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Lendmark Financial Services Announces the Elevation of Bret Hyler to President & Chief Operations Officer and Retirement of Two C-Suite MembersSouth Korea Authorities Seek Arrest Warrant of Impeached President After He Defies Summons For Third Time In A Row

TORONTO, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northland Power Inc. (TSX: ) (“ ” or the “ ”) announced today that Christine Healy will officially assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer and be appointed as a director of the Company on January 20, 2025, following an update to the timelines previously shared at the time of her appointment. “We are thrilled that Christine was able to arrange her affairs to join us earlier than expected. We are looking forward to welcoming her to Northland on January 20, 2025,” said John Brace, Interim President & CEO and Board Chair. Northland Power is a global power producer dedicated to helping the clean energy transition by producing electricity from clean renewable resources. Founded in 1987, Northland has a long history of developing, building, owning and operating clean and green power infrastructure assets and is a global leader in offshore wind. In addition, Northland owns and manages a diversified generation mix including onshore renewables, natural gas energy, as well as supplying energy through a regulated utility. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with global offices in eight countries, Northland owns or has an economic interest in approximately 3.2GW (net 2.8GW) of operating capacity. The Company also has a significant inventory of projects in construction and in various stages of development encompassing approximately 12GW of potential capacity. Publicly traded since 1997, Northland’s common shares, Series 1 and Series 2 preferred shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols NPI, NPI.PR.A and NPI.PR.B, respectively. : Dario Neimarlija, Vice President, FP&A and Investor Relations 647-288-1019 Victor Gravili, Head of Global Brand & Integrated Communications 647-288-1105CLEVELAND (AP) — Two days before recording another milestone, resume-building sack on Sunday at Cincinnati, Myles Garrett delivered a jarring hit — on the Browns. In this case, any roughness could be deemed necessary. Garrett piled on to what has been a painful and puzzling season in Cleveland by saying he doesn’t have any interest in going through another rebuild and wants to know exactly what the organization’s offseason plans are to fix things. If that wasn’t enough, Garrett indicated for the first time that he would consider leaving the Browns if his vision doesn’t mesh with the team’s ambitions. “It’s a possibility,” he said of playing elsewhere. “But I want to be a Cleveland Brown. I want to play my career here.” It’s unclear how Garrett’s comments were received by owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, who have plenty to consider as the Browns (3-12) head into the final two weeks of a season that began with playoff expectations and could be followed by upheaval. The Browns haven’t been this bad since going 0-16 in 2017. Garrett, who reached 100 career sacks by taking down Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow late in the first half of Sunday’s 24-6 loss , may have either added to the Haslams’ long list of concerns — the Deshaun Watson contract situation is a priority — or brought them clarity. RELATED COVERAGE The Darnold-Jefferson connection is thriving for the surging Vikings Patriots coach Jerod Mayo believes narrow loss to Bills shows potential of his young team Giants’ 10th straight loss showed once again that they need a young QB There’s no denying that Garrett’s remarks carry substantial weight, which is partly why he spoke up. He’s the Browns’ best player, a franchise cornerstone, a future Hall of Famer and arguably the most disruptive defensive force in the game today. He’s also leading with actions. Garrett showed extraordinary effort in chasing down and tackling Burrow before tumbling out of bounds and crashing into Cleveland’s bench and some portable heaters. He might be frustrated, but he’s not giving up. “A testament of who he is as a player and who he is as a person,” linebacker Jordan Hicks said. What the reigning Defensive Player of the Year says matters. It will be interesting to see if the Haslams listen. At this point, there are indications the Browns intend to stick with coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, whose major misses in recent drafts have become more magnified with each loss. There will be changes; it’s just a matter of how drastic and if they’ll be enough to satisfy Garrett’s wishes. He turns 29 on Dec. 29 and has two years left on a $125 million contract extension. The All-Pro is in his prime and doesn’t want to waste another season in a pointless pursuit of a Super Bowl title. His goal is to win a championship with Cleveland — or someone. Garrett’s serious. He’s asking the Browns to show him they are, too. What’s working Cleveland’s defense is doing its part. For the second week in a row, the Browns contained one of the NFL’s most talented offenses, holding the Bengals and their top-ranked passing game below most of their season averages. Burrow did throw three TD passes — for the seventh game in a row — but Cincinnati scored fewer than 27 points for the first time in seven games. What needs help The Browns continue to beat themselves with costly turnovers, some more costly than others. They drove to the Cincinnati 1-yard line in the opening minutes only to have D’Onta Foreman fumble as he neared the goal line. The Bengals capitalized by driving 99 yards to take a 7-0 lead that could have been Cleveland’s. Stock up Running back Jerome Ford is making the most of a heavier workload and finishing strong. He ripped off a 66-yard run on the game’s first play and finished with 131 all-purpose yards, including 