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Russia: Astana format meeting in Qatar agrees to step up efforts to stabilize SyriaHARTFORD, CT – The leader of the House Republican caucus lit into what he described as “conspiracy theories” and lawlessness from the Democrats Thursday morning regarding the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and conditions that he said led two credit agencies to downgrade the state’s largest energy utilities. “I’m here today to provide the Republican perspective on what we have seen over the last couple of weeks with the downgrades of many of our utility companies,” said Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, at a news conference at the Legislative Office Building. “I think we need to sort of corral the discussion around what these impacts are going to have on the state of Connecticut. And I think what’s lost here is that there is yet going to be as a result of these downgrades another rate increase on our electric customers.” Candelora was referring to the recent decisions by both S&P Global and Moody’s to . Connecticut Natural Gas, Southern Connecticut Gas, Eversource, Yankee Gas Service, and Aquarion have all had their credit downgraded in the past week. Candelora also co-authored by state Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, and state Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, co-chairs of the legislature’s Energy & Technology Committee. Candelora said that the legislators were advancing “conspiracy theories.” “They’re now putting forth these conspiracy theories that somehow S&P and Moody’s, who are long-respected rating agencies, are conspiring with our utility companies to create this type of environment,” Candelora said. “And these conspiracies are rising to the level of science fiction movies. We all know that these rating agencies are heavily regulated by the federal government. They have ethics standards. These are publicly traded companies. The gamesmanship that they are suggesting isn’t possible. But on top of it all, the person that is losing in this is, again, our customers. And what we have now seen and what S&P has pointed to isn’t about rate recovery or the viability of these businesses. They point to the volatility of our regulatory agencies, which is unique.” Candelora said that the uncertainty created by government regulators will ultimately drive up costs. “[The credit rating agencies] are citing the fact that we have a volatile and uncertain market because of the way PURA has been structured,” he said. “We all know that the decision-making in PURA has moved from a three-body panel to a chairman that has taken control over all the dockets. They have operated with a level of secrecy and have moved the decision making to the governor’s office because none of those reappointments have been made and they are all serving at the pleasure of the governor as opposed to being an independent, non-political body which is the way it was originally structured.” PURA – which is a quasi-public agency – operates as a court and each deliberation that comes before it is called a “docket.” The agency also has a team of staff whose job is to help consumers contest their utility bills. Despite what Candelora said Thursday, every proceeding is public, each docket is publicly available online, and his assertion that PURA Chair Marissa Gillett has taken control of the dockets suggests that the other two members of the board haven’t outvoted her, which is also not the case. Gillett has led votes against various rate hikes and also has been outvoted by the other two members of the board, one of whom is a Republican and the other a Democrat, in favor of rate increases. Candelora admits that there might have been increases in rates from a properly constituted PURA commission, but said that a smoothed out process would have avoided the decrease in rates that was followed by the dramatic spike that occurred in August – which has been referred to as a “rate shock.” The House Republican caucus leader also called on Gov. Ned Lamont to fulfill the statutory requirement of five PURA commissioners by appointing two more. “When public officials take their oath to honor the Constitution and the laws of the state of Connecticut, that’s what we’re required to do,” he said, adding that the law says “shall” appoint, rather than “may” appoint. “My question for the governor is, why does he think it’s okay to violate state law? There’s no discretion [in the language]. And I could make the argument that we should have three or seven or five, but that’s for the debate on we’re changing the law. The law says five. There needs to be five.” Later Thursday at another news conference in Hartford, Lamont said he had no problem with it. “We have some of the highest electric prices in the lower 48 states, and if the answer to it is going from three PURA commissioners to five PURA commissioners, then God bless,” Lamont said. “I’m not gonna make a big fuss out of it, but it won’t make any difference.” Lamont said that Eversource has also been downgraded in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and that those downgrades can’t be blamed on Connecticut’s regulatory environment. He said that his job is to make sure regulators and utilities work together in a partnership going forward and maintain affordability as the main concern. “Supply and demand” is the key, Lamont said. “Demand, meaning everything I can do with energy efficiency to reduce demand so you don’t have those big spikes that cost us so much, and absolutely we’re going to need more supply. I’m in conversations with Dominion, we’re building wind right now, we’re bringing down solar from Maine of all places. We need more supply and that’s what I’m working on.”ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Voting closed Saturday evening in most polling centers throughout Ghana, bringing to an end the presidential and legislative elections poised to be a litmus test for democracy in a region shaken by extremist violence and coups . The capital, Accra, was almost a ghost town for much of the day. Even vibrant Oxford Street, one of the city's commercial hubs, saw little activity on the day that Ghanaians went to the polls to elect a new president and 276 legislators. Some 18.7 million people are registered to vote in the West African country hit by one of the worst economic crises in a generation. However, the two main candidates offer little hope for change for the nation. Early results were expected late on Saturday. The first official results will be released by Tuesday. Ghana used to be a poster child for democracy in the region. At a time when coups threatened democracy in West Africa, Ghana has emerged as a beacon of democratic stability with a history of peaceful elections. It had also been an economic powerhouse, priding itself on its economic development. But in recent years, it has struggled with a profound economic crisis, including surging inflation and a lack of jobs. According to an opinion poll released earlier this year by Afrobarometer, a research group, 82% of Ghanaians feel their country is headed in the wrong direction Although 12 candidates are running to become Ghana’s next president, Saturday’s election — like previous ones since the return of multiparty politics in 1992 — has emerged as a two-horse race. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is the candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, or NPP, which has struggled to resolve the economic crisis. He faces off against former President John Dramani Mahama, the leader of the main opposition party National Democratic Congress, or NDC. He was voted out in 2016 after failing to deliver on promises for the economy. Opinion polls point at a potential comeback for Mahama. A local research company, Global InfoAnalytics says he is projected to get 52.2% of the vote, followed by Bawumia, with 41.4%. After voting in the town of Bole in northern Ghana, Mahama praised the smooth election process and expressed confidence in his own victory. “In other elections, it had not been clear," he told reporters. “But (during) this election everyone sees where it is heading.” The NDC prides itself as a social democratic party, while the ruling NPP tags itself as leaning to the right. But in fact, analysts and voters said, the programs of their presidential candidates do not differ in a significant way. Members of parliament will also be elected Saturday. The ruling NPP party and the main opposition NDC each have 137 members in the 275-member legislature, with one independent member who has been voting mostly along with the ruling party. One more constituency will be added in this election, bringing the number of deputies to 276. In their final campaign rallies Thursday, both candidates made a last push to pitch their political parties as the answer to Ghana’s economic woes. Bawumia, 61, an Oxford-educated economist and former deputy governor of the country’s central bank, promised to build on the outgoing administration’s efforts and stabilize the economy. Mahama, 65, on the other hand, restated his promise to “reset” the country on various fronts. “We need to reset our democracy, governance, economy, finances, agriculture, infrastructure, environment, health sector, and all that we hold dear as a people,” the former president said. Across the the capital, Accra, the mood for the election has been upbeat in posters and billboards with bikers displaying stunts, political rallies on the streets, election jingles and songs blasting from public speakers. But the concern for many is also palpable for the key thing at stake: The country’s ailing economy, which has been challenged on various fronts in recent years. The country defaulted on most of its foreign debt last year as it faced a worsening economic crisis that spiked the price of fuel, food and other essential items. The inflation rate had hit 54% by the end of last year and though it’s been coming down since then, not many Ghanaians can still tell the difference when they go to the market. Ebenezer Kotey Dsane, a 69-year-old driver said he voted for Mahama because “he is a good man” who “set up much infrastructure when he was in office.” “The current regime hasn't done much,” he said, pointing to the La General Hospital in Accra, one of the capital's main medical facilities, pulled down in July 2020 by the current government with a pledge to reconstruct it. “Until today, nothing has happened.” Some chose not to vote at all. Ruth Mensah, 42, an unemployed resident of Nima, a working-class suburb in Accra, said she decided not to cast a ballot. “I don’t see how voting will bring about a change to my life,” she said. Patricia Seyram Hagbevor, 20, a first-time voter and student at Accra Technical University said she wished for a change. She didn't disclose whom she voted for, but said she “hoped for a change for the better that will help develop our future.” The chronic challenge of illegal gold mining — known locally as galamsey — has also been a major issue in the campaign and a source of concern for voters, triggering protests and criticism against the outgoing government. Ghana is Africa’s top gold producer and the world’s sixth largest, but the commodity has been increasingly mined illegally as people become more desperate to find jobs in an economy that has been crumbling. The mining has polluted rivers and other parts of the environment despite government actions to clamp down on the practice. Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal.poker game near me 。

Barry Keoghan deactivates Instagram account after shock Sabrina Carpenter 'split'

