Middlesbrough shock Chelsea in League Cup semi-final
MIDDLESBROUGH, England (Reuters) – Chelsea suffered a surprise 1-0 loss at second-tier Middlesbrough in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Tuesday with Hayden Hackney’s goal giving Mauricio Pochettino’s wasteful side plenty to do in the return.
The 21-year-old Hackney’s silky finish from an Isaiah Jones pass stunned the visitors in the 37th minute at the Riverside Stadium and the hosts defended superbly to take a slender advantage to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea only had themselves to blame though as they dominated possession but squandered a host of chances — the biggest culprit being Cole Palmer who failed to hit the target twice in the opening half with the goal gaping.
Boro, who won the trophy in 2004 but are currently 12th in the Championship, had chances on the counter-attack to increase their lead but will still head to London believing they can reach Wembley.
Chelsea’s players were booed by some of their own fans at the final whistle with Thiago Silva acting as peacemaker but they will be confident of making amends in the second leg on Jan. 23. Liverpool host Fulham in the first leg of the other semi-final on Wednesday.
Chelsea’s stuttering first season under Pochettino has been a case of one step forward and two back and Tuesday was a prime example of the problems they face as they were unable to beat Michael Carrick’s injury-ravaged Boro.
They had 18 goal attempts, the majority in the first half, but once again they lacked quality in front of goal and were often exposed in defence.
“We made some mistakes in the first half and gave them chances to score,” Pochettino told Sky Sports after his side’s ninth defeat of the season in all competitions.
“After that they were aggressive and played with a deep block and it was hard for us to break them down. But we have another 90 minutes and we need to be positive.”
For former Manchester United and England midfielder Carrick, and a raucous home crowd, it was a special night.
“I know it’s a two-legged affair and it’s still all to play for but with all we’ve had to go through with injuries and setbacks to beat a team with Chelsea’s quality is unbelievable,” Carrick said. “It was an exceptional effort.”
Boro began on the front foot but were forced into early changes with Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Bangura both hobbling off within the opening 20 minutes.
Palmer should have put Chelsea in front when he was gifted the ball by Jonny Howson but fired wastefully wide.
Minutes later Boro took the lead when the lively Jones did superbly to latch on to a long pass and bamboozle Chelsea left back Levi Colwill before squaring for Hackney to guide the ball past Djordje Petrovic from close range.
Palmer wasted an even better chance in first-half stoppage time as he sliced over from in front of goal after Boro keeper Tom Glover failed to gather a shot by Enzo Fernandez.
And Palmer was denied again before the halftime whistle, this time taking too long to shoot and then firing too close to Glover who had a superb game.
Chelsea monopolised the ball in the second half but lacked the guile to break down Boro’s red wall.
“That has happened this season and there has been a lot of games we have not won because we are not clinical enough,” Pochettino said.
Nawab Syed Algazi Officially Designated as the Special Presidential Envoy to India and SAARC Nations
NEW DELHI (DT) – In a significant diplomatic development, HE Nawab Syed Algazi has officially taken on the esteemed role of the Special Presidential Envoy to India and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations. The announcement, made through an official decree, underscores the commitment to fostering robust diplomatic ties and collaboration within the South Asian region.
His tenure begins with immediate effect from 10th January 2024 in India. His Excellency Nawab Syed Algazi will be flying to Delhi soon for the official appointment ceremony and to discuss various bilateral trade, business, recognition, collaborations and diplomatic relations between both countries. The official appointment ceremony is being held in Delhi in the presence of the President, Vice President, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State and Deputy Lieutenant (DLs) greater London, House of Lords members and many dignitaries from across the globe followed by another ceremony in Hyderabad respectively for Indian officials and Consulates of different countries. His Excellency Nawab Syed Algazi will also be meeting the Heads of State of SAARC countries like, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka as well the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh States, Consulate Generals of different countries in India to discuss various issues and responsibilities.
Since his appointment as the Honorary Consul to India last year, His Excellency Nawab Syed Algazi has successfully developed and executed Diplomat relationship with India and UAE by collaborating with the UAE based top developer Damac properties for some very exciting projects in their 80 plus representative offices of Liberland across the globe.
