vipph joy
2025-01-09   

vipph joy 。

Cuala 1-14 St Mary’s Ardee 2-10 Cuala have become the first club to win Leinster senior titles in both codes after a nervy victory over St Mary’s Ardee. The Dublin champions appeared to be coasting when leading by 1-6 to 0-0 after 20 minutes, with Con O’Callaghan wreaking havoc up front, slotting three of their points while laying on the goal for Conor O’Brien in the 15th minute. They pulled the lead out to eight points again in the second half but a black card for Eoin Kennedy as Cuala cynicism was punished this time, after they had rode their luck in that regard in their semi-final win over Tullamore, turned the game on its head. Kennedy was sent to cool off for 10 minutes by referee Seamus Mulhare in the 46th minute, with Cuala leading 1-10 to 0-8, and though Niall O’Callaghan soon extended their lead to six, it was wiped out by two quick-fire Ardee goals. Sub Ryan Rooney pounced for the first after Ryan Scollard fumbled Tadgh McDonnell’s point effort that dropped just under his crossbar, allowing Rooney to slap the ball to the net. A minute later, Ardee were in again and Peter Callaghan finished coolly past Scollard to level it up. Cal Doran and Luke Keating twice restored Cuala’s lead but Rooney levelled both times as he wreaked havoc off the bench. In the thick of all that in a breathless finish, O’Callaghan had a goal effort blocked and Rooney missed a shot from a mark, his effort coming off the post, as he attempted to put Ardee in front for the first time. O’Callaghan also missed an easy free by his standards but when Mick Fitzsimons earned another in injury time, in front of the posts on the edge of the D, Keating stepped forward to kick the winner, with Ardee sub Rónán Carroll then sending a late speculative effort wide. It was heartache for Ardee, who looked to have all the momentum in the final quarter to make them the first Louth club to go all the way in Leinster, but Cuala did well to keep their composure at the finish to claim their first Leinster football crown to sit alongside the titles won by the club’s hurlers in 2016 and ‘17. They’ll wonder how they got themselves into such a position, even allowing for the black card, having built such a commanding advantage early on. Ardee were all at sea for much of the first half but finally got off the mark in the 23rd minute through a Ciaran Keenan free, their fifth shot at the posts. They quickly followed it up with a Jonathan Commins free and a third from goalkeeper Tiernan Markey and though Kennedy finished the half with a fisted point for Cuala to lead 1-7 to 0-3, at least St Mary’s had some sort of foothold. They hung in during the third quarter but only really took off after Kennedy’s temporary dismissal. Ultimately, they came up just short in the end. Cuala will go on to play the Connacht champions, either Coolera-Strandhill (Sligo) or Pearses (Roscommon) in the All-Ireland semi-final on the weekend of January 4/5. CUALA: R Scollard; D Conroy, M Fitzsimons (0-1), E O’Callaghan; E Kennedy (0-1), C McMorrow (0-1), D O’Dowd; P O Cofaigh Byrne, P Duffy; C Dunne, C O’Brien (1-1), C Doran (0-1); L Keating (0-3, 0-2f), N O’Callaghan (0-2), C O’Callaghan (0-4, 0-2f). Subs: C O Giollain for Dunne (37), M Conroy for Conroy (43), C Groarke for O’Brien (43), S Mangan for O’Dowd (57). ST MARY’S ARDEE: T Markey (0-1f); T McDonnell (0-1), K Faulkner, E Keenan; J Commins (0-2, 0-1f), D McKenny, P McKenny; RJ Callaghan, S Callaghan (1-0); C Keenan (0-3f), L Jackson, K Moran; S Matthews, D McConnon (0-1), T Jackson. Subs: R Carroll for Matthews (43), R Rooney (1-2) for Moran (43), C Gillespie for Commins (53), R Leavy for Callaghan (57). REFEREE: S Mulhare (Laois).None

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By MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Related Articles National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.Continuously optimize user experience, Baijiayun's live and on-demand products complete autumn upgradePORTLAND, Ore. — A prolific scorer in her two years at Wapato, Deets Parrish was yet to have a breakthrough game with the Davis girls basketball team entering the prestigious Holiday Classic tournament. Parrish scored a team-high 23 points as she guided the Pirates to a 65-63 overtime win over West Linn (Ore.) at Franklin High School to open play in the Diamond Bracket – the Classic’s toughest division – on Friday. Isa Garcia and Averie Brandt each hit three 3-pointers and combined for 26 points as Davis (8-0) stayed undefeated despite missing leading scorer Cheyenne Hull. Maintaining a perfect record will be tough with a Diamond Bracket semifinal on Saturday against Clackams (Ore.), which boasts four Division I signees headlined USC-bound Jazzy Davidson. Davidson is ranked as the No. 3 player in the Class of 2025 by ESPN and is a three-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year. DAVIS — Deets Parrish 23, Isa Garcia 15, Averie Brandt 11, Craig 2, Gasseling 7, Johnson 7, Hernandez 0. WEST LINN — Reese Jordan 25, Kaylor Buse 19, Arnold 7, Maxwell4, Balensifer 6, Beall 2, Ki. Buse 0, Ky. Buse 0. Davis=11=15=13=17=9=—=65 West Linn=11=11=16=18=7=—=—63 Davis highlights: Parrish 10 rebs, Gasseling 11 rebs; Brandt 5 rebs, 3 assts, 2 stls; Craig 4 stls; Garcia 3 stls. EISENHOWER 40, SQUALICUM 25: At Sqaulicum, Nekha Roehl knocked down a pair of 3-pointers as she racked up 22 points to lead the Cadets to a win. Eisenhower (4-2) will head back to Central