92 on 11 carries and scored Cleveland’s only TD. Ford’s emergence as a potential No. 1 back — Nick Chubb’s injuries have clouded his future — gives the team one less thing to worry about as it retools the roster. Stock down Kicker Dustin Hopkins hasn’t shaken a startling slump. After being benched for a week to work through his struggles, Hopkins missed his only kick, pushing an extra point to the right. Hopkins felt confident going in, but he’s back to trying to identify issues that could be equally mechanical and mental. He’s just 16 of 25 on field goals, 16 of 19 on PATs and the Browns’ decision to sign him to a three-year, $15.9 million extension this summer looks worse every week. Injuries QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson injured his calf early in Sunday’s game, leaving his status in doubt for a second straight start this week. If Thompson-Robinson can’t go, the Browns could go back to Jameis Winston, but he’s dealing with a sore right shoulder. ... Tight end David Njoku is dealing with yet another injury after hurting his knee. The team is awaiting results on an MRI, perhaps a sign of the severity. Njoku has missed time with injuries all season. He finished with eight catches for 66 yards. Key number 20 — Interceptions for the Browns this season. Thompson-Robinson’s two picks on Sunday gave the team 10 in the last four games. What’s next Probably a half-empty stadium for a final home game on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, who are still in the hunt for a wild-card spot. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflLast week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule to significantly reduce toxic pollution from plants like the Union Carbide facility in Institute, one of West Virginia’s few majority-Black communities. However, the pollution reductions proposed are at risk of being killed by incoming President Donald Trump, who has vowed his administration will continue to roll back pollution limits. Three citizen groups sued the federal agency last year when regulators failed to update the emission standards for facilities that produce polyether polyols — a chemical production category that can lead to emissions of carcinogens such as ethylene oxide. A settlement was reached last month requiring federal regulators to propose an updated rule by Dec. 10. In 2021 Mountain State Spotlight and ProPublica detailed how majority-Black communities across the country, like Institute in West Virginia, were saddled with a disproportionate health burden from industrial pollution. A ProPublica analysis found that Institute faces an increased cancer risk from industrial air pollution at 36 times the level the EPA considers acceptable. On Dec. 11, the EPA posted the draft of its updated rule that would reduce ethylene oxide emissions by nearly 80%. The rule also proposed additional measures, including monitoring ethylene oxide emissions at the plants’ fencelines. Environmental groups celebrated the proposed rule, declaring it a victory. “This is a critical step forward in protecting communities from the dangerous risks posed by ethylene oxide emissions,” said Adrienne Lee, an attorney for Earthjustice representing the environmental groups. However, the rule faces a lengthy process before it can take effect. Once the regulation is proposed and published in the Federal Register, there is a period for public comment before it can be finalized. Because of that process, the rule won’t be finalized before President Joe Biden leaves office, leaving the rule in the hands of Trump’s EPA. Trump has pledged to reverse federal climate, air and water regulations during his presidency. During his first term, his administration tried to roll back more than 100 environmental rules. He has tapped several major players who were involved with crafting the conservative playbook Project 2025 to serve in his second administration. The chapter devoted to the EPA says the agency should be more conservative and critiques its policies under the current administration in this way: “Not surprisingly, the EPA under the Biden Administration has returned to the same top-down, coercive approach that defined the Obama Administration. There has been a reinstitution of unachievable standards designed to aid in the ‘transition’ away from politically disfavored industries and technologies and toward the Biden Administration’s preferred alternatives.” Trump has tapped former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to head his administration’s EPA despite Zeldin’s limited regulatory or environmental experience. The League of Conservation Voters gave Zeldin a pro-environmental voting record of 14% for his time in Congress. Despite the change in administration, the EPA is required to issue a final version of this rule by next December because of the settlement. However, what the rule looks like in its final form could be very different from the current proposed version. Even if the rule is finalized under the Trump administration as is, there’s still more to be done to address toxic air pollution, especially in communities historically overburdened by industry pollution. “Any reductions are good, that’s what’s a step in the right direction, but it really needs to be zero risk,” said Maya Nye, a Kanawha Valley resident and member of the Charleston-based People Concerned About Chemical Safety. “That’s all that’s acceptable, personally, to me.” The Union Carbide facility, now owned by Dow Chemical, is one of the facilities that this rule will impact as it makes ethylene oxide to help produce a wide variety of products, including antifreeze, pesticides and sterilizing agents for medical tools. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for Union Carbide said the company will review the proposed rule and “engage through the formal regulatory process to advocate for sensible, risk-based emissions standards based on the best available science.”

