Patna, December 2 (IANS). The “Shakti Suraksha Dal” formed at the behest of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Karthikeya K Sharma of Bihar capital Patna to increase the safety of women and girl students in the city has started showing results at the ground level. This special unit formed by Patna Police is actively deployed outside schools, colleges and coaching institutes. This unit contacts the girls directly and resolves their complaints immediately. City Superintendent of Police (Central) Deeksha said that two dedicated teams have been formed for the eastern and western areas of Patna. According to November data, 1,909 women and girls contacted the unit in November this year about a range of issues, including harassment, stalking, extortion and requests for emergency help. During this period, 65 cases were consulted, 45 complaints were investigated and acted upon, and 23 serious cases were referred to the respective police offices for legal action. SP Deeksha highlighted a case in which a young woman’s personal photos were tampered with and circulated on Instagram. He said the Shakti security team immediately intervened, spoke to the victim and interrogated the accused. In this sequence, the team started legal proceedings, which brought a lot of relief to the victim. He further said that the team consists of inspectors, sub-inspectors and women constables to ensure a more accessible and student-friendly policing environment. Their job is to patrol during school and college hours. The SP said that in congested areas the unit is often deployed in plain clothes, which allows the girls to express their views openly and the police to arrest the criminals without any preparation. Patna Police requested women and girls to share their problems without any hesitation and assured that their identity will be kept completely confidential. Two mobile numbers—9296598170 and 9296580210—have also been issued for assistance. -IANS MS/DKP Share this story Tags

Experts warn that the US dollar could be subjected to what looks like a “triple blow” in the coming weeks, further weakening the currency during a period historically seen as stressful for it. According to Standard Bank, the dollar could be negatively affected if the US Supreme Court rules that the tariffs are illegal, in addition to the possibility of appointing the director of the National Economic Council in the White House, Kevin Hassett, as head of the Federal Reserve Board. The bank also signaled the possibility of a jump in the Japanese yen if Japan raises interest rates this month. Read more: Yen expected to rise 10% against dollar if US interest rate cut. Deutsche Bank, for its part, believes that there is room to raise interest rates in Japan as well, in addition to improving economic data in other countries, which could further weaken the dollar during the end of the year. Warnings of triple pressure on the dollar Stephen Barrow, head of G10 strategy at Standard Bank, said in a note: “The interest rate hike, coupled with a decision to invalidate tariffs, and Kevin Hassett assuming the presidency of the Federal Reserve Board, could actually be a triple whammy that destabilizes the dollar’s position. 2026.” Also Read: Bloomberg Economics: The era of dollar dominance is coming to an end. Barrow added that currency trading usually experiences a lull at the end of the year, as liquidity in the markets decreases as investors close their positions in preparation for the start of a new year. Despite this seasonal calm, he emphasized that it would be “difficult to believe that the illegal ruling of an important pillar of Trump’s policy will not have consequences for the dollar.” Tim Baker, a macro strategist at Deutsche Bank, said December was the “worst month for the dollar” over the past decade, with traders often selling the currency to offset gains made in other US assets throughout the year. He added that potential tightening by the Bank of Japan and economic surprises outside the United States could cause a reversal of the recent dollar buying trend this month. Expectations for the dollar to fall 2% in December Baker wrote in a note: “We see room for the dollar to fall to the low levels recorded in the third quarter, ie about 2% below its current spot price.” The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose 1.5% in the current quarter, after gains of nearly 1% during the July to September period, when the index recovered from its lowest level in three years. The potential nominee to head the Federal Reserve represents an additional source of pressure on the dollar, as President Donald Trump has indicated he may choose Kevin Hassett, his chief economic adviser, to lead the central bank. Hassett is widely seen as a proponent of sharp interest rate cuts, which could prompt markets to price in further cuts in the next year. Hassett’s choice to lead the Fed could weaken the dollar “The market suggests that, perhaps under Hassett’s leadership of the Fed, the bank’s policy may lean more toward monetary easing,” said Van Loo, head of global currencies at Russell Investments. He explained that his appointment could further weaken the dollar, surpassing its lowest levels in four years against the euro this year, which reached around $1.19. You may be interested in: Expectations of the continued dominance of the dollar for these reasons. On the other hand, Deutsche Bank and Standard Bank reported that historically any rise in Japanese interest rates would not have led to a sharp rise in the value of the yen, especially against the dollar. Markets raised their bets on a 25 basis point hike this month, with the possibility of tightening at 80%, after the Bank of Japan on Monday gave its strongest signal yet that it may tighten monetary policy.