Washington to play at Richland on Saturday. SQUALICUM — Not available EISENHOWER — Nekha Roehl 22, Ramos 7, M. Garza 4, Littrell 3, Frederick 2, Espinoza 2, O'Connor 2, Salamanca 0, Armijo 0, Ceballos 0, Contreras 0, R. Garza 0. PROSSER 56, SPRUCE GROVE (ALBERTA) 42: At Scottsdale Christian Academy (Ariz.), Herbie Wright led the Mustangs with 24 points and Deidra Phillips added 13 in a victory. Prosser (7-1) will play Colony (Calif.) on Saturday. SPRUCE GROVE — Aalders 1, Arden Sullivan 10, K. Lewis 14, Goerzen 2, Osbak 3, Granley 6, Holst 0, Fischer 2, P. Sullivan 4, C. Lewis 0. PROSSER — Milanez 6, Cox 0, Carter 2, Herbie Wright 24, Dixon 9, Taylor 0, Bailey 2, Chapman 0, Deidra Phillips 13, Chavez 0. Spruce Grove=16=5=8=13=—=42 Prosser=11=10=21=14=—=56 ELLENSBURG 74, HERMISTON 53: At Central Washington, Bella Standish led four Ellensburg players in double-figures with 18 points and the Bulldogs beat Hermiston. Ellensburg (7-0) will play Sehome on Saturday. HERMISTON — J. Moreno 9, A. Moreno 6, Ledesma 0, Izzy Simmons 12, Rodriguez 4, Teegarden 4, Casados 2, Cherry 6, Aspyn Inners 10. ELLENSBURG — Ellie Markus 14, Molly Moffat 10, Armstong 2, Philip 8, Layne Rogel 13, Boast 0, Leishman 0, Boast 0, Bella Standish 18, Nemrow 7, Gruber 0, Wilcox 2. Hermiston=4=12=14=23=—=53 Ellensburg=17=23=18=16=—=74 Ellensburg highlights: Standish 4 asts, 3 stls; Markus 5 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls; Rogel 4 rebs, 3 stls; Moffat 3 stls; Jamison Philip 4 rebs, 4 asts. SOUTHRIDGE 55, GRANDVIEW 52 OT: At Southridge, Leyla Rodrigeuz and Miya Lopez each scored 14 points as the Greyhounds fell in overtime. Grandview (5-4) will host Wapato on Saturday. GRANDVIEW — Leyla Rodriguez 14, Miya Lopez 14, Jenna Garza 11, Torres 8, Hamm 2, Benitez 2, Thomas 1. SOUTHRIDGE — Naomi Oatis 21, Taylor Luce 12, Mercado 4, Bro. McMullin 5, Mercado 4, Denham 0, Bra. McMullin 5, Gillespie 0, Olson 4. Grandview=19=8=5=14=6=—=52 Southridge=7=19=12=8=9=—=55 NACHES VALLEY 45, COLFAX 44: At West Valley (Spokane), Ellie Bost scored 18 points and Maddy Jewett added 17 as the Rangers held off the Bulldogs. Naches Valley (5-4) will stay at West Valley to face Northwest Christian (Colbert) on Saturday. NACHES — Ellie Bost 18, Maddy Jewett 17, Mendoza 4, Stags 2, B. Rowe 2, Hahn-Keenan 2, Vanwagoner 0, E. Rowe 0. COLFAX — Lola Hennigar 14, Brenna Gilchrist 10, Allie Jenkin 10, Ava Swan 10, Huntly 0, Penwell 0, Dail 0. Naches Valley=12=10=14=9=—=45 Colfax=13=9=8=14=—=44 GRANGER 42, WAHLUKE 27: At Granger, Caleigh Brown finished with 14 points for the Spartans as they beat the Warriors. Granger (2-6) will host Cascade (Leavenworth) on Saturday. In other nonleague action, Sunnyside lost to Central valley 71-17, Toppenish beat River Ridge 51-35, Sunnyside Christian beat Highland 43-8, Mabton beat St. George's 60-41 and Liberty (Spangle) beat White Swan 61-26. GRANGER — Golob 0, Valenzuela 0, Garcia 3, Ochoa 6, Guadarrama 4, Molina 7, Castro 3, Bobadilla 0, Torres 0, Caleigh Brown 14, Herrera 5. KITTITAS 48, COUPEVILLE 31: At Central Washington, Elysa Nash led the Coyotes with 14 points and Rillee Huber added 11 in a victory against Coupeville. Kittitas (5-6) will play Warden on Saturday. KITTITAS — Elysa Nash 14, Rillee Huber 11, Blackmore 8, Wilson 7, Hink 4, Parker 2. Nonleague KENNEWICK 48, SUNNYSIDE 39: At West Valley-Spokane, Aiden Sanchez scored a game-high 20 points for the Grizzlies in a loss to Kennewick. Sunnyside (3-4) will play Central Valley on Saturday. SUNNYSIDE — Lemos 5, Aiden Sanchez 20, Palacios 5, Villanueva 4, Rodriguez 4. KENNEWICK — Di. Chavez 1, Dane Chavez 10, Daniel Trotenya 18, Tanner Larson 13, C. Larson 4. Sunnyside=10=7=9=13= —=39 Kennewick=10=13=16=9= —=48 PROSSER 63, SANDPOINT (Idaho) 45: At Chandler, Ariz., Koby McClure and Killian Phillips put up 15 points each for the Mustangs, who led by just two points at halftime and pulled away with a big fourth quarter. Prosser (7-1) will play Whitney (Calif.) on Saturday. SANDPOINT — Kingston Corbett 12, Logan Roos 10, Iverson 7, Jones 4, Williams 2, Yarbrough 4, Haddock 3. PROSSER — Koby McClure 15, Killian Phillips 15, Bailey 9, Russell 8, Cortes 7, Rivera 3, Groeneveld 3, Clarke 3. Sandpoint=7=17=12=9=—=45 Prosser=8=18=17=20=—=63 ELLENSBURG 56, SEHOME 39: At Central Washington, Garrett Marrs scored 14 points, Sully Grant had 13, and Gunner Fenz added 12 to lead the Bulldogs to a victory against Sehome. Ellensburg (3-4) will play Hermiston on Saturday. SEHOME — Nolan Wright 12, Jackson 3, Tanovan 6, McAtee 3, Xavier Kelley 15, Rusk 0, Watson 0. ELLENSBURG — Garrett Marrs 14, Gibson 3, Hall 0, Gunner Fenz 12, Murphy 4, Hansen 3, Sully Grant 13, Orejudos 5, Kennedy 0, Armstrong 2. Sehome=9=8=16=6=—=39 Ellensburg=15=19=12=10=—=56 COLVILLE 69, NACHES VALLEY 64 (OT): At West Valley-Spokane, Logan Clements hit a game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime for the Rangers, but they fell to Colville. Owen Zimmerman led Naches Valley with 25 points. Naches Valley (2-6) will play Deer Park on Saturday. COLVILLE — McKorry Maddey 23, Bateman 8, Nuggins 0, Darnold 7, Dunham 9, Bruce 0, Bridgeman 3, Wolf 0, Matkin 6, Brock Benson 13. NACHES VALLEY — Cuevas 0, Clark 9, Rowe 3, Lo. Clements 6, Owen Zimmerman 25, Dayne Brownlow 18, La. Clements 3, Sigler 0. Colville=16=13=11=16=13=—=69 Naches Valley=11=5=11=29=8=—=64 ST. GEORGE'S 72, MABTON 68: At West Valley-Spokane, Manuel Birrueta finished with a double-double of 28 points and 10 rebounds for the Vikings