Since 2006, he has resided in the UAE and actively engaged as an investor. The founder of the Braveheart Martyrs Foundation, he is dedicated to serving the families of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs, war widows (Veer Naris), and war veterans through his patriotic foundation. Across the globe, he conducts the “GOLDEN SALUTE” program, honoring these individuals. Additionally, serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of “N. F. Constructions” since 1991, he has established a global presence with operations in 27 countries.
He has been awarded as the youngest entrepreneur of Andhra Pradesh in 1987 by the Indian Chamber of Commerce at Bhaskar Palace (Present day – Care Hospital). He is also the recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi award for his services towards Indian Armed Forces, Martyrs and their families’ initiatives and food drive campaigns across the globe.
About the Republic of Liberland
The Republic of Liberland stands as a sovereign state in Southeast Europe, encompassed by 11 Balkan countries. It boasts a global presence with over 80 representative offices, embassies, and consulates, spanning nations such as the UK, USA, Canada, UAE, and numerous others. With an excess of 7.30 million citizenship requests from across the globe, the Republic has established a business incubator to welcome foreign investors, both in Ark Liberland Apatin, Serbia, and within its borders.
Remarkably, Liberland is a trailblazer as the first European country envisioned in the virtual realm. The prestigious Zaha Hadid Architects, based in London, have crafted a visionary plan for a virtual city, marking a pioneering venture in the digital landscape.
The Republic of Liberland, a self-proclaimed micronation, was established on April 13, 2015, on a small parcel of unclaimed land situated between Croatia and Serbia. Vít Jedlička, a Czech politician, led the declaration of independence. It’s worth noting that, as of my last knowledge update in January 2022, Liberland has not received official recognition as a sovereign state from the international community, including the neighboring countries of Croatia and Serbia. For the latest information on Liberland’s status and developments, it’s advisable to consult more recent and reliable sources.
Morocco wins vote to lead UN human rights body after showdown with S.Africa
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (Reuters) – Morocco won a vote on Wednesday to lead the United Nations Human Rights Council after a heated showdown with South Africa, which said Rabat’s human rights record made it unfit to preside over the body.
The Moroccan candidate, Ambassador Omar Zniber, received 30 votes, and his South African opponent, Ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi, secured 17 in a secret ballot in Geneva.
Prior to the vote, Nkosi told Reuters that Morocco was the “antithesis of what the council stands for” and said the country’s election would undermine the body’s credibility.
Morocco, in turn, accused South Africa and some other African states of undermining its efforts to hold the position, a prestigious but mostly symbolic post.
“The Kingdom’s election, supported by a large number of countries around the globe in spite of Algeria’s and South Africa’s efforts to counter it, demonstrates the trust and the credibility inspired by Morocco’s external actions…,” the Moroccan foreign ministry said.
The vote marks a rare public dispute in the African group whose turn it was to lead the 47-member council. It normally strives to take decisions as a bloc.
The dispute in part revolves around Morocco’s sovereignty claim over Western Sahara, where the Algeria-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence. Morocco has denied allegations of rights abuses against its opponents there.
As part of a broader strategy, Morocco has been courting countries, including African neighbours, to build support for its policies for the former Spanish territory.
It has failed to garner the support of South Africa, which helped organise an event to promote self-determination for the Sahrawi people in Geneva last year.
Rights groups say Morocco’s new role should prompt it to safeguard human rights at the highest level.
“In particular, Morocco must refrain from intimidating or carrying out reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the U.N.,” said Tess McEvoy, the Co-Director of the New York office of the International Service for Human Rights advocacy group.
The U.N. Human Rights Council, which convenes several times a year, is the only intergovernmental global body designed to protect human rights worldwide. It can increase scrutiny of countries’ human rights records and authorise probes.
Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Emma Farge in Geneva, Ahmed El Jechtimi in Rabat; Editing by Timothy Heritage
Indian shares Surge, Fueled by Upturn in IT and Adani Group Stocks
BENGALURU, INDIA (Reuters) – India’s Nifty 50 and Sensex rose on Wednesday, led by gains in IT companies ahead of quarterly results and boosted by a jump in some Adani group stocks on the conglomerate’s plan for a $24 billion investment.
