Trump taps Rollins as agriculture chief, completing proposed slate of Cabinet secretariesALLIANCE, Ohio - Mount Union remained unbeaten with a 42-7 win over John Carroll on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs. The Purple Raiders (11-0) used suffocating defense paired with John Carroll’s early mistakes put the Blue Streaks (9-3) in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. The win improves Mount Union’s record versus Carroll in the playoffs 4-0. “The fact that we committed penalties and things like that I think it was just, we kind of were in our way at times,” said John Carroll head coach Jeff Behrman. “Offensively and defensively we didn’t get the stops we needed to get, we just didn’t execute.” John Carroll and Mount Union have faced off 45 times dating back to 1920. Their most recent meeting was Sept. 21 at Don Shula Stadium, where Mount Union came out on top, 37-31. Saturday’s matchup had different circumstances and higher stakes. This win earned Mount Union a third-round playoff appearance against Carnegie Mellon. Turnovers and John Carroll’s inability to get third-down stops allowed Mount to set the tone early on Saturday. The 21-point deficit at halftime was too much for the Blue Streaks to overcome. Tyler Echeverry, who had had 13 carries, 176 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season meeting, got going during the opening drive with 44 yards and a touchdown. Going into halftime he had 124 yards and three total touchdowns. Rossy Moore put the Purple Raiders up 14-0 following a Kaleb Brown strip-sack. Moore scooped the ball up and recovered it for a 30-yard touchdown. The Blue Streaks answered with their only score of the game. Nick Semptimphelter connected with Evan McVay, who broke multiple tackles and juked defenders for a 34-yard gain to set up the score, a 12-yard touchdown catch for Dorian Facen Jr. Early in the second quarter, Echeverry got into the end zone with another touchdown run while shrugging off multiple defenders. After stopping John Carroll on fourth down near the goal line, Mount Union put together a scoring drive. A 40-yard run for Echeverry put the Purple Raiders on the goal line, where he caught a 2-yard touchdown pass for a 28-7 halftime lead. John Carroll found some bright spots defensively. Jacob Hufnagel was able to reel in an interception, but Mount Union got the ball right back after Brandon Yanssens broke into the backfield and forced a fumble and Garet Cramer recovered. RECOMMENDED • cleveland .com Mount Union vs. John Carroll football preview: What you need to know about playoff matchup Nov. 29, 2024, 5:00 a.m. NFL Black Friday best game, player prop picks for Raiders vs. Chiefs Nov. 29, 2024, 11:00 a.m. Mount Union took advantage of the short field, converting a fourth down on the goal line. Darnell Williams came out of the backfield wide open to catch a 1-yard touchdown pass. Mount Union went into the fourth leading 35-7. Mount Union’s Shaun Thomas has the final touchdown late in the fourth on a 4-yard run. “I’m really proud of their preparation during the bye, and then once we confirmed we were playing John Carroll they really attacked it,” said Mount Union head coach Geoff Dart. “That’s not always an easy thing during Thanksgiving week. We just played really really good football, and we beat a really really good team. So we’re excited to move on to the next round,”America’s tech blind spotbet365 2 hour withdrawal 。

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46-year-old Portage resident Brandy Manville and 45-year-old Portage resident Charles Manville were killed in the domestic shooting, according to the Porter County Coroner's office. Brandy Manville was the secretary of Portage High School for more than a decade. She was the mother of a daughter and son. The Portage Boys Basketball Team held a moment of silence for Brandy Manville at its game against Munster High School Saturday. The Portage Township Schools plans to offer counseling students to Portage High School students and staff Monday morning. Brandy Manville filed for divorce from Charles Manville in July in Porter County Superior Court I, according to court records. A dissolution hearing was scheduled for Dec. 16. The Porter County Coroner's Office was dispatched to the 6300 block of Monument Drive in Portage at 9:40 p.m. Friday after the police responded to a report of a domestic dispute at that address. "Upon arrival the Deputy Coroner was informed that there were two fatalities at the scene," Porter County Coroner Cynthia M. Dykes said in a press release. "The investigation is ongoing. Portage Police Department assisting the Coroner’s Office. The Porter County Coroner’s Office would like to extend our condolences to all the family and loved ones of the victims involved in this senseless tragedy." Another person was injured with life-threatening injuries after the shooting, according to Portage police. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The Potage police responded to a reported domestic dispute at 7:41 p.m. Friday. "The 911 caller stated that her father was intoxicated and throwing items inside the house. The caller next reported the male was now armed with a firearm. 911 operators could hear the male saying that everyone was going die followed by the sound of gunfire," Portage police said in a news release. "Just as officers were arriving on scene and were approaching the residence, they too heard gunfire from inside." Police found two people dead from gunshot wounds. Brandy Manville had been shot to death and Charles Manville suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A 21-year-old woman was found alive with gunshot wounds. She was rushed by a Lutheran Air medical helicopter to a trauma center to be treated and is reportedly in stable condition in the intensive care unit. "No other people were located inside the residence and no officers discharged their weapons during this incident. At this time investigators believe this incident was isolated to the three people found on scene and there is no continuing threat to the community," Portage police said in a press release. "As of this time, the surviving victim has not been able to a provide a statement to investigators and a motive for this shooting remains unknown." Everyone involved in the domestic incident was related, according to Portage police. The police are not identifying the injured woman, who is still being treated at the trauma center. "We would like to thank the Portage Fire Department and Lutheran Air for providing continuing medical aid and transport to the surviving victim. We also send our thanks to the officers from the Burns Harbor and Ogden Dunes Police Departments and Porter County Sheriff’s Department who were part of the initial response to this incident," Portage police said in a press release. "Lastly, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victims of this shocking crime. We pray for a full and speedy recovery of the surviving victim. Our latest update is that she remains hospitalized in stable condition but with serious and life-threatening injuries." A GoFundMe was started to help pay the expenses of the Manville children. Search for "Support for Manville Kids" on GoFundMe.com to contribute.

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Even after dropping to 7-5 following Sunday's 34-26 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Commanders are still in position to make the NFC playoffs. However, the margin is razor thin. Washington now sits only half a game ahead of the Arizona Cardinals for the final Wild Card spot, and 1.5 games ahead of three formidable challengers in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. With the 9-2 Minnesota Vikings and 8-3 Green Bay Packers all but locked into the first two Wild Card spots, it's going to come down to those five teams (along with the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, should they lose their respective division leads) for the last one. That means the Commanders can't afford to take any more losses like they had on Sunday. Their defeat at the hands of the 4-7 Cowboys was their first truly bad loss this season, and it needs to end up being their only one. Next week, the Commanders get another home matchup against a three-win team in the Tennessee Titans prior to their Week 14 bye. The Titans are riding some momentum after their own upset road win on Sunday, a 32-27 victory over the Houston Texans. That, combined with the Commanders' loss to Dallas, needs to be a wakeup call that no opponent can be taken lightly. Sunday is a must-win for Washington, and following their week off, they may need to go at least 3-1 against the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and Cowboys again to secure a playoff spot. It's very doable, but after Sunday, the Commanders are out of mulligans.Pop Watson helps Hokies become bowl eligible with 37-17 victory over rival VirginiaLOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield scored in the second period, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1 on Saturday. David Rittich made 19 saves for the Kings, who improved to 6-2-1 at home. Kempe and Byfield scored 1:44 apart in the second period. Byfield buried a sharp-angle slap shot on a power play while dropping to a knee. It was his 98th career point in 200 games. Brandon Montour got the Kraken on the board with 1:26 left in the game. He converted a long shot with Joey Daccord off for another skater, but Los Angeles held on. Daccord finished with 19 stops for Seattle. Kraken: Jordan Eberle will miss at least three months after undergoing surgery on his pelvis. He had six goals and five assists in 17 games before he got hurt against Chicago on Nov. 14. Kings: The power play had been in a 1-for-16 rut (6.25%) over the previous six games before Byfield found the net. It was the Kings' lone opportunity with the man-advantage. After following its 1-0 loss to Buffalo on Wednesday with a fourth straight period of extreme low-event hockey, Los Angeles created a lot more activity and offense to start the second and generate its two goals. The Kings know how to close out games, improving to 9-0-1 when leading after two periods. The Kraken visit Anaheim on Monday, and the Kings play at San Jose on Monday. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Cystic fibrosis has traditionally been considered a fatal disease. But thanks to medical advancements and treatments, many patients now live longer, healthier lives. Patients in Saskatchewan may have even brighter outlooks thanks to expanded coverage for the drug Trikafta. The provincial government announced it was expanding coverage for the drug to include patients with 152 rare genetic mutations. This change will extend eligibility to the majority of cystic fibrosis patients in Saskatchewan. “We are pleased to expand coverage for this treatment for more Saskatchewan people with cystic fibrosis,” said Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill. “We know that Trikafta improves the quality of life for patients, so expanding coverage to include these rare genetic mutations means more CF patients and their families will benefit for years to come.” Among those who have benefitted from Trikafta are people like Lorna McEwan, who says the drug has helped her stay out of hospital and feel healthier. “I had been on the drug for three years now and it has given a new lease on life,” McEwan said. “The last time I was in the hospital, I was looking at probably going on oxygen when I got out because I was having a very hard time breathing... Within 24 hours of taking the drug, there was a huge change. “I am doing stuff I never dreamed I would do.” Trikafta helps to remove mucous caused by the disease. According to McEwan, it not only improved her health but also her sense of purpose. “I know in my family alone, it has been a huge game changer,” she said. “Just the fact that you can get out and feel like you want to live again and continue to contribute to the community.” The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis registry reports there are over 130 patients affected by the disease in Saskatchewan and nearly 4,500 across Canada. Doctors like Omar El-Halfawy said increased coverage is crucial for improving their quality of life. “Trikafta reduced emergency room visits by 20 per cent,” he said. McEwan thanks the government for covering the drug in full for her, adding the increased coverage will help a lot of Saskatchewan families like hers. “Some of the other provinces, they kind of going to go through their insurance companies to get coverage. But for us here, there’s no way my husband and I could afford this drug. In fact, I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for Trikafta right now.”Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Strictly Come Dancing's Amy Dowden had to bow out from the competition earlier in the month but made a comeback this evening. The beloved BBC dance extravaganza sashayed back onto screens with yet another electrifying episode, as hopeful duos threw everything into their performances, eager to cha-cha their way into Musicals Week looming on the horizon. JB, now twirling across the floor with Lauren Oakley, was originally matched with Wales' own Amy Dowden, until an urgent dash to the hospital was needed post-performance as a "precaution" due to Amy feeling under the weather. Unfortunately, this spelt the premature finale of her stint on the series, as she disclosed on companion show It Takes Two that she's got an "insufficiency stress fracture" sidelining her from further jiving jamborees. Yet, despite her ordeal, the 34-year-old made a heartwarming appearance cheerside, with devoted viewers catching sight of her amidst fellow stars and professional dancers, like Nikita Kuzmin, who was seen giving her a supportive embrace. Social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, buzzed with fans chiming in: "OMG, I've only just realised that Amy is there. It makes me so emotional." Emotion flowed with comments like one with teary-eyed emojis: "Nikita hugging Amy." A third message read: "I love that Carlos is always right next to Amy, silently supporting", while a fourth was quick to point out: "Hang on... Amy is there!!!" On tonight's programme, the Samba-thon was in full swing, with all dancing pairs hitting the floor simultaneously, allowing judges to scrutinize their samba steps side by side. To his immense joy, Amy's ex-partner, JB, emerged triumphant tonight, securing the top spot in terms of points. A thrilled viewer expressed their joy on social media, commenting: "JB and Lauren winning the Sambathon fills my heart with pride! ! Amy must be beaming with pride! This wins for you, queen!" During the previous weekend, the duos graced the renowned Blackpool Tower Ballroom, showcasing their most opulent acts to date. Whilst some participants dazzled the audience with their sparkling performances, a few failed to make a positive impression on the judges at this pivotal moment in the BBC contest. JLS sensation JB divine with an energetic Quickstep to Rick Astley's hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up', while EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick made a showstopping entrance aboard a giant ketchup bottle for his Jive to 'The Ketchup Song', and The Only Way Is Essex's Pete Wicks turned up the heat with a sizzling Cha Cha to 'I'm Too Sexy'. It was Love Island's Tasha Ghouri, however, who captivated with her Paso Doble set to Nathan Laniers 'Torn', matching an impressive 39 points together with actress Sarah Hadlands moving Couple's Choice performance to 'Padam Padam'. Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Student protesters enter Somoy TV owners’ offices, journalists sackedThe Atlanta Falcons drafting of Michael Penix Jr. just six weeks after signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract doesn't seem like that much of a head-scratcher anymore. Penix, the eighth overall pick in this year's draft, was supposed to serve as Cousins' understudy for a year or two, a plan that was scuttled when Cousins quickly lost the zip and accuracy on his passes and his grip on the starting job. It was hard to argue with making the change after Cousins had nine picks and one touchdown pass in his last five starts — but it was a daring move nonetheless with the Falcons trailing first-place Tampa Bay by a single game with three weeks left. Penix made the move pay off with a solid first NFL start in the Falcons' 34-7 rout of the New York Giants on Sunday that bolstered Atlanta's playoff hopes , and the Falcons (8-7) moved back into first place in the NFC South with the Buccaneers' loss at Dallas on Sunday night. The left-hander was not at all overwhelmed by the moment, completing 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards — numbers that would’ve been better if not for at least three dropped passes, one of which Kyle Pitts bobbled right into the hands of a New York defender for Penix’s lone interception. “He went out and played almost flawless football,” coach Raheem Morris said. Cousins will almost certainly be looking for his fourth team in 2025. If the Falcons cut ties as expected, they'll have paid Cousins $90 million for 14 games. Cousins' career earnings are about $321 million and his record is 84-77-2, including a 1-3 mark in the playoffs and 7-7 this season. In the spirit of expedited judgments, let's take a gander at how other quarterbacks have fared with their new teams in 2024. Russell Wilson The Pittsburgh Steelers landed the biggest bargain of the season in Wilson, whom they signed for the veteran's minimum of $1.21 million, leaving his former team, the Denver Broncos, on the hook for the remaining $37.79 million of his 2024 salary. Wilson's calf injury in camp forced the Steelers to start Justin Fields, who went 4-2 before Mike Tomlin made the risky switch to Wilson, who's gone 6-3 with 15 TD throws and four interceptions. With the Steelers (10-5) playoff-bound, Wilson will make his first postseason appearance since 2020. The only question is whether it'll be at home as AFC North champ or on the road as a wild-card. They're tied with the Ravens atop the division but currently own the tiebreaker. Sam Darnold This was expected to be a rebuilding year in Minnesota after the Vikings lost Cousins in free agency. They signed Darnold, the third overall pick in 2018, to a $10 million, one-year contract and drafted national champion J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick. McCarthy tore the meniscus in his right knee during the preseason opener and has undergone two surgeries, opening the way for Darnold's breakthrough season. Darnold brought a 21-35 career record with him to Minneapolis and all he's done is go 13-2 while setting career highs with 32 touchdown passes, 3,776 passing yards and a 67.2% completion percentage. The Vikings are tied with the Lions atop the packed NFC North and the division crown could come down to Minnesota's season finale at Detroit on Jan. 5. Gardner Minshew The Las Vegas Raiders signed Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract and he beat out incumbent Aidan O'Connell for the starting gig. But he only went 2-7 and sustained a season-ending broken collarbone in a Week 12 loss to the Broncos, opening the door for O'Connell (1-4) to return. The Raiders' 19-14 win over Jacksonville on Sunday snapped a 10-game skid but might have taken them out of the Shedeur Sanders sweepstakes. They are 3-12, a game behind the Giants (2-13), who jettisoned QB Daniel Jones less than two years after signing him to a four-year, $160 million contract and have gone with Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito instead. Caleb Williams The Chicago Bears had high hopes after drafting Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, but it might turn out that the second QB taken — Washington's Jayden Daniels — is better than the first as was the case last year when C.J. Stroud outperformed Carolina's Bryce Young. Williams has a terrific TD-to-INT ratio of 19-5, but the Bears are 4-11 and have lost nine in a row. Their last win came way back on Oct. 13 against Jacksonville. Jayden Daniels The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU has led the Washington Commanders (10-5) to the cusp of their first playoff appearance since 2020. His bolstered his Rookie of the Year credentials with a five-TD performance Sunday in leading the Commanders to a 36-33 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. For the year, Daniels has 22 TD throws and eight interceptions. Bo Nix The former Auburn and Oregon star hasn't looked much like a rookie after starting an NCAA QB record 61 times in college. The Broncos (9-6) could snap an eight-year playoff drought with a win Sunday at Cincinnati thanks to Nix's steady play , Sean Payton's exhaustive guidance and Denver's traditionally stingy defense. Nix was drafted 12th overall after the Broncos released Wilson despite a a whopping $85 million dead money charge on top of the $37.79 million they're paying Wilson to play for Pittsburgh this year. With 22 TDs and 11 interceptions, Nix has almost matched Russell's win total (11-19) in his two seasons in Denver. AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry in Atlanta contributed to this report. Behind the Call analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL during the season. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