in a loss to St. George's. Mabton (6-3) will play Colville on Saturday. MABTON — Armando Chavez 19, Moreno 9, Careon 0, Zuniga 5, Martinez 0, Manuel Birrueta 28, Espinoza 7, Rosales 0, Cisneros 0. ST. GEORGE'S — Brennam 0, Shawn Jones 21, Rooney 0, Jackson 9, You 2, Lejard 8, Darzy 7, Mason Zartingo 25. Mabton=14=19=15=20=—=68 St. George's=24=14=15=19=—=72 Mabton highlights: Armando Chavez 7 asts; Birrueta 10 rebs; Marco Espinoza 4 asts, 6 stls. KITTITAS 74, WARDEN 32: At Central Washington Dallon Walker scored 31 points and Parker Lowe and Eli Nash added 13 and 12, respectively, in the Coyotes victory against Warden. Kittitas (4-7) will play Coupeville on Saturday. In other nonleague action, Sunnyside Christian beat Highland 56-36, Granger beat Wahluke 58-42, Cle Elum lost to McLoughlin (Ore.) 59-54, Goldendale lost to Condon (Ore.) 68-58 and White Swan lost to Freeman 62-23. KITTITAS — Huber 4, Coles 3, Parker Lowe 13, Eli Nash 12, Dallon Walker 31, Driver 2, Hutchinson 3, Varnum 4, Balverde 2, Kittitas highlights: Terry Huber 5 rebs, 4 stls; Lowe 5 rebs, 5 asts, 5 stls; Nash 7 stls, 4 rebs, 4 asts; Walker 4 rebs, 8 stls;

Findlay: SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was a 'charlatan, not a saint' during Covid Scots Tory leader Russell Findlay said the former First Minister ‘exploited Covid to create division’ and promote independence Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By TOM GORDON FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 23:47 GMT, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 23:47 GMT, 9 December 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Nicola Sturgeon was ‘a charlatan not a saint’ during the pandemic, Russell Findlay has claimed. The Scottish Tory leader said people should remember what really happened during the global Covid crisis and not just accept the former First Minister’s account. She ‘exploited Covid to create division’ and promote independence, he said. The blistering attack followed Ms Sturgeon challenging Mr Findlay’s claim that she was ‘hostile’ towards some in the media during her regular Covid briefings. Her office insisted she always ‘displayed competence and compassion’. Mr Findlay, a crime reporter before entering Holyrood in 2021, hit back: ‘It should never be forgotten that Nicola Sturgeon was responsible for sending Covid-positive patients into care homes, leaving Scottish businesses without the help they needed, and keeping our schools closed for far too long with punitive restrictions and stupid rules, including ill-fated proposals to chop the bottom off classroom doors. ‘She was no saint, she was a charlatan who relied on political spin to hide how incompetent she really was.’ Mr Findlay criticised Mr Sturgeon and her predecessor, the late Alex Salmond , in an interview with Holyrood magazine yesterday. He said the SNP had ‘the same levels of entitlement’ as Labour before them and were ‘taking the public for granted, looking after their cronies and trying to shut down scrutiny’. The Scots Tory leader said Nicola Sturgeon was ‘hostile’ towards some in the media during the pandemic briefings Russell Findlay also accused the former First Minister of sending 'Covid-positive patients into care homes' Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement The West Scotland MSP went on: ‘From Alex Salmond through to Nicola Sturgeon and continuing, there has been this fairly unpleasant hostility towards journalism and journalists. ‘I know journalism is not a popularity contest, but I know better than to complain about it. I think they were particularly hostile.’ He said some of Ms Sturgeon’s Covid briefings, which raised her profile to new levels UK-wide, were ‘little more than political grandstanding half the time’. Ms Sturgeon’s spokesman responded: ‘Throughout the pandemic Nicola displayed competence and compassion as she spoke directly to the public every day to provide important information.’ Ms Sturgeon is currently working on a memoir about her rise to power and eight years in Bute House. In January last year, Mr Findlay criticised Ms Sturgeon for failing to answer questions about transgender offenders in Scottish prisons. He raised the issue after male-born Isla Bryson was sent to Cornton Vale women’s prison near Stirling to await sentencing for the rapes of two women – carried out prior to declaring that she was transgender. Speaking at Holyrood, Mr Findlay said of the then-First Minister: ‘She presided over gender self-ID in Scotland’s prisons, she invalidated women’s concerns about single sex spaces being compromised, she created the obscene situation in which a double rapist was sent inside a women’s prison. ‘She should be here to answer questions about this mess which is entirely of her own making.’ Writing in The Mail on Sunday in November 2022, Mr Findlay wrote: ‘Nicola Sturgeon and her well-padded coterie of nationalist obsessives have devoted their lives to breaking up the UK. She presides over a vast and self-serving establishment apparatus which is best defined as smug, secretive and arrogant.’ In the article, he also described Ms Sturgeon’s appearances before the committee investigating the delayed and over-budget CalMac ferries and the one looking into the handling of complaints against Alex Salmond as ‘masterclasses in selective amnesia and sleekit evasion’. He went on: ‘Sturgeon likes to remind journalists about her supposedly high intellect with the over-arching tone being that she knows best, she is always right and the paying public really must learn their place and show their respect.’ Alex Salmond Nicola Sturgeon SNP Share or comment on this article: Findlay: SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was a 'charlatan, not a saint' during Covid e-mail Add commentIndustrial gases sector expands capacityAI enters Congress: Sexually explicit deepfakes target women lawmakers