The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 (.NSEI) gained 0.34% to 21,618.70 points, while the S&P BSE Sensex (.BSESN) added 0.38% to 71,657.71. Both the benchmarks lost about 0.5% each, before reversing gains in the final hour.
IT stocks (.NIFTYIT) rose 0.5%. Market leaders TCS (TCS.NS) and Infosys (INFY.NS) are due to report quarterly results on Thursday, kicking off the earnings season in earnest.
While their results are expected to be subdued due to weak spending by key U.S. clients, the forecasts will be in focus. In that regard, U.S. inflation data on Thursday is key. A soft print will likely fortify bets of a rate cut in March, making stocks generally, and IT companies in particular, attractive.
The overall earnings season is critical with valuations at all-time highs. The Nifty 50’s PE ratio (price-to-earnings) is 22.6 times one-year forward earnings, well above the five-year average of 21.6.
“The markets are too stretched right now. An earnings-led consolidation or mild correction is required and likely in the next few weeks,” said Aneesh Srivastava, chief investment officer at Esquire Capital Advisors.
Nifty constituents Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) and Adani Ports (APSE.NS) rose 2.77% and 1.44%, respectively, after group chairman Gautam Adani announced a $24 billion investment in five years in green energy and renewable energy in the state of Gujarat.
Adani Green Energy (ADNA.NS) gained 2.37%.
The Nifty laggards included ONGC (ONGC.NS) and Bharat Petroleum (BPCL.NS), which along with Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL.NS) and Indian Oil (IOC.NS) slid 1.0%-2.2% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stocks on earnings and valuation concerns.
Consumer stocks (.NIFTYFMCG) fell 0.40%, dropping for the fourth session since Marico (MRCO.NS) and Godrej Consumer (GOCP.NS) warned of weak rural demand hitting sales. ($1 = 83.0211 Indian rupees)
Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman, Varun H K and Savio D’Souza
Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit: Simmtech Gears Up for Further Colocation Investment with Micron, Announces Global CEO Jeffery Chun
GANDHINAGAR, INDIA (PTI) – South Korean semiconductor critical parts maker Simmtech is preparing for another colocation investment with Micron, company Global CEO Jeffery Chun said on Wednesday.
In his address at the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit here, he said the company is ready to make “a significant investment in India and create thousands of job opportunities for high skilled talents in the state of Gujarat together with Micron”.
“The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 showcases the global movement of creating a new supply chain network in a fast growing nation like India, and Simmtech as a company from Korea is very proud to be part of this movement to achieve a new milestone, making a prosperous Gujarat or self reliant India supply chain,” he said.
Chun further said,” We are now preparing for another round of colocation investment in India.” Following Micron’s investment plan in Gujarat, Chun said,”… with the support from the central and state government, we are ready to make a significant investment in India and create thousands of job opportunities for high skilled talents in the state of Gujarat together with Micron.” It will help in “elevating India’s PCB and IC packaging substrate industry to another level to make India’s presence in the semiconductor supply chain network much, much stronger”, he added.
Last year, Micron had announced plans to set up a semiconductor assembly and test plant in Gujarat entailing total investment of USD 2.75 billion (around Rs 22,540 crore).Chun further said, “We really look forward to further supporting our customers supply chain, both in India and globally. And we will further enable India’s domestic players to be part of the global supply chain ecosystem”.As a supply chain partner for the semiconductor assembly and test industry, he said Simmtech provides “the best in class, semiconductor packaging IC substrates and high density interconnect printed circuit boards to our industry leading customers”.
Simmtech had in the past made colocation investments to support its key customers supply chain network, he said citing examples of investment in China with Micron more than 10 years ago and recently in Malaysia.”Through these projects, we have proven to the market that colocation investment really boosted the growth of a semiconductor ecosystem in the region,” Chun said.
World looks at India as global growth engine, PM Modi Speaks on Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit
GANDHINAGAR, INDIA (PTI) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the world looks at India as an important pillar of stability, a trusted friend, an engine of growth in the global economy, a technology hub for finding solutions and a powerhouse of talented youth.
He also said that in the rapidly changing world order, India is moving forward as ‘vishwa mitra’ (friend of the world).