$40,000 worth of goods stolen from Dak Prescott's fiancé's car the day before Luka Dončić's home was burglarized, police report saysHere's How Much $100 Invested In Guidewire Software 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth TodayMickey, Minnie, Goffy and Wemby

Five takeaways from the Miami Heat’s 104-100 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night at Toyota Center to close its three-game trip at 2-1 and reach the 30-game mark at 16-14. The Heat now returns to Miami to begin a three-game homestand on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans: The Heat, short-handed and playing on the second night of a back-to-back, earned a gutsy road win over a quality Rockets team behind another excellent performance from Tyler Herro. But the game ended with an unfortunate moment for both teams. The Heat and Rockets went back and forth in a first half that included seven lead changes and five ties before Miami entered halftime with a narrow 53-50 lead. The second half was also a battle, even after the Rockets opened the third quarter on a 23-8 run to turn a three-point deficit into a 12-point lead midway through the period. That’s because the Heat responded with a run of its own, closing the third quarter on a 20-9 spurt to trim the deficit to one point by the end of the period. That set up for a tight finish, with the game decided in the final seconds. The Rockets led by one point with 2:47 to play, but the Heat won the game behind a strong finish just one day after wilting at the end of Saturday’s loss to the Hawks in Atlanta. Herro hit a contested midrange jumper to give the Heat a one-point advantage with 1:56 left. Then after two defensive stops, the Heat pulled ahead by four points on a clutch three-pointer from Nikola Jovic 47.4 seconds to play. The Rockets, which entered with the third-best record in the Western Conference, never regained their footing or composure. Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was ejected from the game for arguing with an official after committing a five-second violation on an side out-of-bounds situation. Then with the Heat ahead by five points and with possession of the ball in the final seconds of the game, Herro and Rockets forward Amen Thompson exchanged words before Thompson grabbed Herro’s jersey and threw him down to the court. Players and coaches from the Heat and Rockets immediately rushed over, as a brief skirmish unfolded before officials took control and separated the two teams. After a review of the incident, six were ejected with 35.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter. For the Heat, Terry Rozier and Herro were ejected. For the Rockets, Jalen Green and Thompson were ejected. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan were also ejected. Despite being thrown out of the game after being thrown to the court in the final seconds, Herro was the star of the night. Herro led the Heat to the win with 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 shooting from three-point range, six rebounds and nine assists. Heat center Bam Adebayo contributed another double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. The Heat’s defense was also impressive down the stretch, limiting the Rockets to 18 points on 6-of-25 (24 percent) shooting from the field in the fourth quarter. The Heat improved to 9-0 this season when holding its opponent to 100 points or fewer. There’s a new Heat injury to monitor, but the hope is it’s not a long-term issue. After scoring 16 points in 38 minutes during Saturday’s loss in Atlanta, Robinson missed Sunday’s game against the Rockets because of right foot inflammation. It marked just the second game that Robinson has missed this season, as he also was unavailable for the Heat’s Nov. 2 win over the Wizards in Mexico City because of personal reasons. Robinson hurt his foot during Saturday’s game loss to the Hawks, but kept playing to finish the contest. After Robinson underwent treatment on the injury Sunday, the determination was made to hold him out against the Rockets. “I don’t have a timeline,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Sunday when asked about Robinson’s status. “But he really wanted to try to go today, just didn’t really pass his protocols. So we don’t think it would be a long-term thing.” The Heat also remained without Jimmy Butler (return to competition reconditioning), Josh Richardson (right heel inflammation) and Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery) on Sunday. Butler, who has been at the center of trade speculation this month, missed his fifth straight game after battling a flu-like illness over the last 10 days. The Heat expects Butler to return for its next game — Wednesday against the Pelicans at Kaseya Center. The Rockets were without two rotation players on Sunday, as Tari Eason (left leg injury management) and Jae’Sean Tate (illness) did not play against the Heat. With Butler and Robinson out, the Heat moved Rozier and Kevin Love back into the starting lineup. The Heat opened Sunday’s game with a lineup of Rozier, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Love and Bam Adebayo. It marked the fifth game that this group has started this season, but the first one since Nov. 17. Sunday also marked Rozier’s first start since Nov. 17. Rozier