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For decades, compliance has been viewed as a necessary but costly burden — a box to check to avoid penalties, maintain licenses and keep regulators at bay. But 2024 marked a turning point for compliance in the payments and financial services sectors, in part marked by FinTech collapses and tightening oversight . Still, the flip side of the coin was that, by turning regulatory challenges into opportunities, firms can not only strengthen their market positions but also set new standards for innovation and trust. The payments and financial services industry operates under a patchwork of global regulations that grow more intricate each year. In 2024, key drivers include heightened scrutiny from regulators, the rapid expansion of cross-border payments and the proliferation of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and even blockchain, as well as a backdrop of financial institution and FinTech partnerships and a sprawling third-party landscape. These developments have forced companies to rethink their approach to compliance, moving beyond reactive measures to proactive strategies. By focusing resources on the areas that pose the biggest threats, payments and financial services firms are working to turn compliance into a competitive advantage in 2025. This year showed that compliance has shifted from being a defensive shield to a strategic asset. By embedding compliance into the core of their operations, firms are not just avoiding penalties but helping to build trust, improve efficiency and enhance customer experiences. Read more: Financial Landscape Unprepared for Increasing FinTech Influence, Oversight Group Says Risk-Based Compliance: Prioritizing What Matters Most At the heart of the ongoing compliance transformation is the shift to risk-based compliance frameworks. Rather than spreading resources thinly across all areas, firms are now increasingly turning to advanced analytics and data-driven insights to focus on the highest-risk activities and relationships. Real-time data analysis helps pinpoint areas that pose the greatest regulatory and reputational risks, while automating low-risk compliance tasks frees up teams to concentrate on strategic initiatives. By prioritizing high-risk areas, firms can optimize their compliance budgets and personnel. Another key factor driving compliance as a growth engine is the integration of compliance processes across the organization. In the past, compliance functions often operated in silos, disconnected from other departments such as finance, operations and IT. This fragmented approach led to inefficiencies, duplication of effort and missed opportunities. Throughout 2024, firms worked to break down these silos by integrating compliance into their enterprise-wide strategies. This holistic approach helped ensure that compliance considerations were embedded into every decision, from product development to market expansion. As PYMNTS has reported , regulators are increasingly turning their attention to the downstream risks associated with know your customer (KYC), compliance and risk management, fraud and the financial safety of FinTechs and their BaaS partners. As a result, many banks operating BaaS business models have been de-risking by offboarding higher-risk and lower-value programs. Managing third-party relationships has become a focal point for compliance efforts, particularly as organizations expand their ecosystems to include a growing array of partners, vendors and service providers. A single weak link in the chain can expose firms to significant risks, from data breaches to regulatory violations. In response, firms are eyeing and embracing more sophisticated tools to manage third-party risk. These solutions combine real-time data feeds, predictive analytics and customizable dashboards to provide a comprehensive view of third-party compliance. By identifying and addressing risks early, organizations can maintain the integrity of their operations while fostering stronger partnerships. Read more: Synapse’s Downfall Provides Hard Lessons for Its B2B Partners Compliance as a Trust Builder As 2025 approaches, the role of compliance in the payments and financial services landscape will continue to evolve. Firms that embrace a risk-based, integrated and tech-enabled approach may find themselves to be well-positioned to navigate the challenges ahead while unlocking new opportunities. For example, a payments company that consistently demonstrates its commitment to compliance may gain faster regulatory approvals, enabling it to launch new products ahead of competitors. Similarly, firms with strong compliance records are more likely to attract investment and secure partnerships, fueling long-term growth. In today’s competitive landscape, trust is a critical differentiator. Customers, investors and regulators expect firms to operate with transparency and integrity. By embracing a robust and proactive compliance strategy, organizations can build and maintain this trust, opening the door to new opportunities.

