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Black Friday deals are everywhere right now, and many of the major streaming services will probably announce special promotions to entice new customers soon, too. If you’re thinking about “cutting the cord,” or switching from a traditional cable provider to a streaming service , this might be a good time to try it. “The deals that will be coming out will be attractive to new subscribers and most likely will be basic plans with ads,” Chad Gammon, an Iowa-based certified financial planner, said in an email interview. While some streaming services might also offer deals on plans without ads, Gammon, who owns Custom Fit Financial, said they’ll come at a higher cost. So keep an eye out for the deals, but make sure you look at the terms and conditions, too. Black Friday streaming deal trends Some streaming services will roll out their Black Friday prices in the coming days — and some have already started offering deals. For example, ESPN+ is running a promotion offering 12 months for the price of nine, as long as subscribers choose the annual plan. That deal is good through Dec. 2. Last year’s Black Friday deals can be a good indication of what’s to come. "Past Black Friday deals, like Hulu's $1.99/month offer, really show the range of savings,” Clay Cary, a senior trends analyst at CouponFollow, said in a prepared statement. “More often than not, bundles like Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ tend to give the most value if your household uses multiple platforms," Cary said. We contacted these services about their Black Friday plans. Disney+ said there are no deals to announce quite yet. Hulu and ESPN+ did not respond to requests for information. Are Black Friday streaming deals worth it? While you’re waiting for the deals to drop, consider the different streaming plans, your budget, and whether one service can give you all the programming you want. Streaming services present themselves as cheaper alternatives to cable companies with long contracts, poor service, lots of commercials and expensive monthly contracts. But do they make good on that promise? You’ll need to look at the details You might think you’re scoring a great streaming service deal only to realize it’s for the version with ads. Pay attention to other details, too. A streaming service might offer a seasonal deal, but on a plan that limits the number of devices that can stream at once, and video quality can vary. Crackdowns on password sharing have also hit the streaming world hard and frustrated many consumers — and the alternatives aren’t great. “Paid-sharing options, like Netflix's, haven't been popular because they feel like an extra charge without added value,” Cary said. “For budget-conscious viewers, these changes could push them toward free ad-supported services instead.” You’ll still need to pay for internet If you were hoping to cut ties with your cable provider, you might have to think twice. You’ll still need the internet to use your streaming service. Many households bundle cable and internet costs, so if you cut cable, you will need to get a price for an internet-only plan. If multiple people in your household are streaming at once, you might find your old internet speed isn’t cutting it. A boost in internet speed will cost more, so you’ll need to adjust your budget accordingly. You might need to subscribe to multiple services If you’re a sports fan with kids in the house and a spouse who likes shows from premium channels, you might have to sign up for three different streaming services to get all the content you want. Signing up for multiple streaming services can get pricey and can also be a real headache. Gammon described this as “subscription fatigue,” where people subscribe to multiple services and end up not using them because they can’t find which programs are on which streaming service. To stay within your budget, Cary said consumers should focus “on platforms that align with what you actually watch rather than trying to subscribe to everything.” Expect a price increase later The excitement of scoring a cheap deal won’t last forever. “When promotional deals lapse, prices can spiral upward alarmingly, doubling in some cases,” Cary said. “To avoid such surprises, set a reminder before the discounted rate expires to review your subscription,” he said. Check existing memberships for free subscriptions Before signing up, ask yourself: How do streaming services fit into my budget? In a 50/30/20 budget , streaming services fit squarely into the 30% wants category, alongside travel, entertainment and dining out. If your budget is tight, check your current memberships, because some major retailers offer significant discounts or free subscriptions on streaming services. For example: Walmart+ members get access to the Paramount+ Essentials plan as a benefit. Grocery chain Kroger offers Boost members the option to get Disney+ Basic (with ads), Hulu (with ads) or ESPN+ for free as part of their yearly fee. Verizon offers Verizon Home Internet users free subscriptions to Netflix Standard (with ads) and Max (with ads) for a year, and then $10 per month after that. That’s a savings of $203 in the first year. While most of these offers are for base-level plans with ads, tapping into existing benefits is a low-stakes way to try out one of these platforms. More From NerdWallet Best Black Friday Deals: When to Shop, What to Buy and What to Skip When is Cyber Monday? Everything You Need To Know What Dynamic Pricing Means for Black Friday Shopping Amanda Barroso writes for NerdWallet. Email: abarroso@nerdwallet.com . The article Black Friday Streaming Deals: Read the Fine Print First originally appeared on NerdWallet.

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Snowflake's chief accounting officer sells $350,997 in stockCupertino Parks and Recreation will kick off the holiday season Dec. 6 with the annual Community Tree Lighting at Quinlan Community Center. A local choir will sing holiday tunes before the tree lights up, and after the tree lighting, families can visit Santa and take photos. Warm dress is suggested for this outdoor event. For more information, visit https://www.cupertino.org/our-city/departments/parks-recreation/community-events/tree-lighting-december . The Cupertino Village shopping center is hosting live musical performances by William “Henry” Concepcion and Victoria “Marivic,” members of the band Trilogy, on Saturday, Dec. 14-21, 5-7 p.m. on the lawn between Cupertino Optometry and 99 Ranch Market. The duo will perform holiday pop and classic favorites at these free shows. While the duo is playing, there will also be a balloon twister and face painter for children. Cupertino Village is located at 10869 N. Wolfe Road. For more information, visit https://cupertinovillage.shopkimco.com . Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), has relaunched its online customer resource center to include an all-new incentive finder for residential customers and updated resources for businesses and contractors. SVCE provides clean energy for residents of South Bay communities, including Cupertino. The SVCE eHub, located at https://ehub.svcleanenergy.org , is designed to help customers find rebates and other incentives to go all electric, as well as free expert advice and assisted home upgrades. An updated Appliance Marketplace helps renters and homeowners compare and select electric technologies. To learn how to navigate the new incentive finder and other tools, visit https://svcleanenergy.org/2024/11/15/incentives-finder .

Exela Technologies Inc. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitorsGoogle needs ‘right conditions’ to build more AI infrastructure in UKSen. Mitch McConnell said Thursday he will lead a subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he carves out new roles once he relinquishes his long-running post as Senate Republican leader. The Kentucky Republican revealed he will assume the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The role dovetails with his constant message that America needs a bulked-up military to deter threats from adversaries such as Russia, Iran and China. Recommended Videos The transition comes as McConnell is ending his role as the longest-serving Senate leader in history, just as Republicans prepare to take majority control of the chamber after big gains in this month's election. Republicans elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune , a top deputy to McConnell, as the next Senate majority leader. McConnell, 82, said Thursday he will assume the subcommittee chairmanship at a critical time. “America’s national security interests face the gravest array of threats since the Second World War," the senator said in a statement. “At this critical moment, a new Senate Republican majority has a responsibility to secure the future of U.S. leadership and primacy.” McConnell frequently evokes Ronald Reagan’s mantra of “peace through strength” when discussing foreign policy risks and how the U.S. should respond. McConnell's stance could clash with President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine on foreign affairs. McConnell worked with Trump on a tax cuts package and the appointment of conservative judges — including three justices to the nine-member Supreme Court — during Trump's first term as president. Fighting back against isolationism within his own party, McConnell has championed sending weapons and other aid to Ukraine as it fends off Russia’s invasion. McConnell said Thursday he's also set to become chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, which is often a more low-key panel at the center of big issues, both at the Capitol and in the country. The committee oversees the administration of the Senate side of the building, including during inaugurations. But it also puts McConnnell at the center of weighty topics, namely federal elections and voting rights as well as the procedures of the Senate, including the debate around the filibuster. McConnell said the committee will have important work in the coming two years. “Defending the Senate as an institution and protecting the right to political speech in our elections remain among my longest-standing priorities,” he said. There had been considerable speculation about what roles McConnell would take after stepping down as Republican leader. He has two years left in his current Senate term and has not signaled whether he will run for reelection in Kentucky in 2026. McConnell has been a prolific appropriator for the Bluegrass State, a role he’s well positioned to continue.

Share Tweet Share Share Email In 2024, the worlds of IT services and cybersecurity have become nearly inseparable. As we navigate an increasingly connected society, protecting digital assets isn’t just a priority for tech companies—it’s a universal concern. The integration of IT services with cybersecurity strategies offers a robust defense against ever-evolving threats. In an environment where data breaches can undermine businesses overnight, combining IT expertise with rigorous cybersecurity measures isn’t merely advisable; it’s crucial. President and CEO of global IT company Oncorre, Subrat Patnaik unpacks why IT services and cybersecurity must walk hand in hand, exploring strategies that not only safeguard operations but also enhance them. Understanding IT Services in the Modern Era In today’s rapidly evolving tech environment, IT services enable companies to operate efficiently and drive innovation, providing a strategic advantage. The fusion of IT and cybersecurity highlights the importance of understanding the various elements of IT services within contemporary organizations. IT services encompass diverse categories that support business infrastructure. Cloud computing allows companies to store and access data online, offering scalable storage solutions. Managed services enable businesses to outsource IT tasks, from network management to data security, allowing internal teams to focus on core objectives. Consulting services offer expertise and guidance for technology upgrades and improved IT performance. These services enhance daily operations, supporting essential functions from email to enterprise resource planning systems. Productivity is boosted by enabling employees to work smarter through automation and collaborative tools. IT services provide the infrastructure necessary to innovate and streamline processes. This support is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and adapting to market changes. A deep understanding of IT services allows organizations to integrate them with cybersecurity for optimal digital protection. The Importance of Cybersecurity Within IT Services In a world where data is more valuable than gold, cybersecurity plays a critical role in IT services. Digital threats are sophisticated and unrelenting, with each technological advance bringing new vulnerabilities. As IT services become more complex and integrated, robust cybersecurity measures are vital. Cybersecurity is no longer a separate function; it is enmeshed with all parts of IT, protecting networks, securing data, and maintaining compliance. The digital threat landscape presents formidable challenges. Malware, phishing, and data breaches are among the most prevalent dangers, each demanding attention. Malware infiltrates systems to disrupt operations or steal information, ranging from simple viruses to complex ransomware that holds data hostage. Phishing attacks trick users into revealing sensitive data through seemingly innocuous emails or websites. Data breaches expose sensitive information, undermining consumer trust and causing financial loss. These threats highlight the need for robust cybersecurity protocols within IT services to safeguard organizational assets and minimize risk. Protecting sensitive data is paramount, with personal and financial information constantly at risk. Businesses must adopt effective data protection strategies that are compliant with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. These regulations set strict requirements for data handling, preserving privacy and addressing breaches swiftly. GDPR mandates transparency and accountability in data processing, offering individuals control over their personal information. HIPAA focuses on the security of health information, requiring healthcare organizations to implement thorough safeguards. “Compliance builds trust with customers and partners,” says Subrat Patnaik . “Aligning cybersecurity efforts with these regulations protects data integrity and fosters a safer digital environment for all.” Integrating Cybersecurity into IT Services As cyber threats grow in sophistication, IT services must evolve to mitigate these dangers effectively. Embedding cybersecurity measures allows organizations to safeguard their digital infrastructure against potential breaches while maintaining operational efficiency. A layered security approach, often referred to as defense in depth, represents a strategic method of protecting IT infrastructures by implementing multiple layers of defense measures. In cybersecurity, this involves using independent security controls that work in tandem to protect digital assets. Preventive measures like firewalls and antivirus software serve as the first line of defense, blocking known threats from entering the system. Detection mechanisms, such as intrusion detection systems (IDS), alert administrators when suspicious activities occur within the network. Responsive strategies involve procedures and technologies to mitigate the impact of breaches, such as automatically isolating affected systems to prevent further damage. Combining these layers creates a robust shield against cyber threats. Incorporating an incident response plan into IT services is crucial for mitigating cybersecurity threats. Every organization, regardless of its defenses, faces the risk of a cyber-attack. How an organization responds to an incident can significantly affect its impact. “A comprehensive incident response plan should include immediate actions to contain the breach, assess its scope, and mitigate further harm,” notes Patnaik. Responding effectively means understanding the origin and impact of the attack. The plan should prioritize restoring normal operations swiftly while confirming that all affected systems are secure before resuming services. Recovery involves learning from the incident to improve future responses and prevent similar breaches. Conducting a post-incident analysis identifies vulnerabilities and helps implement measures to strengthen defenses. The goal is not just recovery but also evolving organizational resilience, allowing IT services to adapt to emerging threats. Emerging Trends and Technologies As digital environments evolve, IT services and cybersecurity become increasingly intertwined, marking a pivotal shift in how organizations protect their digital assets against cyber threats. Two emerging trends stand out: the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning and the adoption of the zero-trust security model. Both are reshaping strategies to safeguard sensitive information. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) revolutionize methods for countering cyber threats. These technologies process massive data volumes at speeds beyond human capability, allowing systems to identify patterns and predict potential threats. AI continuously analyzes data to recognize anomalies, while machine learning adapts detection methods over time, fine-tuning algorithms to improve accuracy against new risks. The zero-trust model serves as a formidable solution. Unlike traditional models that assume security within a network, zero trust mandates verification at every access point, regardless of user location or device. This approach reduces the risk of threats by allowing access only to data essential for specific tasks, keeping the entire system secure even if one segment is compromised. The intersection of IT services and cybersecurity represents a vital synergy in today’s business environments. IT services maintain seamless connectivity, while cybersecurity acts as the vigilant guardian of infrastructure, safeguarding sensitive data and compliance with regulations. Together, they create a unified front, supported by collaborative strategies that enhance security and operational effectiveness. “Establishing open communication channels helps teams respond quickly to vulnerabilities, leveraging combined expertise to devise effective countermeasures,” says Patnaik. This collaboration fortifies defenses and streamlines processes, making security protocols enhance rather than hinder operations. Future-proofing digital assets involves embracing innovative technologies while maintaining a diligent approach to cybersecurity. Organizations must remain vigilant, anticipating shifts in both technology and cyber threats. Continuous assessment and updating of security measures allow businesses to safeguard their assets and maintain a competitive edge in an ever-transforming digital environment. Related Items: cloud computing , cybersecurity , Subrat Patnaik Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Emerging Trends and Capabilities in Cloud Computing How Cybersecurity Services Can Fortify Your IT Infrastructure High performance AI/ML Fabric Networking Computing49ers QB Brock Purdy remains severely limited by injured throwing shoulder

Pfizer Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsNone(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Monday, Nov. 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 2:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: Memphis vs. UConn, Quarterfinal, Maui, Hawaii 4 p.m. CBSSN — Sunshine Slam Beach Bracket: Fordham vs. Penn St., Semifinal, Daytona Beach, Fla. 5 p.m. ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: Colorado vs. Michigan St., Quarterfinal, Maui, Hawaii 6 p.m. FS1 — Fort Myers Tip-Off: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech, Semifinal, Fort Myers, Fla. 6:30 p.m. CBSSN — Sunshine Slam Beach Bracket: Clemson vs. San Francisco, Semifinal, Daytona Beach, Fla. 7 p.m. BTN — Green Bay at Ohio St. 8:30 p.m. FS1 — Fort Myers Tip-Off: Xavier vs. South Carolina, Semifinal, Fort Myers, Fla. 9 p.m. BTN — Little Rock at Illinois ESPNU — Maui Invitational: Iowa St. vs. Auburn, Quarterfinal, Maui, Hawaii 11:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: Dayton vs. North Carolina, Quarterfinal, Maui, Hawaii COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) Noon ESPN2 — Battle 4 Atlantis: TBD, Championship, Nassau, Bahamas 2:30 p.m. ESPNU — Battle 4 Atlantis: TBD, Third-Place Game, Nassau, Bahamas HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOY’S) 7 p.m. ESPNU — The Five for the Fight National Hoopfest: Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. Wasatch Academy (Utah), Pleasant Grove, Utah NBA BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. NBATV — Dallas at Atlanta 10 p.m. NBATV — Oklahoma City at Sacramento NFL FOOTBALL 8:15 p.m. ABC — Baltimore at L.A. Chargers ESPN — Baltimore at L.A. Chargers ESPN2 — Baltimore at L.A. Chargers (MNF with Peyton and Eli) SOCCER (MEN’S) 3 p.m. USA — Premier League: West Ham United at Newcastle United The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .

By LINDSEY BAHR Do you have a someone in your life who plays Vulture’s Cinematrix game every morning? Or maybe they have the kitchen television turned to Turner Classic Movies all day and make a point of organizing Oscar polls at work? Hate to break it to you: They might be a hard-to-please cinephile. But while you might not want to get into a winless debate over the “Juror No. 2” release or the merits of “Megalopolis” with said person, they don’t have to be hard to buy gifts for. The Associated Press has gathered up some of the best items out there to keep any movie lover stylish and informed. While Christopher Nolan dreams up his next film, fans can tide themselves over by revisiting his modern classic “Interstellar,” which will be back in IMAX theaters on the weekend of Dec. 6, followed by the home release of a new collector’s edition on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray ($59.95). A third disc in the set, available Dec. 10, contains more than two hours of bonus content, like a never-before-seen storyboard sequence, and new interviews with Nolan, producer Emma Thomas and famous fans Peter Jackson and Denis Villeneuve . Elaine May does not give interviews anymore. But thankfully that didn’t deter writer Carrie Courogen, who did a remarkable job stitching together the life of one of our culture’s most fascinating, and prickly, talents. “Miss May Does Not Exist” is full of delightful anecdotes about the sharp and satirical comedian who gained fame as one half of Nichols and May and went on to direct films like “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Mikey and Nicky.” Courogen writes about May’s successes, flops and her legendary scuffles with the Hollywood establishment. It’s a vital companion to Mark Harris’ biography of Mike Nichols . Macmillan. $30. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has an exclusive new “Matrix” sweatshirt for sale in conjunction with its Cyberpunk exhibition. Brain Dead Studios designed and created several items, including the black hoodie ($140), a white rabbit tee ($54) and a pint glass ($18). If you can’t make it to Los Angeles to check out the “Color in Motion” exhibit for yourself, the Academy Museum also has a beautiful new companion book for sale ($55) charting the development of color technology in film and its impact. It includes photos from films like “The Red Shoes,” “Vertigo,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” and images of rare prints from the silent era. The Academy Museum Store is having a sale (20% off everything) from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2. Related Articles Things To Do | US airports with worst weather delays during holiday season Things To Do | The right book can inspire the young readers in your life, from picture books to YA novels Things To Do | These holiday gifts change the game when building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more Things To Do | ‘Gladiator II’ review: Are you not moderately entertained? Things To Do | Beer pairings for your holiday feasts Want to look like a real film festival warrior, the kind who sees five movies a day, files a review and still manages to make the late-night karaoke party? You’re going to need the ultimate status tote from the independent streaming service MUBI . Simple, to-the-point and only for people in the know. $25. Film magazines may be an endangered species, but print is not dead at The Metrograph . Manhattan’s coolest movie theater is starting a biannual print publication “for cinephiles and cultural connoisseurs alike.” The first issue’s cover art is by cinematographer Ed Lachman (“Carol”), and contributors include the likes of Daniel Clowes, Ari Aster, Steve Martin and Simon Rex. There’s also a conversation with Clint Eastwood. It’s currently available for pre-order and will be in bookstores Dec. 10 for $25 ($15 for Metrograph members). This is not a book about filmmaking styles, camera angles and leadership choices. It’s literally about what directors wear. “How Directors Dress: On Set, in the Edit, and Down the Red Carpet” ($40) has over 200 archival photos of filmmakers in action: Spike Lee in his basketball caps, Sofia Coppola in her Charvet button-ups, Steven Spielberg’s denim on denim and many more. With a forward by the always elegant Joanna Hogg and writing from some of the top fashion journalists, it’s a beautiful look at how filmmakers really dress for work — and might even be a source of inspiration.

ARABELLA Chi has given fans a look at her little baby bump while modelling a new set of lingerie. The Love Island All Stars alumni, 33, is expecting her first baby with her boyfriend Billy Henty and is welcoming the changes to her body. Arabella has gently cradled her growing tummy while posing in her plush lounge in a black bra and knickers set. In several other snaps, the mum-to-be is also wearing matching black lace-topped stockings and satin robe. Arabella has now shared the photos with fans on Instagram alongside a short video of herself in the lingerie. She told her followers: "Life's got a whole new meaning now I'm growing you 👶." Replying to her post, one fan said: "Congratulations on your baby news." Another added: "Wow, so happy 4 you." And a third chimed in: "Pretty girl growing a baby!!" Meanwhile, Boux Avenue, the underwear brand Arabella is modelling, added: "The most gorgeous mum to be!" Arabella, who starred on Love Island All Stars at the beginning of the year, confirmed her pregnancy this week . She made her announcement with a video of herself clutching a strip of ultrasound photos while on the beach. The model and reality star said: "Dreams do come true... Baby Henty due May 2025. "You already make our hearts full and we can't wait to meet you little one." Arabella has enjoyed a whirlwind relationship with wealthy businessman Billy Henty over the past few months. Billy is co-founder of a company specialising in biohacking and regenerative medicine, with clinics in London, Canada and Greece. The Sun first told how Billy and Arabella were spotted on a date in August and sources said things between the pair were getting very serious, very quickly. An insider said at the time: “Arabella has made no secret of wanting to find the one and it looks like Billy could be that man. “He clever, handsome and has a jet setting lifestyle, which she loves. “It was a big step putting him on her socials – she didn’t tag him but she’s happy for people to see her happy and in love.” Love Island All Stars will be back for its second series in 2025 - and rumours are already rife as to who will be making a comeback this time around. After the second All Stars series was announced in May, show boss Mike Spender said: "Lots of people have been in contact about it, lots of fun people, from series one onwards. "We cast it because we knew what was going on behind the scenes of who was getting with who and now even more stories have come out. "I think we will now save ex-islanders for All Stars." One rumoured name for the next series is data engineer Harry Baker . Harry, 25, arrived in the villa as a bombshell in Series 11. He soon 'stole' Grace Jackson after making his debut. Arriving late in the run, he only lasted for a few days before being dumped alongside Lola Deloca . Despite the hunk's brief stint, viewers have called for Harry's return. One upset fan wrote: "Get you in All Stars next", to which Harry cryptically replied by posting 'shrugging' emojis. Arabella first found fame in Love Island in 2019. This year, she returned to the villa and formed a connection with Adam Maxted on Love Island All Stars. They lasted five weeks on the outside world. Adam later said on fellow Islander Anton Danyluk 's podcast: "I can't even call it a break up because we weren't officially together. "The public put a lot of pressure on your situation, your couple - we never announced that we were boyfriend and girlfriend. "I knew Arabella like nine days, 10 days, nothing in there is fake, I vibed with her and I can't fake that stuff." He added: "I think we were just at different stages in life. She'd just come out of a high-profile relationship and I remember saying to her, 'I think you need to go and figure out what it is you want to do and heal from that as well'." Prior to her time on Love Island All Stars Arabella dated Manchester City footballer Rueben Dias .

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Almost every week there is a new toxic culture story in the media, and Australia is no exception. Allegations of toxic management have been reported at WiseTech , Country Road Group, Bureau of Meteorology and Sony Australia to name a few. The culture in some parts of Nine (the owner of this masthead) was alleged to be so toxic that employees dubbed it “Punishment Island ”. According to research , almost half the world’s population dreads going to work. That feeling, in the pit of the stomach, of having to work in an environment of uncertainty, fear, poor communication, micromanagement, bullying or daily toxic behaviours can be difficult to bear. No human being should ever suffer at the hands of a bad boss and in situations where you cannot quit. Credit: Andrew Quilty Yet, what the research doesn’t make clear, is that regardless of this feeling of dread, people will show up anyway because, well, they have to. Groceries need to be bought, mortgages or rent need to be paid, children need to be educated or loved ones cared for. Far too often the advice – if you dread going to work – is simply to quit. But for many this is impossible, as the uncertainties are too great or the risks of loss of income too high. So how do you deal with a toxic boss when quitting isn’t an option? In my experience of having worked with individuals in this position there are eight steps I always advise before thinking about taking on the uncertainty of quitting. They are: 1. Look after yourself first. In toxic work situations, your wellbeing needs to be the top priority. Regular exercise, proper nutrition and adequate rest form the foundation of mental resilience. Your physical health directly influences how well you handle workplace challenges. Many toxic bosses have received payouts in the millions for bringing untold misery to the people that report to them. 2. Excellence as protection. Maintaining impeccable work quality to defend against unfair criticism. Model professional behaviour to ensure there can be no blame laid at your door. 3. Document your experiences. Dedicate brief daily moments to record your workplace experiences and feelings. Simple starters such as “My feelings today...“, “What impacted me...” or “Observable actions included...” are a good place to start. This has a two-fold advantage of creating an “audit trail” of how you (and others) are treated and can also help to process your emotions. 4. Open communication channels. If it feels safe enough to do so, engage your manager in professional, focused discussions about specific concerns and potential remedies. Express how their actions or behaviours make you feel. 5. Involve HR. If direct communication with your manager isn’t viable, bring your concerns to your human resources department. Present objective observations (as documented in point number 3) of what you’ve experienced. 6. Consider internal moves. If these approaches prove unsuccessful, explore transfers or temporary assignments within the company to both escape the toxic environment and broaden your experience. 7. Foster relationships. Develop a reliable network of friends, colleagues or mentors who can offer support and perspective when needed. This safety net is essential for navigating difficult times. 8. Define your boundaries. Establish and maintain clear professional limits regarding your time, duties and workplace relationships. If more drastic action is required, then seek professional advice, or if you have witnessed something unlawful, then alert the authorities immediately. I always advise against sharing your experiences on social media. Not only can this bring unwanted attention to you from the media and others, it can also lead to litigation that could destroy your reputation for future work. That said, people often feel they have no other option than to go public to bring their toxic boss to “justice”. However, be aware that how the company chooses to deal with the allegations may not be to your satisfaction. Many toxic bosses have received payouts in the millions for bringing untold misery to people who report to them. No human being should ever suffer at the hands of a bad boss and in situations where you cannot quit (which will always be the best option). Employing the strategies that I have outlined here will not only ensure you manage your mental and physical health but also provide you with an opportunity to deal with your toxic boss. Colin D. Ellis is a five-time best-selling author and culture consultant. His latest book Detox Your Culture will be published in Australia on December 3. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .

Fijiana 7s needs shake-up The performance of the Fijiana 7s needs a shake-up. When Saiasi Fuli was in charge, the Fijiana 7s showed some brilliance, but then the girls faltered as the season progressed. I remember vividly the Fijiana 7s beating Australia 14-12 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in what was the biggest upset of the Games. The Fijiana 7s lost to the Black Ferns 22-17 in extra time and went on to beat Great Britain 21-12 to finish third in the Olympics meet. However, in the last Olympic Games in Paris, the Fijiana 7s lost all their games. They lost 17-14 to Canada, 40-12 to China and 38-7 to the Black Ferns. Brazil added salt to our wounds with a 28-22 win. We finished 12th in Paris after losing 21-15 to South Africa. Fuli stepped down and in came Ratu Timoci Volavola, but the performance has worsened. In Dubai, the Fijiana 7s lost to Ireland 30-12, Australia 42-7 and China 15-14. The side lost again to China 24-7 in the nineth place semi-final and then to Spain 22-5, finishing last in Dubai. In Cape Town, the Fijiana 7s got thrashed by the USA 31-0. In their second pool match, the Fijiana 7s got beaten by Great Britain 22-5. The team managed to win their match against Brazil 22-19 but lost to China again 14-12. I urge FRU to carry out a SWOT analysis on the dismal performance of the Fijiana 7s. We need to get things right! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM, Nadawa, Nasinu. Respect for Fiji The British Lions, Italy, Scotland, Japan and many others have all played international rugby test matches against Fiji in Fiji. And it is heartening to note that Scotland will be playing Fiji in Fiji in July, 2025. However, it is sad and disappointing that two of the world’s rugby superpowers and our closest neighbours in New Zealand and Australia who normally consider ourselves as members of their Pacific family have never considered Fiji as good enough to agree to play test rugby against us in Fiji. This is despite the fact that they have been playing against Fiji for over 100 years and some of these matches played in their own countries. The most recent is the Fiji/New Zealand rugby match played in the US last June supposedly to improve the sport in the biggest economy in the world. What a joke! And Fiji and the interest of Fijians? They obviously were considered even with Fijian Government’s involvement but not considered to be that important to have the test match in Fiji. As always with world rugby involved, we in Fiji are kept in the dark and we should accept whatever they decide supposedly for our interest without any question. Now that we’re in the 21st century, we in Fiji demand that New Zealand and Australia in particular should give Fiji the recognition and respect that it deserves by playing rugby test matches against Fiji in Fiji. The Fiji Government should include this as an agenda item in their next high level dealings with their Governments. Fiji should also as a matter of priority directly approach the South African Government to request rugby test matches between the two countries in their respective countries. I believe Fiji can expect a greater appreciation and respect from them compared to the type of treatment we have been getting from our immediate neighbours. SAVERIO BALEIKANACEA, Delainavesi, Lami Newfound freedom It would appear to me that since the last election when Fijians found their freedoms after 16 long years of “oppression”, personal prejudice and personal opinions by those in power is the basis of all new laws. I believe the elite and those who are in positions of influence have taken this newfound freedom to mean they can make laws based on their personal prejudices and opinions. We are already seeing this not just by what politicians are saying but by village chiefs as well. We are seeing this arrogance almost daily at the highest levels. Isn’t this new found freedom just great? I have always maintained; the people of Fiji are truly blessed. May I add, no one else in the world is as blessed as Fijians. JAN NISSAR, Hiroshima, Japan Nothing has changed! During the FFP’s governing era, most of the current government ministers and senior government officials including some prominent legal eagles, vehemently decried the hosting of conferences, seminars, symposiums, conventions, meetings, etc, at lavish resorts and hotels. However, nothing seems to have changed over the past two years. Recently, the 26th Attorney-General’s Conference was held at the 5-Star Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort at Denarau. Was it a necessity to have it at such a venue? A school hall somewhere in Suva or Nadi could’ve been pre-arranged/organised as it’s the school holidays or even a tent erected at the Albert Park precinct and pay for your own meals and drinks. Imagine the thousands of dollars that could be saved and better utilised elsewhere. Sa sega tu mada mehn ! We have four-legged banded iguanas living in the forests on some of our maritime islands including the invasive iguana on Taveuni.Subsequently, we do have 2-legged chameleons (a lizard which has the ability to change colours to suit the environment) walking the corridors of power. Shame. ANTHONY SAHAI, Levuka, Ovalau Diabetes issue Diabetes has been the subject of the Government and NGOs’ attention in awareness programs to curb the current trend which has put Fiji as one of the highest recorded populations in the world which suffer from this disease. Other than awareness, one sure way to convince people to change their lifestyle is to compel them to become aware of the level of sugar in their blood and this can only be achieved through regular blood tests with glucometers. If Government assists registered diabetes patients and makes these glucometers and its test strips more affordable then this would be a step in the right direction to compel sufferers to change their lifestyle to avoid the extreme results of amputations and untimely demise. Food for thought for Government. EMOSI BALEI, Suva Stop it! The FICAC Commissioner has stressed that it is illegal for civil servants and government entities to ask for Christmas donations and food. Despite her stern warning, I believe one organisation here in the West has sent out an email to various clients requesting for contributions to fund their Christmas festivities. Did they not get the memo? Or did this organisation in question simply chose to disregard FICAC’s firm directive? I strongly urge FICAC to follow up on this specific instance and possibly take action for their lack of adherence and to ensure compliance with the rule. This shameful practice of begging the public for funding must stop. Go source your own dalo, chicken and vuaka. NISHANT SINGH, Lautoka . Ultimate thievery With an unbelievable quizzical state of theft in the country, one of my mates has shared the ultimate thievery act. Upon returning home from a busy Saturday CBD, one realises that his underwear is gone. Not from the clothes line. The one which he had worn to town. MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF, Natabua, Lautoka Mice will play! This week, LTA enforcement officers and police were out around Lautoka City advocating the road safety message with their pens. However, they were not seen around in the evening and late hours of the night. Habitual mindset of illegal drivers, drive around any how. A truck driver double parked on the road to buy booze saying who are you? Meanwhile, a private car loaded seven passengers and made a U-turn before driving off. By the looks of it, when the cat is away, the mice have the field. Thank you LTA and police, don’t give up. Old habits die hard, eh Nishant Singh! NAVNEET RAM (TD), Lautoka Arriving on time Colin Deoki wants the PM to ask his parliamentary colleagues why they arrive late at official speaking engagements (FT 11/12). I can tell him why. It’s a lack of respect for ordinary people and an arrogance of power and an inflated sense of self-importance. I remember the same thing used to happen routinely at Fiji Football organised soccer tournaments. And it was for the same reason. RAJEND NAIDU, Sydney, Australia Rip off! I received an envelope from our friends from abroad with some contents worth $36 together with freight costs. I paid $10.95 to customs and $5.80 to the post office to retrieve the envelope. Being an unemployed senior citizen, the total charge was a rip off in accordance with the envelope. The relevant ministry should seriously consider such costs which vulnerable citizens have to bear. DAVID SUSHIL LAL, Malolo St, Lautoka Multiple coups? Violence against children costs $460m — study (FT 11/12). Is there any study on the cost of the violence and setbacks of our multiple coups? That would make an interesting and illuminating study and warn us not to go down that path ever again if we want our country and its people to progress. RAJEND NAIDU, Sydney, Australia Harmful scenario! I thank Conan Hatch for joining the club, so to speak! And a very special thank you to The Fiji Times for giving his letter the headline — Discipline crisis — for that is exactly what we have on our hands; and it should be on our consciences, too. I received a letter the other day which made the salient point concerning this issue, that today, in the main, the world’s governments mostly comprise younger people — young men and women who have little or no experience — whereas, in days gone by the people we voted into office on our behalf were older: people with experience who had no need to make a mark on society. Today’s authority has been passed to young people who have yet to make their mark and so come up with harebrained schemes without giving thought to the consequences. I recently read Descartes’ Error – Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain, by Antonio R. Damasio: Professor of Psychology, Philosophy and Neurology at the USC — adjunct professor at the Salk Institute — winner of many awards. I confess it is not an easy read, but well worth the effort. He has this to say . . . Early in development, punishment and reward are delivered by parents and other elders and peers, who actually embody the social conventions and ethics of the culture to which (they) belong. In Germany and the Soviet Union during the 1930s and 1940s . . .in Cambodia during the Pol Pot regime . . . a sick culture prevailed upon a presumably normal machinery of reason, with disastrous consequences. Adding that he fears sizeable sectors of society are gradually becoming tragically similar. He states further . . . If the proposed solution to individual and social suffering bypasses the causes of individual and social conflict, it is not likely to work for very long. It may treat a symptom, but it does nothing to the roots of the disease. Damasio stresses: One of the most distinctive human traits is the ability to learn to be guided by future prospects rather than by immediate outcomes, something we begin to acquire in childhood. If we are permitted to acquire it, that is! Most pertinently he claims . . . Lack of reward can constitute punishment and be unpleasant, just as lack of punishment can constitute reward and be quite pleasurable. I have written many times on the loss of a parent’s right to discipline their child and I commend all of those who, few though they may be, have the sense to see the harm we are doing to our children. SUE CAUTY, Pacific Harbour Blood shortage Recently, an elderly relative was admitted to the Acute Surgical Ward at the CWM Hospital in Suva due to a sickness which required her needing a blood transfusion. My concern here is when a patient needs blood, the blood bank will not release blood to the patient until donors are found and donate to the patient due to the existing low levels of blood at the blood bank. To my knowledge, this has been an ongoing problem for many years. A possible solution is if the Army, Navy and Police, etc., were able to donate a pint of blood each. That would lead to a significant boost to the blood bank at the hospitals around the country. Is there sufficient storage space at the major hospitals? In saying that I would like to say a big vinaka vakalevu to the donors who came forward and donated upon our request. Not forgetting the hard-working doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff at the Acute Surgical Ward and the hospital in general. Much respect to you all. Lastly, could the Health Minister please look into this matter which will benefit our people who are in dire need. DEREK FONG TOY, Navua.Back in 2019, Shiza Shahid set out to transform the cookware market forever. According to the Pakistani entrepreneur and social activist, the $23 billion category was “tired” and urgently needed “design and innovation.” And so, she launched Our Place, a brand specializing in aesthetically pleasing, multifunctional, nontoxic cookware. Nearly six years later, the company is a certified hit: It’s a social media sensation (largely because of its sleek designs and multiple color ways) and just recently, the new titanium version of its now-iconic Always Pan was named one of Time’s Best Inventions of 2024. @shiza | Instagram RELATED: Is Enamel Cookware Non-Toxic? Our Top Picks According to Shahid, the key to Our Place’s continued success is its commitment to forward-thinking innovative designs in a great-looking package. “It was very important for us to bring joy and inspiration to the kitchen,” she told Forbes recently. “That’s what beautiful design is—it inspires you. Before Our Place, everything in the kitchen looked the same—black and stainless steel—and was hidden in the back of our cluttered cabinets.” She added: “We say our Always Pan is 10-in-1, but it’s really 11-in-1—enchantment is the eleventh function!” If you want to add a little bit of that enchantment to your kitchen, we’ve picked some of our favorite products from the brand below—from Always Pans to tableware to ovens and more. What is the Our Place pan made of? Our Place offers a wide range of pans and other cookware and bakeware items in a variety of materials. Its classic Always Pan design, for example, features a proprietary long-lasting ceramic non-stick coating called Thermakind, which is entirely free of PFAS. The pan is also available in “heirloom-quality” enameled cast iron , and as of 2024, the ultra-durable Titanium Always Pan Pro is available, too. Our Place BECOME A VEGNEWS VIP : Get exclusive product deals, freebies, and perks galore! According to the brand, the new titanium pan features a patented NoCo (“no-coating”), non-stick technology and a surface that is 300-percent harder than stainless steel. “It’s the first nonstick with zero coating,” Shahid told Forbes. “You can throw it in the dishwasher, scrub it with metal, light it on fire—it’s so easy to use and made to last a lifetime.” 7 product picks from Our Place Our Place offers great-looking, long-lasting, durable pans, but you can also buy everything from knives to ovens from the brand, too. Our Place When it comes to multi-purpose cookware, the new, sleek, hydrophobic Titanium Always Pan Pro is hard to beat. You can use it to sear, fry, bake, roast—you name it, the pan can do it. “It’s not too heavy or lightweight - feels great in my hand and everything cooks evenly without sticking,” says one reviewer on the Our Place website. Another adds: “Size is perfect and finish is beautiful.” Find it here Our Place If you’re short on cabinet space and don’t need to cater family-sized meals, the Mini Always Pan 2.0 is a great alternative to the larger options. Despite its size, it can do everything the original design can do, including baking, sautéing, braising, and so much more. Of course, it comes in multiple colors, including Sage, Spice, and Blue Salt. “Perfect pan for cooking a small meal for one person. Easy clean and healthy,” says one reviewer on the Our Place website. Find it here Our Place Our Place also offers a handy range of kitchen tools, including kitchen shears, a knife block, and a serrated slicing knife, but for a premium tool you can rely on to chop and mince multiple ingredients, check out the Everyday Chef’s Knife. “The best knife there is,” reads one Our Place website review. “Love the selection of colors, how comfortable it is to hold, and the sharpness of it.” Find it here Our Place With 36 pieces, Our Place’s premium, restaurant-grade, chip-resistant Complete Stacking Set has everything you need to fully stock or refresh your tableware, including mugs, platters, serving bowls, and salad plates. The glossy satin exterior of each piece will bring a touch of sophistication to your kitchen. “They stack perfectly and take up so little space,” says one buyer on the Our Place website. Find it here Our Place The Wonder Oven may be small—but do not underestimate its capabilities. The super efficient, high-performance countertop appliance can perform multiple functions, including air-frying, roasting, and baking, and it has multiple levels, so you can fit plenty of food inside. Plus, it looks great, thanks to its colorful retro design. “I’m surprised so much functionality can fit into such a small machine,” says one Our Place customer. Another added: “I don’t think I’ve needed my full-sized oven once since it arrived.” Find it here Our Place A Dutch oven is a kitchen must-have, especially if you enjoy cooking stews, casseroles, curries, and roasts. This one from Our Place comes with enameled cast iron , which means it won’t require any work to season before you use it. The design ticks all of the boxes: It’s sleek, good-looking, durable, and multifunctional. “The color is perfect and is great to even leave out on the counter. Has been perfect for soups & baking sourdough,” said one Our Place reviewer. Find it here Our Place Can’t decide between the Always Pan, the Perfect Pot, and bakeware? The Ultimate Cookware Set gives you the chance to buy everything. It boasts eight of the brand’s most popular pieces, making it the perfect investment for a full kitchen restock. Find it here DON'T MISS OUT : Get breaking news, recipes, and our weekly vegan deal by signing up for our FREE VegNewsletter Love Good Strong Coffee? Check Out These Top Espresso Makers How Important Is a Good Quality Kitchen Knife? Plus, the Best Blades to Try Now Ditch Toxic Black Plastic and Use These Safer Kitchen Utensils Instead JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast. Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. 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General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) Shares Bought by Pathstone Holdings LLCNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.

There's a BBC documentary about loaded magazine on TV tonight. It’s called, imaginatively enough, Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem. It’s supposed to be about loaded magazine. Not the loaded magazine you might have seen on newsagents’ shelves from the early 2000s onwards – airbrushed picture of a half-dressed woman you’ve never heard of, unfunny coverlines and no soul. Not that one. No, this is about the original Loaded magazine that launched in May 1994, the one that had Harry Hill riding a badger, Kathy Burke smoking a fag, and Vic and Bob wearing hats made of meat on the covers. The one with lines like ‘Go Straight To Ale – drinking around the Monopoly board’, ‘Room Servicing – why hotel sex is best’ and this endorsement taken from an interview inside with Sir Michael Caine: “I’ve just been reading Loaded. I was laughing my bollocks off”. The one that used to send writers to impersonate Magnum P.I. in Hawaii, search for Jesus in Jerusalem and get in a ring with Prince Naz whilst also giving the world Platinum Rogues – the league table of celebrity bad behaviour– and the Crisps World Cup. You remember. The Loaded magazine that shut down the London Stock Exchange as traders downed tools to read the December 1994 Kathy Lloyd issue and would soon go on to sell over half a million copies a month and define the last truly great decade. The Loaded magazine that should have been humanely destroyed at the turn of the millennium. That one. Not because, as this missed opportunity of a documentary seems keen to suggest, it promoted some kind of generalised mass misogyny that eventually produced creatures like social media scumbag Andrew Tate – it didn’t – but so that its legacy would not be tainted by the lowest common denominator lads mag flotsam that subsequently appeared in its name and beneath the same iconic logo. The makers of Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem talk to several key members of the original team who patiently try to explain what the magazine was all about. Not easy three decades hence, after years of hedonistic excess and when you never had a clue in the first place. “You can look back now and try and reverse engineer a genius publishing masterplan but there wasn’t one,” says loaded co- founder Tim Southwell . “We just knew that was a market because we were the market and we knew there were millions like us out there. “Up to that point all men had were these faux American po-faced advertising vehicles busy selling a contrived version of alpha male bullshit to desperate wannabes in London and the South-East of England. If you want to talk about toxic masculinity you might start there. “We were just a gang of working-class berks from all over the country who ended up in this insane office producing something for ourselves and our mates that we wanted to read. We’d all had our own fanzines and this was just a bigger version – a national fanzine.” Southwell appears in the documentary and has just updated and republished his book, Getting Away With It to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the launch of the magazine. “This is the inside story,” he continues. “When I was updating it I was even more amazed that we got the thing in the shops every month than I was at the time and I found it hard to believe then.” He’s right. I was there. First as a writer (that was me being embarrassed in the ring by Naseem Hamed) and then as Editor-at-Large where one brief was “Go to America and don’t come back until you’ve got into trouble.” Seeking out the godfather of gonzo journalism and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas author Hunter S. Thompson in Colorado, becoming involved in a bar brawl and being chased across the state line by angry gun-toting cowboys and police before taking refuge at his attorney’s place probably qualified. And this was for a magazine that very nearly didn’t happen at all. A chance phone call in early April 1994 alerted the team to the fact that Kurt Cobain had died. Obviously a tragedy in its own right but of more immediate concern was the fact that issue 1 was at the printers and contained an article pointing out that the Nirvana lead singer wasn’t a proper rock star because, after a recent suicide attempt had failed, he couldn’t even kill himself. Hmmm. A frantic call just in time prevented the debut issue from being pulped. Five years later, a print run of 800,000 copies was about to be destroyed after someone pointed out that the actress Cameron Diaz ’s right nipple was clearly visible on the cover of the February 1999 issue. A big legal no-no only averted when someone came up with the idea of placing a sticker over the “offending” body part with the words, “Free Sticker” on it. This kind of thing happened all the time in a work environment before health and safety even existed but space and certain legal considerations prevent me from describing it in full. Kept away from main building in the kind of low-slung bunker with a shed built on an adjoining roof (planning permission? Er no), panics concerning imminent police busts were frequent while it was not uncommon to find annoying staff members sellotaped to chairs and, having been spun round until their faces turned purple, on the brink of passing out. They would be in good company. There were often unconscious people lying around, some of them even worked there. Perhaps this charming tableau from Southwell’s book best captures the essence of the Loaded office: [A heated exchange has just taken place between a writer and a designer] “When Phil went to the toilet Jon sat down at Phil’s computer and set fire to it. There were flames and black smoke everywhere, fumes and everything. Phil put the fire out with his T-shirt and then carried on working at the computer.” Thefts from the fashion dept became so out of control a secure room had to be constructed (subsequently used to store more exotic contraband) and as the magazine’s success and notoriety spread it became a de facto drop-in centre for a lot of the people associated with the 1990s in Britain or just passing through. Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh was a columnist as was convicted drug dealer/ author Howard ‘Mr Nice’ Marks. Robbie Williams , then in his post Take That wilderness period, would occasionally walk-in off the street looking for someone to go for a drink with. Loaded did not report on the swinging 1990s, it was the swinging 1990s - the in-house bible for that glorious moment in time like Rolling Stone in 60s America. Everybody wanted to be in it – although Noel Gallagher was proving hard to get. We did get him eventually (cover had a roll with it because well... you know) but we should have had him earlier. Southwell had left his dictaphone in a hotel room commandeered by Loaded at a festival. Gallagher was one of many who passed through, found the recording device, interviewed himself and sent someone to deliver it to Southwell... who, to his absolute horror, discovered that in something resembling professionalism had made him switch the batteries round in order to prevent recording over an interview with Mr C from the Shamen. “I only did that once,” he remembers now. “Behave like a professional that is.” By the time of the inaugural Loaded awards in 1999 , Gallagher had been interviewed again by Irvine Welsh and they were both in attendance at West End night club Talk of the Town. It was the hottest ticket in London. As Southwell and I watched from the balcony we could see Noel pouring wine into the glass of Richard Whiteley from Countdown while Welsh was playing I-Spy with Charlatans front man Tim Burgess and page 3 model/ loaded cover girl Jo Guest. Across the way TV presenter Johnny Vaughan and girl band All Saints were deep in conversation with Wolf from Gladiators . Next to them, the actor Robert Carlyle, Paul Weller and George Best were laughing their heads off about something while Southwell’s dad was busy flirting with Kathy Burke. Vic and Bob (“enjoy your lunch and watch out for that lunchtime semi”), Prince Naz, Ali G, The Dice Man novelist Luke Rhinehart, Beastie Boys and Paul Whitehouse all recorded cheeky video messages. As had Jean Reno, star of Leon, with the “Best Assassin” award. I presented it to him in Chicago having been thankfully diverted there (and saving my job, probably) after turning up in LA to interview Bridget Fonda for the cover, failing to do so after falling into the right/ wrong company and disappearing for three days. If this all reads like a rollercoaster of misbehaviour, mayhem and joyous escapism, it should do. It all came to a shuddering halt a few months later on a winter evening in Milan in January 2000. Beth Summers, our “big sister” and brilliant Fashion Editor suffered a major brain injury in a horrific motorbike accident during fashion week. She now receives 24/7 care. As Southwell puts it, “My book is called Getting Away With it... that’s when we stopped getting away with it. The original team were gone in a matter of months. Out of there.” You won’t know this if you watch BBC documentary Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem tonight because it’s not mentioned. In fact, despite being a visionary who did more than anyone else that decade to democratise the business of dressing young British men across every demographic, Beth Summers isn’t mentioned at all. At just about 5ft2in tall, she was The Don nonpareil in the wildest, most dysfunctional, creative and dangerous office in magazine history. One look was all it took to get things done her way. As she said before her accident: “The type of men I was working with at Loaded were so different to those I’d worked with [elsewhere]. I can just remember everyone jumping around all the time, just so over-excited. That was so brilliant. The portrayal of women didn’t bother me. Everyone in the office had a certain respect for me. Also I’ve been there, seen it and done it so you couldn’t actually say anything to me that I was going to be shocked by. Apart from that, I was worse [behaved] than they were.” Despite being concerned enough about Loaded’s legacy and how women felt at about it at the time to talk to several people who had nothing to do with the magazine or appeared in it once or twice, here were the filmmakers with the most positive female and defiantly feminist role model and her incredible story staring them right in the face and they bottled it. They knew the facts. They even filmed Beth’s beautiful 32-year-old daughter Eden, now a successful music PR, and spoke to Southwell and others about what happened in Milan but it’s sadly not in the final cut. Perhaps it didn’t serve a narrative they appeared to have – that Loaded was some kind of touchpaper to an explosion of anti-female sentiment and could be bagged up with all the lads mags that came subsequently. That’s not real Loaded, not the one we worked on that was adored by millions of young men and women who subsequently deserted the title as it morphed into something else . If you want a rush of 90s nostalgia you could watch the documentary tonight – there are still some laugh aloud moments provided by the original team members – but if you manage to get to the end you will find yourself profoundly depressed. Without hope. The very opposite of what it felt like to read the magazine in the 1990s. ‘Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem’ airs on BBC Two on Friday November 22 at 9pm and will also be available on iPlayer . ‘Getting Away With It: The Real Inside Story of Loaded’ is available hereGeneral Motors Pulls The Plug On Cruise Robotaxi Program

The Prime Minister used an op-ed in the Mail on Sunday to vow to “get to grips” with the cost of welfare after figures suggested more than four million people will be claiming long-term sickness support by the end of the decade. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will announce a package of legislation next week designed to “get Britain working” amid Government concerns about the projected rise. Official forecasts published by her department this week show that the number of people claiming incapacity benefits is expected to climb from a pre-pandemic figure of around 2.5 million in 2019 to around 4.2 million in 2029. Last year there were just over three million claimants. The Prime Minister wrote: “In the coming months, Mail on Sunday readers will see even more sweeping changes. Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society. “Don’t get me wrong, we will crack down hard on anyone who tries to game the system, to tackle fraud so we can take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters. “There will be a zero-tolerance approach to these criminals. My pledge to Mail on Sunday readers is this: I will grip this problem once and for all.” Ms Kendall’s white paper is expected to include the placement of work coaches in mental health clinics and a “youth guarantee” aimed at ensuring those aged 18-21 are working or studying.Ukraine collects vast war data trove to train AI modelsIntel (INTC) Replaced by NVIDIA on Dow Jones, Marking Shift in Semiconductor Industry Leadership

( MENAFN - GetNews) Chinese Practice with Chinese Wisdom is a 10-episode TV program produced by Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, one of the most influential media groups in China. It gives a vivid presentation of traditional Chinese cultural elements such as poetry, calligraphy, seal-cutting, traditional Chinese operas, dance, and martial arts, aiming to enrich audiences with cultural enlightenment and aesthetic enjoyment. Through questions, disucssions, elaborations, feelings, and stories shared by guests from around the world, the program, which has been aired in some 40 countries and regions including the United States, France, South Africa, Nigeria, will take you on an enchanting journey along Chinese history and culture, bridging ancient and modern times, as well as China and the world. In a remarkable convergence of ideas that span continents and centuries, the philosophies of Confucius from ancient China and Pericles from classical Athens resonate with striking similarity. Both luminaries, thriving in the 5th century BCE, navigated their societies through paths of ethical and civic enlightenment. Despite the geographical distance and cultural differences, Confucius and Pericles championed the pursuit of the common good, a testament to the universal appeal of their wisdom. In the same studio, guests from various fields such as art, culture, education, media, technology, and medicine from around the world engaged in lively and insightful discussions about the Chinese wisdom hidden within ancient Chinese quotes. They shared their personal experience, professional expertise, and understanding of Chinese culture. The TV program consists of ten episodes, each focusing on classic quotes including: Pursuing Common Good for All, Regarding the People as the Foundation of the State, Governing by Virtue, Embracing Innovation, Appointing Officials Based on merit, Harmonizing Humanity and Nature, Continuous Self-improvement, Embracing the World with Virtue, Acting Friendly and with Intergrity, and Cultivating Neighborliness. MENAFN20122024003238003268ID1109018467 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Hisense's HT Saturn speakers feature wireless Dolby Atmos and room calibration

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#ssbet77bwin US authorities on Tuesday charged the man suspected of gunning down a health insurance CEO in New York earlier this month with murder, including a charge of second-degree murder "as an act of terrorism." Mangione, 26, is accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street on December 4, triggering a nationwide manhunt that ended last week when he was spotted at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. The former data engineer remains jailed in that state as he fights efforts to extradite him to New York to face charges there over the killing, which brought into focus widespread public anger against the US health care system. Mangione "is charged with one count of murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree, including one count of murder in the second degree as an act of terrorism," said Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. Bragg said the terrorism charge was included because the shooting met the prerequisites for such a determination under New York law. "In its most basic terms, this was a killing that was intended to evoke terror and we've seen that reaction," he said. "This was not an ordinary killing." The maximum penalty for the murder charges Mangione faces is life in prison without parole, Bragg said. The suspect was also charged with several crimes related to his possession of a weapon, which authorities said was a 3D-printed "ghost gun." "We allege he... took out a nine-millimeter 3D-printed ghost gun equipped with a 3D-printed suppressor and shot (Thompson) once in the back and once in the leg," said Bragg. "These weapons are increasingly proliferating throughout New York City and the entire country. Evolving technology will only make this problem worse," he said. "Last year, over 80 ghost guns and ghost gun parts were recovered in Manhattan alone." In the wake of Thompson's killing, many social media users have lionized Mangione, with some even calling for further killings of other CEOs. Jessica Tisch, the New York City police commissioner, criticized members of the public who had praised the murder. "In the nearly two weeks since Mr Thompson's killing, we have seen a shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder," said Tisch. Mangione is due in Pennsylvania court on Thursday for a hearing on his extradition to New York. Police say a "life-changing, life-altering" back injury may have motivated Mangione, although they added that there was "no indication" that he was ever a client of UnitedHealthcare. When he was arrested, Mangione had a three-page handwritten text criticizing the US health care system. Police have said that Mangione's fingerprints matched those found near the crime scene, and that shell casings match the gun found on him when he was arrested. Bragg said that the suspect traveled to New York on November 24 with the intention of murdering Thompson. On December 4, he is alleged to have waited "for nearly an hour" outside the hotel where Thompson was shot early that morning. "This was a frightening, well planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation," said district attorney Bragg. bur-aha/md

Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

Washington — President-elect Donald Trump said Republicans will try to end the decades-long ritual of changing the clocks twice a year, saying the GOP will push to eliminate daylight saving time. "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. Though Trump in the past has supported making daylight saving time permanent — that is, keeping clocks shifted one hour ahead, which happens in the spring — his latest comment called for daylight saving time to be eliminated. Daylight saving time ends in the fall when clocks turn back one hour. CBS News has reached out to his spokesperson for clarification. Congress enacted daylight saving time in 1918 to add additional daylight hours and help conserve energy during World War I. It was implemented again during World War II. In 1973, Congress briefly made daylight saving time permanent, but reversed course just months later after public opinion soured on the experiment. The current practice of starting daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March and ending it on the first Sunday in April was enacted under President George W. Bush. Ending the biannual ritual would require congressional approval. The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022 that would have made daylight saving time permanent the next year. But the bill was never taken up in the House. In October, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who is Trump's pick to lead the State Department, and Sen. Edward Markey, an Oregon Democrat, called on Congress to pass the legislation. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump has tapped to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, also recently commented on the clock changes, with Musk calling it "annoying" and Ramaswamy saying it's "inefficient." Daylight Saving Time Donald Trump Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic to $8 billion in a deepened collaboration on artificial intelligence, the companies said Friday. The e-commerce and technology behemoth will remain a minority investor in Anthropic, having pumped an initial $4 billion into the artificial intelligence developer late last year and becoming its primary cloud computing provider. "The response from AWS customers who are developing generative AI applications powered by Anthropic in Amazon Bedrock has been remarkable," said Matt Garman, chief of AWS cloud computing division. "We'll keep pushing the boundaries of what customers can achieve with generative AI technologies." Amazon is investing the additional $4 billion in Anthropic as part of an expanded alliance that includes working together on "Trainium" hardware to optimize machine learning, according to the companies. "We're looking forward to working with Amazon to train and power our most advanced AI models using AWS Trainium, and helping to unlock the full potential of their technology," said Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! The announcement came just days after Britain's competition regulator cleared Google-parent Alphabet's investment in Anthropic, following a probe. The Competition and Markets Authority concluded that the big tech giant had not acquired "material influence" over Anthropic as a result of the deal, which was reported to have cost $2 billion. The British regulator is one of several global regulators concerned with reining in big tech companies and their partnerships with AI firms. In September, the CMA cleared Amazon's initial investment in Anthropic, saying it did not believe that "a relevant merger situation has been created." gc/mlmDear Eric: I’m a 75-year-old amateur songwriter. I’m also a widower going on three years. When my wife of 42 years was alive, I wrote songs for and about her. I’d record them at home and send the recordings to our boys and in-laws who always responded positively. Now I have a live-in girlfriend whom my boys and family all embrace. Everyone says they’re happy that I’m happy and with someone who fits in well. Now my songs are about her and us. I recently (naively?) sent out a new recordings to the usual recipients and am troubled about whether to do it again. One son’s cryptic response made me call him to talk it through. Even though he wants me to be happy, he really doesn’t want to hear my songs that embrace someone new. My other son was more accepting, but less so than before. My brother-in-law said he could only listen to half of the song because he’s still mourning my wife’s passing. Now I feel like a songwriter who can’t share my songs with the people who matter the most in my life. Of course, we’ve all talked about this, but that doesn’t solve my problem. Is my not sharing this joyful music with my loved ones the only answer? — Music of the Heart Dear Music: It’s wonderful that you’re not only a skilled communicator in song, but also in conversation. You’ve saved everyone some of the heartache of miscommunication by reaching out to your sons and brother-in-law proactively. Right now, your loved ones may not be the best audience. But your music will continue to evolve and their capacity to receive it may as well. Perhaps these are just songs for your girlfriend, or other close friends. Or, try expanding your subject matter for a song or two. Your loved ones may welcome a chance to listen to something else that inspires you. Dear Eric: Sitting there bored and hoping to be ignored is me at get-togethers like meals or parties. I have poor hearing even using well-adjusted hearing aids. I’m generally unable to follow one person. And groups never. I’d much rather be reading or off busy at some hobby, but that would be impolite and inconsiderate of guests. But they are being inconsiderate of me, and that’s somehow OK? My wife helps me by repeating snippets or an occasional question if one is asked of me. Avoid those situations? I do it when I can. Otherwise, the only solution is sitting in noisy silence trying to look awake and involved, and laugh, smile, or frown when others do. Do you have any ideas? — Happy Alone Dear Happy: It’s not inconsiderate to be mindful of the body that you’re in and the things you need. That may look like telling your wife that social get-togethers are out for you. Which is absolutely fine, as long as you’re happy doing other things. If she won’t accept that, you can talk it through, but you can also be firm. This is what feels right for you. Another option is restructuring the get-togethers to better accommodate you, which your friends and loved ones should do. Writing down comments and conversation or using a speech-to-text function on a phone or tablet could help you feel included. It’s not too much to ask. The most important thing is to be vocal about what you need so that those who care about you can help you to get it. Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Yoenis Cespedes is pining for a Mets reunion. The former big league outfielder expressed his desire to play in Queens once again during a live stream from the Instagram account NYM_news on Wednesday. “I’m ready to play but just for the Mets,” Cespedes wrote from his official Instagram account. The Cuba native has been out of the majors since opting out of the 2020 season — after he played eight games — with the Mets due to COVID-19 concerns. At the time, sources told The Post that Cespedes partly stepped away from the team out of frustration with a lack of playing time that prevented him from reaching lucrative performance bonuses. In 2021, Cespedes attempted a comeback , holding a showcase in Fort Pierce, Fla. that 11 teams attended, and briefly spoke with the Mets about a potential reunion, although talks fell apart when the outfielder reportedly claimed he was unwilling to play in the minors. Cespedes, 39, has been out of professional baseball entirely since 2022-23 when he played for Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Winter League. The Mets traded for Cespedes at the 2015 MLB trade deadline in exchange for pitchers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. Before the 2017 season, Cespedes signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Mets. Injuries, including separate surgeries to remove calcifications from both heels, which hampered him over the latter years with the Mets, playing in just 127 games from 2017-20. During five total seasons in the orange and blue, Cespedes hit .279/.344/.539 with 76 home runs and 205 RBIs, including making the National League All-Star team and finishing 8th in NL MVP voting in 2016. Cespedes played eight total seasons in the majors in stints with the A’s, Red Sox and Tigers, in addition to the Mets, after defecting from Cuba in 2011.Jacob Zuma Claims Poverty Would Be Eradicated Under uMkhonto weSizwe Leadership

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) Announces Successful Launch & Deployment of HawkEye 360’s Cluster 11Toronto Argonauts sign American running back Kevin BrownEx-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

Hershey Co. stock rises Thursday, outperforms marketPep Guardiola says rivals are ‘taking the p*** out of us’ as Man City boss admits he is losing sleep over horror runTeamGroup has introduced its Compression Attached Memory Module 2 (CAMM2), promising high-speed DDR5 performance with its new T-Create lineup. The company says CAMM2 features a revolutionary design that offers significant advantages over traditional memory types like SO-DIMM, U-DIMM, and R-DIMM. It supports dual-channel operation with just one module, streamlining system architecture and lowering power consumption. The built-in Client Clock Driver (CKD) boosts signal integrity, making CAMM2 well-suited for slim notebooks while its optimized thermal design enhances heat dissipation, allowing higher performance despite the smaller form factor. CAMM2-compatible motherboards are very scarce The T-Create CAMM2 modules are designed with DDR5-7200 specifications and a CAS latency of CL34-42-42-84, delivering remarkable read, write, and copy speeds of up to 117GB/s, 108GB/s, and 106GB/s, respectively. This performance is achieved through manual overclocking, which has driven latency down to 55ns, a significant reduction compared to typical DDR5 JEDEC specifications. TeamGroup is now focused on pushing boundaries and the company says it is working to achieve even faster speeds, aiming to reach DDR5-8000 and even DDR5-9000 in future iterations. One major setback for TeamGroup lies in the availability of CAMM2-compatible motherboards, which are currently limited. The T-Create CAMM2 memory was tested on ’s Z790 Project Zero, one of the few boards currently compatible with this new form factor. Other brands, such as Gigabyte, hint at possible CAMM2-enabled designs, like an upcoming TACHYON board. However, the CAMM2 ecosystem is still emerging, and widespread adoption may depend on the release of more compatible boards and competitive pricing. Nevertheless, TeamGroup expects to launch the first-generation T-Create CAMM2 modules by Q1 2025, with broader motherboard support potentially arriving as manufacturers introduce new CPU platforms. With and rumoured to announce budget-friendly at CES 2025, the rollout of mid-range boards compatible with CAMM2 could align with TeamGroup’s release plans, potentially helping CAMM2 secure a foothold in the market. CAMM2 offers a couple of advantages over the widely used SO-DIMM, UDIMM, and RDIMM standards. Notably, CAMM2 modules operate in dual-channel mode while only occupying a single physical slot. Furthermore, they incorporate a Client Clock Driver (CKD), similar to CUDIMM memory, which bolsters signal integrity at high speeds, allowing for more reliable and faster memory performance. These features make CAMM2 particularly appealing for laptops, which often face limitations with current SO-DIMM speeds or non-upgradeable LPDDR5/5X options. ViaFortnite: Downtime for the Chapter 6 Update - Godzilla, Baymax, & More - Sports Illustrated

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Millions of seniors in the US will have to pay much more for Medicare starting January 1, 2025 – Everything is officialNonePITTSBURGH (AP) — Cam Heyward has been on good teams before. Ones that have captured divisions. Ones that have won playoff games, though admittedly not in a while. The longtime Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, now well into his dotage in his 14th season, can't quite remember having a group like the one that he plays on now. “We have a complete team,” Heyward said. A team that began the season riddled with question marks now finds itself steamrolling toward Christmas with everything on the table. Russell Wilson threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns, Heyward recorded two sacks and the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 27-14 on Sunday even with leading receiver George Pickens watching from the sideline while missing the first game of his career due to a groin injury. While it took Wilson and the rest of the offense time to get going with the productive if volatile Pickens out of the mix, Wilson found his footing in the second half by connecting on touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth and Van Jefferson as the Steelers (10-3) moved two games ahead of Baltimore for the AFC North lead with four weeks to go. Two weeks after a messy pratfall in the snow, Pittsburgh avoided being swept by the Browns for the first time since 1988 by taking advantage of the countless opportunities mistake-prone Cleveland (3-10) provided. Jameis Winston threw two interceptions, Dustin Hopkins missed two makeable field goals when the outcome was still in doubt and a series of ill-time flags added up to the Browns reaching double-digit losses for the 18th time since the franchise returned in 1999. “I don’t believe the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns,” Winston said. “I believe the Cleveland Browns beat the Cleveland Browns.” While Winston avoided the pick-6s that have dogged him throughout his career — including last week in Denver — but did little after hitting Jerry Jeudy for a 35-yard touchdown in the first quarter that gave the Browns an early lead. Winston finished 24 of 41 for 211 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Nick Chubb ran for 48 yards in his return to Pittsburgh after a devastating knee injury on the same field 15 months ago forced him to miss more than a year. Yet the Steelers kept Myles Garrett relatively in check after the defensive star racked up three sacks in Cleveland's snowy upset on Nov. 21 , and Pittsburgh's defense provided the spark that brought the offense to life. The surge began when Winston's screen pass intended for Chubb landed in the hands of 6-foot-4, 309-pound Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, who lugged his first career interception 11 yards. Najee Harris bulled over from 1 yard out five plays later to give the Steelers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. “That's what good teams do this time of year,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “Somebody makes a play, the other side of the ball backs it up. That's what we're trying to do.” Cleveland had chances to keep the Steelers within sight, but Hopkins saw a 38-yard field goal at breezy Acrisure Stadium late in the first half sail wide left, then had a 43-yarder drift wide right early in the third quarter. “I need to find a good swing,” said Hopkins, who has an NFL-high nine misses. “The swing has been tough to find this year.” The Steelers scored on the ensuing possession when Wilson executed a perfect run-pass option by faking the ball to Jaylen Warren, rolling right and finding Jefferson wide-open in the end zone from 10 yards out to make it 20-7. Pittsburgh's Elandon Roberts stuffed Jerome Ford for a 5-yard loss on fourth down to end Cleveland's next possession, and Wilson connected with Freiermuth down the seam. The tight end stumbled into the newly painted yellow end zone to send the Browns back to Cleveland with a loss, just like they have during every regular season visit since 2004. It also sets the stage for a daunting finishing stretch for the Steelers, who face Philadelphia, Baltimore and Kansas City over the next three weeks, with two of the games coming on short rest. While Pittsburgh has quieted much of the noise that surrounded the team after a massive offensive overhaul in the offseason — led by the acquisition of Wilson — the Steelers understand the real test is still to come. “Why not test us before the playoffs, get a feel?” Freiermuth said. “They're all playoff teams we're playing, so it'll be great.” Browns: CB Mike Ford Jr. was placed in the concussion protocol in the first quarter. Steelers: DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) left in the first half and did not return. ... DB Donte Jackson (back) exited in the third quarter. Browns: Host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday. Steelers: Travel to cross-state rival Philadelphia next Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Jesse Hutch’s Daughter, Charlize, Made Her Acting Debut In A Little Women’s Christmas, And Co-Star Jen Lilley Had The Best Reaction To Her PerformanceStar Wars Outlaws Update Brings Much-Needed Gameplay Improvements - IGN Daily FixNot long after former President Donald Trump waxed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency, California Gov. Gavin Newsom moved to position himself as the leader of Resistance 2.0 during the Trump 2.0 Administration. Shortly after the election, Newsom called for a special session of the state legislature to “safeguard California values,” whatever the hell that means. In his proclamation, Newsom said he wants the Legislature to approve funding for the Department of Justice and other state agencies to “immediately file affirmative litigation.” Great, Newsom wants to file one nuisance lawsuit against the federal government after another. Translation: Cheeseball trial lawyers, start your engines! Move over greasy billboard ambulance chasers. There’s a new lame duck governor in town. Trump doesn’t seem to be impressed. He took to Truth Social and posted that, “Governor Gavin Newscum is trying to KILL our Nation’s beautiful California” and “stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again.’” Legislative Republicans are equally unimpressed, with Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher writing in a statement, “The only ‘problem’ it will solve is Gavin Newsom’s insecurity that not enough people are paying attention to him...There will not be a single policy implemented in this special session that couldn’t be addressed when the Legislature reconvenes in January.” Why is Newsom participating in such an obvious and pathetic publicity stunt? Because he has to. If Newsom wants to run for president as the de-facto leader of the Democratic Party, he has two years to earn that honor. In 2026 Newsom will be past his freshness date due to term limits. Of course, the exact date will remain a mystery, since he recently outlawed posting ‘best by’ date stamps on food. He’ll go from being a “somebody” to being a “former somebody” overnight – like a B-list actor whose sitcom just got canceled. Next stop: signing autographs at the Beverly Garland Hotel in North Hollywood for $25 bucks a pop. Out of office, Newsom will lose relevance, the ability to make news, and the power to do favors for political benefactors. He will become like so many former politicians — out in the wilderness and looking for a way to get back in the game. In addition, he will lose the ballot designation as ‘Governor of California,’ which looks a lot better on paper than, oh, I don’t know, Herbalife salesman. It’s not the old days when nominees were chosen at the conventions by political fat cats in smoke-filled rooms, where long time relationships mattered. There are still backrooms with kingmakers, but these days they’re all vaping. Now, nominees are chosen by primary voters with short term memories and fleeting attention spans. For Newsom, the dates on the calendar just don’t work out. 2024 was his chance to run for President as a sitting governor against a much older Republican. However, one Sunday evening summer tweet from President Joe Biden endorsing Kamala Harris for president took that opportunity away from him, and now he’s trying to make the best of a bad situation. If Newsom chooses to remain in public office, there aren’t many good options. Both of California’s U.S. Senate seats are currently occupied by Democrats, including one that Newsom appointed, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. Any statewide constitutional office would be a major step down compared to being governor. And no one is buying Gavin Newsom as Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant’s successor. Also, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Kamala Harris won’t be around to make him a cabinet secretary. The one option he has would be to replace former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi as the member of Congress representing San Francisco. Typically going from governor to congressman would be seen as a step backwards, but not replacing her and not in that seat – particularly for an audience of Democratic primary voters. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | Will Trump turn his ‘fix it’ gaze toward FTC, DOJ abuses? Opinion Columnists | Where do Democrats go from here? Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Susan Shelley: Slow counts show election system needs reform Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises If Newsom was the congressman from San Francisco, he could take his dramatic stunts to the floor of the House, and become a reliable flamethrower on the CNN and MSNBC talking-head shows. And presto, before you know it he’d have had his teeth bonded and he’s dating Kimberly Guilfoyle again. For this to work, it would require the 84 year-old Pelosi to retire from congress. Earlier this month Pelosi was re-elected to yet another two-year-term, and then on November 14th, she opened up a campaign account to run for re-election in 2026. Once again, Newsom gets Trumped by the calendar. His only remaining shot at the White House will be for him to concoct the mother of all publicity stunts in order to regain the spotlight. My advice: see if Mike Tyson has one more fight left in him. John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.

The Atlantic Liberal caucus is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign as party leader in a letter expressing "deep concern" about the future of government. The letter dated Dec. 23 was shared publicly Sunday by New Brunswick MP Wayne Long, who has been saying since the fall that Trudeau should step down. Long wrote in a Facebook post that he shared the letter for "openness and transparency." "If we are to have any chance in the next election, and prevent a Pierre Poilievre government, we need new leadership with a new vision for our party and the country," Long wrote. Atlantic caucus chair and Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois penned the letter, saying it is no longer "tenable" for Trudeau to continue to lead the party. The letter notes that the country faces "instability" amid U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's tariff threats and signals from opposition parties that they will declare non-confidence in Trudeau's government at the first opportunity. The letter thanks Trudeau for his nine years of service as prime minister, saying he leaves a "positive and consequential legacy." It cautions Trudeau that could be undone if he stays on as leader. The letter comes less than two weeks after Chrystia Freeland's resignation from Trudeau's cabinet as finance minister and deputy prime minister. "Our colleagues this morning expressed their deep personal affection for you, their pride in our work as a Liberal team, but also their deep concern that without a leadership change that progress will be lost under a Pierre Poilievre-lead government," Blois wrote to Trudeau. The letter concludes with a call for a national caucus meeting in early January so the Liberal MPs can discuss their next steps. Blois did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Trudeau is said to be thinking about his future during the holiday break. Conservative MP John Williamson said Friday he plans to introduce a non-confidence motion at the next public accounts committee meeting on Jan. 7. If that motion is successful at committee, it would be forwarded to the House of Commons and could be voted on as soon as Jan. 30, triggering an election if it passes. The Conservatives brought forward three non-confidence motions during the fall sitting of the House of Commons, which the Liberals survived thanks to support from the NDP. However, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh now says that his party has lost confidence in the government and intends to bring forward a non-confidence motion in the new year, regardless of who is Liberal leader. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. MORE POLITICS NEWS 'We need new leadership': Atlantic Liberal caucus calls for Trudeau's resignation 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Criminologist says Canada should better track foreign student departures Gerry Butts says Trudeau less likely to remain leader since Freeland quit Conservatives call for no-confidence vote by late January Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Bloc Quebecois as official Opposition? Leader says Canadians 'don't have to fear us' IN DEPTH Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power. 'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties. 'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it. Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports. 'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday. Opinion opinion | Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election? opinion | Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus. opinion | Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place. opinion | Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point. opinion | Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing. CTVNews.ca Top Stories BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. Possible explosion at Metro Vancouver strip mall under investigation Police and firefighters were called to the scene of a potential explosion at a Metro Vancouver strip mall Sunday morning. Eastern Ontario police arrest Scarborough resident found with nearly $50K of cocaine Police in eastern Ontario charged a Toronto resident who was allegedly in possession of hundreds of grams of cocaine earlier this month. 2 teenagers arrested, 1 suspect at-large after attack involving bear spray, machete A pair of teenaged boys have been charged with aggravated assault after police said they attacked a man with bear spray and a machete Friday evening. Plane crashes and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board were killed in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters, officials said. Online child exploitation spiked during lockdowns. Police worry it's here to stay Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. 4.1 magnitude earthquake in western Quebec felt in Ottawa and Montreal The earth moved in the Maniwaki area this Sunday morning. No damage was reported after a 4.1 magnitude earthquake rattled the Maniwaki area in western Quebec, according to Earthquakes Canada. Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves' L.A. home turns up in Chile Police in Chile say they have recovered three watches belonging to 'John Wick' star Keanu Reeves – including a US$9,000 Rolex – that are thought to have been stolen from the actor's Los Angeles home in late 2023. Canada Eastern Ontario police arrest Scarborough resident found with nearly $50K of cocaine Police in eastern Ontario charged a Toronto resident who was allegedly in possession of hundreds of grams of cocaine earlier this month. Police, coroner investigating two deaths at Brantford, Ont. encampment An investigation is underway into the deaths of two people at an encampment in Brantford, Ont. TSB investigating airplane landing incident at Halifax airport The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says they are investigating an aircraft incident at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport that caused temporary delays to all flight operations Saturday night. Possible explosion at Metro Vancouver strip mall under investigation Police and firefighters were called to the scene of a potential explosion at a Metro Vancouver strip mall Sunday morning. 2 teenagers arrested, 1 suspect at-large after attack involving bear spray, machete A pair of teenaged boys have been charged with aggravated assault after police said they attacked a man with bear spray and a machete Friday evening. Vancouver man defrauded Chinese developers of US$500K, court rules A Vancouver man has been ordered to pay more than US$500,000 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found he had defrauded the would-be developers of a real estate project in China of that amount. World BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Plane crashes and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board were killed in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters, officials said. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to 'hush up' the issue for days. Russian man arrested for allegedly running LGBTQ2S+ travel agency found dead in custody A Russian man arrested for allegedly running a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in custody in Moscow, rights group OVD-Info reported Sunday, amid a crackdown on LGBTQ2S+ rights in Russia. An Israeli airstrike near the Syrian capital kills 11, war monitor says An Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday killed 11 people, according to a war monitor, as Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure even after the ouster of former president Bashar Assad. Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters U.S. president-elect Donald Trump appears to be siding with Elon Musk and his other backers in the tech industry as a dispute over immigration visas has divided his supporters. Politics 'We need new leadership': Atlantic Liberal caucus calls for Trudeau's resignation The Atlantic Liberal caucus is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign as party leader in a letter expressing "deep concern" about the future of government. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Health Recognize the name Jolt Cola? The 1980s soda aims to make a comeback — this time with even more caffeine Jolt Cola, the soda brand that gained attention in the 1980s for offering “all the sugar and twice the caffeine,” is heading back to stores in 2025. This time, it’s promising more than twice the original caffeine content. Are you stretching correctly? Fitness experts break down what to do pre- and post-workout As you head into the gym, you likely already have a workout plan in mind. Maybe you're taking a light jog on the treadmill, or you're working on some bicep curls on arm's day. To get the most out of your gym session, consider first how you start and end your workouts. If you're mentally struggling during the holidays, here’s how to cope For many people, celebrating New Year’s Day can include reflecting on a life well lived or a chance to start anew. But for some, the holiday may have dark undertones, according to a recent large study. Sci-Tech Beware the slithering scales: Monkeys fear snakeskin even when it's not on a snake, study suggests A new study suggests monkeys can identify snakes by their scales, and know to fear them, even when those scales aren't on a snake. Why Nefertiti still inspires, 3,300 years after she reigned In the modern day, Nefertiti’s significance as a cultural icon remains strong. NASA spacecraft 'safe' after closest-ever approach to sun NASA said on Friday that its Parker Solar Probe was 'safe' and operating normally after successfully completing the closest-ever approach to the sun by any human-made object. Entertainment 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films dominated the holiday box office this week, with 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' winning the three-day weekend over 'Mufasa' by a blue hair. Canadian model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Dayle Haddon, an actor, activist and trailblazing former 'Sports Illustrated' model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. 'Home Alone' director Chris Columbus explains how the McCallisters were able to afford that house Audiences have wondered for years how the family in 'Home Alone' was able to afford their beautiful Chicago-area home and now we know. Business A by-the-numbers look back at Canadian finance in 2024 The big questions in Canadian finance heading into 2024 were whether the economy could avoid a recession and what would happen with interest rates. Markets stumble as Wall Street sells off Big Tech U.S. stocks ended Friday in the red, closing out a lackluster week despite a year of historic highs. Trump asks U.S. Supreme Court to pause law that could ban TikTok President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to pause implementation of a law that would ban popular social media app TikTok or force its sale, arguing he should have time after taking office to pursue a 'political resolution' to the issue. Lifestyle Looking to get rid of your Christmas tree? This farm will feed it to its goats Now that the holidays are almost over, many people may be looking to dispose of their Christmas tree. One farm in Massachusetts is letting people do just that, in a furry and eco-friendly way. Proposal gone wrong: Man opens ring box to find ring missing Dave Van Veen wanted to make his proposal to his girlfriend, Kailyn Kenney, memorable. It was, but not for the reason he had hoped. Missing dog returns to Florida family, rings doorbell After a nearly weeklong search, Athena, a four-year-old German Shepherd and Husky mix, found her way home to her Florida family in time for Christmas Eve and even rang the doorbell. Sports 'Let's not panic': Canada picks up the pieces after ugly Latvia loss at world juniors Canada was embarrassed on home soil 3-2 by Latvia — a country it had thumped by a combined 41-4 score across four previous meetings — in a shocking shootout Friday. Olympic Games in 2026 on the horizon for world champion ski jumper Alex Loutitt The words "why not me" are tattooed on the back of Alexandria Loutitt's hand between her thumb and wrist. New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. Autos Suzuki Motor former boss who turned the minicar maker into a global player dies at 94 Osamu Suzuki, the charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. who helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company, has died, the company said Friday. He was 94. More drivers opt for personalized plates in Sask. — and behind every one there's a story You may have noticed a few more vanity plates on Saskatchewan roads in recent years, and every one of them comes with a personal story. Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world's third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. Local Spotlight Community partners in Windsor propose education campaign to veer people away from payday loans In a move aimed at combatting the financial strain caused by payday loans, the City of Windsor is considering the launch of a comprehensive education campaign to promote alternative financial options. Port Elgin, Ont. woman named Canada's Favourite Crossing Guard A Port Elgin woman has been named one of three of Canada’s Favourite Crossing Guards in a recent contest. 'Something that connected us all': For 53 years, Sask. family celebrates holidays with street hockey game For over 50 years, Stephen Lentzos and his family have celebrated Christmas Day with a street hockey game. 43-quintillion combinations: Speedcubers solve Rubik's Cubes in record breaking times On Saturday, Barrie is testing the abilities of some of the fastest cube solvers from across the province and around the world. B.C woman awarded nearly $750K in court case against contractor A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision. Ho! Ho! HOLY that's cold! Montreal boogie boarder in Santa suit hits St. Lawrence waters Montreal body surfer Carlos Hebert-Plante boogie boards all year round, and donned a Santa Claus suit to hit the water on Christmas Day in -14 degree Celsius weather. Teen cancer patient pays forward Make-A-Wish donation to local fire department A 16-year-old cancer patient from Hemmingford, Que. decided to donate his Make-A-Wish Foundation gift to the local fire department rather than use it himself. B.C. friends nab 'unbelievable' $1M lotto win just before Christmas Two friends from B.C's lower mainland are feeling particularly merry this December, after a single lottery ticket purchased from a small kiosk landed them instant millionaire status. 'Can I taste it?': Rare $55,000 bottle of spirits for sale in Moncton, N.B. A rare bottle of Scotch whisky is for sale in downtown Moncton, N.B., with a price tag reading $55,000. Vancouver 2 shot during fight outside Surrey pub Two people were injured in a shooting outside of a Surrey pub in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to authorities. Possible explosion at Metro Vancouver strip mall under investigation Police and firefighters were called to the scene of a potential explosion at a Metro Vancouver strip mall Sunday morning. Canucks provide update on Hughes, Petterson Elias Petterson and Quinn Hughes will not be making the Vancouver Canucks’ upcoming two-game road trip, according to the head coach, who gave on update on the injured players Sunday. Toronto ‘Significant rainfall,’ and fog expected in the GTA, much of southern Ontario Sunday It’s expected to be a wet and foggy day across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Sunday, with as much as 30 mm of rain expected in some locations. Suspect charged after woman found dead at Niagara Falls home A suspect has been charged after a woman was found dead inside her Niagara Falls home. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Calgary 1 man hospitalized after being shot in leg near Calgary’s Drop-In Centre One man was taken to hospital after a shooting downtown Saturday night. ‘Eternal optimists’: Southern Alberta farmers wary of drought conditions look to prairie skies for comfort Mcgrath farmer Sean Stanford has lived through too many dry summers to be completely hopeful about the coming growing season in southern Alberta, but he sees signs that the summer of 2025 might be better for farmers than the last few years. Canadian float celebrating Coding for Veterans to participate in Rose Bowl Parade A Canadian parade float will be featured in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California next week. Ottawa Here's how you can watch CTV News at Six on Sundays during the NFL season With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, CTV News at Six will be broadcasting live on our website and the CTV News App. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. 4.1 magnitude earthquake in western Quebec felt in Ottawa and Montreal The earth moved in the Maniwaki area this Sunday morning. No damage was reported after a 4.1 magnitude earthquake rattled the Maniwaki area in western Quebec, according to Earthquakes Canada. Montreal BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Here's how you can watch CTV News Montreal at Six on Sundays during the NFL season With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, CTV News Montreal at Six will be broadcasting live on our website and the CTV News App. McGill research team pioneering stem cell therapy for heart disease treatment In the heart of the McGill University Health Centre’s research institute, Dr. Renzo Cecere and his team are revolutionizing the future of cardiac care. Edmonton Edmonton to start up cold weather response plan Monday morning The City of Edmonton is activating its extreme weather response plan with the weather forecast calling for cold temperatures over the next eight days. 2 vehicles fall through ice at Sylvan Lake, promoting police warning RCMP issued a warning Saturday after two vehicles fell through the ice on Sylvan Lake. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Atlantic TSB investigating airplane landing incident at Halifax airport The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says they are investigating an aircraft incident at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport that caused temporary delays to all flight operations Saturday night. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. N.B. entrepreneur honours memory of mother with 'thank you' note legacy N.B. entrepreneur Emily Somers honours her mother with 'thank you' notes. Winnipeg Stolen vehicle chase ends in arrest, drug seizure A Winnipeg man has been charged with several offences after a police chase involving a stolen vehicle and hundreds of dollars worth of drugs. Winnipeg hotel fire forces residents to evacuate A fire at a Winnipeg hotel forced residents to leave the building Sunday morning. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Regina Regina police charge 2 youths in city's 6th homicide of 2024 Two Regina teens are facing murder charges in connection to the death of a Regina man on Boxing Day. Hockey talent showcased in Regina for Male U15, Top 160 tournament The last weekend of 2024 saw Saskatchewan's best hockey players under 15 years of age showing off their skills at the Co-operators Centre in Regina. Regina man showcases local bead supply business Jeramy Hannah recently began selling beading supplies, after he realized the beaders in his life were struggling with a lack of local vendors, prompting him to create a business called Bead Bro. Kitchener Police, coroner investigating two deaths at Brantford, Ont. encampment An investigation is underway into the deaths of two people at an encampment in Brantford, Ont. Cambridge industrial plant dealing with major damages after fire A fire Saturday morning has a Cambridge industrial plant dealing with major damage. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. Saskatoon U18 provincials curling tournament underway in PA Teams from across Saskatchewan are in Prince Albert for the U18 curling provincials. Police made two arrests following a shooting in Saskatoon A swift response from Saskatoon police led to the arrest of a man and woman following a reported shooting Friday afternoon. Saskatoon fire crews battle house fire Saskatoon firefighters responded to a house fire on the 100 block of Klassen Crescent Friday afternoon. Northern Ontario Mississauga tow truck driver charged for impersonating a cop in northern Ont. A southern Ontario resident has been charged for allegedly impersonating a peace officer during a towing incident in northwestern Ontario. BREAKING | Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, a Georgia peanut farmer who vowed to restore morality and truth to politics after an era of White House scandal and who redefined post-presidential service, died Sunday at the age of 100. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. London Fatal crash in Middlesex County Middlesex County OPP attended the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision in Strathroy-Caradoc early Sunday morning. New Year’s Eve in London’s Victoria Park You can ring in 2025 this Tuesday night at London’s free New Year’s Eve in the Park celebration. Can you help solve this cold case in Sarnia? Sarnia police are seeking the public’s help in finding any new leads for a cold case from over 20 years ago. Barrie Deluxe taxi goes up in flames in Barrie parking lot Some locals were quick to pull out their cellphones and capture a minivan as it went up in hot flames in a Barrie parking lot. Region under rainfall warning, fog advisory Many areas across Simcoe Muskoka, upper York Region and Grey County are under rainfall warnings and fog advisories as of Sunday morning. $47K in drugs seized, man arrested in alleged domestic assault Police in Owen Sound made one arrest and seized a ‘large’ quantity of multiple drugs after responding to an alleged domestic assault on Saturday. Windsor Crews battle two apartment fires in under two hours Windsor Fire and Rescue responded to two calls at Ouellette Avenue apartment buildings Sunday morning. 'Pretty limited' options for Liberal MPs calling for leadership change As calls mount within the federal Liberal Party for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as leader, one political analyst says there’s little his detractors can do to force his hand. Woman with outstanding warrant arrested in Chatham One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent police officers conducted a traffic stop Saturday in Chatham. Vancouver Island Victoria police seek witnesses, additional victims after hit-and-run spree A woman is facing seven charges after allegedly committing multiple hit-and-run crashes in a stolen vehicle while impaired, according to police in B.C.'s capital. Online child exploitation spiked during lockdowns. Police worry it's here to stay Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. Vancouver man defrauded Chinese developers of US$500K, court rules A Vancouver man has been ordered to pay more than US$500,000 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found he had defrauded the would-be developers of a real estate project in China of that amount. Kelowna B.C. team building 100 beaver 'starter homes' in the name of wetland preservation More than 70 manmade beaver dams have been installed in Interior waterways since the B.C. Wildlife Federation project launched last year with the goal of building 100 dams by the end of 2025. B.C. man charged with drug trafficking and weapons offences after CBSA investigation A resident of B.C.'s Interior has been charged with weapon and drug trafficking offences after an investigation launched by border agents at Vancouver International Airport earlier this year. B.C woman awarded nearly $750K in court case against contractor A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision. Lethbridge Lethbridge residents pay it forward as Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign exceeds fundraising goal with $232K The Salvation Army surpassed what it considered to be an ambitious fundraising goal for this holiday season. Lethbridge fire crews greet Christmas putting down structure fire at oil change business Lethbridge firefighters started off Christmas morning responding to a major structure fire at an oil change business. Lethbridge Police investigating suspicious death inside motel room Lethbridge Police are investigating after a body was found inside a southside motel room on Saturday. Sault Ste. Marie Provincial police investigate fatal commercial vehicle crash in northwestern Ont. Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal crash on Highway 17 between Sistonen's Corner to Upsala in northwestern Ontario. Mississauga tow truck driver charged for impersonating a cop in northern Ont. A southern Ontario resident has been charged for allegedly impersonating a peace officer during a towing incident in northwestern Ontario. Man shot by officer after firing at police car near Thunder Bay: SIU Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is probing a shooting near Thunder Bay in which a man was shot and wounded by a police officer on Boxing Day. N.L. Icebreaker on hand in Labrador to guide season's last freight arrivals by ferry A Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker is in central Labrador until Saturday to guide the Kamutik W ferry on its last freight deliveries of the season. Whooping cough in Canada: Outbreaks or case increases reported in these provinces Canadian health officials say they're seeing spikes in whooping cough cases in parts of the country as the U.S. deals with case numbers not seen in more than a decade. Her son needed help with addiction. Instead, he's spending Christmas in N.L. jail. As Gwen Perry prepares for a Christmas without contact from her son, who is locked inside a notorious St. John's, N.L., jail, she wants people to understand that many inmates need help, not incarceration. Stay ConnectedF1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26

