The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Sam Lewis’ 18 points helped Toledo defeat Defiance 111-49 on Saturday. Lewis also had five rebounds for the Rockets (6-3). Javan Simmons scored 16 points while shooting 8 of 9 from the field and 0 for 3 from the line and added eight rebounds. Sonny Wilson finished 7 of 10 from the field to finish with 16 points. Jalen Brown finished with 12 points for the Yellow Jackets. Connor Bush added eight points for Defiance. Donovan Stone finished with eight points. Toledo took the lead with 19:42 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 55-23 at halftime, with Simmons racking up 14 points. Toledo extended its lead to 90-34 during the second half, fueled by a 16-3 scoring run. Grgur Brcic scored a team-high 10 points in the second half as their team closed out the win. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Jim Rickards, acclaimed economist and bestselling author, has released his latest forecast for the nation's future. Known for accurately predicting the outcomes of the 2016 and 2024 elections, the COVID-19 crisis, and key global financial shifts, Rickards now predicts "America's Comeback” Former CIA Jim Rickards Jim Rickards, acclaimed economist and bestselling author. Key Elements of "America's Comeback” Prediction A Path to Energy Independence Rickards predicts a strong shift toward Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), advanced nuclear technology capable of generating safe, reliable, and nearly pollution-free energy. This move, he suggests, could make the U.S. energy-independent and shield the economy from global energy disruptions. Regulatory Overhaul to Streamline Energy Innovation Rickards anticipates that key regulatory bodies, such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), will undergo reforms to fast-track advanced nuclear technology. This transformation, he asserts, could enable the rapid deployment of SMRs, offering reliable, stable, and low-cost energy for American households and industries. A History of Accurate Forecasts Jim Rickards' reputation as a top forecaster is grounded in his decades of experience in finance, intelligence, and advisory roles. His accurate predictions include: About Jim Rickards Jim Rickards is a distinguished lawyer, economist, and investment banker with over 50 years of experience advising at the highest levels of government. Known for his accurate predictions-including the 2008 Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and key election outcomes-Rickards is one of the foremost voices in financial forecasting. His publication, Strategic Intelligence, offers essential insights for navigating America's evolving economic and political landscape. Media Contact: Derek Warren Public Relations Manager Paradigm Press Group Email: [email protected] Attachment Former CIA Jim Rickards
City at least avoided a sixth consecutive defeat but the manner in which they blew a commanding advantage will do little to settle nerves in and around the club ahead of Sunday’s trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool. City appeared in total control after a brace from Erling Haaland and another from Ilkay Gundogan had them three up seven minutes into the second half, but after Anis Hadj Moussa got one back in the 75th minute, City imploded. “It is what it is, difficult to swallow right now,” Guardiola said. “The game was good, we played well, we scored three and could have scored more. We do everything and then we give away, especially the first one, and after we are not stable enough to do it. “It’s not about no run or no commitment, but football you have to be [switched on] in certain moments to do it.” Santiago Gimenez got Feyenoord’s second in the 82nd minute and David Hancko got a dramatic equaliser in the 89th, making City the first team in Champions League history to have led 3-0 in the 75th minute of a match and fail to win. Some City fans, who suffered through Saturday’s 4-0 humiliation at home to Tottenham, made their frustrations known at the final whistle. “The last game against Tottenham, 0-4, the supporters were there, applause,” he said. “They are disappointed of course and we understand it. “People come here not to remember success of the past, they come here to see the team win and perform well. I am not the one when the situation is bad or good [to say] what they have to do. “These supporters, when we go away, our fans are amazing, travelling. There is nothing to do and they are right to express what they feel.” Guardiola’s own frustrations were apparent given the number of scratches visible on his head after the match. The Catalan had arrived at the ground with a cut on his nose, which he said he had caused himself with a long fingernail. City now face a trip to Anfield to face the Liverpool side of former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot, whose named was chanted by the visiting fans during the match. “Everybody knows the situation, I don’t have to add absolutely anything,” Guardiola said. “We are going to train tomorrow, recovery and prepare the next game. Day off and we have two or three days to prepare that and go for it. We will learn for the future and what has been has been. “It will be a tough season for us and we have to accept it for many circumstances.” Feyenoord’s late fightback brought jubilant scenes in the away end. “I think if you’re from Feyenoord it was an unbelievable evening,” head coach Brian Priske said. “A strange game which ends 3-3 which is an unbelievable result for us and also remarkable in the essence of being 3-0 down in minute 75 away from home against still, for me, the best team in the world. “Normally we don’t celebrate draws but this one is a little bit special.”
