Government plans to introduce ceremonies for people wanting to become UK citizens had the potential to “damage community and race relations in Northern Ireland”, a Stormont official warned in 2003. The official said the proposal to have “low-key” citizenship ceremonies at Hillsborough, Co Down, was a “tacit admission” of this and instead suggested allowing a “block exemption” from compulsory attendance in the region. Tony Blair’s Labour government introduced the ceremonies for those seeking UK citizenship, with the first ceremonies taking place in 2004, involving participants singing the national anthem and swearing allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II. Prior to the law being introduced, the Home Office sent a consultation document to devolved regions in July 2003, setting out its plans for naturalisation applicants to take a citizenship oath and pledge at the citizenship ceremony. Devolved power sharing institutions in Northern Ireland were suspended at the time. Newly declassified files show Ken Fraser, a civil servant at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM), sent an internal email to official Linda Devlin setting out his “worries” about the plan. In the email, he said the exclusion of Irish from a list of languages that applicants would be required to have some knowledge of was “puzzling” and seemed “difficult to justify”. He added: “The consultation document states that the Government believes it would be right to agree that elements such as national symbols and the national anthem should feature in the ceremony.....and many of those becoming citizens would expect to see the same here. “It seems unlikely, however, that the same could be said of Northern Ireland. “UK national symbols and national anthem – which are proposed as an integral part of the ceremony – are associated primarily, if not exclusively with the Unionist community, as is much of the language proposed for the ceremony. “The proposed use of the Union flag and national anthem would appear to be at odds with the sustained attempt – by Government and others – to remove emblems from the political arena within NI.” Mr Fraser said the proposed ceremonies were a “new, and public, institution”. He added: “It is difficult to see how the ceremony itself (which is intended to be compulsory) and the use of symbols and emblems as proposed in the consultation document will promote mutual respect. “I understand, however....that the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has agreed that such ceremonies will only occur in Hillsborough and have agreed that Registrars from England will perform the task. “This de facto acknowledgement that circumstances are different in Northern Ireland – and not just in respect of local government structures – is to be welcomed. “NIO’s wish to keep citizenship ceremonies in NI low-key is understandable, given the segregated nature of NI society, but the arrangements that they propose for NI seem to be entirely at odds with the proposals which are explicitly aimed at making the citizenship ceremony a ‘community occasion’.” Mr Fraser said a proposed pledge in the ceremony to give loyalty to the UK “would not be acceptable to a significant proportion of the current ‘citizens’ of Northern Ireland”. He continued: “It seems unfair and potentially discriminatory to set the bar higher for people who have not been born here (ie to demand something of them that you are not going to demand of those already holding ‘citizenship’. “The proposals in the consultation document have the potential to damage community and race relations in NI. “It is difficult to see the NIO’s/Home Office’s agreement that ceremonies will only occur in Hillsborough and that Registrars from England will perform the task as amounting to anything other than a tacit acknowledgement of this.” Mr Fraser said the consultation indicated people could be exempt from the ceremony in “exceptional circumstances”. He added: “It might be better all round if there was acknowledgement that exceptional circumstances prevail in Northern Ireland and to allow a block exemption from compulsory attendance.” In response, Ms Devlin said the main thrust of the consultation document was to encourage ideas and suggestions how the ceremonies could be tailored to suit local circumstances and said she would pass on his remarks to the NIO and Home Office.haha 777 agent login 。

US stocks rally despite Trump tariff threat but European stocks fall

Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week. The Dow rose 1% as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump’s victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It’s now within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week. “Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts’ third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company’s Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. All told, the S&P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts’ expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It’s still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers’ inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank’s meeting in December.Trump's DEA Nominee Bows Out Amid Transition Challenges

'Tipping, taxes and hidden fees': The parts of travelling to the US Australians hateBASEBALL Major League Baseball American League TEXAS RANGERS — Named Luis Urueta bench coach, Dave Bush assistant pitching coach and Jordan Tiegs bullpen coach. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association NBA — Fined Sacramento head coach Mike Brown $35,000 for for aggressively pursuing a game official during a Nov. 24 game against Brooklyn. Fined Atlanta $100,000 for violating the player participation policy in connection with Trae Young missing the team’s Nov. 12 Emirates NBA Cup game against Boston. FOOTBALL National Football League NFL — Fined Jacksonville LB Ventrell Miller $5,440.19 for unnecessary roughness. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed OL Tyler Shatley to the practice squad. Released OL Dieter Eiselen from the practice squad. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Signed K Matthew Wright. Reinstated TE Baylor Cupp from the practice squad injured reserve. Placed TE Peyton Hendershot on injured reserve. Waived DE Cameron Thomas. Released OT Lucas Niang and DR Truman Jones from the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Reinstated S Patrick McMorris from injured reserve. Waived S Marcus Maye. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed LB Jamin Davis. Placed LB Ivan Pace Jr. on injured reserve. Reinstated OLB Gabriel Murphy from injured reserve. NEW YORK GIANTS — Claimed TE Greg Dulcich off waivers from Denver. NEW YORK JETS — Signed WR Easop Winston to the practice squad. TENNESSEE TITANS — Signed WR Stanley Morgan to the practice squad. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS — Signed RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. Placed K Austin Seibert on injured reserve. Signed DT Vilami Fehoko Jr. to the practice squad. Released G Marquis Hayes from the practice squad. HOCKEY National Hockey League NHL — Suspended New Jersey F Timo Meier for one game without pay for cross-checking during a Nov. 25 game against Nashville. ANAHEIM DUCKS — Recalled D Tyson Hinds from San Diego (AHL). BUFFALO SABRES — Reinstated C Tage Thompson from injured reserve. Sent Isak Rosen to Rochester (AHL). CAROLINA HURRICANES — Recalled D Riley Stillman from Chicago (AHL). NEW YORK RANGERS — Reassigned RW Matt Rempe to Hartford (AHL). Promoted D Chad Ruhwedel from Hartford. OTTAWA SENATORS — Placed D Artyom Zub on long-term injured reserve. Recalled D Donocan Sebrango from Belleville (AHL). PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Waived RW Valtteri Puustinen. SAN JOSE SHARKS — Reassigned G Yaroslav Askarov to San Jose (AHL). Recalled D Jack Thompson from San Jose. SEATTLE KRAKEN — Reassigned C Ben Meyers for Coachella Valley (AHL). UTAH — Loaned RW Milos Kelemen to HC Dynamo Pardubice and D Patrik Koch to HC Ocelari Trinec. SOCCER Major League Soccer ATLANTA UNITED — Exercised contract options on G Brad Guzan, D Efrain Morales and Ms Jay Fortune and Santiago Sosa. INTER MIAMI — Named Javier Mascherano head coach. PHILADELPHIA UNION — Exercised a contract option on D Isaiah LeFlore. ST. LOUIS CITY — Named Olof Mellberg head coach. COLLEGE NORTH CAROLINA — Fired head football coach Mack Brown.

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Capital Market Authority (CMA) has introduced a draft law expanding the scope of foreign nationals who may invest in shares listed on the Saudi main stock market or All Tadawul Share Index (TASI). Under the draft amendment to the Investment Accounts Instructions, the Rules Governing Foreign Investment, and the Financial Market Institutions Regulations, the authority will allow a foreign national residing in one of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and a foreign national who has previously resided in the Kingdom or in one of the GCC countries, to invest in shares listed on the main market. The proposed amendments allow individual foreign investors, who previously resided in Saudi Arabia or one of the GCC countries to continue operating their investment accounts and invest in shares listed in the main market even after their residency has ended and they return to their home country, provided they have previously opened an investment account in Saudi Arabia. The proposal, which was presented by the authority on the Istithlaa platform in preparation for its approval, also aims to facilitate the procedures for opening and operating investment accounts for a number of categories of clients of financial market institutions, while taking into account enhancing client protection. The CMA called upon relevant and interested persons participating in the capital market to share their feedback on facilitating the procedures for opening investment accounts for various categories of investors within the proposed “Amendments of the Investment Accounts Instructions and the Rules for Foreign Investment in Securities and the Capital Market Institutions Regulations” for a period of 30 days ending on December 20, 2024. The key elements of the proposed draft include developing the requirements for opening an investment account for individual foreign investors residing in one of the GCC countries and expanding the types of securities they can directly invest in, including shares listed on the main market. Currently, their participation is limited to the debt market, the parallel market (Nomu), investment funds, and the derivatives market. To open investment accounts for foreigners residing in the GCC countries, the resident's identity data and a valid passport must be submitted. As for foreigners who are not residing in the Kingdom or in the GCC countries, a valid passport must be produced. The amendments prohibited the opening of investment accounts for individual institutions, with the exception of non-profit and endowment institutions, according to the draft law. < Previous Page Next Page >Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100

AHL suspends Griffins’ William Lagesson three games for UFC-style chokehold

“I’m trying to find holiday gifts for my sisters. I open a bunch of tabs, I want my wife’s advice.” That’s Browser Company CEO, Josh Miller, in his company’s latest ad for its new AI browser, Dia . Consulting your spouse to find gifts for your siblings is a pure — and dare I say, sweet — thing to do with a browser. But the new product he’s showcasing is replacing Arc, a beloved browser that put Miller’s company on the map. Not everyone is happy about the Browser Company’s pivot from Arc to AI browsing, and this latest commercial inadvertently explains why. Instead of talking to his wife, Miller talks to his AI chatbot and asks the AI to talk to his wife for him. “Hi, Valerie, I hope you’re doing well,” said the AI chatbot, posing as Miller, in an email to his wife. “I came across a few interesting products on Amazon ...” it continued. “Best, Josh.” The email feels more like something you’d write to a distant work colleague, rather than the way you’d speak with a loved one you see every day. While it’s not an inappropriate message, it’s cold and could’ve been sent to anyone. This example from the Browser Company was the latest AI ad that told a different story about the technology than it intended — but perhaps a truer one. It strikes the same sensitive nerve that so many other AI advertisements have in the last year. In trying to promote AI, tech companies can’t help but show how it removes us from the very activities that make us human. Of course, Miller could (and probably should) have customized the prompt to be warmer and address his wife as such, but that’s missing the larger point. Miller didn’t really talk to his wife in this case. The AI browser took a genuine act of human kindness and turned the exchange into something that feels impersonal — largely because it is. AI is further abstracting what it means to connect. At one point, connection meant talking in person; then, around the turn of the century, it migrated to texts sent over the internet. Now humans are starting to experiment with using AI to talk with each other, and in some cases, just talking to AI — removing the need to connect with a human altogether. You could say I’m cherry-picking this ad, but it’s a story that tech companies keep accidentally telling over and over again. This part of the ad was likely intended to show how Dia could retrieve links from multiple web pages and understand their context — an impressive feat for an AI system these days. But this was yet another example of how generative AI can reduce our humanity. Consider Google’s ad earlier this year, where a father and daughter used Gemini to create an AI-generated fan letter to their favorite Olympian. The company later pulled the ad after facing backlash for taking a sweet father-daughter exchange, and automating it away. Or maybe you remember how Apple unveiled its AI features at WWDC this year: showing how you can go up to a stranger’s dog, point your iPhone at it, and have Apple Intelligence tell you what breed it is. Many people pointed out that you could have just asked the stranger what type of dog they have , and maybe you would have found a friend alongside the dog’s breed. Apple's Visual Intelligence enables you to use the camera to look things up. "It will change the way you interact with iPhone" Maybe, it's just "cynical me", but this example of the looking up the cute dog was a perfect opportunity for two humans to connect in a human way by... pic.twitter.com/CZpPb0ufCU Months earlier, Apple apologized for an ad it ran where the company quite literally crushed objects representing human creativity , in favor of an iPad. It wasn’t an ad for AI, but it had the same effect: technology that reduces our humanity. The most extreme example of these AI ads came from an AI startup called Friend. The startup released a promotional video showing how lonely young people could have a virtual companion in the startup’s AI device that they wear around their neck , instead of talking to others. Uncomfortably honest While these AI ads feel dystopian, there’s something about them that also feels honest. These ads represent the ways people are actually using AI for today, even though it’s unsettling when it’s demonstrated on your screen. Some of the most common use cases of AI today are AI-generated art and AI companions. The former is usually a pretty low-stakes, creative task such as creating a picture or a short song. The latter can be surprisingly valuable: people are using chatbots to learn about things or talk through personal problems, much like they would with an intelligent or sympathetic friend. Art and companionship both feel very central to the human experience, and the fact that AI is being used for both of those things today is a reality some find uncomfortable to acknowledge. But for every dystopian AI ad that stirs social media users into a frenzy, there are thousands of AI advertisements that fly under the radar. Why? Because most ads for AI mean nothing at all. Lots of companies have resorted to painting AI as this amorphous, magical children’s book character with no specific use case, and yet, implying that it can do almost anything. Here’s some examples of odd AI billboards seen around San Francisco: Claude ads are fascinating because they feel completely divorced from Anthropic as a company pic.twitter.com/MjYE1qjgdW “Intelligence so big, you’d swear it was from Texas,” said one. “Adapt your workforce at the speed of AI,” said another. “AI that talks to cars and talks to wildlife,” said a third. “Geminiiiiiiiiiice,” said yet another. See what I mean? I have no idea what these things do, and yet, it all feels inoffensive, vaguely describes AI in a magical way, and gets the product in front of my face. Maybe that’s the point. This banal tapestry of AI advertisements depicts the industry more accurately than any one company can. Most companies don’t really know what AI is good for, and the ways people use AI today are somewhat discomfiting, automating many of the very tasks that make us human. You might wonder why companies aren’t making the obvious AI ads: AI does your boring job so you can spend more time at the beach, with your friends and family, or pursuing your passions. That’s what Zoom’s CEO laid out as his vision for AI , and it’s probably the most optimistic outcome we’ve seen someone describe. Perhaps the reason we’re not seeing more tech companies promise that future is because AI is not ready to do your job. There’s also a conflicting vision there: if AI can do some of your job, couldn’t it also replace you altogether? While it may be a while until AI can actually do your job, it seems most companies are steering clear of that message altogether. I can’t say what the “right way” to be promoting AI is right now, but I do think the status quo for AI ads is objectively strange. Whereas previous generations of technology promised to liberate us, connect us, and make us smarter, the overarching promise of AI is still unclear. If companies are looking for another uplifting message to sell their software with, automating core aspects of the human experience ain’t it.WASHINGTON, Dec 4 — US presidents traditionally dole out pardons as they leave office but Joe Biden’s “full and unconditional” pardon of his son Hunter is a rare instance involving a family member. Bill Clinton granted a pardon to his half-brother Roger, who had served time in prison on 1985 drug charges, on January 20, 2001, his last day in office. And Donald Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, a fellow real estate magnate whose son Jared is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, at the end of his first term in the White House. Trump, now president-elect, nominated Kushner, 70, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions, on Saturday to be the next US ambassador to France. Kushner, who served 14 months in prison, admitted hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, who was cooperating in the campaign finance inquiry, and sending a videotape of the encounter to his own sister. Hunter Biden, who has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, is the first child of a sitting president to receive a pardon. His father, who leaves office on January 20, had repeatedly said he would not pardon his son — but in announcing the move on Sunday he claimed that Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” Biden said. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” the president said. Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax evasion in September and was facing up to 17 years in prison. He risked 25 years in prison for the felony gun charge but was not expected to receive such stiff sentences in either case. Presidents have also used their constitutionally-mandated pardon powers over the years on close friends and political allies. One of the most controversial pardons in recent years was that of former president Richard Nixon by his successor in the White House, Gerald Ford. Ford granted a “full and unconditional” pardon to Nixon, who was facing potential prosecution over the Watergate scandal, on September 8, 1974. Trump is the first former president convicted of a crime — falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star — but he will not be able to pardon himself because the case involved state and not federal charges. — AFPKansas City Chiefs star Justin Reid gives local mother a new car as a Christmas gift READ MORE: Joe Burrow reveals reason he bought his linemen samurai swords By ERIC BLUM Published: 18:36 EST, 24 December 2024 | Updated: 18:43 EST, 24 December 2024 e-mail View comments Quarterbacks aren't the only ones in the NFL giving out generous Christmas gifts this holiday season, as Kansas City Chiefs star Justin Reid purchased a brand-new car for a local mother of six. Reid stopped by a local Ford dealership in Kansas in a Santa suit for his second annual 'Just-In-Time for the Holidays' event. The advertised portion of the night was giving more than 50 local children Christmas gifts. Then came the huge reveal for Bonnie Strutton, a new SUV, with her current car in the shop and one she considers a 'gas guzzler', per KCTV. As soon as Reid presented the new car to Strutton, she burst into tears. She only attended the event to have her children participate. 'I don’t even know what to say,' Strutton said. 'I’m speechless.' 'It’s just been one thing after another. This is such a blessing. Good things keep happening, you just have to keep doing the next right thing.' Kansas City Chiefs star Justin Reid purchased a brand-new car for a local mother of six Bonnie Strutton was speechless after the reveal with tears coming down her face last week It is unclear how Reid heard of Strutton and the struggles she has in her life. Yet, he did not hesitate to jump into action. Read More Miserable New York Jets get their first good news for the 2025 NFL season 'The same way she’s doing the next right thing, we wanted to do the next right thing and recognize her situation and to help her out with a brand-new vehicle,' Reid said. 'We’re all excited to be a part of Bonnie’s story, just to play a small piece in it. We’re excited to see her continue in her journey.' Strutton is also celebrating 30 months of sobriety this holiday season. The gift giving took place last week as Reid is now in Pennsylvania as the Chiefs make last-second preparations for Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 'To have all my kids back in my life and this right here is going to be more of a connection than anybody could know,' Strutton said. 'Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t give up before the miracle happens because people do see you, they hear you, and they love you.' Kansas City Chiefs Share or comment on this article: Kansas City Chiefs star Justin Reid gives local mother a new car as a Christmas gift e-mail Add comment

Tantalizers Plc has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire all assets of DanBethel Marine Services Limited, an Apapa-based marine and fishing enterprise. This follows Tantalizers’ recent announcement of a N1 billion private equity injection by Messrs Food Specialties and Banklink Africa Private Equities, which jointly acquired a majority stake in the company. In light of the recent N1 billion capital injection, Tantalizers announced on December 28, 2024, through an NGX disclosure, its decision to acquire all assets of DanBethel Marine Services Limited. Related Stories Briscoe, Tantalizers, Oando unfazed as ASI declines by 1.16% in the third week of August Ministry of Housing, consortium sign MOU to deliver 100,000 affordable housing units According to the announcement on the NGX platform, this planned acquisition aligns with Tantalizers’ strategy to expand into the blue economy, with a particular focus on the seafood industry. The statement highlights the company’s intention to engage in industrial fish trawling, aquaculture, mariculture, seafood supplies, and related marine operations. Commenting on the MoU signing, Tope Fagbamila, MD/CEO of DanBethel, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “ Our team admires the courage and capacity of the new Tantalizer’s leadership and are excited to be part of pivoting the company to a new height.” Adam Nuru, Chairman of Tantalizers Plc, echoed this sentiment, adding, “ DanBethel’s acquisition is an excellent strategic fit for us as we further invest over the next five years in the company’s fleet to capture significant opportunities in the largely unexplored Nigerian fishing and aquaculture industry.” Apapa-Lagos-based DanBethel Marine Services is known for its fleet of fishing trawlers and related marine assets. Over time, it has built a notable presence in Nigeria’s domestic seafood supply market. As demand for healthier protein sources and more sustainable food systems continues to rise, the MoU agreement provides Tantalizers with an opportunity to explore new business segments in the marine industry. DanBethel’s decades of experience in fish trawling and processing may help Tantalizers Plc tap into broader opportunities in seafood production, supply chain integration, and value-added aquaculture processes. Tantalizers has recorded a year-to-date (YTD) growth of 266% in the Nigerian stock market for 2024. The share price opened at N0.47 and moved upward through mid-year, with a more pronounced rise starting in August. From January to October, the trend remained positive, then picked up pace in November likely following the announcement of a N1 billion private equity injection—resulting in a share price increase from N0.64 to over N1.70 by year-end. According to the company, the capital injection aims to address longstanding financial issues and help reposition Tantalizers for the future. The capital was provided by Messrs Food Specialties and Organics Limited, along with Banklink Africa Private Equities Limited, both of which acquired a majority stake in the company.Significant milestones in life and career of Jimmy Carter