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Delaware judge rejects Musk's $56 billion Tesla pay - againCFP ranking aggravation is becoming as American as apple pie. But no one’s more incensed than Lane Kiffin. Ole Miss’ head coach tore into the CFP selection committee on Wednesday morning after the penultimate rankings revealed his 9-3 Rebels came in at No. 13 — one spot shy of the top-12 and likely on the outside-looking-in when the inaugural expanded 12-team playoffs kick off in two weeks. “You guys actually meet for days and come up with these rankings??” Kiffin wrote on X . “Do you actually watch the quality of players, teams, and road environments (we played in one of yours this year) or just try and make the ACC feel relevant?? [By the way], one of your teams paid us not to play again next year.” That team would be Wake Forest for a reported sum of $750,000. After Ole Miss squashed Wake Forest 40-6 in Winston-Salem in mid-September, Demon Deacons brass made the “ business decision ” to buy their way out of the 2025 iteration of the home-and-home series, which would have taken place at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. Kiffin’s question-mark-riddled-rant continued, his focus shifting to another ACC team, the Miami Hurricanes, who came in one spot ahead of his Rebels in the latest rankings. “Same #12 spot you guys had Clemson ranked [as] last week. How did that go against the SEC??? Rewatch [Georgia versus] Clemson closely if you want a reminder of the two conferences.” (For others who need a reminder: the Bulldogs throttled the Tigers 34-3 in Week 1 of the 2024 season.) Despite his ethos- pathos- logos-laden appeal, Kiffin’s Rebels are likely done for the season. Only championship games remain before the selection committee draws up the playoff bracket , and because the Rebels missed out on the SEC title game, it’s hard to see how they’d move up the ladder in the next seven days. Kiffin can take solace in the fact that neither the 4-8 Demon Deacons nor the 10-2 Hurricanes will likely make the playoffs either. Despite Miami’s top-12 ranking, because of the way the playoffs are formatted — the five highest-ranked conference champions receive automatic qualifications — No. 15 Arizona State or No. 16 Iowa State will claim the final playoff berth by virtue of winning the Big 12. If the Rebels had managed to overcome Florida or LSU or Kentucky — the same Wildcats who lost eight times in 2024 and finished 1-7 in conference play — Kiffin wouldn’t be cursing the high heavens in the first place. But, of course, every team can play that game. Miami’s athletic director Dan Radakovich hasn’t shied away from making his thoughts known, but had Miami taken care of business at Syracuse on Saturday, the AD would still be lifting the U. In the words of ACC conference commissioner Jim Phillips, “As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the Committee will reconsider and put a deserving [insert your preferred team here] in the field.” Just don’t hold your breath.



NoneKlubnik's 3 TD passes, DT Page's pick-6 lead No. 17 Clemson to 51-14 win over The Citadel

Pep Guardiola: If I can’t reverse Manchester City slide then I have to goIndia Industrial Air Compressor Market Size 2024: Global Share, Industry And Report Analysis By 2031 | Airman Asia Sdn Bhd (Hokuetsu Industries Co., Ltd.) Atlas Copco AB BAUER COMPRESSORS INC. 12-28-2024 11:05 AM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: orion market research India Industrial Air Compressor Market India industrial air compressor market is estimated to grow modestly at a CAGR of around 6.2% during the forecast period. This informative India Industrial Air Compressor Market report provides new method and covers foremost regions such as Latin America, Middle East, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. Making most out of the consumer insights and market opportunities, market players can boost up the revenue rate of their business. It also permits key organizations to make communication with customers and know their demands for making right investment in the product development. By increasing the product portfolio by referring the important market data provided in this India Industrial Air Compressor Market research report, key players can grow and expand their business forward. Continuously developing customer demands are also described in this global report to help new entrants make required changes in the final product launch and then bring into the market. It becomes easy for key players to prioritize the demands and requirements of target audience and have complete understanding of end-user experience with the help of this India Industrial Air Compressor Market study report. Get Free Sample link @ https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/india-industrial-air-compressor-market According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the cumulative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India's manufacturing sector reached nearly $91.2 billion during April 2000-June 2019. Cohesive government initiatives such as "Make in India", huge FDI inflow, and significant efforts of major manufacturing companies such as GE Healthcare, Siemens AG, HTC, Toshiba Corp., and Boeing AG to set up their manufacturing plants in India, is further anticipated to contribute towards the growth of the industrial air compressor market in the country. A full report of India Industrial Air Compressor Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/india-industrial-air-compressor-market •Market Coverage •Market number available for - 2024-2031 •Base year- 2024 •Forecast period- 2024-2031 •Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications •Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill Inc., and others Market Segmentation India Industrial Air Compressor Market by Type oPortable oStationary India Industrial Air Compressor Market by Technology oDynamic Displacement Compressors oAxial Flow Air Compressors oCentrifugal Compressors oPositive Displacement Compressors oRotary Air Compressors oReciprocating Compressors India Industrial Air Compressor Market by End-User oFood & Beverages oOil & Gas oEnergy and Power oManufacturing oAutomotive oOthers (Construction and Mining) Company Profiles oAtlas Copco AB oBAC Compressors oBAUER COMPRESSORS INC. oCurtis-Toledo, Inc oELGi Equipments Ltd. oGeneral Electric Co. oHitachi Ltd. oIndo-Air Compressors Pvt. Ltd. oKirloskar Pneumatic Co. Ltd. oSiemens AG The Report Covers •Comprehensive research methodology of the India industrial air compressor market. •This report also includes a detailed and extensive market overview with key analyst insights. •An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations. •Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the India industrial air compressor market. •Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the India industrial air compressor market. •Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues. •Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players. For More Customized Data, Request for Report Customization @ https://www.omrglobal.com/report-customization/india-industrial-air-compressor-market About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies. Media Contact: Company Name: Orion Market Research Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari Email: info@omrglobal.com Contact no: +91 780-304-0404 This release was published on openPR.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The new chief of the Los Angeles police force said his department is working with consulate offices for Mexico and other Central American countries to draft a plan to protect immigrants ahead of the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jim McDonnell said his tenure as police chief will be marked by high engagement with the community, adding that all of society must participate in the criminal justice system to create a safe place to live. A veteran police officer and former sheriff, McDonnell was selected by Mayor Karen Bass in October and sworn in last month . The LAPD does not stop people or take action for any reason related to immigration status, and it doesn’t enforce immigration laws, a practice that has been in place for 45 years, said McDonnell, referring to a department policy known as Special Order 40 enacted in 1979. Any immigration enforcement would be “undercutting our primary mission, which is to be able to build public trust to work with every member of all of our communities, to be able to have hope that people will come forward if they were a victim of crime, a witness to a crime,” McDonnell said. The department plans to work with the consulates to create and circulate a video explaining their policies to the immigrant community and alleviating their concerns. During the last Trump administration, the U.S. Justice Department attempted to withhold funding from sanctuary cities and favor cities that pledged to cooperate with immigration enforcement for federal grants. McDonnell said the department is “cognizant of what’s at stake” –- with a majority of the LAPD budget going toward personnel, the police force often relies on grants to provide for equipment and tools. He will be working with national police groups like the Major Cities Chiefs Association to advocate for law enforcement needs with the Trump administration, McDonnell said. Along with engaging the immigrant community, McDonnell said he hopes to seek a greater level of engagement from communities that traditionally haven’t felt comfortable doing so, “just human-to-human, going out and asking for help.” He also vows to build back the police force from currently just under 9,000 sworn officers to a baseline of 10,000, ideally even exceeding that number. While recent recruitment class size numbers have been in the mid-30s, he hopes to double that to 60, McDonnell said. The additional officers will be crucial as Los Angeles prepares to play host to a number of events that will draw visitors from all over the world, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl in 2027 and the Olympics in 2028. One additional tool in the law enforcement arsenal is the recent passage of Proposition 36 , which reverted to a previous law making some shoplifting and drug offenses felonies again. While it will mainly affect prosecutors, McDonnell said it will make arrests for those types of crimes “more meaningful” and give local businesses more safety and comfort, preventing them from having to shut down their stores and leave the community. “As we move forward, we do so judiciously so that we use the tools that are available to us,” McDonnell said. Jaimie Ding, The Associated PressThe City boss is enduring the worst run of his glittering managerial career after a six-game winless streak featuring five successive defeats and a calamitous 3-3 draw in a match his side had led 3-0. The 53-year-old, who has won 18 trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, signed a contract extension through to the summer of 2027 just over a week ago. Yet, despite his remarkable successes, he still considers himself vulnerable to the sack and has pleaded with the club to keep faith. “I don’t want to stay in the place if I feel like I’m a problem,” said the Spaniard, who watched in obvious frustration as City conceded three times in the last 15 minutes in a dramatic capitulation against Feyenoord in midweek. “I don’t want to stay here just because the contract is there. “My chairman knows it. I said to him, ‘Give me the chance to try come back’, and especially when everybody comes back (from injury) and see what happens. “After, if I’m not able to do it, we have to change because, of course, (the past) nine years are dead. “More than ever I ask to my hierarchy, give me the chance. “Will it be easy for me now? No. I have the feeling that still I have a job to do and I want to do it.” City have been hampered by a raft of injuries this term, most pertinently to midfield talisman and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. The Euro 2024 winner is expected to miss the remainder of the season and his absence has been keenly felt over the past two months. Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has also not started a match since September. The pressure continues to build with champions City facing a crucial trip to title rivals and Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday. Defeat would leave City trailing Arne Slot’s side by 11 points. “I don’t enjoy it at all, I don’t like it,” said Guardiola of his side’s current situation. “I sleep not as good as I slept when I won every game. “The sound, the smell, the perfume is not good enough right now. “But I’m the same person who won the four Premier Leagues in a row. I was happier because I ate better, lived better, but I was not thinking differently from who I am.” Guardiola is confident his side will not stop battling as they bid to get back on track. He said: “The people say, ‘Yeah, it’s the end of that’. Maybe, but we are in November. We will see what happens until the end. “What can you do? Cry for that? You don’t stay long – many, many years without fighting. That is what you try to look for, this is the best (way). “Why should we not believe? Why should it not happen with us?”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — If things had worked out differently, wide receiver Ladd McConkey might have been standing on the New England Patriots’ sideline Saturday at Gillette Stadium, watching Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert shred his defensive teammates during a 40-7 victory . Instead, McConkey set Chargers rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in a season Saturday. He caught eight passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season totals to 77 receptions and 1,054 receiving yards, breaking Keenan Allen’s marks of 71 catches and 1,046 yards in 2013. McConkey is one touchdown shy of Allen’s rookie record of eight. When the Chargers jettisoned Allen and Mike Williams in a pair of cost-saving moves during the offseason, new General Manager Joe Hortiz had the notion of selecting a standout wide receiver near the top of his to-do list going into the draft. Hortiz picked right tackle Joe Alt with his first-round pick . Hortiz then made what seemed at the time like a minor move. He swapped his second-round pick for the Patriots’ second-round selection, moving up from 37th to 34th to take McConkey , a standout from the University of Georgia. Hortiz added the 137th overall pick as a sweetener to complete the trade. So, it was that McConkey torched the team that ended up trading him. “No extra motivation or anything like that,” McConkey said, laughing when asked about facing the Patriots for the first time since the draft back in April. “I was excited to get drafted. I didn’t care that I got traded. I’m right where I’m supposed to be. It’s a cool moment. I’m glad they drafted me.” McConkey recalled he met with the Chargers only briefly during the Senior Bowl. He didn’t have any inkling that they would have any special interest in drafting him. Little did he know how easily he would mesh with his teammates, and especially Herbert, who has called him a “quarterback’s best friend.” “I always believed in myself, but I didn’t know,” McConkey said of his mindset going into his rookie season. “I didn’t know. Obviously, I wanted to get as many yards as I could and contribute as much as I could. In a sense, I really didn’t think about this, but it is pretty cool. I feel like it just developed.” EXTRA POINTS Derwin James Jr. sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye twice and recovered Maye’s fumble, one of several stellar defensive players Saturday. Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu also sacked Maye once apiece. The Chargers limited Maye to 12 for 22 passing for 117 yards and one touchdown. ... Cameron Dicker kicked field goals of 27, 38, 41 and 35 yards for the Chargers. He accounted for the only points in their 6-0 victory last season over the Patriots, a game played in a steady downpour that limited the Chargers’ offenses to only two successful possessions. ... Wide receiver Joshua Palmer suffered a heel injury and didn’t return to the game. He was walking with the aid of crutches after the game. Defensive back Elijah Molden departed the game on a cart after suffering a shin injury on a non-contact play. Molden wore a walking boot after the game.

Some concert-goers are making the naughty list this year after a physical fight broke out during Mariah Carey's Christmas time concert in Baltimore. As Mariah sang her Christmas classic All I Want for Christmas Is You chaos erupted in the crowd as four to five people began yelling and throwing drinks and punches during the show . The altercation, which was captured on video, has spread all across social media and appears to have began between an argument between two women during the closing number. The fight ignited when a curly-haired brunette woman appeared to push a blond woman standing in front of her and the blond woman reacted by turning around and throwing her beer. The brunette women then smacked the other women and two men then seemed to get involved while others in the crowd stepped in to break up the brawl. American Music Awards fans think Mariah Carey 'knew the rent was due' as she takes to the stage Nick Cannon calls ex-wife and mother of twins Mariah Carey his 'best friend' The scene was pure chaos as the women are seen fighting in the crowd while Santas are dancing on stage and confetti rained down from the sky. According to reports by TMZ , the concert-goers involved were escorted out of the venue by private security. While it's difficult to make out exactly what occurred, fans were stunned by the wild turn of events. Under a viral TikTok of the moment , one user that claimed to have witnessed the fight first-hand and commented: "We were right next to them on the way out of the show. The woman was screaming at the man saying 'this was supposed to be a magical night and you were acting like a teenager' and then smacked him." To which the creator replied: "They were acting up all night, seemed like a fun couple haha." In response another person joked: "Ahh, that true American holiday spirit right there." Another replied: "Fighting at a Mariah show is crazy work." While someone else commented: "Fighting while Santa dances in the background is wild." And another person chimed in: "and that confetti was a paid actor." This comes as Mariah is currently on a Christmas concert tour across the US to celebrate the 30th year anniversary of her famous 'Merry Christmas' album. The album has been a staple for fans for decades with Mariah's hit song “All I Want for Christmas is You" topping the Billboard Holiday 100 chart every year since it's release in 1994. The 55-year-old pop star has since been dubbed the "Queen of Christmas" and has been getting fans into the holiday spirit all across the nation. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories. All the latest news, showbiz, lifestyle and sports updates, brought to you by our dedicated American team. Follow the Mirror US News page on Facebook to make sure you're not missing out. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.

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DeSantis quickly sets special election to fill Gaetz’s Republican seat — unlike delay for a Democratic seatBoston City Council reaffirms sanctuary status to “brace for impact’ of Trump mass deportation vow

In 2024, the rich largely got richer as tech stocks flew and markets experienced a postelection bump. However, some luxury titans shed billions amid an industry downturn. Here are the biggest billionaire winners and losers of the year, according to their net worth. Advertisement 2024 was a good year to be a billionaire. The S&P 500 gained 25% this year, while the Nasdaq grew 33%. The uberwealthy, many of whom are invested in companies on each index, benefited greatly. Advertisement The five billionaires who gained the most wealth in 2024 saw their net worths climb a collective $542 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of December 27. These billionaires all come from the tech sector, where AI fever and a postelection rally pushed many stocks to all-time highs. There were, though, those whose fortunes took a hit. Some billionaires whose money comes from luxury retail , which struggled this year, lost double-digit billions. Advertisement Here are the billionaires who gained and lost the most this year — and just how much their fortunes changed as of December 27.NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin extended its streak of record highs after ticking above $99,000 for the first time. The cryptocurrency has rocketed more than 40% in just two weeks. Now, bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000, just two years after dropping below $17,000 following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX . The dramatic rally rolls on as industry players expect the incoming Trump administration to bring a more “crypto-friendly” approach toward regulating the digital currency. Bitcoin was trading at $99,526 Friday afternoon, according to CoinDesk. As with everything in the volatile crypto markets, the future is impossible to know. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. Here’s what you need to know. Cryptocurrency has been around for a while now. But, chances are, you've heard about it more and more over the last few years. In basic terms, cryptocurrency is digital money. This kind of currency is designed to work through an online network without a central authority — meaning it’s typically not backed by any government or banking institution — and transactions get recorded with technology called a blockchain. Bitcoin is the largest and oldest cryptocurrency, although other assets like ethereum, tether and dogecoin have also gained popularity over the years. Some investors see cryptocurrency as a “digital alternative” to traditional money, but the large majority of daily financial transactions are still conducted using fiat currencies such as the dollar. Also, bitcoin can be very volatile, with its price reliant on larger market conditions. A lot of the recent action has to do with the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Crypto industry players have welcomed Trump’s victory, in hopes that he would be able to push through legislative and regulatory changes that they’ve long lobbied for — which, generally speaking, aim for an increased sense of legitimacy without too much red tape. Trump, who was once a crypto skeptic, recently pledged to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. His campaign accepted donations in cryptocurrency and he courted fans at a bitcoin conference in July. He also launched World Liberty Financial, a new venture with family members to trade cryptocurrencies. How of this will actually pan out — and whether or not Trump will successfully act quickly on these promises — has yet to be seen. “This is not necessarily a short-term story, it’s likely a much longer-term story," Citi macro strategist David Glass told The Associated Press last week. "And there is the question of how quickly can U.S. crypto policy make a serious impact on (wider adoption).” Story continues below video One step Trump must take in the short-term is name a new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which shares oversight of cryptocurrencies. Gary Gensler, current chair of the SEC, has led the U.S. government’s crackdown on crypto over recent years, penalizing a number of companies for violating securities laws. But he's also faced criticism from industry players in the process, like the chief legal officer of Robinhood , who described Gensler's approach toward crypto as “rigid” and "hostile.” Gensler will step down in January when Trump takes office. Adam Morgan McCarthy, a research analyst at Kaiko, thinks the industry is craving “just some sort of clarity.” Much of the approach to regulating crypto in the past has been “enforcement based,” he notes, which has been helpful in weeding out some bad actors — but legislation might fill in other key gaps. Despite crypto’s recent excitement around Trump, McCarthy said that 2024 has already been a “hugely consequential year for regulation in the U.S.” — pointing to January’s approval of spot bitcoin ETFs, for example, which mark a new way to invest in the asset. Spot ETFs have been the dominant driver of bitcoin for some time now — but, like much of the crypto’s recent momentum, saw record inflows postelection. According to Kaiko , bitcoin ETFs recorded $6 billion in trade volume for the week of the election alone. In April, bitcoin also saw its fourth “halving” — a preprogrammed event that impacts production by cutting the reward for mining, or the creation of new bitcoin, in half. In theory, if demand remains strong, some analysts say this “supply shock” can also help propel the price long term. Others note it may be too early to tell. History shows you can lose money in crypto as quickly as you’ve made it. Long-term price behavior relies on larger market conditions. Trading continues at all hours, every day. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, bitcoin stood at just over $5,000. Its price climbed to nearly $69,000 by November 2021, during high demand for technology assets, but later crashed during an aggressive series of Federal Reserve rate hikes. And the late-2022 collapse of FTX significantly undermined confidence in crypto overall, with bitcoin falling below $17,000. Investors began returning in large numbers as inflation started to cool — and gains skyrocketed on the anticipation and then early success of spot ETFs. But experts still stress caution, especially for small-pocketed investors. And lighter regulation from the coming Trump administration could mean less guardrails. “I would say, keep it simple. And don’t take on more risk than you can afford to," McCarthy said — adding that there isn't a “magic eight ball” to know for certain what comes next. Assets like bitcoin are produced through a process called “mining,” which consumes a lot of energy. Operations relying on pollutive sources have drawn particular concern over the years. Recent research published by the United Nations University and Earth’s Future journal found that the carbon footprint of 2020-2021 bitcoin mining across 76 nations was equivalent to the emissions from burning 84 billion pounds of coal or running 190 natural gas-fired power plants. Coal satisfied the bulk of bitcoin’s electricity demands (45%), followed by natural gas (21%) and hydropower (16%). Environmental impacts of bitcoin mining boil largely down to the energy source used. Industry analysts have maintained that clean energy has increased in use in recent years, coinciding with rising calls for climate protectionsEAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Jonathan Greenard was gassed, gasping for breath and gulping some water late in the game on Minnesota's sideline, having chased around Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray to the point of sheer exhaustion after fighting through an illness all week. The Cardinals faced fourth down in those closing seconds on Sunday , trailing by one, and Greenard needed a break. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell let defensive coordinator Brian Flores see the formation the Cardinals sent out and deftly called timeout. The Vikings badly wanted Greenard, who'd been battling an illness all week, back in the game. “'You ready to go? You ready to go? You ready to go?'” O'Connell asked, smiling later as he reflected on his eagerness and the rarity of using a timeout to give a defensive player a rest. “No doubt, he was going back on the field and going to have a really impactful snap.” Greenard and the rest of the pass rush put enough heat on Murray to force a hurried throw that Shaquill Griffin intercepted to seal a 23-22 comeback victory that stretched Minnesota's winning streak to five. “He’s playing some high-level football. I don’t know where we’re at with postseason accolades, but he should be in the conversation for a number of those,” Flores said. “I feel like I say this every week: We’re lucky to have him.” Greenard is tied for fourth in the NFL with 32 pressures, according to Sportradar tracking. He's also tied for fourth in the league with 10 sacks. “He’s always popping off the tape, no matter what week it is,” teammate Harrison Smith said. “Especially in crunch time.” Those basic statistics only begin to show the impact Greenard has made on the Vikings, who made him their top priority in free agency this year once it was clear Danielle Hunter priced himself out of the plan. Greenard has not only blossomed into one of the league's most effective edge rushers after four injury-limited seasons with Houston, but he has also been a major part of Minnesota's success against the ground attack to the tune of an NFL-leading average allowance of 81.3 rushing yards per game. “The underrated part is just the all-down aspect of the physicality, setting edges, playing blocks and making some plays at or behind the line of scrimmage that set up his chances to then rush the passer,” O'Connell said. “He’s played a ton. We’re trying to be aware of just how much he’s played and see if we can give him some spurts here and there where we can kind of keep his play count where we want it, but at the same time he’s one of our best players. As I like to call him, he’s the closer.” Never was that nickname more evident than against the Cardinals. Pushed wide on his rush by left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., Greenard stabbed at Murray with his left hand to graze just enough of the ball to poke it loose. Murray fell on it to maintain possession, but the sack put the Cardinals in an uphill third-and-13 play. This time, Greenard deftly slid to the inside to keep full vision on one of the NFL’s most elusive quarterbacks. Pressure by Patrick Jones prompted Murray to take off as he barely avoided another sack, and Greenard was in ideal position to minimize the scramble. Once Murray hesitated to try to juke him and approaching cornerback Byron Murphy for more yardage, Greenard caught up and corralled him — inbounds, forcing the Cardinals to burn another timeout — for a 3-yard gain. Afterward, Greenard drew a straight line from those plays back to his offseason training. “If your tongue ain’t on the ground after your workouts, I feel like you’re not doing enough, especially the guys on the quarterbacks,” Greenard said. With the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd roaring, Greenard doubled over and asked to be subbed out. “I just wanted to show that I’m running my tail off to that football. It just so happened that he cut back and I was like, ‘Oh, perfect,'” Greenard said. “That was tough.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

