is haha777 legit Memphis beats No. 2 UConn 99-97 in overtime to tip off Maui Invitational

Minister asks Kabul to rein in anti-Pakistan elementsTHE demand for Filipino integrated circuit (IC) design engineers is poised to grow significantly in the next five years, with a projected need for approximately 20,000 professionals to address global technological advancements such as 5G, AI, IoT, and specialized applications in various fields. This was emphasized by Charade Avondo, president of Xinyx Design, during a media briefing on Nov. 26, 2024, in Makati City. Joined by academic leaders Dr. Teresita Fortuna of Colegio de Muntinlupa (CDM) and Dr. Lean Tolentino of Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) Manila. Avondo highlighted the skills gap and the urgency of academic-industry collaboration. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.

Key nations raced Saturday to salvage UN climate talks after the poorest countries pushed back angrily for more than $300 billion a year in help from historic wealthy emitters. More than a day past the scheduled conclusion of two days of COP29 talks, host Azerbaijan urged bleary-eyed delegates to seek consensus to avoid failure. "I know that none of us want to leave Baku without a good outcome," COP president Mukhtar Babayev told a late-night session, urging all nations to "bridge the remaining divide". Developing power Brazil pleaded for at least some progress and said it would seek to build on it when it leads COP30 next year in the Amazon gateway of Belem. "After the difficult experience that we're having here in Baku, we need to reach some outcome that is minimally acceptable in line with the emergency we're facing," Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva told delegates. A number of nations have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets record temperatures and faces rising deadly disasters. Small island nations threatened by rising seas and impoverished African states on Saturday angrily stormed out of a meeting with Azerbaijan, saying their concerns had been ignored. The European Union, United States and other wealthy countries met directly with poorer nations to work out final details, with both blocs also concerned at efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. "If we don't do it, people at home -- in every home across the world -- would say, why did you not get an agreement? Because I believe we can," Irish climate minister Eamon Ryan told AFP. A draft of the final text seen by AFP proposes that rich nations raise to $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. It is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, called the draft "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". - Tired and 'disheartened' - As staff at the cavernous and windowless stadium began closing down, diplomats rushed to meetings with one another, some ready with food and water in preparation for another late night. Panama's outspoken negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, voiced anger at offers by rich countries but warned not to repeat the failure of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. "I'm sad, I'm tired, I'm disheartened, I'm hungry, I'm sleep-deprived, but there is a tiny ray of optimism within me because this cannot become a new Copenhagen," he told reporters. UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the revised offer of $300 billion was "a significant scaling up" of the existing pledge by developed nations, which also count the United States, EU and Japan among their ranks. Climate activists shouted "shame" as US climate envoy John Podesta walked the halls. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," he said. Wealthy nations say it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. - 'Not going backwards' - Ali Mohamed, the Kenyan chair of the African Group of Negotiators, told AFP: "No deal is better than a bad deal." South African environment minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." "What we are not up for is going backwards or standing still," he said. "We might as well just have stayed at home then." The US and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. China, which remains classified as a developing nation under the UN framework, provides climate assistance but wants to keep doing so on its own voluntary terms. The EU and other countries have also tussled with Saudi Arabia over including strong language on moving away from fossil fuels, which negotiators say the oil-producing country has resisted. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. bur-np-sct/lth/givAIA Group Limited ( OTCMKTS:AAGIY – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 16,200 shares, a growth of 52.8% from the November 30th total of 10,600 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 964,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. AIA Group Trading Down 0.9 % Shares of AAGIY stock opened at $29.03 on Friday. AIA Group has a 52-week low of $23.33 and a 52-week high of $38.44. The business’s fifty day moving average is $30.10 and its 200 day moving average is $29.40. About AIA Group ( Get Free Report ) Read More Receive News & Ratings for AIA Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AIA Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Confident Bucs gear up for stretch run against lighter season-ending scheduleIs this the Illawarra's smallest (and stingiest) playground?Canada is already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump’s tariff threat

Here is where you can get a free Thanksgiving meal in Philly or donate to help those in needA look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaulTim Cook and other U.S. executives attend China expo, meet officials as Trump tariff threat looms

Small Boat Market Analysis By Industry Size, Share, Revenue Growth Demand and Forecast - 2031( MENAFN - Robotics & automation News) Interview: Ambi Robotics founder sees 'huge opportunities' in new markets December 28, 2024 by David Edwards The founding of Ambi Robotics is somewhat obscured by the mist of history, but it started with some abandoned robots in a basement and the co-founders meeting at University of California Berkeley in 2018. Within about a year, the five founders made a breakthrough in simulation-to-reality transfer learning systems for robotics, calling it Sim2Real AI, which, in turn, led to the establishment of Ambidextrous Laboratories Inc, and a year later to the commercialization of the technology in the form of the AmbiSort parcel sorting system. The lightning quick pace of development led to huge interest from investors, who poured in $21 million into the startup by 2021, and another $32 million the following year. Now, three years on, Ambi Robotics can look back on numerous multimillion-dollar commercial installations and look forward to many more diverse deployments in the years ahead. In this interview, we speak to Jeff Mahler (main image), one of the founders of Ambi Robotics and its chief technology offer, and ask him about himself, his company and the future of robotics. Robotics & Automation News: Let's start by telling readers about yourself and your job at Ambi Robotics. Jeff Mahler : I'm Jeff Mahler, co-founder and chief technology officer of Ambi Robotics. I lead the engineering and product teams at Ambi, executing our technology strategy to develop highly dexterous AI-powered robotic systems that help people handle more in commercial logistics operations. I earned my Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, where my research focused on AI for robotic grasping. It was in Professor Ken Goldberg's AUTOlab where I met Stephen McKinley, David Gealy and Matt Matl, and we began combining our complementary skills to later become the co-founders of Ambi Robotics. My experiences in both industry and academia, including co-launching UC Berkeley's course on robotic manipulation and publishing award-nominated research on robotics and AI, have given me a strong foundation to develop advanced technologies and lead the creation of transformative robotic systems at Ambi Robotics. R&AN: And let's also introduce the company, Ambi Robotics, to readers. What are the main services and products and what is its position in the market. JM : Ambi Robotics is an AI and robotics company developing advanced solutions that scale ecommerce operations to meet demand while empowering humans to handle more. Our flagship solution, AmbiSort A-Series, uses robotic arms combined with advanced gantry technology to automate the sorting of mixed parcels into destination containers. It's modular and configurable, supporting customer demand for both bin-fed and conveyor-fed operations for high-efficiency parcel sorting. All of our robots run on our proprietary operating system, AmbiOS, which uses simulation-to-reality (Sim2Real) AI to train the robots 10,000 times faster in virtual simulations and then transfer those learnings to the real world, enabling the robots to handle any bag, box, envelope or unpackaged item with high speed and accuracy. With continuous learning capabilities, our technology's performance improves and evolves over time. Ambi Robotics is leading the way for AI-powered automation to solve operational challenges for shippers, positioning us at the forefront of innovation in the booming e-commerce shipping and logistics space. R&AN: What are the key problems that Ambi Robotics solves? When Ambi Robotics is asked to do a job, does it take over from human-centred systems or does it generally improve on a previously implemented technological system? Maybe give us a use case or two. JM : We're tackling some big challenges in ecommerce and supply chain, especially with the increasing demand for faster and more accurate parcel sorting. The AmbiSort A-Series system automates the sorting of mixed parcels from deep bins or automated conveyor induction into destination sacks, a traditionally manual and time-consuming process prone to errors, injuries and bottlenecks. By bringing in our AI-powered robotic systems, warehouses can boost throughput, accuracy and cut costs-all without needing to completely overhaul their existing process. Powered by Sim2Real AI, solutions from Ambi Robotics are ready to go from day one and add immediate value and cost savings. For example, during a partnership with a global shipping and mailing company, we deployed our AmbiSort products into their existing middle-mile operations to help automate and speed up parcel sortation. During our time together, we sorted 87 million packages and trained over 400 of their parcel handlers for higher-value, certified robot operator roles. With this move, their employees were able to focus on more complex and higher-value work while cutting operational costs. R&AN: What are the current challenges in parcel sortation? And how do you see the future playing out in terms of parcel sortation technologies? JM : Many warehouses run into problems with labor shortages combined with rising parcel volumes, especially around the peak holiday season, and inefficiencies in their traditional technology that may cause delays and errors. They also often struggle to scale operations to meet growing ecommerce demand while keeping costs manageable. For example, rising transportation costs are an ongoing challenge to meeting customer desires for lower shipping rates. Looking ahead, we see advanced robotics and automation taking on a larger role within warehouses, leveraging AI to create highly repeatable, efficient, scalable and flexible systems that can integrate with human workers and existing infrastructure to handle diverse parcel profiles efficiently. In addition, intelligent automation can create a fountain of data on every item handled in order to empower operations management to make smarter decisions on how to boost productivity. R&AN: At the moment, most of the end effectors on robots tend to be suction devices of some kind. Is there an alternative to this? Do you use any soft end effectors or human-like hands to deal with specific kinds of items? Is this diversification something that is relevant for you? JM : We primarily use suction-based end effectors because they are highly reliable and effective for handling a variety of parcel types, especially ones with non-porous, flat surfaces like cardboard. Our robots have multiple suction cups of different sizes and flexibility, so they can choose the best“fingertip” for whatever they're handling. While suction cups work great for a lot of items, we know there are objects, like irregularly shaped or delicate ones, that might need a different touch. To address this, we're looking into other types of end effectors, like parallel grippers, to extend the range of items our robots can handle. This flexibility is key as we keep improving our robots to handle an even wider range of objects efficiently and accurately. R&AN: What is the overall market potential for a company like yours? How big could it become, given the growth in e-commerce and so on, and considering the competition you are already up against? JM : The market potential is huge, especially with the massive growth in ecommerce. In 2022 there were over 150 billion packages shipped worldwide, and each one of those packages was touched by a human hand about 10 times. That means that there are over 1 trillion package“touches” occurring each year, and this number is growing rapidly. As more people shop online, the demand for fast, efficient and scalable fulfillment solutions is only going to keep rising. With robots like ours that can handle parcel sortation and even adapt to different types of packages, we're in a strong position to meet that demand. Our competitive edge is the ability to handle a wide variety of objects with precision and speed, thanks to our AI-driven system, and our ability to easily integrate with whatever warehouse layout is needed. As automation becomes a bigger part of the supply chain, we see a ton of room to grow and capture a significant share of the market. We're working alongside global leading logistics companies and continuing to evolve our technology to meet their needs as they grow. R&AN: While you currently specialise in parcel sortation, was that always what you had in mind? And could you diversify into new markets in the future. If so, which markets? JM : Ambi Robotics is all about real-world impact, and parcel sortation was where we saw the biggest opportunity to apply our technology due to the massive market opportunity. That being said, we've always had the vision to make our robots more versatile, and as we grow we can definitely see ourselves branching out into other markets. There are huge opportunities to provide robots that automate repetitive motions in other industries with high-volume material handling such as ecommerce order fulfillment, retail distribution, manufacturing and even recycling. MENAFN28122024005532012229ID1109037657 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Blackstone-backed International Gemmological Institute IPO to open on Dec 13, aiming to raise Rs 4,225 crore

promo code haha777 Jim Rickards, acclaimed economist and bestselling author, has released his latest forecast for the nation's future. Known for accurately predicting the outcomes of the 2016 and 2024 elections, the COVID-19 crisis, and key global financial shifts, Rickards now predicts "America's Comeback” Former CIA Jim Rickards Jim Rickards, acclaimed economist and bestselling author. Key Elements of "America's Comeback” Prediction A Path to Energy Independence Rickards predicts a strong shift toward Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), advanced nuclear technology capable of generating safe, reliable, and nearly pollution-free energy. This move, he suggests, could make the U.S. energy-independent and shield the economy from global energy disruptions. Regulatory Overhaul to Streamline Energy Innovation Rickards anticipates that key regulatory bodies, such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), will undergo reforms to fast-track advanced nuclear technology. This transformation, he asserts, could enable the rapid deployment of SMRs, offering reliable, stable, and low-cost energy for American households and industries. A History of Accurate Forecasts Jim Rickards' reputation as a top forecaster is grounded in his decades of experience in finance, intelligence, and advisory roles. His accurate predictions include: About Jim Rickards Jim Rickards is a distinguished lawyer, economist, and investment banker with over 50 years of experience advising at the highest levels of government. Known for his accurate predictions-including the 2008 Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and key election outcomes-Rickards is one of the foremost voices in financial forecasting. His publication, Strategic Intelligence, offers essential insights for navigating America's evolving economic and political landscape. Media Contact: Derek Warren Public Relations Manager Paradigm Press Group Email: [email protected] Attachment Former CIA Jim RickardsMillions more Americans might get access to GLP-1 drugs

TISHOMINGO, Okla. (KTEN) — The City of Tishomingo has been named a member of the Oklahoma Main Street Program , an initiative that fewer than 50 cities and towns in the Sooner State are a part of. "Our downtown has seen pretty steady growth," said Tishomingo City manager Bryce Jones. "Part of that is due to the fact that it's a regional tourism hub. When the economy starts to decline, tourism is usually the first thing to go. We want to try to support that, and make it a more level baseline for our community." "It's really thinking about the old buildings... what they can be used for?" asked Oklahoma Main Street director Buffy Skee. "What we really want to do is help the communities increase their sales tax base." The Main Street program's four-point approach of design, promotion, economic vitality and organization will be used to help things like business retention and expansion, and the preservation of historic markers. "We're getting a lot of specialized help from people who have been doing this a long time," Jones said. "They will coordinate with other businesses who are looking for spaces, and know that we have space to fit them." The Main Street program reports that it helped 140 businesses to open, relocate or expand in 2023. The City of Tishomingo hopes to impact those totals in 2025. "They also have a wonderful building stock," Skee noted. "That is always where we start: What is your building stock? Do you have the buildings to put new business into? They're already rockin' and rollin', but they just might need a little extra help... and we're here to do that."Full House Resorts counsel Elaine Guidroz sells $41,606 in stock

Abacus Life director Adam Gusky buys $137,537 in stockWhy NuScale Power Stock Jumped 28% to an All-Time High This Week

Ed Sheeran sorry for Amorim interview blunder

Donald Trump left the White House nearly four years ago. Given his self-confidence, I suspect he is now thinking: “What could be so different? I’ve got this.” Well, I just traveled from a reporting trip in Tel Aviv, Israel, to a conference in the United Arab Emirates to a deep dive with Google’s DeepMind artificial intelligence team in London, and I think the president-elect would be wise to remember a famous aphorism: There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen. What I saw and heard exposed me to three giant, shifting tectonic plates that will have profound implications for the new administration. The most significant geopolitical event In just the last two months, the Israeli military has inflicted a defeat on Iran that approaches its 1967 Six-Day War defeat of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Full stop. Let’s review: Over the past few decades, Iran built a formidable threat network that seemed to put Israel into an octopuslike grip. It became widely accepted that Israel was deterred from striking at Iran’s nuclear facilities because Iran had armed the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon with enough precision rockets to destroy Israel’s ports, airports, high-tech factories, air bases and infrastructure. Not so fast. It turned out that Mossad and Israel’s cyber Unit 8200 had been forging what became one of the country’s greatest intelligence successes ever. They planted explosive devices in the pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah’s military commanders, developed human and technological tracking capabilities to find Hezbollah’s top leaders, painstakingly identified storage facilities in Lebanon and Syria for Hezbollah’s most lethal precision rockets and then systematically took many of them out by air in October. The result is that Hezbollah looks likely to accept a 60-day cease-fire with Israel in Lebanon negotiated by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein. This is a big deal. It means that, even if just for 60 days, Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran have decided to delink themselves from Hamas in the Gaza Strip and stop the firing from Lebanon for the first time since Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas invaded Israel. We will see if it lasts, but if it does, it will increase the pressure on Hamas to agree to a cease-fire and hostage release with Israel, more on Israel’s terms. There is a reason for this. Hezbollah’s mother ship has suffered a real blow. According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s April strike on Iran eliminated one of four Russian-supplied S-300 surface-to-air missile defense batteries around Tehran, and Israel destroyed the remaining three batteries on Oct. 26. Israel also damaged Iran’s ballistic missile production capabilities and its ability to produce the solid fuel used in long-range ballistic missiles. In addition, according to Axios, Israel’s Oct. 26 strike on Iran, which was a response to an earlier Iranian attack on Israel, also destroyed equipment used to create the explosives that surround uranium in a nuclear device, setting back Iran’s efforts in nuclear weapons research. A senior Israeli defense official told me that the Oct. 26 attack on Iran “was lethal, precise and a surprise.” And up to now, the Iranians “don’t know technologically how we hit them. So they are at the most vulnerable point they have been in this generation: Hamas is not there for them, Hezbollah is not there for them, their air defenses are not there anymore, their ability to retaliate is sharply diminished, and they are worried about Trump.” Which means that Iran is either riper than ever for negotiations to curb its nuclear program or riper than ever for an attack by Israel or the Trump administration — or both — to destroy those nuclear facilities. Either way, Trump will face choices he did not have four years ago. It is not only a new Iran that Trump will be dealing with but also a new Israel There were legitimate reasons President Joe Biden denounced the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, which accused them of war crimes in Gaza against a Hamas enemy that deliberately embedded itself among civilians. This same court never issued an arrest warrant for President Bashar Assad of Syria, whose army killed hundreds of thousands of his own people. The ICC said Syria is not a member. But neither is Israel. It is also odd that the ICC issued a warrant only for the Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who is widely believed to be dead, and not for the very much alive Muhammad Sinwar (the younger brother of the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar), who is now reportedly running Hamas in Gaza and was a commander in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. But while the ICC warrants are questionable, they were also avoidable. The strategy that Netanyahu has imposed on his military is one of the ugliest in Israel’s history: Go into Gaza, destroy as much of Hamas as you can, don’t be too worried about civilian casualties, then leave the remnants of Hamas in charge to loot food convoys and intimidate the local population — then rinse and repeat. Go back in, smash and leave no one better in charge, creating a permanent Somalia on Israel’s border. Why is he doing this? Because Netanyahu is being directed by the far-right Jewish supremacists he needs to stay in power and possibly out of prison on charges of corruption. And the stated goal of those Jewish supremacists is to extend Israeli settlements from the West Bank right through Gaza. They oppose any scenario in which the Palestinian Authority is gradually installed in Gaza as part of an Arab peacekeeping force to replace Hamas. They fear the Palestinian Authority might then become a legitimate partner for a two-state solution. When you fight a war with this many civilian casualties for a year and offer no vision of peace with the other side, you invite the ICC. Attention, President-elect Trump: Netanyahu will tell you that Israel is defending the free world in defeating the dark forces of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. There is truth in that. But there is also truth in the fact that he is doing it to defend a Jewish supremacist apartheid vision in the West Bank and Gaza. It’s a dirty business. If you just unquestionably wrap your arms around him, you will get yourself and America dirty, too. You will also ensure that your Jewish grandchildren will one day learn what it is to be Jewish in a world where the Jewish state is a pariah. Artificial general intelligence is probably coming on Trump’s watch Polymathic artificial general intelligence, or AGI, was still largely in the realm of science fiction when Trump left office four years ago. It is fast becoming nonfiction. And ASI — artificial super intelligence — may be one day as well. AGI means machines will be endowed with intelligence as good as the smartest human in any field, but because of its capabilities to integrate learning across many fields, it will probably become better than any average doctor, lawyer or computer programmer. ASI is a computer brain that can exceed what any human can do in any field and then, with its polymathic ability, it could produce insights far beyond anything humans could do or even imagine. It might even invent its own language we don’t understand. How we adapt to AGI was not part of the 2024 presidential campaign. I predict it will be a central theme of the 2028 election. Between now and then, every leader in the world — but particularly the presidents of America and China, the two AI superpowers — will be judged by how well they enable their countries to get the best and cushion the worst from the coming AI storm. From what I heard from leading AI scientists and Nobel Prize winners at Google DeepMind’s conference on how AI is already driving breakthroughs in scientific discovery, AGI is likely to be achieved in the next three to five years. Two DeepMind scientists just won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their AI AlphaFold system, which predicts proteins’ structures and is already being used by scientists to invent drugs and materials all over the world. Now DeepMind is working on GraphCast, an AI system that can produce staggeringly precise 10-day weather forecasts in less than a minute, and on Gnome, which has identified some 2.2 million new inorganic crystals that could be useful in manufacturing everything from computer chips to batteries to solar panels. It’s the tip of an iceberg. It will change or challenge virtually every job. While I was in Tel Aviv, I visited the lab of Mentee Robotics, an Israeli startup, and was given a demonstration of a humanoid robot, roughly my height, powered by sensors and AI with humanlike hand dexterity, a voice and perception that, as its website says, “can be personalized and adjusted to different environments and tasks using natural human interaction.” President-elect Trump, if you think blue-collar workers without college degrees are facing challenges today, wait until four years from now. But that’s not Trump’s only challenge. If these AI powers fall into the wrong hands or are used by existing powers in the wrong ways, we could be dealing with possibly civilizational extinction events. Which is why we need to be discussing systems of AI control now. And it’s why two DeepMind co-founders, Shane Legg and Demis Hassabis, were signers of a 23-word open letter, issued in May 2023, along with other leaders of the AI universe, which declared, “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” But this can’t just be left to the companies. We tried that with social networks, and it ended badly. President-elect Trump, you may think that your second term will be judged by how many tariffs you impose on China. I beg to differ. When it comes to U.S.-China relations, I think your legacy — as well as President Xi Jinping’s — will be determined by how quickly, effectively and collaboratively the United States and China come up with a shared technical and ethical framework embedded in each AI system that prevents it from becoming destructive on its own — without human direction — or being useful to bad actors who might want to deploy it for destructive purposes. History will not look kindly on you, President-elect Trump, if you choose to prioritize the price of toys for American tots over an agreement with China on the behavior of AI bots. Thomas Friedman writes a column for the New York Times. Related Articles Opinion | Marc Goldwein: Biden still has time to nudge the federal budget closer to sanity Opinion | David French: Donald Trump thinks he won’t have enough power? Opinion | Jamelle Bouie: It’s a republican form of government, not a monarchy. With explicit intent Opinion | Nolan Finley: Musk hopes to make budget cutting cool Opinion | Other voices: Senate shouldn’t abdicate its authority over presidential nomineesChiefs Not 'Putting Tent Up' After Clinching