Ghost tales won't spook PM Ishiba from moving into official residence

Donald Trump was once a crypto sceptic. Now his re-election has sent the volatile price of Bitcoin sky-high. These days, he's known as 37244-510. Not quite as catchy as SBF, the three-letter acronym mentioned in hushed tones back when he was revered as the richest man in the crypto sphere. Sam Bankman-Fried once was the bold warrior in Bitcoin's battle for control of the future. He was the mop-top geek, the maths genius who threatened to upend banking and finance and change the way we thought about business. In the end, he went down for the oldest and most traditional of financier foibles, stealing money from his own clients. These days, he is best known as the nerd who presided over one of the biggest financial frauds in American history. When he was finally sentenced in March this year, Bankman-Fried was ordered to repay more than $US11 billion. Had he managed to run his firm FTX like a legitimate business instead of a cash cow for his own amusement, he'd now rank amongst the world's richest after Bitcoin finally broke through the $US100,000 barrier. Instead, he's now a resident of Metropolitan Detention Centre Brooklyn, living in a dormitory cell and reportedly working on an appeal to his 25-year sentence. Given he was Joe Biden's second biggest donor in 2020, pumping through almost $US5.2 million in campaign contributions, an appeal for a pardon wouldn't be out of the question in the government's dying days. But now there might be another source of salvation — Donald Trump and his most trusted advisor, Elon Musk, part crypto devotee, part puppeteer. When Musk's takeover for Twitter began wobbling, Bankman-Fried reportedly offered to help finance the bid with a $US5 billion loan. And Bankman-Fried wasn't a one-party backer. He carefully played both sides of the political divide, and was a big Republican donor too, but opted to do so on the quiet because he thought the press was, as he put it, "super-liberal". "I donated the same amount to both parties," in 2022. "All my Republican donations were dark," he said, referring to political donations kept off the public record. "The reason was not for regulatory reasons, it's because reporters freak the f*** out if you donate to Republicans." Mistrust of the press is a sentiment that very much aligns with incoming President Donald Trump, whose sudden conversion to cryptocurrency has driven this latest boom. Bitcoin's true value Trump, once a sceptic who dismissed Bitcoin as a "scam", was in good company as a doubter. Warren Buffet, considered the world's greatest investor, has described Bitcoin as "rat poison squared". "I've seen people do stupid things all my life and I really, I empathise with that, they're going to play the lottery, they're going to get 60c back on the dollar and state, the numbers racket is something to be avoided," . "I mean, people love the idea they're going to make more money tomorrow ... the gambling instinct is so strong." In the past month, both the head of Australia's corporate regulator Joe Longo and Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock have also voiced their concerns. Longo told an Australian Securities and Investment Commission annual forum that Bitcoin was a good example of "the bigger fool theory" where the goal was to simply find a buyer prepared to pay even more for a worthless asset. Bullock went further, arguing that, despite all the hype, it had no role to play in Australian society. "Don't call it an alternative currency," she said. "It's not a currency, it's not money, it's being used as some sort of asset class." "I don't understand it," she said. "But, you know, I don't really see a role for it in, certainly in the Australian economy or payments system." Devotees dismiss these criticisms, arguing Bitcoin doubters simply don't understand. But it's difficult to pinpoint any useful function Bitcoin serves. Initially, it was touted as a new means of exchange a global monetary system that would make national currencies obsolete. Bitcoin, however, is now a teenager — a geriatric in technology terms — and after 15 years, that hasn't happened, primarily because of its volatility. Why spend Bitcoin on buying something if you think it will appreciate in value? And, as a seller, why accept it as a currency if you fear it might crash? The same goes for its role as a store of wealth. It may be at record highs right now but, as this graph illustrates, it has fluctuated wildly over time in a series of booms and crashes that have undermined its ability to be a hedge against inflation and created as much poverty as it has generated wealth. Instead, it has degenerated into a tool for speculators and gamblers. Its defenders point to the role of blockchain, the unique ledger system that underpins bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, and its potential for wider business applications. That may be a legitimate argument. But it doesn't justify the mania attached to cryptocurrencies. And when it comes to investment in new technology, it has been overtaken by the rush towards Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing. Ironically, for all the hype that it would make national currencies obsolete, Bitcoin itself is still valued in US dollars. And those that trade it proudly measure their gains and their wealth in good, old style fiat currencies. Less regulation — what could go wrong? Trump is now a true believer, promising in his usual overstated mode that he plans to transform America into "the crypto capital of the planet". The president-elect has even suggested creating a "bitcoin reserve" that could be used to pay off the country's $US35 trillion debt. To encourage that, Trump and Musk are pushing for regulation around the crypto industry to be loosened, with Musk going so far as to suggest that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau be junked. The president-elect, meanwhile, recently announced he would fire the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, on day one. A noted critic of the crypto industry, Gensler decided he wouldn't hang around for the ritual humiliation and announced he would step aside the day Trump