Speaking at the inauguration of the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which saw participation of state heads and top CEOs of private companies, Modi said all major rating agencies are of the opinion that India will be among the three largest economies of the world in the next few years.
“In the rapidly changing world order, India is going ahead as ‘vishwa mitra’. India has given hope to the world that we can decide on common goals and achieve them,” he said.
“Today, the world looks at India as an important pillar of stability, a friend who can be trusted, a partner who believes in people-centric development, a voice that believes in global good, a voice of global south, an engine of growth in the global economy, a technology hub for finding solutions and a powerhouse of talented youth,” the PM added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving pose with World Leaders at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar, India on Jan.10, 2024. Photo : @narendramodi
“Recently, we celebrated 75 years of India’s independence and in the next 25 years we will celebrate 100 years. These 25 years is ‘amrit kaal’ for India. We have set a goal of making India a developed country in the next 25 years,” he said.
On the occasion, Modi credited UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was present at the event as the chief guest, for the “high growth of India-UAE relations”.
The future of 21st century India will become bright with our collective effort. Even during the G20 presidency, India provided a roadmap for a global future, and is taking forward the vision in this edition of VGGS, he added.
India is continuously strengthening its partnership with I2U2 Group (comprising India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States) and other multilateral organisations, Mr. Modi said.
He said his government has made India’s banking system strong through recapitalisation and use of information technology, ended more than 40,000 compliances through the ease of doing business, GST and global supply chain diversion.
“We signed three FTAs so as to make India a more attractive destination for global business. One of the FTA is with the UAE. We have opened many sectors for FDI through automatic routes. Today, India is making record investment in infrastructure,” he said.
In 10 years, India’s capex has grown five times, and the country is also moving fast in green energy and renewable energy sectors, with three times increase in green energy and twenty times in solar energy capacity.
“In 10 years, cheaper phones and data have brought about a new revolution of digital inclusion. Expansion of optical fibre to every village, and expansion of 5G is changing lives of common India. We are the world’s third biggest start-up ecosystem,” Mr. Modi said.
He said the changes happening in India are increasing the ease of living of citizens and empowering them.
“In the five years of our government, more than 13.5 crore people have come out of poverty and the average income of people has increased along with the participation of female workforce, which is a very good signal for India’s future,” he said, and called upon the world to join India’s growth journey.
The government is working to improve logistics and ease of transportation, with the number of airports grown from 74 to 149, national highway network twice, and metro train network thrice in the last ten years, he said.
“It is a matter of happiness for us to have my brother His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to participate in the event. His presence as a chief guest at the VGGS indicates an increasingly intimate relationship between us. His faith in India and his support were very warm,” he said.
The two countries have signed MoUs for development of food parks, cooperation in renewable energy, and investment in the health sector.
Companies have also agreed to invest multi million dollars in India’s port infrastructure, he said. UAE’s sovereign welfare will begin operation in GIFT City, and transworld companies are also going to start aircraft and ship leasing activities, he said.
Israeli strike kills an elite Hezbollah commander in the latest escalation linked to the war in Gaza
BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli airstrike killed an elite Hezbollah commander Monday in southern Lebanon, the latest in an escalating exchange of strikes along the border that have raised fears of another Mideast war even as the fighting in Gaza exacts a mounting toll on civilians.
The strike on an SUV killed a commander in a secretive Hezbollah force that operates along the border, according to a Lebanese security official who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with regulations. Hezbollah identified the slain fighter as Wissam al-Tawil without providing details.
He is the most senior militant in the armed group killed since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel triggered all-out war in Gaza and lower-intensity fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which has escalated since an Israeli strike killed a senior Hamas leader last week in Beirut.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is back in the region this week, appears to be trying to head off a wider conflict.
Fighting continued in northern Gaza, even after Israel said it has largely wrapped up major operations there to now focus on the central region and the southern city of Khan Younis, where thousands more Palestinians fled.
Israeli officials say the fighting will continue for many more months as the army seeks to dismantle Hamas and return scores of hostages taken during the militants’ Oct. 7 attack.
The offensive has already killed over 23,000 Palestinians, devastated vast swaths of the Gaza Strip, displaced nearly 85% of its population of 2.3 million and left a quarter of its residents facing starvation.