NoneTinubu didn’t seek NASS approval to buy presidential jet –Senator Abaribe

Lightweight portion of the Bucs’ schedule begins with an easy win vs. Giantswww haha777 fan 。

49ers' Deebo Samuel Says He's 'Just Not Getting the Ball' amid Criticism from FansInvestment experts share their top buy, hold and sell tips

LAS VEGAS — With a restructuring at Andretti Global that pushed Michael Andretti into a smaller role, the chances of his organization landing a Formula 1 team have substantially increased. So much so that F1 and Formula One Management could have a decision to grant the General Motors-backed entry a spot as the 11th team on the grid in the coming weeks. Dan Towriss, now the majority owner of the Andretti organization, was at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Thursday scoping his chances of entering the top motorsports series in the world. So was the FBI, allegedly, as part of a Department of Justice investigation into why F1 denied the Andretti organization expansion into the series. F1 currently has 10 teams that field 20 cars and only one — the organization owned by California businessman Gene Haas — is an American team. Las Vegas marks the third race this season in the United States, more than any other country, as F1 has exploded in American popularity over the last five years. Even so, Andretti could not get approval from F1 to enter the series. But, the situation changed in September when Andretti scaled back his role with his namesake organization. Now with Towriss in charge, talks have amplified, even though it is not clear what the name of an Andretti-less F1 team would even be. Cadillac would do the engines — but says it won't be ready until 2028 — which means a 2026 Towriss-led F1 team would be GM branded but with a partner engine supplier. Most of the existing teams have been largely opposed to an 11th team entering F1, citing a dilution in prize money and the massive expenses they've already committed to the series. But, Andretti among others believed the teams' position was personal in that they simply didn't like Andretti, who ran 13 races in the 1993 season. His father, Mario, is the 1978 F1 world champion. The Andretti application had already been approved by the FIA, which is F1's ruling body, but later denied by F1 itself. F1 promised to revisit the issue once General Motors had an engine ready to compete. The existing 10 F1 teams have no actual vote or say in if the grid is expanded, which Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reiterated Thursday when The Associated Press asked why the sudden chance of acceptance in a potential 11th team. "We have an obligation, a statutory obligation as directors, to present the standpoint that is the best for our company and for our employees, and we've done that," Wolff said. "I think if a team can add to the championship, particularly if GM decides to come in as a team owner, that is a different story. "And as long as it is creative, that means we're growing the popularity of the sport, we're growing the revenue of the sport, then no team will be ever against it. So I'm putting my hope in there." Wolff has been eager to hear from Towriss directly on what the plans for the organization are now that Andretti has a smaller role. "No one from Andretti or Andretti Global or whatever the name will be has ever spoken to me a single sentence in presentation of what the creative part is," he said. "But they don't need to because the teams don't decide. It is the commercial rights holder, with the FIA, we have no say. If I want to be invited to a party and go to the party, I'm sitting down at the table and telling who I am and why I'm really good fun and sitting here and everybody will enjoy my presence. "That hasn't happened, but you know, that's now my personal point of view, not a professional, because there's nothing we can do, nothing we can say," Wolff continued. "And I don't know the people. I've obviously spoken to Mario. I didn't speak to his son. I didn't speak to any other people that are behind that. I don't know who they are. So I know GM, GM is great." Fred Vasseur, team principal at Ferrari, said he's not opposed to another team if it adds value to F1. "The discussion is between FIA, the team, and FOM. It's not our choice," he said. "For sure, as Toto said, that if it's good for the sport, good for the show, good for the business, and adds value on the sporting side, that we are all OK." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Romanian constitutional court validates first round of presidential race after vote recountHow major US stock indexes fared Monday, 12/2/2024Long-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

The initial numbers are in. And Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is leading the way. Jackson has received the most fan Pro Bowl votes of any player, with 44,681. Teammate Derrick Henry is second, with 40,729. Next is Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, with 40,652. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is fourth, with 36,754. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs lands in fifth, with 36,637. There are surprising omissions. No Patrick Mahomes. No Travis Kelce. No Chiefs at all. Also, no Jared Goff, who has been the most popular Lions player during the team’s resurgence. The Pro Bowl teams are determined by vote of fans, players, and coaches. And, ultimately, there’s no Pro Bowl at all. It’s a series of competitions culminating in a flag-football game. And because the ratings are still solid, it will endure.

Ballybofey and Stranorlar Historical Society launches bumper ‘Annual’ next week

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it arranged the $185,000,000 sale of Preserve at Melrose, a suburban multifamily community built in 2015 that comprises 410 units in Vista, one of San Diego's most sought-after north county neighborhoods. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209891604/en/ Preserve at Melrose (Photo: Business Wire) This sale represents the 2 nd largest single-asset transaction in San Diego and the fifth largest in California year-to-date in 2024. The Walker & Dunlop Investment Sales team, led by Hunter Combs , represented the seller, a local San Diego based group, and buyer, Mesirow. "San Diego remains a top target nationally for investors, making up 10% of all U.S. multifamily transactions over $150 million and 23% of those in California, year-to-date since 2023," said Hunter Combs, managing director of Investment Sales at Walker & Dunlop. "San Diego's market strength is propelled by its historically consistent rent growth, strong fundamentals and high barriers to entry. The influx of life science surrounding UCSD and big tech companies establishing their presence here, in addition to the long-standing defense industry underscores San Diego's exceptional market resilience and attractiveness for investors." "We were pleased to collaborate with Walker & Dunlop in the purchase of the Preserve at Melrose,” stated Alasdair Cripps , chief executive officer of Mesirow Institutional Real Estate Direct Investments. “The Preserve’s expansive amenity set, transit-oriented location and proximity to key employment centers make it one of north county San Diego’s most attractive multifamily properties, and we look forward to serving this community.” Located in the Vista submarket of San Diego, Preserve at Melrose is minutes from downtown Vista and transit oriented being adjacent to the light rail stations. The property is located off State Route 78, providing residents with direct access to major employment hubs along the 78 corridor, including Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos, and Escondido. The multifamily community offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with resort-style amenities, all set within a serene, low-density garden-style setting. Walker & Dunlop is a leader in multifamily property sales, having completed over $51 billion in property sales volume since 2021. The firm is also one of the top providers of capital to the U.S. multifamily market. In 2023, Walker & Dunlop originated over $24 billion in debt financing volume, including lending over $20 billion for multifamily properties. To learn more about our capabilities and financing options, visit our website . About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is one of the largest commercial real estate finance and advisory services firms in the United States. Our ideas and capital create communities where people live, work, shop, and play. The diversity of our people, breadth of our brand and technological capabilities make us one of the most insightful and client-focused firms in the commercial real estate industry. About Mesirow Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities and our culture. To learn more, visit mesirow.com , follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to Spark , our quarterly newsletter. Mesirow has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business multiple times and is one of Barron’s Top 100 RIA firms. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209891604/en/ CONTACT: Investors: Kelsey Duffey Investor Relations Phone301.202.3207 investorrelations@walkeranddunlop.com Media: Nina H. von Waldegg VP, Public Relations Phone301.564.3291 info@walkeranddunlop.comPhone301.215.55007272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1300 Bethesda, Maryland 20814 KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA MARYLAND UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY FINANCE PUBLIC RELATIONS/INVESTOR RELATIONS URBAN PLANNING BANKING COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RESIDENTIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE SOURCE: Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 06:00 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 06:00 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209891604/enSome Democrats are frustrated over Joe Biden reversing course and pardoning his son Hunter

haha 777 register download free In recent years, social commerce has been on the rise in the United States, with platforms like TikTok leading the way in revolutionizing online shopping experiences. This trend has been further exemplified by TikTok's massive success during the Black Friday shopping frenzy, where the platform raked in over a billion dollars in sales. The question now arises: can this momentum be sustained, or is it just a fleeting success?As investigations continue and efforts to restore the environment progress, the village committee remains dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals in the community. They have expressed their willingness to collaborate with Cai Guoqiang and his team to resolve any lingering issues and prevent similar accidents in the future.

Bangladesh: Robotic prosthetics aid injured anti-Hasina protesters

The retrial of the notorious child trafficking case involving Yu Hua and Ying was held on December 19th, once again bringing this shocking crime to the forefront of public attention. The retrial marked the beginning of the second phase of legal proceedings in this complex and heart-wrenching case that has gripped the nation.The drop in inventory levels could also be a reflection of changing investor sentiment in the Beijing real estate market. As prices continue to rise and competition heats up, investors are becoming more cautious about holding onto unsold properties for too long. By reducing inventory levels, investors can capitalize on the current market conditions and maximize their returns.Mamadashvili, known for his powerful serves and strong baseline game, was considered a strong contender in the upcoming tournaments. However, the injury to his right quadriceps muscle has sidelined him for the rest of the season, much to the disappointment of his fans and supporters.BILLINGS — Jack DeBourg scored two touchdowns and kicked a field goal and quarterback Howie Martin passed for a score and ran for another as Billings Central defeated Laurel 31-21 for the State A football championship on a chilly Saturday at Herb Klindt Field on the Rocky Mountain College campus. The Rams finished the season 12-0. Laurel ended the year 9-3. The game was played in front of a large and energetic crowd with spectators filling both sides' bleachers and spilling out onto the grass berms overlooking the field. It is the Rams' sixth state championship to go along with titles in 1956, 1968, 2007, 2012 and 2018. It is also the fourth state title the Rams have won under 23rd-year coach Jim Stanton. DeBourg got Central on the board first with a 26-yard field goal at 8:42 of the first quarter. Laurel would take the lead with 53.9 seconds left in the first on a Curtis Fox 68-yard touchdown run. A conversion kick by Luke Maack put the score at 7-3 Locomotives. Central tacked on two touchdowns in the second quarter to lead 17-14 at the break as DeBourg scored from a yard-out at the 9:51 mark and Kael Aldrich caught a 28-yard pass from Martin for a TD at the 3:42 mark. DeBourg kicked both extra points. Laurel's second-quarter touchdown came on a one-yard run by Krew Hunter with 1:12 remaining before halftime. Maack made the conversion kick. In the third quarter, Martin scored on a seven-yard run and DeBourg's PAT gave the Rams a 24-14 lead with 3:30 on the clock. In the final stanza, DeBourg scored on an 8-yard run and made the PAT kick with 8:08 remaining in regulation for a 31-14 lead. Steele Hansen scored Laurel's final touchdown on a two-yard pass from Hunter with 3:26 left and Maack kicked the extra point.

As the court proceedings unfolded, Yang Niu Flower's embodiment of courage and conviction became even more evident. In the face of adversity, she maintained a sense of dignity and integrity that inspired all those around her. Her unwavering faith in the judicial system, despite its flaws, served as a beacon of hope for many who have found themselves entangled in the web of legal complexities.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a symposium for non-Party professionals to solicit opinions and suggestions on economic work. The meeting, which took place in Beijing, aimed to gather diverse perspectives and insights on China's economic development strategies and policies.We're committed to hold free, fair, and acceptable elections: CECGE Aerospace ( NYSE: GE ) had declared $0.28/share quarterly dividend , Payable Jan. 27; for shareholders of record Dec. 27; ex-div Dec. 27. See GE Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on GE Aerospace General Electric, Spin-Offs, And Dividends GE Aerospace: The Top Aerospace Engine Stock To Buy GE Aerospace: Firing On Most Cylinders, Still Battling The October Earnings-Day Dip Defense stocks face DOGE risks in 2025, J.P. Morgan says U.S. is said to ready $725M arms package for Ukraine

Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Decreases Stock Position in Louisiana-Pacific Co. (NYSE:LPX)Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weightAs they sat down to chat, memories of the past flooded back. The graduate recounted how Zhang Guimei had always pushed him to be his best, never allowing him to settle for mediocrity. Her words of encouragement and guidance had stayed with him long after he had left the school. He spoke of the challenges he had faced during his journey to becoming a police officer, and how he had drawn strength from the lessons he had learned from Zhang Guimei.

Chiefs top Panthers in Mahomes-led 30-27 road win

In conclusion, the Honor GT's upcoming launch on December 16th promises to be a game-changer in the world of mobile gaming. With the expertise of KPL champion Yino and a focus on delivering top-notch performance, the Honor GT is poised to redefine the gaming experience for users and establish itself as a leading contender in the competitive smartphone market. Stay tuned for more updates as we countdown to the official unveiling of the Honor GT!

Beijing Showcases Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development Through Global Gen Z Influencers: A New Chapter in the City’s Tourism Appeal"Crime Hunter's Guide 2" Premieres Today! Full Collection of "Crime Hunter's Guide" Part 1 Available for Free!

By Anna Helhoski, NerdWallet The battle to get here was certainly an uphill one, but people are generally feeling better about the economy and their finances than they once did. On top of that, the economy has been easing into an ideal, Goldilocks-like position — not running too hot or cooling too quickly. Throughout 2024, consumer sentiment data showed people were fairly positive about the economy and their own finances, even if there’s remaining frustration over elevated prices compared to four years ago. Looking ahead, households are feeling more optimistic about their personal finances in the next year, as the share of those expecting to be in a better financial situation a year from now hit its highest level since February 2020. Combine positive personal vibes with a strong economic picture and it looks like 2024 wasn’t so bad for consumers, after all. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t bumps in the road or potential roadblocks ahead. To cap off the year, NerdWallet writers reflect on the top trends in personal finance and the economy this year — and what they think might be ahead in 2025. Elizabeth Renter, NerdWallet’s economist What happened: In 2024, U.S. consumers have proven resilient following a period of high inflation and ongoing high interest rates. Wage growth has been strong, owing in part to rising productivity. This has driven robust spending throughout the year, which has kept the economy growing at a healthy pace. The labor market has remained steady, though cooler than 2023, and price growth continues to moderate towards the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation goal. What’s ahead: Barring significant changes to economic policy and significant shocks, the U.S. economy is expected to grow at a moderate rate in the coming year. Inflation will continue to moderate and the labor market will remain relatively healthy, all due in part to continued slow and deliberate rate cuts from the Fed. However, there are risks to this path. Higher tariffs and tighter immigration policies are likely, but the extent of these changes are yet unclear. The potential policy scenarios are many, and the economic outcomes complex. Increased tariffs are generally inflationary, and stricter immigration policies could impact the labor supply and economic growth. Consumers and small business owners with their eyes to the new year should focus on the things within their control. Margarette Burnette, consumer banking and savings writer What happened: High-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit offered elevated rates in 2024, rewarding savers with strong returns. Following the Federal Reserve rate cuts in the second half of the year, high-yield accounts had modest rate decreases, but they continued to outperform traditional savings accounts and CDs. What’s ahead: We’re watching for further Federal Reserve rate cuts, which could lead to more decreases in savings rates. Sara Rathner, credit cards writer What happened: Credit card debt levels hit record highs, with consumers turning to credit cards to pay for necessities. While the economy is doing well, many individuals have struggled to make ends meet, as incomes haven’t kept up with certain costs. What’s ahead: We may see some policy and regulation changes with the incoming administration that could affect folks when it comes to credit cards, debt and consumer protections. Ryan Brady, small business writer What happened : New businesses continued to blossom in 2024 as business applications remained well above pre-pandemic levels. Confidence in the future state of the U.S. economy also spiked after the presidential election, but that optimism was tempered by concerns over rising costs and labor quality. What’s ahead: All eyes are on the incoming administration as small-business owners brace for turbulence resulting from potential tariffs, tax policy changes and dismantled government regulations. We’re also watching the possibility of interest rate cuts in 2025 and small-business owners’ growing reliance on new technologies, such as AI. Holden Lewis, mortgages writer What happened: Home buyers struggled with elevated mortgage rates, rising house prices and a shortage of homes for sale. On top of that, a new rule required buyers to negotiate their agents’ commissions. What’s ahead: The Federal Reserve is expected to cut short-term interest rates, but mortgage rates might not necessarily fall by a similar amount. Buyers will probably have more properties to choose from, and the greater supply should keep prices from rising a lot. Interest rates on home equity loans and lines of credit should fall, making it less expensive to borrow to fix up homes — either to sell, or to make the home more comfortable and efficient. Sam Taube, investing writer What happened: The stock market had a great year. The S&P 500 is up more than 25% due to falling interest rates, fading recession fears, AI hype, and the possibility of lighter taxes and regulations under the new administration. Cryptocurrency also saw big gains in 2024; the price of Bitcoin crossed the $100,000 mark for the first time in December. What’s ahead: A lot depends on how fast the Fed reduces rates in 2025. Another key unknown is Trump’s second term. Regulatory rollbacks, such as those he has proposed for the banking industry, could juice stock prices — but they also could create systemic risks in the economy. His proposed tariffs could also hurt economic growth (and therefore stock prices). Finally, it remains to be seen whether trendy AI stocks, such as NVIDIA, can continue their momentum into next year. It’s the same story with crypto: How long will this bull market last? Caitlin Constantine, assistant assigning editor, insurance What happened: Many people saw their home and auto insurance premiums skyrocket in 2024. In some states, homeowners are finding it harder to even find policies in the first place. Meanwhile, life insurance rates have started to decrease post-pandemic. We also saw more insurers offering online-only policies that don’t require a medical exam. What’s ahead: Auto and home insurance costs will likely continue to rise, although auto premiums may not rise as dramatically as they have over the past few years. And if you’re in the market for life insurance, expect to see competitive life insurance quotes and more customizable policies. Eliza Haverstock, student loans writer What happened: Borrowers received historic student loan relief, but lawsuits derailed an income-driven repayment plan used by 8 million whose payments are indefinitely paused. Uncertainty will carry into 2025 as a result of the presidential administration change. What’s ahead: Trump has pledged to overhaul higher education and rein in student loan relief. The fate of the SAVE repayment plan, student loan forgiveness options, FAFSA processing and more remain in the balance. Meghan Coyle, assistant assigning editor, travel What happened: People are willing to pay more for big and small luxuries while traveling, and airlines and hotels are taking note. Many airlines raised checked bag fees early in 2024, credit card issuers and airlines invested in renovated airport lounges, and major hotel companies continued to add luxury properties and brands to their loyalty programs. What’s ahead: Southwest will say goodbye to its open seating policy and introduce new extra-legroom seats, a major departure for the airline. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will unveil a unified loyalty program in 2025. Spirit Airlines may attempt to merge with another airline again after its 2024 bankruptcy filing and two failed mergers under President Biden’s administration. Travelers will find that they’ll have to pay a premium to enjoy most of the upgrades airlines and hotels are making. Laura McMullen, assistant assigning editor, personal finance What happened: This year, dynamic pricing expanded beyond concerts and travel to online retailers and even fast-food restaurants. This practice of prices changing based on real-time supply and demand received plenty of backlash from consumers and prompted the Federal Trade Commission to investigate how companies use consumers’ data to set prices. What’s ahead: Beyond an expansion of dynamic pricing — perhaps with added oversight — expect subscription models to become more prevalent and demand for sustainable products to grow. Shannon Bradley, autos writer What happened: New-car prices held steady in 2024 but remained high after a few years of sharp increases — the average new car now sells for about $48,000, and for the first time ever the price gap between new and used cars surpassed $20,000 (average used-car prices are now slightly more than $25,000). Overall, the car market returned to being in the buyer’s favor, as new-car inventories reached pre-pandemic levels, manufacturer incentives began making a comeback and auto loan interest rates started to decline. What’s ahead: The future of the car market is uncertain and depends on policies implemented by the incoming administration. Questions surround the impact of possible tariffs on car prices, whether auto loan rates will continue to drop, and if federal tax credits will still be available for electric vehicle buyers. Jackie Veling, personal loans writer What happened: Buy now, pay later continued to be a popular payment choice for U.S. shoppers, even while facing headwinds, like an interpretive ruling from the CFPB (which determined BNPL should be regulated the same as credit cards) and Apple’s discontinuation of its popular Apple Pay Later product. Large players like Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay continued to offer interest-free, pay-in-four plans at most major retailers, along with long-term plans for larger purchases. What’s ahead: Though more regulation had been widely anticipated in 2025, the change in administration suggests the CFPB will play a less active role in regulating BNPL products. For this reason, and its continued strength in the market, BNPL will likely keep growing. Taryn Phaneuf, news writer What happened: Easing inflation was a bright spot in 2024. In June, the consumer price index fell below 3% for the first time in three years. Consumers saw prices level off or decline for many goods, including for groceries, gas and new and used vehicles. But prices haven’t fallen far enough or broadly enough to relieve the pinch many households feel. What’s ahead: The new and higher tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could reignite inflation on a wide range of goods. Taryn Phaneuf, news writer What happened: Rent prices remain high, but annual rent inflation slowed significantly compared to recent years, staying around 3.5% for much of 2024, according to Zillow, a real estate website that tracks rents. A wave of newly constructed rental units on the market seems to be helping ease competition among renters and forcing landlords to offer better incentives for signing a lease. What’s ahead: If it continues, a softening rental market could work in renters’ favor. But construction is one of several industries that could see a shortage of workers if the Trump administration follows through on its promise to deport undocumented immigrants. A shortage of workers would mean fewer houses and apartments could be built. Anna Helhoski, news writer What happened: After a contentious presidential campaign, former President Donald Trump declared victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. While on the campaign trail, Trump promised to lower inflation, cut taxes, enact tariffs, weaken the power of the Federal Reserve, deport undocumented immigrants and more. Many economists have said Trump’s proposals, if enacted, would likely be inflationary. In Congress, Republicans earned enough seats to control both houses. What’s ahead: It’s unclear which campaign promises Trump will fulfill on his own and with the support of the new Congress. He has promised a slew of “day one” actions that could lead to higher prices, including across-the-board tariffs and mass deportations. Most recently, Trump pledged to enact 20% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10% tariff on China. He has also promised to extend or make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; many of its provisions expire by the end of 2025. Anna Helhoski, news writer What happened: Fiscal year 2023-2024’s funding saga finally came to an end in March, then six months later, the battle to fund the fiscal year 2024-2025 began. The Biden Administration waged its own war against junk fees . Antitrust enforcers pushed back against tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta; prevented the Kroger-Albertsons merger; nixed the Jet Blue-Spirit Airlines merger; and moved to ban noncompete agreements. The Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as a challenge to abortion pill access. SCOTUS also overruled its landmark Chevron case, which means every federal regulatory agency’s power to set and enforce its own rules are now weaker. What’s ahead: The election’s red sweep means the GOP will control the executive and legislative branches of government. They’ll face the threat of at least one more potential government shutdown; a debt ceiling drama comeback; and the beginning of the debate over extending or making permanent provisions of the expiring 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Anna Helhoski writes for NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski. The article What Trended in Personal Finance in 2024? originally appeared on NerdWallet .Liverpool are on fire: 6 consecutive wins in the Champions League, guaranteeing qualification with 5 points to spare, while 3 European powerhouses might miss out on the top 8.One of the key factors that contributed to the success of the original "Nezha" film was its ability to resonate with audiences on a profound emotional level. The character of Nezha, with his complex journey of self-discovery and redemption, struck a chord with viewers and left a lasting impression. In "Nezha: The Demon Child's Sea Adventure", the filmmakers are once again focusing on the emotional depth and complexity of the characters, ensuring that the story remains grounded and relatable amidst the fantastical elements.