A credit card user has revealed how she recouped hundreds of dollars from her credit card company. Posting on social media, nat.eberhart described how she called Capitol One to ask them to lower her interest rate. “This is your reminder that sometimes all you have to do is ask for things and you will get them,” she said in her TikTok video. Though her request for the credit card company to lower the rate was refused, the short phone call resulted in them refunding the last three months interest she had paid. “The call was literally four minutes long and I just got back hundreds of dollars,” she disclosed to her followers. The news was greeted enthusiastically by the channel’s users and there were 1, 286 comments on the post. Read more on credit cards “As someone who works in a call center, I will do sooo much more to the nice cutomers than the ones who scream at me,” wrote one respondent. Another confessed: I saw a TikTok about this 2 weeks ago. I immediately contacted my bank and have 0% interest on my credit card for 12 months.” Yet another commented: "I got a 5% decrease. Thanks friend." Responses to the video revealed that it’s not only Capital One that’s responding positively to its account holders. Most read in Money “Discover gave me 0% APR for a year, chatted with them right after I saw this. Thanks for posting!” said one TikTok user. Meanwhile another posted: “I just called discover and they lowered mine 6% - she said it was a standard interest lowering – took about 3 minutes – just be as polite as possible.” However it didn’t work for everybody. “I called all 3 of my CC companies and tried this and they all said NO,” posted one disappointed commenter. NEW YEAR, NEW START Christmas is an expensive time of year and with 2025 just around the corner now is the perfect time to take stock of your credit card finances. Americans were expected to spend up to $2,100 this festive season, according to CBS News , with many overspending and over-extending their budgets . With widespread deals and sales to tempt them, around 27% of US shoppers used debt for holiday purchases in 2023, according to data collected by Morning Consult Pro. FICO, the most widely known credit scoring system, and its rival VantageScore both use a range of 300-850 points. Below we list what's considered a good and bad credit score, according to both systems. FICO Poor: 300-579 Fair: 580-669 Good: 670-739 Very good: 740-799 Exceptional: 800 or above VantageScore Very poor: 300-499 Poor: 500-600 Fair: 601-660 Good: 661-780 Excellent: 781-850 What’s more, 30% of these were still paying off last year’s purchases this year. Author and financial expert Rachel Cruze advises consumers never to use the festive season as an excuse for going into debt. Writing for Fox News , Cruze said: “The problem starts with believing it’s not a big deal to go into debt or swipe a credit card for your holiday gifts. “The easiest way to break this habit we have as a society is to cut up your cards and decide you’ll only use the money that’s in your bank account.” She advises preparing now for next Christmas. “Once January 2025 hits, start saving a little bit every single month for your Christmas expenses,” she says. “Also, remember that lots of Black Friday sales start in mid-November. Planning ahead for Christmas 2025 will help you hop on those deals early.” Read More on The US Sun One couple ended up $20,000 in debt across multiple credit cards after spending on their home. And supermarket giant Walmart came under fire recently from one unhappy customer after holding money from her card.None

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how to withdraw ssbet77 NoneSMCI Stock Rallies 16% As AI Recovers From Setbacks. 'They're Back,' Says Analyst.President-elect has again hinted that he is far from being done waging legal battles after his big win over ABC and star anchor . On his Truth Social platform, Trump reposted a photo of E. Jean Carroll with large letters that read: “Should a woman go to jail for falsely accusing a man of rape? Retruth if you want justice for Trump.” The comments come amid a slew of posts and reposts from the incoming president in which he has suggested that he will undertake efforts to jail and/or take legal action against presumed enemies, including former Wyoming representative , President and even . After Trump lost two defamation suits against Carroll, her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, told a reporter in May that her team would against him after he had posted disparaging remarks on Truth Social. She could not immediately be reached for comment. “We have said several times since the last jury verdict in January that all options were on the table. And that remains true today—all options are on the table,” Kaplan said at the time. Democrats and opposing Republicans alike have been bracing for Trump’s second turn, including President Biden who . President Biden’s administration has also even considered drawing up a to protect Trump’s critics from his ire. However, top Democratic Adam Schiff warned against setting a precedent. “The precedent of giving blanket pardons, preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, I think is a precedent we don’t want to set,” said Schiff in an interview on ABC News’ , reported .Windows runs many background services that drain system resources, even if you never use them. Disabling the right ones can free up memory and boost speed without impacting everyday tasks. In this post, we’ll share the services you can safely turn off for a smoother experience. Before we move to disabling unnecessary services, you need to know how to disable them first. Here’s how: Type “services” in Windows Search and open the Services system app. Now right-click on the service you want to disable and select Properties . Click on Stop to stop the service if it’s running, and then select Disabled in the Startup type section. The service will stop and won’t start again later even if you restart the PC. Tip: to quickly search for a specific service, just type the first few letters of its name without selecting anything. Windows will automatically reach the services with matching starting letters. If you mainly use modern and up-to-date apps and have no interest in helping Microsoft improve Windows by using your data, then you can safely disable these services. Not only will you free up PC resources, but you will also keep your data private. This service tracks your usage and performance data, including usage patterns, system configurations, and software behaviors. This data can then be used by Microsoft to further improve Windows. It doesn’t directly affect you other than using your resources in the background, so you can safely disable it if you don’t want to share this data. You must have seen those “Send Error Report” pop-ups that appear when an app crashes or when a critical error happens. That pop-up is caused by the Windows Error Reporting Service made to send all data related to errors to Microsoft, like memory dumps, running processes, device drivers, etc. If you usually choose “Don’t Send” or don’t want to help Windows learn about the error to fix in the future, you can disable this service. This service runs continuously to detect outdated apps and installers to fix compatibility issues with them. If you don’t use old or outdated apps, you can safely disable this service. For example, I disable it on my PC where I use a specific set of apps and games that don’t face compatibility issues. However, I enable it on my test/work computer as I often experiment with old apps. If you later face any compatibility issues with an app, you can temporarily enable this service. If you have a standalone PC setup, then you can disable many Windows services that are mainly for sharing content over the network. You will free up system resources and also close network loopholes that could be exploited to compromise security. This service allows remote users with proper access to modify the Windows Registry over the network. This is mainly used by administrators to troubleshoot networked computers. Disabling it will improve performance and also prevent malware and viruses from gaining access to the Windows registry remotely. Although it’s mainly used for tracking links/updates between NTFS files on a networked system, it can affect standalone PCs as well, so you need to be a bit careful. DLTC tracks links and their current location; without this tracking, shortcuts can break. For example, if you have a shortcut in the start menu and you change the original location, the shortcut will stop working since the change wasn’t tracked. If this is something you can manage, you can safely disable this Windows service. An essential service to allow file and printer sharing over the network. However, if your system isn’t part of a network, you can disable this service without any consequences. It may affect the Remote Desktop app, though you can still use third-party remote desktop apps . Windows has many services to manage hardware devices like Bluetooth devices or scanners. However, you probably won’t be using all of these peripherals with your PC setup. You can disable services for the one you don’t intend to use. This service controls communication with Bluetooth devices, including pairing, discovery, and maintaining connection. If you don’t use any Bluetooth devices, you can disable this service. In case you do disable this service, you should also disable AVCTP service as it can’t work without Bluetooth Support Service. It’s supposed to help with the remote control functionality of Bluetooth devices, which you won’t be using anyway. Windows Image Acquisition enables seamless interaction between imaging devices and applications on Windows. This includes devices like scanners, cameras, webcams, etc. Most people won’t have to use such devices with their PC. If you are one of them, disable this. This service allows your PC to read smart cards, which are usually used for authentication in corporate environments. If you don’t need to read smart cards, you can disable it to improve performance and even speed up boot times . As the name suggests, this service manages biometric authentication like fingerprint scanner or facial recognition. Since most people use a password for login and some even skip the login screen , many people can disable this without any issues. If you don’t rely on any biometric authentication method, disable it to decrease background processes . These services mainly provide some utility features that most people don’t use in their day-to-day work. If you don’t use the associated feature, it’s safe to disable these services. If you have more than one user account in Windows , you can use the Windows RunAs feature to run a program using another’s account credentials. It’s a nice feature to allow running an app from another account without logging in, but rarely used. If you don’t need to use this feature, disable this service. Most people don’t even know about the Windows Maps app, let alone that it has offline maps to manage. This service manages offline maps and keeps them up-to-date. If you don’t use the Maps app on Windows or don’t keep offline maps, you can disable this service. It might sound very important, but its purpose is only to warn you about security features that usually stay enabled anyway. It keeps a check on the status of security features like antivirus, firewall, UAC, etc., and reports you if it is disabled. Since you usually manually disable these features, you don’t need a service running to notify you. You can disable it if you don’t mess with Windows security functions. No, it will not disable the search functionality. However, it will disable search indexing which makes the search process faster. Windows keeps a content index of your system and ensures it’s up-to-date. This can eat up a lot of resources. If you disable this service, you can still use the search function, but it will be slower. You might also be interested in disabling it as it can cause high CPU usage sometimes. For the tech-savvy who can solve Windows problems on their own, they can disable this service to improve performance. It mainly helps track problems with Windows components and allows you to fix them using the different troubleshooters built into Windows. Once disabled, the troubleshooters will still function, but may not fix problems effectively as they depend on data from this service. Nonetheless, they will still fix common known problems. Disabling these services individually may not yield a huge boost, but together, they can noticeably improve performance. Furthermore, some of the above services are also known to cause high CPU usage and high disk usage issues. You can disable or restart the service if you face such issues. Image credit: Vecteezy . All screenshots by Karrar Haider. Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox Karrar is drenched in technology and always fiddles with new tech opportunities. He has a bad habit of calling technology “Killer”, and doesn't feel bad about spending too much time in front of the PC. If he is not writing about technology, you will find him spending quality time with his little family.

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin: Three things we know, and three things we still don't knowDecember 16, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Nancy W. Stauffer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology As the world looks for ways to stop climate change, much discussion focuses on using hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, which emit climate-warming greenhouse gases (GHGs) when they're burned. The idea is appealing. Burning hydrogen doesn't emit GHGs to the atmosphere, and hydrogen is well-suited for a variety of uses, notably as a replacement for natural gas in industrial processes, power generation, and home heating. But while burning hydrogen won't emit GHGs, any hydrogen that's leaked from pipelines or storage or fueling facilities can indirectly cause climate change by affecting other compounds that are GHGs, including tropospheric ozone and methane , with methane impacts being the dominant effect. A much-cited 2022 modeling study analyzing hydrogen's effects on chemical compounds in the atmosphere concluded that these climate impacts could be considerable. Now, a team of MIT researchers has taken a more detailed look at the specific chemistry that poses the risks of using hydrogen as a fuel if it leaks. The researchers developed a model that tracks many more chemical reactions that may be affected by hydrogen and includes interactions among chemicals. Their results, published in Frontiers in Energy Research , showed that while the impact of leaked hydrogen on the climate wouldn't be as large as the 2022 study predicted, and that it would be about a third of the impact of any natural gas that escapes today—leaked hydrogen will impact the climate. Leak prevention should therefore be a top priority as the hydrogen infrastructure is built, state the researchers. Hydrogen's impact on the 'detergent' that cleans our atmosphere Global three-dimensional climate-chemistry models using a large number of chemical reactions have also been used to evaluate hydrogen's potential climate impacts, but results vary from one model to another, motivating the MIT study to analyze the chemistry. Most studies of the climate effects of using hydrogen consider only the GHGs that are emitted during the production of the hydrogen fuel. Different approaches may make "blue hydrogen" or "green hydrogen," a label that relates to the GHGs emitted. Regardless of the process used to make the hydrogen, the fuel itself can threaten the climate. For widespread use, hydrogen will need to be transported, distributed, and stored—in short, there will be many opportunities for leakage. The question is, what happens to that leaked hydrogen when it reaches the atmosphere? The 2022 study predicting large climate impacts from leaked hydrogen was based on reactions between pairs of just four chemical compounds in the atmosphere. The results showed that the hydrogen would deplete a chemical species that atmospheric chemists call the "detergent of the atmosphere," explains Candice Chen, a Ph.D. candidate in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS). "It goes around zapping greenhouse gases, pollutants, all sorts of bad things in the atmosphere. So it's cleaning our air," she adds. Best of all, that detergent—the hydroxyl radical, abbreviated as OH—removes methane, which is an extremely potent GHG in the atmosphere. OH thus plays an important role in slowing the rate at which global temperatures rise. But any hydrogen leaked to the atmosphere would reduce the amount of OH available to clean up methane, so the concentration of methane would increase. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . However, chemical reactions among compounds in the atmosphere are notoriously complicated. While the 2022 study used a "four-equation model," Chen and her colleagues—Susan Solomon, the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies and Chemistry; and Kane Stone, a research scientist in EAPS—developed a model that includes 66 chemical reactions. Analyses using their 66-equation model showed that the four-equation system didn't capture a critical feedback involving OH—a feedback that acts to protect the methane-removal process. Here's how that feedback works: As the hydrogen decreases the concentration of OH, the cleanup of methane slows down, so the methane concentration increases. However, that methane undergoes chemical reactions that can produce new OH radicals. "So the methane that's being produced can make more of the OH detergent," says Chen. "There's a small countering effect. Indirectly, the methane helps produce the thing that's getting rid of it." That's a key difference between their 66-equation model and the four-equation one. "The simple model uses a constant value for the production of OH, so it misses that key OH-production feedback," she says. To explore the importance of including that feedback effect, the MIT researchers performed the following analysis: They assumed that a single pulse of hydrogen was injected into the atmosphere and predicted the change in methane concentration over the next 100 years, first using four-equation model and then using the 66-equation model. With the four-equation system, the additional methane concentration peaked at nearly 2 parts per billion (ppb); with the 66-equation system, it peaked at just over 1 ppb. Because the four-equation analysis assumes only that the injected hydrogen destroys the OH, the methane concentration increases unchecked for the first 10 years or so. In contrast, the 66-equation analysis goes one step further: the methane concentration does increase, but as the system re-equilibrates, more OH forms and removes methane. By not accounting for that feedback, the four-equation analysis overestimates the peak increase in methane due to the hydrogen pulse by about 85%. Spread over time, the simple model doubles the amount of methane that forms in response to the hydrogen pulse. Chen cautions that the point of their work is not to present their result as "a solid estimate" of the impact of hydrogen. Their analysis is based on a simple "box" model that represents global average conditions and assumes that all the chemical species present are well mixed. Thus, the species can vary over time—that is, they can be formed and destroyed—but any species that are present are always perfectly mixed. As a result, a box model does not account for the impact of, say, wind on the distribution of species. "The point we're trying to make is that you can go too simple," says Chen. "If you're going simpler than what we're representing, you will get further from the right answer. The utility of a relatively simple model like ours is that all of the knobs and levers are very clear. That means you can explore the system and see what affects a value of interest." Leaked hydrogen versus leaked natural gas: A climate comparison Burning natural gas produces fewer GHG emissions than does burning coal or oil; but as with hydrogen, any natural gas that's leaked from wells, pipelines, and processing facilities can have climate impacts, negating some of the perceived benefits of using natural gas in place of other fossil fuels. After all, natural gas consists largely of methane, the highly potent GHG in the atmosphere that's cleaned up by the OH detergent. Given its potency, even small leaks of methane can have a large climate impact. So when thinking about replacing natural gas fuel—essentially methane—with hydrogen fuel, it's important to consider how the climate impacts of the two fuels compare if and when they're leaked. The usual way to compare the climate impacts of two chemicals is using a measure called the global warming potential, or GWP. The GWP combines two measures: the radiative forcing of a gas—that is, its heat-trapping ability—with its lifetime in the atmosphere. Since the lifetimes of gases differ widely, to compare the climate impacts of two gases, the convention is to relate the GWP of each one to the GWP of carbon dioxide. But hydrogen and methane leakage cause increases in methane, and that methane decays according to its lifetime. Chen and her colleagues therefore realized that an unconventional procedure would work: they could compare the impacts of the two leaked gases directly. What they found was that the climate impact of hydrogen is about three times less than that of methane (on a per mass basis). So switching from natural gas to hydrogen would not only eliminate combustion emissions, but also potentially reduce the climate effects, depending on how much leaks. Key takeaways In summary, Chen highlights some of what she views as the key findings of the study. First on her list is the following: "We show that a really simple four-equation system is not what should be used to project out the atmospheric response to more hydrogen leakages in the future." The researchers believe that their 66-equation model is a good compromise for the number of chemical reactions to include. It generates estimates for the GWP of methane "pretty much in line with the lower end of the numbers that most other groups are getting using much more sophisticated climate chemistry models," says Chen. It's also sufficiently transparent to use in exploring various options for protecting the climate. Indeed, the MIT researchers plan to use their model to examine scenarios that involve replacing other fossil fuels with hydrogen to estimate the climate benefits of making the switch in coming decades. The study also demonstrates a valuable new way to compare the greenhouse effects of two gases. As long as their effects exist on similar time scales, a direct comparison is possible—and preferable to comparing each with carbon dioxide, which is extremely long-lived in the atmosphere. In this work, the direct comparison generates a simple look at the relative climate impacts of leaked hydrogen and leaked methane—valuable information to take into account when considering switching from natural gas to hydrogen. Finally, the researchers offer practical guidance for infrastructure development and use for both hydrogen and natural gas. Their analyses determine that hydrogen fuel itself has a "non-negligible" GWP, as does natural gas , which is mostly methane. Therefore, minimizing leakage of both fuels will be necessary to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the goal set by both the European Commission and the U.S. Department of State. Their paper concludes, "If used nearly leak-free, hydrogen is an excellent option. Otherwise, hydrogen should only be a temporary step in the energy transition, or it must be used in tandem with carbon-removal steps [elsewhere] to counter its warming effects." More information: Candice Chen et al, On the chemistry of the global warming potential of hydrogen, Frontiers in Energy Research (2024). DOI: 10.3389/fenrg.2024.1463450 Provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology This story is republished courtesy of MIT News ( web.mit.edu/newsoffice/ ), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.Legal guardianship is focus of new Indiana courts task force

