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fortune gems super win PARIS (AP) — After more than 20 years of negotiations, the 27-nation European Union and Mercosur — a South American trade bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia — are still trying to finalize a major trade agreement that is sparking protests by European farmers. A draft deal was announced in 2019 , but disagreements over environmental, economic and political issues are delaying its final approval.

Trump will return to power with a raft of tools at his disposal.

ALL-HUNTERDON/WARREN COUNTY TEAMS, 2024 NOTE: These teams were put together by coaches from Hunterdon and Warren Counties, not members of NJ Advance Media. FIRST TEAM D-Katie Compton, Warren Hills, Jr. D-Shivya Desai, Warren Hills, Sr. M/F-Nadia DiRe, Voorhees, So. M-Emerson Gaitan, Blair Academy F-Annika Hoyer, North Hunterdon, Sr. G-Casey Kozelnik, Blair Academy, Jr. M/F-Jillian Labar, Belvidere, Jr. D-Jackie Miller, Phillipsburg, So. G-Jordan Nonnemacher, Phillispburg, Jr. M-Emma Olsen, Hackettstown, Jr. M/D-Samantha Pinelli, Delaware Valley, Sr. D-Madeline Ridge, Hackettstown, Sr. M/D-Libby Russell, Blair Academy, Sr. D/M-Katie Sampson, North Hunterdon, So. F-Paisley Testa, North Hunterdon, So. SECOND TEAM D/M-Mia Beneducci, North Hunterdon, Jr. F-Kate Brameyer, Hackettstown, Sr. F-Emma Butler, Phillipsburg, Fr. D-Brooke Cahill, North Hunterdon, Sr. M-Addison Ehasz, Belvidere, Jr. M/D-Madeline Kardos, Belvidere, Jr. F/M-CeCe Kirkwood, Blair Academy M/D-Sophia Remian, Phillipsburg, Sr. F-Isabella Settembrini, Voorhees, Sr. M-Rylie Wyckoff, Warren Hills, Jr. F/M-Maggie Scally, Hunterdon Central, Sr. F/M-Jocelyn Sponzo, Hunterdon Central, Sr. RECOMMENDED • nj .com Field Hockey: Skyland Conference All-Division Teams, 2024 Nov. 26, 2024, 5:34 p.m. Field Hockey: Cape-Atlantic League All-Division Teams, 2024 Nov. 25, 2024, 1:36 p.m. Brian Bobal may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on X at @BrianBobal . The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appears in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter )

NoneLand near Dow's Lake being cleared in advance of new Civic Campus construction

Lebanon is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus, the General Security Directorate said Friday. The decision came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged a border crossing in northern Lebanon just days after it was reopened. Separately, Jordan’s interior minister said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. He spoke after Syrian opposition activists said insurgents had captured the main border crossing with Jordan, forcing the Syrian authorities to leave. Separately, Israel’s military said it planned to reinforce its positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and near the border with Syria. Israel said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The breakthrough came a day after jihiadi-led opposition fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest. In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: Israel says ‘thousands’ of food packs were delivered to besieged northern Gaza CAIRO — Israel said Friday that “thousands of food packages and sacks of flour” were delivered to the isolated northernmost reaches of Gaza, where hunger experts warn famine could be underway. The delivery would mark one of the first successful convoys to the area, which is besieged by Israeli troops that have mounted a fierce offensive in Gaza’s north since early October. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls the border crossings into Gaza, said the aid was delivered to the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli authorities did not publicly say who delivered the aid, and did not provide details on the exact amount of aid involved. COGAT released photos of flatbed trucks driving past rubble, some carrying what appeared to be 25-kilogram (55 pound) sacks of aid and others with cargo covered under tarps. The U.N. has struggled to deliver aid to the area in recent weeks. Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that nearly no food has entered the area for two months, and that the agency’s daily requests to enter the area have been denied by Israel. Of two missions that have been approved since Oct. 6, Zaki said, only two trucks of aid were delivered to a shelter that Israeli soldiers ordered to evacuate soon after and then burned. The situation in northern Gaza has prompted hunger experts to warn that famine is either near or may already be underway. Kurdish-led force in Syria says it has taken positions along Iraq border BEIRUT — A Kurdish-led force in Syria that's backed by the United States says it has taken positions along the border with Iraq, replacing Syrian government forces. The move by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture areas on the west bank of the Euphrates River is likely to cut the land line that links Iran with the Mediterranean coast. The SDF said in a statement that its fighters were deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates for the safety of civilians. “Our primary objective is to protect our security and the security of our people,” it said about the deployment. SDF spokesman Farhad Shami told The Associated Press that their fighters are not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Iran-backed fighters have evacuated the border crossing point of Boukamal and the SDF is expected to control it later. The Boukamal border crossing has been a main supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who had opened the corridor that links Iran with the Mediterranean in 2017. The developments come as jihadi-led insurgents in northwestern Syria have made stunning advances over the past week that have so far met little resistance from government troops. Many displaced Palestinians at an aid kitchen in southern Gaza leave empty-handed KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing. “The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get a meal of rice – the only food being served — for his children. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots. The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The U.N. agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians. Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October. Lebanon closes all its land border crossings with Syria except one BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossing with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus. The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened. “Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travelers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X. It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road. The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. Syrian insurgents capture key crossing point on border with Jordan BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it. Shortly afterward, Jordan’s Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018. Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added. Israel reinforces troops in Golan Heights amid Syria tensions JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country’s north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria. It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country’s largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with in Lebanon. The advances of the Syrian insurgents adds new instability on Israel’s northern border, two months after it invaded neighboring Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday. Israeli media reported there is concern in the country’s security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way. Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won’t fall into the hands of the rebels. Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years. Syrian insurgents enter 2 central towns, bringing them close to the city of Homs BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Insurgents are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. Iran says it conducted a successful space launch in a program long criticized by the West MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile technology. Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program , a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That’s the site of Iran’s civilian space program. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system,” as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability. Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches. There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon. Australian leader blames antisemitism for arson that extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue MELBOURNE, Australia — Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia’s prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values. The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said. About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage. Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism. “This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this,” Albanese told reporters. “To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” he added. Hamas official says Gaza ceasefire talks have resumed after weekslong hiatus ISTANBUL — A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday. Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could “affect the situation positively” given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be “hell to pay” if that doesn’t happen. Attack near US base in eastern Syria may have wounded 3 service members, Pentagon says WASHINGTON -- Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday. Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. By Lolita BaldorB.C. Premier Eby says Canada will negotiate from 'position of strength' on US tariff British Columbia Premier David Eby said Canada had to approach Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25 per cent U.S. Dirk Meissner and Nono Shen, The Canadian Press Nov 26, 2024 12:58 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Premier-designate David Eby holds a media availability following election results at the legislature in Victoria, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito Listen to this article 00:01:16 British Columbia Premier David Eby said Canada had to approach Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25 per cent U.S. tariff on Canadian goods from a position of strength, as business, trade and community organizations called for quick action on the trade threat. Eby said premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would meet this week to discuss "our strategic approach" to the U.S. president-elect's plan to impose the tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports immediately after his inauguration on Jan. 20, unless action was taken to stem the cross-border flow of migrants and illegal drugs. The B.C. premier made the comments Tuesday in a speech to the annual convention of the B.C. Federation of Labour in Vancouver. "Obviously, this will be devastating to workers on both sides of the border," he said. "Both in the U.S. and in Canada the impact on families will be profoundly significant." Canada and the U.S. have long been top trading partners, on imports as well as exports, and the strength of this relationship put Canada in a solid position when it came to Trump's tariff threat, Eby said. "We have more in common with Americans than what separates us," he said. "We buy more American stuff than France, than China and Japan and the United Kingdom combined. So, we are negotiating, I believe, from a position of strength." Eby acknowledged improvements could be made on Canada's border, especially when it came to policing contraband and illegal drugs. "We've called repeatedly, for example, for port police to ensure what comes into B.C. is not contraband, is not illicit drugs or precursor chemicals," he said. "These are things that we can do to make life better here in B.C., as well as respond to concerns that have been raised south of the border." Trump issued a statement on social media on Monday saying Canada and Mexico had the power to solve their border issues, which he called a "long simmering problem." Business organizations in B.C. called on the provincial and federal government to immediately address Trump's tariff plan that they said would will hurt businesses. The proposal would have “significant consequences” for B.C. businesses of all sizes and would harm communities and workers across the province, said Fiona Famulak, B.C. Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer. “Ottawa must take this news seriously and work proactively with representatives of the incoming US administration immediately to address the issue before the tariffs are implemented," she said in a statement. "We cannot afford to wait until January to take action." The Metro Vancouver city of Surrey, which has two U.S. border crossings, said in a statement the proposed tariff would have severe implications for the city's business community. Most of B.C.'s manufacturing industry is located in Surrey and the city is also home to many thriving import-export reliant businesses, which would face increased costs and potential job losses if the U.S. tariff was imposed, said Jasroop Gosal, Surrey Board of Trade spokesman. The B.C. Lumber Trade Council said the proposed tariff would hurt U.S. consumers and homebuyers by driving up the cost of building materials from Canada, while the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade said the U.S. was B.C.’s most important trading partner, accounting for 54 per cent of the province’s commodity exports in 2023. "It is imperative that we engage constructively with our U.S. counterparts to advance our collective interests," said Bridgitte Anderson, board of trade president and CEO. "This should act as a wake-up call to all levels of government that a new Team Canada approach is required." She said some of B.C.’s top exports to the U.S. are natural gas, softwood lumber, agricultural products and minerals and metals. Opposition B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad called for the immediate recall of the B.C. legislature to provide funding to secure borders to stop the flow of illegal drugs and migrants. B.C. government data says the province's exports to the U.S. in the first half of 2024 were worth $16.9 billion, down 1.1 per cent compared to the same period last year. The U.S. is by far B.C.'s largest export destination, with mainland China in second place receiving goods worth $4.9 billion in the year to July, up 13.2 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Dirk Meissner and Nono Shen, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Business Trudeau, premiers to meet Wednesday after Trump trade threat Nov 26, 2024 1:30 PM S&P/TSX composite index ticks lower, U.S. stock markets rise Nov 26, 2024 1:26 PM B.C. health executive fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine loses EI appeal Nov 26, 2024 1:17 PM Featured FlyerAustralians are buying dishwashing tablets, sponges and toilet paper at Black Friday sales. or signup to continue reading Aussies are up 35 per cent from last year. Research from ING Bank found demand for household items has increased by 10 per cent year-on-year with 4.4 million shoppers looking to stock up over the weekend. Shoppers are willing to spend an average of $184 each on these essential items and one in ten would spend between $301 and $500. But a third of Aussies said they weren't shopping the sales at all this year because they were budgeting or saving for other things with millennials the most likely generation to hold on to their cash. Almost a quarter of Aussies also said they did not think the discounts were large enough to justify opening their wallets. The difference in spending was evident across the generations with nearly half of millennials saying they intended to spend more on essential household goods than gifts this year, compared to about a quarter of Gen X and Boomers. Almost half of Aussies with children at home were also planning to focus on the bare necessities. ING Australia's Matt Bowen said the survey shows Australians were "using this year's sales to shop [savvy], spending more on household essentials and buying their Christmas gifts in advance due to the rising cost of living." "There's also clearly an appetite to shop with international retailers this year, according to 35 per cent of respondents who plan to shop the sales." , with 58 per cent of Aussies intending to shop the sales this year, an increase of 17 per cent since 2020. More than $12.7 billion is expected to be spent on the sales nationwide across all categories, an increase from last year's $10.8 billion. Almost half of all Black Friday shoppers this year are planning to use the sales to buy their Christmas presents with $297 being the average budget among those shopping for gifts. Lucy is a reporter for the Canberra Times. Originally from the Central West, she has a passion for local and rural news. Email her at lucy.arundell@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Lucy is a reporter for the Canberra Times. Originally from the Central West, she has a passion for local and rural news. Email her at lucy.arundell@austcommunitymedia.com.au. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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By SARAH PARVINI, GARANCE BURKE and JESSE BEDAYN, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make life-altering decisions for immigrants, including whether they should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden’s AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how they plan to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, “limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people “may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.Emergence of the new Syria"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. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 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Juan Soto introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15-year deal NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto put on a New York Mets jersey and cap for the first time after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized and talked about what made the difference in his decision. He said at his introductory news conference on Thursday that the Mets “showed me a lot of love." Soto was introduced at Citi Field a day after his deal was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, Soto was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and his agent, Scott Boras. Bill Belichick 'always wanted' to give college coaching a try. Now he will at North Carolina New North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick said he had long been interested in coaching in the college ranks. But it had never worked out until now, as he takes over the Tar Heels program. Belichick led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during a 24-year run there that ended last year. University trustees approved terms of a five-year deal for him Thursday morning before he held his introductory news conference on campus. Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. Rape investigation that Swedish media say focused on Kylian Mbappé has been closed STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Stockholm in October. In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova says there is not enough evidence to continue the investigation into the allegation at a hotel. Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation but some Swedish media reported it was Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league. At the time, Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false. Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Hunter received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. A throwback player who rarely left the field, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defensed as a shutdown corner. Hunter helped the the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. 2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says LONDON (AP) — A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there. Lina al-Hathloul is a London-based activist whose sister was jailed in Saudi Arabia then banned from travel after campaigning to end a ban on women driving. When FIFA confirmed the kingdom as the 2034 tournament host on Wednesday its president Gianni Infantino acknowledged “the world will be watching” for positive social change. Al-Hathloul says western people “will be very safe” at the World Cup but "will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is.” Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is dropped CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A new court filing says NASCAR rejected Front Row Motorsports’ agreement to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing unless the team and 23XI Racing dropped their federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series. Front Row and 23XI rejected NASCAR's new revenue sharing agreement and have gone to court. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. Hojlund scores twice for Manchester United to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in Europa League Rasmus Hojlund scored twice after coming off the bench and Manchester United rallied to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in the Europa League. The Denmark striker netted in the 88th minute after collecting Bruno Fernandes’ pass off a free kick to seal the victory. Ahead of the late games, United moved to fifth place with 12 points from six games. Hojlund came on in the 56th to replace Marcus Rashford and scored an equalizer six minutes later. In the Conference League a youthful Chelsea lineup made the most of a long trip to Kazakhstan by beating Astana 3-1 to stay perfect in the third-tier competition. NFL world reacts with excitement, surprise, questions after Bill Belichick is hired to coach UNC Bill Belichick is already the most decorated coach in NFL history. His next challenge is college football after he agreed to a five-year deal to coach at North Carolina. The reaction around the NFL ranged from excitement at seeing him back on the sideline to disbelief. Some of his former players believe his skill set will work at any level. Others caution that the players he brings into UNC should prepare to have their limits tested.

The Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association named nine area players on its 2024 all-state teams in Class 1A and 2A Thursday. District 6-1A runner-up Northern Cambria produced three all-state selections – senior setter Kiera Boring, senior right-side hitter Brenna McCracken and senior middle hitter Riley Olish. District 6-2A runner-up Forest Hills had a pair of all-state players – senior outside hitter Mya Colosimo, a four-time selection, and junior middle blocker Eva Myers. District 5-1A champion Berlin Brothersvalley had two all-state picks – junior setter Lexi Fairman and sophomore libero Cayley Poorbaugh. District 6-2A champion Richland sophomore middle blocker Addison Hirsch and District 5-2A champ North Star sophomore outside hitter Brooke Cannin also earned all-state honors. Cannin totaled 248 kills, 197 digs and 57 aces this past season. “Brooke is a very dynamic player,” North Star coach Tony Crisafulli said. “She works very hard in every match. She gives everything she’s got every night that we play. “It’s rare for a sophomore to be chosen all-state, but she’s one of three sophomores from our area that have been chosen. They’re very strong players.” Berlin Brothersvalley advanced to the first round of the PIAA Class 1A tournament. Fairman, the 2024 Somerset County most valuable player, supplied 738 assists, 84 kills and 69 aces. She surpassed 1,000 career assists earlier in the season. “Lexi is the floor general,” Berlin coach Corey Will said. “She fills that role perfectly as our setter. She handles the ups and downs of the game in a way that always keeps us moving forward in the match. “Her ball distribution and knowledge of the game definitely make her worthy of the all-state honor.” Poorbaugh totaled 331 digs and 75 aces this past season. “Cayley filled the role of libero perfectly,” Will said. “She pursues every ball. She controls the defensive aspect of the game for us. She’s a powerful server.” According to statistics posted on MaxPreps.com , Hirsch amassed 335 kills, 99 blocks, 98 digs and 52 aces as a sophomore. Richland defeated Forest Hills in the District 6-2A championship match and reached the PIAA tournament for the first time in 24 years, defeating District 7 Hopewell before exiting in the quarterfinals. “Addison Hirsch is a dominant presence at the net as a middle blocker and hitter,” Richland co-coach Lori Beard said. “She ended the season with 174 career blocks and 528 career kills. She also is a force to be reckoned with behind the serving line with 98 career aces. Her selection to the all-state team is well-deserved.” Forest Hills’ Colosimo totaled 1,686 kills, 1,250 digs and 201 aces in her four-year career. She is the only player at Forest Hills to total 1,000 kills and digs. Colosimo provided 400 or more kills in all four seasons. “Mya has played volleyball since she was in elementary school. She’s worked hard and loves this game,” Forest Hills coach Cassie Layman said. “She’s put forth the effort to put herself in position to lead a team that has been as successful as we have been. Along the way, she has achieved some personal goals.” Forest Hills finished as district runner-up each of the past two seasons. The Rangers advanced to the 2023 PIAA semifinals and the 2024 quarterfinals. Myers notched her 100th career block this season and finished her junior year with 135 career blocks. She netted 228 kills in 2024 and has 464 for her career. “Eva is a very coachable athlete, a very driven athlete and a natural leader,” Layman said. “I’m excited to see her lead us next season. She’s going to be impressive.” Northern Cambria’s Boring netted 656 assists, 238 digs and 34 aces this past season as the Colts reached the first round of the PIAA tournament. “Kiera has been a great leader over the last couple years,” Northern Cambria coach Alyssa Walters said. “She won a bunch of awards for us as a sophomore as well as achieving a bunch of things this season, hitting 500 digs while also accomplishing her 1,000th assist, which was huge for her. She’s always been a team player, so those little self accomplishments she had didn’t mean as much to her as performing in some of the big games and being able to be the leader that she is on the court. “That meant a lot more to her than her personal goals. She has kind of always been our glue.” McCracken supplied 262 digs, 170 kills, 37 aces and 30 blocks in 2024, according to MaxPreps.com . “Brenna is a coach’s dream,” Walters said. “She was the playmaker on our team. “When we needed to score a point or we needed to change something, she was always that player to be able to take the reins on that and to score points for us,” Walters said. “She has a great head on her shoulders. She is a tough all-around player. Anywhere I needed her, whether it would be a setter, a defensive player, a hitter, a server, she could do any of that very confidently.” Olish amassed 197 kills and 41 blocks for the Colts in 2024. “She is just such a lively person and when it comes to game time and having her head in the game, she was our rock when it came to our big, tough games,” Walters said. “Our conference games, our state playoff game, our district game, she was that athlete that turned it up and scored a ton of points for us in the front row. “She was a game-changer when it came to being a blocker, being super-controlled. She was a great server and it wouldn’t faze her at all to be able to play defense in those rotations. She is very versatile. This year specifically, she stepped up and became a huge part of our team and was a very good leader this season.” Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81. (c)2024 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at www.tribune-democrat.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.ROSEMEAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- Edison International (NYSE: EIX) today declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.8275 per share, payable on Jan. 31, 2025, to shareholders of record on Jan. 7, 2025. This action increases the annual dividend rate by $0.19 per share for the quarter ending Jan. 31, 2025. The 2025 annual dividend rate will be $3.31 per share, an increase of 6.1% from the current annual dividend rate of $3.12 per share. “The dividend increase reflects the confidence of our board and management in our company’s financial future in tandem with our commitment to achieving our long-term EPS growth target of 5% to 7%,” said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International. “It’s also our 21 st consecutive year of increasing our dividend, which continues to provide an attractive yield. Today’s announcement reinforces our dedication to delivering strong returns for our shareholders.” About Edison International Edison International (NYSE: EIX) is one of the nation’s largest electric utility holding companies, focused on providing clean and reliable energy and energy services through its independent companies. Headquartered in Rosemead, California, Edison International is the parent company of Southern California Edison Company, a utility delivering electricity to 15 million people across Southern, Central and Coastal California. Edison International is also the parent company of Trio (formerly Edison Energy), a portfolio of nonregulated competitive businesses providing integrated sustainability and energy advisory services to large commercial, industrial and institutional organizations in North America and Europe. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212241547/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations: Sam Ramraj, (626) 302-2540 Media Relations: (626) 302-2255 News@sce.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: UTILITIES ENERGY SOURCE: Edison International Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 04:36 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 04:35 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212241547/en