Iraqi stock exchange trading is expected to record an increase of about 20% to reach more than $38 billion by the end of this year, driven by the activities of local and foreign investors, according to Faisal Al-Haims, chairman of the Iraqi Securities Commission, in an interview with Al-Sharq. Foreign investors’ transactions in the Iraqi financial market amount to about $3 billion spread over nine investment portfolios, the most prominent of which is the “Al-Furat” portfolio, which is worth $500 million, while the value of the other portfolios varies between $100 and $200 million. Al-Haims pointed out that these portfolios represent “a driving force for trading and an increase in the shares of the targeted companies”. The number of companies listed on the Iraqi financial market is 104 companies with a market value of approximately 24 trillion dinars in November (equivalent to 18 billion dollars). The banking sector accounts for the largest part of the market value, followed by the communications sector and then the industrial sector, according to the semi-annual report of the Iraqi Security Commission. A new law combines strengths and fills gaps. The Iraqi financial market is awaiting the adoption of a new law by the House of Representatives. Al-Haims said that the law, which is awaiting the second reading, combines strengths and fills previous gaps, thus strengthening the role of the market and providing greater opportunities for its success. Also read: Iraq aims to improve investors’ access to its financial market through Abu Dhabi. Al-Haims pointed to initiatives that the Authority is working on to improve market openness, especially joining the “Tadawul” platform through the Abu Dhabi Securities Market, which facilitates the access of foreign investors to the Iraqi market and in return allows Iraqi investors to enter ten other markets within the platform. He added that the Authority is also moving to license brokerage companies to operate outside the Iraqi Stock Exchange in areas including stocks, bonds and commodities, explaining that this step has received the approval of the Authority’s Council and the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and that license applications are currently being studied with the aim of opening the way for their Iraqi investment options for investors.

Pope Leo urged US President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday not to try to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with military force. Leo, the first American pope, said it would be better to try dialogue or put economic pressure on Venezuela if Washington wants to pursue change there. The Trump administration has been weighing options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. The socialist Venezuelan president has denied having any ties to the illegal drug trade. At a news conference on Trump’s threats to remove Maduro by force, Leo said: “It is better to look for ways of dialogue, or maybe pressure, including economic pressure”. The pope, speaking as he flew home from a visit to Turkey and Lebanon, his first overseas trip, added that Washington must look for other ways to bring about change “if that is what they want to do in the United States”. Reuters reported last month that options under US consideration included an attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan leader, and that the US military was readying a new phase of operations after a massive military build-up in the Caribbean and nearly three months of strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats off Venezuela’s coast. Leo, who was answering a journalist’s question, also said the signals coming from the Trump administration about its policy toward Venezuela are unclear. “On the one hand, it looks like there was a call between the two presidents,” the pope said, referring to a phone call Trump had with Maduro last month. “On the other hand, there is the danger, there is the possibility that there will be some activity, some (military) operation.” “The voices coming from the United States, they change with a certain frequency,” Leo added. The pope, who was elected in May and is originally from Chicago, is familiar with Latin America because he spent many years as a cleric in Peru.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House, was formally charged Tuesday with first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill. However, the Afghan citizen, who appeared for the court hearing from a hospital bed, pleaded not guilty to the charges, reports AP. Lakanwal’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to the charges related to the shooting near the White House that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. Despite the not guilty plea, a Washington DC judge ordered Lakanwal held without bond, citing the “sheer terror” of the Nov. 26 shooting, which took place just blocks away from the White House, the seat of power in the US. Authorities in the US are still investigating a possible motive for the attack, which they say is described as an ambush. (This is a developing story. Check back for details)

