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What Makes Mike Tomlin So Beloved? Najee ExplainsKroger Co. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitorsFLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — This was not the homecoming scenario Kirk Cousins would have scripted. Cousins' return to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018 through 2023, on Sunday comes as he is hearing speculation about his job security in Atlanta. Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns in the Falcons' three-game losing streak. That includes four picks in last week's 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, his most in a decade. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Tamil Nadu is often celebrated as one of the safest States in India with a history of progressive policies. But when it comes to finding housing for single women, things are less rosy. The State is known for its women-friendly initiatives, but many women face intense scrutiny while trying to rent a home here. Snaring a house on rent often involves questions about women’s work, caste, food. This leads to a range of biases, surveillance, and unnecessary restrictions, making the search for houses a constant challenge. Riya*, 23, of Indore, who has been living in Chennai for the past eight months, is moving into her third apartment at Alwarpet. Her initial experience was marred by unwanted attention from landlords. “The houseowner of the first apartment tried to make sexual advances towards me and my flatmate under the guise of offering a friendly dinner. I am now forced to take this house, despite it being so expensive,” she says. Zoya*, 22, from Kanniyakumari, also had to compromise on her privacy while renting at Tambaram. Her flatmate’s brother had connections with the houseowner, and as a result, they faced surveillance. “My landlord spied on us and informed my flatmate’s brother about every little thing,” she says. Work profile is valuable In contrast, Ankita*, 23, from Indore, found a place at Nungambakkam because of her reputable work profile. “We were asked for our offer letters as proof of our credentials. Our professional background helped us secure the apartment,” she says. However, such advantages do not guarantee an easy housing experience for all. S. Priya*, a private school teacher from Salem, explains the hurdles she faced while looking for a house. “The first question from the houseowner was about my caste. If they were satisfied with my caste, the other questions would follow. To ensure that the rent is paid on time, they prefer a workplace with a good reputation. In some houses, I had to show my salary slip or bank statement as proof of financial stability,” she says. For women working in creative fields, the situation can be even more challenging. Niranjana Neithiar, 26, a part-time media professional and medical student from Coimbatore, says houseowners often harbour negative stereotypes about her field. “Houseowners are uncomfortable renting to media professionals. They make assumptions about the lifestyle of people in my field, which isn’t fair. You can’t generalise based on stereotypes,” she says. Similarly, Sowjanya Balaji, 24, a junior fashion designer from Bengaluru, encountered discrimination when landlords rejected her because of her night shifts. “Houseowners do not have the right to question or make assumptions about how I run my professional life,” she adds. But the issue is not pertinent only for unmarried young professionals. Door is shut on single mothers Rani Gopalakrishnan, a small business owner in Tiruchi, found it difficult to rent a place after the death of her husband five years ago. “Landlords refused to let us see houses after they learned I was a single mother and a businesswoman,” she recounted. “One senior couple even turned us down and they told us that they felt we were ‘incomplete’ without a man to help us in emergencies.” Women who do not speak Tamil or belong to a specific caste often run into additional barriers. Many houseowners prefer renting to people from Tamil Nadu or at least those who speak the language. Sweta Gupta, 25, a media professional from Kolkata, struggled to find a home because of her language. “The prejudice is deep-rooted. Some landlords refused to even talk to me because I didn’t speak Tamil,” she says. The menace of peeping Toms is quite common, say many women professionals in Tiruchi. “I was shocked to see a stranger spying on me while I was in the shower, but I did not confront him because I was scared for my safety,” says a teacher requesting anonymity. K. Amarthiya, a part-time teacher in Coimbatore and native of Dharmapuri, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, says, “Initially, the houseowner was kind, unaware of my caste. But after finding out that I belonged to the Scheduled Caste, the attitude changed. The result was frequent inspections. Uncomfortable with the discrimination, I chose to leave.” For others like Roshini Begum Farah, a 29-year-old Muslim transwoman, religious discrimination adds another layer of rejection. “I was told outright by houseowners that they couldn’t rent to me because our religions didn’t match,” Roshini says. This overt discrimination is another harsh reality that many women, especially those from minority communities, face in the housing market. Queer individuals often encounter more severe forms of discrimination. Luna Vishwa, 23, a transwoman, was rejected by landlords solely because she was open about her gender identity. Similarly, Zoya, who prefers to dress androgynously, faced rejection and stereotyping based on her appearance. Kavya, 25, an information technology professional from Coimbatore, kept her queer identity hidden from her houseowner until the day she and her friends prepared for a pride march. “I had dressed similarly before with no issues; but when we left with placards that day, the