‘SICKENING SCENES’ IN GAZA’S OVERWHELMED HOSPITALS
Medics, patients and displaced people fled from the main hospital in central Gaza as the fighting drew closer, witnesses said Monday. Losing the facility would be another major blow to a health system shattered by three months of war.
Doctors Without Borders and other aid groups withdrew from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in recent days, saying it was too dangerous. That spread panic among people sheltering there, causing many to join the hundreds of thousands who have fled to the south of the besieged territory.
Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, on Sunday.07,2024. Photo : Ohad Zwigenberg / AP
Tens of thousands of people have sought shelter in Gaza’s hospitals, which are struggling to treat dozens of people wounded each day in Israeli strikes. Only 13 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are even partially functioning, according to the U.N. humanitarian office.
Omar al-Darawi, an employee at the Al-Aqsa hospital, said the facility has been struck multiple times in recent days. He said thousands of people left after the aid groups pulled out, while patients have been concentrated on one floor to be treated by the remaining doctors.
“We have large numbers of wounded who can’t move” he said. “They need special care, which is unavailable.”
More dead and wounded arrive each day as Israeli forces advance in central Gaza, backed by heavy airstrikes. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Monday that 249 Palestinians have been killed and 510 others were wounded across the territory in the last 24 hours.
World Health Organization staff who visited Sunday saw “sickening scenes of people of all ages being treated on blood-streaked floors and in chaotic corridors,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the U.N. agency, said in a statement. “The bloodbath in Gaza must end.”
Thousands more Palestinians fled Deir al-Balah and refugee camps in central Gaza, heading south along the coastal road to an area known as Muwasi, on the outskirts of Rafah at Gaza’s southern end, where already more than 1 million people have crowded.
The U.N. children’s agency UNICEF warned that 90% of Gaza’s children under 2 were consuming only bread and milk, and that cases of diarrhea were skyrocketing.
“As the threat of famine intensifies, hundreds of thousands more young children could soon be severely malnourished, with some at risk of death. We cannot allow that to happen,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s executive director.
DIRE CONDITIONS IN THE ISOLATED NORTH
The situation is even more dire in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces cut off from the rest of the territory in late October.
Entire neighborhoods have been demolished, and most of the population has fled. Tens of thousands who remain face severe shortages of food and water. The WHO said late Sunday it has been unable to deliver supplies to northern Gaza in 12 days because of heavy bombardment and the inability to guarantee safe passage with the Israeli military.
Even there, Israel still battles what it describes as pockets of militants.
An airstrike early Sunday flattened a four-story home filled with displaced people in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp, killing at least 70, including women and children, according to Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s civil defense. There was no immediate confirmation from the Health Ministry, which has struggled to maintain its operations in the north.
Search efforts were still underway Monday. Civil defense officials circulated a graphic video showing the aftermath, with several bodies scattered amid the rubble.
Jabaliya, which was built for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation and is now a dense, built-up neighborhood, has seen weeks of heavy fighting.
More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, about two-thirds of them women and children, and more than 58,000 wounded, since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The death toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates in populated residential areas, but the military almost never comments on the intended target in strikes that kill large numbers of civilians. The military says it has killed some 8,000 militants, without providing evidence, and says 176 of its own soldiers have been killed in the offensive.
SEEKING TO HEAD OFF A WIDER WAR
Blinken, who was meeting leaders in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Monday after talks in Jordan and Qatar, once again spoke of the need for Israel to adjust its military operations to minimize harm to civilians and allow more aid into the territory.
But his main focus appeared to be preventing the war from spreading.
A Hezbollah rocket barrage hit a sensitive air traffic base in northern Israel on Saturday in one of the biggest attacks in three months of fighting. The militant group said was an “initial response” to the killing of Hamas’ deputy political leader Saleh Arouri in Beirut last week.
So far, both sides have sought to limit the fighting.
Hezbollah appears wary of risking an all-out war that would bring massive destruction to Lebanon. Israeli leaders say their patience is wearing thin and that if the tensions cannot be resolved through diplomacy, they are prepared to go to war. They have expressed particular concern about the Radwan Force, the elite Hezbollah unit in which al-Tawil was a commander, which operates along the border.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting troops near the border, vowed to “do everything” possible to return “security to the north.”