(Bloomberg) — A cold rain fell on New York City Tuesday as a fast-moving winter storm brought heavy snow to the north and east, causing airline delays and potentially snarling ground traffic across the interior Northeast. Temperatures in New York hovered around 40F (4C) by midday, with more than half an inch (1.3 centimeters) of rain expected in the coming hours, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, the central Hudson River Valley and much of New England braced for six to 10 inches of snow, with up to a foot possible in some places. Periods of rain and heavy snow are forecast to hit some major highways across the region, creating difficulties for air travelers in larger cities. Heading into Tuesday afternoon in New York, 3,184 flights in the US were delayed, with another 146 canceled, according to FlightAware. Winter weather advisories and storm warnings late Tuesday morning extended from North Carolina to Maine’s border with New Brunswick as the system is forecast to track north along the coast. A yellow snowfall warning – indicating a moderate impact – has been issued across much of Nova Scotia, as well as southern Ontario, by Environment and Climate Change Canada. “All the major cities are missing it today,” Bob Oravec, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center, said of the storm’s biggest impacts. “It’s moving pretty fast. Even though it will snow hard today, it won’t be a storm that lasts forever.” In New York City, the rain is forecast to taper off late Tuesday, and Wednesday will be sunny with a high of 41F (5C) expected before a flurry of colder air arrives later in the week. Thursday night’s low is expected to drop to 20F. Boston will likely see snow overnight, turning to slush early Wednesday morning as gusty winds sweep the city. Oravec said that icy air will push into the Great Lakes as the storm exits, and some of it will come east. Temperatures in Chicago are forecast to drop to 4F Thursday night, he said. There is a chance that many cold records will be tied or broken on Thursday and Friday at more than 70 weather stations across the region. (Updates with details throughout.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com ©2025 Bloomberg LP

US President Donald Trump expressed support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during Tuesday’s (Dec 2) Cabinet meeting, saying he is doing a good job amid ongoing scrutiny over Pentagon operations targeting alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, including one vessel that was hit twice, as acknowledged by the White House. As the first cabinet member to speak, Hegseth reaffirmed the Pentagon’s commitment to cracking down on alleged drug boats. “As I have said and will say again, we have only just begun to hit narco-boats and put narco-terrorists on the bottom of the sea,” said Hegseth. “Because they poisoned the American people. And Joe Biden tried to approach it with kid gloves.” Emphasis on stopping drug trafficking The Secretary of Defense highlighted the broader goals of the strikes: stopping the flow of drugs and eliminating threats. “We stop the drugs, we shut down the boats, we defeat narco-terrorists,” Hegseth added. Hegseth cites ‘fog of war’ Hegseth defended the second attack by citing the “fog of war”, emphasizing the uncertainty and confusion inherent in combat operations. Hegseth said: -He saw no survivors in the water at the time of the second strike. -The vessel was already on fire, which influenced the decision. -He didn’t stay for the rest of the mission after the first strike. -The admiral in charge had “full authority” to order the follow-up strike and, in his opinion, “made the right call.” The comments come amid investigations into Pentagon operations in the Caribbean. A report said a follow-up strike in September killed survivors of an earlier attack. Hegseth’s comments indicate continued aggressive action against alleged narco-terrorist activities at sea. Follow-up strike prompts investigation The meeting comes after The Washington Post reported that a follow-up strike on September 2 targeted survivors of an earlier attack. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the second strike, but clarified that a Navy admiral, not Hegseth, had given the order. “Regarding the strikes in question on September 2nd, Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, and directed the engagement to ensure that the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” Leavitt said. Defense Secretary stands by commanders Hegseth reiterated the administration’s support for military commanders who are making tough decisions. “As President Trump always has our backs, we always have the backs of our commanders who make decisions in difficult situations. And we do in this case, and all these strikes. They did the right things, we will continue to do them, and we have their backs, Mr. President,” Hegseth said. The Pentagon’s press secretary added that both Trump and Hegseth are ultimately directing the strikes. “At the end of the day, the secretary and the president are the ones directing these strikes,” the official said. Adm. Bradley poses for classified briefing Navy Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who oversaw the follow-up strike, is expected to provide a classified briefing to lawmakers on Thursday.

