betfred derby WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black has been hospitalized after suffering a bleed on his brain and is expected to have a “smooth recovery,” his office said. Black, 76, suffered a subdural hematoma earlier this week and is at a local hospital and under the care of the Capitol’s physician, said Rev. Lisa Schultz, Black’s chief of staff. A subdural hematoma is when blood builds up between the skull and the surface of the brain, increasing pressure on the brain. A in the hallways of the Senate, Black has been the chaplain since 2003. He opens the proceedings each day with a prayer and counsels senators and staff through prayer groups and one-on-one meetings. He was previously the chief of the Navy’s chaplains. Black is well known for his booming voice and his often prescient and timely opening prayers in times of political tension. During an extended government shutdown in 2013, he prayed to “deliver us from the hypocrisy of attempting to sound reasonable while being unreasonable.” During former President Donald Trump’s in 2019, he asked in a prayer that “our senators not permit fatigue or cynicism to jeopardize friendships that have existed for years.” In the early morning of Jan. 7, 2021, after supporters of Trump had and Congress had certified Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, he closed a joint session in the middle of the night with a call for unity. “We deplore the desecration of the United States Capitol building, the shedding of innocent blood, the loss of life, and the quagmire of dysfunction that threaten our democracy,” he prayed. ___ Associated Press medical writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report. Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated PressBEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. No details were immediately available. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in Honeywell IntlThey don’t make hockey nicknames like they used to. In previous generations, it felt like everybody had a great one: The Rocket, Mr. Hockey, The Flower, the Rat, the Great One, the Finnish Flash and so on. Nowadays, nicknames typically consist of lazily adding ‘er’ or ‘y’ to someone’s name. Tanger, Matty, Kaner. Woof. That said — there are some great exceptions out there. So, Roundtable: Among active NHL players, who has the best nickname? MATT LARKIN : For me, it isn’t close. It’s Arber Xhekaj, a.k.a. "WiFi." While it references modern technology, with the spelling of his name looking like a password, it’s also a total throwback in that it’s not too on the nose, it’s funny and it softens the image of one of the sport’s baddest enforcers. No notes, 10 out of 10 moniker in any era. STEVEN ELLIS: It’s definitely WiFi, but stealing that is no fun. So I’m going to go with Christian "Stinky" Fischer on the Detroit Red Wings. It started as an inside joke within the Arizona Coyotes dressing room, and it’s something that became common knowledge around the league. Why’s he called that? Nobody seems to know. But, hey, it’s funny, at least — although, probably not to him. PAUL “DUTESY” PIDUTTI: As much as I love a strong, quirky nickname on a depth player, it’s the superstar handles that hit hardest. While it might be blasphemy to some fans, Connor "McJesus" McDavid is so over the top it’s always been a terrific nickname for the game’s most evolved talent. An honorable mention to perhaps the coolest and most fitting nickname on record: the late “Johnny Hockey” Gaudreau. A perfect name for a beloved player that was born to play in the NHL. SCOTT MAXWELL: So the nickname I’m going with is not one actively used by the player, but it belongs to an active player in the league: "Soup" or "Souperman." No, not the one assigned to every single player with the last name Campbell, the one given to Ilya Mikheyev during his 2019-20 rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Why? Because he said he liked soup, and the fans rolled with it, especially since he played so well that year with 23 points in 39 games. It went so far that the man got a sponsorship with Campbell Soup as they named him their "Chief Soup Operator." It was honestly just nice to see a nickname that was normally one of the most boring in hockey used a bit more creatively. Unfortunately, the nickname only lasted a few months and was tragically retired in February when Jack Campbell was traded to the Leafs, and obviously the team decided that Jack had automatic rights to the nickname. Boooooooring. (Although, the “Soup” chants from Maple Leafs fans when he made saves was pretty cool.) That said, according to Hockey Reference, Mikheyev has another nickname of "Cobra," so at least people keep coming up with creative options for him. Also, I wanted to give a quick shoutout to another retired nickname that was one of the best given to a hockey line. The ‘Energy’ Line may sound boring at first, but when you remember that Energy = mc2 (Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck), it’s a lot more creative. However, hockey is boring, so then-New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz started calling them The Identity Line and for some reason that one stuck. ANTHONY DI MARCO: Not a super original answer, but The Great 8 for Ovi is my choice. Short, simple and to the point. Given the chase Ovi is on to shatter a longtime NHL record, it’s all the more relevant — though one may say it’s recency bias. The nickname has been in circulation for nearly two decades, but it still packs the same punch as it did in the mid 2000s. The main reason for this is Ovi’s resurgence. FRANK SERAVALLI: Man, hockey has the best nicknames ever. Rocket Richard. The Chicoutimi Cucumber. The Pocket Rocket. Roadrunner. Big Bird. And those were all from one team. We just don’t do nicknames like that anymore, and it’s disappointing. I yearn for the days of The Dominator and Dave “The Hammer” Schultz and even King Henrik. I suppose that I’ll have to settle for “Bread” or “Bread Man,” Artemi Panarin — which is still quite good. Runner-up would be Andrei “Big Cat” Vasilevskiy. Nonetheless, the greatest current NHL nickname belongs to a front office member: Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett “Chubbs” Peterson, in homage to the Chubbs Peterson character in "Happy Gilmore." You’re welcome. This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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ORCHARD PARK — Cole Bishop’s eyes glanced the wrong way for less than a second. That’s all it took for Houston Texans receiver Nico Collins to run by for an easy 67-yard touchdown. Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas gave Bishop an earful before Collins even crossed the goal line. It was Week 5 and Bishop’s first NFL start after being drafted in the second round in April. The day after Bishop was drafted, Bills general manager Brandon Beane made it known how excited the Bills were to have gotten Bishop, while simultaneously pumping the brakes on any ideas he was an immediate replacement for Jordan Poyer or Micah Hyde. Safety is among the most difficult positions to learn in the NFL and it’s even harder in Buffalo’s scheme. Rookie safeties almost never start for coach Sean McDermott, dating back to his days as a defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. The communication and disguising are more important than physical traits once the ball is snapped and a newcomer to the system can feel like they are drowning. Bishop had his struggles subbing for Taylor Rapp while he recovered from a concussion early in the season and he had a few in his second career start against the Detroit Lions in Week 15. But Bishop’s lightbulb appears to have turned on and it’s brightening with every start he gets. “I’m just learning,” Bishop told GNN Sports. “I’ve gotten a lot more reps (since earlier in the season). In practice, in games, every rep is just helping you feel more comfortable out there.” Is simply winning a game no longer enough for #Bills fans? How much goodwill can the #Sabres get back after a 13-game losing streak? And just how much coal did @billhoppe.bsky.social get in his stocking? fireside.fm/episode/sMvb... [image or embed] Bishop’s NFL beginnings were stunted when he injured his shoulder on the third day of training camp and his recovery extended almost the entire preseason. He was already battling veterans Damar Hamlin and Mike Edwards for a starting job and Hamlin seized it through his knowledge of the defense and injuries to prolonged Bishop and Edwards. When Hyde didn’t re-sign in the offseason and Poyer was released, not only did the Bills draft Bishop and re-sign Rapp, but they also added four veterans between free agency and the preseason. When Week 1 arrived, the Bills named Rapp and Hamlin, the two safeties with most experience in the defense as the starters, but even Rapp needed a full season in the system to get comfortable. “It took Po and I a full season to really get comfortable with all the adjustments we needed to make week-to-week,” Hyde said. “... Going on our second season is when we started to know the playbook like the back of our hand and we’ve been through and installed plenty of times. ... I don't know how he was in the beginning, but I know that now he's an intelligent football player and instinctive. So I'm eager to see him finish off this season.” When Bishop arrived in Buffalo, he quickly latched on to Edwards, who was signed on a one-year deal after spending four years with the Buccaneers and last year with the Chiefs. But after being a healthy scratch six times in the first nine weeks, Edwards requested his release and it was granted. When Hyde re-signed to the practice squad Dec. 5, Bishop immediately started seeking his advice. But whether it’s coaches or veterans, Bishop is constantly trying to pick up more information and feedback, which is why Hyde is strategic when he gives input so that Bishop isn’t overloaded. At 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, Bishop is a longer, heavier safety than they have used under McDermott. Bishop showed his explosiveness at the NFL scouting combine by running a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and recording a 39-inch vertical leap. But what Bishop adds to the defense is a safety who can play near the line of scrimmage and be an enforcer against the run. In three seasons at Utah, Bishop played 73% of his snaps near the line of scrimmage. If the Bills bring a safety into the box or blitz one, it’s typically Hamlin, who is roughly 10 pounds lighter. “He's already, to me, a freak athlete. Just how big he is and how well he can move,” Bills cornerback Taron Johnson said. “But what sets him apart, I think, is his mindset and how he's so coachable, always listening to the coaches and talking to the older guys, trying to see how they see things. And I feel like he's going to be a really good player.” Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said Bishop is improving with each rep. But for most of the season, Bishop wasn’t getting many. At least not during games. While Bishop was learning in practices and watching film, there is no way to simulate how to execute all of the information gleaned at the speed in which games are played in the NFL. For Bishop, that wasn’t an easy transition, especially for a player who was used to learning by doing in college. In Bishop’s first true action over 2 1⁄2 games, it seemed like the Bills were trying to bring him along slowly. He played in the box roughly 53% of the time as Buffalo preferred a two-high safety look. But against the New England Patriots, Bishop played in the box on 50 of 73 snaps. In Bishop’s three starts, the Bills have allowed 89.3 yards rushing on 3.7 yards per carry, compared to 125.5 yards on 4.8 yards per carry in the other 12 games. And it’s also easy to see Bishop becoming a better communicator on the field. On safety Cam Lewis’ interception, Bishop effectively communicated a Banjo coverage with linebacker Dorian Williams, where the outside defender takes the inside receiver, and without that communication, Lewis isn’t able to bait Patriots quarterback Drake Maye into throwing at Williams’ receiver. “When we get the game plan, I try to get all the fundamentals of it, all the details and just try and execute it,” Bishop said. “So whatever they’re asking, I just try to execute to the best of my ability.” NOTES: S Damar Hamlin (rib), DB Cam Lewis (shoulder), S Taylor Rapp (neck) and WR Curtis Samuel (rib) all wore red non-contact jerseys and were limited in Thursday’s practice. ... OL Tylan Grable did not practice for personal reasons.

It should have been a straightforward flight for Nomusa Mwale. The mum of two was on her first trip to Australia, making the move from Manchester to Melbourne to do a Masters in social work. Only things didn’t go to plan. Flying solo, with her husband and children to follow days later, Ms Mwale started to feel unwell. With around 13 hours still to go before reaching Melbourne, she put it down to the altitude. Sally Neilson and Flora Markogiannakis are two of the hospital’s team of 380 ICU nurses. Picture: Mark Stewart But something was wrong, seriously wrong. Just before the flight landed Ms Mwale, 33, fainted on her way to the bathroom. She heard later that her heart had stopped. “The room started spinning, my chest felt like someone was sitting on it and I couldn’t breathe,” she said. She was raced to the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) where doctors told Ms Mwale a blood clot had moved from her foot to her lungs. The following day, sitting up in bed in the RMH’s intensive care unit , Ms Mwale said she thanked god this was the closest hospital. “You guys might have just saved my life; I’m rooting for Australia now,” she said. “I didn’t know it was that serious. I thought I had just fainted.” These are the unique health crises that the highly trained team at the hospital’s ICU see every hour, every day. ICU nurse Anu Sherpha with patient Nomusa Mwale who was rushed to the RMH for lifesaving care. Picture: Mark Stewart More than 3000 critical patients pass through its doors a year, making it one of the country’s biggest and busiest ICUs in Australia. ICU critical care nurse Sally Neilson, 53, is a former journalist who said she decided to study nursing in 2017 because of the equality of nursing. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, when you step through the front door of a hospital, a nurse is going to help you and give you the very best lifesaving care that we can give to anybody,” Ms Neilson said. Her writing days are not done. Ms Neilson recently described an overnight shift in the ICU in a piece she called Daybreak. Moving, powerful words. She writes about how sunrise hits differently when it comes at the end of a 12-hour night shift in ICU, which is a typical rotation. ICU critical nurse Sally Neilson: ‘A nurse is going to help you and give you the very best lifesaving care that we can give to anybody’. Picture: Mark Stewart Sally Neilson says sunrise hits differently when it comes at the end of a 12-hour night shift in ICU. Picture: Mark Stewart Mr Neilson shares the profound moments when nurses get to be with someone, not long ago a stranger, for what will be their last ever sunrise. “For