Despite 22 turnovers, Air Force basketball topped Stony Brook 69-61 on Saturday at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas as part of the inaugural Legends Showcase. The Falcons’ win broke a three game losing streak this season and five game losing streak in the state of Texas. Wesley Celichowski had a career-high 22 points, including 8 for 8 from the free throw line and added four rebounds. Ethan Taylor notched 17 points, his ninth consecutive game with double-digit points. He also had eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Air Force (3-7) shot 57.1% (24 of 42) from the field while holding the Seawolves to just 37.3% (22 of 59). The Falcons led 27-23 at the half and held the lead for the rest of the contest. Head coach Joe Scott was happy with Saturday’s performance and saw much improvement from the players, particularly in pace of play. “The end result is produced by how you play, how much energy and pace you have,” Scott said. "After our last trip we didn't like what we saw and made changes. ... We practiced and it was evident today. It doesn't matter if you know something, but have no pace. When you have that pace and energy you'll be amazed at how much you know.” Air Force next faces Northern Colorado on the road Monday at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ or listened to on KVOR AM 740.Blue Star Foods Moves its Listing to OTC Markets under its current symbol BSFC

Warning over hiking apps after 'virtually identical' rescues on Vancouver North Shore VANCOUVER — The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after international visitors became stranded in two separate incidents while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press Dec 5, 2024 3:25 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains says its teams recently rescued two international visitors who became stranded in rugged terrain after relying on online hiking apps without doing further research. The North Shore mountains are shown in Vancouver on Nov. 23, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER — The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after international visitors became stranded in two separate incidents while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. North Shore Rescue was called in on Nov. 28 to rescue a man from Norway who the organization said "seriously underestimated the difficulty" of a route marked in an online hiking app. Rescuers were back on a nearby mountain three nights later for a "virtually identical" operation, the group said in a social media post. Allan McMordie with North Shore Rescue managed the Sunday night rescue of a man at Goat Ridge, a backcountry area behind Grouse Mountain. He said the man from France told rescuers he had not been expecting snow, despite two of the local ski hills opening with fresh powder last month. "All you had to do was look at the top of the mountains from Vancouver and know there's snow up there," he said in an interview. "To be in running shoes and not even expecting any snow was pretty naive." The man had set out on a marked route, then decided to make his way through very rough, steep terrain to a separate trail at significantly higher elevation. "This is rugged backcountry," McMordie said. "It's almost impassable." McMordie could not confirm which apps the hikers in both recent rescues were using, but said a lack of any marked route or trail reports is a good indication to stop and turn around, and in any case, trip planning should involve multiple sources of information. If the man from France had done any research, McMordie said he would have discovered the backcountry area where he was rescued is closed for the winter. In both recent cases, he said there were signs at each trailhead with maps showing trails and topography, along with reminders about key steps in trip planning, he said. Both men were lucky to have been able to make 911 calls, McMordie added, as service is patchy in the area and their phone batteries had nearly run out. Above all, he said hikers should tell someone else where they're going and when they expect to return, so that person can alert local authorities if necessary. "Absolutely nobody knew where this person was and what he was doing that day," McMordie said of the man from France. "If he had not been able to get that (911) call out, he would still be there." North Shore Rescue said the course taken by the man from Norway was "barely a trail" in the summer and "nothing whatsoever" in the winter, making for "full mountaineering conditions" at this time of year. He called for help after hiking for eight hours that left him "tired, soaked (and) hypothermic" as the sun was setting," it said. It's doubtful the man would have survived the night in the Mount Seymour backcountry if he hadn't been able to make the call, the rescue group added. The man had been staying in a short-term accommodation and had taken an Uber to the trailhead. Only his girlfriend in Norway knew where he was, and he was not wearing or carrying adequate gear for the conditions, McMordie said. Vancouver-based Stephen Hui, the author of several B.C. hiking guidebooks, said the rough, mountainous terrain steps away from urban Metro Vancouver and the extent of the snowpack in winter is a surprise for many visiting hikers. Hui said online apps can be helpful and often provide commentary about trail conditions from other hikers, but it's crucial to look at additional sources of information, including complete maps and provincial and national park websites. He said local authorities and outdoor groups have some responsibility for people heading into the backcountry, and there is room for more signage and education. Ultimately, though, he said people must be responsible for themselves. "We can't handhold everybody," he said. "There's always going to be dangers in hiking." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Business Police release new photos as they search for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Dec 5, 2024 3:50 PM Chief 'disappointed' to see clean water used as a political tactic by Conservatives Dec 5, 2024 3:34 PM Lululemon CEO sees progress in company's efforts to address past lack of newness Dec 5, 2024 3:11 PM Featured Flyer

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