haha777 city FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards in 2023, and he has been just as sharp for much of this season. But on Wednesday, Tagovailoa shouldered a share of the blame for what he called a surprising 5-7 start, saying his month-long stint on injured reserve with a concussion played a huge part in the way this season has unfolded. “I don’t think that (record) shows the character of who we are as a team,” Tagovailoa said. "It doesn’t show the work that we’ve put in this offseason together. “Nobody else will say it but me, and I feel like this has a lot to do with myself, obviously putting myself in harm’s way in the second game, going down and basically leaving my guys out to dry ... I do take heart to that as well and don’t want to do that to my guys again.” The Dolphins looked like they were returning to last season's form during a recent three-game winning streak, but questions about Miami's toughness resurfaced after a poor performance at frigid Lambeau Field last Thursday, when the temperature at kickoff was around 27 degrees. Miami missed 20 tackles, per Next Gen Stats, and allowed 114 yards on the ground while only rushing for 39 yards. Tagovailoa was sacked five times. The Dolphins have lost their past 12 regular-season or postseason games in which the temperature at kickoff was 40 degrees or lower, with more potential cold weather games coming up at Houston, Cleveland and the New York Jets later this season. Miami was 4-10 in games played in December or later in the past two seasons. “Collectively you’ve got to all have that same mindset,” Tagovailoa said of Miami's toughness. “That’s why we have team football, that’s why you’re in team sports. I think you’ve got to look at it as, are you mentally tough and are you physically tough? They have to go hand in hand. If one of those things has a kink in it, it could go one way or the other.” A few weeks after former Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott said the Dolphins were “soft” when he played there, linebacker Jordyn Brooks criticized his team's toughness after losing to Green Bay. “I feel like we let the elements control the way we played,” Brooks said after the 30-17 loss. “As a group, I thought we were soft. Simple as that.” Coach Mike McDaniel said he expects all kinds of criticisms to come when the team fails to reach expectations, but added that he uses the game tape to measure toughness. “If I have an example of weak-mindedness or situations where a guy is turning something down or how he’s loafing because of a result, those are things I can coach,” McDaniel said. McDaniel added he didn't see anything on the tape to suggest players weren't giving full effort, but he did see many instances of missed tackles because of straining and poor technique — not bringing their feet through the tackle — which got worse as the game went on. He also said players would have insisted he bench teammates if they were “loafing” or turning down assignments, which he indicated didn't happen. “I'm very aware that the narrative exists," McDaniel said, "and with absolute certainty, I know that the narrative will exist unless it changes. There’s one way to change it. And that’s winning a game against the New York Jets. "And you know what? People still might not call you tough. Cool. I take it very serious as a head coach to be responsible for things that can help to be accountable and to bring forth information that’s actually helpful, not finger pointing." Some Dolphins players disagreed with the notion the team isn't tough enough. “I guess we’ve got to prove it wrong," said defensive tackle Zach Sieler. “If people think that, we’ve got to go out there and beat it. I don’t think that’s the case. I think we play physically up front. I think we play physically all around. I think we’ve got to make sure we’re showing that on Sunday.” Miami placed backup cornerback Cam Smith on injured reserve after he dislocated his shoulder against Green Bay. The Dolphins also signed tackle Jackson Carman off the practice squad and signed cornerback Jason Maitre to the practice squad. ... Edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode practiced Wednesday for the first time this season, and McDaniel didn't rule out the possibility of one or both of them playing on Sunday. Chubb tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Week 17 last season, and Goode ruptured a patella tendon in the season finale. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Thomas Tuchel’s first England game confirmed with new boss handed Wembley World Cup double-header in March

State championships, Olympics, Chiefs highlight 2024 memories

Fulks had five rebounds and seven assists for the Panthers (8-4, 2-0 Horizon League). Kentrell Pullian added 19 points while shooting 7 for 13 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds and five steals. Jamichael Stillwell had 17 points and shot 5 of 9 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line. The Zips (6-3) were led by Tavari Johnson, who posted 22 points and two steals. Nate Johnson added 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals for Akron. Sharron Young had 11 points and three steals. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Zips. Milwaukee took the lead with 16:39 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 58-45 at halftime, with Erik Pratt racking up 14 points. Fulks scored 16 points in the second half to help lead the way as Milwaukee went on to secure a victory, outscoring Akron by six points in the second half. Milwaukee's next game is Sunday against North Central (IL) at home, and Akron squares off against Yale on Friday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .haha777 fund 。

iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited Reports 2024 Half-Year Unaudited Financial ResultsOp-Ed: It’s not just corrupt AI – Can you believe what you read about AI?

Meta says harmless content is mistakenly taken down ‘too often’CreateAI Announces Results of 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated at National Philarmonic

With hours left before the U.S. government was slated to run out of money last week, Elon Musk and Donald Trump took to social media to strong-arm the House GOP into abandoning a bipartisan deal to keep the government open. Musk — who has taken to behaving like an unelected potentate — aimed a barrage of postings at GOP Congress members who were thinking of voting for the short-term spending bill. The social media posts came as Musk was also endorsing Germany’s Neo-Nazi A lternative for Germany (AfD) party in the country’s upcoming elections. Then, hours later, Trump — who on such matters of state spending has all-too-visibly taken a backseat to his centi-billionaire benefactor — weighed in with a series of impossible demands built around the GOP entirely scrapping the debt ceiling to give his incoming administration carte blanche for no-limits spending. A day after the Musk-Trump ultimatum was issued, an opportunistic alliance of Democrats and ultraconservative Republicans rejected the legislation Trump’s team had demanded. And shortly after that, Congress passed — and President Biden signed — a much slimmed down version of the original legislation to keep government funded until the spring. The bill did not contain a provision to abolish the debt ceiling and makes it all-but-certain that conservatives will be able to push another messy political fight over spending just months into the new Trump presidency. The Musk-Trump attempt, days before Christmas, to scupper legislation needed to keep government functioning and government funds flowing, turned out to be a ham-fisted effort at arm-twisting that ended up alienating core parts of the Trump congressional coalition. Trump emerged from the fight bruised and, arguably, weakened. But so did House Speaker Mike Johnson. Never a natural fit for the speakership, he has ended up alienating the incoming president — and his Musk-ovite henchman — mere weeks before he faces his own re-election moment in the House. In the abstract, getting rid of the debt ceiling isn’t a bad idea. Progressive Democrats have routinely expressed their fury at the leverage it gives to the most anti-government wing of the GOP. Those members have, in recent years, attempted to use the issue as a way to blackmail their colleagues into accepting their agenda of slashing spending while cutting taxes for the wealthy in exchange for not letting the U.S. government default on its debt obligations. And at times over the past four years, the risk of default has grown so large that some constitutional law scholars have even urged President Biden to invoke the 14 th Amendment — part of which states that the government will not default on its debts — to bypass an intransigent Congress. But Musk and Trump haven’t had a come-to-Jesus conversion moment around the importance of adequate government spending on services vital to the well-being of the country. In fact, Musk’s inchoate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has only just begun to use the threat of massive government cuts in order to tame the federal civil service and bend it entirely to the will of Musk-Trump. This is about the balance of power: In the same way that Trump floated the idea of recessing Congress to bypass the Senate ’s powers to confirm (or block) his cabinet nominees, so, having slogged through government shutdowns during his first term in office, he now wants to unilaterally concentrate the power to shape a financial agenda in the executive branch of government, largely removing the House of Representatives’ control over the purse strings. Trump sought to intimidate GOP congress members, by making it clear that he would encourage primary challenges against any member who supported the legislation, which included several Democratic priorities, to temporarily secure additional funds for the government. And, as gleefully noted by right-wing media outlets , he issued a double-edged note of optimism to Johnson, saying that he thought the speaker, who is up for re-election, would do just fine ... so long as he had the wisdom to pull the bipartisan deal. Johnson is all too aware that he only acquired his current job after his own caucus members defenestrated former Speaker Kevin McCarthy for daring to negotiate with the Democrats to keep government open a few debt ceiling spending fights back, and that he only got there after pretty much every other plausible candidate dropped out of contention. So, duly chastened, the current speaker immediately pulled the bill and set his caucus to work on penning new legislation that would fund the government enough to keep it up and running through the presidential transition period. In Trump’s imagination, Congress ought to be there to pass politically popular tax cuts. Despite his big talk on lowering government spending, he seems less keen on cutting spending on programs that his constituents use so as to fund these tax cuts. Instead, he wants the freedom to borrow more and more and more money as a hedge against the austerity politics demanded by so many on the right of his own party. In his first term, Trump explosively added to the national debt to the tune of roughly eight trillion dollars . His current set of proposals seem likely to prove an encore to this unseemly economic performance. Unfortunately for Trump, that economic worldview is anathema to many Freedom Caucus-styled Congress members, who have long sought to tie debt ceiling increases to cuts in overall government spending; and over the course of a frenetic 24 hours, dozens of ultraconservatives in Congress balked at passing legislation that would essentially strip Congress of one of its prime levers of control over the nation’s purse strings, and make it far easier for a strong president to basically push his personal wish-lists of tax cuts combined with spending on pet projects such as the border wall, with no concern for the long-term fiscal implications. There are few things on this earth that would convince dozens of this current crop of GOP congress members, beholden as they are to the MAGA base, to vote against the explicit orders of Donald J. Trump. But one of those things, it appears, is the nation’s debt ceiling. In presiding over passage of a government spending bill that didn’t meet Trump’s needs on the debt ceiling, Speaker Johnson’s challenges have suddenly become a whole lot bigger . At the best of times, Johnson’s hold over the GOP caucus, and its vanishingly slim majority in the House, has been tenuous. He managed to pass legislation continuing to fund Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russia’s invasion only with the backing of Democrats . A week after winning the presidential election, Trump endorsed Johnson’s re-election efforts ; now, however, the speaker has been unable to deliver the House on a key Trump demand. In consequence, it is more likely that, early in the new year, Johnson’s fractious House members will fail to unite in the way that is needed to deliver the votes that would keep him in control of the speaker’s gavel. It all speaks volumes to the chaos likely to engulf the Capitol over the coming years as Trump, governing by social media pronouncement, seeks to accumulate presidential powers at the expense of the other branches of government.

NoneTrump taps Devin Nunes, two other Californians for administration postsShailene Woodley still cries over ‘toxic’ Aaron Rodgers relationshipPresident Biden’s Sunday move to pardon his son Hunter weeks before he was set to be sentenced for his federal convictions served as Jon Stewart’s comedy fodder this week. During Monday’s episode of “The Daily Show,” the guest host said that while he respects Biden’s decision to protect his son, the sweeping pardon is a knock for Democrats because they framed Biden’s prior insistence on respecting the outcome of his son’s trial as their “Mason-Dixon line of morality.” “Hypocrisy isn’t illegal. Nor is it particularly unusual in politics,” Stewart said. “It’s not like he’s ever going to run again, so why not take care of your kid, even if you said weren’t gonna. I respect it, I don’t have a problem with it. “The problem is the rest of the Democrats made Biden’s pledge to not pardon Hunter the foundation of their defense of America, this grand experiment,” he added before playing several clips of Democratic lawmakers using Biden’s promise as a moral threshold. Stewart then showed news clips that he said depicted “the dance Democrats have to do” in response to Biden’s switch-up. “Be honest, the only reason why they went after Hunter the way they did — and I’ve talked to many federal prosecutors about this — is because he’s the president’s son,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) said in one of the clips. Biden used a similar defense in a Sunday statement explaining his decision to issue the pardon, which effectively rolled back his son’s convictions in two federal cases relating to gun ownership and taxes. “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,” he said. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Later in his opening monologue, Stewart also joked about the timing of Biden’s announcement, which came over Thanksgiving weekend. Stewart did not reserve his digs for the Democrats, whom he conceded “have a tougher road of defending our institutions and systems as being flawed, but still valuable.” Whereas, Republicans, he said, “just run on blowing this s— up.” He also mocked President-elect Donald Trump’s response to Biden’s pardon. Trump asked on his social media platform Truth Social if Biden’s decision also includes Jan. 6 insurrection “hostages.” He also characterized Biden’s decision as “an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.” “Oh, you pardoned your son?” Stewart said, pantomiming the former president. “Well, what about the people who tried to help me overthrow the government? That’s kind of a leap there. It’s like going, you know, ‘Oh you’re going to let the kids stay up to watch “SNL,” but you’re not even going to try to help me burn the neighbor’s house down?’ ” Along with Stewart, several other late-night hosts chimed in with their own pardon-related jabs Monday night. “It was a big shopping weekend, and millions of people got great deals,” Jimmy Fallon said on “The Tonight Show.” “But nobody got a better deal than Hunter Biden.” Fox News contributor Tyrus kept the holiday theme going on “Gutfield,” quipping, “Christmas came early for this guy.”