Hello, Reader. Most investors missed out on the initial phase of the AI Revolution. You know... that just passed era of advancements marked by ChatGPT, artificial intelligence chips, rapidly evolving robots – and substantial gains. However, another wave of AI innovation is coming... This time, though, it has nothing to do with any of the previous AI advancements that the mainstream media talks so much about. In fact, the opportunity here is significantly larger than any of those AI applications. In this letter, first , let’s chat about how we got to this spot in the AI Revolution. Then, we’ll dive into what to expect from this new wave of winners... And where to find some of that opportunity. The First Winners of the AI Boom Although artificial intelligence has been around since the 1950s, it wasn’t until OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public in November 2022 that interest in AI really caught fire. For perspective, following ChatGPT’s launch, more than 1 million people downloaded it in five days. And over 100 million people signed up for it in two months. In comparison, it took Facebook more than 4.5 years to reach 100 million users. In the early phase of the AI Revolution, in 2023, seven clear winners emerged. You know their names. CNBC’s Jim Cramer dubbed them the “Magnificent Seven.” And their performances certainly were magnificent. They gained an average 111% in 2023. Of course, the biggest winner of 2023’s boom was Nvidia Corp. ( NVDA ) , the AI chip king, which surged 239% in 2023. Since ChatGPT’s debut in late 2022, shares of the company have skyrocketed nearly 765%. In different ways, each of these Magnificent Seven companies has been providing the hardware, software, and processing power that enable enterprises to create and operate AI platforms. They enabled the AI Revolution. For example... Their efforts are why LLMs, like ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude 3, can be developed and improved upon so quickly. Cramer may call these companies the Magnificent Seven, but I think of them more as the “AI Seven.” However, the sudden dawn of the entire AI boom caught most people – and many investors – by surprise. Therefore, a lot of folks missed out on those big gains from the AI Seven. The good news is the AI Revolution is about to enter a new phase, and a different set of companies will lead the way. The AI Seven is about to become the AI Eight... Nine... and beyond... We’ve had the AI enablers. Now enter the “AI appliers. ” The Next Winners of the AI Boom Unlike the AI enablers, these companies are not at the forefront of producing the material needed to create AI. Instead, they are employing AI technology within their own products and services. AI appliers are everywhere ... and growing by the day. That universe includes companies as diverse as beauty-products purveyor Coty Inc. ( COTY ) , gold and copper explorer Ivanhoe Electric Inc. ( IE ) , and industrial-solutions provider Rockwell Automation Inc. ( ROK ) . Clearly, many of these companies operate in niches that are not normally associated with technology. So, they are still lying low. However, they and many others are ready to explode with the next phase of the AI boom, which my InvestorPlace colleagues Louis Navellier and Luke Lango and I are calling AI Day One . AI Day One will be a “phase shift” in artificial intelligence. Without getting too into the weeds, it will involve the development of AI with much deeper, deliberate reasoning abilities. And it will make it much easier for companies – high tech and not – to apply AI to their business models and create huge efficiencies... and profits. However, not all AI appliers will deliver gains like we saw from Nvidia and the rest of the AI Seven. That’s why Louis, Luke, and I are releasing our AI Appliers Portfolio during a special broadcast this week. The portfolio is made up of stocks that could skyrocket from AI Day One. Now, this new opportunity before AI Day One is so fast moving that things can change quickly. The reality is that we don’t know exactly what the world will look like in a year or two; but we do know that AI is moving faster than anything before it. That is why it is important that you prepare yourself now. Go here to watch our broadcast and to learn more about our AI Appliers Portfolio. Regards, Eric Fry Editor, Fry’s Investment ReportIndia’s payments regulator is set to decide as early as Monday whether to curb the dominance of Walmart’s PhonePe and Google in the nation’s fast-growing mobile payments market, a move that could reshape how its billion-plus population moves money. The decision centers on UPI, or Unified Payments Interface, a network backed by more than 50 retail banks that has changed how Indians pay for everything from groceries to taxi rides. The platform processes over 13 billion transactions monthly, making it one of the world’s largest digital payment networks. It’s also, by far, the most popular way Indians transact online. At issue is whether the National Payments Corporation of India, which reports to India’s central bank, will enforce a rule limiting companies to handling no more than 30% of all UPI transactions . The rule, first proposed in 2020 , would particularly affect Walmart-owned PhonePe, which handles 47.8% of all UPI payments, and Google Pay, which processes 37.1%. The uncertainty has thrown a wrench into PhonePe’s plans to go public. The startup, valued at $12 billion and backed by Walmart, would be one of India’s most prominent technology IPOs. PhonePe’s co-founder and chief executive, Sameer Nigam, said in August that the startup cannot go public “if there is uncertainty on the regulatory side.” “If you are buying a share at Rs 100 and you price it assuming we have 48-49% market share, then there is an uncertainty about whether it will come down to 30% and by when,” said Nigam (pictured above) at a fintech conference. “We are requesting them [the regulator], if they can find another way to at least solve whatever their concerns are or tell us what the list of concerns is.” The issue also impacts the growth potential of numerous fintech startups that are attempting to make deeper inroads in digital payments. If the regulator imposes restrictions on PhonePe and Google Pay’s ability to onboard new users or puts a check on how many transactions they process, many other startups stand to gain grounds. The regulator is inclined to delay enforcing the cap again or may increase the limit to more than 40%, people briefed on the situation told TechCrunch. The agency has already pushed back the deadline several times, from January 2021 to 2023, and then to 2025, as it struggled with implementation. It has held talks with many stakeholders as recently as last week over the decision. Enforcing a limitation on the market share will impact the consumer experience, some of the people said. The situation highlights India’s efforts to balance technological innovation with market competition. UPI has been a cornerstone of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to digitize India’s economy and reduce its reliance on cash. The system allows instant transfers between bank accounts using simple identifiers like phone numbers, making it more accessible than traditional banking services. A market share cap would mark one of India’s most significant interventions in its technology sector, which has attracted massive investments from global companies like Walmart, Google, and Meta. These companies view India, with its young, increasingly digital population, as a crucial growth market.

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NoneDel Bigtree, a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement, brought in a record windfall last year for the nonprofit group he founded, according to the latest tax filings. The Informed Consent Action Network, known as ICAN, reported $23 million in revenue for 2023, a 74% increase from the previous year. The group spent nearly $17 million on efforts including legal battles and anti-vaccine advocacy, an increase of about 25% from the year before. The tax documents, obtained by NBC News from ICAN, show the increasing prominence and profitability of the anti-vaccine movement in the ongoing fight over vaccine policies and public health. The pandemic supercharged groups like ICAN , which reported about $3.5 million in revenue in 2019, expanding the audience interested in anti-vaccine content and growing the coffers of those who produce it. Numerous studies have found that vaccines are safe and save lives , and are not linked to autism , but that hasn’t stopped misinformation from spreading. Revenue for Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine organization founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., had been on the rise as well until last year, when it dropped more than 30% , to $16 million. This loss coincided with Kennedy taking a leave from his positions as chairman and chief litigation counsel to launch an unsuccessful presidential bid. But ICAN’s revenue continued to grow, and Bigtree’s profile has risen. The former television producer and anti-vaccine filmmaker, whose organization was known for attention-grabbing stunts and filing freedom of information requests , became communications director for Kennedy’s third-party presidential campaign and advised Kennedy as he prepared for his potential role as secretary of Health and Human Services . Bigtree and ICAN did not respond to requests for comment. Katie Miller, a spokesperson for Kennedy’s transition team who was recently named to join the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, said Bigtree was never involved in the transition, and his views “do not represent Mr. Kennedy’s or President Trump’s administration.” ICAN is not required to disclose individual donors, though tax documents filed last year show large donations from family foundations and donor-advised funds, philanthropic intermediaries that combine and anonymize donations. The group has celebrated what it characterizes as several big wins last year, including litigation that forced Mississippi to grant religious exemptions from vaccines. The group says it plans to pursue a similar strategy targeting the five other states that don’t allow religious exemptions. ICAN relies on individual supporters to fund production of anti-vaccine content, including “The HighWire,” a weekly anti-vaccine and conspiracy-laden internet show hosted by Bigtree that the group describes as its educational arm. Bigtree punctuates the show not with commercials but with impassioned pleas for donations, recently with multimillion-dollar fundraising goals associated with specific legal fights. ICAN’s largest expenditure last year, $6 million, was to the New York law firm Siri & Glimstad, which pursues public records requests, intervenes in state anti-vaccine fights and petitions the federal government to pause or revoke vaccines, including one for polio . Led by Aaron Siri, an attorney and Kennedy adviser, the firm, aided by dozens of attorneys working on vaccine cases, has been paid some $20 million by ICAN since 2017, according to tax documents. Siri defended his work in an email to NBC News, saying his petitions sought increased safety for vaccines and that ICAN’s financial support was “trivial” compared to spending by the pharmaceutical industry. Miller said Siri was no longer involved in the transition and that he does not represent Kennedy’s views. ICAN describes its legal efforts as “advocating for humanity’s right to informed consent.” Experts have described it as an exploitation of the courts. “Again and again, this anti-vaccine group misrepresented both the legal and the factual meanings of court decisions, settlements, and other legal actions to create a narrative to galvanize its followers and influence newcomers,” a 2022 article in the Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy read. (Siri called the article “replete with categorically false claims.”) The intent of other spending was less clear. ICAN paid $176,000 for “research consulting” to a U.K. company headed by a chiropractor who has lectured on what he claims are dangers from vaccines and 5G technology. The group also paid $152,000 for consulting to Uncover DC, a news website founded and edited by Tracy Diaz, known online as Tracy Beanz, a popular conspiracy theorist and early promoter in the QAnon movement. Diaz, who describes her site as “actual journalism,” posts news releases for ICAN and writes for the nonprofit’s website as a contributor. Bigtree took home a $234,000 salary from ICAN in 2023, in addition to his income from paid speaking engagements (he says he only charges for ticketed events). Bigtree also earned $350,000 for consulting and communications work on Kennedy’s presidential campaign over the past two years through KFP Consulting, a Texas organization registered to Bigtree. Bigtree now helms a super PAC (MAHA Alliance) and a nonprofit organization (MAHA Action), both short for Make America Healthy Again, a spin on Trump’s MAGA motto adopted by Kennedy after he dropped out of the race and endorsed the ultimately winning candidate. Bigtree acknowledged his multiple streams of income and endeavors on “The HighWire” in November. “I feel incredibly blessed by God that I had all these opportunities converging all at once,” he said.None

OTTAWA, ON , Nov. 22, 2024 /CNW/ - NAV CANADA announced today its traffic figure for the month of October 2024 as measured in weighted charging units for enroute, terminal and oceanic air navigation services, in comparison to the prior year. In October 2024 weighted charging units were higher on average by 2.7 percent compared to the same month in 2023. Weighted charging units represent a traffic measure that reflects the number of billable flights, aircraft size and distance flown in Canadian airspace and is the basis for movement-based service charges, which comprise the vast majority of the Company's air traffic revenue. About NAV CANADA NAV CANADA is a private, not-for-profit company, established in 1996, providing air traffic control, airport advisory services, weather briefings and aeronautical information services for more than 18 million square kilometres of Canadian domestic and international airspace. The Company is internationally recognized for its safety record, and technology innovation. SOURCE NAV CANADA View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2024/22/c1532.html © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( Antonio Banderas ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1/2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Danish director of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film's main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The young man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn't disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who's eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four. Jake Coyle, The Associated Press

By KEVIN FREKING WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans teed up a vote this week on bipartisan legislation to gradually expand by 66 the number of federal judgeships across the country. Democrats, though, are having second thoughts now that President-elect Donald Trump has won a second term. The White House said Tuesday that if President Joe Biden were presented with the bill, he would veto it. A Congress closely divided along party lines would be unlikely to overturn a veto, likely dooming the bill’s chances this year. It’s an abrupt reversal for legislation that the Senate passed unanimously in August. But the GOP-led House waited until after the election to act on the measure, which spreads out the establishment of the new district judgeships over about a decade to give three presidential administrations the chance to appoint the new judges. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said the bill was negotiated with the understanding that three unknown, future presidents would have the chance to expand and shape the judiciary. No party would be knowingly given an advantage. He said he begged GOP leadership to take up the measure before the presidential election. But they did not do so. “It was a fair fight and they wanted no part of it,” Nadler said. Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, explained the timing this way: “We just didn’t get to the legislation.” The change of heart about the bill from some Democrats and the new urgency from House Republicans for considering it underscores the contentious politics that surrounded federal judicial vacancies. Senate roll-call votes are required for almost every judicial nominee these days, and most votes for the Supreme Court and appellate courts are now decided largely along party lines. Lawmakers are generally hesitant to hand presidents from the opposing party new opportunities to shape the judiciary. Related Articles National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? National Politics | Republican-led states are rolling out plans that could aid Trump’s mass deportation effort National Politics | Elon Musk warns Republicans against standing in Trump’s way — or his Nadler said that the bill would give Trump 25 judicial nominations on top of the 100-plus spots that are expected to open up over the next four years. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal to do that,” Nadler said. Nadler said he’s willing to take up comparable legislation in the years ahead and give the additional judicial appointments to “unknown presidents yet to come,” but until then, he was urging colleagues to vote against the bill. Still, few are arguing against the merits. Congress last authorized a new district judgeship more than 20 years ago, while the number of cases being filed continues to increase with litigants often waiting years for a resolution. “I used to be a federal court litigator, and I can tell you it’s desperately needed,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said of the bill. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., first introduced the bill to establish new judgeships in 2020. Last year, the policy-making body for the federal court system, the Judicial Conference of the United States, recommended the creation of several new district and court of appeals judgeships to meet increased workload demands in certain courts. “Judges work tirelessly every day to meet growing demands and resolve cases as quickly as possible, but with the volume we have and the shortage of judges we have, it just makes it a very difficult proposition,” Judge Timothy Corrigan, of the Middle District of Florida, said in a recent blog post on the website of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The blog post states that caseloads are creating delays that will erode public confidence in the judicial process, but the bill would meet many of the federal judiciary’s needs for more judges. Jordan said that as of June 30th, there were nearly 750,000 pending cases in federal district courts nationwide, with each judge handling an average of 554 filings. When asked if House Republicans would have brought the bill up if Vice President Kamala Harris had won the election, Jordan said the bill is “the right thing to do” and that almost half of the first batch of judges will come from states where both senators are Democrats, giving them a chance to provide input on those nominations before Trump makes them. But in its veto threat, the White House Office of Management and Budget said the bill would create new judgeships in states where senators have sought to hold open existing judicial vacancies. “These efforts to hold open vacancies suggest that concerns about judicial economy and caseload are not the true motivating force behind passage of the law,” the White House said. Shortly before the White House issued the veto threat, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would be curious to hear Biden’s rationale for such action. “It’s almost inconceivable that a lame-duck president could consider vetoing such an obviously prudential step for any reason other than selfish spite,” McConnell said.Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia

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The Boston Red Sox are trying their best to have a legendary offseason, but so far they’ve had no luck doing so. According to MLB insider Buster Olney , it all stems from the botched signing that haunts the team to this day: Mookie Betts. “Boston is aggressive with dollars now, but the Red Sox will have to pay extra to overcome a negative player perception that really started growing when the team wouldn't pay Mookie Betts.” Betts was lost in the 2019-20 offseason, after the front office refused to pay him, and he decided to the L.A. Dodgers. Betts was going to be the Sox’s franchise player, and everyone knew it. Not paying him really hurt their reputation. Olney’s point has already rung true, as one of Sox’s top targets, Blake Snell, just chose the Dodgers over the Sox, signing for five-years, $182 million. This is also the second time the Sox have gone after Snell, been in the final choices, and lost him. Now, the Sox have pivoted to signing Max Fried as the star ace , and are working on acquiring Corbin Burnes as well . It seems like they’ll have to overpay a little to make sure at least one of the two lands in Boston. MORE SOX NEWS: Red Sox possibly pivot to other superstars if they cannot land $700 million dollar superstar MLB insider thinks two aces would be perfect fit for Red Sox Red Sox young offensive core headlines most trade propositions Red Sox have increased their offer to $700 million dollar superstar Red Sox selected as division favorite to land international ace

Training under McKenzie will stand us in good stead, says SanathFormer female sports greats, media figures, and even a conservative lawmaker tore into a recent New York Times article for referring to women as “non-transgender women.” Tennis legend Martina Navratilova and other prominent people blasted the piece online for the characterization, stating the outlet should just be referring to biological women as women. “NYT- you stink. We are women, NOT TRANSGENDER WOMEN. Just WOMEN will do in the future,” Navratilova wrote on the social media platform on Friday. The Times published an article Thursday which documented the inner turmoil of a women’s college volleyball team – the San Jose State University Spartans – attempting to field a transgender female player in upcoming tournament games. The attempt to get the trans player to compete has caused division, not only in the league, but among team members, some of whom are suing their own team. The outlet reported, “Earlier this month, a senior co-captain of the Spartans and the assistant coach filed a lawsuit to stop the transgender athlete from playing in this week’s Mountain West Conference tournament, claiming that she violates Title IX rights to gender equity at federally funded institutions.” The co-captain was joined by 10 female volleyball players, most of whom are on other teams that play against the Spartans. The Times described the situation as a “complicated mess,” noting that “some of the Spartans no longer talk to one another at practice or outside of games” and adding that even the head coach – who supports the trans student – “has stopped talking to some players off the court, too.” The Times reporter Juliet Macur appeared to step into the debate as well, as further down in her piece, she employed the term “non-transgender women” as one way to distinguish biological women. Describing some of the science that fuels that debate as to whether trans women can compete in women’s sport, Macur wrote, “On its website, the N.C.A.A. says trans volleyball players are eligible to play if their testosterone level is less than 10 nanomoles per liter — that’s at least four times more than what many experts say is the top of the range for non-transgender women, and in the typical range for adult men.” At other points in the piece, the reporter also referred to the biological female athletes as “athletes assigned female at birth.” Frustrated social media users trashed these controversial descriptions of women. British Olympian and activist Sharron Davies posted, “Written in the NYT ... women are now Non-transgender women! Just wow! How anyone can say this isn’t a men’s rights movement I’ll never know, whilst women lose their rights, their words, their safeguards, their sports, their sex discrimination laws... I will never understand.” Anti-trans activism account “WomenAreReal” addressed the outlet on X, stating, “Hey @nytimes Don’t call us ‘non-transgender women.’ Just stop it. Stop all the offensive terms for us.” The account listed other politically correct terms trans activists have used to referred to biological women, including, “birthing parent,” “uterus haver,” “menstruator,” and “vaginal presenting.” “We are WOMEN!” the account added. Journalist Tiffany Wong posted, “LMAO, New York Times is calling normal, sane women ‘non-transgender women.’” Conservative journalist Andy Ngo remarked, “In woke ideology, there are only transgender women and non-transgender women.” Even Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., trashed the outlet, stating, “The New York Times, everybody, where women are defined as ‘non-transgender women.’ What bs. #HoldTheLine.” Fox News Digital reached out to The New York Times for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Arizona junior offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea is heading for the NFL. Savaiinaea officially declared for the NFL Draft on Sunday and will forego his senior season, he announced on his social media accounts. Savaiinaea is a projected first- or second-round pick. Savaiinaea is projected by ESPN to land at No. 31 overall to the Detroit Lions. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller said Savaiinaea is "a mauler in the run game and has shown improved footwork and poise in pass-blocking." Miller also projects wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan as the first Wildcat taken at eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers. It's conceivable Arizona has two first-round picks in the same draft since linebacker Chris Singleton (New England Patriots) and defensive end Anthony Smith (Oakland Raiders) in 1990. In his farewell post on Instagram, Savaiinaea thanked Jedd Fisch and Brent Brennan, his two coaches at the UA, along with offensive line coaches Brennan Carroll and Josh Oglesby and his family and teammates. "Finally, to the Wildcat family, thank you all for welcoming me here in Tucson," Savaiinaea said. "It has been an unforgettable experience the past three years. Thank you for the never-ending support and love." Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (71) awaits the snap of the football during the Wildcats’ win over Utah on Sept. 28 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 6-5, 336-pound Savaiinaea, a Tafuna, American Samoa native, switched positions thrice since becoming a Wildcat. After signing with Arizona in 2022 following a standout career at St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Savaiinaea played 2,418 snaps — including 1,057 at right tackle, 985 at right guard and 345 at left tackle. Savaiinaea took over the reins at left tackle once redshirt freshman Rhino Tapa'atoutai suffered a season-ending leg injury, but missed the season finale against Arizona State due to a leg he injury he suffered against TCU. “He’s so special,” Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita said of Savaiinaea. “That’s been the case since he got on campus. He started as a true freshman at guard, moved to right tackle last year and then obviously moved to left tackle when Rhino went down. His versatility, his swagger, his confidence — he’s never afraid to do what he needs to do for the team. “Him being an offensive lineman, he doesn’t get as much attention as he should, but at the end of the day, he’s a first-round draft pick. That’s been that way since he arrived campus. It’s a blessing having him protect us.” Savaiinaea was Arizona's most durable, plug-and-play offensive lineman in the last three years. Savaiinaea allowed eight sacks and five quarterback hits in three years, according to Pro Football Focus. "That speaks to what kind of teammate he is (and) how much he cares about Arizona football," said Brennan. "His willingness to move from right tackle to left tackle, then back to right and back to left. That speaks so much about how much he cares about his team, how much he cares about his teammates and how much he cares about the U of A." Savaiinaea is “an awesome football player and an even better person,” Brennan said. “Anyone who knows big Jonah know he has a huge heart, definitely a hard worker, crazy competitor and it’s so important to him," he added. "I’m excited for the next chapter for him.” Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com . On X(Twitter): @JustinESports Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports ReporterMississippi State overcomes early deficit to down Prairie View A&M