By Dr. Colin Michie FRCPCH University of Central Lancashire Our eyes send about 60 picture frames a second to the brain, working at about the same speed as an Ethernet connection. This digital messaging is created by our retinas. Images of what we are looking at, our vision, is focused onto the retinas by the corneas and lenses. Lenses are dynamic, biconvex, elastic, crystalline discs, about a centimetre across, suspended at the front of the eye, just behind the pupils – those keyholes to our souls! You have more protein per weight of tissue in your lenses that anywhere else in the body – 70% is made up of clear, crysallin proteins. These are particularly long-lived molecules, specially layered so that the lens can focus effectively and rapidly. Cells in the lens centre, behind the pupil, move their nuclei and other structures to the sides so the lens works like a disc of biological glass. For an object close to you, the lens is thicker: it is thinner for distance vision. These changes can take place rapidly – imagine how it all works in sports, for instance a ball game, or racing a boat! The optical power of the eye is approximately 60 dioptres, a measure of how the curved cornea and lens focus images onto the retina. About two thirds of this power comes from the cornea. The lens is more powerful when we are young, but after the age of 50 it contributes less to this process of focusing or accommodation. Cataracts are a common cause of loss of vision in older people. An estimated 30% of those over 65 years of age will develop them, usually in both eyes. It is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment. It is estimated that for every million population in Latin America and the Caribbean, 5,000 are blind and 20,000 are visually impaired. At least 66% of the blindness is attributable to treatable conditions such as cataract. Visual impairment was noted to be a common disability in the health review in St. Maarten in 2017. Cataracts cause the lenses to become cloudy, usually slowly. This will influence your quality of life, typically causing a change in colour perception, making the world a little more yellow or brown, possibly blurry too. Double vision, reduced night vision and glare around light sources can also become troublesome. Early treatment is more effective, so if you or someone you know has these changes to their vision, please seek an eye check. Those over the age of 55 are recommended to have one every 1-3 years. Lens deterioration and damage may be delayed by protecting those crystallins! Stopping smoking, reducing blood sugars and protecting the eyes from ultraviolet light are all useful measures – these conditions all damage the lenses. Hats and sunglasses are in! Diet may well be influential too: the intake of blueberries or other sources of anthocyanins are beneficial for many aspects of eye health. However no medications cure cataracts: surgery is the recommended way to bring back vision. While awaiting operation, adaptations help, such as improved lighting and using a magnifying glass to read. Avoiding falls, along with providing social supports become particularly important – a white cane will be helpful. Removing cataracts surgically is a safe, standardised, rapid procedure that does not need a general anaesthetic. 95% of operations take 10-15 minutes. The clouded lens is broken up and extracted through a tiny incision in the side of cornea. A replacement plastic lens sits in the same position. In some situations, both eyes may be operated on at the same time. Complication rates are very low. Most patients find the world looks particularly blue for the first weeks of recovery. Colour sight resolves as the retina adjusts and provides a better image. Implanting a plastic lens was first used in 1949 by the surgeon Ridley, operating on fighter pilots in the United Kingdom (UK). He had observed that his patients sometimes had areas of clear vision when they had plastic embedded in the front of an injured eye. His first trial lens was made of Perspex: a range of different products have since been employed. Historically an operation called “couching” was performed by some community surgeons or healers. This involved dislocating the lens and pushing it into the cavity at the back of the eye. However this was a risky and often unsuccessful way of solving a problem that now can be more reasonably managed. Those with cataracts often require help and support with daily tasks; waits for cataract surgery can be long and challenging. Communities in St. Maarten should continue to check that citizens wear sunglasses, and guide and care for those with visual impairment. Useful resources: “Making a decision about Cataracts” and “Overview-Cataract surgery”, both on the National Health Service (UK) website: www.nhs.uk. Dr. Colin Michie is currently the Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the School of Medicine in the University of Central Lancashire. He specialises in paediatrics, nutrition, and immunology. Michie has worked in the UK, southern Africa and Gaza as a paediatrician and educator and was the a ssociate Academic Dean for the American University of the Caribbean Medical School in St. Maarten a few years ago.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has finally responded to the increasing calls for an inflation adjustment to the modest £10 Christmas Bonus, despite multiple petitions accruing thousands of signatures. The DWP has decided against increasing the sum disbursed. As the Bonus begins to reach bank accounts this week, a spokesperson for the DWP said: "We are taking immediate action to turn around the dire inheritance we face – with more people living in poverty now than 14 years ago." They continued: "This includes extending the Household Support Fund for the most vulnerable, kickstarting work to develop a strategy to reduce child poverty and taking the first steps towards delivering a genuine living wage for working people." Initially launched by the government in 1972 for social security beneficiaries, the Christmas bonus remains unchanged at £10—a figure static since its inception. If it had kept pace with inflation, today's equivalent would be approximately £327. Expressing their frustration on the Parliamentary petition website, a disgruntled claimant vented, saying: "The Christmas bonus was introduced in 1972. Since then, inflation has lowered the cost of the pound significantly, yet the £10 number remained the same.", reports Birmingham Live . They argued further: "With inflation taken into account, the bonus should actually be around £130. We want the Government to account for inflation in these payments. The DWP Christmas bonus for benefit claimants is a measly £10 - hardly enough to cover the costs associated with holidays." "It is almost insulting to be presented with an amount of money this small - the equivalent of 76p before inflation - when many of us are already living hand to mouth and in constant fear of getting our benefits reassessed or revoked. Disabled and low-income people deserve better." The £10 Christmas Bonus for individuals on certain qualifying benefits, initially a one-off payment by the Conservative Government in 1972, has been recurrently provided over subsequent years.Calgary Flames (12-8-4, in the Pacific Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (9-12-4, in the Metropolitan Division) Pittsburgh; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Penguins -122, Flames +101; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The Calgary Flames enter the matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins after losing three in a row. Pittsburgh is 9-12-4 overall and 5-6-2 at home. The Penguins have conceded 96 goals while scoring 65 for a -31 scoring differential. Calgary is 12-8-4 overall and 3-5-4 in road games. The Flames have a 4-7-1 record in games they serve more penalty minutes than their opponents. The matchup Saturday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Flames won 4-3 in a shootout in the previous meeting. TOP PERFORMERS: Sidney Crosby has eight goals and 16 assists for the Penguins. Bryan Rust has four goals and three assists over the last 10 games. Rasmus Andersson has five goals and nine assists for the Flames. Mikael Backlund has scored three goals and added one assist over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 4-4-2, averaging 2.3 goals, four assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.7 goals per game. Flames: 5-3-2, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.4 assists, 3.9 penalties and 9.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game. INJURIES: Penguins: None listed. Flames: None listed. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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The leader of Sinn Fein has expressed determination to form a government of the left in Ireland as she insisted her party’s performance in the General Election had broken the state’s political mould. Despite Mary Lou McDonald’s confidence around shaping a coalition without Fine Gael and Fianna Fail – the two parties that have dominated the landscape of Irish politics for a century – the pathway to government for Sinn Fein still appears challenging. With counting following Friday’s election still in the relatively early stages – after an exit poll that showed the main three parties effectively neck-and-neck – there is some way to go before the final picture emerges and the options for government formation crystalise. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, has dismissed talk of a Sinn Fein surge and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about where his party will stand after all the votes are counted. Meanwhile, Ireland’s deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin , insisted his party has a “very clear route back to government” as he predicted seat gains. The counting process could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. The early indications have turned the focus to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. Ms McDonald told reporters at the RDS count centre in Dublin that she would be “very, very actively pursuing” the potential to form a government with other parties on the left of the political spectrum. The smaller, left-leaning parties in Ireland include the Social Democrats, the Irish Labour Party, the Green Party and People Before Profit-Solidarity. Ms McDonald said her party had delivered an “incredible performance” in the election. “I think it’s fair to say that we have now confirmed that we have broken the political mould here in this state,” she said. “Two party politics is now gone. It’s consigned to the dustbin of history and that, in itself, is very significant.” She added: “I am looking to bring about a government of change, and I’m going to go and look at all formulations. “If you want my bottom line, the idea of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for another five years, in our strong opinion, is not a good outcome for Irish society. “Obviously, I want to talk to other parties of the left and those that we share very significant policy objectives with. So I’m going to do that first and just hear their mind, hear their thinking. But be very clear, we will be very, very actively pursuing entrance into government.” In Friday night’s exit poll, Sinn Fein was predicted to take 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of outgoing coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively. Prior to the election, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both ruled out entering government with Sinn Fein. Fine Gael leader Mr Harris rejected suggestions Sinn Fein had broken new ground. He told reporters in his count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow: “Certainly we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it. “I mean, it looks likely, on the figures that we’ve seen now, fewer people, many fewer people would have voted Sinn Fein in this election than the last one. “In fact, I think they’re down by around 5% and actually the parties, particularly the two parties, the two larger parties in government, are likely to receive significant support from the electorate. So definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented.” He said it was too early to tell what the next government would look like. “I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, they’re a braver person than I am,” he said. “Our electoral system dictates that there’ll be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all. “But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and I’m cautiously optimistic and excited.” Fianna Fail’s Mr Martin told reporters at a count centre in Cork he was confident that the numbers exist to form a government with parties that shared his political viewpoint. Mr Martin said it “remains to be seen” whether he would return to the role of Taoiseach – a position he held between 2020 and 2022 – but he expressed confidence his party would outperform the exit poll prediction. “It’s a bit too early yet to call the exact type of government that will be formed or the composition of the next government,” he said. “But I think there are, there will be a sufficiency of seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that I articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign, around the pro-enterprise economy, around a positively pro-European position, a government that will strongly push for home ownership and around parties that are transparently democratic in how they conduct their affairs.” Asked if it would be in a coalition with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Social Democrats, he said that would be “racing a bit too far ahead”. The final result may dictate that if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are to return to government, they may need more than one junior partner, or potentially the buy-in of several independent TDs. Mr Martin said it was unclear how quickly a government can be formed, as he predicted his party would gain new seats. “It will be challenging. This is not easy,” he added. The junior partner in the outgoing government – the Green Party – looks set for a bruising set of results. Green leader Roderic O’Gorman is in a fight to hold onto his seat, as are a number of party colleagues, including Media Minister Catherine Martin. “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day,” he said. The early counting also suggested potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch who, on Saturday evening, was sitting in fourth place in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smaller parties. The party’s leader, Holly Cairns, was already celebrating before a single vote was counted however, having announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day.Published 9:20 pm Sunday, December 29, 2024 By Data Skrive The New Orleans Pelicans (5-27) are underdogs (+6.5) as they try to stop a nine-game losing streak when they host the Los Angeles Clippers (18-13) at 8:00 PM ET on Monday, December 30, 2024 at Smoothie King Center. The game airs on Gulf Coast Sports and FDSSC. Place your bets on any NBA matchup at BetMGM. Sign up today using our link. Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Under (221.5) Put your picks to the test and bet on the Clippers with BetMGM Sportsbook. Looking for officially licensed NBA gear? Fanatics has jerseys, hats, apparel, memorabilia, trading cards, collectibles and more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

Constitutional amendment for local bodies on the anvil Ahsan Iqbal says govt is working on consensus building with other parties on constitutional amendment ISLAMABAD: The government is working on building consensus with the other political parties on a constitutional amendment to get protection for local bodies including their funding through respective provincial finance commissions (PFCs). “We are working on consensus building with other parties on a constitutional amendment to get protection for local government and their funding through respective provincial finance commissions,” Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal confirmed when contacted by The News Thursday night. Earlier, the planning minister on Thursday met a 15-member delegation of Local Council Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Mardan. In the meeting, the federal minister was given a detailed briefing on the problems of local governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The delegation informed the minister that the local governments in the province had been paralysed for more than three years and the PTI government had given no administrative and financial support to 30,000 elected local government representatives in the province. The minister said that the fate of the people of Pakistan depends on how effectively the local governments are solving the problems related to service delivery in health, education and municipal administration. After the 18th Amendment, the powers given to the provinces have not been effectively devolved to local governments, he added. He stated that if the powers given by the federation to the provinces are accounted for, the efficiency of local governments will become clear. He emphasised that the local bodies should get the same support that the provincial bodies are getting. The minister further said that the centralisation of powers in each province is at the upper level, which needs to be transferred to the lower level immediately. Education, health, and municipal services are in poor condition, he stressed. He said that 50,000 local bodies were destroyed in Punjab during the PTI tenure which was a massive blow that affected public. The delegation of the local government representatives told him that the elected local government representatives will also hold a protest outside Adiala Jail on December 17 to plead for their rights. The federal government will fully support their constitutional and legal powers and rights, the minister said.Elon Musk warns Singapore and many other countries headed towards extinction from EarthRumble Stock Dips 11%, Insiders Seem To Have Made A Right Call By Selling EarlyWhen the Ireland team were presented jerseys for the final Test of 2024 against Australia at their Shelbourne Hotel base on Wednesday evening, they were given them by legendary former fly-half Ollie Campbell. The irony will not have been lost on experienced watchers of Irish Rugby. It was Campbell, after all, who formed one half of Ireland's first great number 10 debate. His back-and-forth with Tony Ward was perhaps the side's most famous divide over the most important jersey in the sport, but sequels would include David Humphreys over Ronan O'Gara and then O'Gara versus Johnny Sexton. That the latter would become the first name on the teamsheet for over a decade put a temporary halt to such chatter, but the skipper's retirement after last year's World Cup has brought about a widespread renaissance. Munster's Jack Crowley got the first crack and led the side to a fantastic win against France in the first game of the post-Sexton era that set up a Six Nations title triumph. The 24-year-old was still in situ by the summer tour to South Africa but the trip ended with replacement Ciaran Frawley snatching glory with a pair of late drop-goals to beat the back-to-back world champions in Durban. Crowley still started the defeat by the All Blacks to begin this month but underperformed in a showing that was down across the board. Against Argentina a week later, his strong first-half showing was seemingly lost in the shuffle after the debut of Sam Prendergast off the bench set tongues wagging. The Leinsterman was handed a first start against Fiji in game three of the autumn, his performance featuring a yellow card, a few mistakes, but plenty of the classy touches that have had the former under-20s standout marked as one to watch for quite some time. Conventional wisdom still indicated Crowley would return along with a group of frontliners against the Wallabies, especially when he was sat in front of the media in Dublin on Tuesday. If some attending journalists felt Crowley was downbeat that day, the reason for his demeanour became clear on Thursday when Farrell revealed his team and, a selection that otherwise was a return to the tried and tested, featured Prendergast's name nestled between Jamison Gibson-Park and Bundee Aki. Some, perhaps those looking through Munster red-tinted glasses, have already grown weary of the discourse surrounding the latest next big thing. Yet, in a game full of subplots, from the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour featuring the two head coaches to an Irish cap record for Cian Healy, come kick-off it felt like all eyes were trained on the 21-year-old in the green 10 jersey. In the main, Prendergast looked exactly what he is - a hugely promising player with just three caps to his name. There were some lovely touches, and more evidence of that languid style that seems to give him that extra split-second on the ball, as well as a few moments he would like back, namely a missed conversion and contestable kicks that yard or two too long. When, with 14 minutes remaining, Crowley entered the fray, he did so with the game in the balance. Ireland were 19-15 behind and pressing to avoid having their 150th anniversary celebrations spoiled by defeat. After what was surely a difficult week for a player without an abundance of Test experience himself, he contributed to the comeback with a prod in behind that set-up the line-out from which Gus McCarthy scored the winning try. His heart, though, will have been in his mouth when a kick out on the full gave Australia a chance to launch a late attack from halfway. "I thought Sam had some lovely stuff. He made some errors, some kicks that weren't perfect," said Andy Farrell. "But equally I thought Jack was excellent when he came on. "He took hold of the game. The little ball that he put into the corner, nice weighted kick, rather than just putting it out. We got the lineout from that that really kicked us on. "So delighted with them both." Questions about both have been a feature of this November, with Australia head coach Joe Schmidt neatly summing up how one will now be viewed through the prism of the other. When asked about the performance of Prendergast, the former Irish coach spoke about a player with "great potential" who had occasionally looked "a little bit flustered, which is unusual for him" against his Wallabies. Unprompted, he then added he "would be a fan of Jack Crowley as well", calling him he "a super player". Both now return to their provinces but to differing situations. Crowley is the undisputed first-choice at Munster. The man who finished the autumn in the Irish ten jersey, however, is yet to nail down that jersey at Leinster. It will be another two months before both are back in green. There will be no prizes for guessing the main topic of debate ahead of Ireland's Six Nations opener against England.

Middle East latest: Israeli strikes kill a hospital director in Lebanon and wound 6 medics in GazaSinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald first TD elected in Dublin Central but running mate Janice Boylan eliminated

Minnesota looks to stop skid vs. Bethune-Cookman

President-elect Donald Trump threatened Saturday to impose 100% tariffs on any BRICS nation that abandons the U.S. dollar. Trump warned the economic alliance — composed of markets in countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — that moving away from the U.S. dollar to create a new BRICS currency will not be taken lightly under his incoming administration. Trump made the comments on Truth Social today, in a post that warned the nine states that are BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) members against creating a new currency. pic.twitter.com/Jf6jDKSELh — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 30, 2024 “The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER. We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They can go find another ‘sucker!’ There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America,” he added. After Russia faced global sanctions for its war with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly hoped to position BRICS — which has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates — as an alternative platform for international payments, Reuters reported in October. Earlier this month, Trump hit the ground running by threatening to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian goods until their governments take action to limit the onslaught of drugs and illegal migrants entering the U.S. (RELATED: Trump Taps Jamieson Greer To Be His Trade Chief) While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly suggested she would retaliate if Trump’s tariffs came to be, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, where the two had constructive conversations. “I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. “I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship!” Canadian PM Justin Trudeau meets President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/FnsXNYbLO6 — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 30, 2024 “Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families,” the president-elect continued. “We also spoke about many other important topics like Energy, Trade, and the Arctic. All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in Office, and before.”PML-N agrees to conditional talks with PTI, demands withdrawal of civil disobedience callHomebound seniors living alone often slip through health system’s cracks

Thursday Night Football: BetMGM promo code CUSE1500 offers betting bonuses for Rams vs. 49ersA 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysTwo Canadian Cabinet ministers met with President-elect Donald Trump 's nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago on Friday as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum , Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian products if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States — even though far fewer of each cross into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico , which Trump has also threatened. “Minister LeBlanc and Minister Joly had a positive, productive meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Howard Lutnick and Doug Burgum, as a follow-up to the dinner between the Prime Minister and President Trump last month,” said Jean-Sébastien Comeau, a spokesman for LeBlanc. Comeau said both ministers outlined the measures in Canada's billion-dollar plan to increase security at the border and reiterated “the shared commitment to strengthen border security as well as combat the harm caused by fentanyl to save Canadian and American lives.” Comeau said Lutnick and Burgum agreed to relay the information to Trump. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Further discussions are expected in the coming weeks. Joly will also have dinner with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday. Trump has been trolling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media in recent weeks by calling him the Governor of the 51st state. Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs are vastly different at the U.S.’s two land borders. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Trump has also made an issue of the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, erroneously calling it a subsidy. Canada’s ambassador to Washington, Kirsten Hillman, has said the U.S. had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year. But she noted a third of what Canada sells into the U.S. are energy exports and said there is a deficit when oil prices are high. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Alberta alone sends 4.3 million barrel s of oil per day to the U.S which tends to consume about 20 million barrels a day. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Trudeau has told Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products.

