going in the right direction,” he said. “I think that direction is sort of reverting on our treatment of women as human beings.” Trump and other Republicans have also used gender issues to generate deep concern among conservatives that colleges are attempting to "turn kids gay" and promote what some call deviate behavior, argued Essig, the Middlebury professor. That fear played out in Indiana last year when the GOP-controlled legislature stripped state funding for Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute, which researches sex, gender and relationships. In Florida, new legislation eliminated diversity programs and severely restricted gender, race and sexuality studies at state-funded colleges. Women who don’t live by traditional gender roles — including college women — are increasingly targeted by male misogyny and sexism, argued Essig. That’s why she found it jarring, but not unsurprising, when anonymous texters began attacking her work in gender studies this year. “It’s a really easy way of tapping into very fragile and wounded masculinity,” she said. “I think about how compelling that rhetoric is for young men, because actually naming the real problems they face is far more complicated.”Pat King, one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa, has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order. A judge in an Ottawa courtroom Friday said the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that King was guilty on one count each of mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and counselling others to obstruct police. He was also found guilty of two counts of disobeying a court order. The Alberta resident was found not guilty on three counts of intimidation and one count of obstructing police himself. King could be facing up to 10 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin on Jan. 16. The Crown is seeking “significant” incarceration time in a penitentiary while the defence wants King to be sentenced to time served and a period of probation. King’s attorney Natasha Calvinho said right now she is focused on the sentencing hearing and will determine if any other action, such as an appeal, will be pursued at a later date. Calvinho said she and her client are disappointed with the ruling, but she said it was well reasoned. “I think what the more important takeaway here, and what we’ve been saying from the very beginning, Mr. King was acquitted of all charges related to inciting any form of violence, specifically intimidation of Ottawa residents,” Calvinho said outside the courthouse. “So yes, he was convicted, a couple counts of mischief for his social media posts, as the judge found, and will continue to fight another day.” The maximum sentence for mischief in this instance is 10 years. In January 2022 the convoy attracted thousands of demonstrators to Parliament Hill in protest against public-health restrictions, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the federal government. The event gridlocked downtown streets around Parliament Hill, with area residents complaining about the fumes from diesel engines running non-stop, and unrelenting noise from constant honking of horns and music parties. The federal Liberal government ultimately invoked the Emergencies Act to try and bring an end to the protests, which had expanded to also block several border crossings into the United States. Ottawa Police brought in hundreds of officers from police forces across Canada to force the protest to an end. King’s defence argued that King was peacefully protesting during the three-week demonstration and was not a leader of it. But the Crown alleged he was a protest leader who was instrumental to the disruption the protest caused the city and people who lived and worked nearby. The Crown alleged King co-ordinated the honking, ordering protesters to lay on the horn every 30 minutes for 10 minutes at a time and told people to “hold the line” when he was aware police and the city had asked the protesters to leave. The Crown’s case relied mainly on King’s own videos, which he posted to social media throughout the protest to document the demonstration and communicate with protesters. The court proceedings paused for about 10 minutes when King requested a short “health break” after the first verdicts on the mischief charges were read. Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland described the honking as “malicious conduct” intended to disrupt residents, workers, businesses and others from lawfully enjoying downtown Ottawa. Hackland also said that the videos show King was seen as and accepted the leadership role. He pointed to a quote from King, finding it “hilarious” that residents could not sleep for 10 days as “gleefully” aiding and abetting mischief. This evidence also played a role in determining King’s guilt in disobeying a court order and counselling others to do the same. These charges relate to the original Feb. 7, 2022 injunction against using air and train horns in downtown Ottawa which was launched by residents. The city successfully filed a similar injunction days later. As for counselling others to obstruct police, Hackland found King’s call to “hold the line” was telling people not to move from the protest site despite police orders. The judge said that phrase can be seen as a greeting between supporters of the convoy protest, but said there was no other logical interpretation in the context of King’s videos. In the days before a multi-day police removal operation began, King called on people to link arms and sit down with their backs to police if officers tried to move them. On the intimidation charges, Hackland said that a consistent theme of King’s videos were calls to remain peaceful and non-violent. He said that the target was always the federal government and COVID-19 policies, and specific individuals were not targeted by or through King’s actions. As for an intimidation charge related to blocking highways, Hackland said that finding guilt in this instance would be an “overly broad” interpretation of the Criminal Code as the blockade was done as part of a political protest, which is protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His trial was heard over several weeks between May and July. King still has charges of perjury and obstruction of justice that need to be dealt with which is a separate matter stemming from an April 2022 bail review hearing. Details of the testimony that led to the charges are protected under a publication ban, which exists for all information that arises during a bail hearing.Updated December 07, 2024 at 18:43 PM ET BEIRUT — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader's base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria's third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture is a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition." Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels "sorry for the Syrian people." In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. "The situation is very strange. We are not used to that," the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. "People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not." It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria's state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine. Lebanon's Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis "that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians." They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the "final stage" of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a "salvation government" to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group's image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest, and the central city of Hama, the country's fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by "terrorists." The army said it was setting up a "strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area," apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country's underlying problems. "Assad didn't seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people," he said. Copyright 2024 NPR