walks into the White House, leaving many to ponder whether the crypto industry's reported $100 million in Republican campaign funding would influence the decision on his replacement. Gensler blazed a trail through Wall Street in a bid to stamp out conflicts of interest and boost transparency, launching court actions against multiple crypto firms. What the incoming president has failed to grasp is that Gensler's actions have helped underwrite the latest surge in activity in cryptocurrency. In January, with tighter regulation in place, the for old style financiers including Fidelity, BlackRock and Grayscale to launch what's known as Exchange Traded Funds that invested solely in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Once approved, those funds, which ordinary investors can trade on Wall Street and on the Australian Securities Exchange, then had to load up on Bitcoin, helping drive the price higher through most of this year. Last week, Trump announced Gensler would be replaced by Paul Atkins, a noted crypto enthusiast. Unlike many of Trump's other appointments, however, Atkins is a well credentialed candidate with a background in law, years of experience in senior roles at the regulator and as a former SEC commissioner. Nevertheless, he is expected to take a less aggressive stance towards the industry and possibly review many of his predecessor's court actions. Endorsing Atkins on his own social media outlet, Trump said: "He also recognises that digital assets and other innovations are crucial to making America greater than ever before." But there is a growing disconnect between Trump's stance on cryptocurrencies and his view of the US dollar. The greenback is considered the global reserve currency. Everything else is priced against it, be it commodities like oil and metals or other currencies. That's something Trump wants to maintain, as a symbol of American dominance even as he wants to retreat back into isolationism. Just last week, he threatened to penalise any country planning to shift away from US dollar dominance, aiming specifically at the so-called BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations. "We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty US Dollar or, they will face 100 per cent Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US Economy," Trump thundered on Truth Social. But it was the debasement of the US dollar, through money printing, huge and ongoing deficits and soaring national debt — now approaching $US35 trillion — that led to the creation of Bitcoin in 2009. Those deficits, and America's national debt, are expected to explode under Trump's high protection and low taxing policies, endangering his vision for "The Mighty US Dollar". Investing in Bitcoin as a national reserve to repay that debt will only further undermine the greenback. Crypto tonight? It's impossible to understate the scale of the Bitcoin frenzy which, once again, is beginning to feed on itself. The devotees now feel vindicated. The sceptics have been left bemused. Back in September, Bitcoin was trading just north of $US53,000 a token. A fortnight ago, it punched through $US100,000, sending waves of jubilation through the legions of investors, many of whom were ambushed by the downturn two years ago when it plunged to just $US16,000. Last month, more than $US10 trillion worth of digital assets changed hands on centralised exchanges as bitcoin and its many imitators encroached even further into mainstream finance. The latest boom fortuitously has coincided with the release of Changpeng Zhao — the brains behind the world's now biggest crypto exchange Binance — from a federal prison in California. Incarcerated for four months after pleading guilty to breaching anti-money laundering rules, the man known simply as CZ once was Bankman-Fried's great rival and ultimately the architect of his downfall. But the pair were not just business rivals. Prior to the implosion of Bankman-Fried's FTX empire, they frequently clashed on the subject of regulation. Born out of a desire to overthrow the existing monetary system during the depths of the Global Financial Crisis in 2009, Bitcoin's renegade mindset sat well with Zhao even after most countries declared his Binance empire off limits and outside the law. Bankman-Fried figured the opposite; that for Bitcoin and the crypto industry to truly deliver, it needed to be accepted by the mainstream and be properly regulated. Ironically, it was his FTX that bit the dust while Zhao's Binance went on to global dominance. While both this year were jailbirds, their financial fortunes headed in opposite directions. Zhao has not only maintained his fabulous wealth, he's expanded it, amassing one of the biggest fortunes on the planet. During the past year, according to data analysis from Newsworthyheadlines.com, Zhao's wealth grew more than six-fold to $US63 billion, mostly as a result of the Trump driven boom. Even his stay in prison was profitable. As the rally tentatively took hold midway through the year, Zhao added around $US3 billion to his fortune, or an estimated $US25.6 million each day he was behind bars. Who said crime doesn't pay? The great meme coin snowjob Then there are meme coins, which have been around almost as long as Bitcoin but have no intrinsic value, earn no income and pay no dividends. And they proliferate. Haliey Welch attracted fame midway through the year on a big night out with a girlfriend. A jovial on-camera quip about her special technique for pleasing her man was uploaded to social media and, in an instant, the Tennessee 20-something became a sensation. Now, she's attracted a fortune. A fortnight ago, the so-called Hawk Tuah Girl launched a meme coin, a type of crypto currency that doesn't even pretend to do anything useful. Within hours of the launch, the value of Hawk coin had soared to almost $500 million before suddenly losing 90 per cent of its value, wiping out most of its investors in a single day. Welch has since gone to ground. Hawke coin has been criticised as a "pump and dump" or a "rug pull" where founders spruik the value to gullible buyers and create a buying frenzy before offloading everything. The most famous meme coin is Dogecoin, created by