Outsource Debt Collection Services Market Overview and Leading Players: Transworld Systems Inc (TSI), Altus GTS Inc., Cerved, KRUK Group, TCM Group, Link Financial, Prestige Services Inc (PSI), Arrow Global 12-15-2024 10:18 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: STATS N DATA Outsource Debt Collection Services Market The Outsource Debt Collection Services Market is emerging as a pivotal sector within the broader financial services landscape, providing essential support to businesses seeking to recover outstanding debts efficiently. As companies increasingly turn to third-party agencies to manage their debt recovery processes, the relevance and scope of outsourced debt collection services are expanding significantly. This growth is not only driven by the need for improved cash flow management but also by the evolving landscape of consumer behavior and payment preferences. Recent technological advancements have played a crucial role in the market's evolution. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data analytics is revolutionizing how debt collection agencies operate. These technologies enable agencies to tailor their approaches based on individual consumer profiles, leading to more effective recovery strategies and enhanced customer experiences. Furthermore, strategic collaborations between debt collection agencies and technology firms are fostering innovation, allowing for the development of new tools and platforms that streamline debt recovery processes. You can access a sample PDF report here: https://www.statsndata.org/download-sample.php?id=97720 As the market continues to evolve, staying attuned to current trends is paramount. Companies that leverage these advancements while aligning their strategies with changing consumer expectations are poised to thrive. The demand for more ethical and sustainable debt collection practices is also on the rise. Businesses that prioritize transparency, communication, and customer-centric approaches stand to gain a competitive edge in this dynamic environment. Key Growth Drivers and Trends Several critical factors are influencing the demand for outsourced debt collection services. The trend towards sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant, as consumers show a preference for companies that demonstrate social responsibility. Debt collection agencies that adopt sustainable practices not only enhance their brand image but also attract clients who prioritize such values. Digitization is another significant driver. The shift towards online transactions and digital payment methods has altered consumers' expectations regarding debt recovery processes. As a result, debt collection agencies must adapt to these changes by implementing digital solutions that facilitate seamless interactions with debtors. Consumer awareness has also surged, with individuals becoming more informed about their rights and the various debt collection practices. This heightened awareness compels agencies to adopt more ethical and transparent approaches, reshaping the market landscape. The integration of AI into debt collection processes is a transformative trend that is reshaping the industry. By utilizing AI-driven analytics, agencies can predict consumer behavior, optimize collection strategies, and improve overall efficiency. Additionally, product customization is gaining traction, as clients seek tailored solutions that align with their specific needs and objectives. Emerging technologies, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, are further enhancing the efficiency of debt recovery operations, allowing for faster responses and improved customer engagement. Market Segmentation The Outsource Debt Collection Services Market can be segmented into various categories for a comprehensive understanding of its dynamics. - Segment by Type - Early Out Debt: This segment focuses on accounts that are still in the early stages of delinquency. Agencies specializing in early out debt collection employ proactive strategies to engage debtors and encourage timely payments. - Bad Debt: This segment deals with accounts that have been significantly overdue. Agencies often utilize more rigorous collection strategies to recover these debts, which may involve legal action or negotiation. - Segment by Application - Healthcare: The healthcare sector represents a substantial portion of the market, with agencies collecting overdue payments for medical services and treatments. - Student Loans: As student debt continues to rise, agencies specializing in student loan collections are increasingly relevant, helping borrowers manage repayment. - Financial Services: This broad category includes various financial institutions that require debt recovery services to manage credit card debts, loans, and other financial obligations. - Government: Government entities often rely on outsourced debt collection services to recover unpaid taxes, fines, and other public debts. - Retail: Retailers are frequently faced with overdue payments from customers, making this sector a significant application area for debt collection services. - Telecom & Utility: Companies in telecommunications and utilities also utilize outsourced services to recover unpaid bills, a critical aspect of maintaining cash flow. - Mortgage & Others: This category encompasses mortgage-related debt collection and other miscellaneous debt recovery services, reflecting the diverse applications of outsourced debt collection. Get 30% Discount On Full Report: https://www.statsndata.org/ask-for-discount.php?id=97720 Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the Outsource Debt Collection Services Market is characterized by a diverse array of players, each contributing to industry innovation and best practices. Notable companies include: - Transworld Systems Inc (TSI): A leader in debt recovery, TSI combines advanced technology with personalized service to optimize the debt collection process for clients across various industries. - Altus GTS Inc.: Renowned for its comprehensive debt recovery solutions, Altus GTS focuses on client partnerships and innovative strategies to enhance recovery rates. - Cerved: This prominent firm specializes in credit information and debt collection, leveraging extensive data analytics to support its clients' recovery efforts. - KRUK Group: With a strong presence in the market, KRUK Group employs cutting-edge technology to streamline its collection processes while maintaining a focus on ethical practices. - TCM Group: TCM Group is known for its tailored solutions and commitment to customer satisfaction, establishing itself as a trusted partner for businesses seeking debt recovery services. - Link Financial: This company emphasizes transparency and communication, utilizing a customer-centric approach to foster positive relationships with debtors. - Prestige Services Inc (PSI): PSI is recognized for its innovative collection techniques and commitment to compliance, ensuring that recovery efforts align with regulatory standards. - Arrow Global: Arrow Global is a key player in the market, offering a diverse range of debt recovery services while focusing on sustainable practices. - PRA Group: A global leader in asset recovery, PRA Group employs data-driven strategies to enhance its debt recovery efforts across multiple sectors. - Bierens Debt Recovery Lawyers: Specializing in legal debt recovery, Bierens provides expertise in navigating complex debt situations and enforcing collections through legal channels. - B2Holding: B2Holding operates across Europe, offering comprehensive debt recovery services while emphasizing compliance and ethical practices. - Atradius Collections: This firm specializes in international debt recovery, leveraging its global network to assist clients in recovering debts across borders. - EOS Group: With a wide range of services, EOS Group focuses on innovative solutions and customer engagement to enhance recovery rates. - GC Services: GC Services is a major player in the market, providing a full suite of debt collection services while prioritizing client relationships. - Lowell: Lowell employs a technology-driven approach to debt recovery, ensuring efficient and effective collection practices. - Axactor: Axactor is committed to transforming the debt collection industry through innovative technology and a customer-first approach. - iQera: Known for its analytical capabilities, iQera utilizes data insights to optimize its debt collection strategies. - Intrum: Intrum is a leading credit management company, focusing on ethical debt recovery practices and customer engagement. - Creditreform: Creditreform combines credit information with debt recovery services, ensuring a comprehensive approach to managing outstanding debts. - iQor: iQor is dedicated to enhancing the customer experience in debt recovery through innovative communication strategies. - Hoist Finance: This company emphasizes responsible lending and ethical practices in debt recovery, aligning its services with consumer rights. - IC System: IC System is known for its commitment to compliance and customer service, ensuring positive debt recovery experiences. - Asta Funding: Asta Funding focuses on acquiring and managing consumer debt, employing innovative strategies to maximize recovery. - Encore Capital Group: This firm specializes in asset recovery and management, leveraging data analytics to drive its collection processes. - coeo Inkasso GmbH: Coeo is recognized for its customer-centric approach, working collaboratively with clients to achieve optimal recovery results. - Weinberg & Reis: This firm specializes in legal debt collection, providing expertise in navigating complex debt recovery scenarios. - Weltman: Weltman offers a comprehensive suite of debt recovery services, focusing on ethical practices and client satisfaction. - Arvato (Bertelsmann Group): Arvato combines technology with extensive industry expertise to provide effective debt recovery solutions. - Alorica: Alorica offers a range of customer engagement services, including debt recovery, focusing on enhancing the overall customer experience. - UNIVERSUM Group: This group emphasizes innovative debt recovery strategies while maintaining a focus on ethical practices. The contributions of these companies are shaping the future of the Outsource Debt Collection Services Market. Their commitment to innovation, client satisfaction, and ethical practices not only drives industry standards but also sets a benchmark for emerging players. Opportunities and Challenges The Outsource Debt Collection Services Market presents numerous opportunities for growth and expansion. Untapped regions, particularly in emerging markets, hold significant potential for debt recovery agencies. As economies develop and consumer credit usage increases, the demand for effective debt collection services is likely to rise. Evolving consumer preferences also present opportunities for companies willing to adapt. Consumers are increasingly seeking more personalized and transparent debt recovery experiences. Agencies that can offer tailored solutions and demonstrate empathy in their collection approaches are better positioned to build trust and loyalty among their clients. However, the market is not without its challenges. Regulatory constraints can pose significant hurdles, as agencies must navigate complex legal landscapes and comply with varying regulations across jurisdictions. Operational inefficiencies, such as outdated processes and insufficient technology, can impede recovery efforts and reduce overall effectiveness. Additionally, talent shortages in the industry can limit agencies' ability to deliver high-quality services. To address these challenges, agencies should invest in training and development programs to enhance their workforce's skills. Embracing automation and technology can also streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. Furthermore, fostering partnerships with legal and regulatory experts can help agencies stay compliant and navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape. Technological Advancements Technological advancements are fundamentally transforming the Outsource Debt Collection Services Market. Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of this transformation, enabling agencies to analyze vast amounts of data quickly and gain insights into consumer behavior. AI-driven analytics allow for more accurate predictions of payment patterns, enabling agencies to tailor their collection strategies accordingly. Virtual tools and communication platforms are also revolutionizing the debt recovery process. Chatbots and automated messaging systems enhance customer engagement, allowing agencies to interact with debtors in real-time and provide timely updates on their accounts. This technology not only improves efficiency but also fosters a more positive experience for consumers. Moreover, the Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as a valuable tool in debt collection. IoT-driven systems can provide agencies with real-time data on consumer behavior and payment trends, allowing for proactive engagement and timely interventions. By leveraging these cutting-edge technologies, agencies can streamline their operations and enhance their recovery capabilities. Research Methodology and Insights The insights presented in this press release are based on a rigorous research methodology employed by STATS N DATA. Our approach includes both top-down and bottom-up methodologies, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of the Outsource Debt Collection Services Market. Primary research involves direct engagement with industry experts, key stakeholders, and market participants to gather firsthand insights. Secondary research encompasses an extensive review of existing literature, market reports, and industry publications to support our findings. This multi-faceted approach allows us to triangulate data and ensure accuracy in our insights. Through this comprehensive research methodology, STATS N DATA provides actionable insights that empower businesses to make informed decisions in the Outsource Debt Collection Services Market. Our commitment to delivering reliable and up-to-date information positions us as a trusted authority in the industry. In conclusion, the Outsource Debt Collection Services Market is poised for significant growth, driven by technological advancements, evolving consumer expectations, and increasing demand for ethical practices. By understanding the market's dynamics, key players, and emerging trends, businesses can navigate this evolving landscape and capitalize on the opportunities it presents. For customization requests, please visit: https://www.statsndata.org/request-customization.php?id=97720 Full Outsource Debt Collection Services Market Report Link: https://www.statsndata.org/report/Global-Outsource-Debt-Collection-Services-Market-97720 Related Reports: Very Edge AI Chipset Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/very-edge-ai-chipset-market-2803 Securities Fraud Lawsuit Services Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/securities-fraud-lawsuit-services-market-272554 Floating Brake Caliper Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/floating-brake-caliper-market-123548 Luxury Scented Candles Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/luxury-scented-candles-market-61799 RAN Analytics & Monitoring Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/ran-analytics--monitoring-market-50524 John Jones Sales & Marketing Head | Stats N Data Phone: +1 (315) 642-4324 Email: sales@statsndata.org Website: www.statsndata.org STATS N DATA is a trusted provider of industry intelligence and market research, delivering actionable insights to businesses across diverse sectors. We specialize in helping organizations navigate complex markets with advanced analytics, detailed market segmentation, and strategic guidance. Our expertise spans industries including technology, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, food & beverages, and more. Committed to accuracy and innovation, we provide tailored reports that empower clients to make informed decisions, identify emerging opportunities, and achieve sustainable growth. Our team of skilled analysts leverages cutting-edge methodologies to ensure every report addresses the unique challenges of our clients. At STATS N DATA, we transform data into knowledge and insights into success. Partner with us to gain a competitive edge in today's fast-paced business environment. For more information, visit https://www.statsndata.org or contact us today at sales@statsndata.org This release was published on openPR.

Share this Story : TAKEAWAYS: Ottawa Senators get goalie boost from Leevi Merilainen and tame Wild Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links Ottawa Senators Sports Hockey NHL TAKEAWAYS: Ottawa Senators get goalie boost from Leevi Merilainen and tame Wild Author of the article: Tim Baines Published Dec 29, 2024 • Last updated 2 minutes ago • 3 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account. Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot and centre Josh Norris maneuver the puck while Minnesota Wild defenceman Brock Faber pressures them during the first period of an NHL game Dec. 29, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Photo by Ellen Schmidt / The Associated Press Article content With a little luck on his side, Leevi Merilainen gave the Ottawa Senators the goaltending boost they needed Sunday. In their final game of 2024, the Senators, playing their sixth straight game on the road, beat the Minnesota Wild 3-1. The Senators decided to go with Merilainen, a third-round draft pick in 2020, after Mads Sogaard allowed a couple of soft goals in a 4-2 loss in Winnipeg Saturday. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account Email Address Continue or View more offers If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, online access is included in your subscription. Activate your Online Access Now Article content “(He was) solid,” Senators coach Travis Green told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson. “I liked his game. He looked in control, he looked composed. Anytime you win on the road against a team like this, you’re going to have to make some saves down the stretch.” The luck? The Wild hit three goalposts and a crossbar. If any of those had gone in, it could have changed the tone of the game. But Merilainen came up big when he had to. “There were five or six (off the posts) ... you don’t have to save those,” Merilainen said. The Senators don’t know when they’ll get starting goalie Linus Ullmark, who hasn’t played since his back tightened up a week ago, back in the lineup. The Wild were without star winger Kirill Kaprizov, who sat out with a lower-body injury. With 50 points in 34 games, he’s tied with Mitch Marner for sixth in the NHL scoring race, two points behind Connor McDavid. It was a very good effort from the Senators. “We played with purpose in our game,” Green said. “We didn’t deviate from the game, even when we were down 1-0.” Minnesota opened the scoring when a shot by defenceman Declan Chisholm was deflected into the net by Frederick Gaudreau with 2:41 left in the first period. Sports Get the latest sport headlines and breaking news. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sports will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The Senators came out flying in the second period, firing 10 shots in the goal in the first five minutes. The hard work paid off. The Senators tied it 1:47 into the second period when Ridly Greig, parked just to the right of Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson, jammed the puck into the open side after a favourable bounce off the end boards. The Wild hit two goalposts during a power play near the mid-point of the period. Near the mid-point of the third, Merilainen made a big pad save with the Wild on a 2-on-1 while short-handed after a tripping penalty to Zach Bogosian. With the Wild penalized again, a one-timer by Josh Norris gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead with 7:18 left. An empty-net goal by Claude Giroux with 44 seconds left sealed the deal. BLURRED LINES Senators coach Travis Green threw his lines in a blender to start Sunday’s game. And, he sat defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker. Adam Gaudette was elevated from the fourth line to play on a line with Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle. Captain Brady Tkachuk played alongside Ridly Greig and centre Shane Pinto. Josh Norris was at centre between Nick Cousins and Claude Giroux. Zack Ostapchuk played between Cole Reinhardt and Noah Gregor. Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Nikolas Mantinpolo replaced Bernard-Docker in the third defence pairing, alongside Tyler Kleven. “We shuffled the deck a bit,” Green said. “We wanted to get some balance throughout our lineup. We felt comfortable playing all four lines. Gauds did a good job with Timmy and Drake.” A ROAD WELL-TRAVELLED The Senators are now six games into their lengthy nine-game road swing that takes them into January. After opening with three wins, the Senators lost two before winning Sunday. Still to go: Games in Dallas (Jan. 2), St. Louis (Jan. 3) and Detroit (Jan. 7). Ottawa’s next home game is Jan. 9 vs. Buffalo. tbaines@postmedia.com X: @TimCBaines Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : TAKEAWAYS: Ottawa Senators get goalie boost from Leevi Merilainen and tame Wild Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Comments You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments. Create an Account Sign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Trending World juniors: Reinforcements on way as Canada moves forward from devastating loss to Latvia World Juniors 4.1 magnitude earthquake in northwest Quebec felt in Ottawa News Confederation Line service resumes after broken pipe halted trains Local News OPP stop on Hwy 417 yields $28,000 in cash and suspected drugs Local News Canadian military fears maintenance issues will plague equipment sent to Latvia Defence Watch Read Next Latest National Stories Featured Local SavingsNone

, /PRNewswire/ -- , the leading technology solution bridging online and offline retail since 2014, today debuted the first Omni-Seller Marketplace (OSM) in partnership with , a global leader in the cycling industry. Locally's OSM platform enables manufacturers to develop a robust brand-centric shopping journey unifying every possible channel with an unlimited number of sellers. "Trek, one of our most forward-thinking and longest-standing partners, has built its brand on pioneering technology and delivering exceptional customer service," said , CEO and founder of Locally. "Together, we've crafted a solution that elevates the shopping experience and strengthens Trek's relationships with independent dealers worldwide. Consumers are now in full control, enjoying the most seamless online-to-offline shopping experience in the market." Multi-channel, multi-seller marketplaces are far more popular with online shoppers than single-brand sites. Marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and Walmart now account for over 63% of all online sales. For Trek, the OSM platform seamlessly integrates all of their bike and accessory brands with real-time inventory from local independent bike dealers (IBDs), creating the ultimate shopping destination for online bike buyers. By using Locally's OSM platform, Trek brings together the shopper journey across multiple brands, multiple channels, and multiple sellers across the globe. Locally's OSM platform empowers Trek to create the best in class retail solution by merging Trek's functionality within the OSM headless platform. Designed to meet the demands of today's digitally savvy consumers, OSM enables a fluid, unified shopping journey across online and in-store channels whether customers shop online, use BOPIS (Buy Online, Pickup In-Store), local delivery, or simply visit local stores directly. With its global presence, OSM provides Trek with proprietary tools to deepen customer loyalty and remove barriers, ensuring every interaction strengthens the consumer's relationship with the Trek brand. "At Trek, we're dedicated to making our brand accessible to cyclists everywhere," said , vice president of IT and digital at Trek. "With Locally's support, we launched 'Consumer Choice' on , a marketplace combining local store inventory with our full product range, all in one unified shopping experience. The Locally partnership strengthens Trek's commitment to serving customers across all channels, making the ultimate resource for every cyclist." Massey continued, "By partnering with Locally, Trek provides shoppers with a nearly omnipresent shopping experience, stitching together local pickup and e-commerce options into a single, bike-buying experience. Shoppers don't have to choose between online and nearby or DTC and IBD. All options are always available in the Omni-Seller Marketplace. By providing unlimited choices for shoppers, Trek can simultaneously support their bike-riding (B2C) and bike-selling (B2B) customers." In addition, the OSM platform provides brands with tools for coordinating different fulfillment channels, mixed-cart shopping, and ensuring easy payments to local dealers through Locally's Cart API. The platform gives consumers the option to check local inventory before making a purchase and to choose their preferred payment and the fulfillment method that best suits their lifestyle. For more information, visit: Trek Bicycle is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of bicycles and related products. Trek believes the bicycle can be a simple solution to many of the world's most complex problems and is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent people from using bicycles more often for transportation, recreation, and inspiration. Locally creates an integrated shopping experience for consumers by bridging online and offline retail. With tech implemented by over 1,000 major brands, Locally is the industry leader in online-to-offline shopping solutions. Locally's tools are powered by real-time inventory from over 47,000 retailers worldwide and are utilized by more than 55 million shoppers every month. To learn more about Locally's online-to-offline shopping solutions, visit . View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE LocallyAmerican Consumer Awards (ACA) Unveils "Sports & Leisure" Category Winners for California, Hosted by the American Consumer Right Association (ACRA) 12-23-2024 11:34 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: US China Brand, LLC Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/0a4861b8810e36dde4807397e8c7fd49.jpg The results of the 2024 American Consumer Awards in the 'Sports & Leisure' category, organized by the American Consumer Right Association (ACRA) and managed by the American Consumer Assessment (ACA), have been announced for the California region. These awards aim to uphold consumers' fundamental rights by sharing results based on consumer evaluations, providing objective and valuable information, and promoting the qualitative enhancement of consumers' lives. Evaluations for the 2024 American Consumer Awards 'Sports & Leisure' category were conducted from July to October and were based on online reviews from real consumers. The evaluation criteria included staff friendliness, facility satisfaction, pricing satisfaction, accessibility, and service satisfaction. Several outstanding businesses were recognized for their excellence in this category. The winners are as follows: The Escape Game San Francisco (Downtown) GoJump Oceanside. Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area Hansen Dam Aquatic Center Pins N Pockets Skydive Perris Total Body Experts + Studio-Cycles SC Village Indian Wells Tennis Garden K1 Speed (Ontario Mills Pkwy) Tahoe Sport Fishing REI (Copley Dr) Sharks Ice at San Jose Silicon Valley Skydiving San Diego Surf School | San Diego Surf Lessons The Escape Game San Diego QUEST ROOM - Hollywood Escape Rooms Seaforth Sportfishing K1 Speed (District Pl) Quarry Park Adventures Gold's Gym Venice In-Shape Family Fitness (Valley Center Dr) Fitness 19 (N Grand Ave) Concourse Bowling Center Canyon Bicycles USA Legion American Jiu Jitsu San Diego - HQ Road Runner Sports (Newport Blvd) Flight Adventure Park Bakersfield Sports Basement Campbell A spokesperson for the American Consumer Right Association stated, "The 2024 American Consumer Awards are grounded in evaluations from real consumers, and we hope these results will provide trustworthy information for consumers and contribute to the growth of the sports and leisure industry. We also believe that these assessments will encourage businesses to prioritize customer satisfaction and continue to offer exceptional service." Media Contact Company Name: American Consumer Right Association Contact Person: Harvey Reed Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=american-consumer-awards-aca-unveils-sports-leisure-category-winners-for-california-hosted-by-the-american-consumer-right-association-acra ] City: Los Angeles State: California Country: United States Website: https://www.acra-us.org/ This release was published on openPR.Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn lead the Stars past the Blackhawks 5-1

PRESS RELEASE TEMPE, Ariz. and PRAGUE, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Norton, a leading Cyber Safety brand of GenTM (NASDAQ: GEN ), has launched the new Norton Small Business Premium, an all-in-one, easy-to-use cybersecurity plan specifically designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses. In addition to powerful device security, Norton Small Business Premium features 24/7 Business Tech Support, Financial Monitoring, Social Media Monitoring and more. "More than half (56%)* of small business owners report that cybersecurity threats impact their business. Unfortunately, not enough of these entrepreneurs and small businesses have cybersecurity in place, often due to their cost and complexity," said Leena Elias, Chief Product Officer at Gen. "Norton Small Business Premium not only takes the work out of securing your business, we also help when other IT issues crop up." Cybersecurity is crucial for businesses to protect their sensitive data, networks, and digital assets from cyberthreats that can lead to unauthorized access to company networks, data breaches, financial losses, and reputation damage. To help protect businesses where they need it most, Norton Small Business Premium includes features such as: Norton Small Business Premium doesn't require an IT specialist or cybersecurity knowledge to use. It's easy to install and runs seamlessly in the background on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, allowing you to focus on your business without slowing down operations. Norton recommends 10 tips for small business Cyber Safety: Norton Small Business Premium is available now with prices starting at $299.99/year with options for 6, 10 or 20-device plans. For more information, please visit norton.com/products/small-business. About Norton Norton is a leading Cyber Safety brand of GenTM (NASDAQ: GEN ), a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom through its family of trusted consumer brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, Avira, AVG, ReputationDefender and CCleaner. Gen empowers people to live their digital lives safely, privately, and confidently today and for generations to come. Gen brings award-winning products and services in cybersecurity, online privacy and identity protection to more than 500 million users in more than 150 countries. Learn more at Norton.com and GenDigital.com.

Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released, the White House has announced, in a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. or signup to continue reading The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained by China. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. "Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years," the White House said in a statement. The release comes two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud. US-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China's aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbours in the South China Sea, and Beijing's support for Russia's military-industrial sector. The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the US and China. The development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House in January. Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan. The State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to "level two," advising US citizens to "exercise increased caution" from the norm when travelling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at "level three," telling Americans they should "reconsider travel" to China in part because of the "risk of wrongful detention" of Americans. The new alert retains a warning that the Chinese government "arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on US citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law." The White House has not confirmed whether any Chinese citizens in American custody had been returned home in a prisoner swap. Senators from both political parties praised the move. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, where Swidan's mother lives, said he was "overjoyed" and credited senior Biden administration officials for having "worked tirelessly to secure this achievement." Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the US and lived in New York, was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A UN working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family has said the charges were politically motivated. Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China's counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. Swidan had been jailed for the last 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, was considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementWhy Indonesia, Thailand, UK, US and Japan Are the Best Places for Australian Tourists this Christmas and New Year Holiday

SAN DIEGO , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CreateAI Holdings Inc., formerly TuSimple Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS: TSPH) ("CreateAI" or the "Company"), a global artificial intelligence technology company, today announced shareholder voting results for its annual meeting of stockholders held on December 20, 2024 (the "Annual Meeting"). As of October 28, 2024 , the record date for the Annual Meeting, there were a total of 232,618,399 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, comprised of 208,618,399 shares of Class A Common Stock (each with one vote per share) and 24,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (each with ten votes per share). At the Annual Meeting, holders of 207,347,538 shares of common stock, representing 423,347,538 votes, entitled to vote at the meeting were represented in person or by proxy and, therefore, a quorum constituted of the majority of the voting power of the shares of common stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting was present. The following is a brief description of each matter voted upon at the 2024 Annual Meeting and the numbers of votes cast for, withheld, or against, the number of abstentions, and the number of broker non-votes with respect to each other, as applicable. 1. Election of six nominees to serve on the Board of Directors (the "Board") for a term which will expire at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, or, if Proposal Two is adopted, to hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders in accordance with the class of director to which each nominee will be assigned. The following six directors were elected by the votes as indicated below. For Withheld Broker Non-Votes Cheng Lu 208,949,915 164,765,019 1 49,632,604 Mo Chen 208,946,146 164,768,788 1 49,632,604 James Lu 209,109,928 164,605,006 1 49,632,604 Zhen Tao 209,158,316 164,556,618 1 49,632,604 Albert Schultz 348,895,019 1 24,819,915 49,632,604 Jianan Hao 209,021,652 164,693,282 1 49,632,604 The totals above include the 240,000,000 votes represented by the Class B shares of Common Stock. 12,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (representing 120,000,00 votes) were voted "FOR" and 12,000,000 shares of Class B Common stock (representing 120,000,00 votes) were voted "WITHHELD" for each of the Directors other than Albert Schultz . All shares of Class B Common Stock were voted "FOR" the election of Albert Schultz . Excluding the 240,000,000 votes from the 24,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock from the totals above, the 183,347,538 shares of Class A Common Stock were voted as indicated below. For Withheld Broker Non-Votes Cheng Lu 88,949,915 44,765,019 49,632,604 Mo Chen 88,946,146 44,768,788 49,632,604 James Lu 89,109,928 44,605,006 49,632,604 Zhen Tao 89,158,316 44,556,618 49,632,604 Albert Schultz 108,895,019 24,819,915 49,632,604 Jianan Hao 89,021,652 44,693,282 49,632,604 2. Amendment to the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation to classify the Board of Directors into three classes, with directors in each class to serve staggered three-year terms. Pursuant to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Proposal Two must receive the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, since directors representing two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of authorized directors have already approved. The amendment was not approved 2 by the votes as indicated below: For Against 1 Abstain Broker Non-Votes 208,955,668 164,659,652 99,614 49,632,604 Because Proposal Two was not approved, the six directors elected pursuant to Proposal One will serve on the Board for a term which will expire at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders. 3. Ratification of the appointment of UHY LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 . The selection was ratified by the votes as indicated below: For Against 1 Abstain Broker Non-Votes 255,504,371 155,923,768 11,919,399 - Note 1: Includes 120,000,000 votes of the 12,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock held by White Marble LLC and White Marble International Limited (together, the "White Marble Entities") controlled by Dr. Xiaodi Hou . Note 2: The White Marble Entities have filed an action in the Delaware Court of Chancery seeking a declaratory judgment that the voting agreement between White Marble and Mo Chen is invalid and White Marble, not Mo Chen , controls the vote. White Marble LLC v. Chen , C.A. No. 2024-1208-PAF (Del. Ch.) On December 13, 2024 , the Court entered an order that allows the Company to hold the vote on Proposal Two, and ordered that if Proposal Two is not approved at the Annual Meeting but the Court determines in the Action that Mo Chen , not the White Marble Entities, control how the White Marble Entities' Shares are voted, then the White Marble Entities' shares shall be deemed to have been voted in favor of Proposal Two at the Annual Meeting and that such vote shall stand. The vote totals above include the votes of the shares held by the White Marble Entities as voted by the White Marble Entities. If the shares held by the White Marble entities reflected in the totals above are deemed to have been voted in favor of Proposal Two, the Proposal will have passed. Accordingly, if the Court rules in Mo Chen's favor, Proposal Two will be deemed to have passed and the Company would be permitted to amend its Certificate of Incorporation to implement Proposal Two and each of the directors elected pursuant to Proposal One will serve on the Board until the annual meeting of stockholders in accordance with the class of director to which each nominee is assigned. About CreateAI CreateAI (formerly TuSimple) is a global artificial intelligence company with offices in US, China , and Japan . The company is pioneering the future of digital entertainment content production, seamlessly blending cutting-edge generative AI technology with the creativity of world-class talent. Our mission is to redefine the boundaries of what's possible in digital storytelling by developing immersive, captivating, and visually stunning experiences that resonate with audiences on a global scale. Investor Relations Contact: ICR for CreateAI CreateAI.IR@icrinc.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/createai-announces-results-of-2024-annual-meeting-of-stockholders-302338618.html SOURCE CreateAI Holdings Inc

haha777 legit or not South Carolina F Ashlyn Watkins remains suspended

Unless otherwise specified, all sizes in this post are listed in women's. 1. A set of cami bras for those days when you're lounging around the house but still want to keep the girls supported. Promising review: "Loved the five colors, very VERY comfortable and worth the price. The material is very soft, feels like you have nothing on. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this product." — Amazon Customer Price: $25.99+ for a set of four (available in sizes S–3XL and in six color sets) If you like these, check out our picks for the best tank tops with built-in bras ! 2. A Maidenform convertible push-up bra that goes from strapless to secured in seconds. You'll get a lil' extra boost thanks to the push-up design and the monochrome colors make it the perfect pick under any outfit. Promising review: "Bought this to wear as a strapless to a wedding. I didn’t have to constantly pull it up, which has always been why I stay away from strapless. It was tight, and I did receive a size bigger than I ordered, so keep that in mind. Glad it was tight though!" — Kara Price: $17.76+ (available in sizes 34C–40DD and in two designs) 3. A seamless medium-low support workout bra so you can stay supported while still looking super cute. I honestly wouldn't blame you if you wore this cutie sans anything over the top of it (aka, as a shirt). Promising review: "I'm a 32DDD and it's so hard finding good sports bras. The cups add nice shape so I don't get an underboob look and it's so cute from the back!" — H Price: $19.99+ (available in sizes XS–XL and in 14 colors and designs) You can also find this bra at #1 in our list of chic sports bras ! 4. A wire-free and bulge-free bra because bra bulge is the one thing that no one needs in their lives. Yes, it's a relief when you take off your bra at the end of the day, but what makes it even better is not having any indents on your skin. Promising review: "The product is exactly what was needed. It is soft and supportive. It doesn’t hide your shape and is not too tight. Soft material and Excellent fit." – Anna Price: $16.94 (available in sizes S–XXL and in four colors) 5. A padded push-up bra to add an entire cup size in an instant. Seem too good to be true? Just take a look at the almost 10,000 5-star ratings. Promising review: "For all my natural big-breasted sisters...get this bra!! This is by far one of the best bras I have ever owned. This bra is super comfortable and attractive. I totally recommend. Can't beat it for the price." — Amazon Customer Price: $29.99+ (available in sizes 32A–40DDD and in 16 colors) 6. A Hanes ComfortFlex foam bra so light and comfortable that you'll probably think, "did I remember to put a bra on today?" Promising review: "I hate bras. I find almost all of them TOTALLY uncomfortable no matter what...UNTIL NOW!!!!!!! THIS BRA IS THE BEST!!!! It's so comfy and I never have to adjust it because it's bothering me. Just enough padding that you don't see nipple bumps in a T-shirt. Sometimes I even continue to wear it after I get home from work, unlike others I would NEED to take off immediately the second I could. I will forget I'm wearing this!!! Highly recommend!!!" — Brandy Lunn Price: $12.99 (available in sizes S–3XL and in six colors) 7. A lace halter bralette , because nothing is fancier than a lacy bralette. This bb will look amazing with your shirt draped off your shoulder — why wouldn't you want to show it off? Promising review: "There’s a reason why this bra is is popular: it’s really cute and super comfortable. It doesn’t have any padding or much support but still held me well. " — Candy Price: $12.59+ (available in sizes S–XL and in eight colors) 8. A half-cup mesh bra to make you feel *so* good. This is the ideal bra to wear under your fancier clothes, but it's also comfy enough for every day. Promising review: "I am picky with bras and this really surprised me. It fits so well and makes the girls look amazing. I bought it in more colors. It runs true to size." — Kindle Customer Price: $25.99+ (available in sizes 32A–38DD and in 12 colors) 9. A padded bra top so you can wear your underwear as outerwear. Reviewers love this 2-in-1 so much, many say they often sleep in it. Promising review: "This got delivered less than 10 minutes ago and I’ve already purchased two more colors. This sports bra is so comfy and the perfect crop length for biker shorts or leggings. The material is high quality and super soft. I am a 34D wearing a medium and it’s the perfect amount of support for training. Might want something tighter or go down a size if you're a runner and don’t want anything to move. You need this in your closet!!" — Alyssa Price: $21.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and in 27 colors and styles) 10. A secure Glamorise front-closure bra , because who has time to contort themselves for 20 minutes each morning until they *finally* hook the back clasp? This game-changing bra also has an underwire that cradles your bust so the wire never touches your body. FYI, it is included in Prime Wardrobe so you can give it a trial run if you're a member! Promising review: "I hate ordering bras online because I never know what size to order. I took a risk, thinking that I would just return it if it didn’t work. But this one did!! She holds the (big) girls in so well! There’s also that lift and separate action that I love so much! I highly recommend this very comfortable and beautiful bra!" — BSong Price: $47.20 (available in sizes 34B–50H and in 11 colors) 11. A vintage-inspired balconette underwire bra that'll be perfectly paired with your ever-growing collection of retro dresses (or by itself under a blazer 😉). Promising review: "Size 34FF fits great, although typically I wear a 34DDD in American sizes. I have narrow shoulders and a narrow back. Finally, not a minimizer, but a great-looking bra to make my beauty shine. It has just enough padding to be appropriate to wear with a T-shirt, not over-padded. Absolutely recommend this bra to those of us who are well-endowed!" – Lydia32 Price: $39+ (available in sizes 30D–44GG and in 12 colors) 12. An ultra-light smoothing bra because your bra showing through your top is not always the vibe. (Unless it is, you do you!) For around 20 bucks, you can't go wrong. Promising review: "I'm so glad I purchased this bra. It’s hard finding my size bra (34DD) in stores. It seems as if it’s nonexistent. I don’t feel like paying double the price at VS for my bra size (just to get a DD bra you have to pay $10 more...there isn’t $10 more worth of fabric so I don’t see the justification). The bra is very comfortable, buttery soft, and no boob spillage. Definitely would buy again. Just wish there were more color options." – MillB Price: $22.66+ (available in band sizes 34–42, cup sizes B–DD, and 12 colors) 13. A lightly padded satin bra with over 4K 5-star reviews and a comfortable, gorgeous design. FYI, bra is included in Prime Wardrobe so you can give it a trial run if you're a member! Price: $53.99+ (available in sizes 34D–44DD and in 14 colors) 14. A darling Natori plunge contour bra that magically molds to your shape to give you the best fit yet. Promising review: "I now own this bra in three colors; it's that amazing. This bra looks and feels incredible; you scarcely feel it at all when it's on. It's invisible under nearly all clothing, as the lace at the top lies flat; to me, this is very important, as I hate seeing the tops of bra cups poking through the fabric of your shirt! Not a problem here. I wear this bra daily with confidence, and I can't recommend it highly enough." — Amanda H. Smith Get it from Amazon for $46.80+ (available in band sizes 30–38, cup sizes A–G, and dozens of colors). 15. An unlined Calvin Klein bra ~sheer~ to be your new favorite. It's super soft, comfortable, and will bring some designer goodness to your underwear drawer. Promising review: "Exactly what I was looking for. I did not want any thick material, just the shaping from the underwire and a more natural feel and look beyond that. These bras have only sheer mesh material in the cup, and I love it. Super comfortable, make me feel like I look great. I ended up buying four more for this to be my go-to everyday bra. If you don’t want thick layers of fabric this bra is for you. Note on colors: 'nymph's thigh' is really closer to very light pink, and 'nude' is a darker tan. I only wish there was a white option for wearing under white layers. Other than that, this bra is a great, simple (and also sexy) product. If you are looking for thick padding, then this will not be what you want. The fit was perfect to my expectations (based off of my measurements)." — E N Allen Price: $9.45+ (available in band sizes 30–38, cup sizes A–DD, and in seven colors). 16. A Lilyette by Bali minimizer bra for compressing the girls and making them look smaller while still giving you a beautiful silhouette and a ton of support. This bra can reduce your bust projection up to 1.5 inches! Promising review: "Why did no one tell me the wonders of minimizing bras?!? But all is forgiven now that my 38DD otherwise unwieldy breasts are now properly contained! All my life, I've worn 'regular' bras, and all my life, they've wiggled, jiggled, pooched over the cups, and I've hated them. But now, I might be OK with a larger chest! This bra is phenomenal. I'm DD, sometimes DDD, and wearing regular bras correctly sized was horrible. Professional fittings, those $70 bras I'd still look jiggly in, and I'd still end up with boobage up out of the cup. Looked ridiculous. This bra nicely does whatever it does to push your breasts down enough that they don't pop out. But you don't look like you have smashed breasts or a uni-boob! They stay nicely separated; I've worn it several times and not once had spillage over. I'm ordering two more, pleased as punch. FINALLY, after over 25 years of bra wearing, found what I didn't know I was missing! I hope someone else is able to have the joy of nicely contained boobs!" — 3LittleFish Price: $21.99+ (available in band sizes 34–42, cup sizes C–DDD, and in eight colors). For more bust-reducing styles, take a look at our picks for the best minimizer bras . 17. A buttery soft wireless comfort bra that will become your new everyday go-to. Bras that feel like you're not wearing one? Sign me up. Promising review: "Absolutely love this bra! It's incredibly comfortable and offers great support without feeling restrictive. The fabric is soft and breathable, making it perfect for all-day wear. It fits true to size and provides a flattering shape. I’m so happy I found this, it’s now my go-to! Highly recommend!! Truly sooo Comfortable." — Gisele Marson Price: $16.99+ (available in band sizes 32–40, cup sizes A–D, and in 21 colors) 18. A floral lace bralette for a classically chic look that will enhance any outfit thanks to its incredible support and darling design. Promising review: "Love this bra! Sexy and comfortable. I ordered it in black but ordering other colors. My boyfriend loves this on me." — Rocio Andrade Price: $28.99+ (available in band sizes 32–44, cup sizes B–G, and in five colors) 19. An unlined lace bra that will keep everything right where you want it to be, but with ~elegance.~ Promising review: "To preface this, I NEVER go out of my way to leave reviews for things, but have to say this is one of the best bras I’ve ever put on my body! Being plus size, I’ve found that it’s always been hard to find something comfortable and cute for my size and I felt so much relief after putting this on. Finally a bra that lifts and supports the way it should and makes me feel confident. I’ll definitely be ordering more!! Not to mention it has a super thick strap and connector on the back that leaves that whole area looking seamless. No back fat spilling over whatsoever. 1000/10 recommend." — jessica Price: $24.99+ (available in band sizes 34–46, cup sizes C–I and in 14 colors) 20. A crisscross sports bra for jogging, dancing, boxing, or in the words of Rebel Wilson in Pitch Perfect , horizontal running (aka laying on your couch and binge-watching your latest Netflix obsession). Promising review: "I own a hundred sports bras and this one’s my favorite. Firstly, it is very easy to put on and remove and it looks really nice when paired with a pair of black leggings. They come padded, and I found them to provide good support during high-intensity exercises as well. The blue shade also looks very elegant. Overall great product." — AA Price: $12.99 (available in sizes S–3XL and in six colors) 21. A high-impact sports bra designed with strenuous activity in mind. It's made from a comfy four-way stretch, moisture-wicking fabric so you can stay supported and dry no matter what you're doing. Promising review: "Oh my, where to start!? It is very well made and comfortable to wear! I love that the padding is sewn in place, so you don’t have to worry about removing them or worse trying to get them back in place! It offers great support for running, but is cool and comfortable enough to just wear when you don’t feel like wearing a regular bra. This bra stays in place and holds *everything* in place as you run, exercise etc. and all at a great price. I highly recommend trying this sports bra!" — Tamara Price: $22.99+ (available in sizes S–3XL and in 38 colors) 22. A full coverage bra that will give the twins the *ultimate lift* without an underwire. Promising review: " I have been buying this same style of bra since the 1990s and have never found a rival for attractiveness, coverage, comfort, and good fit. These bras also last for years and years when laundered in a bag on gentle cycle and hung dry. I added this bra to have another color in my collection and anticipate many years of good fit. Playtex 18 Hour bras are genuinely so comfortable you can wear them all day and night, if need be." — Susan L. Price: $12.99+ (available in band sizes 34–54, cup sizes B–G, 19 colors, and various sets of two) 23. A super sexy sheer bra for feeling like your best self. Best worn while listening to Taylor Swift's Vigilante Sh*t . Promising review: "Great quality. See-through material makes it very sexy. Comfortable." — Robin C Meade Price: $19.99+ (available in band sizes 34–44, cup sizes B–F, and in seven colors) 24. A Bali Breathe T-Shirt bra that holds the girls in place well enough for everyday wear but adds a sultry edge with a lace finish. I own a couple of these bras, and when I tell you they are my favorite bras EVER! I'm a DD cup, and they are so incredibly comfortable and supportive. Thanks to the lacey material, they also make me feel so good. Plus, they're WIRELESS!!! Promising review: "This bra has a beautiful style, a great fit with a very accurate sizing chart, and is very comfortable. I am buying another in a different color." — fbk Price: $25.99 (available in sizes S–3XL and in six colors) 25. A wire-free and seamless scallop-detail bra to add a fun and playful pop to your underwear drawer. Promising review: "As a petite woman with a larger bust, well-fitted and comfortable bras are hard to come by. This one is so comfortable and cute and I really like the way the clasps are sort of magnetic. It makes it easier to find the right hook while uncomfortably reaching your arms completely behind your back, lol." — Amber Way Price: $26.99+ (available in sizes S–3XL and in 11 colors) 26. A longline bralette for those who are partial to a sexy lace number but don't want to compromise on comfort. Reviewers with *bustier* chests are fans, so know you don't have to settle for something drab just because you're a D+. Promising review: "The fit and support of this bralette for larger busts is so good! Fits true to size per the size chart and has great coverage. Will be getting other colors!" — Nat Price: $10.48+ (available in sizes S–XXL, 11 colors, and in two-packs and three-packs) Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

How Tess Waresmith turned cruise ship savings into a $1.6 million investment portfolio

Cadiz Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend for Q4 2024 on Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred StockNo ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded "the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”

rtificial Intelligence could be set to replace countless jobs across the globe, including ring girls as a breakthrough in means promoters could turn to generative images to replace influencers on social media. That puts the likes of , who found fame at on November 15, at risk of pursuing their modelling careers as well as threatening the likes of . And the creator of , who developed her into one of the first successful AI influencers, suspects ring girls could be one of the first frontiers to fall to the tech at esteemed venues such as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas or Madison Square Gardens in New York. "Technology is moving so fast and sports organisations, who are inherently innovative, are beginning to embrace AI Influencers," Hayes' creator told The Daily Star. "Lily has built an incredible fanbase over the past 12 months. "And boxing is a really exciting opportunity for her to break into the mainstream. Ring Girls have always been a massive part of boxing, but the interesting thing about AI Influencers becoming Ring Girls is fans can actually connect with them. "Online, 24/7, and in multiple languages in the lead up to, during, and after the event. There's some big fights touted for 2025, including at Wembley or in Riyadh so we'd love to get Lily on that card." AI tech breaks into professional sports According to data from Fanvue, Hayes can rake in up to $25,000 per month despite not actually being a real person. Advancements in AI images since 2020 have allowed the creations to resemble people accurately, with carefully customized features and assets to appeal broadly. The technology is also allowing AI to score fights too. 's contest with on December 21 featured an AI judge for the first ever time, although its verdict didn't count to the unanimous decision win for Usyk. "Fanvue is the platform AI Influencers join to build massive fanbases and monetise their content online," a spokesperson for Fanvue said, as per The Daily Star. "It can help kickstart their digital careers and quickly open up opportunities with brands and organisations who are looking to innovate with AI Influencers and connect with fans. "Appealing to Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha is the next big challenge for sporting events and marketers more broadly - and AI Influencers are essentially a new marketing channel for them to be able do that. "We've recently seen the exciting possibilities of AI Influencers in Formula 1, with Aston Martin creating an AI clone of Fernando Alonso to reach new demographics of fans - and we're predicting a lot more of this type of innovation in sport in 2025."