RAMON Technology Wins First Prize at the 4th Intelligent Manufacturing Innovation Competition 12-27-2024 06:46 PM CET | Leisure, Entertainment, Miscellaneous Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Stones_PR On December 20, 2024, the award ceremony for the 4th Intelligent Manufacturing Innovation Competition was held during the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference. RAMON Technology with its participating project titled "Full-Process Intelligent System Solution for Steelmaking," proudly won the first prize at the competition. Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/15df1b9fcdc5569621f20b40c4dcb526.jpg By clicking a mouse or pressing a button, steelmaking can be achieved, eliminating the need for workers to be physically in hazardous environments and enabling them to operate the equipment and produce steel from the office. This magical scenario is not a fantasy but a reality in some steel plants in China today. Currently, AI technologies, represented by large models, are being widely adopted by Chinese enterprises and are accelerating the transformation of various industries. Against this backdrop, RAMON Technology has emerged and become a trusted partner for many steel companies around the world. The aforementioned "one-click steelmaking" production process is powered by RAMON Technology's core product: the One-Click Intelligent Steel Casting System. This system not only delivers superior product quality and a safer production environment but also enhances production efficiency while adhering to green and sustainable practices. Media Contact Company Name: RAMON Contact Person: He Siyuan Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=ramon-technology-wins-first-prize-at-the-4th-intelligent-manufacturing-innovation-competition ] Country: China Website: https://www.ramon.com.cn/ This release was published on openPR.Opposition to move impeachment motion against HC judge in Rajya Sabha today

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Wednesday to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices' decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which restrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender health care for minors. Supporters of transgender rights rally Wednesday outside the Supreme Court in Washington. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism over arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of transgender rights, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should weigh in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states. "The Constitution leaves that question to the people's representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor," Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments. The court's three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers, but it's not clear that any conservatives will go along. People attend a rally March 31, 2023, as part of a Transgender Day of Visibility, near the Capitol in Washington. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents ages 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute. "Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn't protect them. It didn't protect women for whole centuries," Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967 Loving decision that legalized interracial marriage nationwide. Quoting from that decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that "the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature." ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, left, and plaintiff Joaquin Carcano address reporters after a June 25, 2018, hearing in Winston-Salem, N.C., on their lawsuit challenging the law that replaced North Carolina's "bathroom bill." Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that's susceptible to discrimination. Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito's questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. "So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?" Alito said. Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor. There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court's marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like "Champion God's Design" and "Kids Health Matters," while the other side proclaimed "Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights" and "Freedom to be Ourselves." Four years ago, the court ruled in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace. The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that "sex plays an unmistakable role" in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate. Demonstrators against transgender rights protest Wednesday during a rally outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state "decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors." She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban. Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association. For many trans and nonbinary people, bathrooms can be complicated places to navigate — a fact highlighted by the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is far from an outlier when it comes to failing to provide safe and equitable bathrooms for transgender people. According to the Movement Advancement Project, which tracks LGBTQ+ policy, 13 states have a policy that prevents transgender people from safely or legally using public bathrooms. But data shows that even in states with trans-friendly policies, transgender and nonbinary people report high rates of harassment in public bathrooms. Advocates say everyday people can have a big impact in interrupting discrimination in gendered restrooms. The 19th shows how anyone can help prevent abuse. Sex-segregated restrooms have historically been a hostile space for Tat Bellamy-Walker, a Seattle-based journalist and Black gender-fluid trans person. In graduate school and at journalism internships, they had to go far out of their way to find all-gender single-stall restrooms they could use safely. "You never forget being told you don't belong in a restroom, you never forget not having a place to dispose of sanitary products if you're on your period in the men's bathroom," Bellamy-Walker said. "It's just clear you do not belong in public spaces." Allies can help tremendously by locating and pointing out gender-neutral bathrooms to friends or family who might need them. This is especially important for people planning events or parties. Make sure your space has safe bathrooms. Carrie Soto, a South Dakota parent of a transgender child, said she lives by the mantra "see something, say something." That means speaking up when there is bullying and harassment and volunteering to accompany a trans/nonbinary friend or family member when they have to head into a public bathroom. "Validate a trans person's fears and anxiety about the situation," Soto said. " If [my daughter] uses a gendered restroom and feels anxious, I go with." It may seem obvious, but transgender health advocate Jamison Green notes this step can really help trans people feel safe. Consider first that according to 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey , 59 percent of trans people avoided using a public restroom due to fear of harassment. Data from 2022 found that 6 percent of trans people said they were physically or verbally attacked while trying to use a bathroom, while 4 percent were denied access to a bathroom. "If you see someone who you clock as trans or nonbinary, just smile or pay them a non-provocative compliment. ... Wish them good day or good evening, and move on," Green said. "Of course that only goes for the women's room! In the men's room, talking is extremely rare." Green recommends that cisgender people offer a kind, silent nod. Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., allow residents to opt for "X" gender markers on their IDs in addition to selecting "M" or "F." Still, in every state, regardless of laws, most bathrooms in government buildings, schools, businesses, places of worship and cultural institutions are gendered. Advocates say people can help change this by simply asking businesses and building owners for more options to accommodate all genders. "Advocacy is the most important part of the fight for transgender rights," Lambda Legal notes in its guide to restrooms. "And if employers adopt pro-trans policies proactively, instead of waiting for a transgender person to pave the way, there's much less chance of having problems down the line." The internet is full of rants not appropriate for a news article about people using the only single-stall gender-neutral bathrooms available not for safety but for ... well, pooping. As a result, gender-neutral bathrooms, especially in airports, are almost always occupied. There are many reasons why a cisgender person might need a single-occupancy bathroom (accessibility, illness, child care and, yes, even a little more privacy). Just like accessible stalls, it's a kindness to leave gender-neutral restrooms unoccupied when you don't need them. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Amid escalating concerns over a potential trade war, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Florida to discuss pivotal topics including trade, border security, and energy. The meeting highlights Trump's pledge to impose tariffs on Canadian imports, raising alarms among trading partners. Trudeau's visit, set at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, focused on fostering collaboration to tackle the fentanyl crisis linked to illegal immigration and levelling out the U.S.-Canada trade imbalance. Both leaders voiced their dedication to jointly addressing these pressing challenges, emphasizing partnership amidst political tensions. Meanwhile, Trump warned the BRICS countries against developing an alternative to the U.S. dollar, threatening tariffs on those failing to comply. Trudeau, taking the tariff threats seriously, assured that proactive discussions would continue, aiming for harmonious bilateral relations. (With inputs from agencies.)Crisis in South Korea: Impeachment Motion Against President Yoon

McKewon: After seniors build bowl bridge, Matt Rhule and Nebraska football’s ‘Leap Year’ is here

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Married couples across the U.S. have had access to no-fault divorce for more than 50 years, an option many call crucial to supporting domestic abuse victims and key to preventing already crowded family courts from drowning in complicated divorce proceedings. But some advocates for women worried as old comments from now Vice President-elect JD Vance circulated during the presidential campaign opposing no-fault divorce. After President-elect Donald Trump and Vance won the election, warnings began popping up on social media urging women who might be considering divorce to "pull the trigger" while they still could. Some attorneys posted saying they saw a spike in calls from women seeking divorce consultations. Donald and Ivana Trump pose in May 1988 outside the Federal Courthouse in New York after she was sworn in as a United States citizen. Trump — who is twice-divorced — hasn't championed overhauling the country's divorce laws, but in 2021 Vance lamented that divorce is too easily accessible, as have conservative podcasters and others. "We've run this experiment in real time and what we have is a lot of very, very real family dysfunction that's making our kids unhappy," Vance said during a speech at a Christian high school in California, where he criticized people being able to "shift spouses like they change their underwear." Marriage rates held steady but divorce rates of women age 15 and older declined from 2012 to 2022, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in October. Despite concerns, even those who want to make divorces harder to get say they don't expect big, swift changes. There is not a national coordinated effort underway. States determine their own divorce laws, so national leaders can't directly change policy. "Even in some of the so-called red states, it hasn't gotten anywhere," said Beverly Willett, co-chair of the Coalition for Divorce Reform, whose group unsuccessfully attempted to convince states to repeal their no-fault divorce laws. A couple exchanges wedding bands Oct. 11, 2018, at City Hall in Philadelphia. Matt Rourke, Associated Press Mark A. Smith, a political science professor at the University of Washington, said while many Americans became accustomed to no-fault divorce being an option, Vance's previous comments on making it more difficult to separate from a spouse could help jump-start that effort. "Even though he's not directly proposing a policy, it's a topic that hasn't gotten a ton of discussion in the last 15 years," Smith said. "And so to have a national profile politician talk that way is noteworthy." Meanwhile, Republican Party platforms in Texas and Nebraska were amended in 2022 to call for the removal of no-fault divorce. Louisiana's Republican Party considered something similar this year but declined to do so. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts A handful of proposals were introduced in conservative-led statehouses over the years, but all immediately stalled after they were filed. In January, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Dusty Deevers introduced legislation that would have removed married couples from filing for divorce on the grounds of incompatibility. Deevers backed the bill after writing a piece declaring no-fault divorce was an "abolition of marital obligation." Sen. JD Vance smiles as his wife Usha Vance applauds Nov. 6 at an election-night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Similarly, in South Carolina, two Republican lawmakers in 2023 filed a bill that would have required both spouses to file for a no-fault divorce application rather than just one. In South Dakota, a Republican lawmaker attempted to remove irreconcilable difference as grounds for divorce since 2020. None of the sponsors of these bills responded to interview requests from The Associated Press. All are members of their state's conservative Freedom Caucus. Nevertheless, some Democratic lawmakers say they remain worried about the future of no-fault divorce. They point to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the constitutional right to abortion in 2022 as an example of a long-accepted option that was revoked through a decades-long effort. "When you choose to be silent, you allow for this to creep in," said Democratic South Dakota Rep. Linda Duba. "These are the bills that gain a foothold because you choose to be silent." Before California became the first state to adopt a no-fault divorce option in 1969, married couples had to prove their spouse violated one of the approved "faults" outlined in their state's divorce law or risk a judge denying their divorce, said Joanna Grossman, a law professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Qualified reasons varied from state to state, but largely included infidelity, incarceration or abandonment. Donald and Marla Trump wave to photographers Dec. 20, 1993, as they enter their wedding reception in New York's Plaza Hotel. Kathy Willens, Associated Press The system was a particular burden on domestic violence victims, who are often women who could be stuck in dangerous marriages while they try to prove their partner's abuse in court through expensive and lengthy legal proceedings. "If there was any evidence that the couple both wanted to get divorced that was supposed to be denied because divorce was not something you got because you wanted it, it was something you got because you've been wronged in a way that the state thought was significant," Grossman said. To date, every state in the U.S. adopted a no-fault divorce option. However, 33 states still have a list of approved "faults" to file as grounds for divorce — ranging from adultery to felony conviction. In 17 states, married people only have the option of choosing no-fault divorce to end their marriages. Photo Credit: shisu_ka / Shutterstock Marriage—and divorce—in the U.S. today are starkly different than in earlier eras of the country’s history. A series of economic, legal, and social shifts reshaped marriage in the second half of the 20th century. More women began working outside of the home in the post-World War II era, which provided avenues to financial security and independence outside of marriage. Greater emphasis on postsecondary educational attainment and career development have led young people to wait longer to enter marriage. States began to adopt no-fault divorce laws throughout the 1960s and 1970s that made it easier to end a marriage. Meanwhile, changing social and cultural attitudes have made it more common for couples to cohabitate, combine finances, and raise children prior to getting married—or without getting married at all. These trends have contributed to a decline in the overall number of marriages and to delays in when people get married for the first time. In the U.S., there are currently only 6.5 marriages per 1,000 people each year , compared to 10.9 five decades ago. For those who do choose to get married, the age of first marriage is happening later. As late as the early 1970s, the median age for a first marriage in the U.S. was just 22. By 2018, that figure had increased to 28.8. These shifts have also affected how likely married couples are to stay together. As women entered the workforce in the mid-20th century and feminism and the sexual revolution took hold, rates of divorce rose quickly throughout the 1960s and 1970s. From 1960 to 1980, the divorce rate per 1,000 people in the U.S. more than doubled from 2.2 to 5.2. But the rate began to fall steadily after 1980, and as of 2018, the rate of divorce had dropped to 2.9 per 1,000 people. Shutterstock The link between rates of divorce and age at first marriage has been borne out over time, but it also explains geographic differences in rates of divorce. Today, most of the states with the lowest rates of divorce are also those with a higher median age for marriage. States like New Jersey, New York, California, and Massachusetts all stand out for having fewer than 10% of adults divorced and an age at first marriage above 30. One exception to this is Utah, which has the lowest overall median age for first marriage at 25.5 but also the third-lowest share of divorced adults at 9%, likely due in part to the state’s strong religious ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In contrast, Maine and Nevada lead all states in the share of the population currently divorced at 13.9% and 13.8%, respectively. And at the local level, many of the cities with the highest levels of divorce are found in Florida, Appalachia, and the Southwest. The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey . To determine the most divorced locations, researchers at ChamberOfCommerce.org calculated the percentage of adults currently divorced. In the event of a tie, the location with the higher percentage of adults currently separated was ranked higher. To improve relevance, only cities with at least 100,000 residents were included. Additionally, cities were grouped into cohorts based on population size: small (100,000–149,999), midsize (150,000–349,999), and large (350,000 or more). Here are the most divorced cities in the U.S. Photo Credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 12.7% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.0% Percentage of adults currently married: 46.1% Percentage of adults never married: 34.9% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 12.8% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.7% Percentage of adults currently married: 28.5% Percentage of adults never married: 50.3% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 12.9% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.3% Percentage of adults currently married: 45.1% Percentage of adults never married: 34.2% Shutterstock Photo Credit: photo.ua / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.0% Percentage of adults currently separated: 1.5% Percentage of adults currently married: 49.9% Percentage of adults never married: 31.1% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Jonny Trego / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.0% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.0% Percentage of adults currently married: 41.9% Percentage of adults never married: 36.6% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Tupungato / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.3% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.2% Percentage of adults currently married: 39.7% Percentage of adults never married: 39.7% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.5% Percentage of adults currently separated: 1.9% Percentage of adults currently married: 45.9% Percentage of adults never married: 33.4% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Kevin J King / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.5% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.4% Percentage of adults currently married: 38.5% Percentage of adults never married: 40.5% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.5% Percentage of adults currently separated: 3.4% Percentage of adults currently married: 24.7% Percentage of adults never married: 52.3% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Galina Savina / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.5% Percentage of adults currently separated: 3.5% Percentage of adults currently married: 36.8% Percentage of adults never married: 39.8% Shutterstock Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 13.8% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.0% Percentage of adults currently married: 43.8% Percentage of adults never married: 35.3% Shutterstock Photo Credit: CHARLES MORRA / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 14.0% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.2% Percentage of adults currently married: 42.3% Percentage of adults never married: 35.8% Shutterstock Photo Credit: LHBLLC / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 14.3% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.3% Percentage of adults currently married: 35.7% Percentage of adults never married: 42.5% Shutterstock Photo Credit: Valiik30 / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 14.6% Percentage of adults currently separated: 2.5% Percentage of adults currently married: 42.2% Percentage of adults never married: 34.7% Shutterstock Photo Credit: turtix / Shutterstock Percentage of adults currently divorced: 15.1% Percentage of adults currently separated: 1.4% Percentage of adults currently married: 39.8% Percentage of adults never married: 38.2% Shutterstock

Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday opposed the Panchamasali Lingayat community’s demand for increased reservation, deeming it “unconstitutional”. Addressing the legislative council on Thursday, Siddaramaiah clarified that the move to reclassify the community from OBC Category 3B to Category 2A conflicts with constitutional provisions. “What you are demanding is against Article 340 of the Constitution,” he said virtually, adding that the community is not merely advocating but “pressurising” the government. The protests by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday turned violent as the demonstrators attempted to enter the assembly premises. The community had initially launched peaceful protests demanding inclusion in the 2A category of the OBC reservation matrix, which provides 15% reservation, instead of their current 3B category that offers 5%. Clashes erupted when protesters allegedly threw stones at the police, prompting the lathi charge. A total of 24 people, including demonstrators and police personnel, sustained injuries. Many were detained including Basava Jayamruthunjaya Swami of Panchamasali Peetha, BJP MLAs Basangouda Patil Yatnal and Arvind Bellad, and Rajya Sabha MP Iranna Kadadi, police said. Siddaramaiah on Thursday explained that he had previously discussed the issue with Panchamasali seer Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya. “I discussed with the seer twice and told him that the demand is unconstitutional and the decision of the previous government was also unconstitutional,” he said. While he acknowledged the right to protest, he stressed that such actions must align with constitutional principles. “Protesting is not wrong, but demanding something against the Constitution is not right,” Siddaramaiah added. Referring to the decision by the previous BJP government, led by Basavaraj Bommai, which restructured reservation quotas and reallocated 4% of the Muslim reservation, distributing it equally between Vokkaligas and Lingayats, Siddaramaiah said, “Why was this decision taken? Was it to appease the Panchamasalis or instigate Muslims?” He also highlighted an affidavit filed under the BJP government that assured no changes to Category 2A reservations “until further orders.” Heated debates rocked the Karnataka assembly on Thursday on the issue of police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha earlier this week. Home minister G Parameshwara defended the police action, while opposition BJP members demanded an apology from the government and a judicial inquiry into the incident. During the assembly session on Thursday, BJP legislators repeatedly disrupted proceedings, insisting on a statement from chief minister Siddaramaiah or home minister Parameshwara on the matter. Speaker UT Khader assured the opposition leaders that the issue would be addressed after the Question Hour, but protests led to the adjournment. When the House reconvened, Parameshwara defended the police action, stating it was necessary to maintain law and order. “Over 10,000 people had gathered at the protest site. Despite the government sending a ministerial delegation to receive their memorandum, the protesters insisted that the Chief Minister visit them, which was unreasonable,” he said. He further said that protesters had removed barricades and marched towards Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and also pelted stones at police personnel and injuring police personnel. “This government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands, irrespective of their religion or community,” Parameshwara said. He added, “Should we welcome 10,000 protesters with kisses instead of trying to disperse them to maintain order?” Leader of Opposition R Ashoka condemned the lathi charge while drawing comparison with the previous BJP government peacefully handling a larger protest by the same community in Bengaluru. “The previous BJP government managed a massive Panchamasali Lingayat protest in Bengaluru without any violence,” he said. He demanded an apology from the government, action against the police officers involved, withdrawal of cases against protesters, and a judicial inquiry into the incident. Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, himself a Panchamasali Lingayat leader, said the protest was politically motivated and orchestrated by BJP members. He also accused RSS elements of provoking the violence, a statement that led to heated exchanges between BJP and Congress legislators. “Chief minister Siddaramaiah is the one who ordered the installation of photos of Basavanna, founder of the Lingayat sect in all government offices. CM Siddaramaiah took oath on the occasion of Basava Jayanti, he can never be anti-Lingayat,” Kashappanavar said. Minister for revenue Krishna Byre Gowda said that it was the BJP that gave an undertaking in the Supreme Court regarding the non-implementation of reservation to the Linagayats and Vokkaligas. The BJP MLAs got enraged following the statements and started moving towards the Well of the House. At this stage, speaker Khader adjourned the House.A major Drug Summit is preparing to deliver their landmark report on how to address drug reform across NSW, with leaders promising there will be “no guard rails” placed on those trying to enact change across the state. Led by former NSW Liberal leader John Brogden and former Labor deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt, the summit began in Griffith and Lismore in November, with the fourth and final session beginning in Sydney on Thursday. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the report to be produced by Mr Brogden and Ms Tebbutt would not be given any “guard rails”. “They’ve been given no limitations,” Mr Park said. “They’ve been given no set agenda. While there are things that we will agree and not agree on — absolutely — that report will be handed to government in a faithful way. “The government will then, across its portfolios and ministers engage, review and report back, importantly, in a very timely manner.” He said the report will be made public, revealing the summit has “challenged” his own ideas. “It’s challenged my ideas. Each of the days I’ve left ... thinking, ‘What have I learned? What have I been challenged? What do I need to think about going forward?’,” Mr Park said. “And I hope over the next six hours each of you continue in that spirit. “That is how we truly reform, that is how we truly learn. “That is how we truly serve the communities and the people of NSW in a way that we’re all passionate about doing in our respective roles.” He said drug use is an issue that touches the entire community, and one that “seems to invade your entire existence” as a parent “because you see an issue at every corner”. “The young people yesterday reminded me that for them, they don’t always see drug use like that at all,” he said. “They don’t always see that through a frame of problem and problematic behaviour. And I say to those young people, thank you for challenging me.” Mr Park urged young people to “make sure (their) voice is heard to elected members of parliament” at the summit after speaking with some yesterday. “Your voice is critical, because in many ways, you are what we are all here for,” he said, thanking them for attending. He admitted the “issue of drug use (and) misuse” was not foreign to him as a father of two boys. “It’s something I’m living through every day of the week,” Mr Park said. “It’s an issue that I find myself regularly discussing in the true spirit as fathers trying to impart knowledge.” He said he comes to the summit not just as a health minister, but as a dad of a teenager. “So I do have that heavy responsibility of being the health minister, but also that heavy responsibility, trying to do my very, very best for parents and young people out there, navigating a world that was different to mine, but is different for them.” The NSW government has already committed to $9.3m in funding for drug and alcohol treatment services in the Murrumbidgee region, $21m for drug and alcohol services in northern NSW and $235m for alcohol and drug services across NSW. Pill testing is tipped to be one of the biggest hot topics at the summit, with the timing just weeks before Victoria will begin its pill testing trial at Beyond the Valley following the success of similar trials in ACT and Queensland.