(Bloomberg) — Fees from underwriting U.S. IPOs, stock sales and convertible bonds have already surpassed last year’s, even as tariff traps and the government shutdown limited deal opportunities. With a few weeks left in 2025, fees from equity and convertible bond sales by U.S.-listed companies totaled $8.78 billion for the year to Dec. 2, up from $8.06 billion in all of 2024, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group Plc. A record year for convertible bond issuance, as well as an IPO market, aided by a surge in blank-check firm listings, supported the recovery in fees. The round-trip tariff and the federal government shutdown that halted some of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s functions likely meant that about a quarter of this year was lost to dealmakers, said Mangesh Ghogre, founder of One Capita Advisors in New York and a former head of equity capital markets at Nomura Holdings Units Inc. “With fewer windows, the car ran on three tires this year, so to speak,” Ghogre said. The trifecta of relatively high interest rates, rising stock prices and increased single-stock volatility have made convertible bonds particularly attractive this year to companies seeking the lowest-cost capital, making them the fastest-growing product within ECM with $2.38 billion in fees, up 46% from 2024. from artificial intelligence data center operator Nebius Group NV and crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc. Helped by a decent stretch from June to September when markets were wide open for business, as well as a sizeable pickup in SPAC listings, banks still generated $2.45 billion in fees this year from US-traded IPOs. That’s up nearly 13% from last year, according to the LSEG data, led by listings for gas exporter Venture Global Inc., payments firm Klarna Group Plc and AI infrastructure company CoreWeave Inc. As in most years, the biggest source of fees for the banks’ ECM units was sales of shares in already listed companies. It generated $3.94 billion in fees, 7% behind last year’s delivery, as the deals made it harder to time offers with confidence. February’s $13.1 billion sale by Toronto-Dominion Bank of its stake in Charles Schwab Corp. holds the mantle of this year’s biggest stock sale, well ahead of insurance broker Brown & Brown Inc. ’s $4.4 billion offering in June. The largest sectors in terms of ECM fees across all products this year were financials – a category that includes vehicles such as SPAC IPOs – and technology. Health care, last year’s busiest sector, has been weighed down by policy uncertainty in Washington. While this year’s fees are modestly higher than 2024’s, they remain well below the $20.4 billion rolled in during the easy money conditions of 2021 and the 10-year average of $9.41 billion, LSEG’s data show. With the government shutdown slowing some activity, bankers are optimistic that next year will be bigger again in terms of fees and share sales volume. “The highway could turn into a runway in 2026 given expected rate cuts and the assumption that the full year will be available,” Ghogre said. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com ©2025 Bloomberg LP

The pop star called the video on X “vicious and disgusting” and condemned its use to support what she described as an “inhumane agenda”. Sabrina Carpenter’s protest adds to ongoing controversy over the unauthorized use of music in political videos (File photo by Leonardo Munoz / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP(AFP) Pop star Sabrina Carpenter criticized the White House on Tuesday (December 2) after her song Juno was used in a video highlighting ICE deportations. The singer took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her outrage, writing: “This video is evil and disgusting. Never involve me or my music to further your inhumane agenda.” White House video sparks backlash The video, posted Monday, showed ICE officers detaining individuals, with Carpenter’s song playing in the background. Quoting lyrics from Juno, the White House caption said, “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye.” The post drew immediate condemnation from Carpenter and her fans, who criticized the use of her music in a political context without permission. White House Response In response, White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson reportedly defended the video, saying: “Here’s a Short n’ Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we will not apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who will defend these stupid monsters, or is it supposed to be these slow sick monsters?” Jackson’s statement further fueled the controversy, sparking widespread discussion on social media about artists’ rights and political messaging. Artists have previously objected to music use This is not the first case of the White House facing backlash over the use of music without permission. In October, Kenny Loggins objected after his song Danger Zone appeared in an AI-generated video depicting former President Trump in a controversial scenario involving No Kings protesters. Carpenter’s condemnation adds to a growing list of artists pushing back against what they see as inappropriate use of their intellectual property.

Jakarta – The 212 Reunion crowd dispersed after the event at the National Monument (Monas), Central Jakarta. They started leaving the Monas area early in the morning. detikcom monitoring at the location, Wednesday (3/12/2025) the crowd dispersed around 00.40 WIB. The crowd, wearing all white clothing, was seen walking away from the event area towards the south and south-east doors. Furthermore, some of the group went home by bus. They went up around Monas. Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT The crowd dispersed to a series of prayers, remembrances, reasonings, congregational prayers and occult prayers. The reunion closed around 00.30 WIB. Outside Monas, traffic seemed to flow smoothly as the crowd dispersed. Most of them returned home in groups, some of them in private vehicles. On the other hand, it appears that there are still many vehicles parked around Monas. Police officers were also seen directing vehicles to clear traffic jams. This 212 year reunion begins on Tuesday (2/12) at 17.00 WIB. The crowd also held magical prayers for victims of natural disasters in Sumatra and Aceh. (yangs/yangs)