LONDON — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," died, her family said on social media Saturday. She was 73. Hussey died Friday "peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones," a statement posted to her Instagram account said. Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy after spotting her onstage in the play "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," which also starred Vanessa Redgrave. "Romeo and Juliet" won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new actress for her part as Juliet, opposite British actor Leonard Whiting, who was 16 at the time. "Romeo and Juliet" movie director Franco Zeffirelli, left, and actors Olivia Hussey, center, and Leonard Whiting are seen Sept. 25, 1968, in Paris after the Parisian premiere of the film. Decades later Hussey and Whiting brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud over nude scenes in the film. They alleged they were initially told they would wear flesh-colored undergarments in a bedroom scene, but on the day of the shoot Zeffirelli told the pair they would wear only body makeup and the camera would be positioned in a way that would not show nudity. They alleged they were filmed in the nude without their knowledge. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County judge in 2023, who found their depiction could not be considered child pornography and the pair filed their claim too late. Leonard Whiting, left, and Olivia Hussey arrive April 26, 2018, at the screening of "The Producers" at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival Opening Night at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Whiting was among those who paid tribute to Hussey on Saturday. "Rest now my beautiful Juliet no injustices can hurt you now," he wrote. "And the world will remember your beauty inside and out forever." Hussey was born April 17, 1951, in Bueno Aires, Argentina, and moved to London as a child. She studied at the Italia Conti Academy drama school. She also starred as Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the 1977 television series "Jesus of Nazareth," as well as the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile" and horror movies "Black Christmas" and "Psycho IV: The Beginning." She is survived by her husband, David Glen Eisley, her three children and a grandson. Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim, died, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2023. She was 100. Adan Canto, the Mexican singer and actor best known for his roles in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Agent Game” as well as the TV series “The Cleaning Lady,” “Narcos,” and “Designated Survivor,” died Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, after a private battle with appendiceal cancer. He was 42. Bud Harrelson, the scrappy and sure-handed shortstop who fought Pete Rose on the field during a playoff game and helped the New York Mets win an astonishing championship, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. He was 79. The Mets said that Harrelson died at a hospice house in East Northport, New York after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and a former star player in his native Serbia, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, after suffering a heart attack, the team announced. He was 46. Jack Burke Jr., the oldest living Masters champion who staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Houston. He was 100. Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “The Leader of the Pack,” died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 75. Norman Jewison, a three-time Oscar nominee who in 1999 received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, died “peacefully” Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, according to publicist Jeff Sanderson. He was 97. Charles Osgood, who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, hosted the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. He was 91. Melanie, a singer-songwriter behind 1970s hits including “Brand New Key,” died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. She was 76. Born Melanie Safka, the singer rose through the New York folk scene and was one of only three solo women to perform at Woodstock. Her hits included “Lay Down” and “Look What They've Done to My Song Ma.” Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. She was 91. Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, facing-off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. He was 76. Wayne Kramer, the co-founder of the protopunk Detroit band the MC5 that thrashed out such hardcore anthems as “Kick Out the Jams” and influenced everyone from the Clash to Rage Against the Machine, died Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, according to Jason Heath, a close friend and executive director of Kramer's charity, Jail Guitar Doors. Heath said the cause of death was pancreatic cancer. He was 75. Actor Ian Lavender, who played a hapless Home Guard soldier in the classic British sitcom “Dad’s Army,” died Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was 77. Country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith, whose pro-American anthems were both beloved and criticized, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was 62. Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” and “The Rubberband Man,” died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, of natural causes, according to a statement from his spokeswoman. He was 85. Bob Edwards, right, the news anchor many Americans woke up to as founding host of National Public Radio's “Morning Edition” for nearly a quarter-century, died Saturday, Feb. 10, 20243. He was 76. Don Gullett, a former major league pitcher and coach who played for four consecutive World Series champions in the 1970s, died Feb. 14. He was 73. He finished his playing career with a 109-50 record playing for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees. Lefty Driesell, the coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs, died Feb. 17, 2024, at age 92. Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. Despite the effort of Denver Broncos defensive back Steve Foley (43), Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Golden Richards hauls in a touchdown pass during NFL football's Super Bowl 12 in New Orleans on Jan 15, 1978. Richards died Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, of congestive heart failure at his home in Murray, Utah. He was 73. Richards' nephew Lance Richards confirmed his death in a post on his Facebook page. Comedian Richard Lewis attends an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on Dec. 25, 2012. Lewis, an acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain,” died Feb. 27, 2024. He was 76. He died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham. Former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov attends a session of the Federation Council, Russian parliament's upper house, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ryzhkov, former Soviet prime minister who presided over failed efforts to shore up the crumbling economy in the final years before the collapse of the USSR, died Feb. 28, 2024, at age 94. Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. Akira Toriyama is pictured in 1982. Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan's best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, died March 1, 2024. He was 68. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, died March 1, 2024, at 102. Pittsburgh Pirates' Ed Ott slides across home late out of reach of Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey to score the winning run in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series at Baltimore, Oct. 11, 1979. In a photo supplied by ESPN, Chris Mortensen appears on the set of Sunday NFL Countdown at ESPN's studios in Bristol, Conn., on Sept. 22, 2019. Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died March 3, 2024. Singer Steve Lawrence, left, and his wife Eydie Gorme arrive at a black-tie gala called honoring Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas on May 30, 1998. Lawrence, a singer and top stage act who as a solo performer and in tandem with his wife Gorme kept Tin Pan Alley alive during the rock era, died Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at age 88. Gorme died on Aug. 10, 2013. Martin Luther King III, right, the son of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., walks with his daughter Yolanda, and Naomi Barber King, left, the wife of Rev. King's brother, A.D., through an exhibition devoted to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to King at the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014, in Atlanta. Civil rights activist Naomi Barber King died Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Atlanta, according to family members. She was 92. Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford stands near the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever during training Aug. 23, 1965, in the Gulf of Mexico. Stafford, who commanded a dress rehearsal flight for the 1969 moon landing and the first U.S.-Soviet space linkup, died March 18, 2024, at 93. New York Rangers' Chris Simon celebrates his second-period goal against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2004, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. Former NHL enforcer Chris Simon has died. He was 52. Simon died March 18, 2024, according to a spokesperson for the NHL Players' Association. M. Emmet Walsh arrives at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards, March 1, 2014, in Santa Monica, Calif. Walsh, the character actor who brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner,” died March 19, 2024, at age 88, his manager said Wednesday. "Babar" author Laurent de Brunhoff, who revived his father's popular picture book series about an elephant-king, has died at 98 after being in hospice care for two weeks. De Brunhoff was a Paris native who moved to the U.S. in the 1980s. He died March 22, 2024, at his home in Key West, Florida. Just 12 years old when his father, Jean de Brunhoff, died of tuberculosis, Laurent drew upon his own gifts as a painter and storyteller and as an adult released dozens of books about the elephant who reigns over Celesteville, among them "Babar at the Circus" and "Babar's Yoga for Elephants." Longtime Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos has died at the age of 94. His family announced in a statement that Angelos, who had been ill for several years, died March 23, 2024. Angelos was owner of an Orioles team that endured long losing stretches and shrewd proprietor of a law firm that won high-profile cases against industry titans such as tobacco giant Philip Morris. Angelos’ death came as his son, John, was in the process of selling the Orioles to a group headed by Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein. Peter Angelos purchased the team for $173 million in 1993, at the time the highest for a sports franchise. His public role diminished significantly in his final years. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, wave to supporters Oct. 25, 2000, at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn. Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” died March 28, 2024. He was 87. Gossett always thought of his early career as a reverse Cinderella story, with success finding him from an early age and propelling him forward, toward his Academy Award for “An Officer and a Gentleman.” He also was a star on Broadway, replacing Billy Daniels in “Golden Boy” with Sammy Davis Jr. in 1964 and recently played an obstinate patriarch in the 2023 remake of “The Color Purple.” Former cast members of SCTV, from left, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, foreground, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Martin Short, pose at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival on March 6, 1999, in Aspen, Colo. Flaherty, a founding member of the Canadian sketch series “SCTV,” died Monday, April 1, 2024 at age 82. John Sinclair talks at the John Sinclair Foundation Café and Coffeeshop, Dec. 26, 2018, in Detroit. Sinclair, a poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him, has died at age 82. Sinclair died Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at Detroit Receiving Hospital of congestive heart failure following an illness, his publicist Matt Lee said. Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, right, tips his cap to fans as majority owner John Henry holds the 2013 World Series championship trophy during a parade in celebration of the baseball team's win, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, in Boston. Larry Lucchino, the force behind baseball’s retro ballpark revolution and the transformation of the Boston Red Sox from cursed losers to World Series champions, has died. He was 78. Lucchino had suffered from cancer. The Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, his last project in a career that also included three major league baseball franchises and one in the NFL, confirmed his death on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Playwright Christopher Durang appears on stage with producers to accept the award for best play for "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" at the 67th Annual Tony Awards, on June 9, 2013 in New York. Also on stage are actors, background from left, Shalita Grant, Kristine Nielsen and Billy Magnussen. Durang died Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at his home in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, of complications from logopenic primary progressive aphasia. He was 75. In this Oct. 16, 1969 file photo, New York Mets catcher Jerry Grote, right, embraces pitcher Jerry Koosman as Ed Charles, left, joins the celebration after the Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the Game 5 to win the baseball World Series at New York's Shea Stadium. Grote, the catcher who helped transform the New York Mets from a perennial loser into the 1969 World Series champion, died Sunday, April 7, 2024. He was 81. In this July 8, 2003 photo, Lori, left, and George Schappell, conjoined twins, are photographed in their Reading, Pa., apartment. Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died April 7, 2024, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They were 62. A retired U.S. Army colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Korean War died April 8, 2024, at age 97. A funeral home says that Ralph Puckett Jr. died Monday at his home in Columbus, Georgia. President Joe Biden presented Puckett with the Medal of Honor in 2021, more than seven decades after Puckett was seriously wounded leading an outnumbered company of Army Rangers in battle. Puckett refused a medical discharge and served as an Army officer for another 20 years before retiring in 1971. Puckett received the U.S. military's highest honor from President Joe Biden on May 21, 2021, following a policy change that lifted a requirement for medals to be given within five years of a valorous act. O.J. Simpson, left, grimaces June 15, 1995, in a Los Angeles courtroom as he famously tries on one of the leather gloves prosecutors say he wore the night his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. Simpson, t Francis Coppola and wife, Eleanor, pose July 16, 1991, in Los Angeles. Eleanor Coppola, who documented the making of some of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic films, including the infamously tortured production of “Apocalypse Now,” and who raised a family of filmmakers, has died. She was 87. Coppola died April 12, 2024, at home in Rutherford, California, her family announced in a statement. Eleanor, who grew in Orange County, California, met Francis while working as an assistant art director on his directorial debut, the Roger Corman-produced 1963 horror film “Dementia 13.” Their first-born, Gian-Carlo, quickly became a regular presence in his father’s films, as did their subsequent children, Roman, and Sofia. After acting in their father’s films and growing up on sets, all would go into the movies. Robert MacNeil, seen in February 1978, who created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show for with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades, died April 12, 2024, at age 93. Artist Faith Ringgold poses for a portrait in front of a painted self-portrait during a press preview of her exhibition, "American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold's Paintings of the 1960s" at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, June 19, 2013. Ringgold, an award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling, died Friday, April 12, 2024, at her home in Englewood, N.J. She was 93. Alabama coach Bear Bryant, left, talks with his former star quarterback Steve Sloan, right, after practice in Miami for the Orange Bowl game New Years' night against Nebraska, Dec. 29, 1968. Former college coach and administrator Sloan, who played quarterback and served as athletic director at Alabama. has passed away. He was 79. Sloan died Sunday, April 14, 2024, after three months of memory care at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, according to an obituary from former Alabama sports information director Wayne Atcheson. Oakland A's pitcher Ken Holtzman poses for a photo in March 1975. Holtzman, who pitched two no-hitters for the Chicago Cubs and helped the Oakland Athletics win three straight World Series championships in the 1970s, died April 14, 2024. He finished with a career record of 174-150 over 15 season with four teams and was the winningest Jewish pitcher in baseball history. Carl Erskine, center, pictured with teammate Duke Snider, left, and manager Charley Dressen in 1952, after beating the Yankees 6-5 in Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in New York, Oct. 5, 1952. St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog lets umpire John Shulock, right, know how he feels about Shulock's call on the tag attempt on Kansas City Royals Jim Sundberg by Cardinals catcher Tom Nieto, second from left, in the second inning of Game 5 of the 1985 World Series in St. Louis. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., gestures as he answers questions regarding the ongoing security hearing on Capitol Hill, June 18, 2002, in Washington. Guitar legend and Allman Brothers Band co-founder Dickey Betts died April 18, 2024, at age 80. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer wrote the band's biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” Manager David Spero told The Associated Press that Betts died early Thursday at his home in Osprey, Florida. He says Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre: Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined blues, country, R&B and jazz with ’60s rock. David Pryor, a former Arkansas governor and U.S. senator who was one of the state’s most beloved and active political figures, died April 20, 2024, at the age of 89. His son, former two-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, says the Democrat died Saturday of natural causes in Little Rock surrounded by family. David Pryor was considered one of the Democratic party’s giants in Arkansas and remained active in public life after he left office, including serving on the University of Arkansas’s Board of Trustees. Roman Gabriel was known for his big size and big arm. He was the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL. And he still holds the Los Angeles Rams record for touchdown passes. Gabriel died April 20, 2024, at age 83. His son posted the news on social media. He says Gabriel died at home of natural causes. Gabriel starred at North Carolina State and was the No. 2 pick by the Rams in the 1962 draft. The Oakland Raider of the rival AFL made him the No. 1 pick. Gabriel signed with the Rams and later played with the Philadelphia Eagles. Andrew Davis, an acclaimed British conductor who was music director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and orchestras on three continents, died April 20, 2024. He was 80. Davis died Saturday at Rusk Institute in Chicago from leukemia. That is according to his manager, Jonathan Brill of Opus 3 Artists. Davis had been managing the disease for 1 1/2 to 2 years but it became acute shortly after his 80th birthday on Feb. 2. Davis was music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1975-88, Britain’s Glyndebourne Festival from 1988-2000, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1989-2000, then was music director of the Lyric Opera from 2000-21. Former hostage Terry Anderson waves to the crowd as he rides in a parade in Lorain, Ohio, June 22, 1992. Co-pilots Dick Rutan, right, and Jeana Yeager, no relationship to test pilot Chuck Yeager, pose for a photo after a test flight over the Mojave Desert, Dec. 19, 1985. Rutan, a decorated Vietnam War pilot, who along with copilot Yeager completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling, died late Friday, May 3, 2024. He was 85. Music producer Steve Albini, seen in his Chicago studio in 2014, produced albums by Nirvana, the Pixies and PJ Harvey. Albini died at 61. Brian Fox, an engineer at Albini’s studio, Electrical Audio, says Albini died after a heart attack May 7. In addition to his work on canonized rock albums such as Nirvana‘s “In Utero,” the Pixies’ breakthrough “Surfer Rosa,” and PJ Harvey’s “Rid of Me,” Albini was the frontman of the underground bands Big Black and Shellac. He dismissed the term “producer” and requested he be credited with “Recorded by Steve Albini." San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame football player Jimmy Johnson, left, is honored by owner Jed York before a 2011 game between against the St. Louis Rams in San Francisco. Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Jimmy Johnson, a three-time All-Pro and member of the All-Decade Team of the 1970s, has died. He was 86. Johnson's family told the Pro Football Hall of Fame that he died May 8. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He played his entire 16-year pro career with San Francisco. He played in 213 games, more than any other 49ers player at the time of his retirement. San Diego Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs fires a throw to first from his knees but is unable to get Los Angeles Dodgers' D. J. Houlton at first during the third inning of a baseball game June 22, 2005, in San Diego. Burroughs, a two-time Little League World Series champion who won an Olympic gold medal and went on to a major league career that was interrupted by substance abuse, has died. He was 43. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s online records said Burroughs died Thursday, May 9, 2024, with the cause of death deferred. Producer Roger Corman poses in his Los Angeles office, May 8, 2013. Corman, the Oscar-winning “King of the Bs” who helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood's most famous actors and directors an early break, died Thursday, May 9, 2024. He was 98. Saxophone player David Sanborn performs during his concert at the Stravinski hall at the "Colours of Music night" during the 34th Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland on July 10, 2000. Sanborn, the Grammy-winning saxophonist who played lively solos on such hits as David Bowie's “Young Americans” and James Taylor's “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and enjoyed his own highly successful recording career as a leading performer of contemporary jazz, died Sunday, May 12, 2024, at age 78. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, not in photo, during a joint news conference following their meeting at the Presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 24, 2024. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others were found dead at the site of a helicopter crash site, state media reported Monday, May 20, 2024. Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center known as Mr. Raider for his durability through a litany of injuries, died May 19. He was 86. The cause of death was not immediately known. Otto joined the Raiders for their inaugural season in the American Football League in 1960 and was a fixture on the team for the next 15 years. He never missed a game because of injuries and competed in 210 consecutive regular-season games and 308 straight total contests despite undergoing nine operations on his knees during his playing career. His right leg was amputated in 2007. Ivan F. Boesky, the flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals on Wall Street, has died at the age of 87. A representative at the Marianne Boesky Gallery, owned by his daughter, confirmed his death. The son of a Detroit delicatessen owner, Boesky was once considered one of the richest and most influential risk-takers on Wall Street. He had parlayed $700,000 from his late mother-in-law’s estate into a fortune estimated at more than $200 million. Once implicated in insider trading, Boesky cooperated with a brash young U.S. attorney named Rudolph Giuliani, uncovering a scandal that blemished some of the most respected U.S. investment brokerages. Boesky died May 20. Jan. A.P. Kaczmarek poses with the Oscar for best original score for his work on "Finding Neverland" during the 77th Academy Awards, Feb. 27, 2005, in Los Angeles. Polish composer Kaczmarek, who won a 2005 Oscar for the movie “Finding Neverland,” has died on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at age 71. Kaczmarek’s death was announced by Poland’s Music Foundation. Basketball Hall of Fame legend Bill Walton laughs during a practice session for the NBA All-Star basketball game in Cleveland, Feb. 19, 2022. Walton, who starred for John Wooden's UCLA Bruins before becoming a Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the biggest stars of basketball broadcasting, died Monday, May 27, 2024, the league announced on behalf of his family. He was 71. Larry Allen, one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the NFL during a 12-year career spent mostly with the Dallas Cowboys, died June 2. He was 52. The Cowboys say Allen died suddenly on Sunday while on vacation with his family in Mexico. Allen was named an All-Pro six consecutive years from 1996-2001 and was inducted into the Pro Football of Hall of Fame in 2013. He said few words but let his blocking do the talking. Allen once bench-pressed 700 pounds and had the speed to chase down opposing running backs. Bob Hope and Janis Paige hug during the annual Christmas show in Saigon, Vietnam, Dec. 25, 1964. Paige, a popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 80s, died Sunday, June 2, 2024, of natural causes at her Los Angeles home, longtime friend Stuart Lampert said Monday, June 3. Boston Celtics' John Havlicek (17) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers' Chet Walker (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball playoff game April 14, 1968, in Boston. Walker, a seven-time All-Star forward who helped Wilt Chamberlain and the 76ers win the 1967 NBA title, died June 8. He was 84. The National Basketball Players Association confirmed Walker's death, according to . The 76ers, Chicago Bulls and National Basketball Retired Players Association also extended their condolences on social media on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position, died Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. He was 65. Greg Gumbel, left, watches as then-Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun talks to Butler head coach Brad Stevens, right, prior to taping a television interview April 3, 2011, for that year's men's NCAA Final Four college basketball championship game in Houston. Gumbel's family announced Dec. 27 that the longtime CBS sportscaster died from cancer at the age of 78. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox.The biggest myth about Manmohan Singh was that he wasn’t a politician. No one can survive the complex maze that is the Indian political system as a lateral entrant from academia to the upper echelons of the bureaucracy, embed oneself in ministries such as commerce and finance, lead institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India and Planning Commission, work with multiple prime ministers from Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi to Chandra Shekhar to PV Narasimha Rao, navigate the world of international economic policymaking, make the transition from being a bureaucrat to a minister, become the leader of the opposition, and then serve as the prime minister of a country as large, messy, and complex as India for 10 years, as the head of a coalition government with the real power centre being elsewhere, without having a strong political sense. Manmohan Singh did all that. And it was his political sense that helped Singh in cultivating relationships with those who exercise power, grabbing each opportunity that came his way, pushing when possible and retreating when he smelt danger, knowing the big picture always, offering that as a rationalisation while making compromises, and using the combination of understated manner, quiet humility, non-threatening persona, and sheer brilliance to be one of India’s most important post-Independence leaders. The rise to corridors of power To be sure, Singh lost the only Lok Sabha election he fought, from South Delhi, ironically among the geographical hubs that benefited most from his post-1991 economic reforms. This lack of electoral success, or broader mass appeal, was widely considered his biggest weakness but it was also his biggest strength. His experience and credibility as a reformer, his track record as a man of integrity, his personal story from a village in what is now Pakistan through Punjab to Oxbridge to the Delhi School of Economics to North Block may have all been factors in Sonia Gandhi’s decision to pick him as the PM in 2004 — but, arguably, the biggest factor was that Singh did not have a mass base and he wasn’t an operator in the corridors of power and this allowed the family to trust him. Singh ran with the opportunity Gandhi provided in his first term. He politically reinvented himself from being the man who ushered in the reforms to the man who now spoke of reforms with a human face. He knew that Gandhi’s heart lay in social welfare, and perhaps resisting his own impulses, Singh presided over the passage of rights-based legislations even as he ensured robust growth rates. Strategic reset with the West Singh decided that like he would stake it all for reforms in 1991, he would stake it all for the civil nuclear deal with the US — for he saw it as not just a nuclear deal but the beginning of India’s strategic reset with the West in general and US in particular which, in turn, would help India build capabilities in a variety of domains. Singh dared the Left to withdraw support, dared Gandhi to either remove him or come on board, flirted with political operators who opened channels with Samajwadi Party, and eventually had his way, saving both the deal and the government -- a remarkable political feat. It was a combination of his past economic record, growth, inclusive social policies, tactical compromises, foreign policy projection, electoral gambits (including the farm loan waiver), the politics of “secularism” which ensured substantial Muslim consolidation that saw Singh lead Congress to its best ever performance in 2009 elections since 1984. Incidentally, the party hasn’t since improved his record. But that is when the story shifted. A challenging second term The challenges inherent in having two centres of power — 10 Janpath and what was then 7 Race Course Road; Sonia Gandhi and PM Singh — became more apparent in the second term. Suddenly, Singh began looking weak and a man who was holding the office but not exercising power. The baggage of the first term — in terms of arbitrary allocation of resources in exchange for possible benefits from cronies by members of alliance partners — came to public light. Singh began looking compromised, with his biggest asset of integrity under question. The contradictions within his own government — between the two most senior ministers; between Congress and allies; within allies — became a subject of everyday debate. And the man who was feted for having no ambition came across as someone who would tolerate anything for the sake of power, taking away his moral authority. The dip in the economy and spike in prices took away his other USP, of a credible economic manager, with the wider electorate while his government’s decision to impose policies such as retrospective taxation eroded Singh’s appeal with international capital. Singh’s inability to recognise that new forms of media, including social media, were changing how politics was conducted left his government way behind in the public sphere. His inability to manage new forms of mass mobilisation exemplified by the anti-corruption movement led by Arvind Kejriwal eroded both the government’s authority and political legitimacy. His inability to address the increasing grievances of corporate India, which had, for all of the party’s rhetoric, been a part of the Congress coalition, left him without powerful backers. And his inability to stand up to Rahul Gandhi — who tore an ordinance agreed upon by the cabinet in a direct affront to prime ministerial authority — left Singh, at the very end of his political life, appear like an almost forlorn figure. The end of a political journey All of this coincided with the rise of Narendra Modi and his political genius in combining the idea of development, the projection of strength, the subtext of Hindutva, the promise of a clean government to offer an alternative. Building that alternative involved discrediting Singh and his record entirely for the competitiveness of Indian elections leaves no space for nuance. The Bharatiya Janata Party carried out the political demolition job on Singh effectively, destroying the Congress electorally, and reshaping India by coming to power in 2014. But it won’t be a surprise if Modi himself recognises that he has built on the legacy left behind by Singh. Be it the need to deregulate sectors, reduce the overwhelming role of the State in private enterprise, and encourage and embrace the private sector or build a digital identity that could overcome the perennial challenge of welfare delivery; be it the strategic embrace of the West and the recognition that deeper ties with Washington are critical for India to develop and deal with its geopolitical challenges or the realisation that connectivity in the wider subcontinent and improvement of border infrastructure are key for security, India’s current PM and last PM have more in common that their supporters would like to admit. And in that itself lies Manmohan Singh’s finest political legacy. His 1991 reforms trusted Indian citizens over the Indian State, liberated mind sets and created unprecedented opportunities. His prime ministerial stint was a part of the post-1991 continuum where, despite their differences, all governments have sought to champion a mix of economic reforms and welfare internally and closer ties with the West while retaining strategic autonomy externally. Manmohan Singh, along with his old boss PV Narasimha Rao, his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his successor Narendra Modi can be safely described as a part of the quartet who have shaped the India of today in more critical ways than anyone else in the last five decades. For a Sikh boy who saw the ravages of Partition and rose from nothing to lead the world’s largest democracy, it was a life lived well, lived fully, lived with dignity, and lived with tremendous public impact.

