Chevron Corp. stock rises Tuesday, outperforms marketQ: This past spring, we tried starting some of our own plants from seed indoors, but they got tall, spindly and weak by the time we wanted to plant them outdoors. What did we do wrong? — Tyler P. A: Seedlings growing tall and spindly indoors is an age-old problem, and the same wisdom holds true now that it did years ago. The problem occurs if plants are started too early and the light level isn’t intense enough. ADVERTISEMENT Because plants grow at different rates, some types need to be started very early, while others should wait until April for seeding indoors. Begonias and onions require many weeks to grow and can be seeded in February. March 1 is the recommended date for seeding petunias, impatiens, coleus and snapdragons. March 15 is the date to seed peppers, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Tomatoes and marigolds should wait until April 1, and zinnias until April 15. If seeds are started earlier than their recommended date, plants can languish indoors, becoming lanky and weak. In addition, seedlings need high light levels to remain stocky and strong. Plants grown with too little light often stretch and become weak-stemmed. Seedlings can be grown in a sunny window, but many windows don’t receive full, all-day sunshine as the sun moves across the sky, unless the windows are very wide. The short days of winter and early spring also keep light levels lower than seedlings prefer. A perfect way to provide seedlings with optimal light is with artificial lights, which can be standard LEDs, fluorescent, or special plant-type lights. Tube-type bulbs distribute light over seedling trays better than round bulbs. Seedling trays should be kept within several inches of the bulbs. Lights can be set on a timer with 16 hours on and eight hours off, similar to humans getting the recommended eight hours of sleep, which is how I remember it. Q: Thanks for the recent article on Blue By You salvia. Do you know where we can purchase this perennial come spring? — Rachelle S. A: Blue By You perennial salvia, an All-America Selections award winner and an outstanding feature in our perennial beds and landscapes, has been on the market for about two years, which is relatively recent as new plants go. ADVERTISEMENT As with many new cultivars, it takes time for new plant material to be widely available. Your best bet is to contact locally owned garden centers and inquire, which can be done now. This can give garden centers the opportunity to order the plants if they haven’t already. With the tens of thousands of plant cultivars available, no garden center can stock them all, but if they receive requests for specific types, they can often add them to their selection. Garden centers plan their inventory far in advance of the spring season, so the earlier a request is made, the more likely it can be fulfilled. Q: I know you prefer starting cuttings, such as houseplants, in mixtures of vermiculite, sand or potting mix instead of water. I’m curious why that is. Sometimes I have luck in water, but sometimes the cuttings rot. — Jenny S. A: Some plant types, such as pothos, root very easily in water and can even grow in water for many weeks. Other cutting types rot easily in water, which is why a solid-type medium often works best for coaxing cuttings to root. Sometimes I use high-quality potting mix, other times vermiculite, perlite or sand, and sometimes mixtures. Besides being less prone to rotting, starting cuttings in a solid-type medium has another important advantage. Roots that form in water are accustomed to growing in water, and when the cuttings are transferred into potting mix, there can be a stressful period of adjustment and shock. When roots begin forming in solid media, they are often more fibrous, well-branched and less gangly. Because they’re accustomed to growing in a solid medium, there’s usually less transplant shock when transferred into potting mix. For easy-to-root plants, rooting in water is handy, but solid media has distinct advantages. ADVERTISEMENT If you have a gardening or lawn care question, email Don Kinzler, NDSU Extension-Cass County, at donald.kinzler@ndsu.edu . Questions with broad appeal may be published, so please include your name, city and state for appropriate advice.