Monday, December 30, 2024 Abu Dhabi is set to usher in the New Year with an unprecedented celebration at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, featuring the world’s largest fireworks display and a spectacular drone show. The festivities aim to break multiple Guinness World Records, solidifying the emirate’s reputation for hosting grand events. Sheikh Zayed Festival’s Grand New Year’s Eve Celebration The Sheikh Zayed Festival, running from November 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025, will be the focal point of Abu Dhabi’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. On December 31, the festival will present a 46-minute continuous fireworks display, illuminating the Al Wathba sky with vibrant colors and intricate formations. This ambitious spectacle is designed to surpass previous records in terms of size, duration, and complexity. Complementing the fireworks, a state-of-the-art drone show will feature thousands of drones creating synchronized aerial formations, adding a modern technological marvel to the traditional pyrotechnics. This combination aims to set new benchmarks in entertainment and innovation. Additional Attractions at the Sheikh Zayed Festival Beyond the New Year’s Eve spectacle, the Sheikh Zayed Festival offers a rich array of cultural and entertainment activities, including: Heritage Village: An immersive experience into Emirati culture and traditions. Kids Area and Stage Activities: Educational and entertaining programs for children. Chinese Street: A thematic area showcasing Chinese and Asian products and cuisine. Fireworks and Drone Shows: Regular displays throughout the festival period. Citywide New Year’s Eve Festivities In addition to the Sheikh Zayed Festival, Abu Dhabi will host several other events to welcome 2025: Abu Dhabi Corniche: A fireworks display viewable from locations such as Corniche Beach and Lulu Island. Yas Island: Renowned for its vibrant celebrations, Yas Island will feature fireworks displays, best viewed from spots like Yas Bay Waterfront and Yas Marina. Hudayriyat Island: Marsana will host a breathtaking fireworks display, symbolizing unity and the festive spirit of the UAE. Exclusive New Year’s Eve Events For those seeking a more intimate celebration, several venues offer exclusive experiences: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental: An enchanting evening featuring a performance by renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, accompanied by gourmet dining and a midnight fireworks display. Al Hanah Bar at Shangri-La Hotel: A sophisticated gathering with premium beverages, canapés, and views of the fireworks over Khor Al Maqta Creek. Café Milano: An Italian-themed New Year’s Eve dinner with live music and a five-course menu, offering views of the fireworks over the Arabian Gulf. Safety and Accessibility Authorities have implemented comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all attendees. Public transportation will be enhanced to accommodate increased demand, and designated viewing areas will be established to manage crowds effectively. Conclusion Abu Dhabi’s plans to welcome 2025 with record-breaking fireworks and drone displays reflect the emirate’s commitment to delivering world-class entertainment experiences. Whether attending the grand spectacle at the Sheikh Zayed Festival or one of the city’s exclusive events, residents and visitors are poised to enjoy a memorable start to the New Year.

Thousands of Mainers expect to see boost in Social Security under bill before President Biden

AJK Assembly passes resolution against US sanction on PakistanNEW YORK (AP) — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.

MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections killed at least 21 people, including two police officers, authorities said Tuesday. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court's announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. “From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths, of which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique also died," Ronda said. He said 13 civilians and 12 police were injured. Ronda said 25 vehicles were set on fire, including two police vehicles. He added that 11 police subunits and a penitentiary were attacked and vandalized and 86 inmates were freed. Tensions were high in the country ahead of the The Constitutional Council ruling on Monday and violent protests started immediately after the announcement was made. Footage circulating on various social media platforms showed protesters burning and looting shops in the capital Maputo and the city of Beira, where some city officials were reported to have fled the city. Mondlane has called for a “shutdown” starting Friday but violence in the country has already escalated and the situation remained tense in the capital on Tuesday night following a day of violence and looting by protesters. The country of 34 million people has been on edge since the Oct. 9 general elections . Mondlane’s supporters, mostly hundreds of thousands of young people, have since taken to the streets, and have been met by gunfire from security forces. This brings to more than 150 the number of people who have died from post-election violence since the initial results were announced by the country's electoral body.

King laughs at British comedian’s impression of Donald Trump at Royal Variety

NASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler brought a new putting grip to the Hero World Challenge and felt enough improvement to be satisfied with the result, a 5-under 67 that left him three shots behind Cameron Young on Thursday. Young was playing for the first time since the BMW Championship more than three months ago and found great success on and around the greens of Albany Golf Club, chipping beautifully and holing four birdie putts from 15 feet or longer for his 64. He led by two shots over Justin Thomas in his first competition since his daughter was born a few weeks ago. Thomas ran off four straight birdies late in his round and was a fraction of an inch away with a fifth. The big surprise was Scheffler, the No. 1 player in golf who looked as good as he has all year in compiling eight victories, including an Olympic gold medal. His iron play has no equal. His putting at times has kept him from winning more or winning bigger. He decided to try to a "saw" putting grip from about 20 feet or closer — the putter rests between his right thumb and his fingers, with his left index finger pointed down the shaft. "I'm always looking for ways to improve," Scheffler said. Scheffler last year began working with renowned putting instructor Phil Kenyon, and he says Kenyon mentioned the alternative putting grip back then. "But it was really our first time working together and it's something that's different than what I've done in the past," Scheffler said. "This year I had thought about it from time to time, and it was something that we had just said let's table that for the end of the season, take a look at it. "Figured this is a good week to try stuff." He opened with a wedge to 2 feet and he missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 third. But he holed a birdie from about the same distance at the next par 5, No. 6, and holed a sliding 6-footer on the ninth to save par. His longest putt was his last hole, from 12 feet for a closing birdie. "I really enjoyed the way it felt," he said. "I felt like I'm seeing some improvements in my stroke." Young, regarded as the best active player without a PGA Tour victory, is treating this holiday tournament as the start of a new season. He worked on getting stronger and got back to the basics in his powerful golf swing. And on this day, he was dialed in with his short game. He only struggled to save par twice and kept piling up birdies in his bogey-free round on an ideal day in the Bahamas. "The wind wasn't blowing much so it was relatively stress-free," Young said. Patrick Cantlay, along with Scheffler playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup, also was at 67 with Ludvig Aberg, Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala. Thomas also took this occasion to do a little experimenting against a 20-man field. He has using a 46-inch driver at home — a little more than an inch longer than his regular driver — in a bid to gain more speed. On a day with little wind, on a golf course with some room off the tee, he decided to put it in play. "Just with it being a little bit longer, I just kind of have to get the club out in front of me and get on top of it a little bit more," Thomas said. "I drove the hell out of it on the back, so that was nice to try something different and have it go a little bit better on the back." Thomas said the longer driver gives him 2 or 3 mph in ball speed and 10 extra yards in the air. "It's very specific for courses, but gave it a try," he said. Conditions were easy enough that only four players in field failed to break par, with Jason Day bringing up the rear with a 75. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Former Rep. Mike Rogers is no longer under consideration to lead the FBI, a senior Donald Trump adviser said Friday. “Just spoke to President Trump regarding Mike Rogers going to the FBI. It’s not happening—In his own words, ‘I have never even given it a thought.’ Not happening," Dan Scavino, who will serve as deputy chief of staff in the incoming administration, posted on X . Sources told Fox News that Rogers, who lost his Senate race in Michigan earlier this month, visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago to discuss leading the law enforcement agency. During his first administration, Trump appointed Christopher Wray for the 10-year term but has repeatedly criticized him since then and said on the campaign trail that he wants to fire Wray. Rogers, who once served as an FBI officer and was on the House Intelligence Committee for four years, was also floated for the job in 2016. Theater kids have been singing during screenings of Wicked , and AMC isn’t having it. With the movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical—starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande—set to appear in theaters across the U.S. on Friday, the movie theater chain is planning to air a 30-second ad ahead of screenings that implores attendees not to belt out the show’s immensely catchy numbers, Vulture reported . And yes, that even includes “Popular.” Some attendees of early screenings for the flick told The New York Times they were put off by their fellow audience members’ blatant disregard for movie theater norms. “It started slow. Then people heard each other—it was like they encouraged each other,” attendee Angela Weir told the Times . “It was a beautiful scene, and then you’re taken out of it.” But those with the irresistible inclination to join Grande, Erivo, and the rest of the cast need not fret too much. About 1,000 North American cinemas will host special sing-along showings of Wicked beginning after Christmas, Variety reported earlier this week. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. The pursuit of youth has long plagued our world. Many modern-day consumers go to great lengths to reduce the ravages of aging—Botox, plastic surgery, weird vampire facials, you name it. And while some products do show promise of slowing down aging, nothing can reverse time. However, effective products like the FDA-cleared (and derm-approved) Omnilux Contour Face can help reduce wear and tear. When I first saw the Omnilux Contour Face , it terrified me. Not only does it look like a mask a serial killer might wear, but LED light therapy was something I had never heard of until recently, and, frankly, I was pretty skeptical of it. But as someone who tires of trying one-trick products that often don’t deliver on their sky-high promises, I wanted to see if the device actually lived up to its incredible reviews . Free Returns | Free Shipping While the mask is a bit cumbersome at first, once you get it fitted and light it up, the magic begins working over a quick 10-minute period. As recommended, I used the Omnilux Contour Face at least three times a week and up to five times a week and noticed a slightly more contoured jawline and general smoothness after about two weeks of consistent use. While $395 may seem like a lot for an at-home face mask, once I did the math, I realized I spend much more on facials, creams, and dermatologist visits over time, I figured splurging on this light therapy mask could potentially save me some money in my beauty-maintenance fund, and it’s much cheaper than injectables like Botox and filler and other in-office procedures. Fortunately, right now, you don’t have to pay full price. Omnilux is offering a sitewide sale ahead of Black Friday next week. Score $60 off on one device with the code SAVE60, $140 off two devices with the code SAVE140 and $240 off when you buy three devices. Read my full review of Omnilux’s Contour device. Click Here > While Baby Boomers say a person has to earn around $100,000 a year to be “financially successful,” members of Generation Z say they would need to make almost six times that figure—$587,800—to fit the label, Axios reported based on a September survey by Empower. Gen Z is truly in a league of its own—Generation X put the figure at $212,300, while for Millennials it was a bit lower, at $180,900. Across all generations, the average was $270,200. Despite their lofty ideal of financial success, 71 percent of Gen Z still said they thought they would achieve financial success in their lifetime, which was more than any other generational group. Boomers, who reportedly control over half of all American wealth, could actually end up helping Gen Z achieve their goal. Over the next few decades, as much as $50 trillion could flow from the older generation to younger ones in the form of inheritances—although experts also warn that it could also end up being spent on health-care costs for the aging Boomers. Morning Joe star Mika Brzezinski announced Friday she’s leaving Twitter, encouraging her followers to listen to her appearance on The Daily Beast Podcast as she headed for the exit. “I’ve decided to leave X, but I’d love to keep the conversation going. Join me on BlueSky !” the MSNBC host wrote in her presumably final post on Elon Musk ’s platform. Brzezinski’s penultimate post promoted her Daily Beast Podcast episode, in which she spoke about why she visited Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his election victory. The personal visit, which Brzezinski made with her husband and co-host Joe Scarborough, set off a furious backlash —and an exodus of viewers —over what some saw as a capitulation to the president-elect after years of denouncing him. “We heard from many of you wanting to let us know that it was the right thing to do, our jobs,” Brzezinski said as she introduced the footage Friday. “We’ve also faced a lot of criticism about the meeting, largely from folks online.” On the podcast, Brzezinski told co-hosts Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee that one of the reasons she and Scarborough went to Mar-a-Lago is that “people are really scared about Donald Trump’s comments about political adversaries.” She added that while she doesn’t “regret anything” she said during the campaign, she is nevertheless “looking at how to do things differently.” “I would never turn down an opportunity to gain insight or information,” Brzezinski added. “Never.” Watch the full podcast interview below. New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast drop every Thursday. Like and download on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , YouTube , or your favorite podcast app. And click here for email updates as each episode debuts. A quality wig should make you feel confident. That means it has to look good, feel good, and stay put all day. After a decade, Luvme Hair has refined its products to hit each of those marks. They believe comfort is key when you want to own your look. That starts with 100% human hair and the signature minimalist lace designed to be completely unlockable so no one will ever know you’re wearing a wig. The finishing touch is the AiryFitTM collection’s breathable caps made from skin-friendly materials for long-term wearability. The current stand-out is the Effortless Water Wave . Its comfort and styling are so well done that one reviewer commented it’s the best wig she’s ever had “right out of the box.” Free Returns | Free Shipping Another highlight from the AiryFitTM collection is the Deep Parting Loose Body Wave . Responding to how the wig blends with natural hair, one reviewer noted “it [felt like it] was tailor-made for me.” Free Returns | Free Shipping One of the best-sellers is the Salt & Pepper Layered Bob . Reviews commented on the color with one stating, “My natural hair color is salt and pepper so [I get] a lot of compliments on the wig [from people] believing it is my hair.” Free Returns | Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Donald Trump will not be sentenced on his 34 fraud convictions anytime soon, a New York judge ruled Friday. With his court order, Judge Juan Merchan indefinitely postponed the hearing that was scheduled to take place next week, allowing Trump’s legal team time to submit their motions for dismissal of the hush money case by December 2. After that, the District Attorney’s office will have a week to deliver its response. On Tuesday, prosecutors signaled that they were fine to give Trump’s attorneys more time to get their argument together, but would oppose any attempts to toss the case. Still, given that Trump is about to assume ultimate pardon power, it now seems unlikely that any consequences will follow from the May conviction. “Just as a sitting President is completely immune from any criminal process,” Todd Blanche, a Trump lawyer poised to join his client’s Justice Department, argued to Merchan in a letter, per NBC , “so too is President Trump as President-elect.” Ariana Grande ’s boyfriend Ethan Slater says his girlfriend and her co-star Cynthia Erivo are “soul mates,” explaining why they cry so much on Wicked ’s press tour. Slater, who also appears in the film and began dating Grande during filming, told Today , “Their friendship is really real and really deep and really informed by the work that they did together.” That deep friendship results in lots of tears during interviews, which social media users have been hard at work turning into memes . “They’re both like, after a full day of junkets, ‘Well, we cried 100 times again. Everyone must be getting so annoyed,’” Slater said he hears from Grande and Erivo, “but I think it comes from a really genuine place.” Slater further explained that the movie stars are often moved to tears promoting the film because “they’re getting to talk about and getting to reflect on [their work and the resulting friendship] while they’re still in the midst of it.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a MAGA darling and three letter initialism-haver, is poised to lead a new House Oversight Committee Subcommittee that will work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy ’s ‘DOGE’ commission to “eliminate government waste.” Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a progressive darling and fellow three letter initialism-haver, is fine with that. “This is good, actually,” AOC tweeted Thursday. “She barely shows up and doesn’t do the reading.” She then likened giving MTG the job to “giving someone an unplugged controller.” Earlier this month, President-elect Donald Trump anointed MAGA entrepreneurs Musk and Ramaswamy as the co-leaders of his planned Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is not a government department but a commission that will table recommendations for how to take a chainsaw to U.S. Federal spending—Musk has mused about up to $2 trillion in cuts. “Absolutely dying at those two now getting assigned the ‘privilege’ of ‘working’ with MTG,” added AOC. “That is actually hilarious. Enjoy, fellas!” This is good, actually. She barely shows up and doesn’t do the reading. To borrow a phrase I saw elsewhere, it’s like giving someone an unplugged controller. https://t.co/cgu6B4IAYV If Matt Gaetz ’s stamp of approval still holds any weight on Capitol Hill after his scandal-ridden attorney general nomination went up in flames Thursday, then president-elect Donald Trump’s new pick for the role, former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi , is headed in the right direction. Bondi “is a stellar selection,” Gaetz wrote in a post on X Thursday. “Pam and I worked closely together when she was Florida’s Attorney General and I chaired Criminal Justice in the state house. She’s a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans. She will bring the needed reforms to DOJ.” Bondi has been just as candid a Trump supporter as Gaetz, having spoken at his rallies and attended sessions of of New York criminal trial. She was also a defense lawyer during Trump’s first impeachment trial. Like Gaetz and other cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth and Sean Duffy, Bondi has also appeared frequently on Fox News to defend Trump’s record. . @PamBondi is a stellar selection by President Trump for Attorney General. Pam and I worked closely together when she was Florida’s Attorney General and I chaired Criminal Justice in the state house. She’s a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all... https://t.co/K86sK7WkPf Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Made In Cookware is known for quality kitchen tools that look as good as they perform. Its sleek, chef-approved kitchen essentials are for people who know that the plates matter as much as the food. That makes its full sets a great option for anyone looking for a little uniformity in their cabinets. To sweeten the deal, Made In is not only offering up to 30 percent off, but shoppers can also score freebies like Dutch ovens, frying pans, and wine glasses with select purchases. We’ve pulled a few of their best deals just in time for your turkey prep. The 10-piece Stainless Set includes everything a cook needs to get started in the kitchen. Each item was made in Italy and is compatible with gas, electric, and induction cooktops. These also come with a free Non-Stick Frying Pan for a limited time. Free Shipping The 7-Piece Copper Set offers elegance with peak performance. The copper was crafted in France and is safe up to 800° F. Right now, score a free Dutch Oven with your purchase. Free Shipping The Complete Tabletop Set is simple and timeless. Designed in the UK, these dishes are classically English and have a one-year no-chip guarantee. If you refresh your cabinets with these today, you’ll also receive a free Glass Wine Set. Free Shipping Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reached an 11th hour deal with congressional Republicans to quickly confirm more judges to lower federal court positions—in exchange for not moving forward with four nominations to federal appellate court positions. The deal will see the Senate consider seven judges for lower court appointments the week after Thanksgiving, while another six are put on the executive calendar for consideration later in December. Although Democrats control the chamber until January, President-elect Donald Trump called on congressional Republicans to block all appointments until his inauguration. Republicans in the Senate succeeded in delaying Wednesday’s confirmation proceedings out until after midnight, prompting Schumer to strike a deal that he defended from criticism. “The trade was four circuit nominees—all lacking the votes to get confirmed—for more than triple the number of additional judges moving forward,” a spokesperson for the Democratic leader told Politico . Democrats have approved 221 judges to the federal bench since President Joe Biden took office, and Schumer’s deal could get Democrats close to matching Trump’s total of 234 confirmed judges during his first term in office. Alex Jones on Thursday called Matt Gaetz “quite the stud” after a new allegation of sexual assault emerged against the former congressman. Gaetz, who had been picked by Donald Trump as his nominee for attorney general, withdrew his name from contention after he was contacted for comment on the CNN report about the alleged crime. In it, the same woman who said she had sex with Gaetz when she was 17 revealed that she had an additional underage encounter with Gaetz, involving another, adult woman. Jones, a far-right pundit and conspiracy theorist, took the news of the new criminal accusation as a chance to praise Gaetz for his sexual prowess. “I treat women super nice,” Jones explained to viewers of his show Infowars. “So does Trump. Women love me. And so, I mean, I know what’s happening to Gaetz.” Jones suggested that the allegations against Gaetz were being blown out of proportion, claiming that the victims, who were “super gorgeous,” surely thought Gaetz was “so nice.” “People are like, damn, Matt Gaetz is quite the stud,” Jones said, adding: “That’s it, we’re really bad people, we like women.”