society association made a ruckus,” she said. The situation worsened when the association head informed her owner about the march. Within a week, Kavya was asked to vacate. Meaningless curbs Apart from these blatantly discriminatory practices, women often face bizarre and unnecessary restrictions even when they manage to secure a rental home. Common rules include restrictions on pets, food preferences (such as no non-vegetarian food), and even prohibitions on having friends of either gender over. These restrictions often stem from a desire to control the behaviour of women, treating them as persons who could not be trusted to decide on how they live. Riya asks, “Why should women be controlled in this way when families living in the same space enjoy complete freedom.” This double standard highlights the gender-based prejudice that is prevalent in the housing market. Riya and Kavya say they both faced strict no-pet policies imposed by their houseowners, further limiting their ability to create a comfortable and enjoyable living space. For many women, the search for a home involves compromises on distance as well as rent. Kavya, for instance, commutes over 40 minutes to work from Perungalathur to Ekkattuthangal. Zoya, on the other hand, commutes more than an hour from Tambaram to her college near the Marina. Sweta has compromised on rent and location, living in a flood-prone area, for the peace of mind that comes by avoiding the daily hassles of dealing with houseowners. Problems of paying guests Paying guest accommodations pose their own challenges for women. They are often overcrowded, offer little privacy, and have strict rules for visitors and timings. Many women report unhygienic conditions and restrictions that make them feel uncomfortable. Single rooms in the paying guest accommodations are often prohibitively expensive, and unisex accommodations, while more liberal in timings, are primarily occupied by men, and women do not feel safe. While social media has made it easier to connect with potential landlords, it has opened the door for harassment and exploitation. Sweta says, “I met a woman on Facebook who was also searching for a flatmate in a 3bhk. When I visited, a middle-aged man, who was never mentioned before, took over. He asked intrusive questions about my friends and family. When I inquired about a locked room, the woman admitted that it belonged to a man, despite her initial claim that it was an all-female flat.” For safety Houseowners justify their scrutiny by citing safety as the primary reason for their intervention, often viewing women as a responsibility they are unwilling to take on. T. Santhanam, a houseowner in Tiruchi, says, “I had told them [women] to be at home by at least 9 p.m., but sometimes they come later. I have to take extra care with women tenants.” Another houseowner in Coimbatore, who manages 50 houses, says, “One tenant let her boyfriend stay in the house without permission. It turned into a police case, and she left abruptly. These incidents make us sceptical. Now, I take in women only in CCTV-equipped houses.” A house-broker in Chennai adds that men are easier to deal with, even with physical force. “With women, if we say anything, they will file a complaint. People are afraid,” he says. However, he notes that in his experience, he has never encountered a fake harassment case. As letting houses is a source of income, a houseowner at K.K. Nagar in Chennai says charging a hefty deposit is to ensure that the tenant does not damage the household equipment and leave the house abruptly. Agreeing that generalising and stereotyping were wrong, a houseowner at Saligramam in Chennai says, “However, keeping an eye on who is coming and going is not wrong. You may know your friend very well, but he is still a stranger to us. Maintaining a register is more of a preventive measure than an intrusion.” Legitimate concerns and discrimination C. Jyothimani, Coimbatore district head of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, says, “While houseowners may have legitimate concerns, discriminatory practices based on caste, community, and religion are outdated and unacceptable. These prejudices, which persist in the city, must be challenged and eliminated.” The housing challenges faced by women bring out deeper issues of discrimination and control by society. While houseowners justify their actions citing safety concerns, such rules and regulations reduce women’s freedom to a mere risk factor and ignore their autonomy. A middle ground must be attained for a just future. (*Names changed for privacy.) (With inputs from Nahla Nainar and Ancy Donal Madonna in Tiruchi, Sabari in Salem, and Sibi Sreevathson T. C. in Coimbatore) Published - December 08, 2024 12:32 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit habitat and housing / housing and urban planningJupiter Neurosciences, Inc. Announces Closing of $11 million Initial Public OfferingDramatic new footage shows NHL star Johnny Gaudreau's alleged killer Sean Higgins moments after fatal crash READ MORE: NHL writer slammed after 'disgusting' Johnny Gaudreau comment READ MORE: Johnny Gaudreau's wife celebrates daughter's second birthday By ALEX RASKIN Published: 22:34 GMT, 7 December 2024 | Updated: 22:36 GMT, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments New Jersey police have released dramatic body-cam footage from the nervous moments after the crash that claimed the lives of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew on August 29. Sean Higgins , the 43-year-old alleged drunk drive facing up to two decades in prison over the tragedy, is seen undergoing field sobriety tests after admitting to drinking earlier in the day. 