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Every year, authors pump out a library's worth of incredible new books. But only some of them boast a uniquely Philly flavor. Find the perfect new novel for the Philadelphia bookworm on your holiday shopping list with one of these titles from local writers. Whether your loved one likes cooking, gardening or murder (mystery), the city's literary scene has them covered. All of these books debuted in 2024, so hopefully they haven't blazed through the entire stack yet. Housemates Come and Get It Kiley Reid’s debut novel “Such a Fun Age” satirized white liberal guilt in the City of Brotherly Love. The former Fishtown resident’s latest, “Come and Get It,” changes scenery, but it’s no less biting. The story focuses on three characters at the University of Arkansas, all reeling from a personal disaster or hurtling toward a new one. Deliciously petty and surprisingly gutting, the book is largely focused on young people’s relationship with money — and their obsession with how their peers are spending it, no matter how politely they protest. Buy it here. Kalaya's Southern Thai Kitchen This is a great pick for the home cook in your life — or the person who looks for any excuse to stop by the popular Fishtown restaurant of the same name. Chef Nok Suntaranon shares recipes she loves to make in her own Queen Village kitchen, from staples like her mother's curry paste to more complicated dishes such as her tom yum soup. Buy it here. Desperately Seeking Something Susan Seidelman directed “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “She-Devil” and “Smithereens” at a time when very few women were helming major movies. But before that, she was just a wild child of Philadelphia, sneaking out of school to dance at Jerry Blavat parties. The filmmaker recounts it all in her memoir, which also touches on her pivotal role in the HBO hit “Sex and the City.” Buy it here. The God of the Woods While Liz Moore's last book dove into the city's opioid crisis, "The God of the Woods" is set at a 1970s summer camp in the Adirondacks. Part murder mystery, part social class commentary, it's a gripping page-turner, deliciously immersive and feels as cozy as a ghost story told around a campfire. Buy it here. Women of Good Fortune You’ve heard of bank heists, art heists and casino heists...but what about wedding heists? In “Women of Good Fortune,” a Shanghai bride schemes to rip off her own nuptials with her two best friends. The book is the first novel by Penn student Sophie Wan. Buy it here. Private Gardens of Philadelphia As your resident green-thumbed loved one tucks their plants in for the winter, this 2024 release is a great way to tide them over until spring. Find local lore on the historical significance of Philly gardening and dreamy landscapes in this book that sits perfectly atop a coffee table for holiday guests. Buy it here. I Am Maroon Russell Shoatz escaped Pennsylvania prisons not once but twice, leading law enforcement on an almost monthlong manhunt. His remarkable life — nearly 50 years of which was spent behind bars — is captured in “I Am Maroon,” a posthumous memoir co-authored with Kanya D'Almeida. The pair delve into the Black liberation movement in Philadelphia in the ‘60s and ‘70s, chronicling Shoatz’s time organizing and collaborating with the Black Panthers, and his experiences in the carceral system. Buy it here. The Sicilian Inheritance Combine equal parts historical fiction and whodunit with a dash of post-divorce travel romp and you have “The Sicilian Inheritance.” The novel was loosely inspired by a murder in author Jo Piazza’s own family, which she investigated for a podcast series. The fictionalized version follows recently single mom Sera on a journey to Italy to claim a family property and figure out what happened to her grandmother when the rest of the family moved to America. Buy it here. You Didn't Hear This from Me So, technically, this is a preorder, but your friend who always has tea to spill would be grateful for this one nonetheless. "Normal Gossip" host Kelsey McKinney's essay collection covers the social role of gossip, from parasocial relationships to AI to whether the "Epic of Gilgamesh," a 4,000-year-old poem, might have started as a rumor. Buy it here. Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt | @thePhillyVoice Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Have a news tip ? Let us know.Malik Nabers says calling the Giants 'soft' was wrong but he doesn't regret speaking out

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Roblox's chief people & systems officer sells $705,259 in stockThe Gunners delivered the statement Champions League victory their manager had demanded to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Inter Milan last time out. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track, lifting them to seventh place with 10 points in the new-look 36-team table. It was Arsenal’s biggest away win in the Champions League since beating Inter by the same scoreline in 2003. “For sure, especially against opposition we played at their home who have not lost a game in 18 months – they have been in top form here – so to play with the level, the determination, the purpose and the fluidity we showed today, I am very pleased,” said Arteta. “The team played with so much courage, because they are so good. When I’m watching them live they are so good! They were all exceptional today. It was a big performance, a big win and we are really happy. “The performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. That’s the level that we have to be able to cope and you have to make it happen, and that creates belief.” A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners took the lead after only seven minutes when Martinelli tucked in Jurrien Timber’s cross, and Saka teed up Havertz for a tap-in to double the advantage. Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Declan Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Viktor Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after David Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved. A miserable night for prolific Sporting striker Gyokeres was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.

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Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Wednesday emphasized that politics of bloodshed cannot continue in the country LARKANA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Nov, 2024) Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Wednesday emphasized that of bloodshed cannot continue in the country. In a press conference held at Khalid Mehmood Soomro Madarsa in , Maulana Fazlur Rahman expressed his views on the incident, suggesting that a can be held in the tribal area. He stressed that politicians have a duty to their workers and voters. However, he condemned the damage to property and the killing of personnel and said that such actions are unacceptable. He also denounced the recent incident in by the workers.

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Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. And this wasn't on a whim: He knows how to play and even brought his own chess set. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two — he told Bleacher Report afterward that both of the losses were to professional chess players — before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBAbet365 288 live 。

Jamiya Neal finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four blocks to lead host Creighton over UNLV 83-65 on Saturday in Omaha, Neb. Creighton was without star Pop Isaacs, who was ruled out for the season on Saturday morning after undergoing surprise hip surgery. It was a startling turn, considering Isaacs led Creighton with 27 points in Wednesday's win over No. 1 Kansas. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Manufacturer marks Official Supplier status with 5 millionth tankless water heater donation and 50-year anniversary milestone PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rinnai America Corporation — manufacturer of a leading brand of tankless gas water heaters in North America — is proud to announce a landmark partnership with Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. The new agreement makes Rinnai the Official Supplier of water heaters for new homes across the country through 2027. This exclusive collaboration strengthens both organizations' shared commitment to providing Veterans and their families with the resources they need to rebuild their lives after service. Also celebrating 50 years in North America , Rinnai marked the occasion by donating the 5 millionth tankless water heater manufactured at its state-of-the-art facility in Griffin, Georgia for a new home under construction in Texas . "Celebrating 50 years and reaching 5 million tankless water heaters sold in the North American market are significant milestones for us but knowing that our donation is helping a Veteran and their family start a new chapter in life is incredibly meaningful," said Frank Windsor , President, Rinnai America Corporation. "We are honored to help restore some of the freedom and independence to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much defending our country. Our continued partnership with Homes For Our Troops is a powerful way for us to give back and deliver our brand promise of 'Creating a healthier way of living'." Since its inception in 2004, HFOT has built over 400 homes. Each specially adapted energy efficient home is designed to comfortably raise a family while limiting future expenses. Equipped with Rinnai's durable and highly energy efficient products, the homes constructed as part of this partnership will help reduce the families' long-term utility costs and serve as a safe and welcoming place to call home for years to come. "We are incredibly proud to extend our partnership with Rinnai. The company's passion for assisting Veterans and their families significantly helps us advance our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans," said HFOT President/CEO, Brig. Gen., USA (Ret) Tom Landwermeyer . "These Veterans face enormous challenges, and through this partnership, we are also providing the comfort and convenience of a high-quality water heater to help create a home that promotes healing and independence." Army SGT Christopher Leverkuhn will receive the 5 millionth product, a SENSEI ® RX Series, for his home currently under construction in Kerrville, Texas . The most advanced condensing tankless water heater on the market, it sets the standard for efficiency at 0.98 UEF and creates a healthier way of living by delivering the ultimate in comfort, smart design and unlimited hot water. Over the next three years, Rinnai will donate appropriate products with features ideal for the hot water demands of each Veterans' home. Many will receive Rinnai's newest condensing tankless water heater, the SENSEI RXP. This product comes equipped with a built-in recirculation pump to deliver faster hot water to the faucet. Rinnai will also provide its RWM200 WiFi module, which can be used with the Rinnai Central TM app to control temperature and recirculation patterns. Veterans may also receive Rinnai's new electric heat pump water heater , one of the most sustainable electric water heating solutions available, meeting highest efficiency standards while reducing energy usage and costs. The agreement highlights the growing commitment of the sustainable manufacturer's corporate responsibility and charitable giving in addressing the needs of Veterans and their families. In addition to HFOT, Rinnai partners with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United States Armed Forces. These organizations prove that partnerships can lead to lasting change and help those who have given so much for their country. About Homes For Our Troops: Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is a publicly funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. Most of these Veterans have sustained injuries including multiple limb amputations, partial or full paralysis, and/or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, nearly 90 cents of every dollar spent has gone to our program services for Veterans. HFOT builds these homes where the veteran chooses to live and continues its relationship with the Veterans after home delivery to assist them with rebuilding their lives. www.hfotusa.org . About Rinnai: Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan , was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia . Rinnai Corporation manufactures gas appliances, including tankless water heaters, a wide range of kitchen appliances, and heating and air conditioning units. As the technology leader in its industry, Rinnai is the largest gas appliance manufacturer in Japan and is the No. 1 selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in the United States and Canada . Annual corporate revenues, including those of its subsidiaries, are in excess of $3.3 billion . With a global perspective to create 21st-century products for the home and business, Rinnai Corporation commits itself to safety and Creating a healthier way of living ® . For more information about Rinnai's entire product line, visit www.rinnai.us . Copyright 2024. All rights reserved. Rinnai ® and Creating a healthier way of living ® are the registered trademarks of Rinnai Corporation used under license by Rinnai America Corporation. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rinnai-america-joins-forces-with-homes-for-our-troops-to-aid-injured-veterans-302336611.html SOURCE Rinnai America Corporation

Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards was ruled out for Saturday's road game against the New England Patriots with an ankle injury. Fellow Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is close to returning from a four-game absence because of a knee injury, as he was listed questionable to play. Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III (hip) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) also have been ruled out for Saturday. Edwards, 29, has gained 365 yards rushing this season with four touchdowns, including two in Los Angeles' 34-27 victory over the Denver Broncos on Dec. 19. Dobbins, 26, gained 766 yards with eight TDs in 11 games (nine starts) during his first season with the Chargers. Dobbins joined the Chargers in the offseason while coming off an Achilles tear with the Ravens last season. The Chargers also have running backs Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins on the depth chart. Vidal, a rookie, has 131 yards in eight games this season, while Haskins has just 26 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. The Chargers (9-6) can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie against the Patriots. --Field Level Media

The NFL single-season rushing record has stood for 40 years, far longer than Saquon Barkley has been on this planet. But now, with two games to play, the Philadelphia Eagles running back is 268 yards from eclipsing the mark of Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, who set the league record of 2,105 with the Rams in 1984. Barkley, 27, who signed with the Eagles last offseason after spending the first part of his career with the rival New York Giants, is also 162 yards from becoming the ninth player to run for 2,000 yards in a season. The other seven are Adrian Peterson (2,097 with Minnesota in 2012), Jamal Lewis (2,066 with Baltimore in 2003), Barry Sanders (2,053 with Detroit in 1997), Derrick Henry (2027 with Tennessee in 2020), Terrell Davis (2,008 with Denver in 1998), Chris Johnson (2,006 with Tennessee in 2009) and O.J. Simpson (2,003 with Buffalo in 1973). The Eagles finish the regular season with home games against the Dallas Cowboys and the Giants. Dickerson spoke to The Times this week about Barkley, running backs in general, the Rams and the thought of his longstanding record going away: How do you feel about the possibility of Barkley breaking your single-season rushing record? I don’t think he’ll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don’t pull no punches on that. But I’m not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football. That’s the way I look at it. If he’s fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it’s a great record to have. So the 17 games part doesn’t bother you, even though you set it with 16 games? O.J. Simpson was my favorite player. He went over 2,000 yards in 14 games. It took me 15 games to get to 2,000. I had one extra game to play. Getting to 2,000 is an accomplishment in itself. I got close to that three other times. Do you look at it from the perspective that the record is eventually going to fall? I’ve always said that the one that’s going to last the longest is me setting the rookie record with 1,808. Because you only get one shot at that. You’re only a rookie once. What do you think of Barkley as a back? I like him. But I tend to like big backs. He’s not a big back like I was. He’s elusive, he’s tough, he runs hard, he can catch the ball out of the backfield. I think he’s a great player. I always felt like he’d never reach his potential when he was in New York. You could take Emmitt Smith and put him in Cleveland, and he’d have never been the Emmitt Smith we know now. So it’s location, location, location? Yes. Even myself. If you’d have put me in Cincinnati on a bad team, I’d have never been that guy. Because these bad football teams with no blocking, I don’t care how great you are. If you don’t have the guys in front of you, you can’t do it. And that’s why you go to those lengths to thank your blockers? I saw what [San Francisco quarterback] Brock Purdy did with his offensive line, buying them those Tundras. I got a text from Jackie [Slater, Hall of Fame Rams tackle], “Hey, man, where’s my Tundra?” I told him I was making $175,000 at the time. I could afford about two Tundras and be broke. Will you be tuned in to watch Barkley? I don’t sit down and watch games, except the Rams, and I work for the team. But I’ll have no choice but to keep up with it because I get so many text messages. People blowing up my phone like, “Man, it’s not fair. He gets 17 games,” or, “We’re going to put a hex on him.” Any thoughts on Rams running back Kyren Williams? I like him as a back. He’s able to carry the ball 29, 28, 27 times. That takes a toll on you. I was able to do it, but there’s very few backs that are able to do that. He’s not a real big guy, so that says a lot about him as a player, and what Sean McVay thinks of him. I look at McVay and think he’s done a fantastic job of coaching this team. Do you think McVay should be in the Coach of the Year conversation? Of course he does. He probably won’t get it because they’re going to give it to a coach who’s 15-2 or 14-3. But McVay has a young team, a team that at one point was decimated by injuries. They lost three in a row and weren’t looking good. And right now they’re in position to win the NFC West. What else does it take [to win Coach of the Year]? Back to Barkley, are you surprised the Giants let him go? Let me tell you something. When you look at certain people who run these teams, some of these guys have as much sense as me being the president of the United States. That’s about how much they should be running a football team. In my contract, when the Rams traded me to the Colts, did you know I couldn’t come back to the NFC for five years? They put that clause in there. The Eagles finish the regular season against the Giants. If the record is up for grabs... A real team would be like, “Oh no, you ain’t gonna get that record on us.” But how ironic would it be for him to break the record on them, the team that let him go. A true slap in the face.