NEW YORK (AP) — He's making threats, traveling abroad and negotiating with world leaders. has more than a month and a half to go before he's sworn in for a second term. But the Republican president-elect is already moving aggressively not just to fill and outline policy goals, but to achieve . Trump has on goods from Canada and Mexico, prompting emergency calls and a visit from Canada's prime minister that resulted in what Trump claimed were commitments from both U.S. allies on new border security measures. The incoming president has if, before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, Hamas does not release the hostages being held in Gaza . He has the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, warning "Buyer Beware!!!” And this weekend, Trump was returning to the global stage, for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was ravaged by a fire. On Saturday, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron — joined at the last minute by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — and had plans to see Britain's Prince William also in Paris. Absent in Paris: lame duck President Joe Biden, who has largely disappeared from headlines, except when he issued a , Hunter, who was facing sentencing for gun crimes and tax evasion. First lady Jill Biden is attending in his place. “I think you have seen more happen in the last two weeks than you’ve seen in the last four years. And we’re not even there yet,” Trump said in . For all of Trump's bold talk, though, it is unclear how many of his efforts will bear fruit. Breaking precedent The pre-inauguration threats and deal-making are highly unusual, like so much of what Trump does, said Julian Zelizer, a political historian at Princeton University. “Transitions are always a little complicated in this way. Even though we talk about one president at a time," he said, “the reality is one president plus. And that plus can act assertively sometimes." Zelizer said that is particularly true of Trump, who was president previously and already has relationships with many foreign leaders such as Macron, who invited both Trump and Biden to Paris this weekend as part of the Notre Dame celebration. “Right now he’s sort of governing even though he’s not the president yet. He’s having these public meetings with foreign leaders, which aren't simply introductions. He's staking out policy and negotiating things from drug trafficking to tariffs," Zelizer said. Foreign leader meetings Trump already has met with several foreign leaders, in addition to a long list of calls. Argentinian President in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago club in November. After the tariff threat, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a three-hour dinner meeting. Canadian officials later said the country is ready to make new investments in border security, with plans for more helicopters, drones and law enforcement officers. Last Sunday, Trump dined with Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Israeli prime minister. Incoming Trump aides have also been meeting with their future foreign counterparts. On Wednesday, several members of Trump's team, including incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz, met with Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelenskyy, in Washington, as Ukraine tries to win support for its ongoing efforts to defend itself from Russian invasion, according to a person familiar with the meeting. Yermak also met with Trump officials in Florida, . That comes after Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, about a cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza, according to a U.S familiar with the efforts, meeting with the prime ministers of both countries. One president, two voices There is no prohibition on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and it is common and fine for them to do so — unless those meetings are designed to subvert or otherwise impact current U.S. policy. Trump aides were said to be especially cognizant of potential conflicts given their experience in 2016, when interactions between Trump allies and Russian officials came under scrutiny. That included a phone call in which Trump's incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn, discussed new sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, suggesting things would improve after Trump became president. Flynn was later charged with lying to the FBI about the conversation. Trump’s incoming press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that, “All transition officials have followed applicable laws in their interactions with foreign nationals.” She added: “World leaders recognize that President Trump is returning to power and will lead with strength to put the best interests of the United States of America first again. That is why many foreign leaders and officials have reached out to correspond with President Trump and his incoming team.” Such efforts can nonetheless cause complications. If, say, Biden is having productive conversations on a thorny foreign policy issue and Trump weighs in, that could make it harder for Biden “because people are hearing two different voices” that may be in conflict, Zelizer said. Leaders like Russia's Vladimir Putin and Netanyahu may also anticipate a more favorable incoming administration and wait Biden out, hoping for more a better deal. Coordination between incoming and outgoing administrations It also remains unclear how extensively the Biden administration has been kept apprised of Trump transition efforts. Although there is no requirement that an incoming administration coordinate calls and meetings with foreign officials with the State Department or National Security Council, that has long been considered standard practice. That is, in part, because transition teams, particularly in their early days and weeks, do not always have the latest information about the state of relations with foreign nations and may not have the resources, including interpretation and logistical ability, to handle such meetings efficiently. Still, the Biden and Trump teams have been talking, particularly on the Middle East, with the incoming and outgoing administrations having agreed to work together on efforts to free hostages who remain in held in Gaza, according to a U.S. official, who, like others, was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. That