'I've been drinking beers,' Higgins told police before admitting to 'five or six' Miller Lites. Ultimately, he'd claim he hadn't 'had one in like two hours.' Prosecutors have accused Higgins of being legally drunk when his vehicle collided with the Gaudreau brothers as they were cycling along a country road in the Philadelphia suburbs. The father of two registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.087 – slightly above the New Jersey state limit of 0.08. Higgins faces up to 20 years in prison after being charged with two counts of second-degree death by auto. The fatal crash happened less than three miles from the Gaudreau family home, hours before Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were to serve as groomsmen in their sister Katie's wedding. The brothers, who played together at Boston College, have since been honored in Calgary and Columbus , where Johnny played professionally. The footage, provided to Philadelphia's ABC 6, shows Higgins struggling to follow instructions A confused Higgins is seen asking 'what happened?' after being handcuffed on August 29 The crash happened less than three miles from the Gaudreau family home, hours before Johnny, 31, (right) and Matthew, 29, (left) were to serve as groomsmen in their sister's (center) wedding Read More Playing with Johnny Gaudreau was an 'honor,' ex-teammate Matthew Tkachuk says The newly released police video, provided to Philadelphia's ABC 6 , includes footage of a handcuffed Higgins being read his Miranda rights before asking: 'Is everybody OK back there? What happened?' Although he remains cooperative with police, Higgins appears nervous in the video, admitting at several points that he is 'freaked out.' He also cautions officers about a recent knee surgery that could potentially impact his field sobriety tests. 'Is it affecting you right now?' one officer is heard asking. 'I'm (inaudible) around,' Higgins replied, apparently indicating he might be limping. 'At any point, if you're in pain, just let me know,' the officer said. Higgins struggles with some of the instructions and can be heard asking officers to repeat themselves. A frustrated officer ultimately tells Higgins to 'turn around and place your hands behind your back' before handcuffing him. Apparently confused, Higgins asked what happened, to which an officer tells him they will talk about that at the station. Prosecutors have accused Higgins of being legally drunk when his vehicle collided with the Gaudreau brothers as they were cycling along a country road in the Philadelphia suburbs Major Sean Higgins, 43, has been charged with two counts of death by auto after fatally mowing down NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew in New Jersey Higgins is based in Woodstown, New Jersey, where he is believed to live with his wife and their two young daughters. The father-of-two had served in the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Kosovo and was promoted to Major during a state leadership visit to the former Yugoslavian republic in 2019 when he credited his family for their support during his military career, DailyMail.com has learned. He also served as the Regional Command-East Civil-Military Cooperation chief during the tour, though it is unclear if he is still currently enlisted in the US Army. The army major is a field artillery officer assigned to the New Jersey Army National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, and works part-time as a traditional Drill Status Guardsman. A New Jersey judge extended prosecutors' window to seek an indictment last month as Higgins remains in jail. His attorney Matthew Portella referred to Higgins as 'a loving father of two daughters,' who 'made a horrible decision that night,' as quoted by ABC 6. New Jersey state troopers have described the accident as occurring after Higgins attempted to pass two slower vehicles on Country Route 551 in Oldmans Township in Salem County. Higgins is accused of being intoxicated when he collided with Gaudreau and his brother 'Based on a preliminary investigation, two pedalcyclists, John M. Gaudreau, a 31-year-old male from Carneys Point, N.J., and Matthew R. Gaudreau, a 29-year-old male from Pedricktown, N.J., were traveling north on County Route 551, close to the fog line of the roadway,' the statement reads. 'Sean M. Higgins, a 43-year-old male from Woodstown, N.J., was traveling north on CR 551 in a Jeep Grand Cherokee behind a sedan and SUV. Higgins attempted to pass the slower-moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound lanes of travel, passed the slower-moving sedan, and attempted to re-enter the northbound lanes of travel when the SUV in front of Higgins moved to the middle of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to safely pass the two pedalcyclist traveling north on the right side of the roadway.' The Flames welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets in Calgary, where hockey quickly became an afterthought as both teams honored Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. A former teammate of Johnny's, Columbus' Sean Monahan, was seen weeping during a ceremonial puck drop before Tuesday's game at the Scotiabank Saddledome, where players on both sides struggled to contain their emotions. The brothers' family was also on hand for the ceremony, where Johnny's widow Meredith was seen holding one of their two children . She revealed in September that she's pregnant with their third. 'It's been really nice,' a tearful Meredith told Sportsnet prior to Tuesday's game, which Calgary won, 3-0. 'I really wanted everyone to see the kids. Everyone has just been so warm, it feels like you never left when you're here for a couple days.' 'Some of the best fans in the world are here in Calgary,' the brothers' father, Guy, told Sportsnet prior to the '13 Forever' tribute, which is a nod to Johnny's jersey number. Tuesday marked the second time in the last two weeks the two teams squared off, and the first meeting in Calgary, where the forward known as ' Johnny Hockey ' became a beloved star and teammate for the Flames. New Jersey Share or comment on this article: Dramatic new footage shows NHL star Johnny Gaudreau's alleged killer Sean Higgins moments after fatal crash e-mail Add comment