opened the season in a starting role, but moved to the bench to play as a reserve in 14 straight games before the team’s injury issues pushed him back into the starting lineup on Sunday. For Love, Sunday’s start represented his first game action of any kind since playing three minutes in the Heat’s Dec. 20 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He had not played in four straight games — missing the first one because of personal reasons and then receiving three straight DNP-CDs (did not play, coach’s decision) with rookie Kel’el Ware taking over as the Heat’s backup center. Rozier was strong at the start, scoring 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field in the first half. But he cooled off, totaling just two points on 0-of-8 shooting from the field in the second half. Love ended the night with five points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field, six rebounds and one assist 14 minutes. The Rockets grabbed plenty of offensive rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their inefficient shooting. The Rockets are the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA, entering Sunday with the league’s top offensive rebounding percentage (the percentage of available offensive rebounds a team grabs) for the season. Early on, the Rockets’ dominance on the offensive glass was on display. Houston totaled six second-chance points on six offensive rebounds in the first quarter. The Rockets went on to finish the game 19 offensive rebounds. But all those second-chance opportunities didn’t matter because the Rockets only scored nine second-chance points. That’s because the Rockets struggled to make shots for most of the night, shooting 39.2 percent from the field and 13 of 40 (32.5 percent) on threes in the loss. The Heat, which entered the game with the NBA’s 22nd-ranked offensive rebounding percentage this season, actually finished with more second-chance points than the Rockets. Miami totaled 15 second-chance points on 15 offensive rebounds Sunday. Jovic provided an important spark and Ware continued to contribute quality off the bench for the short-handed Heat. Jovic made his presence felt from the start, recording eight points, three rebounds and three assists in 15 first-half minutes on Sunday. Jovic ended the night with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes. Ware recorded seven points, seven rebounds and two asssits in 14 minutes. The Heat outscored the Rockets by five points with Ware on the court, and he now holds a plus/minus of plus 34 while playing in each of the Heat’s last five games. Jovic and Ware were part of a four-man Heat bench rotation that also included Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Alec Burks. The only available Heat players who did not get into Sunday’s game were Pelle Larsson, Josh Christopher, Keshad Johnson and Isaiah Stevens. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.In the heart of Caracas, the residence of the Argentine ambassador has turned into a makeshift sanctuary for a group of Venezuelan opposition leaders who have been under siege since they sought refuge there earlier this year. This once-thriving diplomatic compound, now deserted of its usual personnel, has become the home of five political asylum seekers who have been trapped inside for over nine months. S Those opponents, who work for María Corina Machado’s opposition, state that Venezuelan authorities constantly follow them around and exert psychological pressure against them. Struggle Of Opposition Members In Exile For nearly a year now, the residence of the Argentine embassy has seen little activity beyond the hum of a small diesel generator used twice daily to charge phones. The familiar sounds of diplomatic discourse or festive holiday cheer are replaced by an eerie silence, as the few inhabitants of this mansion remain confined in a self-imposed exile. The opposition members living behind these walls—Omar González, the campaign manager Magalli Meda, and other prominent members of Machado’s movement among them—describe their situation as a psychological and physical ordeal. “The pressure from the government has been escalating,” said González in a recent virtual press conference. “We are under constant surveillance, and nobody can visit us without prior authorization... the psychological toll is tremendous.” Since March 2024, the last bastion of protection had been the Argentine embassy, where the group has been since they left Venezuela. Following President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed July presidential elections victory, Argentina was among the first nations to grant asylum to Machado’s team. Still, Venezuelan authorities have increasingly tightened the noose on the residence, creating a more hostile environment for the members of the opposition seeking refuge. Struggle For Survival The opposition’s stance remains unwavering despite the mounting pressure. Following the controversial July election results, which opposition figures like Edmundo González argued were rigged, a significant number of opposition supporters have faced persecution. González’s claim, supported by voting receipts, suggested that the election was fraudulent, but the government continued to uphold Maduro’s victory. With no legal recourse inside