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Netflix has shared an exciting update on Prince Harry 's forthcoming documentary series. The five-part docuseries, produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex , is set to premiere on December 10, as announced on Wednesday. The eagerly-awaited show, named POLO, tracks polo players "on and off the field as they compete in the high-stakes US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida", according to Netflix. The streaming giant revealed: "Through fierce rivalries and intense training, viewers will get an unprecedented glimpse into the dedication and skill required to compete at the sport's highest level." It's no secret that the Duke of Sussex, 40, has been a polo player for years and is a big fan of the equestrian sport. "From a young player pushed to his limits by his demanding father, to a former golfer who's made significant sacrifices for the love of the sport, to the father-son duo widely regarded as the greatest players of all time - they all face intense personal and professional challenges as they vie for the coveted title," Netflix elaborated. This latest update follows Netflix's announcement of the documentary series on X in September. The statement read: "POLO is a new documentary series that follows elite global players and offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the fast-paced world of the sport. From Archewell Productions and Boardwalk Pictures." Archewell Productions, the company owned by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is set to release a new show as part of their multi-year deal with Netflix, signed in 2020. Meghan will also be hosting her own non-fiction series, celebrating "the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining and friendship". Netflix has already given fans a sneak peek of the documentary with four still images, including a shot of three polo players on horseback and two competitors sprinting with mallets after the ball. While Harry and Meghan may make brief appearances, the focus won't be on them. Back in April, it was revealed that Harry had signed a deal with Netflix to produce a documentary series about the intriguing sport of polo. The series promises to "provide viewers unprecedented access to the world of professional polo," according to a statement released at the time. "Known primarily for its aesthetic and social scene, the series will pull the curtain back on the grit and passion of the sport, capturing players and all it takes to compete at the highest level," it read. Harry's friend and fellow polo player, Ignacio 'Nacho' Figueras, is working closely with the Duke on the show. Discussing the upcoming polo-themed project with People, he shared: "Prince Harry and I have talked about polo for years. The production company is incredible, and Netflix has a huge platform to reach the biggest hearts in the world. I am happy to be involved and think this is a great opportunity for the sport."USU men’s basketball: Trailblazers next up for the Aggies

Don’t say bye bye bye to your hopes for an *NSYNC reunion. While the boy band—consisting of Justin Timberlake , JC Chasez , Lance Bass , Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick —briefly reunited in 2023, Chasez revealed there may in fact be more in store. “I will say this,” he told Keltie Knight , Becca Tobin and Jac Vanek on the Nov. 26 episode of the LadyGang podcast. “I’m not trying to gaslight, I’m not trying to do any of that nonsense. But we are talking more than we’ve ever talked about it.” But Chasez emphasized that a reunion for the group—who released their last studio album Celebrity over 20 years ago—is still “not real right now.” And if it were to happen, the singer—who re-teamed with the band in 2023 for “Better Place,” off the Trolls Band Together soundtrack—would want it to be organically. “You go where inspiration is, right?” he continued. “Like, I’m not one of those people that fakes it very well. Whenever I’ve tried to fake it, I’ve always felt s--tty about it, to be honest with you.” And if that creativity did lead to new music, Chasez, 48, said they’d have to balance the fresh material with a healthy dose of the classics. “Look, everybody wants to go see the Rolling Stones ,” he said. “They’ve been doing it forever, but you still want to hear ‘Satisfaction.’ I want to give the people what they want, I do. It’s a part of my nature, I guess. But I also can’t lie to myself, so I have to be true to myself as well.” A post shared by LadyGang TM (@theladygang) In June, Fatone also weighed in on the possibility of hitting the road as a quintet again, noting how different their lives are now than in the early ‘00s. “Back in the day when we were younger, nobody was married, nobody had kids, but as we got older, we're married, we have kids,” he told E! News at the time. “But the thing is, for me, do we want to do it? Everybody's older, everybody has different personalities now. How do we deal with that? I'm not saying that it's bad. It's just a matter of making it cohesive.” If it’s tearin’ up your heart to wait for an *NSYNC reunion, keep reading for some little-known facts about the iconic boy band. 1. After Chris Kirkpatrick , 23 at the time, was passed over for the Backstreet Boys —the first instance of shady impresario Lou Pearlman capturing boy band lightning in a bottle—he dusted himself off and told Pearlman he was still interested in being in a group. Pearlman agreed to put up the money if Kirkpatrick would do the work of actually finding other talented guys to join him, and so the sifting through demos and watching countless hours of tapes began. They eventually happened upon The All New- Mickey Mouse Club alum and aspiring singer Justin Timberlake , 14, who recommended fellow former Mouseketeer JC Chasez , 19. ("JC was the cool older guy, and Justin wanted to be just like him," co-star Christina Aguilera remembered fondly to Rolling Stone .) They continued the search in Orlando, and Kirkpatrick thought of Joey Fatone , 18, who he knew from his days performing at Universal Studios—and who Chasez knew from his time living in Florida when he was working for Disney. But they still needed a deeper voice. Timberlake's vocal coach advised them to check out this kid from Mississippi, Lance Bass , who flew down to Florida on Oct. 1, 1995. Pearlman and Timberlake picked the appropriately named 16-year-old up at the airport in the former's black Rolls Royce. Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough , who knew Kirkpatrick way back when, gave himself a little pat on the back later on for all this serendipity, telling Pop Crush in 2015 that BSB asked Pearlman "to help [Chris] out in any way that he could and still fulfill his dream. He went back with Chris and formed a group and little by little that spun off to eventually be 'N Sync." 2. But wait, Lance wasn't the first fifth member of 'N Sync! That role was originally played by Jason Galasso , who had known Fatone from choir in their high school days and was dabbling in the singing-group arts when he got a page (1990s, FTW) out of nowhere from his old acquaintance. Coincidentally, he also knew Chasez because, as Galasso explained on The Digital Get Down podcast in 2019, he "used to kind of hang out with The Mickey Mouse Club " stars like Chase Hampton and Keri Russell . After they "locked in perfectly" on a rendition of Boyz II Men 's "End of the Road," that was it, he was in the as-yet unnamed group. "I remember I'm like, 'Dang, Justin's young!'" he recalled. "But then I heard him sing, I'm like 'Oh, it doesn't matter how old he is, he can sing his butt off." At the same time, however, the bass singer was also in a three-man group called Unreal, "so I'm still trying to decide, you know, what I want to do, what direction I want to go in as far as which group I want to go with," Galasso, who's in the mortgage loan business these days, recalled. "Because I remember, the first time Lou Pearlman brought over some music, he