two software engineers a decade ago, for the sole purpose of ridiculing Bitcoin. To their utter dismay, it is still around and has been a favoured trading option for Elon Musk, whose new job in the Trump administration will be to jointly head DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). Driven entirely by social media hype, meme coins routinely soar and crash and, in an unregulated environment, are ripe for manipulation. Despair to jubilation in just 24 months "Remember when cryptocurrency was so heavily and onerously regulated, so unnecessarily scrutinised by the authorities that the whole market crashed in spectacular fashion as one tightly regulated crypto platform after another collapsed into oblivion?" "Yeah, me neither. Because that's not quite how it went, is it?" Jemima Kelly, a columnist for the Financial Times posed this question in a piece late last month that injected a dose of reality into the current debate over Bitcoin and regulation. When the market for cryptocurrencies crashed two years ago, what was exposed in almost every case was a web of deceit and incompetence, aided by loose or non-existent regulatory oversight. Operating outside the finance industry mainstream, consumer protection and even licensing became an ad-hoc affair and, when the inevitable crash occurred, it hit hard. Two years ago, they were falling like dominoes. FTX, Celsius, Tether, BlockFi, Voyager Digital, Terraform, Luna. They all hit the skids, torching countless billions of dollars of investor cash. The crashes were replicated around the world. Here in Australia, as funds and digital tokens disappeared. In almost every case, the story was the same. Investor funds were plundered for other purposes, often plugging holes in other parts of the leaky structure. Often, they were used for personal largesse. Despite the cloak of rebellion under which many hide, those running these outfits operate in much the same fashion as financiers and banks have done for thousands of years. They clip the ticket on transactions, charge fees for storage and gouge commissions at every opportunity. Both Bankman-Fried and Zhao created their empires in this very traditional manner. Financial institutions, whether they be traditional banks or cryptocurrency exchanges, thrive during periods of exuberance. Commissions on trillions of dollars of transactions adds up pretty quickly into handsome fees and huge profits. Not surprisingly, there has been a sudden roar from those very crypto ticket clippers, some predicting Bitcoin is now on a trajectory to push past the $US1 million mark. The not so subtle message is: "Better get on board now." Can crypto overtake gold? Mike Mangan discovered gold around the turn of the century. Rattled by the dotcom bust and concerned by America's plunge into money printing to boost its economy, the Sydney based former investment banker, stock analyst and funds manager turned to investing in the oldest form of wealth or, more specifically, those who mine it. Gold, he explains, is a hard asset, a relatively unique metal because of its resistance to corrosion, it's malleable nature, visual attractiveness and its scarcity, all of which contributed to its use in coinage and jewellery, dating back thousands of years. "It has a history, and history and reputation are so important when it comes to finance," he says. That goes a long way to explaining why gold-trading dwarfs the Bitcoin market. But Mangan empathises with Bitcoin devotees, many of whom were left disillusioned by the near collapse of capitalism during the Global Financial Crisis, and their search for an alternative. "I wouldn't underestimate the cognitive dissonance of people wanting to find an alternative in a system they believe is going to hell,'' he explains. The rise of Bitcoin, he says, "reflects a loss of confidence in the monetary system". While global currencies no longer trade on a gold standard, most countries, and particularly China in recent years, continue to amass gold as a store of wealth. America hasn't added to its gold reserves at Fort Knox for years but it holds the biggest reserves of any country by a long shot. Like Bitcoin, gold too has punched through to record levels in recent months. Unlike Bitcoin, it's rise has been steady during the past 20 years, providing a perfect hedge to the degrading of the US dollar and to inflation, as this graph in US dollars shows. It also doesn't easily evaporate, as cryptocurrencies often do. And if in any future global conflict power systems and electricity grids are fried, the ability to retrieve a virtual asset — one that doesn't physically exist — will be compromised. "Cryptocurrencies were supposed to be all about protecting yourself from a world in chaos," Mangan says. "But if the world does descend into the kind of dystopian future many fear, what happens to your Bitcoin?" Credits Ian Verrender Gabrielle Flood Leigh Tonkin Related topics Banking Business, Economics and Finance Cryptocurrency Currency Stock Market United States World PoliticsWest Virginia battered by Texas Tech, 52-15, to finish regular season 6-6: Is it time to part with coach Neal Brown?India can set global benchmark for sustainable mobility with EV goals: Report NEW DELHI: With EV sales reaching 1.2 million and achieving 5 per cent market penetration in FY24, the shift toward electric mobility is rapidly gaining momentum in India, a report said on Thursday, adding that right policy support and faster decision-making can help in fostering collaborations across stakeholders. EVs are emerging as a transformative solution, in line with India’s COP26 commitment to transition to 100 per cent zero-emission vehicles by 2040. According to the KPMG in India-CII report, infrastructure and policy are the key to accelerating EV adoption in India’s $5 trillion economy vision. “The electric vehicle revolution marks the dawn of a new era for India — one defined by innovation, economic growth, and environmental stewardship. This is more than just a shift to zero-emission transportation; it’s a systemic transformation of infrastructure, finance, technology, and mindsets,” said Raghavan Vishwanathan, Partner-Automotive, KPMG in India. “By addressing infrastructure