“We prefer that this be done without a wider campaign, but that won’t stop us,” he said.
Hezbollah began firing rockets shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, saying it aimed to ease pressure on Gaza. Hamas and other militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel that day, mostly civilians, and took some 250 people hostage, over 100 of whom were released during a cease-fire in November.
On the Lebanese side, nearly 200 have been killed in exchanges with Israel, mostly fighters but also 20 civilians. In Israel, five civilians and 12 soldiers have been killed along the Lebanese border and more than 150 injured. Tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border have been driven from their homes.
Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Magdy from Cairo.
Biden will visit church where Black people were killed to lay out election stakes and perils of hate
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden wants Americans to grasp the extraordinary stakes of this year’s presidential election, as he sees them. As part of that effort, he’s revisiting some of the nation’s worst traumas to highlight what can happen when hate is allowed to fester.
On Monday, Biden heads to Charleston, South Carolina, to Mother Emanuel AME Church, the site of a 2015 racist massacre in which nine Black churchgoers were shot to death during Bible study. The event comes after a blunt speech by the Democratic president on the eve of the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, in which he excoriated former President Donald Trump for “glorifying” rather than condemning political violence.
It’s a grim way to kick off a presidential campaign, particularly for a man known for his unfailing optimism and belief that American achievements are limitless. But his campaign advisers and aides say it’s necessary to lay out the stakes in unequivocal terms, particularly after a few years without the cultural saturation of Trump’s words and actions. And it’s an effort to set up the contrast they hope will be paramount to voters in 2024.
“It shows the campaign meeting the moment,” former Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield said. “We’re facing a fundamental threat to our democracy in the form of Donald Trump, and rather than a cookie cutter launch — you know, here are my five policy platforms — he’s speaking to people in a way that connects that and that lays out the stark challenges that are coming down the barrel.”
It was June 17, 2015, when a 21-year-old white man walked into the church and, intending to ignite a race war, shot and killed nine Black parishioners and wounded one more. Biden was vice president when he attended the memorial service in Charleston, where President Barack Obama famously sang “Amazing Grace.”
Biden’s aides and allies say that episode was among the critical moments when the nation’s political divide started to sharpen and crack. Though Trump, the current Republican presidential front-runner, was not in office at the time and has called the shooting “horrible,” Biden is seeking to tie Trump’s current rhetoric to such violence.
Two years later, at the “Unite The Right” gathering of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, some carrying flaming torches, erupted in violent clashes with counterprotesters. Trump refused to condemn the white nationalists, saying “there is blame on both sides.”
Biden and his aides argue it’s all part of the same problem: Trump refused to condemn the actions of the white nationalists at that gathering. He’s repeatedly used rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue that immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country,” yet he insisted he had no idea that one of the world’s most reviled and infamous figures once used similar words.
And Trump has continually repeated his false claims that he won the 2020 election, as well as his assertion that the Capitol rioters were patriotic. He’s called the long prison sentences handed down for some offenders — whom he calls “hostages” and were convicted of crimes like assaulting police officers on Jan. 6 or seditious conspiracy — “one of the saddest things.”
Jim Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat, said this year’s election “will determine the fate of American democracy, our freedoms, and whether this country will stand up against hate and vitriol embodied by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans,” a reference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
“Few places embody these stakes like Mother Emanuel AME – a church that has witnessed the horrors of hate-fueled political violence and a church that has spoken to the conscience of this nation and shown us the path forward after moments of division and despair,” Clyburn said in a statement.
In his Jan. 6 anniversary speech, Biden told people in his audience that Trump doesn’t care about their future. “Trump is now promising a full-scale campaign of ‘revenge’ and ‘retribution’ — his words — for some years to come,” Biden said. “They were his words, not mine. He went on to say he would be a dictator on Day One.”
Biden has repeatedly suggested that democracy itself is on the ballot this year, asking whether it is still “America’s sacred cause.”
Trump, who faces 91 criminal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his loss to Biden and three other felony cases, argues that Biden and other top Democrats are themselves seeking to undermine democracy by using the legal system to thwart the campaign of Biden’s chief rival.