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Georgia QB Carson Beck knocked out by hand injury in SEC championship game against Texas“Talk to me before you believe anything!”, Thomas Cromwell (played by Mark Rylance) tells his monarch and master Henry VIII (played by Damien Lewis) in a pivotal scene in the penultimate episode of the BBC adaptation of The Mirror and the Light, the 900-page third act in Hilary Mantel’s acclaimed Tudor drama. It is the last of their candid exchanges before the criticism from his enemies becomes deafening and Cromwell is seized, stripped of his offices of state and taken into custody. For nearly a decade, Cromwell, has strived to speak the truth to his all-mighty monarch. It has set him apart from all those packed into the palace antechambers and pitching for a seat on the king’s council: aristocrats who were there by hereditary right, churchmen because of their office and favourites whose rise invariably was as fast as their fall. Shrewd realpolitik was why Cromwell’s assent to the top seemed unstoppable and the reason Henry grew to like him. “By St Loy, this man has stomach, this man has gall!,” the now-ailing king recalls, in Peter Straughan’s script, of his first impression. Establishing the facts of the matter, however uncomfortable for whichever party, remained this self-taught lawyer’s stock-in-trade. But by 1540 Henry lacked the bodily strength and mental self-assurance to accept them anymore. “I have changed, Thomas. You, not so much.” Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here . “To retrieve history,” Mantel argued in her 2017 Reith lecture , “we need rigour, unsparing devotion and an impulse to scepticism.” Stomach and gall. Enough, Mantel urged, to unsettle the stereotypes, even to “de-centre” the “grand narrative”. The determination Mantel found in Cromwell’s letters, to “decipher the bottom of their heart ... if by any wisdom it may be drawn out” to politician Sir Thomas Wyatt in 1537 suggested that he could be a fresh guide to this period of Tudor history, long distorted by caricature and cliché. As sharp as the dagger secreted in his doublet and an outsider on the inside, through Cromwell’s eyes it might be refocused. Mantel believed the novelist could best evoke an alternative point-of-view. “The records do ... throw up some facts but they are not the whole truth.” Lived experience, she argued, lies in the “gaps, the erasures and silences” of the documented past, speeches unrecorded, thoughts unspoken. Fiction breathes them back into life, lifting the veil from the “vital”, “interior” view of lives long past. Mantel’s conviction was so strong that she was inclined to criticise readers for clinging to “the first history they learn” and for their “unreasonable” refusal to commit to the novelist’s telling of it until they can be sure of its reliability. “I report the outer world faithfully,” she explained “but my chief concern is the interior drama of my characters’ lives.” In their adaptation Straughan and director Peter Kosminsky have followed Mantel’s manifesto to the letter. They present the “outer world” with precision. Unlike any of his predecessors, Kosminky has taken immense pains to locate the action in landscapes and environments which the historical figures would have recognised. His choices are clever, including Gloucester Cathedral, surely the most complete and unaltered Benedictine cloister in Britain, standing in for the lost abbey of Shaftesbury and Horton Court in Gloucestershire for Cromwell’s city of London chambers at the Austin Friary, which, in spite of its religious status, is known to have looked like a cluster of town houses. Casting director Robert Sterne has peopled the scene with performers uncannily close in age and aspect to the figures they play. Thomas Brodie Sangster (Rafe Sadler) and Harry Melling (Thomas Wriothesley), both in their 30s, capture their subjects perfectly. Damien Lewis still seems to walk in Henry’s now halting footsteps, although the hiatus since the 2015 series means he is three years the king’s senior. Only Timothy Spall (Thomas Howard) is jarring. He is 67, as Howard was in 1540, but squat, jowly and with a one-note anger, which makes him less like a noble duke and more like Alice through the Looking Glass’s Queen. But in spite, or perhaps because, of the studied skill of this practised team, this visualisation does expose the tensions – in fact, downright contradictions – in Mantel’s treatment of the past. In her Reith Lectures she declared: “Don’t lie, don’t go against known facts. Historical truth cuts against the storyteller’s instinct. Your characters are never how or where you’d like them to be.” Yet Straughan’s adept précis of the 900-page book shows how often she shrugged off her own counsel. The visible, vocal presence of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (Jonathan Pryce), dead a full six years before the events of episode one unfolded, is conspicuously clumsy, muddling any viewer confronting the subject for the first time. Of course, it is a device, but if the “outer world” seems unstable how can they make sense of the “interior drama”? In Cromwell’s marriage proposal to the cardinal’s cast-off daughter, Dorothy Clancy (episode two) Mantel places her characters where she would like them to be and to say what she would like them to say. Her “going against known facts” is less troubling than her narrow line-of-sight, which the clipped script and slick camerawork set in sharp relief. The historical dramas of Cromwell’s last years in power were armed rebellion (the Pilgrimage of Grace) and the greatest displacement of people and livelihoods since the Norman Conquest (the dissolution of the monasteries), a stop-start process which de-stabilised the Tudor regime as much as its subjects. In Mantel’s story, they are little more than noises out of frame. The climate in court and country became so febrile in the face of these episodes because positions on them in every part of society were uncertain even, perhaps especially, in the mind of the king himself. Thomas Cromwell knew this better than any other contemporary witness. Mantel, whatever she claimed to the contrary, maintained the “grand narrative” of Catholic versus Protestant, traditional aristocrat versus modernising commoner. Like King Henry, she did not keep listening to her subject for long enough. James Clark receives funding for historical research from the Arts & Humanities Research Council and consults on and collaborates in research and visitor engagement for the National Trust. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Thai government gets flak over flood managementEurope's tallest building at an incredible 1,515ft - it's not in London or MoscowWhat's New The MAGA universe has been riven by an ongoing online debate over the H-1B visa program in the U.S. Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump have taken aim, in particular, at Vivek Ramaswamy , the one-time GOP presidential hopeful and incoming co-chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Context Ramaswamy drew backlash from Trump and self-declared MAGA voters on Thursday when he voiced his support for bringing "highly skilled" workers from other countries, including his native India, into the U.S. via the H-1B program, which focuses on foreign workers in specialized occupations. "The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over 'native' Americans isn't because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation)," he wrote on X , formerly Twitter , on Thursday. "A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers & if we're really serious about fixing the problem, we have to confront the TRUTH: Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer). That doesn't start in college, it starts YOUNG." He added: "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers ... If you grow up aspiring to normalcy, normalcy is what you will achieve." Ramaswamy went on to say he hopes "our culture fully wakes up. A culture that once again prioritizes achievement over normalcy; excellence over mediocrity; nerdiness over conformity; hard work over laziness." What To Know Ramaswamy's lengthy social media screed drew immediate blowback from Trump supporters who back the president-elect's hardline immigration stance, as well as some more unlikely critics. Among those was former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley , who cast herself as a moderate Republican when she launched a primary campaign against Trump in the 2024 presidential cycle. Haley didn't mince words when responding to Ramaswamy's X post on Thursday, writing : "There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers." There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers. https://t.co/fIGr45C3LD Mike Cernovich, a longtime right-wing media personality and provocateur, also chimed in. "The Woodstock generation managed to build out aerospace, the one before went to the moon, America was doing great," he wrote in a reply to Ramaswamy. "Underlying your post is that we were all living in squalor until being rescued by H-1B's. Then why did everyone want to come here?" Ramaswamy responded: "That version of America, the one that used to embody unbridled exceptionalism, is exactly what we want to return to. That's a point about culture, not immigration policy." Others on the right have also voiced support for restricting foreign workers from entering the country. "Why would America recruit foreign talent rather than recruit own on talent right here at home?" the prominent right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec wrote on X Tuesday. "Imagine how many more JD Vance s are out there." What People Are Saying Laura Loomer, far-right firebrand and staunch Trump loyalist, went on a racist tirade about H-1B policies after Trump tapped Sriram Krishnan as White House senior policy adviser for AI: ". @VivekGRamaswamy knows that the Great Replacement is real. So does @JDVance . It's not racist against Indians to want the original MAGA policies I voted for. I voted for a reduction in H1B visas. Not an extension." Billionaire Mark Cuban wrote in response to Ramaswamy's post: "How do you feel about people who say 'college is over rated ?' In order to have more homegrown engineers, don't we need more kids going to college ?" What Comes Next Many immigrants have voiced concerns about the second Trump administration and whether the president-elect will try to restrict H-1B visa program like he did at the end of his first term. Trump, as well as many of his anti-immigration allies, have previously said they would work to make cuts to the program. Newsweek reached out to the Trump transition for comment.

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Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are an essential tool for those looking to privately and securely use the internet. They encrypt your online traffic and hide your true IP address from would-be hackers or other snooping third parties. While the best VPNs are usually dedicated apps, you may have also heard about VPN browser extensions. They look appealing due to their ease of use and affordable price. But which should you choose? Below I'll give you a rundown of what a VPN browser extension does and help you decide which is the best option for you. What is a VPN browser extension? A VPN browser extension is essentially a VPN that protects the browser that it's a part of, and only that browser. For example, a Chrome VPN browser extension will cover only that Chrome browser. Other apps that connect to the internet outside of the browser, such as games or streaming apps, won't be protected by the extension. It might help to think of a VPN app as a fortress that protects all of your assets and a VPN browser extension as more like a small personal safe that only protects a few carefully selected items. Pros and cons of a VPN browser extension Pros A VPN browser extension can be a nice upgrade to your personal privacy and security while online. It might not come with the complete coverage of a VPN app, but it does have its advantages. VPN browser extensions are typically lightweight and don't take up nearly as many resources as a full VPN app. As a result of this simplicity, they are also extremely easy to use. While most VPN apps require you to pay a premium for a subscription, a VPN... Sam SingletonManufacturer marks Official Supplier status with 5 millionth tankless water heater donation and 50-year anniversary milestone PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rinnai America Corporation — manufacturer of a leading brand of tankless gas water heaters in North America — is proud to announce a landmark partnership with Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. The new agreement makes Rinnai the Official Supplier of water heaters for new homes across the country through 2027. This exclusive collaboration strengthens both organizations' shared commitment to providing Veterans and their families with the resources they need to rebuild their lives after service. Also celebrating 50 years in North America , Rinnai marked the occasion by donating the 5 millionth tankless water heater manufactured at its state-of-the-art facility in Griffin, Georgia for a new home under construction in Texas . "Celebrating 50 years and reaching 5 million tankless water heaters sold in the North American market are significant milestones for us but knowing that our donation is helping a Veteran and their family start a new chapter in life is incredibly meaningful," said Frank Windsor , President, Rinnai America Corporation. "We are honored to help restore some of the freedom and independence to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much defending our country. Our continued partnership with Homes For Our Troops is a powerful way for us to give back and deliver our brand promise of 'Creating a healthier way of living'." Since its inception in 2004, HFOT has built over 400 homes. Each specially adapted energy efficient home is designed to comfortably raise a family while limiting future expenses. Equipped with Rinnai's durable and highly energy efficient products, the homes constructed as part of this partnership will help reduce the families' long-term utility costs and serve as a safe and welcoming place to call home for years to come. "We are incredibly proud to extend our partnership with Rinnai. The company's passion for assisting Veterans and their families significantly helps us advance our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans," said HFOT President/CEO, Brig. Gen., USA (Ret) Tom Landwermeyer . "These Veterans face enormous challenges, and through this partnership, we are also providing the comfort and convenience of a high-quality water heater to help create a home that promotes healing and independence." Army SGT Christopher Leverkuhn will receive the 5 millionth product, a SENSEI ® RX Series, for his home currently under construction in Kerrville, Texas . The most advanced condensing tankless water heater on the market, it sets the standard for efficiency at 0.98 UEF and creates a healthier way of living by delivering the ultimate in comfort, smart design and unlimited hot water. Over the next three years, Rinnai will donate appropriate products with features ideal for the hot water demands of each Veterans' home. Many will receive Rinnai's newest condensing tankless water heater, the SENSEI RXP. This product comes equipped with a built-in recirculation pump to deliver faster hot water to the faucet. Rinnai will also provide its RWM200 WiFi module, which can be used with the Rinnai Central TM app to control temperature and recirculation patterns. Veterans may also receive Rinnai's new electric heat pump water heater , one of the most sustainable electric water heating solutions available, meeting highest efficiency standards while reducing energy usage and costs. The agreement highlights the growing commitment of the sustainable manufacturer's corporate responsibility and charitable giving in addressing the needs of Veterans and their families. In addition to HFOT, Rinnai partners with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United States Armed Forces. These organizations prove that partnerships can lead to lasting change and help those who have given so much for their country. About Homes For Our Troops: Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is a publicly funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. Most of these Veterans have sustained injuries including multiple limb amputations, partial or full paralysis, and/or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, nearly 90 cents of every dollar spent has gone to our program services for Veterans. HFOT builds these homes where the veteran chooses to live and continues its relationship with the Veterans after home delivery to assist them with rebuilding their lives. www.hfotusa.org . About Rinnai: Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan , was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia . Rinnai Corporation manufactures gas appliances, including tankless water heaters, a wide range of kitchen appliances, and heating and air conditioning units. As the technology leader in its industry, Rinnai is the largest gas appliance manufacturer in Japan and is the No. 1 selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in the United States and Canada . Annual corporate revenues, including those of its subsidiaries, are in excess of $3.3 billion . With a global perspective to create 21st-century products for the home and business, Rinnai Corporation commits itself to safety and Creating a healthier way of living ® . For more information about Rinnai's entire product line, visit www.rinnai.us . Copyright 2024. All rights reserved. Rinnai ® and Creating a healthier way of living ® are the registered trademarks of Rinnai Corporation used under license by Rinnai America Corporation. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rinnai-america-joins-forces-with-homes-for-our-troops-to-aid-injured-veterans-302336611.html SOURCE Rinnai America Corporation

ABU DHABI , UAE , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ADGM, the leading international financial centre of Abu Dhabi and a globally recognised hub for asset and wealth management unveiled nineteen major announcements from global financial institutions during the third edition of ADFW. These represent almost USD 635 billion in assets under management (AUM) and follow other Q4 announcements from the world's largest asset managers, BlackRock, PGIM, and Nuveen, which have also been set up in ADGM. This remarkable increase, from USD 450 billion to USD 635 billion , within a year has reinforced the centre's reputation as the region's fastest-growing and one of the world's most dynamic jurisdictions for asset management. This growth has been further bolstered by the establishment of billionaire-led family offices, including those of British businessman Asif Aziz , prominent philanthropist and financial strategist Wafic Said , and Singaporean entrepreneur and real estate leader Kishin RK, underscoring the centre's growing appeal as a global wealth management hub. Commenting on Abu Dhabi and ADGM's continued momentum, H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi , Member of Abu Dhabi's Executive Council & Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and ADGM said, "These milestones reflect the heart of what makes Abu Dhabi so special—a shared vision of progress, partnership, and possibility. The growing number of global financial leaders and innovators choosing ADGM is a testament to the trust they place in our infrastructure, robust regulations, commitment to excellence and Abu Dhabi's reputation as the world's safest and most dynamic jurisdiction for asset and wealth management. As we welcome these new partnerships, we remain dedicated to driving the growth and diversification of the 'Falcon Economy' and creating opportunities that resonate across industries and borders. It's an exciting moment for ADGM, Abu Dhabi , and all those who are part of this remarkable journey." Larry Fink , Chairman and CEO of Blackrock praised Abu Dhabi commenting, "It's been a long journey watching how Abu Dhabi has matured as an economy. The constant innovation that I'm seeing from the economy and from the leadership. And Abu Dhabi has really positioned itself to become a leader over the next 20 years. Its psychology was different, and now it's blossoming into this magnet of opportunity. With that strength, it is now becoming a foundation for innovation." "We see a real burgeoning of entrepreneurship happening in the region and believe that the Middle East is the next big entrepreneurial hot spot. We've watched this happen before and always had our eye out on areas emerging in terms of entrepreneurship," said Bill Ford , Chairman & CEO of General Atlantic , during the second day of ADFW. Sir Paul Marshall , Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Marshall Wace said, " Abu Dhabi is such a great place. Abu Dhabi is absolutely nailing it. It's a very attractive place." Confirming their establishment in ADGM during ADFW were leading private equity firms General Atlantic, Lone Star Funds, and Investindustrial along with private credit giants Golub Capital and Polen Capital, insurance manager – Eldridge as well as leading global equity management company, Carta and hedge fund Marshall Wace . This recent wave of commitments from global financial institutions signifies ADGM's leadership in attracting the world's foremost investment firms. Reflecting this confidence and growth, billionaire-led family offices have also been drawn to ADGM, recognising it as a trusted hub for managing and growing wealth. Asif Aziz , Founder and CEO of Criterion Capital commented, " Abu Dhabi's transformation into a global financial powerhouse makes it an ideal base for our operations. ADGM's world-class infrastructure and strategic location provide unparalleled opportunities to forge partnerships that align with our growth ambitions across the UAE and beyond." Building on its role as a leading destination for global investors and asset managers, ADGM is also redefining financial innovation by advancing its digital ecosystem. A cornerstone of this effort was the launch of Finstreet, a first-of-its-kind international securities market and an ecosystem for private securities, which exemplifies ADGM's commitment to integrating cutting-edge digital solutions with its robust financial infrastructure. The week also saw a new funding round for Themis and the entry of international digital pioneers Zodia Markets, Polygon Labs, FJ Labs, Aptos Digital, Chainlinks, Astra Tech and Themis, further solidifying the Emirate's reputation as a global innovation hub. Meanwhile, FinTech Astra Tech's Quantix announcement of a landmark USD 500 million financing from Citigroup, among the largest provided to a UAE FinTech company to date, to expand its CashNow consumer lending platform. Additionally, Themis—renowned for its advanced financial crime prevention technologies—is further reinforcing ADGM's position as a hub for the next generation of financial technologies, secured over USD 9.75 million in scale-up funding, building on its success in partnerships with global leaders, including ADGM underscoring its role in advancing financial crime prevention in innovative regulatory environments. The market announcements were released during the third edition of ADFW held under the theme "Welcome to the Capital of Capital," which gathered more than 20,000 leaders and executives from across the financial services industry, which collectively represented more than USD 42 trillion in assets under management. This wave of newcomers ADFW underscores Abu Dhabi's position as a global financial powerhouse and ADGM's role as a catalyst for economic diversification, attracting top-tier talent, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative investments that are shaping the emirate's future. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2550581/5010772/ADGM_Logo.jpg View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aum-of-usd-635-billion-at-adfw-caps-stellar-q4-as-trillion-dollar-club-flock-to-adgm-302336607.html SOURCE ADGMElon Musk has been a presence in our lives for a long time now, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change any time soon. Whether it’s starting , venturing , turning Twitter into X, and now running the Department of Government Efficiency under the incoming Trump administration, the CEO has a hand in things that affect your life, directly or indirectly. And like any other , he has gotten into the booze game, even if it’s a vague affiliation—Tesla just released a new mezcal priced at a cool $450, and we got to sample this curiosity. The marque’s was a tequila that launched in 2020, a $250 bottle produced by tequila and mezcal brand Nosotros and sold by Speakeasy Co., followed by another tequila marked to an astounding $1,000 per bottle. This new mezcal was also produced in partnership with Nosotros, the second run of limited-edition mezcal that now has spirits e-commerce site and subscription service Flaviar onboard as “tech, online marketing, and fulfillment partner.” The first release came out last June and sold out pretty quickly, and this expensive bottle is also being released in pretty limited numbers. “At Flaviar, we’re inspired by the ecosystem Tesla has created through its groundbreaking innovations and are proud to be the trusted technology and fulfillment partner for Tesla Mezcal,” said Josh Jacobs, the brand’s SVP of strategic partnerships. “As with Tesla Tequila and Beer before, we have seen the first batch of Tesla Mezcal fly off the shelves in June, and we are positive this holiday restock will be no exception.” Tesla’s director of product design Javier Verdura thought up the black lightning bolt–shaped bottle; he says he was inspired by his Mexican roots. To be fair, it really looks more just like a Tesla design than anything that has to do with Mexican culture, and it sits in a holder to keep it upright but is a bit unwieldy to pour. Tesla Mezcal is an ensemble expression made from Espadín and Bicuishe agave varietals. According to the brand, the agave is milled using a tahona wheel, a traditional volcanic stone that crushes the pinas, and it is distilled in alembic stills before being bottled at 86 proof. This is an assertive mezcal, with a strong smokiness throughout every sip. There are notes of raisin, pineapple, overripe lime, and some under-ripe stone fruit on the palate, along with equal parts mineral and floral flavors. This is not some watered down version of one of Mexico’s most beloved agave spirits categories, but it still begs some questions. As Javier Cabral pointed out on the website last week, selling mezcal feels like exploitation and appropriation taken to a new level, even in an agave-spirits industry in which that is rampant. And it’s not that Tesla Mezcal is actually bad as far as quality or flavor—in fact, Nosotros is a well-regarded brand, although it is made at a distillery that produces many, many others. If you’d like to give this status-symbol mezcal a try to see what you think, you can purchase a bottle now from the Tesla Mezcal . Sign up for . For the latest news, follow us on , , and .