LONDON — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," died, her family said on social media Saturday. She was 73. Hussey died Friday "peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones," a statement posted to her Instagram account said. Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy after spotting her onstage in the play "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," which also starred Vanessa Redgrave. "Romeo and Juliet" won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new actress for her part as Juliet, opposite British actor Leonard Whiting, who was 16 at the time. "Romeo and Juliet" movie director Franco Zeffirelli, left, and actors Olivia Hussey, center, and Leonard Whiting are seen Sept. 25, 1968, in Paris after the Parisian premiere of the film. Decades later Hussey and Whiting brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud over nude scenes in the film. They alleged they were initially told they would wear flesh-colored undergarments in a bedroom scene, but on the day of the shoot Zeffirelli told the pair they would wear only body makeup and the camera would be positioned in a way that would not show nudity. They alleged they were filmed in the nude without their knowledge. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County judge in 2023, who found their depiction could not be considered child pornography and the pair filed their claim too late. Leonard Whiting, left, and Olivia Hussey arrive April 26, 2018, at the screening of "The Producers" at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival Opening Night at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Whiting was among those who paid tribute to Hussey on Saturday. "Rest now my beautiful Juliet no injustices can hurt you now," he wrote. "And the world will remember your beauty inside and out forever." Hussey was born April 17, 1951, in Bueno Aires, Argentina, and moved to London as a child. She studied at the Italia Conti Academy drama school. She also starred as Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the 1977 television series "Jesus of Nazareth," as well as the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile" and horror movies "Black Christmas" and "Psycho IV: The Beginning." She is survived by her husband, David Glen Eisley, her three children and a grandson. Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim, died, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2023. She was 100. Adan Canto, the Mexican singer and actor best known for his roles in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Agent Game” as well as the TV series “The Cleaning Lady,” “Narcos,” and “Designated Survivor,” died Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, after a private battle with appendiceal cancer. He was 42. Bud Harrelson, the scrappy and sure-handed shortstop who fought Pete Rose on the field during a playoff game and helped the New York Mets win an astonishing championship, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. He was 79. The Mets said that Harrelson died at a hospice house in East Northport, New York after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and a former star player in his native Serbia, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, after suffering a heart attack, the team announced. He was 46. Jack Burke Jr., the oldest living Masters champion who staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Houston. He was 100. Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “The Leader of the Pack,” died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 75. Norman Jewison, a three-time Oscar nominee who in 1999 received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, died “peacefully” Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, according to publicist Jeff Sanderson. He was 97. Charles Osgood, who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, hosted the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. He was 91. Melanie, a singer-songwriter behind 1970s hits including “Brand New Key,” died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. She was 76. Born Melanie Safka, the singer rose through the New York folk scene and was one of only three solo women to perform at Woodstock. Her hits included “Lay Down” and “Look What They've Done to My Song Ma.” Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. She was 91. Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, facing-off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. He was 76. Wayne Kramer, the co-founder of the protopunk Detroit band the MC5 that thrashed out such hardcore anthems as “Kick Out the Jams” and influenced everyone from the Clash to Rage Against the Machine, died Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, according to Jason Heath, a close friend and executive director of Kramer's charity, Jail Guitar Doors. Heath said the cause of death was pancreatic cancer. He was 75. Actor Ian Lavender, who played a hapless Home Guard soldier in the classic British sitcom “Dad’s Army,” died Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was 77. Country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith, whose pro-American anthems were both beloved and criticized, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was 62. Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” and “The Rubberband Man,” died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, of natural causes, according to a statement from his spokeswoman. He was 85. Bob Edwards, right, the news anchor many Americans woke up to as founding host of National Public Radio's “Morning Edition” for nearly a quarter-century, died Saturday, Feb. 10, 20243. He was 76. He's shown here with sports announcer Red Barber. Don Gullett, a former major league pitcher and coach who played for four consecutive World Series champions in the 1970s, died Feb. 14. He was 73. He finished his playing career with a 109-50 record playing for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees. Lefty Driesell, the coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs, died Feb. 17, 2024, at age 92. Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. Despite the effort of Denver Broncos defensive back Steve Foley (43), Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Golden Richards hauls in a touchdown pass during NFL football's Super Bowl 12 in New Orleans on Jan 15, 1978. Richards died Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, of congestive heart failure at his home in Murray, Utah. He was 73. Richards' nephew Lance Richards confirmed his death in a post on his Facebook page. Comedian Richard Lewis attends an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on Dec. 25, 2012. Lewis, an acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain,” died Feb. 27, 2024. He was 76. He died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham. Former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov attends a session of the Federation Council, Russian parliament's upper house, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ryzhkov, former Soviet prime minister who presided over failed efforts to shore up the crumbling economy in the final years before the collapse of the USSR, died Feb. 28, 2024, at age 94. Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. Akira Toriyama is pictured in 1982. Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan's best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, died March 1, 2024. He was 68. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, died March 1, 2024, at 102. Andy Russell, the standout linebacker who was an integral part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ evolution from perennial losers to champions, died Feb. 29, 2024. He was 82. Russell won two Super Bowls during a 12-year NFL career between 1963-76 that was briefly interrupted by a stint in the military. Russell played in 168 consecutive games and spent 10 years as a team captain. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. Russell remained active in the Pittsburgh community after retiring, writing several books and launching the Andy Russell Charitable Foundation. Pittsburgh Pirates' Ed Ott slides across home late out of reach of Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey to score the winning run in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series at Baltimore, Oct. 11, 1979. Ott, a former major league catcher and coach who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the 1979 World Series, died March 3, 2024. He was 72. He batted .259 with 33 homers and 195 RBIs in 567 major league games. Ott and Steve Nicosia were the main catchers when the Pirates won it all in 1979. In a photo supplied by ESPN, Chris Mortensen appears on the set of Sunday NFL Countdown at ESPN's studios in Bristol, Conn., on Sept. 22, 2019. Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died March 3, 2024. He was 72. Mortensen announced in 2016 that he he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Even while undergoing treatment, he was the first to confirm the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. Mortensen announced his retirement after the NFL draft last year so that he could “focus on my health, family and faith.” Singer Steve Lawrence, left, and his wife Eydie Gorme arrive at a black-tie gala called honoring Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas on May 30, 1998. Lawrence, a singer and top stage act who as a solo performer and in tandem with his wife Gorme kept Tin Pan Alley alive during the rock era, died Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at age 88. Gorme died on Aug. 10, 2013. Martin Luther King III, right, the son of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., walks with his daughter Yolanda, and Naomi Barber King, left, the wife of Rev. King's brother, A.D., through an exhibition devoted to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to King at the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014, in Atlanta. Civil rights activist Naomi Barber King died Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Atlanta, according to family members. She was 92. A Texas man who spent decades using an iron lung after contracting polio as a child died March 11, 2024, at the age of 78. Paul Alexander's longtime friend Daniel Spinks says Alexander died Monday at a Dallas hospital. Spinks called his friend one of the "bright stars of the world.” Friends of Alexander, who graduated from law school and had a career as an attorney, say he was a man who had a great joy for life. Alexander was a child when he began using an iron lung, a cylinder that encased his body as the air pressure in the chamber forced air in and out of his lungs. Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford stands near the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever during training Aug. 23, 1965, in the Gulf of Mexico. Stafford, who commanded a dress rehearsal flight for the 1969 moon landing and the first U.S.-Soviet space linkup, died March 18, 2024, at 93. New York Rangers' Chris Simon celebrates his second-period goal against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2004, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. Former NHL enforcer Chris Simon has died. He was 52. Simon died March 18, 2024, according to a spokesperson for the NHL Players' Association. M. Emmet Walsh arrives at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards, March 1, 2014, in Santa Monica, Calif. Walsh, the character actor who brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner,” died March 19, 2024, at age 88, his manager said Wednesday. "Babar" author Laurent de Brunhoff, who revived his father's popular picture book series about an elephant-king, has died at 98 after being in hospice care for two weeks. De Brunhoff was a Paris native who moved to the U.S. in the 1980s. He died March 22, 2024, at his home in Key West, Florida. Just 12 years old when his father, Jean de Brunhoff, died of tuberculosis, Laurent drew upon his own gifts as a painter and storyteller and as an adult released dozens of books about the elephant who reigns over Celesteville, among them "Babar at the Circus" and "Babar's Yoga for Elephants." Longtime Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos has died at the age of 94. His family announced in a statement that Angelos, who had been ill for several years, died March 23, 2024. Angelos was owner of an Orioles team that endured long losing stretches and shrewd proprietor of a law firm that won high-profile cases against industry titans such as tobacco giant Philip Morris. Angelos’ death came as his son, John, was in the process of selling the Orioles to a group headed by Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein. Peter Angelos purchased the team for $173 million in 1993, at the time the highest for a sports franchise. His public role diminished significantly in his final years. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, wave to supporters Oct. 25, 2000, at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn. Lieberman died March 27, 2024. He was 82 and died Wednesday of complications from a fall. Lieberman nearly won the vice presidency on Democrat Al Gore's ticket in the disputed 2000 White House race. Eight years later, he came close to joining the GOP ticket as John McCain’s running mate. The Democrat-turned-independent stepped down from the Senate in January 2013 after 24 years. His independent streak often irked Senate Democrats he aligned with. Yet his support for gay rights, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental causes at times won him the praise of many liberals over the years. Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” died March 28, 2024. He was 87. Gossett always thought of his early career as a reverse Cinderella story, with success finding him from an early age and propelling him forward, toward his Academy Award for “An Officer and a Gentleman.” He also was a star on Broadway, replacing Billy Daniels in “Golden Boy” with Sammy Davis Jr. in 1964 and recently played an obstinate patriarch in the 2023 remake of “The Color Purple.” Former cast members of SCTV, from left, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, foreground, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Martin Short, pose at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival on March 6, 1999, in Aspen, Colo. Flaherty, a founding member of the Canadian sketch series “SCTV,” died Monday, April 1, 2024 at age 82. John Sinclair talks at the John Sinclair Foundation Café and Coffeeshop, Dec. 26, 2018, in Detroit. Sinclair, a poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him, has died at age 82. Sinclair died Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at Detroit Receiving Hospital of congestive heart failure following an illness, his publicist Matt Lee said. Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, right, tips his cap to fans as majority owner John Henry holds the 2013 World Series championship trophy during a parade in celebration of the baseball team's win, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, in Boston. Larry Lucchino, the force behind baseball’s retro ballpark revolution and the transformation of the Boston Red Sox from cursed losers to World Series champions, has died. He was 78. Lucchino had suffered from cancer. The Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, his last project in a career that also included three major league baseball franchises and one in the NFL, confirmed his death on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Playwright Christopher Durang appears on stage with producers to accept the award for best play for "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" at the 67th Annual Tony Awards, on June 9, 2013 in New York. Also on stage are actors, background from left, Shalita Grant, Kristine Nielsen and Billy Magnussen. Durang died Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at his home in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, of complications from logopenic primary progressive aphasia. He was 75. In this Oct. 16, 1969 file photo, New York Mets catcher Jerry Grote, right, embraces pitcher Jerry Koosman as Ed Charles, left, joins the celebration after the Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the Game 5 to win the baseball World Series at New York's Shea Stadium. Grote, the catcher who helped transform the New York Mets from a perennial loser into the 1969 World Series champion, died Sunday, April 7, 2024. He was 81. In this July 8, 2003 photo, Lori, left, and George Schappell, conjoined twins, are photographed in their Reading, Pa., apartment. Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died April 7, 2024, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They were 62. The University of Edinburgh says Nobel prize-winning physicist Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of a sub-atomic particle that came to be known as the Higgs boson, died April 8, 2024, at 94. Higgs predicted the existence of the particle in 1964. But it would be almost 50 years before the its existence could be confirmed at a particle collider in Switzerland called the Large Hadron Collider. Higgs’ work helps scientists understand of the most fundamental riddles of the universe: how the Big Bang created something out of nothing 13.7 billion years ago. Higgs won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work, alongside Francois Englert of Belgium. A retired U.S. Army colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Korean War died April 8, 2024, at age 97. A funeral home says that Ralph Puckett Jr. died Monday at his home in Columbus, Georgia. President Joe Biden presented Puckett with the Medal of Honor in 2021, more than seven decades after Puckett was seriously wounded leading an outnumbered company of Army Rangers in battle. Puckett refused a medical discharge and served as an Army officer for another 20 years before retiring in 1971. Puckett received the U.S. military's highest honor from President Joe Biden on May 21, 2021, following a policy change that lifted a requirement for medals to be given within five years of a valorous act. O.J. Simpson, left, grimaces June 15, 1995, in a Los Angeles courtroom as he famously tries on one of the leather gloves prosecutors say he wore the night his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. Simpson, t he decorated football star who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but wound up in prison years later in an unrelated case, died April 10, 2024. He was 76. His family made an announcement Thursday in a statement on Simpson's X account. Simpson said last year that he was battling prostate cancer. Simpson’s gridiron legacy was forever overshadowed by the 1994 knife slayings of Brown Simpson and Goldman. A criminal court jury found him not guilty of murder, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable. Simpson's nine-year prison stint in Nevada was for the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers. Francis Coppola and wife, Eleanor, pose July 16, 1991, in Los Angeles. Eleanor Coppola, who documented the making of some of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic films, including the infamously tortured production of “Apocalypse Now,” and who raised a family of filmmakers, has died. She was 87. Coppola died April 12, 2024, at home in Rutherford, California, her family announced in a statement. Eleanor, who grew in Orange County, California, met Francis while working as an assistant art director on his directorial debut, the Roger Corman-produced 1963 horror film “Dementia 13.” Their first-born, Gian-Carlo, quickly became a regular presence in his father’s films, as did their subsequent children, Roman, and Sofia. After acting in their father’s films and growing up on sets, all would go into the movies. Robert MacNeil, seen in February 1978, who created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show for with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades, died April 12, 2024, at age 93. Artist Faith Ringgold poses for a portrait in front of a painted self-portrait during a press preview of her exhibition, "American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold's Paintings of the 1960s" at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, June 19, 2013. Ringgold, an award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling, died Friday, April 12, 2024, at her home in Englewood, N.J. She was 93. Alabama coach Bear Bryant, left, talks with his former star quarterback Steve Sloan, right, after practice in Miami for the Orange Bowl game New Years' night against Nebraska, Dec. 29, 1968. Former college coach and administrator Sloan, who played quarterback and served as athletic director at Alabama. has passed away. He was 79. Sloan died Sunday, April 14, 2024, after three months of memory care at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, according to an obituary from former Alabama sports information director Wayne Atcheson. Oakland A's pitcher Ken Holtzman poses for a photo in March 1975. Holtzman, who pitched two no-hitters for the Chicago Cubs and helped the Oakland Athletics win three straight World Series championships in the 1970s, died April 14, 2024. He finished with a career record of 174-150 over 15 season with four teams and was the winningest Jewish pitcher in baseball history. Carl Erskine, center, pictured with teammate Duke Snider, left, and manager Charley Dressen in 1952, after beating the Yankees 6-5 in Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in New York, Oct. 5, 1952. Erskine, who pitched two no-hitters for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series, has died. Among the last survivors from the celebrated Brooklyn teams of the 1950s, Erskine spent his entire major league career with the Dodgers. He helped them win five National League pennants from 1948-59. Erskine won Game 3 of the 1953 World Series, beating the Yankees 3-2. He appeared in five World Series, with the Dodgers beating the Yankees in 1955 for their only championship in Brooklyn. Erksine died April 16 in his hometown of Anderson, Indiana, according to a hospital official. He was 97. St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog lets umpire John Shulock, right, know how he feels about Shulock's call on the tag attempt on Kansas City Royals Jim Sundberg by Cardinals catcher Tom Nieto, second from left, in the second inning of Game 5 of the 1985 World Series in St. Louis. Herzog, the gruff and ingenious Hall of Fame manager who guided the St. Louis Cardinals to three pennants and a World Series title and perfected an intricate, nail-biting strategy known as “Whiteyball,” has died. Herzog, affectionately nicknamed “The White Rat,” was a manager for 18 seasons, compiling an overall record of 1,281 wins and 1,125 losses. He was named Manager of the Year in 1985. Under Herzog, the Cardinals won pennants in 1982, 1985 and 1987 and won the World Series in 1982, when they edged the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games. He died April 15, 2024, and was 92. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., gestures as he answers questions regarding the ongoing security hearing on Capitol Hill, June 18, 2002, in Washington. Graham, who chaired the Intelligence Committee following the 2001 terrorist attacks and opposed the Iraq invasion, died April 16, 2024. He was 87. His family announced the death Tuesday in a statement posted on X by his daughter Gwen Graham. Graham served three terms in the Senate and two terms as Florida's governor. He made an unsuccessful bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, emphasizing his opposition to the Iraq invasion. But that bid was delayed by heart surgery in January 2003, and he was never able to gain enough traction with voters to catch up. He didn’t seek re-election in 2004 and was replaced by Republican Mel Martinez. Guitar legend and Allman Brothers Band co-founder Dickey Betts died April 18, 2024, at age 80. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer wrote the band's biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” Manager David Spero told The Associated Press that Betts died early Thursday at his home in Osprey, Florida. He says Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre: Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined blues, country, R&B and jazz with ’60s rock. Contemporary Christian singer Mandisa, who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy for her 2013 album “Overcomer,” died April 18, 2024. She was 47. Mandisa gained stardom after finishing ninth on “American Idol” in 2006. In 2014, she won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album for “Overcomer,” her fifth album. She spoke openly about her struggles with depression, releasing a memoir that detailed her experiences with severe depression, weight-related challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and her faith. David Pryor, a former Arkansas governor and U.S. senator who was one of the state’s most beloved and active political figures, died April 20, 2024, at the age of 89. His son, former two-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, says the Democrat died Saturday of natural causes in Little Rock surrounded by family. David Pryor was considered one of the Democratic party’s giants in Arkansas and remained active in public life after he left office, including serving on the University of Arkansas’s Board of Trustees. Roman Gabriel was known for his big size and big arm. He was the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL. And he still holds the Los Angeles Rams record for touchdown passes. Gabriel died April 20, 2024, at age 83. His son posted the news on social media. He says Gabriel died at home of natural causes. Gabriel starred at North Carolina State and was the No. 2 pick by the Rams in the 1962 draft. The Oakland Raider of the rival AFL made him the No. 1 pick. Gabriel signed with the Rams and later played with the Philadelphia Eagles. Andrew Davis, an acclaimed British conductor who was music director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and orchestras on three continents, died April 20, 2024. He was 80. Davis died Saturday at Rusk Institute in Chicago from leukemia. That is according to his manager, Jonathan Brill of Opus 3 Artists. Davis had been managing the disease for 1 1/2 to 2 years but it became acute shortly after his 80th birthday on Feb. 2. Davis was music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1975-88, Britain’s Glyndebourne Festival from 1988-2000, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1989-2000, then was music director of the Lyric Opera from 2000-21. Former hostage Terry Anderson waves to the crowd as he rides in a parade in Lorain, Ohio, June 22, 1992. Anderson, the globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent who became one of America’s longest-held hostages, died April 21, 2024. Anderson was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years. Anderson, who was tortured and chained to a wall, wrote about his experiences in the best-selling memoir, “Den of Lions.” After returning to the United States in 1991, Anderson gave public speeches, taught journalism and, at various times, operated a blues bar, Cajun restaurant, horse ranch and gourmet restaurant. He also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder. British army veteran Bill Gladden, who survived a glider landing on D-Day and a bullet that tore through his ankle a few days later, wanted to return to France for the 80th anniversary of the invasion so he could honor the men who didn’t come home. It was not to be. Gladden, one of the dwindling number of veterans who took part in the landings that kicked off the campaign to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis during World War II, died April 24, his family said. He was 100. With fewer and fewer veterans taking part each year, the ceremony may be one of the last big events marking the assault that began on June 6, 1944. Duane Eddy, a pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser,” “Forty Miles of Bad Road" and “Cannonball” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless other musicians, died April 30 at age 86. With his raucous rhythms, and backing hollers and hand claps, Eddy sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and mastered a distinctive sound based on the premise that a guitar’s bass strings sounded better on tape than the high ones. Author Paul Auster has died at age 77. Auster was a prolific, prize-winning man of letters and filmmaker known for such inventive narratives and meta-narratives as “The New York Trilogy” and “4 3 2 1." Auster’s death on April 30 was confirmed by his literary representatives. Auster completed more than 30 books, translated into dozens of languages. He never achieved major commercial success in the U.S., but he was widely admired overseas for his cosmopolitan worldview and erudite and introspective style. Auster’s novels were a mix of history, politics, genre experiments, existential quests and self-conscious references to writers and writing. Co-pilots Dick Rutan, right, and Jeana Yeager, no relationship to test pilot Chuck Yeager, pose for a photo after a test flight over the Mojave Desert, Dec. 19, 1985. Rutan, a decorated Vietnam War pilot, who along with copilot Yeager completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling, died late Friday, May 3, 2024. He was 85. Music producer Steve Albini, seen in his Chicago studio in 2014, produced albums by Nirvana, the Pixies and PJ Harvey. Albini died at 61. Brian Fox, an engineer at Albini’s studio, Electrical Audio, says Albini died after a heart attack May 7. In addition to his work on canonized rock albums such as Nirvana‘s “In Utero,” the Pixies’ breakthrough “Surfer Rosa,” and PJ Harvey’s “Rid of Me,” Albini was the frontman of the underground bands Big Black and Shellac. He dismissed the term “producer” and requested he be credited with “Recorded by Steve Albini." San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame football player Jimmy Johnson, left, is honored by owner Jed York before a 2011 game between against the St. Louis Rams in San Francisco. Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Jimmy Johnson, a three-time All-Pro and member of the All-Decade Team of the 1970s, has died. He was 86. Johnson's family told the Pro Football Hall of Fame that he died May 8. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He played his entire 16-year pro career with San Francisco. He played in 213 games, more than any other 49ers player at the time of his retirement. San Diego Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs fires a throw to first from his knees but is unable to get Los Angeles Dodgers' D. J. Houlton at first during the third inning of a baseball game June 22, 2005, in San Diego. Burroughs, a two-time Little League World Series champion who won an Olympic gold medal and went on to a major league career that was interrupted by substance abuse, has died. He was 43. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s online records said Burroughs died Thursday, May 9, 2024, with the cause of death deferred. Producer Roger Corman poses in his Los Angeles office, May 8, 2013. Corman, the Oscar-winning “King of the Bs” who helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood's most famous actors and directors an early break, died Thursday, May 9, 2024. He was 98. A.J. Smith, a longtime NFL executive who was the winningest general manager in Chargers history, has died. He was 75. His son, Atlanta assistant general manager Kyle Smith, announced in a statement released by the Falcons that his father died May 12. Kyle Smith said his father had been battling prostate cancer for seven years. The Chargers won five division titles during Smith’s 10 seasons as GM. The franchise’s 98 wins, including the playoffs, were the sixth most in the league from 2003-12. Saxophone player David Sanborn performs during his concert at the Stravinski hall at the "Colours of Music night" during the 34th Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland on July 10, 2000. Sanborn, the Grammy-winning saxophonist who played lively solos on such hits as David Bowie's “Young Americans” and James Taylor's “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and enjoyed his own highly successful recording career as a leading performer of contemporary jazz, died Sunday, May 12, 2024, at age 78. Nobel laureate Alice Munro has died. The Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers was 92. Munro achieved stature rare for an art form traditionally placed beneath the novel. She was the first lifelong Canadian to win the Nobel and the first recipient cited exclusively for short fiction. Munro was little known beyond Canada until her late 30s but became one of the few short story writers to enjoy ongoing commercial success. A spokesperson for publisher Penguin Random House Canada said Munro died May 13 at home in Port Hope, Ontario. Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie,” died May 16. He was 92. For two decades Coleman labored in movies and TV shows as a talented but largely unnoticed performer. That changed abruptly in 1976 when he was cast as the incorrigibly corrupt mayor of the hamlet of Fernwood in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” a satirical soap opera. He won a Golden Globe for “The Slap Maxwell Story” and an Emmy Award for best supporting actor in Peter Levin’s 1987 small screen legal drama “Sworn to Silence.” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, not in photo, during a joint news conference following their meeting at the Presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 24, 2024. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others were found dead at the site of a helicopter crash site, state media reported Monday, May 20, 2024. Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center known as Mr. Raider for his durability through a litany of injuries, died May 19. He was 86. The cause of death was not immediately known. Otto joined the Raiders for their inaugural season in the American Football League in 1960 and was a fixture on the team for the next 15 years. He never missed a game because of injuries and competed in 210 consecutive regular-season games and 308 straight total contests despite undergoing nine operations on his knees during his playing career. His right leg was amputated in 2007. Ivan F. Boesky, the flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals on Wall Street, has died at the age of 87. A representative at the Marianne Boesky Gallery, owned by his daughter, confirmed his death. The son of a Detroit delicatessen owner, Boesky was once considered one of the richest and most influential risk-takers on Wall Street. He had parlayed $700,000 from his late mother-in-law’s estate into a fortune estimated at more than $200 million. Once implicated in insider trading, Boesky cooperated with a brash young U.S. attorney named Rudolph Giuliani, uncovering a scandal that blemished some of the most respected U.S. investment brokerages. Boesky died May 20. Jan. A.P. Kaczmarek poses with the Oscar for best original score for his work on "Finding Neverland" during the 77th Academy Awards, Feb. 27, 2005, in Los Angeles. Polish composer Kaczmarek, who won a 2005 Oscar for the movie “Finding Neverland,” has died on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at age 71. Kaczmarek’s death was announced by Poland’s Music Foundation. Train bassist and founding member Charlie Colin has died at 58. Colin’s sister confirmed the musician's death Wednesday to The Associated Press. Variety reported Colin slipped and fell in the shower while house-sitting for a friend in Brussels. Train formed in San Francisco in the early ’90s. Colin played on Train's first three records, 1998’s self-titled album, 2001’s “Drops of Jupiter” and 2003’s “My Private Nation.” The track “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned two Grammys. Colin left the band in 2003. He also worked with the Newport Beach Film Festival. Colin died May 22. Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died of cancer. He was 53. Spurlock made a splash in 2004 with his groundbreaking film “Super Size Me,” and returned in 2019 with “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — a sober look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals a year in America. Spurlock was a gonzo-like filmmaker who leaned into the bizarre and ridiculous. His stylistic touches included zippy graphics and amusing music. Spurlock died May 23. Richard M. Sherman, one half of the prolific, award-winning pair of brothers who helped form millions of childhoods by penning classic Disney tunes, has died. He was 95. Sherman, along with his late brother Robert, wrote hundreds of songs together, including songs for “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — as well as the most-played tune on Earth, “It’s a Small World (After All).” The Walt Disney Co. announced that Sherman died Saturday due to age-related illness. The brothers won two Academy Awards for Walt Disney’s 1964 smash “Mary Poppins.” Robert Sherman died May 25 in London in 2012. Basketball Hall of Fame legend Bill Walton laughs during a practice session for the NBA All-Star basketball game in Cleveland, Feb. 19, 2022. Walton, who starred for John Wooden's UCLA Bruins before becoming a Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the biggest stars of basketball broadcasting, died Monday, May 27, 2024, the league announced on behalf of his family. He was 71. “The Godfather” producer Albert S. Ruddy died May 25 at 94. The Canadian-born producer and writer won Oscars for “The Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby,” developed the raucous prison-sports comedy “The Longest Yard” and helped create the hit sitcom “Hogan’s Heroes." A spokesperson says Ruddy died Saturday at the UCLA Medical Center. Ruddy produced more than 30 movies and was on hand for the very top and the very bottom. “The Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby” were box office hits and winners of best picture Oscars. But Ruddy also helped give us “Cannonball Run II” and “Megaforce,” nominees for Golden Raspberry awards for worst movie of the year. Larry Allen, one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the NFL during a 12-year career spent mostly with the Dallas Cowboys, died June 2. He was 52. The Cowboys say Allen died suddenly on Sunday while on vacation with his family in Mexico. Allen was named an All-Pro six consecutive years from 1996-2001 and was inducted into the Pro Football of Hall of Fame in 2013. He said few words but let his blocking do the talking. Allen once bench-pressed 700 pounds and had the speed to chase down opposing running backs. Bob Hope and Janis Paige hug during the annual Christmas show in Saigon, Vietnam, Dec. 25, 1964. Paige, a popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 80s, died Sunday, June 2, 2024, of natural causes at her Los Angeles home, longtime friend Stuart Lampert said Monday, June 3. Parnelli Jones, the 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner, died June 4 at Torrance Memorial Medical Center after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, his son said. Jones was 90. At the time of his death, Jones was the oldest living winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Rufus Parnell Jones was born in Texarkana, Arkansas, in 1933 but moved to Torrance as a young child and never left. It was there that he became “Parnelli” because his given name of Rufus was too well known for him to compete without locals knowing that he wasn’t old enough to race. Boston Celtics' John Havlicek (17) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers' Chet Walker (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball playoff game April 14, 1968, in Boston. Walker, a seven-time All-Star forward who helped Wilt Chamberlain and the 76ers win the 1967 NBA title, died June 8. He was 84. The National Basketball Players Association confirmed Walker's death, according to NBA.com . The 76ers, Chicago Bulls and National Basketball Retired Players Association also extended their condolences on social media on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by Miami University in Ohio , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul predicted gold leading into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. The center fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sutherland, the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. Kiefer Sutherland said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in the “Hunger Games” films. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is due out in November. Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, who died in 2020 . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Former Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma died July 9. He was 89. The family says in a statement that the Republican had a stroke during the July Fourth holiday and died Tuesday morning. Inhofe was a powerful fixture in state politics for decades. He doubted that climate change was caused by human activity, calling the theory “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” As Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of the state’s military installations. He was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020 and stepped down in early 2023. The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the '80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue." Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Simmons was a court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight loss tips as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime “Richard Simmons Show" and the “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line of exercise videos, which became a cultural phenomenon. Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones died July 14 at age 40. Jones' 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. The Houston Texans were Jones’ team for the first five seasons of his career. They announced his death on Sunday. In a statement released by the NFL Players Association, his family said he died at his home in New Orleans. A cause of death was not given. Jones played from 2007-15 for the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He made several huge plays for the Ravens during their most recent Super Bowl title season, including that kick return. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by tabloid stories, Shannen Doherty died July 13 at 53. Doherty's publicist said the actor died Saturday following years with breast cancer. Catapulted to fame as Brenda in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” she worked in big-screen films including "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and in TV movies including "A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story," in which she played the "Gone with the Wind" author. Doherty co-starred with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano in the series “Charmed” from 1998-2001; appeared in the “90210” sequel series seven years later and competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and someone who spent more than a half-century working within the NBA, died July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. The team announced the death Wednesday. Williams was 84. He started his NBA career as business manager of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, then had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers — helping that franchise win a title in 1983. Williams was later involved in starting the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The league’s board of governors granted an expansion franchise in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host who was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, died July 18. He was 78. His death was announced in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN. No cause of death was given. Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Newhart has died at age 94. Jerry Digney, Newhart’s publicist, says the actor died July 18 in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. The accountant-turned-comedian gained fame with a smash album and became one of the most popular TV stars of his time. Newhart was a Chicago psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show” in the 1970s and a Vermont innkeeper on “Newhart” in the 1980s. Both shows featured a low-key Newhart surrounded by eccentric characters. The second had a twist ending in its final show — the whole series was revealed to have been a dream by the psychologist he played in the other show. Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” died July 17 at age 78. Her family says Cheng, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, passed away Wednesday at home surrounded by her loved ones. The Shanghai-born film star became a household name in Hong Kong, once dubbed the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts movies in the 1960s. She played Jade Fox, who uses poisoned needles, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was released in 2000, grossed $128 million in North America and won four Oscars. Abdul “Duke” Fakir holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. The last surviving original member of the Four Tops died July 22. Abdul “Duke” Fakir was 88. He was a charter member of the Motown group along with lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. Between 1964 and 1967, the Tops had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1′s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often stories of romantic pain and longing, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.” Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died July 22. He was 90. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. A statement on Mayall's official Instagram page says he died Monday at his home in California. Though Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s, pounding out his version of Chicago blues. Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Sept. 9 at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Working deep into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor. Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77. His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Sept. 10. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died. Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92. The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Sept. 11. A cause of death was not provided. One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000. Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt. Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. Evans, a former Washington state governor and a U.S. Senator, died Sept. 20. The popular Republican was 98. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977, and he was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. In 1983, Evans was appointed to served out the term of Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson after he died in office. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness" of the Senate. He later served as a regent at the University of Washington, where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name. Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died Sept. 21. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons. John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position, died Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. He was 65. Greg Gumbel, left, watches as then-Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun talks to Butler head coach Brad Stevens, right, prior to taping a television interview April 3, 2011, for that year's men's NCAA Final Four college basketball championship game in Houston. Gumbel's family announced Dec. 27 that the longtime CBS sportscaster died from cancer at the age of 78. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox.SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Jeremy Lorenz scored 20 points as Wofford beat Kentucky Christian 100-55 on Saturday. Lorenz shot 8 for 10 (2 for 4 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Terriers (6-7). Dillon Bailey scored 16 points while going 5 of 13 from the floor, including 3 for 10 from 3-point range, and 3 for 3 from the line. Anthony Arrington, Jr. shot 4 of 10 from the field, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 12 points. D'Angelo Stoxstill led the Knights in scoring, finishing with 15 points and six rebounds. Kentucky Christian also got 12 points from Dejuan Johnson. LeMar Northington also had 12 points. Wofford hosts UNC Greensboro in its next matchup on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from .

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said the life and work of Dr Manmohan Singh as well as the period from 1991 till 2014 would be a golden chapter in the history of India. “His story has not been told fully. His achievements have not been recorded fully. I am sure when we look back upon the 23 years that Dr Singh was in active politics, we will realize his true contribution,” Chidambaram said. “It is a deeply emotional moment for me to speak about Dr Manmohan Singh. The life and work of Dr Manmohan Singh and the period from 1991 till 2014 will be a golden chapter in the history of India. I worked closely with him for many years. I have not met a person more humble and self-effacing than Dr Singh. He wore his scholarship lightly and never claimed credit for any of his historic achievements,” Chidambaram, who served as finance minister in Singh’s government, said on X. The story of India turned after Singh became finance minister, he said, adding that the present middle class of India was virtually the creation of his policies as finance minister and prime minister.DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Filip Skobalj had 19 points in UIC's 96-83 win over La Salle on Friday. Skobalj shot 6 of 8 from the field, including 4 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 3 from the line for the Flames (4-2). Jordan Mason scored 18 points, going 5 of 8 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 7 for 8 from the line. Tyem Freeman had 13 points and went 4 of 5 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range). The Explorers (4-2) were led in scoring by Deuce Jones, who finished with 21 points, four assists and two steals. Daeshon Shepherd added 15 points, two steals and two blocks for La Salle. Andres Marrero also had 15 points. UIC led 48-39 at halftime, with Skobalj racking up 13 points. UIC pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 22 points. Ahmad Henderson II led the way with a team-high 10 second-half points for UIC. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive.