nurses, it’s the light at the end of the tunnel. No matter what challenges the night has delivered, sunrise means the finish line is in sight and the next shift will be rolling through the double doors and taking over any minute. “It’s also a reminder that we are the lucky ones. After the sun has fully risen, we get to walk our healthy bodies out the door and go home to our lives and our families – unlike the people whose lives we’ve spent the last 12 hours trying to save.” Ms Neilson says the dawn of a new day is a major milestone for the critically ill, who have survived the night in their fight against a life-threatening emergency. Today she is caring for a patient who has survived a high-speed crash. Amid constant beeping monitors and intermittent alarms, there is such a tenderness in her care, something you see with all the ICU nurses. A genuine compassion delivered to strangers in need. “ICU is one of the few places in the world where judgement is suspended, we treat everyone the same,” Ms Neilson said. There is also the teamwork: each patient in ICU has a dedicated nurse caring for them 1:1. If a nurse needs to leave the room, even for a split second, they “tag team” to the colleague next door. No patient is ever left alone. Teamwork: ICU nurses provide 1:1 care and make sure no patient is ever left alone. Picture: Mark Stewart It is their responsibility to watch, monitor and be alert for any changes in a critically ill patient. It can be subtle like a change in breathing, perhaps sudden telltale signs of irritability that may indicate a patient is waking up. They must decide if a sudden change in blood pressure needs them to hit the alarm to bring a team running. “You get to see everything here, it’s a major trauma centre, cardiothoracic centre, neurosurgery centre,” Ms Neilson said. “And it’s intense.” Her patient today is intubated; their body shocked by spinal and internal injuries and medicated to help with the long road to recovery. “When a patient is critical, everything just gets more complex and it can change quickly,” Ms Neilson said. Next door another patient is in a fight for life as sepsis threatens to shut down organs. Across the corridor another has heart failure and anxious family members are urging the patient to rally. Royal Melbourne Hospital ICU nurse Flora Markogiannakis has a special interest in trauma patients. Picture: Mark Stewart Flora Markogiannakis, 30, started her ICU nursing career during Covid. “I wouldn’t say Covid inspired or deterred me,” she said. “I was really thrown into it and for me that worked really well, it gave me purpose.” She has a special interest in trauma patients and likes the feeling that in ICU she has the resources, knowledge, skills and support to help people. “You feel like you’ve achieved something by the end of a shift.” Ms Markogiannakis did a Bachelor’s of Nursing and Business Administration and may move into health administration. Not just yet. For now she wants to work as a nurse to make an impact at a different level. She also acknowledges the job can be tough, mentally and physically. Sally Neilson says when families visit patients in the ICU the humanity ‘floods in’. Picture: Mark Stewart “You really have to check in with yourself before every shift and when you go home, to know that you can come back the next day,” Ms Markogiannakis said. “We go through so much in our own personal lives and then caring for the patients and their families who are experiencing some of the worst days of their lives.” Ms Neilson says when the families visit the humanity floods in. “When you see a family see their loved one awake for the first time after something really big has happened, that they may not have survived, that’s really moving,” she said. “The best is seeing their joy and relief when things have gone the right way.” But ICU nurses also help prepare families to say a final goodbye to a loved one, and there are always the patients who will stay forever in their minds. For Ms Neilson it was the young woman who had suffered a brain bleed and did not survive. “I was with her; her husband on a pull out bed, we spent the night with her. They were newly married and had just built their home; it was terrible. That one sticks with you.” But nursing also brings her much joy. “Every day you are doing something worthwhile, something good.” She says one of the great things about nursing is the work-life balance that’s encouraged. “So when you hand over and leave, you’ve switched off. You’re not answering emails and phone calls. You’re out the door. Until the next shift.” ICU AT A GLANCE • The RMH has a team of 380 ICU nurses • About 3000 patients are admitted every year • There are 42 beds, making it one of the Australia’s busiest ICUs • Intensive care is around the clock More Coverage Inside the trauma team's ‘life and death’ battle Sarah Booth Victoria Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories News Full list: Every Victorian childcare centre rated The top rated and underperforming childcare centres across Victoria have been revealed. Search and see the list and watch our exclusive videos. Read more Victoria Archbishop warns Allan govt against proposed anti-vilification laws Victoria’s top Christian leader has warned the Allan government that newly proposed hate speech laws threaten religious speech and risk sparking more division. Read more