gaps, creating affordable pathways for consumers, and building societal trust in EVs, India can set a global benchmark for sustainable mobility, green growth, and inclusive prosperity,” he added. The report identifies four key pillars essential to accelerating EV adoption: physical infrastructure (expanding charging networks and improving battery recycling), power infrastructure (managing demand and integrating renewable energy), economic infrastructure (ensuring affordable financing and optimized taxation), and social infrastructure (raising stakeholder awareness and promoting education). High EV penetration in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Kerala with over 1,000 charging stations shows the importance of infrastructure. The World Bank finds infrastructure focus four times more effective than demand incentives. Many factors such as policy support, total cost of ownership parity, startup ecosystem, and technology access are aiding the growth. In addition, India has set the ambitious target of 30 per cent penetration by 2030 as part of EV30@30 campaign. “Right policy support and faster decision-making can help in fostering collaborations across stakeholders in the EV ecosystem including government bodies, private enterprises, and international partners which shall drive innovation and investment, requisite for development of infrastructure that keeps pace with the growing demand for EVs,” according to the report. Agencies

The ACT Integrity Commission has defended the time taken on its investigations, saying speedy investigations could not come at the expense of ensuring thorough and fair examinations. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue Integrity Commissioner Michael Adams KC said the corruption watchdog needed to balance the fairness of investigations along with available resources. The commission's annual report showed it was working on 12 active investigations at the end of the last financial year. "The commission is naturally sensitive to concerns about the length of time taken to complete an investigation and produce a publicly available finding," Mr Adams said in the report's foreword. "In the end, this comes down to the commitment of ensuring investigations are appropriately conducted on the one hand and managing the available resources on the other." The commission made its first finding of "serious corrupt conduct " during the past financial year. Canberra Institute of Technology former chief executive Leanne Cover was found guilty under the commission's act over her handling of contracts awarded to "complexity and systems thinker" Patrick Hollingworth. Entities owned by Mr Hollingworth were awarded more than $8.5 million in contracts over a five-year period. The investigation is still ongoing but the commission released the first part of its findings in June. These initial findings took two years to be released and during that time Ms Cover was paid an annual salary of more than $360,000. Ms Cover is challenging the commission's determination in the ACT Supreme Court , alleging "errors of law" in the finding. The commission has also been investigating the procurement of an expansion for Campbell Primary School. This investigation has been occurring for nearly four years and involves allegations about a former staffer in Education Minister Yvette Berry's office. The commission's annual report said the watchdog operated in a challenging environment with the community and commentators expecting quick turnarounds of corruption investigations. "As important as speedy outcomes are, this cannot have priority over being thorough, accurate and fair. It needs to be borne in mind that exoneration of persons or entities from accusations of corrupt conduct is also a positive outcome, providing the investigation is sufficiently comprehensive," Mr Adams said. "Unfortunately, conducting an investigation is never going to be a fast process and the requirement to afford procedural fairness to people affected by the proposed report can involve lengthy, but of course necessary, delays." ACT integrity commissioner Michael Adams KC following an estimates hearing earlier this year. Picture by Keegan Carroll The commission assessed 141 corruption complaints over the 2023-24 year. The commission said it finalised four investigations during the year. There were no reports released for three of these four investigations as the commission determined further dealing with the matters was not justified. The investigations included alleged financial crimes by two public officials, an alleged abuse of office by two public officials and an investigation into alleged drug trafficking and abuse of public office by corrections officers. No findings of corrupt conduct were uncovered in the investigations. During the past financial year, the commission started three new investigations and as of June 30, 2024, 12 investigations were underway. The ACT Legislative Assembly unanimously agreed last week to provide the Integrity Commission with sufficient funding and to give extra money so the watchdog could defend itself in legal cases. Mr Adams said the commission would shortly make an approach to the government for more resources. "Several of the investigations commenced but still at early stages are of a magnitude that requires resources additional to those for which provision has already been made," he said. The commission has also struggled with staff recruitment and retention . Recently, a law change has allowed the commission to employ former ACT public servants. The commission's act initially banned former territory public servants for five years. The annual report showed the commission had 27 staff, the highest number since it was established in late 2019, but Mr Adams said there were still vacancies in critical roles. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Lucy Bladen Reporter Canberra Times Lucy Bladen has been a journalist at The Canberra Times since 2019. She is an ACT politics and health reporter. Email: l.bladen@canberratimes.com.au Lucy Bladen has been a journalist at The Canberra Times since 2019. She is an ACT politics and health reporter. 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