was thinking about the type of music that we would be doing, and I come from an R&B, hip-hop background. That's my love, my heart, my soul." So when Pearlman came over with "this European-style techno, I was just like, 'Hmm, okay.'" So, he went ahead and traveled with the other guys in Unreal to Atlanta to cut a demo, which he thought turned out great. Meanwhile, 'N Sync was starting to fashion a look and they were talking about putting a showcase together for Disney's Pleasure Island. They even took a field trip to Shaquille O'Neal 's house to check out his home studio in Orlando, but they had not yet recorded any music. And, more consequentially for Galasso, they hadn't yet signed any contracts. Pretty soon, both groups were trying to get him to sign. Galasso said he took the dueling contracts to a lawyer and, while the deal with the trio was pretty standard issue, Pearlman had himself written into the 'N Sync contract as a sixth member, and that contract was "thick as a phone book." He felt that the other members of 'N Sync were more gung-ho than he was about the deal—which was true, because they all proceeded to sign it, whether they truly understood what it entailed or not. So Galasso ultimately went with the group that wasn't 'N Sync. 3. Aside from Timberlake's mom complimenting that they sounded so "in sync," the group's name—sometimes NSYNC, other times *NSYNC, but for our purposes, 'N Sync—incorporates the last letter of their first names: Justi n , Chri s , Joe y , Jaso n and J C . Oh, wait...The guys asked Lance if he wouldn't mind tweaking his name a bit to make the whole 'N Sync thing still work. And so, Lanceton was born. "They did call me Lanceton for a good year, just basically as a joke," Bass told EW.com in 2015. "I think it was Justin who first was like, 'Okay, Lanceton.' Then it kinda faded out once we got a deal and then came out. It didn't stick very long. It was either Lanceton or Landon." 4. After a couple of years in which their biggest following was in Germany, ahead-of-their time fans of the Max Martin -penned "I Want You Back" and "Tearing Up My Heart" ("In Europe, we were on the cover of every magazine," Bass recalled), 'N Sync finally got its big break in the U.S. when the Backstreet Boys turned down a "Disney Channel in Concert" gig. Instead, NSYNC in Concert came out in 1998 and—thank you, cable—Disney Channel aired it over and over again. "The Disney Channel concert really changed our career," Bass told 20/20 . "It was incredible, and that one gig right there, to me, is what made us in America." 5. While they were all in Miami to play in their Challenge for the Children charity basketball game, the guys ordered room service to their hotel room not long before they were due at a press call. Fatone showed up at least 15 minutes late because, as it turned out, he had been waiting for a fresh burger—because the one on his plate had a bite taken out of it! But it wasn't delivered that way, Bass recalled on the Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum podcast. Timberlake had totally taken a bite out of it to screw with his pal. "It was so funny. I've never seen Joey get so upset about something like that," Bass said. He "was probably tired or something," but "we make fun of him all the time for that outburst. All the time." 6. Fatone may have blown up over a partially eaten burger, but Bass admitted he wasn't always the picture of patience. He told Rosenbaum that he sometimes lost his cool when Kirkpatrick would take his resident funnyman persona too far during interviews. "Chris, you know, he's very animated," Bass said, "and he's funny and he's always cracking a joke. But when someone is always cracking the joke in every single interview, and you do like 20 a day and there's five guys, your days get long and long and long." "So, there have been many times I'm like, 'Shut up. Just answer the question so we can move on because we are so tired right now.' So, he would always make all our interviews at least double the time." 7. At one point they were too busy to even stop by a barbershop for haircuts (or bleach jobs), so, Bass said, "that's when I started just kind of getting this bleach and putting it in my hair and just putting my fingertips in it, and that's how the frosted tips were born." Now you know. 8. In 2000, to celebrate the diamond-selling status of their 1997 debut 'N Sync , meaning 10 million copies sold, their manager Johnny Wright (who had previously been the road manager for New Kids on the Block along with his wife Donna ) gifted the five with diamond-and-platinum pendants. "We are diamond," Timberlake announced, mostly facetiously, according to Rolling Stone . "Screw all of you. I'm done. Forget this boy-band thing." 9. The members of 'N Sync did get rich—but not right away, and not until they took matters into their own hands. As it turned out, Pearlman, who died in prison in 2016 while serving a 25-year sentence for money laundering and other crimes committed in the running of a Ponzi scheme, was seemingly screwing them and the Backstreet Boys (and O-Town for that matter) out of money. Talking to ABC News' 20/20 in 2019, Bass recalled Pearlman flying the members of 'N Sync and their families to Los Angeles in 1998 for a promised check-presentation party. The amount: $10,000 apiece. "I was in the biggest band in the world and selling millions of records...but I can't even afford my apartment in Orlando. I couldn't even get a car," said Bass, who tried to be polite but then ripped up his check when he got back to his hotel room. Added Kirkpatrick, "With all the success you would think that we were making hand-over-fist money and we were printing money and whatever, and it just wasn't the case." After realizing their contracts, like the members of BSB, treated Pearlman as a sixth member, meaning he got one-sixth of the group's profits as well as management fees, 'N Sync jumped ship for Jive Records—and were promptly sued by TransContinental Records and RCA parent BMG Entertainment, which had distributed their first album. It was a $150 million lawsuit, but Pearlman's big goal was to prevent them from continuing to use the name 'N Sync. They countersued for $25 million and settled for an undisclosed amount in 1999—and, most importantly perhaps, they retained the right to press on with their name intact. 10. No Strings Attached , their smash-hit sophomore album released in March 2000, was metaphorical AF. " No Strings Attached just became the theme," Kirkpatrick, who thought of the concept after "I've Got No Strings" from Disney's Pinocchio popped into his head, told 20/20 . "It became our battle cry of, 'We don't owe anybody anymore...we have no ties to anything but each other...and our fans." Chasez, who won a talent show in the seventh grade singing Richard Marx 's "Right Here Waiting" only to have Marx write and produce "I Promise You" for No Strings , told Rolling Stone , "This album is really in your face. Nothing is sang passively; everything is chopped and punched. You can definitely hear a Michael Jackson influence in the way the words chop off—that's the way Michael delivers a line." Added Timberlake, "We're pissed off now—that's what it is. We're angry white boys who didn't get our props. No, I'm kidding—I'm kidding." Moreover, they were musically homeless for most of the time they were making it, unhappy with TransContinental and not yet ensconced at Jive, whose artists included Timberlake's then-secret (albeit a poorly kept one) girlfriend Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. No Strings Attached sold 2.4 million copies in its first week out, including 1.1 million on day one. 11. A year later, Jackson was delivering on stage with them— first at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, appearing just as 'N Sync was winding down its performance of "Pop" and sending the crowd into a frenzy even though he didn't sing—and then for real all together days later on "Dancing Machine" at the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration . The two-day concert event held at Madison Square Garden aired on CBS that November. In 2016, Bass revealed on The Meredith Vieira Show that Jackson didn't speak to him for a year after the MSG show because, when Jackson insisted that Bass and Fatone (who had a movie premiere to attend) stay until the end for a group rendition of "Heal the World," saying it was "for the children," Bass giggled, not realizing the King of Pop was perfectly serious. 