B.C. Conservative MLAs want one of their own to apologize to ex-police board member they say was 'cancelled'Your child has been asking for one for so long, and the holiday season might be the time – especially if the gift will make this Christmas or Hanukkah magical. It’s not a puppy this time though. It’s a smartphone or tablet. This holiday season, many families may be considering giving their children their first device with direct access to the internet and social media. But while there can be benefits to being online, there are also real concerns about how it can affect children’s development, safety and mental health, said Dr. Anita Everett, director of the Center for Mental Health Services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Some experts have advocated delaying access to social media and smart devices for as long as possible. (Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt recommends waiting till age 16) However, if you’ve decided to put a first phone on your gift list, there are ways you can make the experience better. “It’s not that dissimilar than when the kid wants a puppy,” said Phyllis Fagell, a licensed clinical professional counselor, school counselor and author of "Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times." "You’re not going to just bring home the puppy, right? Or if you do, you’re probably going to end up with some unexpected issues that you didn’t prepare for." You can prepare by becoming aware of the biggest concerns, knowing your child, setting boundaries, providing a good example with your phone use, and keeping lines of communication open, experts said. "Parents have an incredible opportunity to be influential in their children’s use of social media," Everett said. "That’s why we want to do what we can to empower parents so that they feel like they can have a role with it." Online concerns to consider When it comes to devices that can access the internet, obvious risks abound, such as being exposed to content that isn’t age appropriate, meeting strange adults or being bullied, said Dr. Hansa Bhargava, a pediatrician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and chief clinical strategy and innovation officer for Healio, an information company for health care professionals. But experts also have concerns about the impact on children’s development, she added. "There’s a lot of literature and research to show that the smart devices for kids can really take away from their time where they should be spending with other people and socially developing," Bhargava added. "It’s about the development of their brain." Interacting in person has been shown to help in brain development as well as in reducing anxiety, she said. "Even a short conversation on the phone is better than texting," Bhargava said. Although the possibility of developing device dependencies hasn’t been proven, there has been enough research to worry pediatricians, Bhargava said. Smart devices may influence dopamine, the neurotransmitter in your brain released when you do something pleasurable, in a way that is similar to how other addictive substances do, she added. Particularly in older kids, they may experience anxiety when the phone is turned off or they have to stay away from social media a bit, Everett said. Think about the individual needs of your child Later is generally better when it comes to giving your child a smartphone, Bhargava said. But it is also important to look at the individual needs, obstacles and maturity of your child, she added. Not only will the appropriate age for having a phone vary by family but also by the individual child within that family. Will this child follow the rules you set around the phone? Does the child tend to get distracted easily? Does the child make impulsive decisions that might be regretted later? Knowing why your child wants a phone can also help make decisions around its use, Fagell said. If the child wants just to chat with friends, you might be able to strategize other options, such as a flip phone, for example, she added. "More often than not, what I hear from kids is that they want to make sure that they can connect with their friends so they’re not missing out," Fagell said. What children can handle may change as they age and enter various phases with different contexts and influences. "I’ve seen sixth graders who use it beautifully, and seventh graders who use it beautifully and responsibly," she said. "Then in eighth grade, maybe ... they’re hanging out with different kids, or trying to fit in with a different group or impress somebody in particular, and they may start making more mistakes." You may have to change the boundaries, safety measures or even take the phone away entirely, Fagell said, and that’s OK. Setting boundaries While the rules you set will be specific to your family, here are some guidelines with good ideas for many people. A good rule of thumb is life first and screens second, Bhargava said. Having a phone should not get in the way of school, activities, friends or even just the pastimes that are good for children's development ­­–– such as art or reading, she said. Putting those things first can mean rules such as no phones at the dinner table, no phones until homework is done or no phones at school, Bhargava said. She has told her teens that they cannot have their heads in their phones when she picks them up from school or extracurricular activities so that they can chat about their day with her. For many reasons, no phone in the bedroom is a good idea. Not only does it help promote sleep, but it also protects adolescents from impulsive behavior behind closed doors, Fagell said. "The possibility that they’re going to make ... one of those reputation-damaging mistakes, is exponentially higher late at night, when they’re tired and on their own and on a device in the bedroom," she added. "They’re also going to have a much harder time sustaining balance with regards to getting schoolwork and other things done." For safety, you may want to have rules around the privacy settings on children’s phones and the people they can or cannot interact with online, Fagell said. You might want to make it clear that having a phone means you get to spot-check the content on it, but not in a punitive way, she said. "We want to know what kind of images they’re seeing, what kind of information they’re taking in, what kind of questions that might raise for them and to help them navigate it," she said. "We want to really be attuned to what’s going on in their lives, how they’re using it, what kind of support they might need, and being ready to do a reset if needed." Can you walk the walk? Your kids aren’t the only ones who take on responsibility with a smartphone. You do, too, Bhargava said. "Do you as a parent have enough time to monitor this?" she asked. "Parents are very busy these days, and unfortunately, they’ve been given the task of being the guardians of screen time and social media as well." "Do you have actually time to sit down with your kids and monitor that and or at least sit down with them once a week to make sure they are following the rules?" But what about how you use your phone? It is hard to enforce rules you don’t follow, so make sure that your face isn’t in your phone during family dinners and that you are prepared to put your phone in the family basket at bedtime as well, she said. "Parents have tremendous opportunity to be role models for their children and how they use social media and when they put down social media," Everett said. Smartphone conversations to have Establishing rules and habits will likely not be enough when you give your child a phone — you will need to have important conversations, too. Accessing the internet has positives, such as learning about the world and expanding community, but kids also need to know that it comes with a responsibility to be a good digital citizen, Bhargava said. "Don’t bully people, and then also report if you are bullied," she said. "Don’t try and exclude people. Don’t talk to people who you don’t know." Children need to know that what they do online can cause harm to their reputation and that of others, and it may help for you to show examples from the news about how a mistake people made online followed them when applying for a job or to school, Fagell said. Another key conversation is ensuring your child understands the difference between a kid problem and an adult one, she added. Help your children understand "that under no circumstances are they equipped to support a child who is sharing their desire to hurt themselves — that they are actually doing more harm by not telling an adult," Fagell said. Having an open dialogue means children know they can come to you if they have a problem or make a mistake online, Bhargava said. "If your child comes to you and says, 'Look, I did this bad thing,' have a straight face, don’t react, be calm and talk through it," she said. "The best thing we can do as parents is to keep those lines of communication open." __ For help with these talks, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a collection of conversation starters to go to for guidance.

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Thrivent Financial for Lutherans trimmed its position in Carpenter Technology Co. ( NYSE:CRS – Free Report ) by 21.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 39,223 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 10,955 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans owned 0.08% of Carpenter Technology worth $6,259,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kimelman & Baird LLC purchased a new position in shares of Carpenter Technology in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. National Bank of Canada FI bought a new stake in shares of Carpenter Technology in the second quarter worth about $49,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Carpenter Technology by 58.0% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 485 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd raised its position in Carpenter Technology by 469.2% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 831 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 685 shares during the last quarter. Finally, nVerses Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Carpenter Technology in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $64,000. 92.03% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes CRS has been the topic of several research analyst reports. BTIG Research boosted their target price on Carpenter Technology from $120.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of Carpenter Technology in a research report on Friday. They set an “overweight” rating and a $220.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $175.00 target price on shares of Carpenter Technology in a research report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Carpenter Technology has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $153.00. Carpenter Technology Price Performance CRS opened at $190.89 on Friday. Carpenter Technology Co. has a 12-month low of $58.87 and a 12-month high of $192.34. The company has a market cap of $9.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a current ratio of 3.84, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $161.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $134.76. Carpenter Technology ( NYSE:CRS – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The basic materials company reported $1.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.58 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $717.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $742.96 million. Carpenter Technology had a net margin of 8.05% and a return on equity of 18.01%. Carpenter Technology’s revenue was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.88 EPS. Research analysts predict that Carpenter Technology Co. will post 6.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Carpenter Technology Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 5th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 22nd will be paid a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 22nd. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.42%. Carpenter Technology’s payout ratio is currently 17.82%. Carpenter Technology Company Profile ( Free Report ) Carpenter Technology Corporation engages in the manufacture, fabrication, and distribution of specialty metals in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Mexico, Canada, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Specialty Alloys Operations and Performance Engineered Products. The company offers specialty alloys, including titanium alloys, powder metals, stainless steels, alloy steels, and tool steels, as well as additives, and metal powders and parts. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Carpenter Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Carpenter Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — For a pair of lower-level downhill events, this sure had plenty of Olympic medal-capturing and World Cup-winning ski racers. The stage belonged to Lindsey Vonn, the 40-year-old who took another step on her comeback trail Saturday with her first races in nearly six years. Vonn wasn't particularly speedy and finished in the middle of the pack on a cold but sunny day at Copper Mountain. Times and places weren't the mission, though, as much as getting used to the speed again and gaining the necessary points to compete on the World Cup circuit this season. Vonn accomplished both, finishing 24th in the first downhill race of the day and 27th in the second. She posted on social media after the FIS races that she had enough points to enter World Cup events. The timing couldn't be more perfect — the next stop on the women's circuit is Beaver Creek, Colorado, in a week. Vonn, who used to own a home in nearby Vail, hasn't committed to any sort of timetable for a World Cup return. People are also reading... “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” Vonn wrote on X. “While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree. This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.” Lindsey Vonn reacts after her run at a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. John Locher, Associated Press Her competition — a veritable who's who of high-profile ski racers — applauded her efforts. “I don't expect her to come back and win — just that she comes back and she has fun,” said Federica Brignone of Italy, a former overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist. “She's having fun, and she’s doing what she loves. That’s the best thing that she could do.” In the first race on a frigid morning, Vonn wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. In her second race through the course later in the morning, Vonn was 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter of Austria, who finished in 1:05.99. Huetter is the reigning season-long World Cup downhill champion. “It’s really nice to compare with her again, and nice to have her (racing) again,” Huetter said. “For sure, for the skiing World Cup, we have a lot of more attention. It's generally good for all racers because everyone is looking.” Also in the field were Nadia Delago of Italy, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Puchner, the Olympic silver winner in super-G in Beijing. In addition, there was Marta Bassino of Italy, a winner of the super-G at the 2023 world championships, and two-time Olympic champion Michelle Gisin of Switzerland. “For me, it was really a training, but it was fun to have a World Cup race level right here,” Gisin said. “It was a crazy race.” Vonn remains a popular figure and took the time after each run to sign autographs for young fans along with posing for photos. Lindsey Vonn competes in a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. John Locher, Associated Press When she left the sport, Vonn had 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. Vonn’s last major race was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the circuit still near the top of her game. But all the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. She had a partial knee replacement last April and felt good enough to give racing another shot. “It's very impressive to see all the passion that Lindsey still has,” Gisin said. Also racing Saturday was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who once competed for the United States but now represents Mexico. Schleper was the next racer behind Vonn and they got a chance to share a moment between a pair of 40-somethings still racing. “I was like, ‘Give me some tips, Lindsey,’” Schleper said. “She’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a highway tuck, the whole thing.’ Then she’s like, ‘It’s just like the good old days.’" Sports Week in Photos: NBA Cup, NFL snow game and more Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Adrian Kraus Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Abbie Parr South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Eric Thayer Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Andy Wong LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Gerald Herbert South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Themba Hadebe Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Godofredo A. Vásquez Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Andreea Alexandru Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Lindsey Wasson Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Asanka Brendon Ratnayake Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Andy Wong Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Julia Demaree Nikhinson Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Pat Hoelscher Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Ed Zurga Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Natacha Pisarenko England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Ng Han Guan Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Abbie Parr Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Stephanie Scarbrough Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Bruna Prado New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Julia Demaree Nikhinson Be the first to know

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Headed South for Winter? 5 Tips for Snowbirds About to Take FlightSeattle Seahawks receiver is DK Metcalf is just fine when he doesn’t have the the ball because it means he gets to showcase his blocking skills. “I just look at it as a sign of respect that I’ve gained from other defensive coordinators and just continue to do my job with it as blocking or being a decoy,” the two-time Pro Bowler said. While opposing defenses have keyed in on Metcalf, other aspects of Seattle’s offense have surfaced during its four-game winning streak. The run has the Seahawks (8-5) sitting atop the NFC West heading into Sunday night’s game against the visiting Green Bay Packers (9-4). Geno Smith’s new top target is second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who needs 89 receiving yards for his first career 1,000-yard season. Smith-Njigba has 75 catches for 911 yards and five touchdowns, while Metcalf, often dealing with double coverage, has 54 catches for 812 yards and two scores. Metcalf says he feels the pride of a “proud parent or a big brother” when it comes to Smith-Njigba’s success. Seattle’s offense also got a boost from the ground game in a 30-18 victory over the Arizona Cardinals last weekend . Zach Charbonnet, filling in for the injured Kenneth Walker III, ran for a career-best 134 yards and two touchdowns. RELATED COVERAGE 49ers LB De’Vondre Campbell refuses to enter game after losing his starting spot The Rams get 4 field goals to beat the 49ers 12-6 in a sloppy game Saints choose Jake Haener to start in Derek Carr’s place against Washington, AP source says The Seahawks face another hot team in the Packers (9-4), who have won seven of nine. Green Bay’s two losses over that stretch have come against NFC-best Detroit (12-1), including a 34-31 victory by the Lions on Dec. 5, which means the NFC North title is likely out of reach for the Packers. The Packers are well-positioned for a playoff berth, but that almost certainly won’t come this weekend. They would need a win, a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons and a tie between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . Metcalf, who learned to block from his father, former Chicago Bears offensive lineman Terrence Metcalf, says he tries to take blocking seriously to set himself apart from other receivers. His priorities are simple when he’s getting double-teamed and the ball goes elsewhere. “Trying to block my (butt) off and trying to get pancakes on defensive backs,” he said. Love heats up When the Packers surged their way into the playoffs last season, quarterback Jordan Love was a major reason why. He had 18 touchdown passes and one interception during Green Bay’s final eight games. During the last four games of this season, Love ranks third in the NFL with a 118.9 passer rating with six touchdowns, one interception and a league-best 10.3 yards per attempt. “I always feel like I can put the ball where I want to — and that’s part of it, too, having that confidence to be able to throw those passes,” Love said. “There’s always like I said a handful of plays that might not come off or be in the exact spot that you wanted it to or the throw might be a little bit off. So, that’s where you’ve just got to try to be at your best every play, be consistent and accurate as possible.” Passing fancy Green Bay’s pass defense has been picked apart the last two weeks. First, it was torched by Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in a Packers win. Next, it allowed Jared Goff to complete his final 13 passes as the Lions rallied to victory. It won’t get any easier this week. Smith is second in the NFL in attempts, completions and passing yards and is fifth in completion percentage. “It’s been a remarkable turnaround for him in terms of just where he started,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s not always where you start, but where you finish. And it tells me a lot about the person in terms of his resiliency and ability to fight through some adversity. He’s a dangerous quarterback.” The potential return of former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) could help the Packers. Fashion forward Will the Packers break out their head-to-toe white uniforms? The last time Green Bay wore the winter white look was in a 24-22 win over Houston in October. The Packers asked fans to weigh in on social media . As for the Seahawks, they’ll be sporting their “Action Green” uniforms. Metcalf is a fan. “I would say this about the Action Green, I love them personally in my opinion, but the big guys hate them. I don’t know why, don’t ask me,” he said. “Hopefully, the Packers wear all white, so it’ll be a fun-looking game.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 fell 2.45 points, or 0.04%, to 6,037.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 28.77 points, or 0.1%, to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq composite fell 10.77 points, or 1%, to 19,764.89. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 20.34 points, or 0.9%, to 2,280.19. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 106.74 points, or 1.80%. The Dow is up 485.54 points, or 1.1%. The Nasdaq is up 447.76 points, or 2.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 37.82 points, or 1.7%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,267.76 points, or 26.6%. The Dow is up 5,636.26, or 15%. The Nasdaq is up 5,009.01 points, or 33.4%. The Russell 2000 is up 253.12 points, or 12.5%.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Luke Kromenhoek threw for 209 yards and tossed three touchdown passes as Florida State halted a six-game losing streak and routed Charleston Southern 41-7 on Saturday. Kromenhoek completed 13 of 20 passes in his first college start, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas, as the Seminoles (2-9) won for the first time since Sept. 21. The true freshman also connected with Amaree Williams for a 4-yard TD and Hykeem Williams for a 10-yard TD. Florida State had the nation’s lowest scoring offense at 13.3 points. The Seminoles hadn’t scored more than 21 points or surpassed the 300-yard mark in 2024. But Florida State overwhelmed FCS Charleston Southern (1-11), accumulating 415 offensive yards. Kaleb Jackson completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sauers, and an interception for the Buccaneers. The takeaway Charleston Southern: While the Buccaneers found some success through the air, they couldn’t sustain drives and managed just 57 rushing yards on 29 carries. Florida State: The Seminoles picked up a season-best 176 rushing yards, scoring 17 points in the second quarter and 14 points in the third quarter to take control. Up next Charleston Southern’s season is over. Florida State plays host to Florida on Nov. 30. ___ AP college football: and . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: Associated Press, The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Pickens hasn't played since tweaking his hamstring earlier this month. The Steelers (10-5) have struggled to generate much in their passing game with their leading receiver watching from the sideline in sweatpants. Though Monday's practice was a walkthrough, Pickens said he felt good and hopes he'll be able to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The 23-year-old was going through post-practice drills on Dec. 6 when he felt his hamstring tighten up, forcing him to miss the first games of his three-year career. Pittsburgh has gone 1-2 in his absence, including back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Baltimore in which Russell Wilson passed for just 345 yards while missing one of the NFL's top downfield threats. Wilson is encouraged by the way the sometimes mercurial Pickens — who has been flagged and fined multiple times this season for infractions ranging from facemasks to unsportsmanlike conduct — has remained engaged. “He’s been great in the midst of his little trial here over the past few weeks,” Wilson said. “And so we’re excited to have him back if that’s the case fully and let him do his thing.” Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were also listed as full participants on Tuesday. Neither veteran has played since getting hurt against Cleveland on Dec. 8. While Pickens, Elliott and Ogunjobi could be available as Pittsburgh tries to hold off Baltimore for the AFC North lead, cornerback Joey Porter (knee) and WR Ben Skowronek (hip) are likely out after missing practice for a second straight day. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNEW YORK and LONDON , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc. (NYSE: PDCC) (the "Company") today announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of 1,200,000 shares of its 8.00% Series A Preferred Stock Due 2029 (the "Preferred Shares") at a public offering price of $25 per share, which will result in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $28.8 million after payment of underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The Preferred Shares are rated 'BBB' by Egan-Jones Ratings Company, an independent rating agency. In addition, the Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 180,000 Preferred Shares pursuant to the same terms and conditions. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.MILAN (Reuters) - Meta and Serie A sealed a deal to cooperate against illegal live streaming of soccer matches, they said on Friday, as Italy's top flight league steps up efforts to protect the value of its broadcast rights. Under the deal, Serie A will obtain access to some Meta tools for real-time monitoring, reporting and fast removal of any Serie A games illegally streamed on the U.S. giant's social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. "In particular, we are helping the league to develop a software which would make the reporting process easier and faster," said Luca Colombo, country director for Meta in Italy. TV rights make up the bulk of revenue for Serie A teams including champions Inter, AC Milan, Napoli and Juventus. Online search giants and social media platforms have often been blamed by right holders for facilitating access to illegal live-streaming services. Under five-year contracts to show games in its home market until 2029, Serie A has pocketed some 4.5 billion euros ($4.7 billion) from sports streaming platform DAZN and Comcast's pay-TV unit Sky. "The cooperation with Meta is a first step, and I hope that other platforms will join our efforts," said Serie A Chief Executive Luigi De Siervo. Italian authorities have intensified efforts to counter online piracy, which is costing billion of euros to broadcasters and sports leagues globally. Rome last year approved a law which enabled the country's communication watchdog (AGCOM) to swiftly suppress pirate streaming channels with a focus on live events, including sports. This month Italian police dismantled a video piracy network which had over 22 million users across Europe, with an alleged turnover of 3 billion euros a year. ($1 = 0.9521 euros) (Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Keith Weir)