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Israeli drone strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital on Tuesday, wounding three medical staff at one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of Gaza , the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In Lebanon, a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has held despite Israeli forces carrying out several new drone and artillery strikes on Tuesday, killing a shepherd in the country's south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed keep striking “with an iron fist” against perceived Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel last year in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here's the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike Tuesday in the vicinity of Mission Support Site Euphrates, a U.S. base in eastern Syria, against three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank and mortars that Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said presented “a clear and imminent threat” to U.S. troops. The self-defense strike occurred after rockets and mortars were fired that landed in the vicinity of the base, Ryder said. The Pentagon is still assessing who was responsible for the attacks — that there are both Iranian-backed militias and Syrian military forces that operate in the area. Ryder said the attack was not connected to the offensive that is ongoing in Aleppo, where Syrian jihadi-led rebels taken over the country’s largest city. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. CAIRO — Israeli drone strikes hit the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Tuesday, wounding three medical personnel, the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital, located in the town of Beit Lahiya. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In comments released by Gaza’s Health Ministry, Abu Safiya said one of the injured was in critical condition and was undergoing a complex surgery. “The situation has become extremely dangerous,” he said. “We are exhausted by the ongoing violence and atrocities.” Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months as Israeli forces have waged a fierce offensive in the area, saying they are rooting out Hamas militants who regrouped there. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. Abu Safiya was wounded in his thigh and back by an Israeli drone strike on the hospital last month. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli court has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the stand next week in his long-running corruption trial, ending a long series of delays. Netanyahu’s lawyers had filed multiple requests to put off the testimony, arguing first that the war in Gaza prevented him from properly preparing for his testimony, and later that his security could not be guaranteed in the court chamber. In Tuesday’s decision, judges in the Jerusalem district court said that following a security assessment, his testimony will be moved to the Tel Aviv district court. Israeli media said the session would take place in an underground chamber. His testimony in the trial, which began in 2020, is expected to begin on Dec. 10 and to last at least several weeks. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate scandals involving powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies wrongdoing. NABATIYEH, Lebanon — In destroyed areas of southern Lebanon, residents clearing away rubble on Tuesday said they didn’t trust Israel to abide by the week-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. “The Israelis are breaching the ceasefire whenever they can because they are not committed,” said Hussein Badreddin, a vegetable seller in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, which was pummeled by Israeli airstrikes over several weeks. “This means that they (can) breach any resolution at any time.” Since it began last Wednesday, the U.S.- and French-brokered 60-day ceasefire has been rattled by near daily Israeli strikes, although Israel has been vague about the purported Hezbollah violations that prompted them. Imad Yassin, a trader who owns a clothing shop in Nabatiyeh, said Israel was constantly breaching the ceasefire because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue the displacement of residents of southern Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy was defeated and the truth is that he is trying to get revenge. Netanyahu is trying to displace us as citizens of southern Lebanon,” Yassin said. They spoke as bulldozers cleared streets strewn with rubble and debris from destroyed buildings. Electricians worked to fix power lines in an effort to restore electricity to the city. Both men were displaced by the war and returned to Nabatiyeh on Wednesday, the day the ceasefire went into effect. Yassin found his clothing shop had been destroyed. He said he would wait to see if the state will dispense compensation funds so that he can repair and reopen his business. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two separate Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in Gaza City on Tuesday, Palestinian medical authorities said. Six people, including two children, who were killed when an Israeli strike hit a school sheltering displaced people Tuesday afternoon in the Zaytoun neighborhood, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency services. A second strike hit a residential building in the Sabra neighborhood, killing at least three people, the services said. Israeli forces have almost completely isolated northernmost Gaza since early October, saying they’re fighting regrouped Hamas militants there. That has pushed some families south to Gaza City, while hundreds of thousands more live in the territory's center and south in squalid tent camps, where they rely on international aid. JERUSALEM — Israel's military confirmed it killed a senior member of Hezbollah responsible for coordinating with Syria's army on rearming and resupplying the Lebanese militant group. Syrian state media said a drone strike on Tuesday hit a car in a suburb of the capital Damascus, killing one person, without saying who was killed. Israel's military said he was Salman Nemer Jomaa, describing him as “Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian military,” and that killing him “degrades both Hezbollah’s presence in Syria and Hezbollah’s ongoing force-building efforts.” Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years. Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups. Iran supports both Hezbollah and the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad, which is currently fighting to push back jihadi-led insurgents who seized the country’s largest city of Aleppo . TUBAS, West Bank — Israeli soldiers opened fire inside a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during a raid to seize the bodies of alleged militants targeted in earlier airstrikes, a Palestinian doctor working at the hospital told The Associated Press. Soldiers entered the Turkish Hospital complex in Tubas after the bodies of two Palestinians killed and one wounded in airstrikes in the northern West Bank on Tuesday were brought there, said Dr. Mahmoud Ghanam, who works in the hospital’s emergency department. The troops briefly handcuffed and arrested Ghanam and another doctor. “The army entered in a brutal way, and they were shooting inside the emergency department,” said Ghanam. “They handcuffed us and took me and my colleague.” The military confirmed that its troops were operating around the hospital searching for those targeted in the airstrikes, which they said had hit a militant cell near the Palestinian town of Al-Aqaba in the Jordan Valley. It denied that troops had entered the hospital building or fired gunshots inside. The soldiers left after learning that the wounded man had been transferred to another hospital, Ghanam said. The soldiers wanted to take the bodies of the two men killed in the strike, but the hospital’s manager refused to hand over the bodies, Ghanam said. Israeli raids on hospitals in the West Bank are rare but have grown more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. In Gaza, Israeli troops have systematically besieged, raided and damaged many hospitals. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis — attacks which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three territories for an independent state. CAIRO — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war . It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or Fatah, which dominates the Western-backed Palestinian Authority . A Palestinian Authority official on Tuesday confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza. It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee. The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of hostages are returned. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza , with civilian affairs administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with the Israeli military. The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. The Israeli government is opposed to Palestinian statehood. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed. NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — Palestinians lined up for bags of flour distributed by the U.N. in central Gaza on Tuesday morning, some of them for the first time in months amid a drop in food aid entering the territory. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, gave out one 25-kilogram flour bag (55 pounds) to each family of 10 at a warehouse in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as well as further south in the city of Khan Younis. Jalal al-Shaer, among the dozens receiving flour at the Nuseirat warehouse, said the bag would last his family of 12 for only two or three days. “The situation for us is very difficult,” said another man in line, Hammad Moawad. “There is no flour, there is no food, prices are high ... We eat bread crumbs.” He said his family hadn’t received a flour allotment in five or six months. COGAT, the Israeli army body in charge of humanitarian affairs, said it facilitated entry of a shipment of 600 tons of flour on Sunday for the World Food Program. Still, the amount of aid Israel has allowed into Gaza since the beginning of October has been at nearly the lowest levels of the 15-month-old war. UNRWA’s senior emergency officer Louise Wateridge told The Associated Press that the flour bags being distributed Tuesday were not enough. “People are getting one bag of flour between an entire family and there is no certainty when they’ll receive the next food,” she said. Wateridge added that UNRWA has been struggling like other humanitarian agencies to provide much needed supplies across the Gaza Strip. The agency this week announced it was stopping delivering aid entering through the main crossing from Israel, Kerem Shalom, because its convoys were being robbed by gangs. UNRWA has blamed Israel in large part for the spread of lawlessness in Gaza. The International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over accusations of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war isn't over against Hezbollah and vowed to use "an iron fist" against the Lebanese militant group for any perceived violations of a week-old ceasefire. “At the moment we are in a ceasefire, I note — a ceasefire, not the end of the war," Netanyahu said at the start of the government meeting Tuesday. He said the military would retaliate for “any violation — minor or major.” Netanyahu also thanked U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for his recent demands for Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Trump posted on social media Monday that if the hostages are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.” Netanyahu convened Tuesday's meeting in northern Israel, where around 45,000 Israelis had been displaced by the war as of last week, according to the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu said the government was focused on getting them back in their homes and rehabilitating the area. BERLIN — German authorities have arrested a Lebanese man accused of being a member of Hezbollah and working for groups controlled by the militant organization in Germany. Federal prosecutors said the suspect, identified only as Fadel R. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the Hannover region on Tuesday. The man is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and is not accused of direct involvement in any violence. Prosecutors said he joined Hezbollah in the summer of 2008 or earlier and took part in leadership training courses in Lebanon. From 2009, he allegedly had leadership duties in two groups controlled by Hezbollah in the Hannover area, organizing appearances by preachers close to the militants. According to prosecutors, he was briefly a correspondent for a Hezbollah media outlet in 2017 and was tasked with coordinating building work at a mosque. Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. It is also home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000. BEIRUT — The Lebanese army is looking for more recruits as it beefs up its presence in southern Lebanon after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Lebanon’s army is a respected national institution that kept to the sidelines during the nearly 14-month conflict. During an initial 60-day truce, thousands of Lebanese troops are supposed to deploy in southern Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers also have a presence. Hezbollah militants are to pull back from areas near the border as Israel withdraws its ground forces. The army said those interested in joining up have a one-month period to apply, starting Tuesday. The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s state news agency says a drone strike hit a car in a suburb of the capital, Damascus, killing one person. The agency did not give further details or say who was killed. It said the attack occurred Tuesday on the road leading to the Damascus International Airport south of the city. The area is known to be home to members of Iran-backed militant groups. Israel is believed to have carried out a number of strikes in the area in recent months as it has battled Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge such strikes. JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister warned that if the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will widen its strikes and target the Lebanese state itself. He spoke the day after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes that killed nearly a dozen people. Those strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were previous Israeli violations. Speaking to troops on the northern border Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said any violations of the agreement would be met with “a maximum response and zero tolerance.” He said if the war resumes, Israel will widen its strikes beyond the areas where Hezbollah’s activities are concentrated, and “there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” During the 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which came to an end last week with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Israel largely refrained from striking critical infrastructure or the Lebanese armed forces, who kept to the sidelines . When Israeli strikes killed or wounded Lebanese soldiers, the Israeli military said it was accidental . The ceasefire agreement that took effect last week gives 60 days for Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and for Hezbollah militants to relocate north of the Litani River. The buffer zone is to be patrolled by Lebanese armed forces and U.N. peacekeepers. Israel has carried out multiple strikes in recent days in response to what it says are violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon’s airspace. Berri, a Hezbollah ally, had helped mediate the ceasefire. JERUSALEM — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike in the northern West Bank has killed two Palestinians. Israel’s military said it struck a militant cell near the town of Al-Aqaba, in the Jordan Valley. It did not immediately give more details. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the two deaths and said a third person was moderately wounded. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis, which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for an independent state. BEIRUT — Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon made his first public appearance in Beirut since he was wounded in an attack involving exploding pagers in mid-September. Mojtaba Amani, who returned to Lebanon over the weekend after undergoing treatment in Iran, visited on Tuesday the scene south of Beirut where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27. Speaking about the airstrike that destroyed six buildings and killed Nasrallah and others, Amani said Israel should get for its act “the highest medal for sabotage, terrorism, blood and killing civilians.” Amani suffered serious injuries in his face and hands when a pager he was holding exploded in mid-September. The device was one of about 3,000 pagers that exploded simultaneously, killing and wounding many Hezbollah members. A day after the pager attack, a similar attack struck walkie-talkies. In total, the explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000, many of them civilians. Last month, a spokesperson for the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pager attack was approved by Netanyahu.

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Norris defies orders to help Piastri and Verstappen loses the Qatar pole to RussellFILE PHOTO: Nov 23, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) looks over at the student section after aÕgame against the Kentucky Wildcats at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images/File Photo Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is set to undergo what is being termed a "precautionary MRI" to determine the extent of an injury he suffered Saturday in the No. 3 Longhorns' 31-14 victory over Kentucky, Orangebloods.com reported. Per the report, the test will be performed Sunday and is being done to rule out the possibility of structural damage. After the game, Ewers called his ankle "just a little tender," and he recalled the first-half scramble play during which the injury occurred. "I was around the 50-yard-line and I stepped up and kind of took off running a little bit and then kind of got hip-drop tackled and I think he kind of just rolled up on it a little bit. But it's football and stuff like that happens," he said. With Ewers hobbling, the Longhorns turned to the run game in the second half, which opened with a 24-7 Texas lead. Ewers was 20-of-31 passing on the day for 191 yards with two touchdowns. Only 14 of those yards came in the second half, when Texas gained 132 on the ground. The Longhorns will end their regular season next Saturday at Texas A&M with the winner earning a berth to meet No. 10 Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game. The No. 15 Aggies were upset Saturday, losing 43-41 to Auburn in a four-overtime classic. --Field Level Media REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowbet365 365 。

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown’s troubles connecting on the field have yet to blow into a family feud inside the locker room — honest, both Philadelphia Eagles stars said. Between Hurts and Brown, it’s all good in Philly. “Me and Jalen are good,” Brown said. Added Hurts, “We’re good, we’re good.” So there will be no sit-ups in the driveway, no apologies on the front lawn, and certainly, it seems, no rift between Hurts and his No. 1 receiver. Hurts and Brown each downplayed any hint of a fissure Wednesday between the two after defensive end Brandon Graham appeared this week on a Philadelphia sports radio station and suggested there was friction between the Pro Bowl duo. The two were close friends long before they became teammates and Hurts is the godfather for Brown’s daughter. Graham's comments — in which he noted “ things have changed ,” between the two, without offering specifics — exploded into tabloid and fan fodder this week in Philadelphia. His insinuations that the duo were not on the same page came on the heels of Brown's quote after a sluggish win over Carolina that the “ offense ” wasn’t playing up to standard, even with the Eagles at 11-2. “BG knows he spoke out of place,” Hurts said. Graham, who is sidelined with a triceps injury, clarified his comments later to an ESPN reporter, saying he made the wrong assumption about the relationship between Hurts and Brown and planned to apologize to both players. Brown, with 109 yards receiving combined the last two games, said his beef with the offense wasn't directed at Hurts. It was everything from offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's play calling to execution to all the ingredients in a successful offense that make a team a Super Bowl contender. The usually pass-happy Eagles have leaned more on running back Saquon Barkley, who set the franchise season rushing record of 1,623 yards against the Panthers and is chasing Eric Dickerson for the NFL mark. “Obviously, it's not about running the ball,” Brown told reporters. “He's about to win MVP. Clearly. What other things can we do on offense? We have to pass the ball. That can go into protection, that can go into picking up the block, that goes to us getting open quicker. Getting on the same page.” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he never witnessed any issues between Hurts and Brown and only saw two players who worked hard together, even working on routes after practice and seemed to have a deep personal connection on and off the field. “You guys get to see three hours every Sunday where emotions can play as high as they’re going to play,” Sirianni said. “I get to see these guys every single day, how they go about their business and interact with each other.” Brown, who was coming off consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, wasn't necessarily wrong in his frustration with the recent stagnation of the passing game. Hurts, who signed a contract extension ahead of the 2023 season that was worth $179.3 million guaranteed , has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three straight games. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith — who also complained Sunday about the offense — was also coming off consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons but has yet to break 100 yards in a game this season. Brown has four 100-yard games, well off last season’s run when he topped 100 yards in six straight games and seven times overall. Hurts has been more efficient than explosive this season but has still thrown 12 touchdown passes to just one interception — and rushed for 11 more scores — during the Eagles' nine-game winning streak that has them on the brink of clinching the NFC East. Maybe playing the Steelers on Sunday at home can snap the Eagles out of their offensive malaise. Hurts threw three TD passes to Brown in a 35-13 win in 2022. “Do we all have things to get better at in the passing game? Yeah, I think that’s obvious,” Sirianni said. “I think that’s what we’ve been talking about. We all have things that we’ve got to get better at, coaches, players. But this is why this is the greatest team sport there is. It takes everybody. It takes every single person being together, every single person for the success to happen. It’s just not a one-person thing.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLNovember 24 - Tulsa fired head coach Kevin Wilson on Sunday. The Golden Hurricane fell to 3-8 overall (1-6 in American Athletic Conference) this season and 7-16 during Wilson's two years as their head coach with a 63-30 setback to South Florida on Saturday. While Tulsa gained 478 yards against South Florida, the Golden Hurricane turned the ball over five times and allowed 715 total yards. "With the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, we know the importance of positioning our football program and athletic department to thrive and excel in the upcoming years," Golden Hurricane vice president and director of athletics Justin Moore said. "Our standard will be to play in bowl games every season, compete for conference titles, and build a program that everyone connected to the Golden Hurricane will be proud of." Tulsa tabbed wide receivers coach Ryan Switzer as the interim head coach, although Moore said the school will hold a national search for a new coach. "Our national search for a new head coach begins today and I am confident that we will attract a strong pool of candidates who want to be at The University of Tulsa and who align with our vision for our football program," Moore said. Tulsa wraps up its season against FAU (2-9, 0-7) next Saturday. Wilson, 63, posted a 26-47 record, including losses in two bowl games, during six seasons as the head coach of Indiana (2011-16). In between head-coaching jobs, he was the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Switzer, 30, excelled as a wide receiver at North Carolina and played in 41 NFL games (one start) over three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (2017) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2018-19). --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Meeting for just the fourth time ever and the first time since 1977, Southern California and Texas A&M will clash on Friday in the Las Vegas Bowl. USC (6-6) returns to the Las Vegas Bowl for the first time since 2013 when the Trojans routed Fresno State 45-20, capping a 10-win season. The stakes are different for USC this time, as the team comes in looking to avoid a third sub-.500 finish since 2018. The program has not endured three losing seasons over such a limited stretch since finishing below .500 four times from 1957 through 1961. Despite suffering a 49-35 loss to rival Notre Dame on Nov. 30, however, the Trojans gained positive momentum down the stretch after a late-season bye week when Jayden Maiava took over as starting quarterback. Maiava replaced Miller Moss, who threw 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions starting the first nine games. USC also dropped five one-score games over that spell. With Maiava starting at quarterback, the Trojans won one-score games against Nebraska, 28-20, and at crosstown rival UCLA, 19-13. Maiava led late-game touchdown drives to seal both. "I'm trying to be an energy-creator for my team, do the best I can for my team. I hope they understand that I'm here for them, and I'm going to do anything to put them in the best situation to win games," Maiava said. "I'm still learning. The biggest thing for me is just be able to not turn over the ball." Maiava has thrown for seven touchdowns and rushed for three in the past three games, but also thrown three interceptions -- all returned for touchdowns. In his return to Allegiant Stadium, where he played home games with UNLV before transferring to USC, the Henderson, Nev., native will strive to avoid similar issues against Texas A&M. He will also be throwing to a much different corps of pass-catchers. Starting wide receivers Duce Robinson, Kyron Hudson and Zachariah Branch all entered the transfer portal, along with change-of-pace running back Quinten Joyner. Starting running back Woody Marks opted out of the game. Texas A&M (8-4) embarks on its first-ever Las Vegas Bowl with considerably less roster tumult. Starting wide receiver Cyrus Allen ended the transfer portal, but the Aggies otherwise return a corps of primary contributors hoping to rebound from a disappointing final month of the regular season. The Aggies were once 7-1 and in contention for the College Football Playoff. A 1-3 November, with the lone win coming against New Mexico State, spoiled their bid for the 12-team tournament. They dropped a pair of heartbreakers to close the regular season with a 43-41, quadruple-overtime defeat Nov. 23 at Auburn, and a 17-7 loss to rival Texas on Nov. 30. The difficult finish to a promising first season under coach Mike Elko could have taken some of the shine off the bowl-game opportunity. However, the relative calm in Texas A&M's roster turnover suggests otherwise. And, according to Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed, playing against a brand name like USC, with Texas A&M having a chance to score its first-ever win over the Trojans, adds some excitement. "Us being A&M, them being USC, it's a really big game for us," Reed said. The quarterback made his first career start in the Aggies' 2023 Texas Bowl matchup with Oklahoma State. Reed split snaps with Conner Weigman for the first half of the 2024 season before Reed took over as the full-time signal caller down the stretch. "From then to now, I've grown tremendously as a football player and a leader," Reed said. "The sky's the limit." Reed completed 121 of 198 passes for 1,572 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions in the regular season. He added 501 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. --Field Level Mediabet365 365 bonus 。