12. Once they all had more money in the bank, naturally they started spending it. In March 2000, Timberlake bought a Mercedes jeep (his first big purchase) and a BMW M Roadster, and would add a Dodge Viper, an Audi TT, a Porsche 911 and a Cadillac Escalade to his collection by the following year. Fatone treated himself to a black Cadillac truck and homes and cars for his parents and siblings. Several of them purchased homes in Orlando, and Kirkpatrick bought a house for his mom, too. Bass got a house in Orlando, one in his home state of Mississippi, and one in the border area known as Floribama. "There's a white grand piano, a white couch and a tapestry of knights on horses, and I have this beautiful acrylic statue of a nude man and woman that my friend got me," Timberlake described the decor in his Orlando bachelor pad to Rolling Stone . "It's a beautiful piece: You shine a light on it and it shines right through. I've got a game room that we call the Jimmy Buffett room, because it's Orlando tropical, and I have a country kitchen to remind me of where I grew up. The bedroom is a whole safari motif, with a Japanese screen and a big sleigh bed." The following year, Chasez revealed he'd become a red wine aficionado, and had sprung for a $2,500 book of Helmut Newton photographs. 13. In 2000, just before No Strings Attached came out, Kirkpatrick was dating the girlfriend he'd had for about a year before 'N Sync became a global phenomenon. They weren't meant to be, as he married Karly Skladany in 2013 after three years together, with all of his former bandmates in attendance. Timberlake was still playing coy about whether he and Spears were actually dating ("Britney's a good friend of mine"), informing Rolling Stone , "If I do decide to have a personal relationship with someone, I think it's best to keep it that—personal." Bass had previously dated Boy Meets World Star Danielle Fishel , even accompanying her to her high school prom. He'd choose to wait until 2006 to publicly come out as gay, and he's now been married to Michael Turchin since 2014. Fatone had been on and off with high school sweetheart Kelly Baldwin since 1993—but they were decidedly back on when they welcomed daughter Briahna in March of 2001. They got married in 2004 and had second daughter Kloey Alexandra in 2010, but as of 2019 they were divorcing and Fatone was dating Izabel Araujo . Chasez, meanwhile, usually had girlfriends around (in 2001 he was dating Bobbie Thomas , who was inspired to start her own blog when she saw how the media treated Spears), but he has kept an impressively tight lid on his private life. 14. By 2000, Bass had started Freelance Management, hoping to develop country artists. Timberlake launched his eponymous foundation to benefit music and arts education in public schools. Chasez was producing music for girl group Wild Orchid and Kirkpatrick had started his own fashion and music production company called Fuman Skeeto. 15. Legions of screaming tween fans aside, they weren't trying to be extra adorable to appeal to as many kids (and their moms) as possible. "We don't try to make ourselves do cute, we just are who we are," Timberlake told Rolling Stone in 2000. "We're boys. We burp and fart, just like boys." 16. Kirkpatrick considered himself the stereotypical guy's guy among them, telling Rolling Stone in 2001, "I'm like a bunch of college guys got together and said, 'Let's make a dude, a crazy dude.' And they made me." The writer described Bass as a "supernice, humble, patient guy who's so pretty he almost looks like a girl, and who never, ever stops smiling." Chasez was said to be the one whose offstage personality was furthest from his onstage persona, "the one most likely to meander right past you so silently you wouldn't even notice him." Fatone was "a giant wild boy with a rambunctious electricity bubbling constantly beneath his skin, as if he's about to make a party break out anytime, anywhere." 17. During rehearsal in New Orleans in 2001, a platform shot up too early and Fatone's lower leg was caught between it and the stage, somehow not breaking the bone but exposing a lot of the interior of his leg. "There was a hole," Bass told Rolling Stone . "You could see the bone, you could see everything. So we applied pressure on it, and the fat was coming out, and it was not good. He can take pain good, but he was in pain. Oh, he screamed. It looked like a bullet went through his leg." Added Chasez, "He ended up going to the hospital and they cut a piece of his leg out and had to rinse the metal out because his leg was caught between two pieces of metal. I don't know how it didn't break. He's a tough kid." A few weeks later, Fatone, who had been using a cane to get around, was back on stage dancing. "He's in pain," Chasez observed. "But Joey's got great showmanship. He knows how to cover his steps 'cause he's been onstage longer than any of us." 18. When you think about it, 'N Sync had a relatively tame run. They're first to admit they had their fun, but they were not troublemakers, nor did trouble have a habit of "finding them." Bass liked a Jack and Coke, but would more likely volunteer to be the evening's designated driver. "If some twelve-year-old sees on the news that I got arrested for cocaine, that affects a lot of people," he told Rolling Stone . "I remember when I was ten and I caught my sister drinking. It was so devastating to me." He added, "I can have water and feel like I'm getting drunk." 19. Fame hadn't come overnight, but once it did, it was a whole new world. "You realize what hard work it is and that it's not glamorous," Bass told Rolling Stone . "It's like going to Disney World, going into the tunnels and seeing Cinderella smoking a cigarette. The whole magic is gone." Timberlake admitted, "It's been a little tough There's definitely been times when I was totally depressed. But, you know, my spirituality helped me through that. I just feel like there's two of me: the public-eye me and the guy-who-brushes-his-teeth-twice-a-day me. They're getting along all right now. Sometimes brush-his-teeth doesn't get enough attention, but it's worth it." "You don't want to say or do too much," acknowledged Fatone. "You know, it's like breaking the fans' hearts if there's something out there that they don't know about and might get upset about." 20. In case anyone was under the impression that 'N Sync was composed of five disparate parts who just got lucky, they'd be wrong. "We started out as best friends, and you know, I think it shows—it shows in everything we do," Kirkpatrick, sitting down on CNN's Larry King Live with the rest of the group, said in January 2001. "From when we're on stage, when we're clowning around, we do, like, so many shows that each show is so different because of the interaction amongst each other. And we'll goof around with each other." In response to King's observation that a lot of band members don't really get along behind the scenes, Timberlake added, "Well, the chemistry we have is unreal. I can't tell you, you know even with this tour last summer, I could just look at Chris and it could say 10 things at the same time, and he would know exactly what I meant just by looking at him, because we've been together...Even before everything took off, we were together, some of us working 9:00 to 5:00. But every day, singing, and you know, trying to get our act together." 