A California aerospace company that develops micro-satellite systems and infrastructure is expanding its operations to Littleton and is expected to create 141 net jobs. Astro Digital, which also considered locating in Utah, provides satellite mission and flight support for such applications as Earth observation and communications. Thursday’s announcement is the second in 10 days about an aerospace company expanding into Colorado. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, OEDIT, announced Dec. 3 that Safran Electronics & Defense , a global equipment supplier for defense and space, will open a manufacturing facility in Parker to produce electric propulsion thrusters and locate a workshop for space telemetry ground equipment. Colorado’s aerospace industry is the country’s second-largest, behind California’s. Colorado has the highest per capita concentration of people in the aerospace industry, with 55,000 direct employees and another 184,000 employees who indirectly support the industry, according to OEDIT. “Colorado is at the center of the space ecosystem, and companies like Astro Digital advance our leadership every day,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. The company expects to create 141 net new jobs at an average annual wage of $126,589, or 170% of the local average annual wage. The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $1.9 million in a performance-based job growth tax incentive over eight years for Astro Digital, called Project Skyhawk throughout the review process. The company is based in Santa Clara, Calif. “The aerospace ecosystem and access to talent are major contributors in our decision to expand into Colorado,” Astro Digital CEO Chris Biddy said in a statement. The company’s decision to locate in Jefferson County “bolsters the quality jobs we seek for our residents, while building best in class satellite technology for the world’s most critical functions,” Jansen Tidmore, Jefferson County Economic Development Corporate President and CEO, said in a statement. The state economic development commission approved up to $371,751 in a job growth tax credit for Safran, expected to create 20 net new jobs in Colorado. The positions will include engineers, technicians, and operators. “Colorado’s leadership in aerospace innovation continues to attract world-class companies like Safran Electronics & Defense,” said Raymond Gonzales, president of Metro Denver Economic Development Corp.’s Colorado Space Coalition. Safran also considered Irvine, Calif., for expansion. Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.goalkeeper is "alert" and conscious after being taken off the field on a stretcher during the team's at on Thursday, manager Julen Lopetegui said. The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary's Stadium. The 39-year-old Polish goalkeeper was hurt in a collision from a corner and was replaced by in the 36th minute. Southampton 'keeper had run the length of the field to check on Fabianski amid worrying scenes. Fabianski was then greeted by applause as he was taken off with an oxygen mask on, but did not need to go to the hospital. "He had one big knock around the head, around the neck and he was not very sure about his actions. Fortunately the news is he is talking, he is alert, he is conscious," Lopetegui said. "I talk with him. The doctors say that he feels better and well. I am positive with him. He showed he more or less recovered his sense. I am not afraid. We feared but now he is better and it is a positive feeling because we were very worried." West Ham, which also saw defender go off in the first half, scored through in the 59th.

Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Purchases 23,294 Shares of BlackLine, Inc. (NASDAQ:BL)

Faye had 12 rebounds for the Hilltoppers (5-3). Don McHenry scored 17 points and added three steals. Julius Thedford shot 4 for 7 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 7 of 9 from the free-throw line to finish with 16 points. The Purple Aces (3-6) were led by Cameron Haffner, who posted 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Gabriel Pozzato added 19 points, seven rebounds and two steals for Evansville. Tayshawn Comer finished with 12 points. Western Kentucky used a 10-0 run in the second half to build a 14-point lead at 55-41 with 12:30 remaining before finishing off the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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Ninety-six seconds to midnight—the bewitching hour for global catastrophe. So reads the Doomsday Clock at this precarious time in world history. The clock’s forward and backwards adjustments since its creation by Robert Oppenheimer in 1947 have been the tea leaves read by political pundits and diviners alike for decades. But is it prediction, fair warning, or a political stunt? More importantly, do the global events it identifies portend inevitable global calamity or are these events reversible? Ebenezer Scrooge asks the same question to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: “Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?” Scrooge then answers his own question, and it is a truth that applies to people and nations alike: “Men’s courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead,” said Scrooge. “But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.” And with that sobering revelation, Scrooge reverses course and changes what had been a deathly foreshadowing to something transformative and redemptive. A course correction is doable, but it requires a rudder and a will. In a word, it requires leadership. America today is at one of those watershed moments that defines an era. The prevailing course of forever wars, extreme indebtedness, and an alarming invasion on our southern border can all be reversed. At this promising time of a new administration, there is the opportunity for a clean slate and a break from the past. By an overwhelming landslide in the national election, the people have exclaimed, “carpe diem”—seize the day! They are simply echoing President Lincoln’s December 1862 “Annual Message to Congress: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise—with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.” Now is the opportune time for disclosure and transparency in government affairs—a time for honesty and competency. It is a time to end provocations that endanger the pursuit of peaceful resolutions to warring factions around the globe. In particular, the current administration has no mandate to escalate and inflame the war between Ukraine and Russia. Given the election results of November 5th, good faith efforts toward de-escalation should be the order of the day. It is also a time to democratize our foreign policy with suitable oversight that is fully transparent and fully accountable to the people. In his famed Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln borrows from Daniel Webster for perhaps his most famous line and in doing so he mentions government only once and people thrice. The people are not the lap dogs of government but the sovereign of the nation. Finally, it is a time for dialogue, not monologue—dialogue with the people of America and dialogue with opposing parties and between warring nations. The phone is an incredible invention and a tool for peace. Pick it up and use it! JFK used it in a 90-second conversion with the wife of imprisoned civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr and changed the course of history. Seize the day! About the Author Cameron S. Brown is president of the Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Institute and a former Michigan State Senator. Follow him at www.HistoryFrontiers.blog.Google: 2024 capital investment in NE is $930M, for a five-year tally of $4.4Bhaha777 orig 。

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Singer-keyboardist Edgar Winter is 78. TV personality Gayle King (“CBS This Morning”) is 70. Actor Denzel Washington is 70. Drummer Mike McGuire of Shenandoah is 66. Country singer-guitarist Marty Roe of Diamond Rio is 64. Actor Malcolm Gets (“Caroline in the City”) is 61. Political commentator Ana Navarro (“The View”) is 53. Comedian Seth Meyers (“Late Night With Seth Meyers”) is 51. Actor Brendan Hines (“Suits”) is 48. Actor Joe Manganiello (“True Blood”) is 48. Actor Vanessa Ferlito (“NCIS: New Orleans”) is 47. Singer John Legend is 46. Actor Andre Holland (“Moonlight”) is 45. Actor Sienna Miller is 43. Actor Miles Brown (“black-ish”) is 20. — Associated Press Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

A 37-year-old Tillsonburg resident has been arrested following an argument in St. Thomas that got heated. Just after 4:30 a.m. on Friday, police were called after a person was forced into a vehicle and assaulted. Investigation revealed that an argument between a group of people – who were known to each other – escalated, resulting in the victim bring driven away in the vehicle against their will. Police located the vehicle, and EMS was called to treat the victim for their injuries. As a result, the Tillsonburg resident faces charges of assault, robbery with theft, forcible confinement and disobey court order. London Top Stories Victim forced into a vehicle, assaulted, robbed, and held against their will: police VIDEO | London house fire spreads to neighbouring property Canada's tax relief plan: Who gets a cheque? Police investigating following fire that prompted school evacuation at Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute One person dead after two-vehicle crash involving delivery truck Charges laid after transport truck crash causes Highway 401 lane closure Volkswagen battery plant will drive economy, increase consumer confidence says economic think tank Western researchers document the sixth ever asteroid spotted prior to impact CTVNews.ca Top Stories Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer's disease An 81-year-old Quebec man has been sentenced to prison after admitting to killing his wife with Alzheimer's disease. Canada Post quarterly loss tops $300M as strike hits second week -- and rivals step in Canada Post saw hundreds of millions of dollars drain out of its coffers last quarter, due largely to its dwindling share of the parcels market, while an ongoing strike continues to batter its bottom line. 'Immoral depravity': Two men convicted in case of frozen migrant family in Manitoba A jury has found two men guilty on human smuggling charges in a case where a family from India froze to death in Manitoba while trying to walk across the Canada-U.S. border. Pat King found guilty of mischief for role in 'Freedom Convoy' Pat King, one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa, has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order. Trump supporters review-bomb B.C. floral shop by accident A small business owner from B.C.’s Fraser Valley is speaking out after being review-bombed by confused supporters of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump this week. Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles recalled in Canada over potential power loss Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis are being recalled in Canada over a potential power loss issue that can increase the risk of a crash. Canada's tax relief plan: Who gets a cheque? The Canadian government has unveiled its plans for a sweeping GST/HST pause on select items during the holiday period. The day after the announcement, questions remain on how the whole thing will work. Grey Cup streaker fined $10K, banned from BC Place The woman who ran across the field wearing nothing but her shoes at last weekend’s Grey Cup has been given a fine and banned from BC Place. U.S. court tosses hostile workplace, pay discrimination claims against BlackBerry A U.S. court has closed the door on "hostile work environment" and wage discrimination claims made by a former BlackBerry Ltd. executive who accused the company's CEO of sexually harassing her and then retaliating against her when she reported the behaviour. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks 24 Of The Best Host And Hostess Gifts You Can Find Online Right Now The Best Advent Calendars For Women In 2024 All The Best Beauty Stocking Stuffers That Ring In Under $25 Home Our Guide to the Best Jewellery Boxes You Can Find Online Right Now 16 Home Gadgets That'll Make Your Life Easier The 5 Best Drip Coffee Makers In Canada In 2024, Tested and Reviewed Gifts 23 Gifts, Add-Ons, And Stocking Stuffers For Anyone Who Spends A Lot Of Time In Their Car The Ultimate 2024 Holiday Gift Guide For Nature Lovers And Outdoor Adventurers 27 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Men Beauty 20 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Reviewers Can’t Stop Talking About 12 Budget-Friendly Makeup Brushes And Tools Worth Adding To Your Kit If You Suffer From Dry Skin, You'll Want To Add At Least One Of These Hydrating Moisturizers To Your Cart Deals Black Friday Has Begun On Amazon Canada: Here Are The Best Deals Black Friday Is Almost Here, But These Deals On Mattresses And Bedding Are Already Live This Botanic Hearth Rosemary Hair Oil Has Thousands Of 5-Star Reviews — And It's On Sale For Amazon Canada's Early Black Friday Sale Kitchener Man charged in Kitchener crash involving Grand River Transit LRT FunGuyz says it's closing all 30 of its magic mushroom stores in Ontario The Boathouse reopens in Kitchener's Victoria Park Barrie Highway 400 closed in Muskoka Lakes after fatal propane truck rollover Drug trafficking investigation results in largest fentanyl seizure in Simcoe County: OPP Barrie magic mushroom dispensary closed after company announces its shuttering Ont. locations Windsor Truck fire on the Ambassador Bridge 4 Windsor, Chatham-Kent councillors oppose use of notwithstanding clause on encampments Concerns over people attempting to cross Detroit River illegally Northern Ontario Senior killed in dog attack in northern Ont. Woman stabbed multiple times in Sudbury altercation Police investigating death in Magnetawan, Ont. Sault Ste. Marie After a year of struggle, centre that helps Sault youth to move to a building with heat $3M donation to help repair arena in Elliot Lake Sault College accounting students get a head start on their careers Ottawa Seniors facing 60% hike for OC Transpo monthly transit pass in 2025 under new proposal Ottawa Food Bank declares an emergency amid record-breaking usage Orleans man calls for changes after service guide dog attacked by another dog Toronto Trudeau announces funding to feed 160,000 Ontario students 3 charged in connection with collision between TTC bus and stolen BMW that injured 9 Toronto man onboard Blue Origin flight to space says he 'can't wait to go again' Montreal Pro-Palestinian, anti-NATO protesters flood downtown Montreal Federal GST holiday on restaurant meals offers temporary relief Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer's disease Atlantic P.E.I. teen sentenced to 2 years in custody in death of Tyson MacDonald Taylor Swift Fan brings souvenir home to Nova Scotia from the Eras tour New Brunswick government re-evaluates construction of $66-million jail in Grand Lake Winnipeg Semi leaves Winnipeg overpass, hits train, causes derailment Manitoba reports first case of mpox, province says risk to public is low 'Immoral depravity': Two men convicted in case of frozen migrant family in Manitoba Calgary 'Sounded like a bomb': Mahogany residents stunned by townhouse explosion, fire Sixth person charged in Tara Miller's death ‘Pinch me I’m dreaming:’ Calgary drummer pulled from crowd to play with the Arkells Edmonton Edmonton carbon budget shows city falling behind on emission targets Edmonton activates extreme weather response as temperatures drop Direct flights to Houston available in Edmonton starting next year Regina Here's a look inside the Globe Theatre before it reopens B.C. man dies in collision on Sask. highway Snowfall warning expands to Regina with up to 25 cm expected Saskatoon Why isn't Saskatoon's new downtown shelter open yet? Sask. principal has sexual assault conviction overturned in light of 'butt-grabbing game' 'What about our spirituality?': Sask. man wants new Lighthouse operator to respect Indigenous culture Vancouver Trump supporters review-bomb B.C. floral shop by accident Grey Cup streaker fined $10K, banned from BC Place Michael Buble to host 2025 Juno Awards, Sum 41 to be inducted into Music Hall of Fame Vancouver Island Campbell River high school closure extended due to fire Grey Cup streaker fined $10K, banned from BC Place Ship strikes kill thousands of whales. A study of hot spots could map out solutions Stay Connected

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Giants face challenge in hosting Ravens, trying to end 8-game skidJERSEY CITY, N.J., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Remote-First Company -- Clover Health Investments, Corp. (Nasdaq: CLOV) (“Clover,” “Clover Health” or the “Company”), today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Toy, will present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast and replay of the presentation and Q&A session will be accessible from Clover Health's investor relations website at https://investors.cloverhealth.com/ . About Clover Health: Clover Health (Nasdaq: CLOV) is a physician enablement technology company committed to bringing access to great healthcare to everyone on Medicare. This includes a health equity-based focus on seniors who have historically lacked access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Our strategy is powered by our software platform, Clover Assistant, which is designed to aggregate patient data from across the healthcare ecosystem to support clinical decision-making and improve health outcomes through the early identification and management of chronic disease. For our members, we provide PPO and HMO Medicare Advantage plans in several states, with a differentiated focus on our flagship wide-network, high-choice PPO plans. For healthcare providers outside Clover Health's Medicare Advantage plan, we aim to extend the benefits of our data-driven technology platform to a wider audience via our subsidiary, Counterpart Health, and to enable enhanced patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs on a nationwide scale. Clover Health has published data demonstrating the technology’s impact on Medication Adherence , as well as the earlier identification and management of Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease . Press Contact: Andrew Still-Baxter press@cloverhealth.com Investor Relations Contact: Ryan Schmidt investors@cloverhealth.com

Ange Postecoglou searching for answers over Tottenham’s injury crisisOTTAWA — Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new border plan with Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Both Trudeau and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who Trudeau has been courting to become Canada's next finance minister, shared posts on X Thursday, a day after Trump's latest jab at Canada in his Christmas Day message. It isn't clear if Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has repeatedly insisted Trump's 51st state references are a joke, will raise the issue with Trump's team when he and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly meet with them in Palm Beach. The two are there to discuss Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with just under four weeks left before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada's plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada LeBlanc's spokesman, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, said the ministers will also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump's threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers will build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau "governor" instead of prime minister. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw "explains Canada to Americans." The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. "In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada," Brokaw says in the video. Trudeau did not expand about why he posted a link to the video, posting it only with the words "some information about Canada for Americans." Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau's recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump's antics on X Thursday, calling it "casual disrespect" and "carrying the 'joke' too far." "Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership," said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland's sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau's leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27, 2024. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press

haha777 promo code today ALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Jackson Acquisition Company II (the “Company”) announced today that it priced its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and will trade under the ticker symbol “JACS.U” beginning December 10, 2024. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of a Class A ordinary share upon the consummation of an initial business combination. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and rights are expected to be listed on the NYSE under the symbols “JACS” and “JACS.R,” respectively. The offering is expected to close on December 11, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company, led by Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer Richard L. Jackson, is a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue an initial business combination in any industry, the Company intends to concentrate its search on businesses with a focus on healthcare services, healthcare technology, or otherwise focused on the healthcare industry. Roth Capital Partners is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400, Newport Beach, CA 92660, (800) 678-9147 or by accessing the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov . A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 9, 2024. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the Company’s proposed initial public offering and the Company’s search for and/or completion of an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the Company will complete an initial business combination. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks, conditions and other uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the Company’s offering filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209829813/en/ CONTACT: Richard L. Jackson Jackson Acquisition Company II (678) 690-1079 KEYWORD: GEORGIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Jackson Acquisition Company II Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 06:09 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 06:09 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209829813/enTrump threatens 100% tariff on the BRIC bloc of nations if they act to undermine US dollar