Cardiff Oncology: Beats Standard Of Care In First Line Metastatic Colorectal CancerThe crypto market has made many investors unhappy this festive season with the recent drops in the market and liquidations of futures. Markets that had been on a bull run on expectations of a more crypto-friendly government, lowering Fed rates, and rising crypto ETFs went crashing after the FOMC meeting. Bitcoin and its not being used as a Reserve currency, as well as cautionary statements, turned the markets red as bear forces took over. Most coins lost huge momentum, and current market darling XRP’s price also went for a dive. XRP had proved resilient during earlier scares, both during the South Korean conflict and earlier market dips. The recent bearish sentiment is making it difficult for XRP price to regain lost ground as it trades 9% lower in the weekly charts. Many investors are now moving more of their holdings to DTX Exchange to exploit its bullish momentum. This hybrid trading platform is set to launch a layer-1 blockchain, has already launched its Phoenix Wallet, and is listed on CoinMarketCap. XRP Price Down 9% At $2.17 Ripple is an open-source and decentralized technology. The major benefits of Ripple are its XRP Ledger. This offers low-cost, high-speed, scalable operations combined with inherently green attributes like its carbon-neutral and energy-efficient operations. Ripple made its investors rich, as the XRP price rose in double digits until last week. However, recent crypto market issues have led to a drop in XRP’s price after it touched a new ATH of $2.89 in early December. The market cap for Ripple is down to $124 billion, and its market volume is $4.79 billion. Experts hope the market will soon recover as its technical soundness wins over the markets. However, many investors are moving to a sure upside option. They are opting to pick up the DTX Exchange presale, where 200x growth can occur soon. DTX Exchange: $10.55 Mn In Presale Wins More Investors DTX is the first hybrid trading exchange to let its users trade in crypto, forex, stocks, and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF) through one platform. The platform features unparalleled trading options and cutting-edge infrastructure to facilitate smooth trading operations. This next-generation hybrid platform’s 1,000x leverage feature enables traders to increase their trading potential significantly. Security features like two-factor authentication and cold storage protect users’ funds. The platform also has a non-custodial wallet, Phoenix Wallet, which gives users full ownership of their assets. DTX Exchange (DTX) is a standout launch of 2024, raising $10.57 million with strong investor interest and community backing. Due to its ability to revolutionize the entire trading sector, it is a compelling choice for investors looking for a high-return alternative to major cryptos like Ripple. With DTX priced at just $0.12 in its 6th presale stage, it is expected to gain at least 200% once it lists on Tier-1 exchanges. More gains are anticipated as the presale continues, and after its listing on Tier-1 exchanges, it is among the best altcoins to invest in. Conclusion DTX Exchange (DTX) is one of the promising new crypto projects with plenty of room for growth. In addition to its growth prospects, its future transformation of the crypto trading scene makes it a solid altcoin to hold on to. It combines CEX and DEX and bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi. Buy Presale Visit Website Join Community Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.Some cases of schizophrenia may be caused by malformations in the skull, new research suggests. The study, published Dec. 5 in the journal Nature Communications , focuses on 22q11.2 deletion syndrome , a chromosomal disorder in which one copy of chromosome 22 is missing a small chunk. (Humans typically carry 23 pairs of chromosomes , including one copy of chromosome 22 from each parent.) The syndrome — which affects roughly 1 in 2,150 live births — can affect many different parts of the body, potentially causing heart abnormalities, immune problems, cleft palate and developmental delays. People with the syndrome also have a 25% to 30% chance of developing schizophrenia in adolescence or early adulthood, studies suggest . Among other symptoms, schizophrenia can cause psychosis, or breaks with reality such as hallucinations, and it can also disrupt people's ability to maintain social relationships and express emotions. The study suggests this risk of schizophrenia may stem from malformations in the skull that restrict the growth of part of the brain. And these malformations can be traced back to a gene called Tbx1. Related: AI pinpoints where psychosis originates in the brain "What is interesting about Tbx1 is that it is not very well expressed in the brain, especially adolescent or adult brain," study co-author Dr. Stanislav Zakharenko , director of the Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior in St. Jude's Department of Developmental Neurobiology, said in a statement . That means that the brain does not "switch on" Tbx1 much. "Rather, it's expressed in the surrounding tissues, namely bone, cartilage and vasculature tissues," Zakharenko said. "It is very unlikely that Tbx1 directly affects the brain at all." Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. To pinpoint Tbx1, Zakharenko and colleagues studied lab mice with the 22q11.2 deletion and mice without it. In the former mice, they saw differences in the cerebellum — part of the brain involved in coordinating movements, maintaining posture and learning new skills, among other cognitive functions. Two of the cerebellum's lobes were about 70% smaller in the mice with the deletion. This size loss made it more difficult for mice to complete tasks that required them to learn movements, experiments suggested. This difficulty stemmed from issues with modulating the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), a reflex that helps stabilize the visual field during head movements. For humans, a lack of visual stabilization can make people's faces difficult to recognize , and issues with both the VOR and facial recognition are common in schizophrenia. Despite these observations in mice, the researchers didn't see anything particularly unusual about the cellular makeup of the too-small lobes or how their cells formed. What they did see was that the skull bone that houses that part of the brain was malformed. There should have been a cozy "pocket" for that part of the cerebellum to grow into, but the pocket was much shallower than usual and thus crowded the tissue. It turned out that the gene Tbx1 was the issue because, without the gene, bone cells don't mature as they normally would, the team found. — 'Fossil viruses' embedded in the human genome linked to psychiatric disorders — Strange, two-faced brain cells confirmed to exist, and they may play a role in schizophrenia — Denisovan DNA may increase risk of depression, schizophrenia, study suggests To see if people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome have similar brain abnormalities, the team looked at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 80 people with the condition and from 68 without. Like the mice, people with the syndrome showed a distinct size decrease in those same lobes of the cerebellum. However, this size loss was "less profound" in humans than in the mice, the researchers wrote in their paper. They don't yet know exactly why that might be. This line of research is still in its early days — but the current data points to a potential "previously unrecognized" link between 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and schizophrenia. Looking forward, the researchers plan to further investigate how this mechanism might set the stage for psychosis down the line, through its indirect impact on other parts of the brain that plug into the cerebellum.haha777 mobi 。

Emboldened by his victory in the U.S. presidential polls, Donald Trump has drummed up his rhetoric of belligerence by announcing plans to annex Canada and Greenland and retake control of the Panama Canal. While the U.S. has not historically shied away from coveting the two northern territories, threatening to renege on a deal that ceded Washington’s control of the canal to Panama has been strictly the brainchild of the President-elect. Panama Canal is an 82-km-long strategic waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It helps ships do away with the need to go around the South American tip of Cape Horn, saving 13,000 km and days of journey. Consequently, the canal facilitates the passage of over 14,000 ships a year. The 78-year-old Republican first spelt out his plans for the canal during a speech at a Conservative event in Arizona and subsequently on his social media platform Truth Social. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else,” he said, referring to the increased shipping rates, while speaking at AmericaFest on Sunday (December 22). “It was given to Panama and the people of Panama, but it has provisions. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, quickly and without question.” Mr. Trump also warned of said while of warning about the growing “Chinese influence” in the region. Later, Mr. Trump posted a photo on Truth Social of the U.S. flag flying over the narrow waterway in the Isthmus of Panama. The caption read “Welcome to the United States Canal”. In its response, the Central American nation said, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and the surrounding area belongs to Panama and will continue belonging (to Panama).” The country’s President Jose Raul Mulino decried Chinese presence and stated that shipping rates were not set on a whim. Mr. Trump’s remarks also angered the Panamanians who took to the U.S. embassy calling out “Trump, animal, leave the canal alone” and burning his image. Mr. Trump’s grief in the matter is understandable for the U.S., whose ships constitute 74% of the traffic in the canal, is its biggest benefactor, followed by China at 21%. If not for the canal, ships traversing the east and west coasts of the U.S. would have to undertake an additional 22 days of voyage. In historical context, The canal also came to the aid of the Allies during the Second World War. What began as a French project in 1880 under the leadership of Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had built the Suez Canal, soon fell apart due to unforeseen difficulties. Americans stepped in to complete the canal but Colombia, which ruled over Panama, did not favour the idea. By orchestrating independence from Colombia, then U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt secured a deal whereby Panama gave his country control over a 16-km wide strip of land to build the canal in exchange for monetary compensation. Lock technology The canal entered into operation in 1914. By using a technology comprising a series of locks, it revolutionised shipping. However, a dispute over the ownership and administration soon broke out between the U.S. and Panama, which eventually led to a direct clash in 1964 costing the lives of 28 people. In 1977, then President Jimmy Carter (despite opposition from the Senate) and Panama’s military leader Omar Torrijos signed two treaties — the Permanent Neutrality Treaty and the Panama Canal treaty that saw the U.S. hand over the control of the canal to Panama in 1999. The former agreement grants the U.S. the authority to ensure the canal remains free and open without giving it the power to interfere in Panama. The latter ensured that Washington transferred the canal to Panama by December 31, 1999. Since 2000, Panama has overseen the administration of the canal. However, the region, one of the wettest until recently, experienced a rainfall deficit in 2022. Gatun Lake, which provides the 200 million litres of water needed for each ship to transit the canal, experienced a drop in water levels, prompting authorities to increase shipping charges starting in 2025. Mr. Trump has objected to this. His allegation of Chinese influence pertains to the Hong Kong-based company C.K. Hutchison Holdings, which manages two of the five ports in the region — one on each side of the canal. Bolstering his claim further was Panama’s 2017 decision to cut ties with Taiwan. Growing tensions between the U.S. and Panama might not align with Mr. Trump’s top policy priorities such as stopping illegal migration from South America, warn experts. Published - December 29, 2024 01:42 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit USA / The Hindu Explains / The Hindu Profiles'We are on it': US official seeks to allay drone sighting concerns

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Republican senators is demanding that the Biden administration revoke a science and technology agreement with China, barely a week after the two countries renewed cooperation for five more years to keep ties from deteriorating. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Republican senators is demanding that the Biden administration revoke a science and technology agreement with China, barely a week after the two countries renewed cooperation for five more years to keep ties from deteriorating. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Republican senators is demanding that the Biden administration revoke a science and technology agreement with China, barely a week after the two countries renewed cooperation for five more years to keep ties from deteriorating. In a letter Thursday to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the lawmakers, led by Sen. Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the era in which such cooperation made sense “is long gone” and the extension only “opens the door for further cooptation of American research.” The renewal of the agreement just before President Joe Biden leaves office “denies the incoming administration a chance to weigh in on this highly controversial agreement,” they said, urging the administration to “reverse course.” In addition to Risch, the letter was signed by Sens. John Barrasso, Pete Ricketts, Todd Young and Bill Hagerty. The first such agreement was signed in January 1979 when the two countries established diplomatic ties to counter the influence of the Soviet Union and when China severely lagged behind the U.S. and other Western nations in science and technology. The agreement was extended in 2018, and it was given temporary extensions last year and this year to allow for negotiations as the tech war between the two countries has escalated. The State Department has said the new agreement has a narrower scope and more guardrails to protect U.S. interests, including covering only basic research and not facilitating the development of critical and emerging technologies. The Republican senators said they had “deep concerns” that those measures were not sufficient to protect intellectual property and prevent illicit transfer of knowledge. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter Thursday. Deborah Seligsohn, assistant professor of political science at Villanova University, said the U.S. stands to lose more if it cuts off science and technology cooperation with Beijing. “The irony is that as China has become our peer, we have so much more to gain from working with Chinese science than we did in earlier eras, and yet at this moment, when we have the most to gain, there is a demand that we shut the door,” she said. Advertisement

Yankees Sign Max Fried to Eight-Year, $218M Contract

Gift-giving for birdwatchers has changed so much over the last few years. It wasn’t long ago that a good field guide was the ideal gift for the birder on your list. The only question was which field guide to get. Sibley, Peterson, Audubon? The field guide debate was always fun to watch from the sidelines as birders extolled the virtues of their favorite. Can it fit in your back pocket? Are they photos or drawings? Does it show the various plumages? Now, physical field guides have all but been replaced by digital ones on the phone. It happened in the blink of an eye. One year, birders are flipping through the pages of a book trying to confirm a species; the next, they are scrolling through their phones. As an old newspaperman, I am very slow to adapt and accept many new technologies, especially ones that threaten to replace traditional media. But, I have to admit, the new field guides on the phone are far superior. That’s up for debate, of course, but that’s my take these days. I do still enjoy flipping through a field guide in book form when I’m reading for pleasure or killing time. When I’m lying in bed before sleep, I will take flipping through pages to scrolling on a screen any day. (Or should that be night?) But in the field, the phone field guides are the go-to choice. You can find the bird in question faster as you don’t have to look at the index and then thumb through to find the pages. With a phone, just open the app, type in a few letters in the search bar and click on your bird. With a phone, you get multiple photos of the bird in all the various plumages: male, female, immature, seasonal. The description is right below the photos. Most field guide apps also have the various songs and calls of the bird in question. Click a button and hear what a white-eyed vireo sounds like. That makes identification in the field so much easier to be able to see photos of the bird and hear actual audio of the bird. Due to the obvious limitations of a book field guide, you get only a description of the song or call or a rough translation of what it sounds like in English. Some field guides even put in histograms, which I could never interpret anyway. Phone field guides also allow users to keep a record of the birds they see and save the lists for future reference. Of course, that existed long before field guide apps, as people simply wrote down the birds they saw in a notebook and referred to the notebook when necessary or just for fun. To me, that’s still the better way to do it. There’s something more gratifying about writing down your list of birds, rather than typing into a phone or computer. All this is not to say field guides are no longer good Christmas gifts. They are. They just aren’t as good as phone apps while in the field. Everything else that makes field guides great still holds true. And there’s a strong argument that can be made that field guide books are indeed better in the field because the photos or drawings can highlight distinctive field marks. There are many other gifts to consider getting for your birdwatcher. Binoculars, spotting scopes, bird feeders (or houses or baths), apparel, decoys, art, bird books, and just about anything you can imagine that features birds as the motif. This can include ornaments, card decks, bedding, shower curtains, pajamas, hats, magnets, coffee mugs, and the list goes on. Like I said, just about anything you can imagine. Feel free to contact me via the email below if you have any questions about your last-minute birding gifts. Have a great holiday season, everyone. I hope it’s your best one yet.

Opinion: B.C. must prioritize timely access to cancer drugsThe 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in the Dec. 4 attack on Brian Thompson after police say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted them to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione was led into the Hollidaysburg courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He left hours later without saying anything and was driven away. Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through by fighting extradition, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. Mangione, who comes from a prominent Maryland family, was valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and had degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione's grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin, said that Martin had learned that Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life. Friends in Hawaii widely considered Mangione a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit and smiling young man on beaches and at parties. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. last Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle, Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report.

mid ongoing tensions over Maratha and OBC reservation issues, the Ghansawangi constituency in Jalna district will see a multi-cornered battle as the results are set to be announced on November 23. The constituency, located in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, has been under the spotlight for months due to the Maratha-OBC reservation protests. Village Antarwali Sarati, where activist Manoj Jarange has led the demand for Maratha reservations in education and government jobs, is part of Ghansawangi. The protests have mobilized the Maratha community, making the quota issue a defining factor in the upcoming polls. The political landscape in Ghansawangi has become more complex with multiple candidates vying for the seat. Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has fielded three-term MLA and former health minister Rajesh Tope, who is up against Hikmat Udhan of the Shiv Sena, a member of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. The battle is further complicated by two influential independents: BJP rebel Satish Ghadge and former Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Shivaji Chothe. Tope, a veteran in the region, faces significant anti-incumbency sentiment but is still seen as a strong contender, especially given the division of votes among his opponents. Udhan, who has previously lost to Tope by a narrow margin of 3,409 votes in 2019, is determined to close the gap and secure a win this time. Chothe, a Teli by caste, is targeting OBC votes, while Ghadge, the chairman of a local sugar factory, hopes to capitalize on his deep roots in the constituency after being expelled from the BJP. The political dynamics in Ghansawangi are heavily influenced by the OBC and Maratha communities, which together make up a significant portion of the electorate. OBCs, who constitute about 38% of the voters, are expected to play a key role in the outcome. However, the OBC community is not a monolithic group, and its vote may be divided among various candidates, making it challenging to predict a unified OBC vote.