South Carolina is the first official Democratic nominating contest where Biden is looking to flex his political muscle this year, and it’s where his turnaround in 2020 began on his way to the White House.
Biden is expected to meet with the families of the victims of the church shooting, and it’s in these moments when his aides believe he’s most effective.
“This is a personal strength of his, and his ability to do this in an emotional way that connects with people is not to be underappreciated,” Bedingfield said. “Because these are hard things to talk about. And it’s hard to talk about them in a way that doesn’t make people feel defeated. And he can do that.”
Inside the 2024 Golden Globes: What you didn’t see on camera
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — The Golden Globe Award s likes to think of itself as the party of the year, but instead of a debauched, champagne-fueled romp, it can sometimes feel more like a strange high school reunion for the extremely famous.
Some are catching up with old friends and co-stars, some are kissing their dates in plain sight and some fawn over the cool kids they haven’t yet met. Sometimes it happens on camera, as with “Poor Things” director Yorgos Lanthimos swooning over his proximity to a personal idol, Bruce Springsteen, but most of the time those interactions are saved for when the cameras are off – though Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner clearly didn’t get the memo that there were still live cameras even during the commercial breaks.
You’d never know that the Golden Globes were coming back from several scandal-plagued years inside the same ballroom where they’ve been held for years. The chatter was about how fun it felt to be back, whether or not Travis Kelce would show with Taylor Swift (he didn’t) and who was going to get the Oscar boost out of it. Some grumbled about the last minute seating assignments for high-profile attendees who weren’t told who their tablemates would be until late Saturday afternoon.
THE RUSH BEFORE SHOWTIME
It’s always a flurry of excitement in the moments before the show begins, as the biggest stars rush in from the red carpet to make the opening monologue. Jennifer Lawrence, noted appreciator of “lukewarm chardonnay,” walked in with minutes to go, martini in hand and purpose in her eyes. Right behind her was Oprah Winfrey, seemingly the only A-lister in the room with a full security detail clearing the way for her and Gayle King.
Many of the most famous faces were seated on the stage level where Harrison Ford took his seat early, at a table with Selena Gomez who was excited about the Nobu sushi being served. Attendees were largely thrilled with the upgraded food choice after years of chicken and fish and root vegetables that were usually long gone by the time everyone took their seats.
Soon Martin Short joined Gomez, in a place clearly marked “Meryl Streep.” Short quickly got up to speak with Ford who gestured to him to stay seated. Short ignored, and both were soon in stitches laughing. Later Ford made his way over to his “Indiana Jones” director Steven Spielberg and old co-star Kate Capshaw to catch up.
As they talked Ben Affleck made a beeline to studio exec Tom Rothman, who chatted and laughed before Affleck left to take his seat next to his pal Matt Damon. Kristin Wiig also made sure to stop Paul Giamatti to congratulate him for his performance in “The Holdovers.”
In a different part of the room, Gary Oldman gave his “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan a kiss on the cheek as they passed one another and the voice over the loudspeaker urged everyone to get to their seats as soon as possible.
Elsewhere “ Priscilla” star Cailee Spaeny looked starry eyed along her way to her seat, while a waiter gushed to Quinta Brunson how gorgeous she looked.
CHOICE SEATS, SNAPS AND CONVERSATIONS
Unlike in years past the TV tables were just as big as an attraction as the movie ones, with “The Bear” cast seated in a high traffic area that only got more crowded with their subsequent wins. Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White stayed close most of the night, while Edebiri snapped photos of her co-star Matty Nathanson with a digital camera she brought.
“Beau is Afraid” star Joaquin Phoenix stayed close to his director Ari Aster as well, while behind them Emily Blunt and John Krasinski greeted Martin Scorsese with a hug and Katharine McPhee took a shot of the room with her phone.
Jo Koy’s awkward monologue sent many in search of another drink early in the show. The Globes smartly tucked the bar, the dessert table and some sushi extras in a separate room in the back of the ballroom which over the course of the night filled up with the likes of Florence Pugh, Helen Mirren, Shameik Moore, Barry Keoghan and Christina Ricci.