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ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF coach Gus Malzahn is resigning after four seasons with the school. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the move, which will see Malzahn to leave to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. Malzahn previously worked with FSU coach Mike Norvell during their time at Tulsa under then-coach Todd Graham from 2007-08. The Knights ended a disappointing 4-8 season in which they lost eight of their last nine games, the longest losing streak since 2015. Malzahn, 59, was in the fourth year of a contract through 2028. His buyout, it is reported, would have been $13.75 million. He finished 27-25 at UCF but lost 16 of his last 22 games and was a dismal 4-14 in two seasons in the Big 12. After back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2021-22, the Knights went 6-7 in 2023 and 4-8 in 2024. This season started with high expectations as Malzahn made sweeping changes to the program. He retooled the strength and conditioning department and hired Ted Roof and Tim Harris Jr. as defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively. He also added nearly 50 new players to the roster, leaning heavily on the transfer market. UCF started by winning its first three games against New Hampshire, Sam Houston and a thrilling comeback at TCU, but offensive struggles saw the Knights tumble through a TBD-game losing streak to finish the season. Terry Mohajir hired Malzahn on Feb. 15, 2021, six days after he was hired to replace Danny White. The move came eight weeks after Malzahn had been fired at Auburn after eight seasons of coaching the Tigers. The two briefly worked together at Arkansas State in 2012 before Malzahn left for the Auburn job. “When he [Mohajir] offered the job, I was like, ‘I’m in.’ There wasn’t thinking about or talking about ...,” Malzahn said during his introductory press conference. “This will be one of the best programs in college football in a short time. This is a job that I plan on being here and building it.” UCF opened the 2021 season with non-conference wins over Boise State and Bethune-Cookman before traveling to Louisville on Sept. 17, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a fractured collarbone in the final minute of a 42-35 loss. Backup Mikey Keene would finish out the season as Gabriel announced his intention to transfer. The Knights would finish the season on the plus side by accepting a bid to join the Big 12 Conference in September and then by defeating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. Malzahn struck transfer portal gold in the offseason when he signed former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. Plumlee, a two-sport star with the Rebels, helped guide UCF to the American Athletic Conference Championship in its final season. However, Plumlee’s injury forced the Knights to go with Keene and freshman Thomas Castellanos. The team finished with losses to Tulane in the conference championship and Duke in the Military Bowl. Plumlee would return in 2023 as UCF transitioned to the Big 12 but would go down with a knee injury in the final minute of the Knights’ 18-16 win at Boise State on Sept. 9. He would miss the next four games as backup Timmy McClain took over the team. Even on his return, Plumlee couldn’t help UCF, on a five-game losing streak to open conference play. The Knights got their first Big 12 win at Cincinnati on Nov. 4 and upset No. 15 Oklahoma State the following week, but the team still needed a win over Houston in the regular-season finale to secure a bowl bid for the eighth straight season. From the moment Malzahn stepped on campus, he prioritized recruiting, particularly in Central Florida. “We’re going to recruit like our hair’s on fire,” Malzahn said at the time. “We’re going to go after the best players in America and we’re not backing down to anybody.” From 2007 to 2020, UCF signed 10 four-star high school and junior college prospects. Eight four-star prospects were in the three recruiting classes signed under Malzahn. The 2024 recruiting class earned a composite ranking of 39 from 247Sports, the highest-ranked class in school history. The 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 41 and has commitments from three four-star prospects. Malzahn has always leaned on the transfer market, signing 60 players over the past three seasons. Some have paid huge dividends, such as Javon Baker, Lee Hunter, Kobe Hudson, Tylan Grable, Bula Schmidt, Amari Kight, Marcellus Marshall, Trent Whittemore, Gage King, Ethan Barr, Deshawn Pace and Plumlee. Others haven’t been as successful, such as quarterback KJ Jefferson, who started the first five games of this season before being benched for poor performance. Jefferson’s struggles forced the Knights to play musical chairs at quarterback, with true freshman EJ Colson, redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown and redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk all seeing action at one point or another this season. This season’s struggles led to several players utilizing the NCAA’s redshirt rule after four games, including starting slot receiver Xavier Townsend and kicker Colton Boomer, who have also entered the transfer portal. Defensive end Kaven Call posted a letter to Malzahn on Twitter in which he accused the UCF coaching staff of recently kicking him off the team when he requested to be redshirted. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Flush with success: Parametric Architecture’s rise to social media dominance

India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a bloc of nine nations if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. His threat was directed at countries in the so-called BRIC alliance, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have applied to become members and several other countries have expressed interest in joining. While the U.S. dollar is by far the most-used currency in global business and has survived past challenges to its preeminence, members of the alliance and other developing nations say they are fed up with America’s dominance of the global financial system . The dollar represents roughly 58% of the world’s foreign exchange reserves, according to the IMF and major commodities like oil are still primarily bought and sold using dollars. The dollar's dominance is threatened, however, with BRICS' growing share of GDP and the alliance's intent to trade in non-dollar currencies — a process known as de-dollarization. Trump, in a Truth Social post, said: “We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy." At a summit of BRIC nations in October, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. of “weaponizing” the dollar and described it as a “big mistake.” “It’s not us who refuse to use the dollar,” Putin said at the time. “But if they don’t let us work, what can we do? We are forced to search for alternatives.” Russia has specifically pushed for the creation of a new payment system that would offer an alternative to the global bank messaging network, SWIFT, and allow Moscow to dodge Western sanctions and trade with partners. Trump said there is "no chance" BRIC will replace the U.S. dollar in global trade and any country that tries to make that happen "should wave goodbye to America.” Research shows that the U.S. dollar's role as the primary global reserve currency is not threatened in the near future. An Atlantic Council model that assesses the dollar’s place as the primary global reserve currency states the dollar is “secure in the near and medium term” and continues to dominate other currencies. Trump's latest tariff threat comes after he threatened to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to do more to halt the flow of illegal immigration and drugs into the U.S. He has since held a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who said Thursday she is confident that a tariff war with the United States can be averted. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after meeting Trump, without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on Canada.

Serve robotics president Touraj Parang sells $669,786 in stockHome entertainment holiday specials: These offers are readily available, not a “limited quantity doorbuster.” I do not know how long the various promotions run, but the industry buzz is we will see repeats between now and Christmas so if you miss the deal first time around, keep checking. There is a good chance you will see it offered again. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, $32.99: Normally $59.99, this streaming device is practically an entire entertainment system. In addition to streaming apps, it has an AI art mode that generates unique art by voice command. It also supports Xbox Live, so you can play Xbox games without buying an expensive console. Just add an Xbox controller, subscribe to the service and enjoy. Apple 10.2-inch iPad, $199: The ninth-generation iPad is older but still works well. It is reduced from the $329 MSRP. Cambridge Audio AXN10/MXN10 Network Players, $399: A network player connects directly to the internet to play music and internet radio from streaming sources. They are a must-have for anyone with a component audio system, and these two players from Cambridge are best-in-class with their exquisite construction, fine sound quality and easy-to-use, comprehensive StreamMagic app. Reduced from the introductory price of $599. Related Articles Klipsch RP-600M II bookshelf speakers, $499/pair: You will not find a better speaker under $500. You will probably not find a better speaker for the $649 list price, either. The RP-600M II has received great praise from Stereophile magazine, a high-end audiophile publication that routinely tests audio products selling for $100,000 or more. After hearing the RP-600M II, I can understand why. They don’t require much power and the sound is transparent, rich, forward, lively, engaging and dynamic without coming across as over-boosted or unnatural. They dig solidly into the bass registers without a subwoofer and vividly bring any kind of music to life. Available online and in stores. Nebula Cosmos 4K SE projector, $999: A few weeks ago I praised this new 4K Google TV smart projector with a dual Laser-LED light source. It can throw a beautiful 4K image that rivals what you see in a good movie theater, is easy to use and the $1,299 price is a breakthrough. At $999 a lot more people should get a projector and experience how life-changing it can be for movies, sports, television and gaming. Samsung Q80D QLED televisions, $749-$1,749: The Q80D sale makes it possible to get a truly stunning high-end TV for little more than the cost of something ordinary. The 85-inch for $1,749 is a particular standout, a savings of $1,550. ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Published 5:18 pm Friday, December 27, 2024 By Minnesota Public Radio By Anika Besst It seemed like companies couldn’t hire information technology analysts fast enough in 2014 when Michael Deneen began his IT career. Job counts nationally soared in the 2010s and early 2020s, but then the market flattened and a profession that looked like it might grow uninterrupted started shedding jobs. Laid off twice this year from Minnesota IT jobs, Deneen said he’s found it hard to snag the next gig. “Before I could have three, four offers lined up and would have to choose between them,” the Columbia Heights man said. “It’s like I’m struggling to even get a foot in the door in places that I’m more than qualified for.” Even with the state’s relatively low 3.5 percent unemployment rate, some mid-career Minnesotans and those just coming out of college are seeing a job market now that worries them. Recent layoffs at Cargill in the Twin Cities and last week’s announcement that Arctic Cat, the Minnesota snowmobile maker, will shutter its manufacturing operations next year in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud, have added to the anxiety. Analysts say Minnesota’s job market remains robust, but for some there’s a skills matchup problem as some sectors grow while others flatten or decline. ‘Shouldn’t be this way’ Health care, government, leisure and hospitality and transportation are among the Minnesota sectors that continue to show strong job growth, according to state data. Other industries are growing slower, including construction and manufacturing. “We’ve heard from some folks that maybe it has taken a little longer than what they remember in the past if they were previously unemployed. Some individuals don’t say that at all,” said Sara Garbe, workforce development supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. “November and reaching December, we certainly see a slowdown of hiring and folks may mention things like that they’ve heard from recruiters that maybe a decision won’t be made until after the holidays or after the first or the last quarter of the year,” added Garbe, whose staff works with new job seekers and those in mid-career. For recent college grads who haven’t landed work, the holiday season can bring its own pressures. Raina Hofstede, 22, studied English at Harvard University. Since graduating in May and coming back to Minnesota, she said job prospects have been nearly nonexistent. “I feel kind of directionless in the time period that I’m waiting,” said Hofstede, who grew up in Coon Rapids. “I feel like I really want to plan. I’m at a point where, like, I’d love to get things moving.” She’s applied to post-undergrad internships and career-advancing work. She’s looking into publishing, creative writing spaces and museums and hopes a stint working in comedy clubs while at Harvard might intrigue an employer. The search and the uncertainty around it is a grind, she acknowledged. “I think, as time goes on, and this feels sad, but I think as time goes on, my belief in myself slowly drops a little bit more with more rejections, and so I feel like I’ll be applying to less and less competitive things as I move forward,” Hofstede said.None

Published 5:38 pm Saturday, November 30, 2024 By Data Skrive The Sunday college basketball slate includes five games with a ranked team in action. Among those games is the Columbia Lions taking on the Duke Blue Devils. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.

Trump camp says China ‘Attacking’ U.S. with Fentanyl, plans responseAfter institutions for people with disabilities close, graves are at risk of being forgotten

Don Lindich | Tribune News Service Home entertainment holiday specials: These offers are readily available, not a “limited quantity doorbuster.” I do not know how long the various promotions run, but the industry buzz is we will see repeats between now and Christmas so if you miss the deal first time around, keep checking. There is a good chance you will see it offered again. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, $32.99: Normally $59.99, this streaming device is practically an entire entertainment system. In addition to streaming apps, it has an AI art mode that generates unique art by voice command. It also supports Xbox Live, so you can play Xbox games without buying an expensive console. Just add an Xbox controller, subscribe to the service and enjoy. amazon.com Apple 10.2-inch iPad, $199: The ninth-generation iPad is older but still works well. It is reduced from the $329 MSRP. apple.com Cambridge Audio AXN10/MXN10 Network Players, $399: A network player connects directly to the internet to play music and internet radio from streaming sources. They are a must-have for anyone with a component audio system, and these two players from Cambridge are best-in-class with their exquisite construction, fine sound quality and easy-to-use, comprehensive StreamMagic app. Reduced from the introductory price of $599. cambridgeaudio.com Related Articles Technology | Are you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data Technology | How to get started with Bluesky Technology | US gathers allies to talk AI safety. Trump’s vow to undo Biden’s AI policy overshadows their work Technology | Trump team is seeking to ease US Rules for self-driving cars Technology | Replacing passwords with passkeys for an easier login experience Klipsch RP-600M II bookshelf speakers, $499/pair: You will not find a better speaker under $500. You will probably not find a better speaker for the $649 list price, either. The RP-600M II has received great praise from Stereophile magazine, a high-end audiophile publication that routinely tests audio products selling for $100,000 or more. After hearing the RP-600M II, I can understand why. They don’t require much power and the sound is transparent, rich, forward, lively, engaging and dynamic without coming across as over-boosted or unnatural. They dig solidly into the bass registers without a subwoofer and vividly bring any kind of music to life. Available online and in stores. klipsch.com Nebula Cosmos 4K SE projector, $999: A few weeks ago I praised this new 4K Google TV smart projector with a dual Laser-LED light source. It can throw a beautiful 4K image that rivals what you see in a good movie theater, is easy to use and the $1,299 price is a breakthrough. At $999 a lot more people should get a projector and experience how life-changing it can be for movies, sports, television and gaming. seenebula.com Samsung Q80D QLED televisions, $749-$1,749: The Q80D sale makes it possible to get a truly stunning high-end TV for little more than the cost of something ordinary. The 85-inch for $1,749 is a particular standout, a savings of $1,550. samsung.com ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLCA role reversal doomed the No. 22 Xavier Musketeers in their only loss of the season, against Michigan at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday. Normally a team that avoids committing turnovers and pressures its opponent into making them, Xavier (6-1) will try to recapture its early-season winning form when it hosts South Carolina State on Sunday in Cincinnati. Through their six wins, the Musketeers had just 58 turnovers while forcing 82 by their opponents. But against the Wolverines, they lost the turnover battle 19-10 and the game 78-53. The Musketeers committed 14 turnovers in the first half and fell behind 41-30. Xavier head coach Sean Miller credited his team for typically playing an up-tempo style while avoiding mistakes, while also acknowledging that the turnover bug really bit them against the Wolverines. "We lost to a really good team; no shame in that," Miller said. "We, on top of that, didn't play well." "And that (avoiding turnovers) is something you (usually) do well? That's going to be hard to overcome against a quality team like Michigan." Leading scorer Ryan Conwell (17.6 points per game) gave the Musketeers a boost with 19 points. Zach Freemantle, second on the team at 15.4 ppg, added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Problematically, however, they also contributed to the turnover problem with three apiece. "We didn't play well enough to win the game," Miller said. "The game got out of hand. It's not like our guys quit. Their depth just continued to wear on us." The Musketeers also get 11 points and a team-high 4.4 assists per game from Dayvion McKnight. The guard had just one turnover against Michigan, but he also made just one of his eight shot attempts. Xavier may have an opportunity get right in the turnover area against the Bulldogs (4-4), who are No. 207 in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.11. South Carolina State is fresh off an 82-53 road loss to Marshall on Wednesday, in a game in which turnovers weren't a huge problem. But assists and made shots were hard to come by for the Bulldogs. Leading scorer Drayton Jones (12.0 ppg) again paced his team in points with 10 vs. Marshall, but the Bulldogs as a team managed just six assists and shot terribly at the 3-point (18.8 percent) and the free-throw (47.1 percent) lines. Jones is also the team's leading rebounder with 5.1 a game, but no Bulldogs player is averaging more than two assists. It's all part of the learning process for coach Erik Martin, whose first team went 5-26 in 2022-23. The Bulldogs improved to 14-18 last season, including 9-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "The only way you can grow sometimes is by failure or by struggling," Martin said this offseason. "You have to fail in order to learn how to deal with failure and move on and become the person you're supposed to be." --Field Level Media

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan have proposed a new bill, AB 56 , that would require social media companies to put a warning label on their platforms to disclose their mental health risks. Citing social media platforms’ “harnessing of addictive features and harmful content for the sake of profits,” Attorney General Bonta says that consumers should have access to information about platforms that could impact their mental health. The current bill lacks detail on how much information these warning labels should have or how they should appear, but mentions the Cyberbullying Protection Act and the Online Violence Prevention Act as possible precedent for such a requirement. Those bills required social media platforms to disclose their cyberbullying reporting features in the terms of service, and clearly state whether they have a way of reporting violent posts for users and nonusers on the platform, respectively. Bonta and Bauer-Kahan’s new bill follows an open letter signed by 42 attorneys general (Bonta included) that called for Congress to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media. The US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed the idea himself in an essay for The New York Times Opinion section in June. A surgeon general’s warning label requires congressional action to actually be put in place, but could prove effective in changing behavior in the same way it has for tobacco products , according to Murthy. You can trace a lot of the recent commotion around children and social media to an advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health that the US Surgeon General published in 2023. The advisory claimed that social media could “have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents” and that “children and adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems.” A warning label is unlikely to completely fix things and social media isn’t the sole cause of all children’s problems, but labels are another level that can be pulled to change things. A wider reaching Texas bill that required social media companies block teens from seeing “harmful content” was struck down a few months ago in 2024, but requiring social media warning labels, especially given California’s legal history , seems much more feasible. Mental health impacts are just one of the risks children face online, though. According to the Federal Trade Commission , there’s still mass surveillance to deal with, too.NoneIf the Indianapolis Colts Week 12 loss to the Detroit Lions wasn't enough, the NFL made it even worse for Anthony Richardson. With the news of the NFL hitting the Colts starting quarterback with a hefty fine. The NFL fined #Colts QB Anthony Richardson $22,511 for unnecessary roughness (use of the helmet) — lowering his head into #Lions DB Brian Branch last week. pic.twitter.com/mJF5NuqiM7 Anthony Richardson fined by the NFL for a play from the Colts Week 12 loss to the Lions The NFL announced that it has fined Richardson $22,511.00 for using his helmet on a run to run over Lions defensive back Brian Branch , which the league deemed "Unnecessary Roughness." I've watched the play over and over before writing this article, and I still can't stop laughing at the hypocrisy on display by the NFL. The NFL literally has a show that gives out an award weekly for a ball carrier who displays the angriest run of the week. That award is the Angry Run Sceptor from Kyle Brandt of NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" show. And now Richardson is being fined the price of a new car for some people due to lowering his head to brace for impact while he runs a player over. A play that is praised on the field is now costing players a significant amount of money. Richardson's fine is tied for the largest of 16 fines handed out by the NFL this week and the seventh most expensive fine given out by the league all season long. The player Richardson ran knows all too well about the league's ridiculousness on fines this season, with him racking up roughly $50,000.00 so far. The NFL stands for the "National Football League," but nowadays, it seems like it could easily stand for "No Fun League." This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

NoneALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Big Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's rise

www haha777 cafe The Niger State Executive Council has proposed an estimate of a N1.20 trillion budget for the 2025 fiscal year for approval. The Special Adviser on Digital Media and Strategy to the governor, Abdullberqy Usman Ebbo, on his social media handle X, said that the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mustapha Ndajiwo, revealed this during his presentation at the state executive council meeting, held at Government House in Minna. Abdulbaqy Ebbo noted that the commissioner had informed the Council that the estimate is made up of N188.42bn, or 15.68% recurrent expenditure, and N1.01tn, or 84.34% capital expenditure, respectively. Ndajiwo explained and maintained that when compared with the approved budget of 2024, the estimate represents an increase of 32.94% over this fiscal year. The commissioner, in his analysis, also stated that even though the 2024 approved budget was supplemented with the sum of N191.98bn, the breakdown of the draft 2025 proposals revealed an increase of 1.18% in recurrent expenditure and 32.98% in capital expenditure, respectively. Ebbo hinted that Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, in his remarks, stressed that the size of the estimate was informed by the gap in infrastructure and key development areas and the inflationary trend of the country. After deliberation, the council approved the estimates and directed the state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mustapha Ndajiwo, to prepare for submission to the Niger State House of Assembly for approval.The Atlantic Liberal caucus is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign as party leader in a letter expressing "deep concern" about the future of government. The letter dated Dec. 23 was shared publicly Sunday by New Brunswick MP Wayne Long, who has been saying since the fall that Trudeau should step down. Long wrote in a Facebook post that he shared the letter for "openness and transparency." "If we are to have any chance in the next election, and prevent a Pierre Poilievre government, we need new leadership with a new vision for our party and the country," Long wrote. Atlantic caucus chair and Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois penned the letter, saying it is no longer "tenable" for Trudeau to continue to lead the party. The letter notes that the country faces "instability" amid U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's tariff threats and signals from opposition parties that they will declare non-confidence in Trudeau's government at the first opportunity. The letter thanks Trudeau for his nine years of service as prime minister, saying he leaves a "positive and consequential legacy." It cautions Trudeau that could be undone if he stays on as leader. The letter comes less than two weeks after Chrystia Freeland's resignation from Trudeau's cabinet as finance minister and deputy prime minister. "Our colleagues this morning expressed their deep personal affection for you, their pride in our work as a Liberal team, but also their deep concern that without a leadership change that progress will be lost under a Pierre Poilievre-lead government," Blois wrote to Trudeau. The letter concludes with a call for a national caucus meeting in early January so the Liberal MPs can discuss their next steps. Blois did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Trudeau is said to be thinking about his future during the holiday break. Conservative MP John Williamson said Friday he plans to introduce a non-confidence motion at the next public accounts committee meeting on Jan. 7. If that motion is successful at committee, it would be forwarded to the House of Commons and could be voted on as soon as Jan. 30, triggering an election if it passes. The Conservatives brought forward three non-confidence motions during the fall sitting of the House of Commons, which the Liberals survived thanks to support from the NDP. However, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh now says that his party has lost confidence in the government and intends to bring forward a non-confidence motion in the new year, regardless of who is Liberal leader. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. MORE POLITICS NEWS 'We need new leadership': Atlantic Liberal caucus calls for Trudeau's resignation 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Criminologist says Canada should better track foreign student departures Gerry Butts says Trudeau less likely to remain leader since Freeland quit Conservatives call for no-confidence vote by late January Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Bloc Quebecois as official Opposition? Leader says Canadians 'don't have to fear us' IN DEPTH Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power. 'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties. 'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it. Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports. 'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday. Opinion opinion | Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election? opinion | Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus. opinion | Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place. opinion | Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point. opinion | Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing. CTVNews.ca Top Stories BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. Possible explosion at Metro Vancouver strip mall under investigation Police and firefighters were called to the scene of a potential explosion at a Metro Vancouver strip mall Sunday morning. Eastern Ontario police arrest Scarborough resident found with nearly $50K of cocaine Police in eastern Ontario charged a Toronto resident who was allegedly in possession of hundreds of grams of cocaine earlier this month. 2 teenagers arrested, 1 suspect at-large after attack involving bear spray, machete A pair of teenaged boys have been charged with aggravated assault after police said they attacked a man with bear spray and a machete Friday evening. Plane crashes and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board were killed in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters, officials said. Online child exploitation spiked during lockdowns. Police worry it's here to stay Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. 4.1 magnitude earthquake in western Quebec felt in Ottawa and Montreal The earth moved in the Maniwaki area this Sunday morning. No damage was reported after a 4.1 magnitude earthquake rattled the Maniwaki area in western Quebec, according to Earthquakes Canada. Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves' L.A. home turns up in Chile Police in Chile say they have recovered three watches belonging to 'John Wick' star Keanu Reeves – including a US$9,000 Rolex – that are thought to have been stolen from the actor's Los Angeles home in late 2023. Canada Eastern Ontario police arrest Scarborough resident found with nearly $50K of cocaine Police in eastern Ontario charged a Toronto resident who was allegedly in possession of hundreds of grams of cocaine earlier this month. Police, coroner investigating two deaths at Brantford, Ont. encampment An investigation is underway into the deaths of two people at an encampment in Brantford, Ont. TSB investigating airplane landing incident at Halifax airport The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says they are investigating an aircraft incident at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport that caused temporary delays to all flight operations Saturday night. Possible explosion at Metro Vancouver strip mall under investigation Police and firefighters were called to the scene of a potential explosion at a Metro Vancouver strip mall Sunday morning. 2 teenagers arrested, 1 suspect at-large after attack involving bear spray, machete A pair of teenaged boys have been charged with aggravated assault after police said they attacked a man with bear spray and a machete Friday evening. Vancouver man defrauded Chinese developers of US$500K, court rules A Vancouver man has been ordered to pay more than US$500,000 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found he had defrauded the would-be developers of a real estate project in China of that amount. World BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Plane crashes and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board were killed in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters, officials said. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to 'hush up' the issue for days. Russian man arrested for allegedly running LGBTQ2S+ travel agency found dead in custody A Russian man arrested for allegedly running a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in custody in Moscow, rights group OVD-Info reported Sunday, amid a crackdown on LGBTQ2S+ rights in Russia. An Israeli airstrike near the Syrian capital kills 11, war monitor says An Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday killed 11 people, according to a war monitor, as Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure even after the ouster of former president Bashar Assad. Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters U.S. president-elect Donald Trump appears to be siding with Elon Musk and his other backers in the tech industry as a dispute over immigration visas has divided his supporters. Politics 'We need new leadership': Atlantic Liberal caucus calls for Trudeau's resignation The Atlantic Liberal caucus is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign as party leader in a letter expressing "deep concern" about the future of government. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Health Recognize the name Jolt Cola? The 1980s soda aims to make a comeback — this time with even more caffeine Jolt Cola, the soda brand that gained attention in the 1980s for offering “all the sugar and twice the caffeine,” is heading back to stores in 2025. This time, it’s promising more than twice the original caffeine content. Are you stretching correctly? Fitness experts break down what to do pre- and post-workout As you head into the gym, you likely already have a workout plan in mind. Maybe you're taking a light jog on the treadmill, or you're working on some bicep curls on arm's day. To get the most out of your gym session, consider first how you start and end your workouts. If you're mentally struggling during the holidays, here’s how to cope For many people, celebrating New Year’s Day can include reflecting on a life well lived or a chance to start anew. But for some, the holiday may have dark undertones, according to a recent large study. Sci-Tech Beware the slithering scales: Monkeys fear snakeskin even when it's not on a snake, study suggests A new study suggests monkeys can identify snakes by their scales, and know to fear them, even when those scales aren't on a snake. Why Nefertiti still inspires, 3,300 years after she reigned In the modern day, Nefertiti’s significance as a cultural icon remains strong. NASA spacecraft 'safe' after closest-ever approach to sun NASA said on Friday that its Parker Solar Probe was 'safe' and operating normally after successfully completing the closest-ever approach to the sun by any human-made object. Entertainment 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films dominated the holiday box office this week, with 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' winning the three-day weekend over 'Mufasa' by a blue hair. Canadian model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Dayle Haddon, an actor, activist and trailblazing former 'Sports Illustrated' model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. 'Home Alone' director Chris Columbus explains how the McCallisters were able to afford that house Audiences have wondered for years how the family in 'Home Alone' was able to afford their beautiful Chicago-area home and now we know. Business A by-the-numbers look back at Canadian finance in 2024 The big questions in Canadian finance heading into 2024 were whether the economy could avoid a recession and what would happen with interest rates. Markets stumble as Wall Street sells off Big Tech U.S. stocks ended Friday in the red, closing out a lackluster week despite a year of historic highs. Trump asks U.S. Supreme Court to pause law that could ban TikTok President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to pause implementation of a law that would ban popular social media app TikTok or force its sale, arguing he should have time after taking office to pursue a 'political resolution' to the issue. Lifestyle Looking to get rid of your Christmas tree? This farm will feed it to its goats Now that the holidays are almost over, many people may be looking to dispose of their Christmas tree. One farm in Massachusetts is letting people do just that, in a furry and eco-friendly way. Proposal gone wrong: Man opens ring box to find ring missing Dave Van Veen wanted to make his proposal to his girlfriend, Kailyn Kenney, memorable. It was, but not for the reason he had hoped. Missing dog returns to Florida family, rings doorbell After a nearly weeklong search, Athena, a four-year-old German Shepherd and Husky mix, found her way home to her Florida family in time for Christmas Eve and even rang the doorbell. Sports 'Let's not panic': Canada picks up the pieces after ugly Latvia loss at world juniors Canada was embarrassed on home soil 3-2 by Latvia — a country it had thumped by a combined 41-4 score across four previous meetings — in a shocking shootout Friday. Olympic Games in 2026 on the horizon for world champion ski jumper Alex Loutitt The words "why not me" are tattooed on the back of Alexandria Loutitt's hand between her thumb and wrist. New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. Autos Suzuki Motor former boss who turned the minicar maker into a global player dies at 94 Osamu Suzuki, the charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. who helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company, has died, the company said Friday. He was 94. More drivers opt for personalized plates in Sask. — and behind every one there's a story You may have noticed a few more vanity plates on Saskatchewan roads in recent years, and every one of them comes with a personal story. Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world's third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. Local Spotlight Community partners in Windsor propose education campaign to veer people away from payday loans In a move aimed at combatting the financial strain caused by payday loans, the City of Windsor is considering the launch of a comprehensive education campaign to promote alternative financial options. Port Elgin, Ont. woman named Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard A Port Elgin woman has been named one of three of Canada’s Favourite Crossing Guards in a recent contest. 'Something that connected us all': For 53 years, Sask. family celebrates holidays with street hockey game For over 50 years, Stephen Lentzos and his family have celebrated Christmas Day with a street hockey game. 43-quintillion combinations: Speedcubers solve Rubik's Cubes in record breaking times On Saturday, Barrie is testing the abilities of some of the fastest cube solvers from across the province and around the world. B.C woman awarded nearly $750K in court case against contractor A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision. Ho! Ho! HOLY that's cold! Montreal boogie boarder in Santa suit hits St. Lawrence waters Montreal body surfer Carlos Hebert-Plante boogie boards all year round, and donned a Santa Claus suit to hit the water on Christmas Day in -14 degree Celsius weather. Teen cancer patient pays forward Make-A-Wish donation to local fire department A 16-year-old cancer patient from Hemmingford, Que. decided to donate his Make-A-Wish Foundation gift to the local fire department rather than use it himself. B.C. friends nab 'unbelievable' $1M lotto win just before Christmas Two friends from B.C's lower mainland are feeling particularly merry this December, after a single lottery ticket purchased from a small kiosk landed them instant millionaire status. 'Can I taste it?': Rare $55,000 bottle of spirits for sale in Moncton, N.B. A rare bottle of Scotch whisky is for sale in downtown Moncton, N.B., with a price tag reading $55,000. Vancouver 2 shot during fight outside Surrey pub Two people were injured in a shooting outside of a Surrey pub in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to authorities. Possible explosion at Metro Vancouver strip mall under investigation Police and firefighters were called to the scene of a potential explosion at a Metro Vancouver strip mall Sunday morning. Canucks provide update on Hughes, Petterson Elias Petterson and Quinn Hughes will not be making the Vancouver Canucks’ upcoming two-game road trip, according to the head coach, who gave on update on the injured players Sunday. Toronto ‘Significant rainfall,’ and fog expected in the GTA, much of southern Ontario Sunday It’s expected to be a wet and foggy day across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Sunday, with as much as 30 mm of rain expected in some locations. Suspect charged after woman found dead at Niagara Falls home A suspect has been charged after a woman was found dead inside her Niagara Falls home. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Calgary 1 man hospitalized after being shot in leg near Calgary’s Drop-In Centre One man was taken to hospital after a shooting downtown Saturday night. ‘Eternal optimists’: Southern Alberta farmers wary of drought conditions look to prairie skies for comfort Mcgrath farmer Sean Stanford has lived through too many dry summers to be completely hopeful about the coming growing season in southern Alberta, but he sees signs that the summer of 2025 might be better for farmers than the last few years. Canadian float celebrating Coding for Veterans to participate in Rose Bowl Parade A Canadian parade float will be featured in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California next week. Ottawa Here's how you can watch CTV News at Six on Sundays during the NFL season With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, CTV News at Six will be broadcasting live on our website and the CTV News App. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. 4.1 magnitude earthquake in western Quebec felt in Ottawa and Montreal The earth moved in the Maniwaki area this Sunday morning. No damage was reported after a 4.1 magnitude earthquake rattled the Maniwaki area in western Quebec, according to Earthquakes Canada. Montreal BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Here's how you can watch CTV News Montreal at Six on Sundays during the NFL season With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, CTV News Montreal at Six will be broadcasting live on our website and the CTV News App. McGill research team pioneering stem cell therapy for heart disease treatment In the heart of the McGill University Health Centre’s research institute, Dr. Renzo Cecere and his team are revolutionizing the future of cardiac care. Edmonton Edmonton to start up cold weather response plan Monday morning The City of Edmonton is activating its extreme weather response plan with the weather forecast calling for cold temperatures over the next eight days. 2 vehicles fall through ice at Sylvan Lake, promoting police warning RCMP issued a warning Saturday after two vehicles fell through the ice on Sylvan Lake. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Atlantic TSB investigating airplane landing incident at Halifax airport The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says they are investigating an aircraft incident at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport that caused temporary delays to all flight operations Saturday night. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. N.B. entrepreneur honours memory of mother with 'thank you' note legacy N.B. entrepreneur Emily Somers honours her mother with 'thank you' notes. Winnipeg Stolen vehicle chase ends in arrest, drug seizure A Winnipeg man has been charged with several offences after a police chase involving a stolen vehicle and hundreds of dollars worth of drugs. Winnipeg hotel fire forces residents to evacuate A fire at a Winnipeg hotel forced residents to leave the building Sunday morning. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Regina Regina police charge 2 youths in city's 6th homicide of 2024 Two Regina teens are facing murder charges in connection to the death of a Regina man on Boxing Day. Hockey talent showcased in Regina for Male U15, Top 160 tournament The last weekend of 2024 saw Saskatchewan's best hockey players under 15 years of age showing off their skills at the Co-operators Centre in Regina. Regina man showcases local bead supply business Jeramy Hannah recently began selling beading supplies, after he realized the beaders in his life were struggling with a lack of local vendors, prompting him to create a business called Bead Bro. Kitchener Police, coroner investigating two deaths at Brantford, Ont. encampment An investigation is underway into the deaths of two people at an encampment in Brantford, Ont. Cambridge industrial plant dealing with major damages after fire A fire Saturday morning has a Cambridge industrial plant dealing with major damage. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Saskatoon U18 provincials curling tournament underway in PA Teams from across Saskatchewan are in Prince Albert for the U18 curling provincials. Police made two arrests following a shooting in Saskatoon A swift response from Saskatoon police led to the arrest of a man and woman following a reported shooting Friday afternoon. Saskatoon fire crews battle house fire Saskatoon firefighters responded to a house fire on the 100 block of Klassen Crescent Friday afternoon. Northern Ontario Mississauga tow truck driver charged for impersonating a cop in northern Ont. A southern Ontario resident has been charged for allegedly impersonating a peace officer during a towing incident in northwestern Ontario. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. London Fatal crash in Middlesex County Middlesex County OPP attended the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision in Strathroy-Caradoc early Sunday morning. New Year’s Eve in London’s Victoria Park You can ring in 2025 this Tuesday night at London’s free New Year’s Eve in the Park celebration. Can you help solve this cold case in Sarnia? Sarnia police are seeking the public’s help in finding any new leads for a cold case from over 20 years ago. Barrie Deluxe taxi goes up in flames in Barrie parking lot Some locals were quick to pull out their cellphones and capture a minivan as it went up in hot flames in a Barrie parking lot. Region under rainfall warning, fog advisory Many areas across Simcoe Muskoka, upper York Region and Grey County are under rainfall warnings and fog advisories as of Sunday morning. $47K in drugs seized, man arrested in alleged domestic assault Police in Owen Sound made one arrest and seized a ‘large’ quantity of multiple drugs after responding to an alleged domestic assault on Saturday. Windsor Crews battle two apartment fires in under two hours Windsor Fire and Rescue responded to two calls at Ouellette Avenue apartment buildings Sunday morning. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. Woman with outstanding warrant arrested in Chatham One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent police officers conducted a traffic stop Saturday in Chatham. Vancouver Island Victoria police seek witnesses, additional victims after hit-and-run spree A woman is facing seven charges after allegedly committing multiple hit-and-run crashes in a stolen vehicle while impaired, according to police in B.C.'s capital. Online child exploitation spiked during lockdowns. Police worry it's here to stay Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. Vancouver man defrauded Chinese developers of US$500K, court rules A Vancouver man has been ordered to pay more than US$500,000 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found he had defrauded the would-be developers of a real estate project in China of that amount. Kelowna B.C. team building 100 beaver 'starter homes' in the name of wetland preservation More than 70 manmade beaver dams have been installed in Interior waterways since the B.C. Wildlife Federation project launched last year with the goal of building 100 dams by the end of 2025. B.C. man charged with drug trafficking and weapons offences after CBSA investigation A resident of B.C.'s Interior has been charged with weapon and drug trafficking offences after an investigation launched by border agents at Vancouver International Airport earlier this year. B.C woman awarded nearly $750K in court case against contractor A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision. Lethbridge Lethbridge residents pay it forward as Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign exceeds fundraising goal with $232K The Salvation Army surpassed what it considered to be an ambitious fundraising goal for this holiday season. Lethbridge fire crews greet Christmas putting down structure fire at oil change business Lethbridge firefighters started off Christmas morning responding to a major structure fire at an oil change business. Lethbridge Police investigating suspicious death inside motel room Lethbridge Police are investigating after a body was found inside a southside motel room on Saturday. Sault Ste. Marie Provincial police investigate fatal commercial vehicle crash in northwestern Ont. Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal crash on Highway 17 between Sistonen's Corner to Upsala in northwestern Ontario. Mississauga tow truck driver charged for impersonating a cop in northern Ont. A southern Ontario resident has been charged for allegedly impersonating a peace officer during a towing incident in northwestern Ontario. Man shot by officer after firing at police car near Thunder Bay: SIU Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is probing a shooting near Thunder Bay in which a man was shot and wounded by a police officer on Boxing Day. N.L. Icebreaker on hand in Labrador to guide season's last freight arrivals by ferry A Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker is in central Labrador until Saturday to guide the Kamutik W ferry on its last freight deliveries of the season. Whooping cough in Canada: Outbreaks or case increases reported in these provinces Canadian health officials say they're seeing spikes in whooping cough cases in parts of the country as the U.S. deals with case numbers not seen in more than a decade. Her son needed help with addiction. Instead, he's spending Christmas in N.L. jail. As Gwen Perry prepares for a Christmas without contact from her son, who is locked inside a notorious St. John's, N.L., jail, she wants people to understand that many inmates need help, not incarceration. Stay Connected