F1 closer to approving expanded grid for GM entryThe Growing Importance of Water Conservation Water is one of the most vital resources for life, yet its scarcity is a growing concern in India. With rapid urbanization, industrialization, and climate change, efficient water management is more critical than ever. Thankfully, several water conservation companies in India are stepping up to address this challenge with innovative solutions. In this article, we highlight the top 10 best water conservation companies in India 2025 , showcasing their groundbreaking efforts to preserve this essential resource. 1. VA Tech Wabag VA Tech Wabag is a global leader in water treatment and management solutions, headquartered in Chennai. The company specializes in desalination, wastewater treatment, and industrial water recycling. Key Achievements: Over 1,200 water treatment projects worldwide Advanced technologies in desalination plants Collaborations with government and private entities With their state-of-the-art technologies, VA Tech Wabag plays a pivotal role in solving India’s water crisis. 2. Ion Exchange India Ion Exchange is a pioneer in water and wastewater treatment solutions. Established in 1964, the company has been providing sustainable water management solutions for industries and communities. Key Features: Industrial and domestic water treatment systems Emphasis on zero-liquid discharge technologies Eco-friendly ion exchange resins Their solutions are widely used across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing. 3. WaterHealth India WaterHealth India focuses on providing clean and affordable drinking water to underserved communities. The company operates through its innovative WaterHealth Centers. Key Highlights: Over 500 WaterHealth Centers across India Low-cost water purification systems Partnership with NGOs and local governments WaterHealth India’s efforts are bridging the gap between clean water access and affordability. 4. Jain Irrigation Systems Jain Irrigation Systems is a leading player in micro-irrigation and water-efficient agricultural practices. The company helps farmers optimize water usage through innovative technologies. Key Offerings: Drip and sprinkler irrigation systems Water storage solutions Solar-powered irrigation systems Jain Irrigation’s sustainable practices are revolutionizing water use in agriculture. 5. EcoWater Systems EcoWater Systems specializes in providing advanced water purification and filtration technologies for households and industries. The company ensures safe and clean water through cutting-edge innovations. Unique Aspects: High-efficiency water softeners Customized industrial solutions Emphasis on eco-friendly technologies EcoWater Systems has a growing presence in urban and rural areas alike. 6. Thermax Limited Thermax Limited is renowned for its water and wastewater treatment solutions tailored for industries. The company’s innovative systems reduce water wastage and energy consumption. Notable Projects: Zero-liquid discharge systems for industries Sewage treatment plants (STPs) for urban areas Sustainable cooling and heating solutions Thermax’s holistic approach to water conservation makes it a trusted name across sectors. 7. Agua Designs Agua Designs is a fast-growing company specializing in rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems. They provide solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. Core Services: Rainwater harvesting installations Greywater recycling solutions Comprehensive water audits Agua Designs has been instrumental in making water conservation accessible to all. 8. Tata Projects Limited Tata Projects is a major player in water infrastructure, offering comprehensive solutions for water management, desalination, and sewage treatment. Key Strengths: Expertise in large-scale water infrastructure projects Collaboration with municipalities for clean water supply Use of IoT for efficient water monitoring Tata Projects combines innovation and scale to address India’s water challenges. 9. Enviro Control Associates Enviro Control Associates specializes in designing and constructing water and wastewater treatment plants. Their solutions cater to both public utilities and private industries. Major Contributions: Effluent treatment plants (ETPs) Expertise in water recycling systems Focus on reducing industrial water footprints Their commitment to sustainability makes them a key player in the water conservation space. 10. Doshion Veolia Water Solutions A subsidiary of Veolia, Doshion Veolia Water Solutions provides integrated water management systems across various sectors. The company is known for its innovative technologies and global expertise. Key Highlights: Turnkey water and wastewater treatment projects Advanced desalination technologies Focus on industrial and municipal clients Doshion Veolia’s global network ensures access to cutting-edge water conservation solutions. Why Water Conservation Companies Are Essential The role of water conservation companies is more crucial than ever, given India’s growing water scarcity. These companies help: Minimize water wastage Promote sustainable agricultural and industrial practices Improve access to clean water for underserved populations By implementing advanced technologies and fostering awareness, they are paving the way for a sustainable future. Future Outlook for Water Conservation in India The future of water conservation companies in India is promising, with increasing investments in innovative technologies and sustainable solutions. Initiatives like rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, and smart irrigation are expected to gain further traction. Water conservation companies like VA Tech Wabag and Jain Irrigation will continue to lead this space, driving India toward efficient and sustainable water management. For more information on water conservation technologies and their impact, visit India Water Portal . Conclusion The top 10 best water conservation companies in India 2025 are not only addressing the country’s water challenges but are also setting examples for sustainable practices globally. From industrial water treatment to community-focused initiatives, these water conservation companies are shaping a future where water is managed responsibly and efficiently. By supporting these water conservation companies, we can all contribute to preserving one of our most precious resources.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs signed the two-time Super Bowl champion on Saturday, while also announcing safety Jordan Whitehead was activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. Barrett spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 to 2023. He led the NFL with a franchise-record 19 1-2 sacks in his first year with the Bucs, then helped the team win its second Super Bowl title the following season. In all, Barrett started 70 games with Tampa Bay, amassing 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was released last winter in a salary cap move, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media before the start of training camp in July. Barrett, who also won a Super Bowl during a four-season stint with the Denver Broncos, decided to unretire last month. He signed with the Bucs after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Whitehead has missed the past four games with a pectoral injury. His return comes of the heels of the Bucs placing safety Christian Izien on IR with a pectoral injury. On Saturday, the Bucs also activated rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from IR and elevated punter Jack Browning to the active roster from the practice squad. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflWhy are Megaport shares sinking 14% on Friday?Fresh new soundsPolice have charged two people following a break-and-enter investigation. On Saturday, Grey Bruce OPP were called to check on an empty home on Dawson Street in South Bruce Peninsula. When police arrived, six people were removed from the building. On Sunday, just before 5 p.m., police did a property check at the same home. Two people, who were previously trespassed, were found inside. A 22-year-old of no fixed address and a 43-year-old of Georgian Bluffs are both facing charges for break-and-enter a place with intent to commit an indictable offence. 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 10 Family Calendars And Planners That'll Help You Keep Track Of Everything In The New Year Our Guide To The Best Winter Boots You Can Get In Canada 16 Cozy Home Essentials That Cost Less Than $100 Home Our Guide To The Best Snow Shovels In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) 14 Of The Best Home Security Devices You Can Find Online Right Now (And They've Got The Reviews To Prove It) 13 Of The Best Fidget Toys For Adults Gifts The Clock Is Ticking — Shop These 25 Last-Minute Amazon Prime Gifts Now If You Have An Amazon Prime Account, These 70+ Crowd-Pleasing Gifts Will Still Arrive Before Christmas If You Have An Amazon Prime Account, These 50 Brilliant Stocking Stuffers Will Still Arrive Before Christmas Beauty 20 Products Your Dry, Dehydrated Skin Will Thank You For Ordering 14 Hydrating Face Masks That’ll Save Your Skin This December 12 Budget-Friendly Products To Add To Your Winter Skincare Routine Deals PSA: The Michael Kors Boxing Week Sale Is Happening Right Now The Silk & Snow End Of Year Sale Is Officially On — Here's What To Add To Your Cart The Best Early Boxing Day Deals On Amazon Canada For 2024 London Top Stories Anonymous $2 million donation given to St. Joseph’s Health Care Transitional shelter to open in Ingersoll in 2025 Next chapter for St. Thomas Elevated Park as it joins forces with Railworks Coalition Santa Claus cleared for travel in Canadian airspace Two charged in South Bruce Peninsula break-and-enter 91-year-old harness driver victorious at The Raceway in London, Ont. Statistics Canada reports real GDP grew 0.3 per cent in October STPS searching for two theft suspects CTVNews.ca Top Stories Quebec fugitive killed in Mexican resort town, RCMP say RCMP are confirming that a fugitive, Mathieu Belanger, wanted by Quebec provincial police has died in Mexico, in what local media are calling a murder. Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office. Multiple OnlyFans accounts featured suspected child sex abuse, investigator reports An experienced child exploitation investigator told Reuters he reported 26 accounts on the popular adults-only website OnlyFans to authorities, saying they appeared to contain sexual content featuring underage teen girls. King Charles ends royal warrants for Ben & Jerry's owner Unilever and Cadbury chocolatiers King Charles III has ended royal warrants for Cadbury and Unilever, which owns brands including Marmite and Ben & Jerry’s, in a blow to the household names. 'Serious safety issues': Edmonton building where security guard was killed evacuated An apartment building where a security guard was killed earlier this month is being evacuated. Santa Claus cleared for travel in Canadian airspace Santa's sleigh has been cleared for travel in Canadian airspace, the federal government announced on Monday just ahead of the busy holiday season. Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. U.S. House Ethics report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid thousands for sex and drugs including paying a 17-year-old for sex in 2017 The U.S. House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to a final draft of the panel's report on the Florida Republican, obtained by CNN. Young mammoth remains found nearly intact in Siberian permafrost Researchers in Siberia are conducting tests on a juvenile mammoth whose remarkably well-preserved remains were discovered in thawing permafrost after more than 50,000 years. Kitchener Parts of southern Ontario under travel advisory Anyone planning to travel today is being urged to be prepared as 5 to 15 cm of snow could hit a large portion of southern Ontario. Beloved bookstore in Uptown Waterloo forced to close for months following fire A beloved bookstore in Uptown Waterloo is bearing the brunt of some holiday misfortune. Grand River Transit’s holiday service begins Grand River Transit (GRT) will operate on a holiday service schedule starting Monday. Barrie Several collisions reported along Highway 11 as driving conditions deteriorate Highway 11 was closed briefly in Oro-Medonte on Monday afternoon as driving conditions deteriorated, causing multiple collisions. Firearms seized after 'violent threats' made against secondary school: YRP Police say officers found several firearms during a search at a teen’s home after he allegedly made violent threats against a secondary school. Single-vehicle crash in Springwater Twp. One woman was taken to the hospital following a single-vehicle crash in Springwater Township. Windsor City of Windsor reviewing other H4 properties, no longer pursuing Wellington Avenue The City of Windsor has announced it is no longer pursuing land at 700 Wellington Avenue and is looking at other properties for the new Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4). Parvovirus found in Belle River A local groomer has confirmed a positive case of parvovirus, found in Belle River. Santa Claus cleared for travel in Canadian airspace Santa's sleigh has been cleared for travel in Canadian airspace, the federal government announced on Monday just ahead of the busy holiday season. Northern Ontario Teen passed out at coffee shop with bottle of booze on the table, northern Ont. police say A 19-year-old from Blind River is facing several charges following incidents at a coffee shop and in jail. Stolen vehicle investigation ends with sleeping driver and impaired charges An apparent attempt to steal a vehicle in Thunder Bay, Ont., failed when the impaired driver fell asleep in a parking lot. Man charged with damaging downtown Sudbury eatery A man free on probation has been charged with causing significant damage to a restaurant on Elgin Street in downtown Sudbury over the weekend. Sault Ste. Marie Northern Ont. hospital to close emergency department for Christmas and Boxing Day A physician shortage is again forcing the closure of the emergency department at the Thessalon Site of the North Shore Health Network – this time for more than 48 hours over the holidays. Suspect charged with headbutting their parent, confining them to a chair in Thessalon, Ont. A member of the family in the northern Ontario community of Thessalon is charged with a vicious assault and forcibly confining their parent. One injured in the Sault after lithium-ion battery starts house fire Sault fire officials have determined a lithium-ion battery to be the cause of a house fire that broke out early this morning. Ottawa SNOWFALL WARNING | Pre-Christmas storm forecasted in Ottawa with up to 20 cm of snow tonight Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Ottawa and parts of eastern Ontario with a snowstorm in the forecast Monday afternoon and into the evening. Man handed 5th distracted driving charge for using cellphone on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa An Ottawa driver was charged for using a cellphone behind the wheel on Sunday, the fifth time he has faced distracted driving charges. Brockville, Ont. cafe giving hundreds of Christmas dinners to people in need Richard's Coffeehouse in Brockville, Ont. is handing out hundreds of free Christmas dinners to people in need on Monday afternoon. Toronto LIVE UPDATES | Parts of Ontario under snowfall warning Monday as holiday travellers hit the road Holiday travellers and commuters could be in for a messy drive on Monday morning as a significant round of snowfall moves into the region. Here are live updates on the situation in Toronto. Doug Ford dresses up like Santa to grant wishes in Christmas video In a video posted on social media on Monday morning, Ford is seen dressed up in a bright red Santa suit performing a personalized rendition of the famous 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Durham police looking for man after Whitby home hit by bullets For the second time in less than a week, police are investigating reports of gunshots fired into a home in Whitby. Montreal Judge rejects lawsuit tied to controversial 2017 Montreal Formula E car race An entrepreneur who sued the City of Montreal for not considering his bid to organize a 2017 electric car race has failed in his effort to obtain more than $3 million in compensation. Snow on the way as Montreal is put under weather advisory A weather advisory has been initiated for the Greater Montreal area, with 10 to 15 cm of snow expected to hit the ground. Quebec fugitive killed in Mexican resort town, RCMP say RCMP are confirming that a fugitive, Mathieu Belanger, wanted by Quebec provincial police has died in Mexico, in what local media are calling a murder. Atlantic No need to dream, White Christmas all but assured in the Maritimes An early nor'easter followed by a low-pressure system moving into the region all but ensure a Maritime White Christmas Province names 2024 Order of Nova Scotia recipients Nova Scotia has named the five individuals who will receive the province’s highest honour for 2024. Nova Scotia RCMP investigating structure fire on South Shore Queens District RCMP is investigating a fire that destroyed a home in Pleasantville, N.S., Sunday. Winnipeg Manitoba government to make permanent cut to gas tax Manitobans can expect to see a permanent change at the gas pump as early as next week Snowmobile crash leaves 10-year-old dead: RCMP A 10-year-old boy is dead following a snowmobile crash near Rosebank, Man., on Sunday. Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office. Calgary Serious crash closes part of Highway 1 near Bassano, Alta. RCMP responded to a serious crash on Highway 1 near Bassano, Alta., on Monday morning. The collision occurred approximately two kilometres east of Highway 56. 2 Alberta men charged with sex crimes involving children in separate investigations Two registered sex offenders are facing charges after separate investigations in northern Alberta. Crews respond to blaze at Calgary pizzeria The Calgary Fire Department put out a fire at a northeast business Monday morning. Edmonton 'Serious safety issues': Edmonton building where security guard was killed evacuated An apartment building where a security guard was killed earlier this month is being evacuated. City of Edmonton to lift Phase 1 parking ban Monday evening The City of Edmonton will lift the Phase 1 parking ban on Monday at 5 p.m. 2 Alberta men charged with sex crimes involving children in separate investigations Two registered sex offenders are facing charges after separate investigations in northern Alberta. Regina Heavy fog descends over Regina, most of Saskatchewan Dense fog is being reported across much of the province to begin the week of Christmas, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Regina police asking for public's help in assault investigation The Regina Police Service (RPS) is asking the public for help finding a suspect connected to an assault with a weapon over the weekend. Weyburn police searching for suspects after copper wire, motorcycle theft The Weyburn Police Service (WPS) is asking for the public's help after motorcycles and copper wire were stolen over the weekend. Saskatoon 'There are lines': In year-end interview, NDP leader says Moe went too far in election campaign Saskatchewan’s two main political leaders had agreed before October's provincial election not to target the families of candidates during the campaign, says Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck. Saskatoon woman arrested following machete attack A 55-year-old woman was arrested following a stabbing with a machete early Monday morning. Heavy fog hits Saskatoon, creating slippery roadways Saskatoon is under a fog advisory on Monday, creating slippery conditions for commuters and last-minute Christmas shoppers. Vancouver Chilliwack farmer facing multiple charges after crashing tractor into police vehicle A Chilliwack man has been charged with multiple criminal counts in connection to an incident involving a tractor being driven dangerously during a protest last year. Over $20K worth of stolen search and rescue gear found in Squamish More than $20,000 worth of search and rescue equipment stolen from BC Parks has been recovered, say the Sea-To-Sky RCMP. More than 280M trees planted in 2024 in B.C., focus on fire-damaged areas British Columbia's forests ministry says more than 280 million trees were planted in the province this year. Vancouver Island More than 280M trees planted in 2024 in B.C., focus on fire-damaged areas British Columbia's forests ministry says more than 280 million trees were planted in the province this year. Several storms in store for B.C.’s south coast over Christmas A series of storms are expected to bring heavy winds and wet weather to B.C’s south coast over the festive period. Over $20K worth of stolen search and rescue gear found in Squamish More than $20,000 worth of search and rescue equipment stolen from BC Parks has been recovered, say the Sea-To-Sky RCMP. Stay Connected

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower Tuesday in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation that’s coming on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high . They’re the first back-to-back losses for the index in nearly a month, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.

Morrisons selling Easter eggs already as Christmas stock ditchedBukayo Saka breaks silence on Arsenal injury blow with message from hospital bed

Former Nationals minister Keith Pitt has announced he is leaving politics with a scathing review of his party leader for agreeing to the Coalition’s plan for net zero emissions by 2050. Pitt, a conservative Queensland MP who was resources minister in the Morrison government, said on Friday that he would step down from his safe Bundaberg-based seat of Hinkler at the next election after 11 years in Parliament. Former minister Keith Pitt has announced he is departing politics. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen After thanking his supporters and family, Pitt concluded his statement with a quote attributed to the civil rights leader Martin Luther King. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” the quote reads. “I am confident I have never been silent. It has been a privilege to serve.” Pitt, who championed coal as resources minister, told The Australian newspaper the day before his departure that Nationals leader David Littleproud should “stand up” to Peter Dutton and the Liberals. “And to do that, you’ve got to separate from your brothers and sisters in the Liberal Party because they have, on occasions, different views to us,” Pitt said. “In my view, political parties without purpose soon disappear.” “I am talking about the impact in the cost of committing to net zero emissions targets and the subsequent green policies that have to be paid for,” he said. “And while there is literally zero impact on the temperature of the planet, it has huge impacts on the wallets of regional people.” The Nationals committed to a policy of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 under the leadership of Pitt’s close ally Barnaby Joyce. In his official statement, Pitt also wished Dutton well. Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said that Littleproud had too much influence over Coalition climate policy rather than too little. “You’ve got a whole group of climate change deniers in there and they’re driving policy,” Bowen told ABC TV. “One thing you shouldn’t let the National Party near is climate change policy.” The opposition is losing a raft of senior MPs at the next election, including Senator Simon Birmingham and Sydney MP Paul Fletcher. Dutton is expected to announce a reshuffle of his frontbench on the weekend. More to come. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Political leadership Nationals Climate crisis Keith Pitt David Littleproud Nick Bonyhady is the deputy federal editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Parliament House in Canberra. He is a former technology editor and industrial relations reporter. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Politics LoadingWith December ticking toward its end, 2024 is just about ready to fall off the calendar. It's been an absolutely wonderful performance stretch for the broader market, and hot tech companies including Nvidia , Palantir , and Apple have rocketed to new valuation highs. But there are also some great technology stocks out there that are trading well below previous pricing heights, and investors could be doing themselves a disservice by overlooking these great companies. If you're on the hunt for investments that can deliver big wins in 2025 and beyond, read on to see why two Fool.com contributors think these beaten-down stocks are great buys right now. AMD is an undervalued AI stock play Keith Noonan : Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD 0.10% ) is a designer of central processing units (CPUs) and GPUs for personal computers and data centers. The company's stock is up roughly 182% over the last five years thanks to some solid business execution and excitement that the company could be poised to see some of the same explosive, AI-driven growth that has propelled Nvidia to stellar returns. On the other hand, AMD has seen a slower ramping for AI-related processors than some investors expected -- and the disconnect in the timeline has caused some significant valuation pullback for the stock. The chip specialist's share price is now down roughly 40% from the lifetime high that it hit earlier this year. Despite a strong rally for the broader market, AMD stock has tumbled over the last few months -- and the company's share price has yet to recover from sell-offs triggered by its third-quarter earnings release at the end of October. AMD's revenue grew roughly 18% year over year to reach $6.8 billion in the period. Meanwhile, non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share rose 31% compared to the prior-year period. While AMD will continue to have a strong market presence in processors for gaming and personal computers, it's the data center segment that has really become central to the stock's performance. Last quarter saw sales for the AI-related segment increase to $3.5 billion -- up 122% year over year and 25% on a sequential quarterly basis. The performance actually topped Wall Street's expectations and pushed the business to overall sales and earnings beats in the quarter, but some investors and analysts didn't think the company's guidance was bullish enough. AMD has tended to err on the conservative side lately when it comes to issuing guidance, and it wouldn't be surprising to see significant near-term gains kicked off by Q4 numbers that come in better than broadly expected. But more importantly for long-term investors, the business remains poised to benefit from the unfolding AI revolution. The company's competitive positioning in the highly lucrative GPU category isn't as as strong as Nvidia's, but AMD's lagging stock performance opens the door for investors who buy shares at today's prices to see big gains. Aehr Test Systems is a buy for enterprising investors Lee Samaha : It's fair to say it hasn't been a vintage year for the provider of burn-in testing equipment to the chip industry. Aehr Test Systems ( AEHR 1.35% ) makes silicon carbide chip testing equipment, and its primary growth market comes from its use in electric vehicles ( EVs ). Silicon carbide chips have qualities that make them more efficient than silicon in power electronics, making them ideal for EVs. There's little doubt that the adoption of silicon carbide chips will grow, fueling demand for Aehr's solutions. However, growth expectations for both the chips and Aehr's sales have been pared back this year due to the slowing growth of EV sales, which has caused automakers to defer investment in production lines. As a result, the company's share price is down roughly 72% from its lifetime high as of this writing. Still, the slowdown -- primarily related to relatively high interest rates -- is unlikely to last forever, and no one disputes that EVs are the transportation industry's future. In addition, Aehr recently inked a deal to sell an initial $10 million worth of equipment to an artificial intelligence customer. The agreement helps diversify Aehr's end markets and customer base and de-risks the stock. With the company successfully opening new end markets and a likely recovery in its EV end markets, Aehr Test Systems has plenty of potential to grow. Now could be an opportune time to buy the stock.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has set his sights on automatic qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League after a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig. Ross Barkley’s 85th-minute goal gave them victory in Germany after goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran early in each half were cancelled out by Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner. That sent them up to third in the new league phase of the competition ahead of Wednesday’s games and with matches against Monaco and Celtic to come, Villa have an excellent chance of finishing in the top eight. Job done... in the end 😅 #RBLAVL #UCL pic.twitter.com/PRD1Hi1Q3A — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 10, 2024 That would mean they would avoid a play-off round to make it through to the last 16 and Emery says that is the target. “Today was key. Juventus at home, we were thinking more to win but in the end we accepted the draw because it was important for a point to be more or less in the top 24,” he told Amazon Prime. “Today was a match we were thinking at the beginning was key to be a contender to be in the top eight with the last two matches to be played. “It is going to be difficult and we have to get some more points but we now have the possibility to achieve this option. “We are going to enjoy and try to get top eight but we have to be happy because we are in the top 24 and maybe even the top 16. “We weren’t contenders in the beginning to get there but now we have to accept it.” Leipzig, who are flying high near the top of the Bundesliga, are out after losing all six matches. They did pose a threat to Villa, who inflicted some of their own problems on themselves, notably a rare gaffe from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for Openda’s equaliser. But Emery was happy with his side’s performance. “I try to enjoy and always we want to improve and sometimes it is hard but today the team were performing well, playing seriously and I was enjoying it,” he added. “We tried to overcome the mistakes we made and we did. More or less we were playing consistently. One mistake and they score but then we played very well. “Champions League is very difficult and we have to expect that every team playing at home are feeling strong. We played with consistency and domination.”NoneEmboldened by his victory in the U.S. presidential polls, Donald Trump has drummed up his rhetoric of belligerence by announcing plans to annex Canada and Greenland and retake control of the Panama Canal. While the U.S. has not historically shied away from coveting the two northern territories, threatening to renege on a deal that ceded Washington’s control of the canal to Panama has been strictly the brainchild of the President-elect. Panama Canal is an 82-km-long strategic waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It helps ships do away with the need to go around the South American tip of Cape Horn, saving 13,000 km and days of journey. Consequently, the canal facilitates the passage of over 14,000 ships a year. The 78-year-old Republican first spelt out his plans for the canal during a speech at a Conservative event in Arizona and subsequently on his social media platform Truth Social. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else,” he said, referring to the increased shipping rates, while speaking at AmericaFest on Sunday (December 22). “It was given to Panama and the people of Panama, but it has provisions. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, quickly and without question.” Mr. Trump also warned of said while of warning about the growing “Chinese influence” in the region. Later, Mr. Trump posted a photo on Truth Social of the U.S. flag flying over the narrow waterway in the Isthmus of Panama. The caption read “Welcome to the United States Canal”. In its response, the Central American nation said, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and the surrounding area belongs to Panama and will continue belonging (to Panama).” The country’s President Jose Raul Mulino decried Chinese presence and stated that shipping rates were not set on a whim. Mr. Trump’s remarks also angered the Panamanians who took to the U.S. embassy calling out “Trump, animal, leave the canal alone” and burning his image. Mr. Trump’s grief in the matter is understandable for the U.S., whose ships constitute 74% of the traffic in the canal, is its biggest benefactor, followed by China at 21%. If not for the canal, ships traversing the east and west coasts of the U.S. would have to undertake an additional 22 days of voyage. In historical context, The canal also came to the aid of the Allies during the Second World War. What began as a French project in 1880 under the leadership of Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had built the Suez Canal, soon fell apart due to unforeseen difficulties. Americans stepped in to complete the canal but Colombia, which ruled over Panama, did not favour the idea. By orchestrating independence from Colombia, then U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt secured a deal whereby Panama gave his country control over a 16-km wide strip of land to build the canal in exchange for monetary compensation. Lock technology The canal entered into operation in 1914. By using a technology comprising a series of locks, it revolutionised shipping. However, a dispute over the ownership and administration soon broke out between the U.S. and Panama, which eventually led to a direct clash in 1964 costing the lives of 28 people. In 1977, then President Jimmy Carter (despite opposition from the Senate) and Panama’s military leader Omar Torrijos signed two treaties — the Permanent Neutrality Treaty and the Panama Canal treaty that saw the U.S. hand over the control of the canal to Panama in 1999. The former agreement grants the U.S. the authority to ensure the canal remains free and open without giving it the power to interfere in Panama. The latter ensured that Washington transferred the canal to Panama by December 31, 1999. Since 2000, Panama has overseen the administration of the canal. However, the region, one of the wettest until recently, experienced a rainfall deficit in 2022. Gatun Lake, which provides the 200 million litres of water needed for each ship to transit the canal, experienced a drop in water levels, prompting authorities to increase shipping charges starting in 2025. Mr. Trump has objected to this. His allegation of Chinese influence pertains to the Hong Kong-based company C.K. Hutchison Holdings, which manages two of the five ports in the region — one on each side of the canal. Bolstering his claim further was Panama’s 2017 decision to cut ties with Taiwan. Growing tensions between the U.S. and Panama might not align with Mr. Trump’s top policy priorities such as stopping illegal migration from South America, warn experts. Published - December 29, 2024 01:42 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit USA / The Hindu Explains / The Hindu Profiles