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Once-promising seasons hit new lows for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers last week. Another late-game meltdown sent the Bears to their sixth straight loss and led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus. The 49ers suffered their second straight blowout loss and more crushing injuries to go from Super Bowl contenders to outside the playoff picture in a matter of weeks. The two reeling teams will try to get back on track on Sunday when the Bears (4-8) visit the 49ers (5-7) in Chicago's first game under interim coach Thomas Brown . “I told them a minute ago after practice there is no confidence loss at all as far as what I think about them,” Brown said Wednesday. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks about them. I think we have a very talented football team. It’s about just putting the work in every single day to give us an opportunity to win.” The Bears are hoping to get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Over the last 10 seasons, teams with interim coaches are 13-11 in their first game with the new coach. Those teams had a .284 winning percentage at the time they fired their coaches. “I wouldn’t say a new voice was needed. I would say there was change that was needed," rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said, pointing to a need for more accountability and better communication. The Niners came into the season as the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl from the NFC after losing the title game to Kansas City last season. But a series of key injuries, bad losses and spotty play have left them in last place in the NFC West with only slim hopes of even reaching the postseason. San Francisco lost 38-10 to Green Bay and 35-10 to Buffalo in back-to-back weeks and lost star running back Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury last week that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. The Niners already lost key players Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave to season-ending injuries and are preparing to be without stars Nick Bosa and Trent Williams for a third straight week. “It’s just been a rocky mountain for real with the injuries and other stuff we’ve had to go through this season,” receiver Deebo Samuel said. “Our record don’t show how really good we are as a team. We're still believing in this locker room.” Williams described Eberflus’ firing as “interesting” and “tough” and vowed to “roll with the punches” while insisting the chaos and turnover of the past few weeks could help him handle similar situations in the future. Just 12 games into his NFL career, the prized quarterback is on his second head coach and third offensive coordinator, though Brown will continue to call plays. How does he keep the faith that his career is in good hands with this organization? “The first part is understanding I can’t control,” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I have to roll with the punches like I said before. I don’t control everything.” With McCaffrey and Jordan Mason injured, the Niners running game will turn to rookie Isaac Guerendo . The fourth-round pick has 42 carries for 246 yards and two TDs this season and will be making his second start in either college or the pros. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the progress Guerendo has made since training camp makes him ready for his new role as he sees him running with more “urgency.” “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it the more, if you’ve got the right stuff, the more you get reps, the more you can adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how when there is a hole how you have to hit it full-speed and can’t hesitate at all or it closes like that. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” San Francisco's usually stout run defense has been anything but that this season. The Niners have struggled to slow down the opposition on the ground all year with the problem getting worse recently. The 49ers allowed 389 yards rushing the past two weeks. “It’s been so frustrating because I know what is supposed to look like,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “That’s not it.” Stopping the run also continues to be a sore spot for Chicago. The Bears rank 25th overall against the run and 29th in yards allowed per rush after another difficult outing last week. They gave up 194 yards, including 144 in the first half as the Lions grabbed a 16-0 lead. Losing veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a torn pectoral muscle last month did not help. He was injured in a Week 9 loss at Arizona and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery. AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLMIDLAND, Pa., Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mawson Infrastructure Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIGI) (“Mawson” or “the Company”), a publicly-traded technology company focused on digital infrastructure platforms for artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and digital assets markets, notes that a media outlet earlier today falsely reported that the Company has filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition. Rather, entities in Australia, including W Capital Advisors Pty Ltd as trustee for the W Capital Advisors Fund and Marshall Investments MIG Pty Ltd as trustee for the Marshall Investments MIG Trust, have filed an involuntary Chapter 11 petition against the Company. The Company has not yet been formally served with an involuntary petition; however, if served, the Company’s Board of Directors intend to vigorously defend the Company against such a filing to the full extent of the law. Mawson expects to continue to operate as usual