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Rethink your next move. Someone will wait for you to make a mistake or take on too much. Excessive behavior will hold you back, but if you use your energy positively, you can formulate and deploy a cost-efficient plan within your skill set. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Concentrate on domestic matters, home and changes that make your life simpler. Express how you feel through actions, and the response you receive will make you feel safe and secure. Positive actions will encourage positive results. Make self-care a priority. Romance is in the stars. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Tunnel vision will set you back. Forward-thinking and confident movement will point you in a direction that soothes your soul and encourages you to let go of any negativity between you and the happiness you deserve. Make your voice heard, be specific and do what's best for you. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Avoid emotional reactions, spending and conjecture. Gather the facts before you share information. Be innovative and search for feasible solutions that benefit everyone involved. Put faith and hope into whatever you do or say, and you'll boost your reputation and confidence. Romance is favored. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Determine what you want to accomplish and put your energy into making progress. Surround yourself with like-minded people and organizations addressing concerns you harbor. Social events, networking and getting both sides of a story will help you make better choices. Listen, fact-check and do what makes you happy. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep the peace when dealing with family matters, joint ventures or expenses. A civil conversation will help you put an end to arguing over the same issues. What you cannot fix with words will require you to choose what makes you happy and to eliminate what's causing the problem. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Get out, participate and chitchat with people who offer a unique perspective on life, love and achieving peace of mind. An opportunity to get together with old friends or relatives will lead to exciting suggestions and prospects. Protect against health risks and follow proper protocol. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Time spent getting your place in order and ready for the festive season will give you a sense of accomplishment. Make your life more convenient and less stressful with home improvements and spending time with people who bring you joy instead of chaos. Trust your intuition and follow your heart. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pay attention to detail; if you try to wing it, someone will test you by observing what you say and do. Concentrate on facts and building up others. A positive attitude will get you the mileage required to reach your destination and reap the rewards of a job well done. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Express your feelings and address issues you have in common with loved ones' money or in contracts that you share. Offering a vision regarding your plans will help initiate positive change and put your mind at ease. Love is on the rise, and a celebration is in order. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look for an opportunity, and something scrumptious will tempt your appetite for change and positive gain. Channel your energy and focus on what's meaningful to you. Adjustments you make to your lifestyle or living arrangements will give you the boost you need to excel. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): It's okay to hesitate if something is troubling you. Don't trust secondhand information or offers that sound too good to be true. Do your homework before you agree to anything that may compromise your position, reputation or lifestyle. Choose what's best for you. Self-improvement will boost your confidence.Carver Bancorp director Grannum Colvin buys $19,999 in common stock

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Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. ( CVE:BLOC – Get Free Report ) shot up ∞ during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as C$1.83 and last traded at C$1.78. 1,133,364 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 53% from the average session volume of 2,390,324 shares. Global Blockchain Technologies Stock Up ∞ The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$1.78 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$1.78. About Global Blockchain Technologies ( Get Free Report ) Global Blockchain Technologies Corp., a tier 2 investment company, focuses on identification and investment in a diversified portfolio of public and private companies in China. The company was formerly known as Carrus Capital Corporation and changed its name to Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. in October 2017. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Global Blockchain Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Global Blockchain Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .DXC Technology Co. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

President Jimmy Carter’s work making the world a better place will continue because of his faith, a dogged determination to leave a mark on the planet and a curious late-night dream. He left the White House in bitter disappointment and frustration in early 1981 at not having a second term because of the ascendance of Ronald Reagan. The ambitious Carter was not content to build a presidential library and rest on the laurels of a Mideast peace treaty, a nuclear arms deal with the Soviet Union, expanding national parks and reemphasizing human rights in American foreign policy. There was much left undone, in his estimation, but how to go about it now that he was out of the bully pulpit? He and his wife Rosalynn decided to leverage the prestige of his being a former president into opening doors and continuing work addressing poverty, illnesses and democracy around the world. Carter said in a 2009 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they realized there could be advantages in working without the shackles of congressional approvals, presidential protocols or inter-party politics. He and Rosalynn would later talk about whether he was able to accomplish more in the world through the Carter Center than he would have as a second-term president. “I think yes,” Carter told the AJC. He reemphasized his satisfaction with his decision during an August 2015 press conference. He said, in retrospect, given the choice between winning a second term or founding the Carter Center, he would have chosen the Carter Center. The well-funded and globally respected nonprofit will carry his work and ideals well into the future. The Carters dived — freelance and sometimes to the chagrin of the White House — into brokering peace between warring groups, addressing global health, shoring up human rights, freeing hostages, spreading democracy and increasing food production. It led to a passel of recognitions and awards — including his 2002 Nobel Peace Prize. The idea for the center came to him in a night-time dream of cabins built on a patch of wooded land, incongruously, within the shadows of Atlanta’s skyline, Carter told the AJC. His center was to be a re-creation of the wooded presidential retreat at Camp David, the location where he orchestrated, through stubborn refusal to accept “no” from either side, the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. He found a patch of land east of downtown, but he had to plead with his former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, who was then mayor of Atlanta, to spare the land from a proposed highway project. The Israel-Egypt peace deal was a foreign-policy coup in the Mideast that no one has come close to replicating, and Carter’s hopes of re-creating the highlight of forging peace between implacable enemies grew into the ever-evolving Atlanta institution. The Carters wrestled with what the center’s other roles should be before turning to their personal experiences with poverty in south Georgia during the Great Depression. They recalled small-town values of neighborly help and their deeply held Christian values and applied those to Carter Center work. At the center’s founding, his work focused on mediating peace between warring groups, such as helping end a conflict between Ethiopia and its breakaway region of Eritrea. “And we still do some of that,” Carter said, but the focus of the center’s work changed and shifted with world need. They looked for causes few others were working on and used their status to leverage donations and attention, ultimately tipping the balance in battles against various human ills. The Carters’ work moved into fostering democracy by monitoring national and village level elections. Carter and his staff monitored more than 113 elections in 39 countries. As president, he helped normalize relations with China, and its government invited him in the 1990s to help standardize the vast array of electoral procedures in rural areas. The Carters adopted mental health issues, something Rosalynn had worked on since their days in the Georgia governor’s mansion, as well as press freedoms, human rights and government transparency. They threw themselves into food production programs in African villages, something Carter had worked on as president. But it was a visit from an old Georgia friend and former White House staffer Dr. Peter Bourne that opened the former president’s eyes to the issues on which a lion’s share of Carter Center money is spent: the eradication of little-known but devastating diseases. Bourne continued working on world health issues after leaving the White House, but the former president had him come to the Carter Center in May 1985 to talk about Guinea worm disease. Bourne and others believed it could be wiped out, which would make it the second human disease in history to be eliminated, after smallpox. Later that year, Bourne and the Carters were together in Wales indulging in one of their favorite pastimes, fishing. Bourne told them that others had some success eradicating Guinea worm at local levels in Africa and south Asia, where about 3.5 million people were affected. They knew that once the parasitic, water-born cycle was broken, it would be wiped from the earth. But those working on it didn’t have the political clout to convince countries to get involved at the highest levels. Carter could bring that, Bourne told them. Carter thought about it a few weeks, then called Bourne to say he was in. “He has been the driving force in getting the political will necessary ever since,” Bourne said. With Carter raising the profile of the illness and money — the center’s assets were more than $925 million according to its 2020 annual report — governments and nonprofits got behind it. Guinea worm was down to 14 reported cases in 2021 in four African countries, the center said. “We analyzed every human illness on earth to ascertain which ones of those might theoretically be ... eradicated,” Carter said. And they chose four others in addition to Guinea worm. River blindness was found in Africa and parts of Central and South America. By 2015, the center’s work coordinating nonprofits and governments pushed the disease into a few isolated deep-jungle spots in Venezuela and Brazil. With a great deal of optimism, the center moved in 2014 to declare a war on eradication of river blindness in Africa, where more than 100 million people are at risk. The center also began programs for trachoma, an infectious eye disease causing blindness; two diseases carried by parasitic worms, elephantiasis and schistosomiasis; and malaria in the Caribbean. The center will carry the couple’s work well past their demise. “I think 100 years from now we will still have the Carter Center as an independent entity,” Carter said. “I hope they are still doing the kinds of good things we have done so far.”

Pittsburgh Steelers likely to play in Ireland game in 2025Long-suffering fans of the Dallas Cowboys could be forgiven for thinking that their season from hell couldn't possibly get any worse. Unfortunately, however, there is every chance that the iconic NFL franchise is still making its way to rock-bottom as they prepare to face the in-form Washington Commanders on Sunday. Record defeats, a miserable home losing streak and a season-ending injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott would have been bad enough. But on Monday, just to add to the impression of an organization engulfed by chaos, sections of metal sheeting from the roof of the AT&T Stadium plunged to the field before the team slumped to an abject 34-10 defeat to Houston. The jokes about the sky falling in on Dallas wrote themselves. Not for the first time, the franchise that likes to think of itself as "America's Team" had instead become America's punchline. But after the Cowboys latest loss, which virtually extinguished any chance of a ticket to the post-season, even the team's harshest critics began to take pity. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who regularly delights in trolling the Cowboys, insisted that the club's crisis was no laughing matter. "This is a horror show," Smith said solemnly on ESPN's 'First Take' program this week. "I like getting on the Cowboys fans, and I enjoy their misery. But they've stripped the fun out of this because of how god-awful they have been. I can't believe how bad they are." The Cowboys' fall from grace has been decades in the making. The team which dominated the NFL in the early part of the 1990s -- winning three Super Bowls in four seasons between 1993 and 1996 -- has not been back to the championship game since that golden era. Head coaches and quarterbacks have come and gone, and none have come close to returning the Cowboys to the pinnacle of the NFL, despite the team being ranked as the most valuable sports franchise in the world according to Forbes, with a valuation of $11 billion. The one constant during those decades of disappointment has been owner Jerry Jones, the Texas billionaire who bought the team in 1989. Jones, one of the NFL's most colorful and polarizing personalities, was at a loss to explain the team's current problems. "I don't know that there's anything beyond the obvious -- and that is we just aren't playing very well," Jones told reporters after Monday's home defeat to Houston. The Cowboys stat-line this season makes for grim reading. After opening the campaign with a 33-17 defeat of Cleveland, the wheels came off in a 44-19 home loss to the New Orleans Saints where Dallas' vaunted defense leaked a whopping six touchdowns. To date, the Saints have scored more touchdowns at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington this season than the Cowboys. Other brutal losses have followed, notably a 47-9 home shellacking by the Detroit Lions, and a 34-6 trouncing by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys, who are 3-7 in the NFC East, are the only team in North American professional sport who have not managed to win a game at home in 2024. There is every chance that Washington, led by their talented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and expertly coached by former Dallas defensive guru Dan Quinn, will add to the Cowboys' woe when they host the Texas club on Sunday. It has left Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract, facing a bleak future. McCarthy put a defiant face on his team's problems as they attempt to somehow stop the bleeding. "We got seven losses. We've got to go. Backs against the wall. We got to fight, scratch, claw," McCarthy said. "We've got to do everything we can to go win the next game. That's where my mind's at." Jones, meanwhile, attempted to put a brave face on the team's season of woe, insisting he has seen worse. "You stay in this league long enough, you'll have times like this," the 82-year-old tycoon said. rcw/js

Wake Forest keeps trying new things early in the season, even if not all of the adjustments are by design. The Demon Deacons will try to stick to the script when Detroit Mercy visits for Saturday's game in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons (5-1) will be at home for the final time prior to three consecutive road games. Detroit Mercy (3-2) already has two more victories than all of last season. After a couple of narrow wins and a loss at Xavier, Wake Forest had a smoother time earlier this week in defeating visiting Western Carolina 82-69 on Tuesday night. Yet these are games when teams have to figure where contributions are going to come from in certain situations. The experimenting took a turn for Wake Forest in the Western Carolina game. Center Efton Reid III had limited minutes because of migraines, so there was a shift in responsibilities. Normal backcourt players Cameron Hildreth and Juke Harris logged time at the power forward slot. "That's just part of it," coach Steve Forbes said. "They did a good job adjusting. We ran a lot of stuff and there are several guys learning different positions. ... I give credit to those guys for doing the best job that they could do on the fly and adjusting to the play calls that we ran and the stuff that we changed." Wake Forest could excel if both Parker Friedrichsen and Davin Cosby can be consistent 3-point threats. Friedrichsen slumped with shooting in the first few games of the season and was replaced in the starting lineup by Cosby. In Tuesday's game, Friedrichsen drained four 3-pointers, while Cosby hit two. "It was really good to see Parker and Davin both make shots together," Forbes said. Not everything was solved for the Demon Deacons. Western Carolina collected 12 offensive rebounds, and that took some of the shine off Wake Forest's defensive efforts. "We can't be a good defensive team, or a really good defensive team, unless we rebound the ball," Forbes said. "It's demoralizing to your defense to get stops and then not get the ball." In Detroit Mercy's 70-59 win at Ball State on Wednesday, Orlando Lovejoy tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. "We got the ball to the shooters and playmakers," first-year Titans coach Mark Montgomery said. "You could tell by the guys' body language that we were going to get a road win. It had been a long time coming." On Saturday, the Titans will look for their second road victory since February 2023. The outcome at Ball State seemed significant to Montgomery. "We had to get over the hump," he said. "Our guys grinded it out." --Field Level MediaChristmas cheese recalled from supermarkets due to potentially deadly bacteriaCharles Shyer, the Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker known for classic comedies like “Private Benjamin,” “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride” that he made alongside Nancy Meyers, has died. He was 83. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Charles Shyer, the Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker known for classic comedies like “Private Benjamin,” “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride” that he made alongside Nancy Meyers, has died. He was 83. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Charles Shyer, the Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker known for classic comedies like “Private Benjamin,” “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride” that he made alongside Nancy Meyers, has died. He was 83. Shyer died in Los Angeles on Friday, his daughter, filmmaker Hallie Meyers-Shyer told The Associated Press on Sunday. No cause was disclosed. A son of Hollywood, whose father Melville Shyer was one of the founding members of the Directors Guild of America, Shyer made an indelible mark on comedies, mostly of the romantic persuasion, in the 1980s and 1990s. Born in Los Angeles in 1941, Shyer cut his teeth writing for television, assisting Garry Marshall and working on shows like “The Odd Couple” before transitioning to films. He had writing credits on “Smokey and the Bandit,” Jack Nicholson’s “Goin’ South” and the Walter Matthau drama “House Calls.” A big breakthrough came with “Private Benjamin,” the Goldie Hawn comedy about a wealthy woman who inadvertently signs up for basic training, which he co-wrote with Meyers and Harvey Miller. It was a script that was initially turned down by every studio in Hollywood, even with Hawn attached to star and produce. “We went to a meeting at Paramount after they read the script, and Mike Eisner was the president of the studio, and we sat in his office with Mike and (producer) Don Simpson. And Mike said to Goldie, ‘This is a mistake for you to make this movie,’” Shyer told Indiewire in 2022. “God bless Don Simpson who spoke up and said, ‘Mike, you’re 100% wrong on this one.’” The movie became one of the biggest hits of 1980. It got them an Oscar nomination and a win from the Writers Guild and also paved the way for his directorial debut “Irreconcilable Differences.” That film, which he also wrote with Meyers (they married in 1980), starred Shelley Long and Ryan O’Neal as a writing-directing duo whose relationship crumbles after success and an infatuation with a young actor played by Sharon Stone. It was partially inspired by the tabloid affairs of Peter Bogdanovich, who left his wife and producer Polly Platt for Cybill Shepherd. “Nancy and I just laughed at the same things. We love the same movies, we kind of educate each other on the movies that each of us loved,” Shyer told The Hollywood Reporter. “And Nancy really made me laugh. I think she wrote the best one-liners of anybody I know, except Neil Simon. And, and we were just always in sync — as filmmakers, we had this thing.” They followed with “Baby Boom,” in which Diane Keaton plays a working woman who suddenly has to care for a baby, and “Father of the Bride,” which reimagined Vincente Minnelli’s 1950 film for the 1990s with Keaton, Steve Martin and Martin Short leading the comedic ensemble. It was successful enough to spawn a sequel. Shyer and Meyers’ last collaboration as a married couple before divorcing in 1999 was the remake of “The Parent Trap,” with Lindsay Lohan, which Meyers directed and Shyer co-wrote and produced. Their daughters Annie and Hallie, whose names were used for Lohan’s twin characters, both appeared in the film. Shyer is also survived by two children, Jacob and Sophia, from a subsequent marriage that ended in divorce. While Shyer often found himself doing remakes, he and Meyers never wanted to do “carbon copies” of the originals and always endeavored to put their own stamp on their films. But even he was surprised by the longevity of some of them, remembering an old Billy Wilder quote that “comedy is not like fine wine, it does not age well.” But, he said, they tried to avoid the temptation to include too many timely references. “You try to write things that are not basically of the moment, especially in comedy,” he told Indiewire. “Try to write stories about human beings that will reflect on today and tomorrow and yesterday.” Shyer went on to remake “Alfie,” with Jude Law, and the Hilary Swank period drama “The Affair of the Necklace,” neither of which did well at the box office. He also directed the Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte movie “I Love Trouble,” the only film of his that he admitted he didn’t like. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Other films never saw the light of day: He spent a year and a half prepping “Eloise in Paris” but it was canceled when the production company suddenly went out of business. He stepped away from directing for many years but returned in recent years with two Netflix Christmas romantic comedies: “The Noel Diary” and “Best. Christmas. Ever!” “I just gravitated towards stuff I like,” he told Indiewire. “I’ve never seen a James Bond movie. I’ve never seen one. I never liked science-fiction movies. ... I like movies about people, and I want them to have substance.” Shyer had told Indiewire that he was working on a script he’d been thinking about for decades, since he was hospitalized briefly at 17. He described the movie as a cross between “The 400 Blows” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” And retirement, he said at the time, was not in the cards. “What am I going to do? Garden?” he said. “I just have a lot of energy. I want to keep going. I actually love the process and I love the camaraderie. I love what I do. If I drop dead, maybe it will be holding a camera.” Advertisement Advertisement

A U.S. court’s decision holding an Israeli company liable for surreptitiously installing Pegasus, a spyware suite, on the phones of targeted individuals through WhatsApp, has brought the focus back on the Centre’s questionable inaction when such surveillance allegations surfaced in India in 2021. The U.S. District Court for Northern District of California ruled that NSO Group Technologies violated both federal and State laws against computer fraud and abuse. WhatsApp sued the NSO Group in October 2019, alleging that its system was used by the Israeli company to plant malware on approximately 1,400 mobile phones and devices for surveilling their users. In a summary judgment, the court agreed with WhatsApp that its application had been reverse-engineered or ‘decompiled’ to create a modified version called ‘WhatsApp Installation Server’ or WIS. In the backdrop of this ruling, the question that arises in India is about the fate of reports submitted by a court-appointed expert committee in 2022 to the Supreme Court of India. The then Chief Justice of India (CJI), N.V. Ramana, had read out a few paragraphs from the report of the panel’s overseeing judge, Justice (retired) R.V. Raveendran. The report said the Technical Committee found no conclusive evidence on the presence of Pegasus, but there was some kind of malware in five out of the 29 phones examined. The reports are yet to be made public. Even if there was no effective hearing or follow-up action, what cannot be forgotten is that CJI Ramana had observed in open court that the government did not cooperate with the committee’s investigation. It was conduct typical of the Modi regime, which has repeatedly demonstrated that silence, denial and obfuscation form its stock responses whenever allegations emerge. It showed no interest in probing disclosures that the phones of journalists, activists, doctors and court staff were targets of spyware. It made a strange claim that the country had such ironclad laws that illegal surveillance was not possible. It adopted the untenable position that acknowledging that its agencies possessed any particular software would jeopardise national security. All this, despite admitting in Parliament that it was aware of some users being targeted by Pegasus through WhatsApp. It did not respond to credible reports that Pegasus may have been used to plant evidence on computers to frame dissidents. In the light of a judicial decision, albeit an overseas one, that the NSO Group is liable for the use of its spyware by its clients, solely government entities, the time has come for sealed reports to be opened and deeper probes begun. The government should come clean on whether it possesses surveillance software. Otherwise, citizens will be rendered even more vulnerable to illegal surveillance. Published - December 25, 2024 12:08 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit USA / judiciary (system of justice) / Pegasus surveillance / India / laws / Israel / mobile phones / technology (general) / investigation / government / Narendra Modi / parliament / national security / software

WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them.In a postgame press conference with the media this week after a home loss to the Atlanta Hawks , Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard set the record straight on his reputation as a negative defender. According to Lillard, he doesn't get his due credit on that end of the floor since he doesn't often get torched like others in his position. “In the last couple years of my career, it’s been something that I’ve taken pride in," said Lillard . "I think early in my career, like most young players, especially scoring young players, it’s a learning curve defensively. Not just physically, but when you don’t know the terminology, you don’t know personnel that well, it’s a challenge to be a good defender in the NBA. And as I’ve become more experienced, I think it’s carried on as more of a narrative than actual truth. Guys not just coming out here breaking me off and putting me out there and scoring on me over and over." At 6'2" and 195 pounds, Lillard doesn't have the frame of a defensive stopper but with attention to detail, experience, and consistent effort Lillard has managed to make great improvements from his early days in the league. “And I also never been a guy that’s going to shy away from it. You seek me out, I'm going to come to it and we are going to do it however we gotta do it," Lillard said. "But like I said, I think it’s more of a narrative than anything else. I get my hands on the ball. I’m physical. I’m in the action. So I think that being a stat, just shows you I’m not just out there. Sometimes it’s on the ball. Sometimes I’m coming over to help. Just trying to make something happen.” Lillard has hovered around the same defensive numbers for years. He started his career with a rating of 112.5 and that number has fluctuated over the years with various lineups. This season, Lillard's defensive rating is 116.2, the lowest it has been since the 2018-19 season. Individually, Lillard certainly tries on defense and he always puts up some resistance against the NBA's best point guards. Unfortunately for Lillard, his teams have always struggled on the defensive end and it seems his efforts are never quite good enough to make a positive influence on that end of the floor. Compared to Jrue Holiday, he's a massive downgrade for the Bucks on the defensive side of the ball. Of course, this season as a whole has been difficult for Lillard and his team. After starting the season 3-8, Milwaukee hit rock bottom early before a recent win streak put them back in play for a top-six seed. For his part, Lillard is trying his best to stop the bleeding with averages of 25.9 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game on 45.1% shooting. At 11-10, the Bucks have risen to 5th in the East and they rank 12th on defense with a 113.2 defensive rating. Tonight, they will fight to stay above .500 against the Boston Celtics at 7:30 PM EST at TD Garden. On December 8th, Lillard and the Bucks will head to Barclays Center for a showdown against the Brooklyn Nets at 3:30 PM EST. It's their final game before the East Quarterfinal of the NBA Emirates Cup against the Orlando Magic at 7:00 PM EST. This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

FirstService Co. ( NASDAQ:FSV – Get Free Report ) (TSE:FSV) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, December 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a dividend of 0.25 per share by the financial services provider on Tuesday, January 7th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.54%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. FirstService has increased its dividend payment by an average of 10.9% annually over the last three years. FirstService has a payout ratio of 17.8% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect FirstService to earn $5.21 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.00 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 19.2%. FirstService Price Performance Shares of FSV opened at $183.72 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $188.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $176.87. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. FirstService has a twelve month low of $141.26 and a twelve month high of $197.84. The company has a market cap of $8.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 76.55 and a beta of 1.04. Analysts Set New Price Targets FSV has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. TD Securities boosted their price objective on shares of FirstService from $179.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on FirstService from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 21st. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of FirstService from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of FirstService from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, FirstService has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $198.33. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on FSV About FirstService ( Get Free Report ) FirstService Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides residential property management and other essential property services to residential and commercial customers in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments: FirstService Residential and FirstService Brands. The FirstService Residential segment offers services for private residential communities, such as condominiums, co-operatives, homeowner associations, master-planned communities, active adult and lifestyle communities, and various other residential developments. Read More Receive News & Ratings for FirstService Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FirstService and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Tandem Group plc ( LON:TND – Get Free Report ) fell 4% on Friday . The stock traded as low as GBX 156 ($1.96) and last traded at GBX 156 ($1.96). 4 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 100% from the average session volume of 3,996 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 162.50 ($2.04). Tandem Group Stock Down 4.0 % The company has a market cap of £8.53 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -975.00, a PEG ratio of 0.03 and a beta of 1.43. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 162.79 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 162.74. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 1.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.32. Tandem Group Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Tandem Group plc designs, develops, distributes, and retails sports, leisure, and mobility products in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company offers bicycles and accessories under the Boss, British Eagle, Claud Butler, Dawes, Elswick, Explorer, Falcon, Pulse, Squish, Townsend, and Zombie brands; football training products under the Kickmaster and Strike brands; golf products under the Ben Sayers and Pro Rider brands; and garden and camping products under the Airwave and Airwave Four Seasons brands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Tandem Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tandem Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.30 on January 14thJimmy Carter, the United States’ longest-lived president, was never afraid to speak his mind. Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took potshots at former British prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush, among others. His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit. Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr swept to power in 1977 with his Trust Me campaign helping to beat Republican president Gerald Ford. Serving as the 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, he sought to make government “competent and compassionate” but was ousted by the unstoppable Hollywood appeal of a certain Ronald Reagan. A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains, Georgia, to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business. A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement. But he will also be remembered for a bizarre encounter with a deeply disgruntled opponent. The president was enjoying a relaxing fishing trip near his home town in 1979 when his craft was attacked by a furious swamp rabbit which reportedly swam up to the boat hissing wildly. The press had a field day, with one paper bearing the headline President Attacked By Rabbit. Away from encounters with belligerent bunnies, Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age. He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump. He also famously mounted a ferocious and personal attack on Tony Blair over the Iraq war, weeks before the prime minister left office in June 2007. Mr Carter, who had already denounced George W Bush’s presidency as “the worst in history”, used an interview on BBC radio to condemn Mr Blair for his tight relations with Mr Bush, particularly concerning the Iraq War. Asked how he would characterise Mr Blair’s relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Carter replied: “Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient. “I think that the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world.” Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency. His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism. He was said to have ignored the warnings of many prominent Zimbabweans, black and white, about what sort of leader Mugabe would be. This was seen by Mr Carter’s critics as “deserving a prominent place among the outrages of the Carter years”. Mr Carter has since said he and his administration had spent more effort and worry on Rhodesia than on the Middle East. He admitted he had supported two revolutionaries in Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and with hindsight said later that Mugabe had been “a good leader gone bad”, having at first been “a very enlightened president”. One US commentator wrote: “History will not look kindly on those in the West who insisted on bringing the avowed Marxist Mugabe into the government. “In particular, the Jimmy Carter foreign policy... bears some responsibility for the fate of a small African country with scant connection to American national interests.” In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes. Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes. In 2010 he returned to the White House to greet President Barack Obama and discuss international affairs amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Proving politics runs in the family, in 2013 his grandson Jason, a state senator, announced his bid to become governor in Georgia, where his famous grandfather governed before becoming president. He eventually lost to incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Fears that Mr Carter’s health was deteriorating were sparked in 2015 when he cut short an election observation visit in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”. It would have been Mr Carter’s 39th trip to personally observe an international election. Three months later, on August 12, he revealed he had cancer which had been diagnosed after he underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver. Mr Obama was among the well-wishers hoping for Mr Carter’s full recovery after it was confirmed the cancer had spread widely. Melanoma had been found in his brain and liver, and Mr Carter underwent immunotherapy and radiation therapy, before announcing in March the following year that he no longer needed any treatment. In 2017, Mr Carter was taken to hospital as a precaution, after he became dehydrated at a home-building project in Canada. He was admitted to hospital on multiple occasions in 2019 having had a series of falls, suffering a brain bleed and a broken pelvis, as well as a stint to be treated for a urinary tract infection. Mr Carter spent much of the coronavirus pandemic largely at his home in Georgia, and did not attend Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021, but extended his “best wishes”. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Mr Carter during his term as US president, died in November 2023. She had been living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Mr Carter said in a statement following her death. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

Times News Network Ludhiana: With work on the new bridge over Buddha Dariya starting, residents of New Madhopuri can expect some relief from flooding caused by the drain overflowing. Work on the bridge was formally inaugurated on Friday. The existing bridge is small and obstructs the flow of the drain during heavy rainfall, leading to flooding. To address this, the municipal corporation floated tenders to build a new bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 1.96 crore under the Ludhiana Smart City Mission . The new bridge will be designed to facilitate smoother water flow, reducing the risk of waterlogging in surrounding areas. By constructing a higher and bigger bridge, the danger of waterlogging will be significantly reduced. The proposal to replace old bridges on Buddha Dariya with wider ones was first made a decade ago. However, financial constraints and other issues hindered progress till it was taken up under the Smart City mission. The project has to be completed by the end of March, 2025, which is the official deadline for remaining Smart City works. MLA, Ludhiana Central Ashok Prashar Pappi inaugurated development projects worth around Rs 5.67 crore in different areas of Ludhiana central constituency on Friday, including this bridge. He also launched projects to reconstruct streets in different areas of the constituency, including Amarpura, Janakpuri, Hari Kartar colony, Cheema colony, near Kusht Ashram, New Shivaji Nagar, Hargobind Nagar and Mohalla Bhardwaj. We also published the following articles recently No one wants to clean Buddha Dariya? Ludhiana's Buddha Dariya, a major Satluj River pollutant, remains a political pawn. Parties consistently pledge cleanup during elections, but little changes. A 650 crore rejuvenation project faces legal hurdles, and despite new treatment plants, pollution persists. Residents and political figures blame a lack of will and suggest stricter enforcement against polluting industries is crucial for real progress. Box bridge to be 1st direct Hatiara-New Town link A new 20-meter box bridge is being constructed over a feeder canal near Eco Park in Kolkata, connecting Hatiara and Nawpara to New Town. This Rs 1.3 crore project will provide a direct route, eliminating the current need for detours through inner lanes or a dilapidated bamboo bridge. Box bridge to be 1st direct Hatiara-New Town link A new 20-meter box bridge is being constructed over a feeder canal near Eco Park in Kolkata, connecting Hatiara and Nawpara to New Town. This Rs 1.3 crore project will provide a direct route, eliminating the current need for detours through inner lanes or a dilapidated bamboo bridge. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

Ex-DePaul guard leads N. Illinois against Chris Holtmann's Blue DemonsWake Forest keeps trying new things early in the season, even if not all of the adjustments are by design. The Demon Deacons will try to stick to the script when Detroit Mercy visits for Saturday's game in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons (5-1) will be at home for the final time prior to three consecutive road games. Detroit Mercy (3-2) already has two more victories than all of last season. After a couple of narrow wins and a loss at Xavier, Wake Forest had a smoother time earlier this week in defeating visiting Western Carolina 82-69 on Tuesday night. Yet these are games when teams have to figure where contributions are going to come from in certain situations. The experimenting took a turn for Wake Forest in the Western Carolina game. Center Efton Reid III had limited minutes because of migraines, so there was a shift in responsibilities. Normal backcourt players Cameron Hildreth and Juke Harris logged time at the power forward slot. "That's just part of it," coach Steve Forbes said. "They did a good job adjusting. We ran a lot of stuff and there are several guys learning different positions. ... I give credit to those guys for doing the best job that they could do on the fly and adjusting to the play calls that we ran and the stuff that we changed." Wake Forest could excel if both Parker Friedrichsen and Davin Cosby can be consistent 3-point threats. Friedrichsen slumped with shooting in the first few games of the season and was replaced in the starting lineup by Cosby. In Tuesday's game, Friedrichsen drained four 3-pointers, while Cosby hit two. "It was really good to see Parker and Davin both make shots together," Forbes said. Not everything was solved for the Demon Deacons. Western Carolina collected 12 offensive rebounds, and that took some of the shine off Wake Forest's defensive efforts. "We can't be a good defensive team, or a really good defensive team, unless we rebound the ball," Forbes said. "It's demoralizing to your defense to get stops and then not get the ball." In Detroit Mercy's 70-59 win at Ball State on Wednesday, Orlando Lovejoy tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. "We got the ball to the shooters and playmakers," first-year Titans coach Mark Montgomery said. "You could tell by the guys' body language that we were going to get a road win. It had been a long time coming." On Saturday, the Titans will look for their second road victory since February 2023. The outcome at Ball State seemed significant to Montgomery. "We had to get over the hump," he said. "Our guys grinded it out." --Field Level Media

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DC6MCCB Accessories Motor Drive: Enhancing Circuit Breaker Functionality 12-26-2024 05:32 PM CET | Industry, Real Estate & Construction Press release from: ABNewswire The DC6 MCCB (Molded Case Circuit Breaker) accessories motor drive [ https://www.w9-group.com/dc6-motor-drive-product/ ] is a device developed to help in the operation of circuit breakers remotely and automatically in modern electrical systems. This versatile device can be used with different ratings of voltage, such as DC24V, 110VDC, 220V AC, and 400V AC. The motor drive enhances the functionality of circuit breakers by enabling remote operation, improving safety, and facilitating automation in electrical distribution systems. Image: https://ecdn6.globalso.com/upload/p/1205/image_product/2024-11/1-40.png Image: https://ecdn6.globalso.com/upload/p/1205/image_product/2024-11/2-36.png Features and Benefits Remote Operation The DC6 motor drive [ https://www.w9-group.com/dc6-motor-drive-product/ ] basically provides remotely controlled operations for circuit breakers such as closing, opening, and re-closing. This feature will be highly useful in scenarios where installation of the circuit breaker location is inaccessible or when response times are critical. Versatile Voltage Options This model has been tested for various ratings separated by a number of different voltages: DC24V, 110VDC, 220V AC, and 400V AC. Therefore, the motor drive can be connected to different systems without additional voltage changeover equipment. Protection Degree IP40 The IP40 protection rating means the motor drive is protected against solid objects larger than 1mm, giving some reasonable protection against dust and generally improving reliability. Reliable Insulation The motor drive has good insulation, using high-quality materials to ensure electrical safety and to minimize the likelihood of a short circuit or electrical failure. Three-Position Indication The motor-operated drive indicates the position of the circuit breaker clearly through its three positions: 0, open; I, closed; and free trip. This ensures that an operator is able to quickly tell the state of a circuit breaker from a distance. Free Circuit Breaker Trip In case of fault or overload, the motor drive allows the circuit breaker to trip freely. This enables fast disconnection of the electrical circuit and prevents damage or ensures safety from hazards. Manual and Automatic Operation The DC6 motor drive provides both manual and automatic modes of operation, thereby giving flexibility to the way that the circuit breaker can be controlled. Operation Modes Manual Control Manual control of the circuit breaker is effected by first pulling the "manual/auto" switch to the manual position, after which the operator may turn the circuit breaker on and off with the operation handle as desired. This mode is useful for local control and during maintenance procedures. Automatic Operation In the automatic mode, the "manual/auto" switch is in the automatic position. Remotely operated by a remote control panel, acting on "close" or "open" buttons, the circuit breaker may be controlled. This mode is very suitable for centralized control systems and automated processes. Working Principle The DC6 MCCB accessories motor drive operates using an electric motor to control the circuit breaker's mechanism. Powered by various voltage options (DC24V, 110VDC, 220V AC, or 400V AC), it requires a control voltage between 85% and 110% of the nominal voltage for reliable operation. The motor drive receives control signals from remote locations or automated systems, activating the internal motor upon command. Once activated, the motor's rotational motion is converted to linear motion through a gear mechanism. This linear motion is then transferred to the circuit breaker's operating mechanism via mechanical linkages, overcoming the spring force of the contacts. Depending on the control signal, the linkage either closes or opens the circuit breaker contacts. Throughout this process, the motor drive's position indication system updates to reflect the current state of the circuit breaker. Application Scenarios The DC6 MCCB accessories motor drive finds applications in various sectors: * Industrial Facilities: Large manufacturing plants or processing facilities in which circuit breakers are located in places not easily accessible or hazardous in nature. * Power distribution: In electrical substations and distribution centers for rapid response to changes in load or fault conditions. * Data Centers: Where fast and accurate control over the distribution of power is paramount for maximizing uptime and protection of sensitive equipment. * Building Management:To provide a means of centralized control over electrical systems in large commercial or residential buildings. * Renewable Energy:Circuit breakers in solar or wind farms are critical for remote operation to ensure efficient power management and integration with the grid. The DC6 MCCB accessories motor drive [ https://www.w9-group.com/dc6-motor-drive-product/ ] is a technological advancement in circuit breaker control, flexibility, and safety. This device will assume a very fundamental place through remote operations and automation of the circuit breakers in modern electrical distribution systems, improving efficiency and reducing response times to critical situations. Whether used in industrial settings, data centers, or smart building applications, the DC6 motor drive provides a reliable and versatile solution for circuit breaker control and monitoring. Media Contact Company Name: W9 group Technology Electronic Co,. Ltd. Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=dc6mccbaccessories-motor-driveenhancing-circuit-breaker-functionality ] Phone: +8615906878798 Address:No. 36, Punan Second Road, Yueqing Economic Development Zone City: Wenzhou State: Zhejiang Country: China Website: https://www.w9-group.com/ This release was published on openPR.Kinkead Dent and diverse ground game powers UT Martin past New Hampshire, 41-10 in FCS 1st roundNavigating Technological Sovereignty in the Digital Age

McGill runs for 2TDs and North Texas becomes bowl eligible by beating Temple 24-17Abercrombie & Fitch director Suzanne Coulter sells $459,200 in stockMichigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant , a projected first-round pick and the No. 25 player on The Athletic ’s Big Board , has declared for the NFL Draft. Grant joined forces with Mason Graham over the past three years to give Michigan one of the most dominant interior defensive lines in college football. Listed at 6 feet 3 and 339 pounds, Grant has unusual quickness and agility for his size, as he showed by chasing down Penn State running back Kaytron Allen from behind last season. He had a memorable sack of Washington ’s Michael Penix Jr. in the College Football Playoff title game and closed his Michigan career on a high note in the Wolverines’ recent upset of Ohio State . Advertisement Grant signed with Michigan as a three-star recruit from Merrillville, Ind., and quickly outplayed his recruiting ranking. After splitting snaps as part of a deep rotation last season, he showed he could handle a heavier workload while starting all 12 games as a junior. He finished his Michigan career with 69 tackles, including 11.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks. Grant is the fourth member of Michigan’s junior class to declare for the draft before Tuesday’s ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama , joining Graham , tight end Colston Loveland and cornerback Will Johnson . All four players are regarded as potential first-round picks. Go Blue 4L💙 pic.twitter.com/Z46HuY2wHN — Kenneth Grant (KG) 〽️ (@KennyGrant78) December 26, 2024 Analyzing Grant’s draft stock A bear on wheels, Grant is arguably the most athletic big man in this class. With a nearly 30-inch vertical and a top GPS speed of nearly 18 miles per hour, the member of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List made several highlight-level tackles at Michigan simply by chasing down running backs from absurd angles. This play from Kenneth Grant is just wild to watch. This man is 6’3 340 LBS tracking down Kaytron Allen 🤯 pic.twitter.com/o3EUFbBsSu — Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) November 11, 2023 An undiscovered gem at Michigan, Grant has improved every year he’s been in college and has been a problem for offenses in the run since his arrival. Grant’s pass rush is still a work in progress, as a lot of his wins are based purely on the fact he’s a better athlete than the player across from him. He doesn’t have power everywhere the way his teammate Graham does — and Grant has been able to work next to Graham, the best defensive tackle in college football, creating more opportunity. Grant’s athleticism is first-round quality. Whether or not teams will be convinced his technique is ready to make an impact quickly remains to be seen. If he works out at the NFL Scouting Combine, it’ll be must-see television. (Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)

CeeDee Lamb's season is over but Micah Parsons' message should make everyone understand how special his 2024 season was