By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com (TNS) As the end of the year approaches, now’s the time to start preparing for filing your 2024 tax return in 2025. When it comes to tax strategies, generally Dec. 31 is the deadline to make changes that might lower your tax bill. One major exception is the deadline for contributing to a Roth or traditional IRA : You have until April 15, 2025, to make a contribution to a Roth or traditional IRA for tax year 2024. If you qualify for deductible IRA contributions , then a contribution to your traditional IRA can reduce your taxable income for 2024. Here are tips and strategies to prepare now for the 2025 tax-filing deadline. If you had significant changes in your life in 2024 — maybe you got married or divorced, started your own business, or had to claim unemployment benefits — your taxes may be more complicated. As a result, you might need to hire a certified public accountant (CPA), enrolled agent (EA) or other tax professional to prepare and file your taxes. If you decide to hire someone, it’s best to start planning for that sooner rather than later. Waiting until the calendar flips to April could cost you. The average fee for a professional to prepare and file a simple Form 1040 tax return, with no itemized deductions, is about $220, according to a survey by the National Society of Accountants in 2020-2021, the most recent data available. But that amount rises quickly for more complex returns, and varies depending on where you live. For example, a Form 1040 with itemized deductions costs an average of $432 in states on the Pacific Coast, compared with $285 in New England. No matter where you live, prices usually rise as the tax deadline approaches, so it’s smart to start searching for a tax pro soon. If you’re uncomfortable doing your taxes on your own and can’t afford a CPA, enrolled agent or other tax pro, or to pay for tax software , there are free options to consider. The IRS currently offers three ways to prepare your taxes for free: •With the IRS Free File program, the IRS partners with for-profit tax-software companies that offer free tax-prep software to eligible taxpayers so they can file their federal tax returns for free. Some taxpayers may also qualify for a free state tax filing, depending on the software provider. In January, the IRS will announce the income limit to qualify for the program for the 2025 tax season (for filing 2024 tax returns). For the 2024 tax season (2023 tax returns), taxpayers’ adjusted gross income (AGI) couldn’t exceed $79,000. •The IRS also offers its Direct File program, a free tool that allows you to file your federal income tax return directly with the IRS at no cost. The program supports simple tax returns and is available only in certain states. Check to see if you qualify here. •Another free-filing option is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. IRS-certified volunteers offer free basic tax preparation in person to people who earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled or whose English is limited. The IRS has an online location tool for hundreds of free tax preparation sites in the U.S. (the locator tool is updated from February through April). Some VITA sites also offer online tax-prep assistance. Now is a good time to create an IRS online account. If you want to see your Form 1040 from last year, or you’re missing a prior year Form W-2 or mortgage interest statement, you can find your documents using this free tax tool. Another benefit of creating an IRS online account is that it allows you to quickly obtain your prior year’s tax information without sitting on the phone for hours with an IRS representative, says Carl Johnson, a certified public accountant in New Orleans. An IRS online account also lets you view your account balance and payment history for each year. You can also create a payment plan to settle your federal income tax debt within minutes. If you’re 73 years old and have enjoyed watching your 401(k) or IRA grow tax-free without touching it, remember that the IRS is going to want its share each year. That means you’ll have to make withdrawals — and pay income tax. If you turned 73 in 2024, plan to take your required minimum distribution (RMD) at the latest by April 1, 2025. Read this IRS bulletin for more information. The amount of your RMDs is based on your age and the year-end values of your retirement accounts. A Roth IRA has two big tax advantages over a traditional IRA : Qualified withdrawals are not considered income for federal (and usually state) tax purposes, and you don’t have to take distributions from a Roth every year once you reach age 73. Converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA may save you money in the long run. Just know that when you convert an IRA to a Roth, it’s considered