Travis Hunter named AP player of the yearBOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter is a throwback-type player — an elite receiver one moment, a lockdown cornerback the next — who rarely leaves the field and has a knack for making big plays all over it. The Colorado Buffaloes' two-way standout (see: unicorn) even celebrates at an elite level, unveiling imaginative dance moves following touchdowns and interceptions, some of which include the Heisman Trophy pose. It's one of the many awards he's in line to win. Hunter is the The Associated Press college football player of the year, receiving 26 of 43 votes Thursday from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. "Couldn't do what I do without my team," Hunter said in an email on a trip to Las Vegas for an awards ceremony. "So I view being up for these awards as team awards." People are also reading... A player with his particular set of skills doesn't come around that often. He's a flashback to the days of Charles Woodson at Michigan or Champ Bailey at Georgia. Or even his coach, Deion Sanders, a two-way star in the NFL. The prospect of significant playing time on both sides of the ball is what led Hunter to join Sanders at Jackson State and why he followed Sanders to Boulder. "Coach Prime was the only coach who would consider allowing me to do what I'm doing," said Hunter, who's expected to be a top-five pick next spring in the NFL draft, possibly even the No. 1 overall selection. "He did it and knows what it takes — how much you have to be ready on both sides of the ball." Want to fuel Hunter? Simply tell him he can't. "I'm motivated when people tell me I can't do something," Hunter said. "That I can't dominate on both sides of the ball. I want to be an example for others that anything is possible. Keep pursuing your dreams." Hunter helped the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record this season and a berth in the Alamo Bowl against No. 17 BYU (10-2) on Dec. 28. He played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the lone Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Hunter has already won a second straight Paul Hornung award as the game's most versatile player. He's up for the Walter Camp (player of the year), Maxwell (most outstanding player), the Biletnikoff (best receiver) and Bednarik (top defensive player) awards. And, of course, the Heisman, where he's the odds-on favorite to win over Jeanty this weekend. Hunter can join the late Rashaan Salaam as the only Colorado players to capture the Heisman. Salaam won it in 1994 after rushing for 2,055 yards. Hunter wasn't a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back. That drew the wrath of Sanders, who earned the award with Florida State in 1988 and vowed to give his trophy to Hunter. Hunter's high school coach, Lenny Gregory, knew he had a special player the summer of Hunter's freshman year. Gregory, then the coach at Collins Hill in Georgia, had a conditioning test for his players — run six 200-yard dashes with a minute rest in between. Defensive backs had to complete each in under 32 seconds. Hunter never even got winded. He played safety/cornerback and receiver as a freshman and helped Collins Hill to a state title his senior season. "I remember just talking to colleges the spring of his ninth-grade year and telling coaches that this kid's going to be the No. 1 player in the country," recounted Gregory, who's now the coach at Gordon Central High in Calhoun, Georgia. "They'd look at him and laugh at me, 'What are you talking about? This scrawny kid? He's not big enough.' I was like, 'Just watch. Just watch.'" Hunter finished the regular season with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. On defense, he had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced one crucial fumble, which secured an OT win over Baylor. Overall, Hunter had 92 receptions and allowed 22. He hauled in 14 receiving TDs and allowed just one. He was responsible for 53 first downs and gave up just six. He was targeted 119 times by Shedeur Sanders & Co. but only 39 times by opposing QBs. Hunter's likely final game in Boulder, a rout of Oklahoma State, was a three-touchdown, one-interception performance. "I'm used to seeing him do all this spectacular stuff," Shedeur Sanders said. "I'm used to all this stuff — you all are just now seeing it on national stage." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Sedgwick shares major trends in Forecasting 2025 reportMAPUTO, 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.

After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon

NEW YORK , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Walmart Inc. ("Walmart" or the "Company") (NYSE: WMT ). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Walmart and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On December 23, 2024 , the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") announced that it had filed a lawsuit against Walmart and Branch Messenger for forcing delivery drivers to use costly deposit accounts to get paid and for deceiving workers—"last mile" drivers in Walmart's Spark Driver program—about how they could access their earnings. The CFPB's lawsuit alleges that Walmart and Branch opened Branch accounts for Spark Drivers, and Walmart then deposited drivers' pay into these accounts, without the drivers' consent. According to the CFPB, Walmart told Spark Drivers that they were required to use Branch to get paid and that they would terminate workers who did not want to use these accounts. Further, Walmart and Branch also misled workers about the availability of same-day access to their earnings. In addition, in a press release announcing the lawsuit, the CFPB stated that "[d]rivers had to follow a complex process to access their funds, and when they finally did, they faced further delays or fees if they needed to transfer the money they earned into an account of their choice. This resulted in workers paying more than $10 million in fees to transfer their earnings to an account of their choice." On this news, Walmart's stock price fell sharply during intraday trading on December 23, 2024 . On December 16, 2024 , Enovix issued a press release "announc[ing] that CFO Farhan Ahmad has left the company and that it is searching for a new CFO." On this news, Enovix's stock price fell $0.56 per share, or 6.24%, to close at $8.42 per share on December 16, 2024 . Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York , Chicago , Los Angeles , London , Paris , and Tel Aviv , is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz , known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud , breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Danielle Peyton Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 646-581-9980 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

With the major indexes and many stocks taking breaks from record levels, names making new highs have been scarce. But stocks that reached new peaks Thursday include ( ) and ( ). Both Mastercard stock and LPL Financial have formed bullish patterns after tight closes. Mastercard stock hit a record high Thursday, after the payment processing giant reported higher-than-expected holiday spending for the period Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, according to . Consumer , excluding car sales, and topped its 3.2% forecast. LPL Financial is a , Kyle Voigt, and is one of his top two stock picks for 2025. Mastercard Stock Hovers Near Highs On Dec. 20, Mastercard stock climbed 0.9% in heavy after the company announced it Recorded Future, enhancing its artificial intelligence threat detection. Mastercard stock fell modestly Friday in light volume following Thursday's peak. The stock has formed a with a 537.70 buy point. Shares are extended from the of a with a 490 , according to its . Mastercard stock is testing and finding support at its The payment company has produced steady earnings growth over the last three years, as seen in its factor of 11. And full-year 2024 estimates show 18% profit growth and 12% in 2025. Its revenue has increased an average 12% over the last eight quarters, with the same expected over the next four quarters. LPL Financial Tightens Up The name has gained around 26% since it broke out of a cup-with-handle base with 263.44 buy point, following LPL Financial's positive third-quarter earnings report on Oct. 30. LPL Financial also formed a four-weeks-tight pattern. Its buy point is 336.40, which is also its record high. The financial services with 11% profit growth in the third quarter, following three straight declining quarters. Revenue is expected to rise 24% in its fourth quarter before easing. The wealth management firm provides business models and financial technology to financial advisors and institutions.ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home was broken into during Monday Night Football in the latest home invasion of a pro athlete in the U.S., authorities said Tuesday. No one was injured in the break-in, but the home was ransacked, according to a report provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies weren’t immediately able to determine what items were stolen. A person who is employed by Burrow arrived at the Anderson Township home Monday night to find a shattered bedroom window and the home in disarray. The person called their mother, and then 911 was contacted, according to the report. Deputies reached out to neighbors in an attempt to piece together surveillance footage. “Our investigators are exploring every avenue,” public information officer Kyla Woods said. The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into in October. In the NBA, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis had his home broken into Nov. 2 and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.’s home was burglarized on Sept. 15 while he was at a Minnesota Vikings game. Portis had offered a $40,000 reward for information. Both the NFL and NBA issued security alerts to players after those break-ins, urging them to take additional precautions to secure their homes. In league memos previously obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL said homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” And the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood, according to officials.

bet365 388 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Charles Kushner arrives July 20, 2022, for the funeral of Ivana Trump in New York. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to Kushner's own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, sought. Christie blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people

HOLIDAY shoppers can score the best deals of the season at Dollar Tree, which has a host of festive finds for a great price. The discount chain is selling five perfect stocking stuffers for just $1.25 each. With Christmas just weeks away, consumers are frantically hitting the aisles to find gifts for everyone on their list. Holiday shopping , however, does not need to break the bank. Dollar Tree is offering a variety of stocking stuffers for just $1.25, ideal for shoppers on a budget . BEAUTY BUYS The discount chain is selling two $1.25 products perfect for the beauty lovers in your life. Read More on Holiday Deals First is the BPure Body Lotion , which is eight ounces and comes in three varieties. Shoppers can choose between an illuminating vitamin C lotion, revitalizing collagen lotion, or hydrating hyaluronic acid lotion. The body lotion will leave skin "feeling fresh and looking radiant," per the product description. Dollar Tree shoppers are raving over the lotion, which has five stars on the chain's website. Most read in Money One customer called the product "absolutely amazing" while a second said they were "impressed." "This makes my over-washed hands feel so soft. For the price I began to use for entire body. Game changer. My skin is thanking me. One of the best products you can buy at the store," praised another shopper. Another beauty stocking stuffer from Dollar Tree is the Mini Nail Files with Cases for just $1.25. Shoppers can manicure their nails on the go with the adorable mini files, which come in packs of two and measure 3.5 inches. They are assorted among three fun patterns. "Great for leaving one in your purse and one in your car, or sharing one with a friend!" reads the product description. AFFORDABLE ARTISTRY In addition to its beauty bargains, Dollar Tree is selling a variety of cheap stocking stuffers for all the artists out there. For example, shoppers can score Jumbo Christmas Coloring and Activity Books for just $1.25 each. Each book is 128 pages long and includes four song downloads, filled with fun for any age. "While the adults are cleaning up after dinner, these Christmas coloring books will keep the littles entertained until we move onto more fun and games. At $1 each, I can afford to spoil all my grandkids!" shared a five-star review. Dollar Tree shoppers can also score Christmas Pencils for just $1.25. "These Christmas Pencils from Christmas House are the perfect tool for composing all your naughty or nice lists," reads the product description. The festive pencils come in packs of 16 with assorted Christmas designs, including snowmen, candy canes, snowflakes, Christmas trees, penguins, and nutcrackers. "Good value! These pencils are perfect stocking stuffers for children!" wrote one happy shopper. "I buy these for every holiday and give them out to my students!" shared a teacher. COZY COMFORT Dollar Tree is also the retail destination for cozy winter essentials. The chain is selling Christmas Crew Socks for $1.25, a soft stocking stuffer sure to bring a smile to the recipient's face. The fun and affordable socks are assorted among five festive holiday styles, including Christmas trees, Santa, polar bears, reindeer, and elf socks. The socks are flexible and breathable yet durable enough to endure cold weather and frequent use, according to the product description. Dollar Tree customers are praising the socks for how soft, comfortable, and festive they are. Read More on The US Sun BPure Body Lotion, $1.25 - buy here Jumbo Christmas Coloring & Activity Book, $1.25 - buy here Mini Nail Files with Cases, $1.25 - buy here Christmas Pencils, $1.25 - buy here Christmas Crew Socks, $1.25 - buy here Dollar Tree is also selling three winter staples to spruce up your home for Christmas – and they’re all under $5. Plus, the chain's $1.25 viral Christmas bathroom essential has sent shoppers on a search.Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy told ESPN that he is transferring to Oregon State. Murphy reportedly visited Oregon State on Wednesday after stops at Kentucky and Auburn. He will have two more seasons of eligibility with the Beavers. "Lets get to work Beaver Nation!" Murphy posted on X. Murphy entered the transfer portal on Dec. 10, one day before Tulane transfer Darian Mensah committed to the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-5 Murphy is expected to be under center for Oregon State, which also has backups Gabarri Johnson and Kallen Gutridge returning next season. Murphy spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Texas, however he was sandwiched between Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. His decision to transfer to Duke paid immediate dividends this season, as he set the school record with 26 touchdowns while completing 254 of 421 passes for 2,933 yards. Murphy started two games at Texas in 2023 when Ewers was injured. --Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt committed to Clemson, the first defensive player to transfer into the program during coach Dabo Swinney's tenure. Heldt made 56 tackles (10 for loss) and five sacks in 12 games as a sophomore in 2024. He added a fumble recovery that he returned 16 yards for a touchdown. Before this season, Swinney's Tigers had accepted just two transfer players, both backup quarterbacks, since 2018. --Quarterback Zach Calzada, who last appeared at the FBS level in 2021 with Texas A&M, committed to Kentucky. Calzada missed his 2022 season at Auburn due to shoulder surgery before moving on to FCS program Incarnate Word, where he racked up 6,144 passing yards, 53 touchdowns and 17 interceptions over two seasons. Thanks to a medical redshirt, the 24-year-old has one remaining year of eligibility. --Arkansas QB Malachi Singleton will transfer to Purdue. Singleton appeared in five games as a freshman for the Razorbacks, completing 75 percent of his passes (21 of 28) for 358 yards. He had one passing touchdown and three rushing TDs. --After a strong freshman season at Cal, wide receiver Nyziah Hunter is heading to Nebraska. Hunter hauled in 40 receptions for 578 yards and five touchdowns for the Golden Bears in 2024. --Southern California running back Quinten Joyner is the latest transfer to commit to Texas Tech. Joyner rushed 63 times for 478 yards and three touchdowns in 2024, his first full season of college football. He added 12 receptions for 89 yards and a score. According to On3, Texas Tech has collected 15 incoming transfers, the most of any FBS program. --Field Level MediaYuval Noah Harari, the guy who makes history and future cool, suggests must-read books that shine a light on Africa 's rich history. These books span millennia, providing a deep dive into the continent's vibrant cultures, groundbreaking innovations, and profound global impact. Harari's picks offer a multi-faceted exploration of African history, from the dawn of civilization to the modern era. 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel is a landmark book that answers the question of how the environment shaped the world. Focusing on Africa's rich ecosystems and geographical complexities, Diamond delves into how these factors shaped societies and their interactions with other continents. This book gives you a comprehensive understanding of how Africa's unique environment influenced its history. 'The Fate of Africa' Martin Meredith's The Fate of Africa provides a comprehensive account spanning 50 years of post-colonial history. It shines a light on the hopes and realities of African nations as they emerged from colonial rule and grappled with independence in a rapidly changing world order. Meredith's work serves as a bridge, fostering a deeper understanding of the modern African states, their evolution, and the dreams that have shaped them. 'Africa: A Biography of the Continent' John Reader's Africa: A Biography of the Continent is a journey back in time to the very cradle of humanity. This book weaves together archaeological discoveries and historical analysis to paint a vivid picture of human evolution and the dawn of civilization in Africa. Reader's work is a must-read for anyone curious about the deep-rooted past that has shaped the modern tapestry of African societies. 'The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly' Jean-Francois Bayart's The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly is a groundbreaking analysis of the role of personal networks in African governance. It provides a deep understanding of both historical and contemporary political dynamics, focusing on the importance of personal relationships. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand African politics beyond Western frameworks, shedding light on the continent's distinct political reality.

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Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email that "there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damage before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson has played in just 19 games over three seasons for the Browns. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. American ski racer Lindsey Vonn is picking up speed in her comeback bid at 40 years old COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — American ski racer Lindsey Vonn darted through the shadows on the speed course at Copper Mountain on a frigid morning. She was on the hill Friday as she tries to make a comeback to skiing nearly six years after her last race. Vonn plans to enter a series of lower-tier FIS downhill and super-G races this weekend at Copper Mountain, Colorado. It could be the first step toward seeing her on the World Cup circuit again. NFL's next coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates: Analysis The next NFL coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates ranging from proven champions to up-and-coming coordinators. Six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick heads the list of recognizable names that includes 2021 AP Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buccaneers OC Liam Cohen, Bills OC Joe Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore are among a lengthy list of young offensive-minded coaches who will garner plenty of interest. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. No Bevo? SEC tells Texas there's no room for its 1,700-pound longhorn at title game vs. Georgia ATLANTA (AP) — The Southeastern Conference championship game will not feature another mascot showdown. The league says there's not enough space on the sideline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for No. 2 Texas to bring along its 1,700-pound longhorn Bevo XV for the game against No. 5 Georgia. The teams have two of college football’s most famous mascots. There should be enough sideline space for Georgia’s pure white English bulldog, Uga XI. Before the 2019 Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans, Bevo XV toppled his barrier and began to charge at Uga X. Texas handlers were able to pull Bevo back before any harm. The Big Ten and SEC are set to gobble up CFP bids. That could squeeze the ACC and other leagues The Big Ten and Southeastern conferences are set to gobble up the majority of the bids to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. That could squeeze the Atlantic Coast Conference and other leagues trying to maintain their footing. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told The Associated Press he wants clarity on the process that put two-loss Miami behind three-loss Alabama in the latest rankings. Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said she wouldn't support future changes for guaranteed numbers of bids to power conferences. The Mountain West is set to have its champion in the playoff as a Group of Five winner. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later. Anaheim Ducks acquire Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in trade for Vaakanainen, draft pick ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have acquired New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in a trade for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a future fourth-round pick. The trade ends Trouba’s tenure with the Rangers, who acquired the 30-year-old defenseman in a trade with Winnipeg in 2019. He became New York’s captain before the 2022-23 season. Trouba will immediately become a key contributor on the blue line for the Ducks, who are in last place in the Pacific Division. He will also play alongside Anaheim forwards Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, his teammates with the Rangers during the club’s run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2022.PSX registers second highest single-day gainWASHINGTON (AP) — A freelance photographer and local government official from Illinois has been arrested on charges alleging he joined a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol and pushed against a police officer’s riot shield, according to court records unsealed on Friday. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested in Chicago on Thursday on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony. A federal judge ordered him released on bond after his initial court appearance. Gorski didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. An attorney who represented him after his arrest declined to comment on Gorski's behalf. Authorities allege that during the attack, Gorski climbed scaffolding, breaching police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer's riot shield and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant, authorities said. When the FBI interviewed him, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and said he didn't bring his professional camera to the Capitol. He told federal agents that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. He has not professionally published any photographs of the Capitol riot, according to the FBI. An FBI agent’s affidavit says some of Gorski’s sports photographs are available through Getty Images and have been “picked up” by The Associated Press and USA Today. Authorities said Gorski has continued to take photos at some local sporting events in Chicago but hasn't published any political photographs in the last five years. Gorski is not an Associated Press journalist and has never been employed by the news organization, said Lauren Easton, AP's vice president of corporate communications. "We have distributed some photos he took for AP’s photo partners and member news organizations," Easton said in a statement. Gorski's resume says he works as a building commissioner for the Village of Norridge, Illinois, and graduated earlier this year from Southeastern Illinois University with a master’s degree in public administration. He attended then-President Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol in a group of people that included conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer , who has hosted a show on Jones' Infowars website. On the west side of the Capitol, Gorski climbed up a wall onto stairs, helped another rioter onto the wall and removed a tarp covering scaffolding, according to the FBI. He climbed up and down the scaffolding before he helped pass a bike rack to other rioters, the agent's affidavit says. Gorski pointed and yelled at police officers outside the building. He also clapped and chanted, “Let us in!” After rioters broke through a police lines and sent officers retreating, Gorski hung a flag over the edge of a balcony. Gorski used his phone to take photos or videos inside a tunnel entrance that police were guarding, according to the affidavit. He screamed at the officers, “This is our house!” as he pushed against an officer’s riot shield, the FBI said. Gorski left the tunnel after several minutes and entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door, taking more photos or videos inside the building, the affidavit says. An officer had to forcibly move Gorski from a doorway in another part of the Capitol, according to the agent. Gorski retreated after police sprayed him with a chemical irritant. Approximately one year after the attack, the FBI received a tip that Gorski had posted photos of the riot in a group chat with friends. More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the Capitol riot.