This image released by CBS shows host Jo Koy during the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (Sonja Flemming/CBS via AP)
Back in the room, Ali Wong had a meaningful chat with “All of Us Strangers” star Andrew Scott about his heartbreaking film.
“I didn’t know what it was about” before seeing it, Wong said. “It broke me.”
Scott also had an animated chat with Pedro Pascal, while Allison Williams took a picture with her old “Girls” boyfriend and current cast member of “The Bear” Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
“The Bear” cast was seated right next to “The Crown” table, Elizabeth Debicki was one of many who’d make her way over to talk and laugh with White and Edebiri. Robert Downey Jr. opted for the shouting across the room method. “What’s up BEAR,” he shouted, blowing kisses at them.
His “Oppenheimer” co-star Florence Pugh, who stayed close to pal Zoe Lister-Jones all night, also made her way to congratulate Ebediri but was quickly pulled away by Gillian Anderson who promptly took a selfie with her friend.
Barry Keoghan arrives at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Pugh and Lister-Jones were on their way to the bar for some sushi and a drink. “I’m hungry!” Pugh exclaimed. Everywhere you looked there were fun conversations happening, like Riley Keogh laughing with Colman Domingo or Charles Melton talking to Barry Keoghan (hopefully about prosthetics).
NEAR THE END
The night started getting long about two hours in, where many took a break in the restroom. It was there that Natasha Lyonne spotted Elizabeth Olsen and gushed about her dress, and where a few other Marvel stars laughed to find themselves both at the sink at the same time.
“I want to change,” Pom Klementieff said to her “Guardians of the Galaxy” co-star Karen Gillan.
Gillan agreed and Klementieff sighed, “Let’s go back, back to hell.”
Greta Gerwig, left, and Noah Baumbach arrive at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
After the show in the lobby, a shoeless Brie Larson hopped over to Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach in the lobby outside shouting “Gret-A, Gret-A!” before jumping up to hug the “Barbie” director.
They were just some of the many A-listers walking through the lobby on to various studio and agency parties happening around Los Angeles, where many will be analyzing what the night’s results mean for the Oscars. Is “Oppenheimer” now the solid frontrunner? Can “Maestro” and “May December” make a comeback? Why did “Barbie” win ONLY two awards?
Or perhaps it’ll stay light and fun. Because at those parties, the cameras really are off.
Flu and COVID infections got worse over the holidays, with more misery expected, CDC says
NEW YORK (AP) — The flu season in the U.S. is getting worse but it’s too soon to tell how much holiday gatherings contributed to a likely spike in illnesses.
New government data posted Friday for last week — the holiday week between Christmas and New Year’s — show 38 states with high or very high levels for respiratory illnesses with fever, cough and other symptoms. That’s up from 31 states the week before.
The measure likely includes people with COVID-19, RSV and other winter viruses, and not just flu. But flu seems to be increasing most dramatically, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We expect it to be elevated for several more weeks,” said the CDC’s Alicia Budd. So far, though, this is a moderate flu season, she said.
Interpreting flu reports during and after the holidays can be tricky, she noted. Schools are closed. More people are traveling. Some people may be less likely to go see a doctor, deciding to just suffer at home. Others may be more likely to go.
The flu season generally peaks between December and February; CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said she expects it to peak by the end of this month. Officials say this season’s flu shots are well-matched to the strain that is spreading the most.
According to CDC estimates, since the beginning of October, there have been at least 10 million illnesses, 110,000 hospitalizations, and 6,500 deaths from flu so far this season. The agency said 27 children have died of flu.
COVID-19 illnesses may not be as escalating as quickly as flu this winter. CDC data indicates coronavirus-caused hospitalizations haven’t hit the same levels they did at the same point during the last three winters. Still, COVID-19 is putting more people in the hospital than flu, CDC data shows.
Lauren Ancel Meyers of the University of Texas, said the nation is seeing a second rise in COVID-19 after a smaller peak in September.
“There is a lot of uncertainty about when and how high this current surge will peak,” said Meyers, who runs a team that forecasts COVID-19, flu and RSV trends
A new version of the coronavirus, called JN.1, is accounting for nearly two-thirds of U.S. cases, according to a CDC estimate. But health officials say there’s no evidence that that it causes more severe disease than other recent variants,
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