Venezuela, opposition leaders like González have fled the country, seeking international recognition of their efforts. Most disturbingly, the security forces have cordoned off the residence and erected numerous checkpoints outside; they have even occupied neighboring buildings. Drones incessantly fly overhead, and surveillance snipers have even been reported. On 13 December 2024, Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States posted a photo on social media which showed what looked like an occupied sniper post, supposedly looking in at the Embassy compound. Amid these increasing tensions, the Venezuelan government has accused the opposition members of terrorism and treason for their involvement in the anti-regime efforts. However, the asylum seekers insist on their innocence, arguing that their only “crime” is fighting for a free Venezuela. The Cost Of Detention Life inside the embassy has grown increasingly hard. The residents speak of their isolation and the lack of basic necessities, including steady electricity and running water. The Argentine flag no longer flies above the residence—replaced by Brazil’s green and gold banner after Brazilian diplomats took over the building’s custody following Argentina’s expulsion. The feeling of being trapped has not diminished because of the absence of diplomatic staff. For months now, Venezuelan authorities have been cutting off electricity to the building, so members of the opposition have relied on a small generator to supply their power. “Power is our biggest problem,” said Magalli Meda, campaign manager. “We can’t even go to the toilet when the generator’s off. We are completely isolated.” The building has a small water tank, but the system requires electricity to pump through the building. Art is for Meda, a product designer by profession, one that has helped her keep herself sane. She expresses through painting to let the feelings out. Most of her recent pieces are characterized by animals in distress as represented by a pig for slaughter or a small fish locked in a bowl inscribed “horizon” with. “This embassy turned prison,” Meda noted. Despite the desperate situation, opposition members keep working for a free Venezuela, keep in touch with international organizations, and support imprisoned activists. But the threat of arrest is always over their heads. Several have voiced concerns about how much longer they can stay in the embassy under the increasing pressure of the Venezuelan government. ALSO READ | Find Out What’s Open And Closed This Christmas Eve, Christmas Day 2024

San Antonio Spurs @ Utah Jazz Current Records: San Antonio 9-8, Utah 4-12 When: Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 9 p.m. ET Where: Delta Center -- Salt Lake City, Utah TV: FanDuel SN - Southwest Follow: CBS Sports App Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Ticket Cost: $8.00 The Jazz will be in front of their home fans on Tuesday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will host the San Antonio Spurs at 9:00 p.m. ET at Delta Center. Both worked hard to overcome the odds in their previous battles and are surely both feeling confident heading into this clash. Having struggled with four defeats in a row, the Jazz finally turned things around against the Knicks on Saturday. They enjoyed a cozy 121-106 victory over New York. That looming 121-106 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Utah yet this season. Lauri Markkanen went supernova for the Jazz, shooting 5-for-8 from long range and almost dropping a double-double on 34 points and nine rebounds. The match was Markkanen's third in a row with at least 30 points. Another player making a difference was Collin Sexton, who went 6 for 8 from beyond the arc en route to 25 points plus five assists. The Jazz were working as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as the Knicks only posted 25. Meanwhile, the Spurs had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Saturday. They came out on top against Golden State by a score of 104-94. The win was all the more spectacular given San Antonio was down by 17 with 3:34 left in the third quarter. Harrison Barnes and Victor Wembanyama were among the main playmakers for the Spurs as the former went 7 for 8 en route to 22 points plus eight rebounds and the latter almost dropped a double-double on 25 points and nine assists. Wembanyama is also on a roll when it comes to blocks, as he's now posted two or more in the last 13 games he's played. Utah's victory bumped their record up to 4-12. As for San Antonio, they pushed their record up to 9-8 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Not only did both teams in this Tuesday's game win their last matches, they also took care of their bettors and covered the spread. Going forward, the Spurs are expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. This contest will be Utah's 14th straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 6-7 against the spread). The Jazz came up short against the Spurs in their previous matchup on Thursday, falling 126-118. Will the Jazz have more luck at home instead of on the road? San Antonio is a slight 2.5-point favorite against Utah, according to the latest NBA odds . The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Spurs as a 2-point favorite. The over/under is 226 points. See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now . Utah and San Antonio both have 5 wins in their last 10 games. Nov 21, 2024 - San Antonio 126 vs. Utah 118 Nov 09, 2024 - Utah 111 vs. San Antonio 110 Oct 31, 2024 - San Antonio 106 vs. Utah 88 Mar 27, 2024 - San Antonio 118 vs. Utah 111 Feb 25, 2024 - Utah 128 vs. San Antonio 109 Dec 26, 2023 - Utah 130 vs. San Antonio 118 Mar 29, 2023 - Utah 128 vs. San Antonio 117 Feb 28, 2023 - San Antonio 102 vs. Utah 94 Feb 25, 2023 - Utah 118 vs. San Antonio 102 Dec 26, 2022 - San Antonio 126 vs. Utah 122Arsenal delivered the statement Champions League win Mikel Arteta had demanded as they swept aside Sporting 5-1. Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials following some underwhelming displays away from home, and the Gunners manager got exactly what he asked for. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli , Kai Havertz , Gabriel Magalhaes , Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners had failed to win or score in their two away games in the competition so far this season, but they made a blistering start in the Portuguese capital and took the lead after only seven minutes. Declan Rice fed overlapping full-back Jurrien Timber , who curled a low cross in behind the home defence for Martinelli to finish at the far post. Arsenal doubled their lead in the 20th minute thanks to a glorious ball over the top from Thomas Partey. Saka escaped the clutches of his marker Maximiliano Araujo to beat the offside trap and poke the ball past advancing goalkeeper Franco Israel for Havertz to tap home. It was a scintillating first-half display which completely overshadowed the presence of Viktor Gyokeres in Sporting’s attack. The prolific Sweden striker, formerly of Coventry, has been turning the heads of Europe’s top clubs with his 24 goals in 17 games this season – including a hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this month. But the only time he got a sniff of a run at goal after an optimistic long ball, he was marshalled out of harm’s way by Gabriel. David Raya was forced into one save, tipping a fierce Geovany Quenda drive over the crossbar. But Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. Former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards fired over, as did Gyokeres, with Arsenal temporarily on the back foot. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved, and Gyokeres’ miserable night was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.

With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. "The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position." With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. "I'm not a watch guy, but I like it," said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football's answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. "I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways," Hunter said. "It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery." Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. "It just goes to show that I did what I had to do," Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. "I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football," Hunter said. "Being here now is like a dream come true." Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year's Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football's top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. "I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind," Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. "I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position," Ward said.FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm moving through Northern California on Thursday toppled trees and dropped heavy snow and record rain after damaging homes, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands in the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters warned that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides would continue, and scores of flights were canceled at San Francisco's airport. In Washington, more than 320,000 people — most of them in the Seattle area — were still without power as crews worked to clear streets of electrical lines, fallen branches and debris. Utility officials said the outages, which began Tuesday, could last into Saturday. Meanwhile on the East Coast, where rare wildfires have raged, New York and New Jersey welcomed much-needed rain that could ease the fire danger for the rest of the year. The National Weather Service extended a flood watch into Saturday for areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by the strongest atmospheric river — a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows through the sky over land — this season. The system roared ashore Tuesday as a “bomb cyclone,” unleashing fierce winds . Communities in Washington opened warming centers offering free internet and device charging. A number of medical clinics closed because of power outages. “I’ve been here since the mid-’80s. I haven’t seen anything like this,” said Trish Bloor, who serves on the city of Issaquah’s Human Resources Commission, as she surveyed damaged homes. Up to 16 inches (about 41 centimeters) of rain was forecast in southwestern Oregon and California's northern