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PHILADELPHIA — Paul George had 21 points and nine assists second in his game since bruising a bone in his left knee, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 102-94 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night. KJ Martin added 20 points to help Philadelphia improve to 6-15. The 76ers have won three of four for the first time this season. Franz Wagner scored 30 points for the Magic, and Jalen Suggs has 22. Orlando dropped to 16-9. Takeaways Magic: If the Magic are going to be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference, they’ll have to improve their three-point shooting percentage. They entered the night at an NBA-worst 31.2%. 76ers: Joel Embiid could be back sooner rather than later from chronic knee swelling. He has played only four games this season Key moment After the Magic cut a 17-point lead to seven early in the fourth, Philadelphia was able to force two turnovers, with George and Martin making baskets to extend the margin to 13. Key stat Orlando shot 4 of 21 from the floor in the second quarter and 0 for 13 from three point range in the session. It turned a two-point lead into a nine-point deficit. Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George, right, tries to get past Orlando Magic's Franz Wagner during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum Up next The Magic host Phoenix on Sunday. The 76ers are at Chicago on Sundayl.

The United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, federal officials said Friday. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said federally required tallies taken across the country in January found more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless — a number that misses some people and does not include those staying with friends or family because they don't have a place of their own. That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed on soaring rents and the end of COVID-19 pandemic assistance. The 2023 increase also was driven by people experiencing homelessness for the first time. The numbers overall represent 23 of every 10,000 people in the U.S., with Black people being overrepresented among the homeless population. People are also reading... 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"No American should face homelessness, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every family has access to the affordable, safe, and quality housing they deserve," HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman said in a statement, adding that the focus should remain on "evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness." Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness — one of the areas that was most affected by the arrival of migrants in big cities. Family homelessness more than doubled in 13 communities impacted by migrants including Denver, Chicago and New York City, according to HUD, while it rose less than 8% in the remaining 373 communities. Almost 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, reflecting a 33% jump from last year. Disasters also played a part in the rise in the count, especially last year's catastrophic Maui wildfire, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. More than 5,200 people were in emergency shelters in Hawaii on the night of the count. Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agents assist state police as they order people living in a homeless encampment to move to a different designated location during a sweep ahead of a Taylor Swift concert in New Orleans. "Increased homelessness is the tragic, yet predictable, consequence of underinvesting in the resources and protections that help people find and maintain safe, affordable housing," Renee Willis, incoming interim CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement. "As advocates, researchers, and people with lived experience have warned, the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to increase as more people struggle to afford sky-high housing costs." Robert Marbut Jr., the former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness from 2019 to 2021, called the nearly 33% increase in homelessness over the past four years "disgraceful" and said the federal government needs to abandon efforts to prioritize permanent housing. "We need to focus on treatment of substance use and mental illness, and bring back program requirements, like job training," Marbut said in an email. The numbers also come as increasing numbers of communities are taking a hard line against homelessness. People living in a homeless encampment pick up belongings Oct. 23 after Louisiana State Police ordered them to move to a different designated location during a sweep ahead of a Taylor Swift concert in New Orleans. Angered by often dangerous and dirty tent camps, communities — especially in Western states — have enforced bans on camping. That follows a 6-3 ruling this summer by the Supreme Court that found outdoor sleeping bans don’t violate the Eighth Amendment. Homeless advocates argued that punishing people who need a place to sleep would criminalize homelessness. There was some positive news in the count, as homelessness among veterans continued to trend downward. Homelessness among veterans dropped 8% to 32,882 in 2024. It was an even larger decrease for unsheltered veterans, declining 11% to 13,851 in 2024. "The reduction in veteran homelessness offers us a clear roadmap for addressing homelessness on a larger scale," Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said in a statement. "With bipartisan support, adequate funding, and smart policy solutions, we can replicate this success and reduce homelessness nationwide. Federal investments are critical in tackling the country's housing affordability crisis and ensuring that every American has access to safe, stable housing." Several large cities had success bringing down their homeless numbers. Dallas, which worked to overhaul its homeless system, saw a 16% drop in its numbers between 2022 to 2024. Los Angeles, which increased housing for the homeless, saw a drop of 5% in unsheltered homelessness since 2023. A rat sniffs the hand of a sleeping man experiencing homelessness Dec. 18 in downtown Los Angeles. California, the most populous state in the U.S., continued to have the nation's largest homeless population, followed by New York, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts. The sharp increase in the homeless population over the past two years contrasts with success the U.S. had for more than a decade. Going back to the first 2007 survey, the U.S. made steady progress for about a decade in reducing the homeless population as the government focused particularly on increasing investments to get veterans into housing. The number of homeless people dropped from about 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017. The numbers ticked up to about 580,000 in the 2020 count and held relatively steady over the next two years as Congress responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency rental assistance, stimulus payments, aid to states and local governments and a temporary eviction moratorium. Emergency housing resources for older Americans in need Emergency housing resources for older Americans in need Homelessness is intertwined with the cost of living, and the high cost of living is hitting older adults fairly hard. A Westat survey for the Department of Health and Human Services found that older adults are the fastest-growing cohort of the homeless population. Emergency housing for seniors can keep that number from climbing higher. Caring.com details how to access it. The number of homeless seniors isn't based solely on people remaining homeless as they age; it also includes those whose first experience with homelessness came after they turned 50. In 2023, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that 1 in 5 homeless people were over the age of 55. For seniors and other older adults, fixed incomes make it hard to battle the ever-increasing cost of expenses. Endhomelessness.org cites that 2.35 million older adults are paying over half of their limited income to rent. Based on Caring.com's July 2024 survey of seniors in the workforce , that's exactly why 1 in 15 retired seniors worry about losing their homes. Shelter use in homeless people older than 51 has gone up over 10% from 2007 to 2017, according to the HUD. But luckily, so has the number of shelters. Between 2022 and 2023, the HUD reports that emergency shelters added 28,760 more beds in emergency shelters, though this is a reduction in the amount of beds available during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. What Is Emergency Housing? Emergency homeless assistance, or emergency housing, is a temporary solution. It's designed to provide shelter while those facing housing instability figure out their next step. Emergency housing for homeless seniors gives someone the immediate ability to remain housed and safely sheltered. Local nonprofits are often involved in placing people experiencing homelessness or housing instability into emergency shelters. Low-income seniors, seniors who are low on funds and might not make rent, or seniors who need to leave their homes for other reasons can use emergency housing. How To Find Emergency Housing For Seniors Many cities have their own emergency housing programs. There are also nationwide programs that provide emergency housing for seniors. The internet is the fastest tool for locating local emergency housing. Libraries have free internet access, for those who might not have a computer or Wi-Fi to begin their search. The list below leads to websites that include phone numbers for emergency homeless assistance. Senior Programs for Emergency Housing Crisis Hotline 2-1-1 Seniors in need of immediate assistance and resources should call 2-1-1 or contact the United Way online . The 2-1-1 crisis hotline partners with United Way, which is committed to helping homeless seniors find local shelters or access transitional housing. The service can also connect seniors with other resources, including food, mental health support, or funding for health care expenses. Calling 2-1-1 is often required as a prerequisite before trying to get into a shelter or obtaining other assistance. Because 2-1-1 is for people in crisis, there are no eligibility requirements. However, some programs seniors may access through 2-1-1 do have eligibility requirements. Seniors can simply dial 2-1-1 from nearly anywhere in the U.S. to be put in touch with the programs and resources they need. Housing Choice Voucher Program Designed specifically for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families, the Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federal program offering low-income housing options and rent assistance. These vouchers are available through your local public housing agency (PHA). This program enables and encourages participants to choose their own housing. Housing options don't need to be a part of subsidized housing projects, but there are limits on unit size. Typically, participants must pay 30% of their monthly adjusted income towards their rent, and the voucher program pays the remainder. Applicant income and family size help the PHA determine eligibility. Citizenship and eligible immigration status also play a factor. The family's income cannot exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area where they're applying to live. Of the vouchers, 75% must go to people whose income is at or less than 30% of their area's median income. Contact your local public housing agency . Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program The Section 202 program helps expand the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for seniors. This program gives low-income seniors options that allow them to live independently, with support for cooking, cleaning, transportation, etc. This program is open to any very low-income household that has at least one person 62 years old or older. Applicants must submit an application in response to a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) posted on Grants.gov . U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing Voucher (HUD-VASH) The HUD-VASH program was created as emergency homeless assistance for veterans. Its goal is to give homeless veterans access to permanent housing through public housing authorities. Veterans receive rental assistance through the HUD Housing Choice Voucher program and additional case management services through the VA. By December 2023, the HUD had allocated nearly 112,000 vouchers to help house veterans nationwide. To help veterans achieve stability and remain housed, VA case managers may connect veterans with support services such as health care, mental health treatment, and substance use counseling. If you or your loved one is a low-income senior with eligible military service, you may apply. Your local VA can tell you if your service qualifies you for HUD-VASH. Senior veterans may apply online or call (877) 424-3838. Emergency Housing Resources by State Click here to learn more about the emergency housing options for seniors available in your state. The Bottom Line Low-income seniors who aren't in assisted living or independent living communities might find themselves facing housing instability. Emergency housing for seniors can help you or your loved one seek shelter. Crisis hotlines and public housing agencies can offer support. Senior Emergency Housing FAQ Finding emergency housing for seniors depends heavily on your area. The first step is to call the Crisis Hotline at 2-1-1. Finding a shelter takes less time than applying and getting approved for low-income housing voucher programs. The 2-1-1 hotline can direct you to local resources and locators. Yes and no. The duration depends on the type of housing. Shelters have limits that vary. Some shelters allow people to stay for up to six months, though that can vary based on demand. Seniors can remain in Section 202 supportive housing as long as they meet age and income requirements. Yes. Many counties have financial emergency programs that help seniors handle home repairs or short-term financial crises like utility shutoff. These programs allow the senior to focus their funds on their rent or mortgage. This story was produced by Caring.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. 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The NRL has suspended Ezra Mam for nine games after the Brisbane Broncos star pleaded guilty to charges of drug driving. Mam's punishment was reported by the Courier Mail and is expected to see the five-eighth sidelined until Round 10, when the Broncos face the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The 21-year-old escaped a criminal conviction last week after pleading guilty to two charges relating to a drug-driving crash. The Queenslander was driving unlicensed before colliding into an Uber on October 18. The Uber was carrying three occupants at the time - 64-year-old driver Marcel Van Den Camp, a mother and her four-year-old daughter. In court, the magistrate fined Mam $850 and suspended his licence for six months, leading to an outcry of disappointment he didn't receive harsher punishment. News Corp revealed last week Mam had a history of traffic offences, including speeding, failure to stop at a red light, and driving while using a phone. His licence had also previously been suspended three times. After leaving court Mam issued a statement to the media, as he apologised to his fans and family, as well as the NRL and Brisbane Broncos. “Today is an important step in owning my actions and starting to make things right. To all the people involved in this accident, I’m truly sorry,” he said. “I promise to work on being a better person and representative of the club and the game that I love.” The Queensland government was left displeased with the punishment, as Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie labelled it "disgraceful". "It was a slap on the wrist," he said. Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said she would look into legislation changes following the penalty. “I can understand that for many Queenslanders, this outcome doesn’t pass the pub test,” she said in a statement. “Most Queenslanders would expect that the penalty for a driver who’s found to have drugs in their system would be more severe than the penalty for using a mobile phone behind the wheel. “I will be consulting with my colleagues, in particular the transport minister, and considering what changes can be made to our laws." The NRL has now come under fire with many accusing its punishment of also being too weak. Journalist Phil 'Buzz' Rothfield was one of several who slammed the suspension on social media. "The Ezra Mam 9-week ban by the NRL is not harsh enough for drug-driving and putting a 4-year-old in hospital with a broken hip while unlicensed. SHOULD HAVE BEEN 12-15 WEEKS MINIMUM," he posted on X. Another said the NRL "need to hang their heads in shame". "If you give Ezra Mam a 9 week ban shows how out of touch with society you really are. Cricket Australia gave players 12 months for ball tampering," a third wrote.

The world juniors are about to begin. Why isn't there a women's world junior tournament?New Jersey Republican uses AI to generate opponent’s voice in new adKate Middleton opened up about her devastating year after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. The Princess of Wales, 42, made a rare comment about her health battle at the fourth annual “Together at Christmas” service on Dec. 6, held at Westminster Abbey in London. It was her second appearance this week , as she’s slowly returning to royal duties following her treatment that started in February. When asked by performer Paloma Faith about her health, Middleton answered truthfully. “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had,” she stated, per a video of the conversation posted by Channel 5 News in the UK. “The unplanned,” Faith replied, to which the princess agreed. “The unplanned, exactly,” Middleton repeated while nodding her head. “But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times.” This year’s Christmas carol service included themes of love and empathy, chosen by the princess after her “incredibly tough” news in March that she was undergoing cancer treatment. Last month, her husband, Prince William, commented on the family’s “brutal” 2024, revealing this has “ probably been the hardest year in my life ” after the cancer battles of both his wife and father, King Charles III . In September, Middleton revealed she was cancer-free . “I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” she penned her heartfelt statement on X. “Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.” Middleton appeared happy and healthy at the Christmas carol service alongside her family, including the couple’s three children: Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. The Prince and Princess of Wales escorted their kids to the famous Kindness Tree , where guests dedicated a decoration to someone who has been a source of support in their lives. Prince Louis was spotted hanging on to his decoration, which was revealed to be a handwritten note with an adorable message about his grandparents . “Thank you for Granny and Grandpa because they have played games with me,” his message read. Louis was then seen placing his decoration on the tree. While Middleton has been cancer-free for roughly three months, King Charles is still undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Both Charles and Queen Camilla were absent from the Christmas carol service. There was no official statement given regarding their absence; however, Camilla is still recovering from a recent bout of pneumonia .

LONDON -- At 4-0 down after just 36 minutes, there was a danger that Julen Lopetegui was going to be the only person connected to West Ham left in the stands. The Hammers boss, serving a one-match touchline ban after picking up three yellow cards this season, watched on from a high vantage point as fans streamed out of London Stadium all around him before half-time, shaking their heads in disbelief at the havoc wreaked below. And yet, four minutes later, out of nowhere, West Ham had scored twice. Hope was revived. Just when the Hammers were getting themselves in a position from which to mount a second-half comeback, goalkeeper punched to concede a penalty that converted to send the Gunners in 5-2 up at the break. It was, quite simply, absolute madness -- a glorious advert for the brilliantly chaotic, implausibly unpredictable product, which ranks as one of the United Kingdom's most successful global exports in any field. In the end, the seven first-half goals tied a league record with three other games, the last of which came between Reading and in December 2012. Judging by the relative lack of empty seats -- most of those beleaguered West Ham fans returned anyway -- it was amusing that just when it seemed like more of the same would follow after the break, the second was goalless and uncompetitive. It felt like the proverbial early night in bed after the happy-hour hedonism. So, with about 15 minutes left, they started to leave again. It is, as ever, the hope that kills you as a sports fan and West Ham's had long been extinguished. Meaningful conclusions from games like this are ill-advised, but it should nevertheless be noted that after Arsenal needed a set-piece to break the deadlock, some of their football was a combination of divine and deadly. Gabriel Magalhães' 10th-minute header was the final act of a set-piece routine that will earn Arsenal fresh praise even given their well-documented strength in those situations. Running from far post to near, the Gunners were a blur of movement, in which perhaps the most cunning act was 's gentle nudge on to ensure Saka's delivery found Gabriel unmarked. If dark arts helped break the deadlock, Arsenal then well and truly stepped into the light. had a 17th-minute effort correctly ruled out for offside but West Ham were then overrun, Martin Ødegaard and Saka combining superbly to lay on a simple finish for . Saka then jinked into the box, and Paqueta could do nothing other than bring him down. Ødegaard converted. Trossard then released who finished low past Fabianski to cue the first mini-exodus. West Ham were the heavyweight knowing they were losing on points and therefore reduced to hopeful haymakers; inexplicably, they started landing. was given too much space in the Arsenal defensive third, though his pass was superbly executed through for to slot home. Wan-Bissaka had scored twice in 182 Premier League appearances, but now has two in six days. Because why not? Perhaps even more improbably, conceded a dubious free kick awarded for a challenge on Paqueta, and Emerson Palmieri curled a stunning 25-yard free kick in off the crossbar. It was the left-back's second goal in 20 months. Just as the visitors' sudden loss of composure sparked memories of Arsenal's 4-4 draw at Newcastle in February 2011 -- the only time a Premier League team has failed to win a game in which they led by four first-half goals -- Fabianski mistakenly floored Gabriel trying to meet a corner and Saka slotted home the penalty to conclude the scoring. Mercifully for them, the three-goal cushion proved sufficient. Arteta took pleasure in the restoration of the flow in Arsenal's game, triggered most significantly by Ødegaard's return to the starting lineup; it is no coincidence the Norway playmaker's reintegration has come in a week when the Gunners scored 13 goals including five in the Champions League for the first time since 2008. There was one note of caution after that game, which proved prophetic here too. "Before and after half-time you need to get through those 10-15 minutes in a different way," Arteta said after Tuesday's 5-1 win in Lisbon. "We gave so many balls away, and that doesn't allow you results." There was a similar sloppy spell here and there might come a time when that becomes the talking point. But not today, not after a 45-minute spell that ranks among the most tumultuous in recent memory.