includes conversations between Witkoff and Biden’s foreign policy team as well as Waltz and Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Last month, Biden administration officials said they had kept Trump’s team closely apprised of efforts to broker a on the Israel-Lebanon border. “I just want to be clear to all of our adversaries, they can’t play the incoming Trump administration off of the Biden administration. I’m regularly talking to the Biden people. And so, this is not a moment of opportunity or wedges for them," Waltz said Friday in a Fox Business interview. But when it comes to immigration, Biden administration officials haven’t been entirely in the loop on discussions around how to execute on Trump’s pledge to deport millions of migrants, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the transition who spoke on condition of anonymity. That’s not terribly surprising given how differently the teams view migration. Taking credit already Trump’s team, meanwhile, is already claiming credit for everything from gains in the stock and to a decision by diversity, equity and inclusion policies Trump opposes. “Promises Kept — And President Trump Hasn’t Even Been Inaugurated Yet,” read one press release that claimed, in part, that both Canada and Mexico have already pledged "immediate action” to help “stem the flow of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and deadly drugs entering the United States." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stopped short of saying Trump mischaracterized their call in late November. But she said Friday that Trump “has his own way of communicating, like when we had the phone call and he wrote that we were going to close the border. That was never talked about in the phone call.” Earlier this week, Mexico carried out what it claimed was its largest seizure of fentanyl pills ever. Seizures over the summer had been as little as 50 grams per week, and after the Trump call, they seized more than a ton. Security analyst David Saucedo said that "under the pressure by Donald Trump, it appears President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is willing to increase the capture of drug traffickers and drug seizures that Washington is demanding.” Biden, too, tried to take credit for the seizure in a statement Friday night. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Colleen Long and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.
Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingThreads working on ability to add new default feeds
A custom chip called "Willow" does in minutes what it would take leading supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete, according to Google Quantum AI founder Hartmut Neven. "Written out, there is a 1 with 25 zeros," Neven said of the time span while briefing journalists. "A mind-boggling number." Neven's team of about 300 people at Google is on a mission to build quantum computing capable of handling otherwise unsolvable problems like safe fusion power and stopping climate change. "We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design and more," said Google CEO Sundar Pichai on X. A quantum computer that can tackle these challenges is still years away, but Willow marks a significant step in that direction, according to Neven and members of his team. While still in its early stages, scientists believe that superfast quantum computing will eventually be able to power innovation in a range of fields. Quantum research is seen as a critical field and both the United States and China have been investing heavily in the area, while Washington has also placed restrictions on the export of the sensitive technology. Olivier Ezratty, an independent expert in quantum technologies, told AFP in October that private and public investment in the field has totaled around $20 billion worldwide over the past five years. Regular computers function in binary fashion: they carry out tasks using tiny fragments of data known as bits that are only ever either expressed as 1 or 0. But fragments of data on a quantum computer, known as qubits, can be both 1 and 0 at the same time -- allowing them to crunch an enormous number of potential outcomes simultaneously. Crucially, Google's chip demonstrated the ability to reduce computational errors exponentially as it scales up -- a feat that has eluded researchers for nearly 30 years. The breakthrough in error correction, published in leading science journal Nature, showed that adding more qubits to the system actually reduced errors rather than increasing them -- a fundamental requirement for building practical quantum computers. Error correction is the "end game" in quantum computing and Google is "confidently progressing" along the path, according to Google director of quantum hardware Julian Kelly. gc/arp/bjtNone
The latest on UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killing, the fallout and ongoing manhunt
, /PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow, AT&T's chief executive officer will participate in a fireside chat where he will discuss the Company's multi-year strategic growth plan. : , chief executive officer, ( ), will speak tomorrow at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference where he will provide an update to shareholders. Stankey is expected to cover key topics discussed below. As a result of the investment-led strategy announced at its , the Company expects to be in a differentiated position within the connectivity industry by the end of the decade. In Mobility, the Company is building a more efficient, high-capacity, programmable and open network. By 2027, it expects to have largely completed the modernization of its 5G wireless network with open technology, with deep mid-band 5G spectrum covering 300 million+ people by the end of 2026. In broadband, the Company already has the largest fiber broadband network in America. By the end of 2029, it expects to reach 50 million+ total locations with fiber . This includes expectations to pass about 45 million locations through its organic fiber deployment and to serve 5 million+ fiber locations through Gigapower, its joint venture with Blackrock, as well as through agreements with commercial open-access providers. These collective efforts increase AT&T's opportunity to serve customers how they want to be served, by one provider in a converged manner. While building the network