A gathering of First Nation health directors witnessed a demonstration on Thursday of how healthcare delivery in the North could be transformed. Tuula Nikkanen, a doctor in Finland who developed the technology, virtually monitored devices on a volunteer at the gathering in Thunder Bay. The volunteer had their oxygen levels, blood pressure and virtual stethoscope readings of their lungs and heart checked in real time despite the distance across an ocean. The demonstration was led by 73Health, a remote health diagnostic solution first pioneered in Finland to treat the Indigenous Saami communities and travelling workers in the country’s north. Doctors only visited the town of Ivalo, for example, one day every five weeks. Now, there are doctor appointments daily using 73Health’s technology, Nikkanen told health directors for CanadianFirst Nations at the demonstration. Cat Lake First Nation will now pilot the new diagnostic health initiative starting in January. Cat Lake Chief Russell Wesley hopes the pilot’s success can help expand the technology and end the crisis of unnecessary deaths in remote First Nations. Currently, despite its limitations, telehealth remains one of the only options for these remote communities. In an interview with Canada’s National Observer, Nikkanen explained the difference between telehealth and what 73Health offers. “If you think about telemedicine, there is video connection and there is audio connection, but there is nothing else,” she said. With 73Health, Nikkannen explained, doctors will be able to have real-time readings from the stethoscope, otoscope and dermatoscope to have a clear diagnosis of skin conditions. 73Health is also developing a breath meter to treat asthma and COPD, and an ultrasound. The new pilot also has potential to keep young families in their home community. For example, at the demonstration, health directors heard that 73Health would enable newborn babies in the community that normally require a flight just to receive their routine ear screening test. The technology could carry significant cost-savings. With remote diagnostics, First Nations can side-step expensive flights and overnight accommodations for medical appointments that in Cat Lake alone, are usually in the thousands. But the biggest promise is the opportunity to prevent needless deaths in the North, Wesley said. A diagnosis that could take months can now happen within days or weeks, leading to early detection. “That is true health transformation, because you’ve actually transformed the health delivery system for a remote First Nation,” Wesley said. “So this is, this is what this is about, this is what I hope to achieve.” Wesley points to the death in 2017 of Ruthann Quequish, which led to an inquest this past summer. Quequish died at 31 in her home of Kingfisher Lake after her diabetes went undiagnosed and untreated, despite several visits to the local nursing station. In a press release, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler called Quequish’s passing an example of the neglect, racism and chronic underfunding of healthcare in northern Ontario First Nations. Wesley agrees. He says there is a systemic underfunding of healthcare in the North, where nurses, working in understaffed clinics, are forced to make a diagnosis on their own. Often, this situation leads to so-called Tylenol clinics, where the only thing overworked nurses have to give is basic pain medication despite the sense of underlying disease. “By the time they get to a specialist appointment, it’s months and months later, and by that time, the medical community confirms what the patient has suspected all along, that something’s wrong with them, and usually it’s terminal,” Wesley said. In Cat Lake alone, there are too many unnecessary deaths, Wesley says. The current healthcare regime has left First Nations dealing with “crisis after crisis.” Despite the promise of the new remote diagnostic technology, Ottawa remains absent at the funding table. Wesley told Canada’s National Observer that Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) turned away the First Nations leadership’s request for 73Health funding, and directed Cat Lake leadership to the NAN Health Transformation funding pool, Welsey said. NAN contributed over half of the $500,000 needed to kickstart the 73Health remote diagnostic pilot, with Cat Lake and a private philanthropist footing the rest of the bill. According to Wesley, ISC said it could not fund the pilot because it was at the end of its mandate and headed toward an election. In a statement to Canada’s National Observer, the office of the Minister of Indigenous Services Canada said they provide funding through the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority to ensure “communities like Cat Lake First Nation have access to the medical services they need, when they need them.” The statement did not directly address the question related to the declined funding due to the end of the government’s mandate. However, the minister’s office said they are in communication with Cat Lake leadership. “Our department has been in contact with community leadership to look into the implementation and integration phase of this program,” Jennifer Kozelj, press secretary for the Minister of Indigenous Services Canada, said in a statement. The Minister’s office also encouraged Ontario to step up for healthcare delivery in the North. Matteo Cimellaro / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism InitiativeQatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications operator and ICT provider, served as the platinum sponsor of the 25th Al-Bawasil Camp. Organised by the Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA), the camp was held from December 21 to 26 at Education City. Al-Bawasil Camp provided a unique educational and supportive experience for children with diabetes. It accommodated some 100 children from Qatar and the MENA region, addressing the mental, emotional, and physical challenges faced by young diabetes patients. During the week-long camp, children participated in a comprehensive programme designed to provide adequate care for all their needs. This included educational sessions, daily health monitoring, and diabetes management guidance, in addition to activities and trips to various historical sites and entertainment venues. A QDA team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and social care specialists was on hand to help participants and cover all aspects of this initiative. Sabah Rabiah Al Kuwari, director of PR, Sponsorships and CSR at Ooredoo Qatar, commented on this sponsorship: “Empowering our community is a central pillar of Ooredoo’s work, and contributing to the success of Al-Bawasil Camp exemplifies that. QDA’s important work in supporting patients to overcome challenges and improve their quality of life aligns perfectly with our mission. By taking part in this initiative, we are not only raising awareness and helping patients manage their conditions but also investing in the future of a healthier and more resilient Qatar.” A member of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, QDA has been supporting diabetes patients and their families in the country since 1995. This includes education, programmes, events and free-of-charge services. Throughout its work, QDA ensures that Qatari spaces, such as schools and workplaces, are diabetes-friendly and collaborates with healthcare professionals to improve patients’ care plans. This sponsorship reaffirmed Ooredoo’s larger commitment to promoting physical well-being in Qatar, as part of its adherence to the highest environmental, social and governance standards. This includes the company’s previous collaborations with QDA to sponsor Al-Bawasil Camp, as well as numerous initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles in the community. It also complimented Ooredoo’s work in leveraging its technological expertise to modernise healthcare and drive innovations within this vital sector. Copy 29/12/2024 10The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. 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Lewandowski scores his 100th Champions League goal. He is the 3rd player to reach the milestoneCBN governor explains how Nigeria’s foreign reserves increases to $40.88 billion.

ATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!And then there were four. The nearly 100-year-old club will add a member Saturday night in New York City. Colorado has its fourth finalist in two-way star Travis Hunter, who is the program’s first since Rashaan Salaam became the Buffaloes’ only winner thirty years ago. Hunter is joined by Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami quarterback Cam Ward. Here’s the case for each player: Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) runs after catching a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack) Key stats: 92 receptions, 1,152 receiving yards, 15 total touchdowns, seven 100-yard receiving games, 5 multi-touchdown games, 31 tackles, 11 pass breakups, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble How he got here: Going from No. 1 overall recruit to Heisman finalist is not a surprise. But Hunter’s college football career — which will end after the Buffs’ Alamo Bowl appearance on Dec. 28 — has been anything but conventional. He bucked all trends as a high school senior, flipping his commitment from Florida State to Deion Sanders and Jackson State, becoming the first five-star to sign with an HBCU. After one season with the Tigers, Hunter followed Coach Prime to Boulder, when many thought he might take his talents to a bigger program in the ACC or SEC, maybe even the Seminoles. Hunter's excellence on offense and defense had never been seen in the modern era. He's transformed into a top-five player at two of the most impactful positions on the field. His Heisman moment: Can a player whose entire candidacy is rooted in the amount of snaps he plays have his case narrowed down to one moment? Hunter struck the iconic Heisman pose (which is actually different from the pose of the physical trophy). It was on a hot, muggy September day in his home state of Florida. The Buffs proved themselves as Big 12 contenders with a 27-point whooping of UCF. And Hunter made a jaw-dropping interception in the middle of the third quarter. When he got up, he sprinted to the end zone in front of him, pointed to everyone with a camera and let the world know he was a bona fide Heisman contender. Quotable: “You’ve never seen a player like me.” —Hunter Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (2) celebrates a score with the fans Boise State against Oregon State in an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Boise, Idaho. (Drew Nash/Times-News via AP) Key stats: 2,497 rushing yards, 7.3 yards per carry, 30 total touchdowns, 127 rushing yards or more in every game, six 200-yard rushing games, seven multi-touchdown games, six three-or-more touchdown games How he got here: The only Heisman finalist to spend his entire career at one school, Jeanty’s football journey began in southern Italy. His father, Harry, was a commanding officer in the Navy and during Ashton’s middle school and early high school years, the Jeanty family was stationed on a support base in a town called Aversa, just outside of Naples. After two games as his team’s quarterback, Jeanty moved to running back and dominated the competition — with the nearest team being a 9-hour bus ride away. Three years back stateside playing normal high school football in Texas and three years at Boise State later and Jeanty has turned into a running back prospect that doesn't come around often. He’s 132 yards away from breaking Barry Sanders’ FBS single-season rushing record, and he’ll have a chance to do it in the Broncos’ quarterfinal playoff game at the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve. His Heisman moment: Like Hunter, Jeanty’s case is not about one individual play. It’s about the jaw-dropping numbers he put up on a weekly basis. But the play that best sums up Jeanty’s talent came in the first quarter of a game against Washington State — on the same day as Hunter’s play against UCF. It was second-and-10 at the Boise State 36-yard line and Jeanty took a basic handoff from the pistol formation. Running between the tackles, Jeanty was touched by the first two Wazzu defenders before he got back to the line of scrimmage. He was nearly tripped up by another defender. Three different defenders had their hands on him about 5 yards into the play. None were able to bring him to the ground and a few seconds later, Jeanty was free and sprinting by everyone into the end zone. Quotable: "The whole defense, every single week, is geared toward stopping me and they still couldn't." —Jeanty Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel celebrates after the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) Key stats: 3,558 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns to 6 interceptions, 73.2% completion rate, 166.6 passer rating, 192 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns How he got here: Across six seasons and now for three different programs, Gabriel