21. The channeled their misgivings about living life in a fish bowl to varying effect with their third album, 2001's Celebrity . By then, Timberlake was openly dating Spears ("When we get together, that's just my girl, and I love her, and that's it. I don't think about what everybody's thinkin' about. She makes me happy. She's like salvation," he told Rolling Stone ; Bass added, "They're so perfect for each other, it's scary") and the group was making a reported $2.5 million a night on their PopOdyssey stadium tour. 22. In 2000, Timberlake told Rolling Stone , talking about the influx of boy bands onto the music scene, "I think the next couple of years will separate the boys from the men. What worries me is the oversaturation of the market." Well, the other boy bands wouldn't have to worry about it for long. 23. 'N Sync went on so-called "temporary hiatus" in 2002 after wrapping up their Celebrity Tour, mainly so Timberlake could focus on his solo career, and that turned out to be it. Though no one came right out and said it and the group never officially announced that they were disbanding. One Direction fans know the concept well. "After you do something for a certain amount of time, you get into a rhythm of it and then new things spark your curiosity; you need new brain food," Chasez, who had a solo hit that year with "Blowin' Me Up (With Her Love)," reflected to Huffington Post in 2019. "At that time, we just felt like we had exhausted every kind of idea for what we were doing and we just felt like, 'OK, let's do something different.' So, that's what we did." As for Bass, he said, "me and the guys were never on bad terms at al...The thing I was most disappointed in was not just Justin leaving the band. It's that our whole team, our record label, our management, everything like that, they all knew. They all knew it was over for three years before they told me. "So, for three years, I'm sitting there getting ready for a new album as everyone else knows we're moving on." 24. The guys from 'N Sync pretty much went their separate ways as they embarked on their solo aspirations and Timberlake became a superstar in their own right (though that's not why none of them went to JT's wedding in Italy when he married Jessica Biel in 2012), having released Justified in November 2002 and never really looking back. So could their reunion performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards have been more hyped?! It was short but sweet, and their moves were intact. 25. Reflecting on why he didn't come out while he was in 'N Sync, Bass said at the group's Hollywood Walk of Fame induction in 2018 that "at the time, I thought that I would never be able to tell anyone because not only was I terrified of the lasting rejection—I was certain that that would happen—but more than that I didn't want to jeopardize the careers of these guys up here, much less the hundreds of amazing people who worked tirelessly to bring 'N Sync to the world." Bass continued, "I thought if I had come out, 'N Sync would be over. So I kept my secret. And our wildest dreams were coming true and we were so incredibly thankful—and I still am. But so many nights onstage, I'd see so many young, gay fans singing their hearts out and I wanted so badly to let you know, I was you. I just didn't have the strength then. But I do today and so let me say loud and proud to all my LGBT brothers and sisters, who embrace me and show me the way to be who I am, thank you so much." We can only imagine he's gained plenty of new fans since going public with his true self. And if he lost any, those people never deserved him in the first place.Juan Soto introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15-year deal NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto put on a New York Mets jersey and cap for the first time after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized and talked about what made the difference in his decision. He said at his introductory news conference on Thursday that the Mets “showed me a lot of love." Soto was introduced at Citi Field a day after his deal was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, Soto was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and his agent, Scott Boras. Bill Belichick 'always wanted' to give college coaching a try. Now he will at North Carolina New North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick said he had long been interested in coaching in the college ranks. But it had never worked out until now, as he takes over the Tar Heels program. Belichick led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during a 24-year run there that ended last year. University trustees approved terms of a five-year deal for him Thursday morning before he held his introductory news conference on campus. Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. Rape investigation that Swedish media say focused on Kylian Mbappé has been closed STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Stockholm in October. In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova says there is not enough evidence to continue the investigation into the allegation at a hotel. Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation but some Swedish media reported it was Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league. At the time, Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false. Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Hunter received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. A throwback player who rarely left the field, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defensed as a shutdown corner. Hunter helped the the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. 2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says LONDON (AP) — A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there. Lina al-Hathloul is a London-based activist whose sister was jailed in Saudi Arabia then banned from travel after campaigning to end a ban on women driving. When FIFA confirmed the kingdom as the 2034 tournament host on Wednesday its president Gianni Infantino acknowledged “the world will be watching” for positive social change. Al-Hathloul says western people “will be very safe” at the World Cup but "will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is.” Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is dropped CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A new court filing says NASCAR rejected Front Row Motorsports’ agreement to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing unless the team and 23XI Racing dropped their federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series. Front Row and 23XI rejected NASCAR's new revenue sharing agreement and have gone to court. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. Hojlund scores twice for Manchester United to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in Europa League Rasmus Hojlund scored twice after coming off the bench and Manchester United rallied to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in the Europa League. The Denmark striker netted in the 88th minute after collecting Bruno Fernandes’ pass off a free kick to seal the victory. Ahead of the late games, United moved to fifth place with 12 points from six games. Hojlund came on in the 56th to replace Marcus Rashford and scored an equalizer six minutes later. In the Conference League a youthful Chelsea lineup made the most of a long trip to Kazakhstan by beating Astana 3-1 to stay perfect in the third-tier competition. NFL world reacts with excitement, surprise, questions after Bill Belichick is hired to coach UNC Bill Belichick is already the most decorated coach in NFL history. His next challenge is college football after he agreed to a five-year deal to coach at North Carolina. The reaction around the NFL ranged from excitement at seeing him back on the sideline to disbelief. Some of his former players believe his skill set will work at any level. Others caution that the players he brings into UNC should prepare to have their limits tested.

By Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald (TNS) MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms, goes through exercises while her therapist activates the device during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA- approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” To learn more about the device, visit vivistim.com. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration( MENAFN - Jordan Times) LONDON - When US Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau opened the Bretton Woods conference almost 80 years ago, he reminded delegates that failures of international cooperation had led to the Great Depression, social division, and ultimately war.“Prosperity, like peace, is indivisible,” he concluded,“we cannot afford to have it scattered here or there among the fortunate... Poverty, wherever it exists, is menacing to us all.” That message speaks across the ages. We are again facing global challenges that can be met only through international cooperation. Large swaths of the developing world are being excluded from global prosperity. Extreme poverty is rising. Hard-won gains in health, education and nutrition are under threat. Already obscene economic inequalities between and within countries are widening. The window of opportunity for averting a climate catastrophe is about to slam shut. And yet multilateral cooperation is paralysed by complacency, petty rivalries and inward-looking nationalism. Consider this year's International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings, which offered an opportunity to mobilise the finance needed to prevent wholesale reversals of progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Instead, Western governments and the G-20 arrived with no shared agenda, spent a week swapping platitudes, and left the world with a set of vague and incoherent declarations. We cannot afford leadership failures on this scale. The IMF and the World Bank, the twin pillars of the Bretton Woods system, should be at the heart of international cooperation in responding to the defining challenges facing our generation, starting with the two-tier recovery from the economic downturn triggered by COVID-19. Unlike advanced economies, which have recovered on the back of vast government financing and vaccination programmes, many developing economies have suffered deep scarring. Growth has slowed, tax revenues have fallen, and two-thirds of low-income countries are either in or at risk of debt distress. The IMF estimates that the poorest countries will need an additional $450 billion to return to their pre-pandemic development trajectories. Budget pressures are limiting governments' capacity to defend human development gains. The pandemic pushed almost 100 million people into extreme poverty. That figure is set to rise as safety nets are cut and Russia's war in Ukraine fuels food-price inflation, raising the specter of increased malnutrition, or even famine, in some parts of the world. More than 40 of the poorest countries are spending more servicing their debts than on public health. Education budgets are being cut even as millions of the world's most disadvantaged children return to classrooms carrying the learning losses inflicted during pandemic-related school closures. Against this grim backdrop, international cooperation to finance an“SDG recovery” has gained new urgency. The OECD estimates that the already-large pre-pandemic SDG financing gap has increased by $1.2 trillion. That's without the incremental investments of $2 trillion annually needed to support renewable-energy investments in developing countries to achieve the 2015 Paris climate agreement's goals. When governments committed to the SDG agenda seven years ago, they pledged a bold new approach to development finance that would convert“billions into trillions”. The architects of the Bretton Woods system created the vehicle to do so in the form of multilateral development banks (MDBs). Designed to support postwar European reconstruction, the MDB system, the World Bank and its regional counterparts, enshrines a simple but powerful financial model. With small amounts of paid-in capital underpinned by much larger government guarantees (“callable capital”), the MDBs can use their AAA credit ratings to issue bonds at low interest rates and lend to developing countries, effectively mobilising private finance for public investment. The World Bank, the largest MDB, has only $19 billion of paid-in capital, and $278 billion of callable capital. Multilateral finance has multiplier effects that bilateral aid cannot duplicate. Every $1 invested in the World Bank through paid-in capital mobilises $4 in new finance. Yet the MDB system is at best weakly exploited. Apart from its soft-loan facility, the International Development Association, the World Bank system played a muted role in supporting developing countries during the pandemic, and the MDBs' financing portfolio for climate interventions in low- and middle-income countries is just $38 billion, a fraction of what is needed. While the MDBs (notably the African Development Bank) are undercapitalised, the bigger problem is a deeply entrenched conservatism in financial governance. Major shareholders, the US and European governments, refuse to allow callable-capital guarantees to be integrated into lending operations. Researchers at the Overseas Development Institute estimate that changing this rule could mobilize an additional $1.3 trillion, with only a marginal change in credit ratings and borrowing costs. Speaking at the spring meetings, US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen lamented the MDBs' failure to mobilise the trillions needed for pandemic recovery. And yet the Biden administration has failed to overhaul the rules on callable capital. Other attempts at innovation have run into a bureaucratic brick wall. Gordon Brown, the UN's Special Envoy for Global Education, has proposed a system of modest grants and guarantees that could double MDB financing for education, unlocking $10 billion. Yet even in the face of an unprecedented education crisis, donors have failed to act. This is a travesty of the Bretton Woods system. In the misplaced defense of AAA credit ratings, the MDBs are eschewing solutions that would support recovery, prevent devastating reversals in human development, and bring hope to millions of children. Sadly, it is not just the MDB agenda that is stuck. Nine months after G-20 governments pledged to allocate $100 billion of the IMF's new issuance of special drawing rights (SDRs, the Fund's reserve asset) to poor countries, not a single cent has been transferred. Meanwhile, with debt servicing set to surge by 45 per cent this year, most of it going to commercial creditors and China, vital investments are being crowded out, and the risk of disorderly sovereign defaults is growing. Yet we are no closer to a comprehensive debt-reduction framework than we were a year ago. As the crisis triggered by COVID-19 has deepened, some commentators have called for a new Bretton Woods system. They have a point. The World Bank and the IMF maintain anachronistic Western-dominated governance systems. But what is missing from the response to today's defining human-development challenges is not financial architecture, but rather the sense of urgency, shared purpose, and common endeavor that defined the original Bretton Woods conference. Kevin Watkins, a former CEO of Save the Children UK, is a visiting professor at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the London School of Economics. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2022. MENAFN02122024000028011005ID1108949052 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

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