and execute its business plan accordingly. The Company has previously corresponded with W Capital Advisors Pty Ltd as trustee for the W Capital Advisors Fund and its representatives, and the Company has expressed significant concerns about W Capital Advisors Pty Ltd as trustee for the W Capital Advisors Fund and James Manning, a former board director and executive of the Company, being related parties. Neither W Capital nor James Manning have responded to the Company’s concerns in a manner satisfactory to the Company. James Manning is also the subject of an investigation by the Company’s Audit Committee related to his dealings with W Capital Advisors Pty Ltd as trustee for the W Capital Advisors Fund – among several other matters – including current litigation with an entity related to Manning, Vertua Property Inc. (“Vertua”), regarding alleged self-dealing, breach of contract, and tortious interference with a business relationship. Notably, Vertua is a company not only related to James Manning, but also affiliated with Darron Wolter of W Capital Advisors Pty Ltd as trustee for the W Capital Advisors Fund. The Company filed a complaint in The Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (file number 2024-2332) on October 17, 2024 against Vertua as landlord for the Company’s Sharon, PA property for breach of the lease agreement and wrongful termination of the lease, as well as for tortious interference with a business relationship. The Company is seeking reinstatement of the lease, compensatory damages, disgorgement of revenue, and exemplary and punitive damages, as well as reimbursement for its costs and litigation expenses. As per the Company’s most recent 10-Q filing on November 14, 2024, W Capital Advisors Pty Ltd as trustee for the W Capital Advisors Fund and Marshall Investments MIG Pty Ltd as trustee for the Marshall Investments MIG Trust had filed proceedings in Australia, and the Company believes that these entities are using such proceedings in an improper attempt to gain leverage in ongoing legal disputes between the parties. The Company believes that the filing of the involuntary Chapter 11 petition is a continuation of this pattern. The Company has previously reported through an 8-K filing on March 29, 2024 that the Company may seek to exit certain or all of its entities and holdings in Australia. The Company currently operates facilities in the United States of America and does not have any operating sites or assets in Australia. About Mawson Infrastructure Mawson Infrastructure Group (NASDAQ: MIGI) is a technology company that offers digital infrastructure platforms for AI, HPC, and digital assets. The Company’s digital infrastructure platforms can be used to operate computing resources for a number of applications, and are offered across digital assets, artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC) and other computing applications. Our innovation, technology, and operational expertise enables us to operate and optimize digital infrastructure to accelerate the digital economy. The Company has a strategy to prioritize the usage of carbon-free energy sources, including nuclear energy, to power its digital infrastructure platforms and computational machines. For more information, please visit: https://www.mawsoninc.com . CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The Company cautions that statements in this report that are not a description of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words referencing future events or circumstances such as “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” and “will,” among others. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include the actions to be taken by the Petitioners and rulings and orders of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Delaware). More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024, August 19, 2024, November 14, 2024, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with the SEC in the future. One should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as may be required by law. For more information, visit us at https://www.mawsoninc.com X / Twitter: Mawson (@Mawsoninc) / X (twitter.com) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mawsoninc/ Facebook: Mawson Inc | Pittsburgh PA | Facebook YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MawsonInc Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/mawsoninc Investor Contact: Investor Relations Team IR@mawsoninc.com Partnerships Contact: Partnerships Team Partnerships@mawsoninc.com Media Contact: Media Relations Team mediarelations@mawsoninc.com

Timely or tardy? Experts weigh in on lead time’s role in class suspensions, as teaching days lost in ‘typhoon country’ Philippines harm efforts to reverse learning decline

ETSU football announces eight new players on signing dayBy Lisandra Paraguassu and Luana Maria Benedito BRASILIA, - Brazil's government has blasted French retailer Carrefour after its CEO vowed to keep South American meat off its shelves in France in solidarity with farmers, calling the comments part of a wider push to undermine a pending trade deal. Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro called the pledge part of an "orchestrated action" by French companies to sabotage the trade pact between the European Union and South American trade bloc Mercosur, which officials aim to finalize this year. In a social media post addressed to leaders of France's farm lobbies on Wednesday, Bompard said the EU-Mercosur deal presented the "risk of meat production spilling over into the French market failing to meet its requirements and standards." "Carrefour wants to form a united front with the agricultural world and is today committing not to sell any meat from Mercosur," he added. Carrefour representatives clarified to Reuters that the retailer does not currently source meat in France from Mercosur. The company did not answer questions about sourcing for its stores elsewhere in Europe. Brazilian meat industry group Abiec, which represents beef suppliers including JBS, Marfrig and Minerva, called the retailer's plan "contradictory" as its local unit Carrefour Brasil operates 1,200 stores in the country selling mostly domestic beef. "It seems to me that they are trying to find some pretext so that France does not sign ... the finalization of the Mercosur-European Union agreement," Favaro said. In a separate statement, Brazil's Agriculture Ministry had said Brazil's rigorous controls made it the largest exporter of beef and poultry in the world, selling to 160 countries and meeting the strictest standards, including those of the EU. Conrado Ferber, head of Uruguay's National Meat Institute, said Carrefour's stance was "regrettable" and "commercially incomprehensible" because it disregarded the basis of free trade that allows economies to grow. In a statement to Reuters on Thursday, Carrefour clarified that the CEO's comments applied only to stores in France, and is not related to the quality of Mercosur meat but rather concerns from the French agricultural sector. Carrefour said all other countries where the group is present, including Brazil and Argentina, can continue to purchase meat from Mercosur. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Acting Secret Service director Ronald L. Rowe Jr. detailed changes implemented at the protective agency in the five months since an attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump while testifying before Congress on Thursday, during a sometimes-tense hearing that at one point erupted into a shouting match. Rowe took full accountability for what he called the “gravity of our failure” in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman opened fire during one of Trump’s July rallies, killing one and injuring Trump and two others. Lawmakers pressed Rowe to answer for intelligence and communication failures and, more broadly, cultural and leadership issues within the Secret Service. The acting director announced several initiatives he said will address the shortfalls, including new technical assets, more special agents and officers, and improvements to retention efforts. The agency also introduced better audits of procedures and protocols and a “chief wellness officer” to provide mental health resources, he said. The hearing was the culmination of a bipartisan task force’s four-month-long probe of the assassination attempt and the security lapses that allowed the 20-year-old gunman to climb atop an unsecured roof and fire eight shots. Trump has yet to announce whom he plans to nominate to lead the agency charged with protecting the president, vice president, their immediate families and others under its care. Trump has been mostly complimentary of the agency’s protective efforts, praising the agents who rushed the stage and ran to his aid. But Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) demanded answers from Rowe, the second most senior person at the agency on July 13, about why he did not deploy a countersurveillance unit or a counterassault team when he was aware of foreign and domestic threats to Trump. Fallon also asked why Rowe did not immediately visit the rally site after the attack, criticizing him for instead making a “massive appropriations request” to resolve issues that Fallon argued should have been in place ahead of the rally. “You knew the threat,” Fallon said. “You didn’t disseminate to the field on directive details. You didn’t have a protection that was akin to a sitting president. He didn’t have the [countersurveillance unit]. He had only the third of the [counterassault team]. So that’s kind of ineptitude and inaction and complacency and neglect that really is as telling as it is chilling.” An explosive shouting match between the two ensued after Fallon showed a picture of Rowe at a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony, accusing him of positioning himself near the president and vice president so he could audition “for a job that he’s not going to get.” “I was there going through the ashes at the World Trade Center,” Rowe angrily shouted back. “To show respect for a USSS member that died on 9/11 -- do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes. You are out of line, Congressman, way out of line. I am a public servant who has served this nation and spent time on our nation’s darkest day. Do not politicize it.” Fallon retorted by calling Rowe a “bully.” Fireworks aside, Rowe forecast plans for a hiring boom ahead of the 2028 presidential election in which both parties could feature a number of candidates requiring protective details. Responding to questions about how he has so far disbursed the $231 million in supplemental funding allocated to the Secret Service by Congress over the summer, he announced plans to hire nearly 1,000 new agents and officers by next year and said the agency has already “turned the tide on hiring,” in part by keeping veteran agents through what Rowe call “retention incentives.” When pressed by Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-Tennessee) on how Rowe has sought to address the morale and “command climate” issues within the agency, Rowe said he was in the midst of creating “leadership development programs” to identify and nurture leaders earlier in their careers. He also discussed enhancements that have already been implemented, including increased coordination with interagency entities such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to leverage emerging technologies. He said there is an “autonomous robot walking the sea walls at Mar-a-Lago” to protect Trump and his family at his Florida residence and club. The congressional panel’s final report on the Butler assassination attempt is expected to be released within days.

Other View: Extending federal Pell grants to short-term workforce training