will be the elder statesman Saturday night. Gabriel is focused on the national championship trophy he could raise Jan. 20. He’s already passed Bo Nix for the most career starts in NCAA history and he’s the all-time record holder for career touchdowns. He’s fewer than 800 yards from breaking Case Keenum’s career passing yards leader. He won 10 games as a true freshman at UCF and wore the golden cowboy hat after an epic comeback win over Texas in the Red River Showdown. Now he's led the unbeaten Ducks into the first 12-team playoff as the No. 1 overall seed. His Heisman moment: It was dubbed at the time as the biggest game of the regular season. It was No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Oregon in Eugene — and it lived up to its billing. Trailing by six in the fourth quarter, Gabriel perfectly read the Buckeye defense and kept the ball himself, making a few players miss on the way to the end zone for the go-ahead score. The Ducks didn’t need their veteran quarterback to play the hero many times this fall, but he answered the call every time they asked him to. Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Syracuse on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Key stats: 4,123 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns to 7 interceptions, 67.4% completion rate, 171.1 passer rating, 196 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns How he got here: Like Gabriel, Ward has spent his final season of college football (his fifth) at a third school. And like Hunter, Ward also began his career at the FCS level. As a zero-star recruit of West Columbia, Texas, Ward began his career at Incarnate Word in San Antonio and his 2020 freshman season was actually played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions — and lasted just six games. After throwing for over 4,600 yards and 47 touchdowns as a sophomore, Ward transferred to Pullman, where he starred as one of the nation’s least-talked-about elite quarterbacks. Now, after leading Miami to 10 wins in 2024, everyone knows Ward and he will be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the 2025 NFL draft, alongside buddy Shedeur Sanders, with whom he shares a trainer. His Heisman moment: There was a controversial ending as Virginia Tech’s last-second, game-winning Hail Mary was overturned and ruled incomplete. But that play was only required because of the brilliance of Ward. With 2 minutes left, he avoided one sack and with another Hokies defender draped all over him, flipped the ball to tight end Riley Williams, who nearly took the ball into the end zone for the go-ahead score. Ward took care of that on the next play, though, and Miami’s unbeaten run to start the season was kept alive.

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Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Hilton Doha The Pearl celebrated its 5th anniversary on December 18, a milestone that coincides with Qatar National Day, a symbol of unity and progress. As a flagship property on The Pearl-Qatar, Hilton Doha The Pearl delivers exceptional hospitality and supports Qatar’s growing tourism sector. Since its opening in 2019, Hilton Doha The Pearl, owned by the Kuwaiti-backed First Qatar Real Estate Development Company (1st Qatar) represented by its Chairman and CEO, Fahad Khalid Al-Ghunaim, has set new standards within the country. The property features 359 stylishly appointed studios, one and two bedroom suites, catering to both leisure and extended-stay guests. Guests enjoy unparalleled facilities, including a temperature-controlled outdoor pool, a private beach, the award-winning eforea spa, and a state-of-the-art fitness centre that encourages wellness and rejuvenation. The hotel also offers a diverse range of dining experiences. The Kitchen presents international cuisines in a vibrant and family-friendly setting, while Mulberry Tavern combines a welcoming casual ambiance with signature dishes and curated beverages. Adding to its culinary portfolio, Hilton Doha The Pearl features the charming Lobby Café, where guests can enjoy a refined selection of coffees, teas, sweets and light bites in an elegant atmosphere. The hotel recently introduced Terrace by Lobby Café, an inviting space designed to elevate afternoons with enchanting afternoon tea experiences, making it a favourite spot for socializing and relaxation. On this occasion, Daniel Van Wyk, general manager of Hilton Doha The Pearl said: “Celebrating five years of Hilton Doha The Pearl on Qatar National Day is a moment of immense pride for our team. It’s a testament to the strong relationships we’ve built with our guests, our partners, and the community. As we look to the future, our commitment remains steadfast: to provide unique experiences that reflect the rich culture and warmth of Qatar.” For further information call +974 4492 4444 or visit the website. Copy 29/12/2024 10None