taxable income, which will raise your tax bill for that year. Generally, it’s best to convert to a Roth IRA when you’re in a low-income year. As tax season approaches, many people start receiving phone calls, emails and texts from entities claiming to be the IRS. Be wary, and understand that these are scams. Typically, the IRS will mail you a notice before using any other method of communication to notify you concerning issues with your tax return. The IRS won’t reach out via social media or text messaging. Relatedly, the IRS warns taxpayers to be careful when choosing a tax preparer. Taking time to vet your tax preparer is crucial to protect yourself from tax scams and fraud. Before hiring a tax professional, search that person’s name in the IRS database of federal tax return preparers to avoid dishonest “professionals.” “Taxpayers should check the tax professional’s credentials,” Johnson says. Tax pros without credentials “may take questionable positions without any degree of scrutiny or fear of losing their access to the profession,” Johnson says. Taxpayers who don’t file a tax return and owe a tax bill, or who file but don’t pay their tax bill on time, risk severe penalties. The IRS can even seize assets if necessary. Respond quickly if the IRS has been sending you letters because it found an error on your return or claims you owe back taxes. Typically, the IRS will send you a notice if you have a balance due, changes were made to your tax return, or the agency needs additional information. “If you ignore a collection letter from the IRS, you may face wage garnishments, liens, bank levies, and other adverse action. And in some cases, the amount due may increase for failure to respond,” Johnson says. Keep in mind the IRS does offer installment plans and other payment plans. Make copies of your correspondence and use only the U.S. Postal Service, the postmark from which is your proof of timeliness when responding. But whatever you do, don’t ignore the IRS because this may cause more issues in the future. ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.A pastor in a secretive and extreme Pentecostal church has advocated corporal punishment of children as a way to prevent school shootings and gender dysphoria. The leaked recording of the pastor advocating a “rod of correction” policy emerged as Victoria’s child safety watchdog expressed concern about practices at the Geelong Revival Centre. Liana Buchanan, Victoria’s Commissioner for Children and Young People. Credit: Justin McManus Liana Buchanan, principal commissioner for children and young people, said the experiences and allegations recently revealed by former Geelong Revival Centre members were “extremely concerning”, and described some “unacceptable institutional responses”. “Children deserve to be safe and protected by the organisations they participate in,” Buchanan said. “Our recently tabled annual report notes that some religious organisations continue to struggle with identifying and managing risks to children. That risk is certainly amplified where there is a culture of silence and adults and children are afraid to speak out. “We know that ‘closed institutions’ carry more risks of child abuse than other types of institutions. These institutions need to be aware of these heightened risks and have legal responsibilities to take action to keep children safe, prevent child abuse and respond to allegations of child abuse.” The latest annual report from the Commission for Young People and Children, tabled in state parliament last month, included data indicating a higher proportion of sexual offence allegations in religious bodies than any other sector. Buchanan encouraged people with experience or knowledge of abuse within the centre’s network of churches to contact her agency, which has statutory powers to investigate breaches of child safety laws. After decades of operating with minimal external scrutiny, the GRC and its affiliate churches across Australia are examined in a new investigative podcast, LiSTNR’s Secrets We Keep: Pray Harder , and reports by this masthead. This masthead has obtained a recording of a sermon given by a Tasmanian pastor of a GRC-affiliated church in which members are warned that society did not understand the need to physically punish children to ensure obedience. “As far as the world is concerned, well. They would be very critical of us for preaching and teaching these things,” Tasmanian pastor Neil Griggs says in the recording. “Let’s not go over the top about this word ‘beating’. It just means to smack. It doesn’t mean to be brutal. ‘Thou shalt beat him with the rod or smack him and shalt deliver his soul from hell.’ Well, isn’t that worth doing? Deliver his soul from hell. “If we don’t teach children obedience, it won’t be well with them ... if we don’t correct them and chasten them, and reprove them, and rebuke them when they need it, it will not be well with them.” The leaked sermon from Griggs provides an example of how the church leadership persuades adult members that children without discipline could face disastrous outcomes later in life. “And here we are now, the children. The scourge of social media has twisted them all up. Unrestrained. Unchecked. Spoilt ... everything that their heart could desire had wealth lavished upon them, and they’re not happy,” he said. “And they grow up, and they go and get a gun, and they go into a school and they shoot people. And they’re all upset. No, we’re telling them. Well, you’ve got some problems. Not because you weren’t smacked as a child. Is everybody else’s fault? Maybe. Maybe think about it. Maybe you should be a girl instead of a boy or a boy instead of a girl.” As part of the investigation, former members have revealed alleged cover-ups of child sexual abuse, the violent physical punishment of children, pressure on church members to forgo medical treatment, homophobic and racist teachings and harsh restrictions placed on the freedoms of women and girls. There is no suggestion Neil Griggs has been responsible for any abuse or for failing to report child safety issues. Griggs did not respond to requests for comment. The GRC leadership has also repeatedly declined to answer questions from this masthead. Dozens more former members have come forward since the release of the podcast to detail harrowing accounts of their alleged sexual, physical and emotional abuse while growing up inside a church that controls almost every aspect of its members’ lives. In August, 38-year-old GRC member Todd Hubers van Assenraad pleaded guilty to 16 child sexual abuse charges involving nine children aged under 16. The Age is not suggesting his victims were from families associated with the church. The use of corporal punishment on children is legal in Victoria. However, the use of excessive force is illegal. As is the exposure of children to emotional harm through constant abuse or use of threats to frighten them. Griggs, in his sermon, encouraged mothers, who the church prefers to stay at home rather than work, to question their children about what they were taught at school each day and to remind them what the Bible says. “Find out what happened at school today when they’re amongst all those unsaved people, or with all those perhaps well-meaning, unsaved teachers, with all their worldly ideas ... parents are the ones who say what’s going to happen and when it’s going to happen.” Despite the pastor’s call for moderate physical punishment, more than a dozen former church members have given accounts of their violent childhood beatings with belts, fists and rods. The Geelong Revival Centre. Credit: Simon Schluter A single mother described a male member of the church repeatedly hitting her autistic toddler son, causing what she claimed were life-changing injuries. The woman has sought legal advice over this incident, which allegedly happened a few years ago. A former pastor at a GRC-linked overseas assembly also detailed his knowledge of deafness in one boy growing up in the church due to repeated blows to his head by his father. Former members also claimed the church’s empowerment of men led to domestic violence within households and situations where children were physically punished by adults who were not their parents or guardians. Former church members said the “cult-like” nature of the GRC and the constant “doomsday” predictions had children constantly in fear about the end of their world and the possibility that they and their families could burn in hell if they had fallen out with their pastor. If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (see lifeline.org.au ), Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 (see beyondblue.org.au ) or 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).Ashi Chouksey shot 466.7 in the final to beat Olympian Anjum Moudgil by 3.1 points in the women’s 50-metre rifle 3-position event of the 67th National shooting championship at the Madhya Pradesh Academy on Sunday. Ashi took the lead early and sustained it till the end in the 45-shot final, winding up with a 10.6 last shot in recording a comprehensive victory. The rest of the field was unable to catch up with her at any stage. Sakshi Padekar climbed to the third spot, ahead of Melvina Angeline, Shriyanka Sadangi, Bhakti Khamkar, Priya and Vanshika Shahi. Qualification topper, Bhakti Khamkar (592) placed sixth. Asian Games gold medallist and world record holder Sift Kaur Samra shot 586 and missed the final by one point. Anushka Thokur of Karnataka surprised the junior field as she won the gold after having qualified in the eighth place with a modest score of 580. She wound up with 460.5 in the final while beating Sakshi Padekar by 4.2 points. Nischal won the bronze ahead of junior topper Melvina Angeline (588). Khushi, Nupur Kumrawat, Mahit Sandhu and Prachi Gaikwad were the others to make the junior final. The results: 50m rifle 3-position: Women: 1. Ashi Chouksey 466.7 (590); 2. Anjum Moudgil 463.6 (590); 3. Sakshi Padekar 451.3 (587). Juniors: 1. Anushka Thokur 460.5 (580); 2. Sakshi Padekar 456.3 (587); 3. Nischal 443.9 (585). = = = EOM Published - December 30, 2024 03:18 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit sport / shooting