counties through Friday. The Sonoma County Airport, in the wine country north of San Francisco, received 6.92 inches (17.5 centimeters) Wednesday, breaking a record dating to 1998. In nearby Forestville, one person was hurt when a tree fell on a house. Small landslides were reported across the North Bay region, including one on State Route 281 on Wednesday that caused a car crash, according to Marc Chenard, a weather service meteorologist. Rain slowed somewhat, but “persistent heavy rain will enter the picture again by Friday morning,” the weather service's San Francisco office said on the social platform X. “We are not done!” Dangerous flash flooding, rockslides and debris flows were possible, especially where hillsides were loosened by recent wildfires, officials warned. Scott Rowe, a hydrologist with the weather service in Sacramento, said that so far the ground has been able to absorb the rain in California's Butte and Tehama counties, where the Park Fire burned over the summer. “It’s not necessarily how much rain falls; it’s how fast the rain falls,” Rowe said. Northern Mendocino and southern Humboldt counties received between 4 and 8 inches (10 and 20 centimeters) of rain in the last 48 hours, and similar amounts were expected over the next 48 hours, forecasters said. Wind gusts could top 50 mph (80 kph). The storm system, which first hit the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, reached the status of “ bomb cyclone ,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly. A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), with 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (121 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said. Sugar Bowl Resort, north of Lake Tahoe near Donner Summit, picked up a foot (30 centimeters) of snow overnight, marketing manager Maggie Eshbaugh said Thursday. She said the resort will welcome skiers and boarders on Friday, the earliest opening date in 20 years. “And then we’re going to get another whopping of another foot or so on Saturday, so this is fantastic,” she said. Another popular resort, Palisades Tahoe, is also opening Friday, five days ahead of schedule, according to its website. The storm already dumped more than a foot of snow along the Cascades in Oregon by Wednesday night, according to the weather service. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at pass level. Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across western Washington, killing at least two people. A woman in Lynnwood was killed when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, and another in Bellevue died when a tree fell on a home. More than a dozen schools closed in the Seattle area Wednesday, and some opted to extend the closures through Thursday. In Enumclaw, east of Seattle, residents were cleaning up after their town clocked the highest winds in the state Tuesday night: 74 mph (119 kph). Resident Sophie Keene said the powerful gusts caused transformers to blow out around town. “Things were exploding, like, everywhere,” Keene told the Seattle Times. “Like the transformers over by the park. One blew big, it looked like fireworks just going off.” Ben Gibbard, lead singer of the indie rock bands Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service, drove from his Seattle neighborhood Thursday morning to the woods of Tiger Mountain for his regular weekday run, but there were too many trees blocking the trail. “We didn’t get hit that hard in the city,” he said. “I just didn’t assume it would be this kind of situation out here. Obviously you feel the most for people who had their homes partially destroyed by this.” In California, there were reports of more than 20,000 power outages on Thursday. Only 50 vehicles per hour were allowed through part of northbound Interstate 5 from 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Redding to 21 miles (34 kilometers) south of Yreka due to snow, according to California's Department of Transportation. Transportation officials also shut down a two-mile (3.2 kilometer) stretch of the famed Avenue of the Giants, a scenic drive named for its towering coast redwoods, due to flooding. About 150 flights were delayed and another two dozen were canceled early Thursday at San Francisco International Airport after hundreds of delays and dozens of cancelations the previous day, according to tracking service FlightAware. Parched areas of the Northeast got a much-needed shot of precipitation Thursday, providing a bit of respite in a region plagued by wildfires and dwindling water supplies. More than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain was expected by Saturday morning in areas north of New York City, with snow mixed in at higher elevations. “Any rainfall is going to be significant at this point,” said Brian Ciemnecki, a weather service meteorologist in New York City, where the first drought warning in 22 years was issued this week. “Is it going to break the drought? No, we’re going to need more rain than that.” Har reported from San Francisco, and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Hallie Golden and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Martha Bellisle in Issaquah, Washington; Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C.; and Michael Hill in Albany, New York, contributed.