of the future, the Company is actively working to exit its legacy copper network operations across the large majority of its wireline footprint by the end of 2029. As discussed during the Company's 2024 Analyst & Investor Day, it expects 2025 Free Cash Flow of $16 billion+, when excluding DIRECTV. The expected drivers of next year's free cash flow growth include Adjusted EBITDA growth, lower cash interest from lower debt balances, the absence of network termination fee payments in 2025 and lower working capital impacts in 2025 compared to 2024. These items are expected to more than offset an expected increase in cash taxes. AT&T expects its multi-year strategic plan to provide $50 billion+ of financial capacity over the next three years, largely through organic growth. Financial capacity represents anticipated free cash flow after distributions to noncontrolling interests, plus expected cash payments from the announced agreement to sell AT&T's stake in DIRECTV to TPG, as well as net borrowing capacity after the Company achieves its net leverage target. The Company continues to expect to achieve its net leverage target of net-debt-to-adjusted EBITDA in the 2.5x range in the first half of 2025 and maintain leverage within this range through 2027. The Company expects to return $40 billion+ of this financial capacity to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Under this capital return plan, the Company expects to maintain its current annualized common stock dividend of per share. This plan would result in $20 billion+ in total dividend payments, with capacity for about in share repurchases, from 2025-2027. The plan also contemplates approximately in incremental financial flexibility for items such as potential organic or inorganic strategic growth investments, debt repayment, redemptions of noncontrolling interests, or additional dividends or share repurchases. Tune in for the fireside chat with at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, scheduled to begin at . The webcast will be available live and for replay at To automatically receive AT&T financial news by email, please "Total locations" includes consumer and business locations (i) passed with fiber and (ii) served with fiber through commercial open-access providers. Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise. This news release may contain certain non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations between the non-GAAP financial measures and the GAAP financial measures are available on the company's website at . We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. ( ), please visit us at . Investors can learn more at . © 2024 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AT&T Get local news delivered to your inbox!Congress Slams Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar's Post Praising Babri Masjid Demolition; Tensions Escalate Within MVA Alliance
Hundreds of Santas and elves shuffle through the chill in Salvation Army fundraiserNoneWASHINGTON — Congress returned Monday with a full plate for December’s legislative session, as well as plenty of announced nominees to begin vetting for the incoming Trump administration. Leading the list from President-elect Donald Trump’s Thanksgiving week announcements was the choice of Kash Patel for FBI director, once there’s a vacancy. Patel would replace the Trump-nominated and Senate-confirmed Christopher Wray, whose term does not end until 2027 and who would need to resign or be fired for a vacancy to exist. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom Trump has picked to be the nation’s attorney general, is scheduled to be on Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators. Other Trump nominees-in-waiting, including former Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth, the Defense secretary designee; and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Trump’s pick for ambassador to the United Nations, have already started making the rounds. One of the more interesting debates to watch may be over the the case of Charles Kushner, the father of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump pardoned the elder Kushner in his first term and announced him last week as his choice for ambassador to France. In addition to tax evasion-related crimes, Charles Kushner pleaded guilty to a charge of witness tampering in 2005. While the pardon may have ended the legal consequences, reviewing that record could be on the agenda of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. House members and senators will also be taking interest in Sunday’s announcement that President Joe Biden was granting a full pardon to his son Hunter Biden. The younger Biden was convicted on federal gun charges and pleaded guilty on federal tax evasion charges. The president had stated in June that he would not pardon his son, but in a reversal Sunday evening, said he had determined that Republican lawmakers had helped conjure up unfair charges. More immediately, lawmakers have three weeks to fund the government and to try to keep the streak alive of clearing the annual defense authorization bill. Given Trump’s influence within the House Republican Conference, much will depend on how much he decides he wants to start with a clean slate in 2025. Senate Democrats are continuing to use their remaining time in the majority to confirm nominees whose terms in office will extend beyond Biden’s administration, both for federal judgeships and key administrative boards and commissions. “Confirming the [National Labor Relations Board] nominees is one of our highest priorities, and we’re going to do everything we can do to get it done by the end of the year,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said on social media before Thanksgiving. In a late-night deal before the Thanksgiving recess, Democrats and Republicans agreed on the process to confirm Biden’s district court nominees, while setting aside four circuit court nominees whom a Schumer spokesperson said lacked the requisite 50 votes needed for confirmation anyway. That sets the stage for at least seven confirmation votes on judicial nominees as early as this week, with an additional six in the queue that were reported out of the Judiciary Committee just before the break.
Holiday shopping doesn't have to be stressfulPatrick Fishburn leads at Sea Island as Joel Dahmen keeps alive hopes of keeping his job