Stock market today: Wall Street climbs as bitcoin bursts above $99,000Marketing Cloud reinforces mid-market excellence in marketing automation across seven categories and 71 reports. TORONTO , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A perennial “High Performer,” Maropost Marketing Cloud broke new ground in G2’s Winter 2025 Reports, earning “Easiest to Use” recognition to complement its ongoing “Easiest to Do Business With” accolades. Marketing Cloud secured badges across 71 categories—including nine for mid-market performance—while maintaining its “Users Love Us” status. The platform received multiple distinctions for its outstanding Marketing Automation and Marketing Analytics capabilities. Key achievements from G2 Winter 2025 Reports Customers validate Marketing Cloud’s value and performance Marketing Cloud is Maropost’s AI-powered marketing automation platform. It was built to help fast-growing commerce brands build and segment audiences , customize customer journeys, and automatically personalize communications. Recent G2 reviews highlight why Marketing Cloud earned “High Performer” status and its new ease-of-use recognition across twelve Winter Report categories: Building on ease of use Maropost Founder and CEO Ross Andrew Paquette says, “Our customers have consistently praised Marketing Cloud’s performance and flexibility. Now, they’re validating what we’ve known all along—that enterprise-grade marketing automation can be both powerful and easy to use. “In 2025, we’ll push this commitment further by launching our connected commerce platform, which will unify commerce and marketing operations so brands can leave disjointed, standalone software behind and refocus on growth.” About Maropost The Maropost platform revolutionizes how mid-market merchants operate by unifying the essential marketing, ecommerce, retail, search, merchandising, and helpdesk tools they need. It seamlessly delivers real-time access to combined customer profiles and business performance data, empowering leaders and front-line associates to make smarter decisions that accelerate growth, maximize sales, and elevate the customer experience. Trusted by more than 5,000 global commerce brands, including Victoria Beckham , Sandro Paris , Draper James, Scripps Media, Blue Bell Creameries, UNTUCKit, and Fujifilm Canada, Maropost has been featured on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list and G2’s leaderboard. Learn more at maropost.com . SOURCE Maropost Inc.

Why it matters: Despite their potential, quantum computers have largely remained confined to laboratories and have yet to demonstrate their usefulness for real-world tasks. However, a small San Francisco startup called BlueQubit aims to be among the first to make this groundbreaking technology practical. BlueQubit recently secured a $10 million seed funding round led by Nyca Partners to advance its mission of helping businesses harness the power of quantum computing. The company's flagship product is a quantum software-as-a-service (QSaaS) platform, which provides industries with access to quantum processors and emulators for tackling problems that classical computers cannot solve. BlueQubit claims its software stack, combined with proprietary algorithms, can run quantum emulators up to 100 times faster than existing solutions. The company achieves this through a unique approach: leveraging classical GPUs to test and refine quantum algorithms before deploying them on quantum hardware. This strategy enables effective scaling and supports the development of innovative quantum machine learning and optimization techniques. While sectors like pharmaceuticals and materials science are poised to benefit significantly from quantum computing as it becomes more accessible, Nyca Partners anticipates that the financial services industry will be the first to see transformative impacts. "We have been looking for a team to invest in who are looking to enable financial services firms to hit the ground running once quantum is here," said Tom Brown, partner at Nyca. BlueQubit ultimately aims to accelerate the mainstream adoption of quantum technology by bridging the gap between quantum hardware capabilities and enterprise software demands, according to TechCrunch. The company's founders, CEO Hrant Ghairbyan and CTO Hayk Tepanyan, bring deep experience from their work developing quantum technologies at Google. Ghairbyan contributed to pioneering efforts that later informed Google's Quantum AI team, while Tepanyan worked on Google's infrastructure team. After observing rapid advancements in quantum computing, the duo launched BlueQubit in 2022. Interestingly, the idea for the company struck them while surfing. "We decided to start the company while sitting on surfboards in Santa Monica, CA, in the spring of 2022," Ghairbyan told TechCrunch. "We had just heard a new announcement from the IBM Quantum team about progress on superconducting qubits, and it was clear that the quantum landscape was advancing at an incredible pace." Quantum computing, alongside generative AI, has become one of the hottest topics in tech. Its development has accelerated significantly in recent years. Earlier this month, Google's quantum computing lab unveiled a new chip, Willow , which reportedly performs certain benchmark calculations in just five minutes – tasks that would take the world's fastest supercomputer "10 septillion years" to complete.