Financial Highlights: PITTSBURGH, Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ GSM: MATW) today announced financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. In discussing the Company’s results, Joseph C. Bartolacci, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: “Our consolidated operating results for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter reflected another quarter of solid performance by our core businesses and, consistent with prior quarters, was impacted by continuing customer delays in our energy business. Our previously announced cost reduction program is now underway, as evidenced by the charges reflected in our GAAP results this quarter, and progressing well. Overall, we were pleased with the consolidated operating results as we again demonstrated the resilience of Matthews and our employees in mitigating the challenges faced by one of our segments. For the year ended September 30, 2024, consolidated adjusted EBITDA was $205.2 million. “The Memorialization segment reported higher adjusted EBITDA for the current quarter despite lower unit volumes, which were related to a decline in U.S. deaths compared to a year ago. Ongoing cost control efforts combined with improved price realization were the key drivers in the improvement in operating margins. This segment has done a tremendous job of maintaining its level of performance over the past several years despite the declines in unit volume following the pandemic. “We are also pleased to report that our SGK Brand Solutions segment reported another consecutive quarter of year-over-year sales growth. This segment has stabilized nicely over the last two years with modest improvements in margins and is continuing its recovery following the global impacts of the pandemic and the European impact of the Russia-Ukraine war. Sales for the segment increased compared to a year ago primarily reflecting improved pricing to mitigate inflationary cost increases, higher sales for the merchandising and private label businesses, and growth in the Asia-Pacific market. “Sales for the Industrial Technologies segment for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter declined from a year ago primarily resulting from further customer delays in our energy business. The current quarter also reflected a continued soft warehouse automation market; however, order rates have been improving recently which could bode well for a good recovery next fiscal year. “With respect to our cost reduction program, current quarter charges include non-cash goodwill impairment and other asset write-downs primarily in connection with our European operations, in addition to severance and other costs. The program is also targeting general and administrative cost reductions. For our fiscal 2024 fourth quarter, we reported another quarter of lower corporate and non-operating costs compared to a year ago. For the year, corporate and non-operating costs were approximately 5% lower than last year. “During the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter, we reduced our outstanding debt by $53.8 million. In addition, we completed the refinancing of outstanding senior notes due December 1, 2025. Due to current interest rates and the ongoing strategic review of our business portfolio, we opted for a shorter-term bond (three-year maturity) with an ability to call in one year. We are projecting higher operating cash flow next year as our working capital investments in fiscal 2024 begin to convert to operating cash flow, which will be partially mitigated by costs in connection with our cost reduction program. “Looking forward to fiscal 2025, we continue to face the uncertainty of project timing in our Industrial Technologies segment, specifically relating to our energy business. While we currently expect deliveries to be substantially completed during the year, quarterly timing is still difficult to forecast. Our cost reduction programs should mitigate some of this impact. “We expect another solid performance for our Memorialization business in fiscal 2025 as U.S. deaths appear to have generally normalized following COVID and we are projecting continued growth in our cremation-related products sales. Continued growth is also projected for our SGK Brand Solutions segment reflecting ongoing improvement in U.S. market conditions, more stable conditions in Europe, and further growth in the Asia-Pacific region. In the Industrial Technologies segment, our product identification business is projecting growth next year and we should start to realize benefits from the launch of a new printhead product, which is currently scheduled for the latter half of the fiscal year. Also, as noted earlier, recent improving order rates for warehouse automation solutions should support recovery in this business. With these considerations in mind, we remain cautious and are projecting adjusted EBITDA in the range of $205 million to $215 million for fiscal 2025. “Lastly, as growth opportunities for the Industrial Technologies segment continue to emerge, the Company has been exploring strategies with respect to its portfolio of businesses. Accordingly, we have retained J.P. Morgan to support the evaluation of potential strategic alternatives.” Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2024 Consolidated Results (Unaudited) Consolidated sales for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter were $446.7 million, compared to $480.2 million for the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, representing a decrease of $33.5 million. Net loss attributable to the Company for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $68.2 million, or $2.21 per share, compared to net income of $17.7 million, or $0.56 per share, for the same quarter last year. On a non-GAAP adjusted basis, earnings for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter were $0.55 per share, compared to $0.96 per share a year ago. The net loss on a GAAP basis in the current fiscal quarter primarily reflected asset write-downs, including a goodwill impairment charge, and charges in connection with cost reduction programs. Adjusted EBITDA (net income before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and other adjustments) for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter was $58.1 million, compared to $61.9 million a year ago, primarily reflecting lower adjusted EBITDA in the Industrial Technologies segment. Fiscal 2024 Consolidated Results (Unaudited) Consolidated sales for the year ended September 30, 2024 were $1.80 billion, compared to $1.88 billion a year ago, representing a decrease of $85.2 million, or 4.5%, from the prior year. Net loss attributable to the Company for the year ended September 30, 2024 was $59.7 million ($1.93 per share), compared to net income of $39.3 million ($1.26 per share) for fiscal 2023. On a non-GAAP adjusted basis, earnings for the year ended September 30, 2024 were $2.17 per share, compared to $2.88 per share last year. The net loss on a GAAP basis for the current fiscal year primarily resulted from asset write-downs, including a goodwill impairment charge, and charges in connection with cost reduction programs. Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended September 30, 2024, was $205.2 million, compared to $225.8 million a year ago. The decrease reflected lower adjusted EBITDA for the Industrial Technologies and Memorialization segments, offset partially by higher adjusted EBITDA for SGK Brand Solutions and lower corporate and other non-operating costs. Webcast The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Friday, November 22, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to review its financial and operating results and discuss its corporate strategies and outlook. A question-and-answer session will follow. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (201) 689-8471. The audio webcast can be monitored at www.matw.com . As soon as available after the call, a transcript of the call will be posted on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.matw.com . About Matthews International Corporation Matthews International Corporation is a global provider of memorialization products, industrial technologies, and brand solutions. The Memorialization segment is a leading provider of memorialization products, including memorials, caskets, cremation-related products, and cremation and incineration equipment, primarily to cemetery and funeral home customers that help families move from grief to remembrance. The Industrial Technologies segment includes the design, manufacturing, service and sales of high-tech custom energy storage solutions; product identification and warehouse automation technologies and solutions, including order fulfillment systems for identifying, tracking, picking and conveying consumer and industrial products; and coating and converting lines for the packaging, pharma, foil, décor and tissue industries. The SGK Brand Solutions segment is a leading provider of packaging solutions and brand experiences, helping companies simplify their marketing, amplify their brands and provide value. The Company has over 11,000 employees in more than 30 countries on six continents that are committed to delivering the highest quality products and services. Forward-looking Information Any forward-looking statements contained in this release are included pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies of the Company regarding the future, and may be identified by the use of words such as “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “seeks,” “forecasts,” “predicts,” “objective,” “targets,” “potential,” “outlook,” “may,” “will,” “could” or the negative of these terms, other comparable terminology and variations thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actual results in future periods to be materially different from management’s expectations, and no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove correct. Factors that could cause the Company's results to differ materially from the results discussed in such forward-looking statements principally include changes in domestic or international economic conditions, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in interest rates, changes in the cost of materials used in the manufacture of the Company's products, any impairment of goodwill or intangible assets, environmental liability and limitations on the Company’s operations due to environmental laws and regulations, disruptions to certain services, such as telecommunications, network server maintenance, cloud computing or transaction processing services, provided to the Company by third-parties, changes in mortality and cremation rates, changes in product demand or pricing as a result of consolidation in the industries in which the Company operates, or other factors such as supply chain disruptions, labor shortages or labor cost increases, changes in product demand or pricing as a result of domestic or international competitive pressures, ability to achieve cost-reduction objectives, unknown risks in connection with the Company's acquisitions and divestitures, cybersecurity concerns and costs arising with management of cybersecurity threats, effectiveness of the Company's internal controls, compliance with domestic and foreign laws and regulations, technological factors beyond the Company's control, impact of pandemics or similar outbreaks, or other disruptions to our industries, customers, or supply chains, the impact of global conflicts, such as the current war between Russia and Ukraine, the outcome of the Company's dispute with Tesla, Inc. ("Tesla"), and other factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Included in this report are measures of financial performance that are not defined by GAAP, including, without limitation, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and EPS, constant currency sales, constant currency adjusted EBITDA, net debt and net debt leverage ratio. The Company defines net debt leverage ratio as outstanding debt (net of cash) relative to adjusted EBITDA. The Company uses non-GAAP financial measures to assist in comparing its performance on a consistent basis for purposes of business decision-making by removing the impact of certain items that management believes do not directly reflect the Company’s core operations including acquisition and divestiture costs, ERP integration costs, strategic initiative and other charges (which includes non-recurring charges related to certain commercial and operational initiatives and exit activities), stock-based compensation and the non-service portion of pension and postretirement expense. Constant currency sales and constant currency adjusted EBITDA remove the impact of changes due to foreign exchange translation rates. To calculate sales and adjusted EBITDA on a constant currency basis, amounts for periods in the current fiscal year are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates applicable to the comparable periods of the prior fiscal year. Management believes that presenting non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors because it (i) provides investors with meaningful supplemental information regarding financial performance by excluding certain items that management believes do not directly reflect the Company's core operations, (ii) permits investors to view performance using the same tools that management uses to budget, forecast, make operating and strategic decisions, and evaluate historical performance, and (iii) otherwise provides supplemental information that may be useful to investors in evaluating the Company’s results. The Company's calculations of its non-GAAP financial measures, however, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. The Company believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to those measures, provided herein, provide investors with an additional understanding of the factors and trends affecting the Company’s business that could not be obtained absent these disclosures. * Depreciation and amortization was $7,368 and $6,646 for the Memorialization segment, $6,028 and $5,600 for the Industrial Technologies segment, $9,724 and $11,299 for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, and $1,209 and $1,172 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Depreciation and amortization was $27,768 and $23,738 for the Memorialization segment, $23,772 and $23,184 for the Industrial Technologies segment, $38,667 and $44,842 for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, and $4,563 and $4,766 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. ** Acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, non-recurring/incremental COVID-19 costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges were $1,309 and $22 for the Memorialization segment, $40,069 and $614 for the Industrial Technologies segment, $307 and $3,878 for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, and $6,784 and $2,502 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, non-recurring/incremental COVID-19 costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges were $3,514 and $1,002 for the Memorialization segment, $54,357 and $4,108 for the Industrial Technologies segment, $3,001 and $10,905 for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, and $10,290 and $3,201 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. † Strategic initiatives and other charges includes charges for exit and disposal activities (including severance and other employee termination benefits) totaling $41,353 and $6,003 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. $29,283, $1,492, and $10,578 were presented in cost of sales, selling expense, and administrative expense for the three months ended September 30, 2024, respectively. Charges of $4,925 and $1,429, and a credit of $351 were presented in cost of sales, selling expense, and administrative expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023, respectively. Strategic initiatives and other charges includes charges for exit and disposal activities (including severance and other employee termination benefits) totaling $45,705 and $13,210 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. $32,526, $1,379 and $11,800 were presented in cost of sales, selling expense, and administrative expense for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, respectively. $9,028, $1,925 and $2,257 were presented in cost of sales, selling expense, and administrative expense for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, respectively. Accrued severance and other employee termination benefits totaled $42,245 and $7,321 as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Matthews International Corporation Corporate Office Two NorthShore Center Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5851 Phone: (412) 442-8200USA powers its way to victory over Germany in world junior championship opener

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank is preparing for a future that looks more uncertain and more prone to shocks. In a speech to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, he said Monday structural changes are underway in the world including demographic shifts, technological changes, decarbonization and a move away from globalization. “We need to use the pandemic experience to prepare for future crises,” Macklem said in a prepared text of his speech. To that end, Macklem says the Bank of Canada is working to learn what it can from how the economy reacted to the pandemic and in its aftermath. The Bank of Canada is conducting a review of the policy actions it took to restore financial stability and support the economy during the pandemic that it plans to publish along with an assessment of an independent panel of experts. Macklem said the spike in inflation in 2022 was a reminder that even though inflation was relatively low and stable for 30 years leading up to the pandemic, central banks cannot take public trust for granted. “All of a sudden, people couldn’t afford the things they need. And while inflation is low once again, many prices are still a lot higher than they were before the pandemic. So people feel ripped off. And that erodes public trust in our economic system,” he said in his speech. The Bank of Canada has cut its key policy interest rate five times this year including last week when it reduced the benchmark by a half a percentage point to 3.25 per cent. Macklem says the bank will be evaluating the need for further reductions in the policy rate one decision at a time and anticipates a more gradual approach to monetary policy if the economy evolves as expected. Statistics Canada reported last month that the annual inflation rate was two per cent in Ontario, hitting the Bank of Canada’s target. The speech by Macklem came ahead of the release of the November inflation report on Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2024. The Canadian PressSwaffar: Three observations from USD's comeback victory over NDSU

December 26 - The Cleveland Cavaliers have steamrolled through the first third of their schedule and now face one of their toughest stretches when they open a four-game road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. The Western Conference swing is the longest road trip of the season so far for Cleveland, which has won five in a row. The Cavaliers are coming off a close win against Utah without forwards Dean Wade (knee) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder). Wade could be back Friday night, but Okoro is expected to miss a couple of weeks with his right shoulder sprain. Without those two available against the Jazz on Monday, the Cavaliers employed a smaller lineup at times but got good production from forward Evan Mobley, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds. The third overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley is averaging a career-best 18.5 points and pulling down nine rebounds a game. He has been a good compliment to guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, who have led the Cavaliers' early success. Mitchell (23.3 points) and Garland (20.4) lead the team in scoring average, and center Jarrett Allen is averaging a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), with Mobley adding another layer to a deep team. "We've all said it, for us to be the team we want to be ... Evan had to take that step," Mitchell said recently. "And the best part about it is Jarrett Allen is his biggest cheerleader." Friday is the last of the two games between the teams, and Denver is trying to get even after losing 126-114 on Dec. 5 in Cleveland. Denver star Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double in the loss, one of his NBA-leading 11 this season. He has 141 triple-doubles in his career, which ranks third all-time behind Nuggets teammate Russell Westbrook (200) and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson (181). The Nuggets, who have won five of their last seven games, may not have forward Aaron Gordon available against Cleveland after he left Wednesday night's 110-100 loss at Phoenix with a right calf strain. Gordon missed 10 games earlier this season with the same injury. "Hopefully, Aaron is going to be ready to go for Cleveland, but we'll have to wait and see these next 24, 48 hours," Denver coach Michael Malone said. Gordon is fifth on the team in scoring at 13.7 points a game and he is the team's most versatile defender, with the ability to guard every position. If Gordon can't go, most likely Peyton Watson, the team's leading shot blocker (0.9 per game), would get the start. Jokic leads Denver in scoring (30.7 points), rebounding (12.6) and assists (9.4) and is putting together another MVP-worthy campaign. But the Nuggets will need production from Jamal Murray, who is second in scoring at 18.8 points a gain, despite battling injuries. Murray sat out Monday's win over Phoenix with a right ankle sprain and had only 13 points in his return Wednesday. "I'm just trying not to use (injuries) as an excuse. Not mention it," Murray told The Denver Post. "I know I get slack for it, but (I'm) just going out there, and if I'm good enough to play, I play. That's how I look at it." --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Filip Skobalj had 19 points in UIC's 96-83 win over La Salle on Friday. Skobalj shot 6 of 8 from the field, including 4 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 3 from the line for the Flames (4-2). Jordan Mason scored 18 points, going 5 of 8 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 7 for 8 from the line. Tyem Freeman had 13 points and went 4 of 5 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range). The Explorers (4-2) were led in scoring by Deuce Jones, who finished with 21 points, four assists and two steals. Daeshon Shepherd added 15 points, two steals and two blocks for La Salle. Andres Marrero also had 15 points. UIC led 48-39 at halftime, with Skobalj racking up 13 points. UIC pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 22 points. Ahmad Henderson II led the way with a team-high 10 second-half points for UIC. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Cigna Group stock underperforms Monday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

WILMINGTON, N.C., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCNO), the leading provider of intelligent, best-in-class banking solutions, today announced its participation in the following investor conferences: Scotiabank Second Annual Global Technology Conference Presentation: Tuesday, December 10, at 12:45 p.m. ET Barclays 22 nd Annual Global Technology Conference Presentation: Wednesday, December 11, at 6:05 p.m. ET About nCino nCino (NASDAQ: NCNO) is powering a new era in financial services. The Company was founded to help financial institutions digitize and reengineer business processes to boost efficiencies and create better banking experiences. With over 1,800 customers worldwide - including community banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and the largest financial entities globally - nCino offers a trusted platform of best-in-class, intelligent solutions. By integrating artificial intelligence and actionable insights into its platform, nCino is helping financial institutions consolidate legacy systems to enhance strategic decision-making, improve risk management, and elevate customer satisfaction by cohesively bringing together people, AI and data. For more information, visit www.ncino.com . CONTACTS INVESTOR CONTACT Harrison Masters nCino +1 910.734.7743 [email protected] MEDIA CONTACT Natalia Moose nCino [email protected]

Byfield scores in 200th career game as Kings hold off Kraken for 2-1 winSeahawks RB Kenneth Walker III to miss rest of regular season with injury“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few metres from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and UN colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said. UN spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the UN Humanitarian Air Service. Our mission to negotiate the release of @UN staff detainees and to assess the health and humanitarian situation in #Yemen concluded today. We continue to call for the detainees' immediate release. As we were about to board our flight from Sana’a, about two hours ago, the airport... pic.twitter.com/riZayWHkvf — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) December 26, 2024 Israel’s army later told The Associated Press it was not aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military in a statement said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel’s military added it had “capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively”. The strikes, carried out over 1,000 miles from Jerusalem, came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned” as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths and showed broken windows, collapsed ceilings and a bloodstained floor and vehicle. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The US military has also targeted the Houthis in recent days. The UN has said the targeted ports are important entry points for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014. Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor in what it says is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The UN Security Council has an emergency meeting on Monday in response to an Israeli request that it condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying them with weapons.

Retiring congresswoman, 68, torches older Democrats for wanting to stay in power 'forever'

Matthews International Reports Results for Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2024

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Cam Carter put LSU ahead for good with a jumper 1:08 into the third overtime and the Tigers came away with a wild 109-102 win over UCF on Sunday in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Carter's make sparked a 5-0 spurt for LSU (5-1), which mounted a ferocious second-half rally that began after Darius Johnson drilled a 3-pointer to put the Knights up 52-34 with 12:57 to play in regulation. UCF (4-2) got back within two in the third overtime, but it never found a way to draw even. Vyctorius Miller and Jordan Sears sealed the victory, combining for three buckets down low that gave the Tigers a 106-99 cushion with 17 seconds remaining. Carter was the late-game hero for LSU, scoring the final four points of regulation to forge a 70-70 tie. He also knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:19 left in the first extra session to give the Tigers a 76-75 advantage. Sears gave LSU a four-point edge with a triple of his own with 2:10 to go, but the Tigers failed to stay in front, and UCF's Keyshawn Hall kept the game going by sinking two free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 82-82. Neither team led by more than three in the second overtime, with Hall again coming to the Knights' rescue. He made two layups in the final 52 seconds of the frame to knot things at 93 and send the teams to a third OT. Few could have predicted 15 minutes of extra basketball after UCF put together a 25-3 first-half run that lifted it to a 38-18 advantage with 2:12 left until the break. LSU responded with seven unanswered points, but the Knights still led comfortably, 40-25, at intermission. Sears finished with a game-high-tying 25 points to go along with nine boards, while Jalen Reed recorded a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Tigers. Carter netted 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey chipped in 14. Johnson collected 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals for UCF. Hall totaled 21 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Ivy-Curry supplied 20 points. LSU outshot UCF 43.2 percent to 40.7 percent and had narrow advantages from behind the arc (12 made shots to 10) and the free-throw line (21-18). --Field Level MediaJoel Embiid scores 31 in return to the 76ers' starting lineup against the Bullshttps www facebook com ssbet77

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 18, 2024-- Berkshire Partners (“Berkshire”) is pleased to announce that Managing Director Ted Rainaud has been featured as one of GrowthCap ’s top 40 under 40 growth investors of 2024 . This annual list recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of growth equity and buyouts. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218520353/en/ Ted Rainaud, Managing Director (Photo: Business Wire) During Ted’s tenure at Berkshire, he has co-led the firm’s investments in Food Chain ID , a provider of food safety and supply chain compliance technology and services; and Harvey Performance Company , a leading designer and manufacturer of specialized cutting tools for precision machining applications. Ted supported Berkshire’s investment in SRS Distribution, one of the nation’s leading distributors of roofing materials and building products. SRS was recently sold to The Home Depot for $18.25 billion, one of the largest private equity exits of 2024. Ted has also been involved with other Berkshire portfolio companies, including Advanced Drainage Systems and Consolidated Precision Products. “Since joining the firm as an associate, Ted has continuously proven himself and has developed his skills and capabilities becoming the investor he is today,” said Mike Ascione, Managing Director Berkshire Partners. “His leadership and collaborative spirit have significantly impacted multiple portfolio companies and our firm as a whole.” Ted joined Berkshire Partners in 2010 as an associate on the private equity team and then returned to the firm in 2014 as vice president after graduating from business school. He was promoted to Managing Director in 2023. Ted earned a B.A. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Stanford Graduate School of Business. The 11 th annual GrowthCap list recognized its most competitive pool of applicants yet, with honorees selected based upon evaluation of feedback from nominees’ colleagues, peers, portfolio company CEOs and others on their capabilities and performance over time. To view GrowthCap's “Top 40 Under 40 Growth Investors of 2024” list, click here . Award issued December 2024. No compensation was paid in connection with being considered for this award. However, a publishing fee was paid following selection for the award. About GrowthCap Founded in 2013, GrowthCap has provided private company CEOs with insight, exposure and access to the private capital markets. GrowthCap’s content is distributed to over 25,000 CEOs, senior executives, private equity investors, family offices and institutional limited partners. GrowthCap publishes and distributes content through its website, email newsletter, podcast, and social media. About Berkshire Partners Berkshire Partners is a 100% employee-owned, multi-sector specialist investor in private and public equity. The firm’s private equity team invests in well-positioned, growing companies across business services & industrials, consumer, healthcare, and technology & communications. Berkshire recently announced the close of its 11 th private equity fund – Fund XI – with approximately $7.8 billion in commitments. Since inception, Berkshire Partners has made more than 150 private equity investments and has a strong history of collaborating with management teams to grow the companies in which it invests. The firm's public equity group, Stockbridge, founded in 2007, manages a concentrated portfolio seeking attractive long-term investments. For additional information, visit www.berkshirepartners.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218520353/en/ CONTACT: Greg Winter; gwinter@berkshirepartners.com ; 617-227-0050 KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Berkshire Partners Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/18/2024 03:11 PM/DISC: 12/18/2024 03:10 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218520353/enDr M.B Shebu, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has emphasized the urgent need for diversifying Nigeria’s revenue base to ensure fiscal independence and economic resilience Shehu made the call while making his presentation at the just concluded 2024 edition of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED), with the theme, “Fostering Economic Growth in Challenging Times: Strategies for Policies and Partnership for Fiscal Sustainability and National Development” which took place in Bauchi. The RMAFC’ Chairman who called for a robust approach to domestic revenue mobilisation to finance national development, noted that Nigeria’s reliance on oil revenue, coupled with global price volatility and rising debt burdens, has highlighted the need for sustainable alternatives. According to him, “Boosting domestic revenue provides a predictable foundation for national planning and reduces reliance on external borrowing,” The Chairman identified taxation, non-tax revenues, state-owned enterprises, and the non-oil sector as pivotal sources of domestic revenue. He highlighted the significance of enhancing efficiency in tax administration and broadening the tax base by integrating the informal sector into the economy. Dr. Shehu who called for the development of solid minerals, agriculture, technology, and tourism, pointed out the potentials of these untapped non oil sector to boost employment and attract foreign investments while also contributing significantly to the nation’s revenue. Dr. Shehu recommended diversifying revenue sources, strengthening tax systems, and promoting transparency and accountability. He also stressed the need to invest in renewable energy, education, and infrastructure to foster long-term growth. “Domestic revenue mobilization is not just a financial necessity but a pathway to Nigeria’s economic self-reliance.” “By prioritizing inclusive growth and strategic investments, Nigeria can build a sustainable and resilient economy capable of meeting the aspirations of its people.” He added. It could be recalled that, the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) is a financial body primarily overseen by the Federal Ministry of Finance, that serves as a platform for coordinating economic policies and strategies across all tiers of government (federal, state, and local) to drive national economic development. it is a Forum where key stakeholders discuss and agree on crucial financial and economic issues affecting the country. The NACOFED Conference which is held annually is usually hosted by a State Government. Dignitaries who graced the occasion included Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Lydia Jafiya, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Shakirat Madein, Chairman Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Dr M.B Shehu OFR, Commissioners of Finance and Accountant Generals from the 36 States of the Federation including the FCT.The musical adaptation “Wicked” and action epic “Gladiator II” racked up a combined $270.2 million in global ticket sales over the weekend, a gift to cinemas heading into what may be a record-setting holiday season. The robust box office returns provided reassurance to Hollywood, which has weathered cost-cutting and layoffs amid forecasts of the death of cinema as consumers gravitated to streaming video services. “Moviegoers and box office pundits have been waiting for this weekend, and no one is disappointed,” said Chris Aronson, president of distribution for Paramount Pictures. “Wicked,” the first of two Universal Pictures films based on a Broadway prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” topped the domestic and global box office. It pulled in $114 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters, plus $50.2 million in international markets, for a global total of $164.2 million. It was the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway musical, ahead of the global debut of Universal’s 2012 release “Les Miserables,” according to the studio. “Gladiator II” hauled in $106 million around the world, including $55.5 million from domestic sales. The Paramount Pictures film is the sequel to a movie that won the best picture Oscar two decades ago. The film, which was released last weekend outside the U.S., had an overall box office tally of $221 million. The two films, dubbed “Glicked” by fans, brought in $169.5 million at domestic theaters, helping lift the weekend box office to $201.9 million. It’s the highest-grossing weekend in North America since the July opening of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” according to Comscore. “Glicked” fell short of the $245 million “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” opening frenzy in July 2023, which showed that the industry was rebounding from the pandemic and strikes that year by writers and actors. Still, the two films delivered a much-needed jolt to movie theaters, after anticipated fall films such as “Joker: Folie a Deux” and “Venom: The Last Dance” underperformed at the box office. The fervor was a positive sign for theater chains such as AMC Entertainment, Cineplex and Cinemark that are looking ahead to another major release, Walt Disney’s animated “Moana 2” this week. “This is a tremendous catalyst for a strong box office going into December and the New Year,” said National Association of Theatre Owners President and CEO Michael O’Leary. Movie ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada have hovered below pre-pandemic levels as cinemas grapple with competition from streaming and the disruptions from the last year’s Hollywood strikes. Sunday’s tallies brought year-to-date domestic ticket sales to $7.3 billion, down 10.6% from the same time in 2023, according to Comscore. Studios and theater owners are hopeful that “Moana 2” will lead next weekend to the strongest Thanksgiving-period sales in history. Box office analysts say ticket sales from Thanksgiving through the end of the year could rank as the biggest in cinema history. The holiday season record of $2.5 billion was set in 2017, led by the “Star Wars” film “The Last Jedi.” “This is the best possible news for movie theaters, this lineup of films, starting with ‘Glicked’ and ‘Moana 2,” said Paul Dergarabedian, media analyst for Comscore. “Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the story of a misunderstood, green-skinned student of magic who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. “It’s wrapped in a fairy tale, but the point of it is to dig at real truth,” director Jon M. Chu told Reuters at the film’s premiere in London, when asked about the story’s broad appeal. Universal, a unit of Comcast, spent roughly $160 million to make the first “Wicked” movie, a sum that does not include tens of millions more for marketing ranging from a Super Bowl ad to hundreds of “Wicked” products. In a campaign reminiscent of the hoopla surrounding “Barbie,” “Wicked” tie-ins include pink and green drinks at Starbucks, a fashion line at Target and a Betty Crocker cupcake mix. “This campaign was just everywhere. It was just inescapable,” said Jim Orr, Universal Pictures’ president of domestic theatrical distribution. “And on top of all of that, we had the hardest-working cast that you could have. From a publicity and from a marketing standpoint, Cynthia and Ariana were literally just everywhere.” The second “Wicked” film is scheduled for release in November 2025. “Gladiator II” stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington in a story of political intrigue that unfolds 16 years after the original film. Other films coming before year-end include Walt Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King,” Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and Searchlight Pictures’ “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothee Chalamet as musician Bob Dylan.

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Bath Mats Market Driven by Demand for Immersive Technologies Across IndustriesPORTLAND, Maine – Honey, they shrunk the catalogs. While retailers hope to go big this holiday season , customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Recommended Videos Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards. Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt. “It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said. Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats. The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus. But don't expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say. In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book Wish starting in 1933, filed for bankruptc y. Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer J.Crew relaunched its glossy catalog this year. Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University. “The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That's why paper books remain relevant," Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.” Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season's impact on the planet, he said. Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry. Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers. Lands' End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said. Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet, not by flipping through paper pages. “Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there -- so many websites, so many brands,” said Ayoob, who spent 35 years working in department stores and in the wholesale industry. Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. L.L. Bean was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now. “By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. "Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.”NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball switched a pair of series involving the Tampa Bay Rays to the first two months of the season in an attempt to avoid summer weather problems at open-air Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home following damage to Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 13 of its first 16 games at home and 47 of 59 through May 28, then play 69 of its last 103 games on the road. The Rays are home for eight of 25 games in July and eight of 26 in August. A series scheduled at the Los Angeles Angels from April 7-9 will instead be played at Tampa, Florida, from April 8-10, MLB said Monday. The second series between the teams will be played at Anaheim, California, from Aug. 4-6 instead of at St. Petersburg, Florida, from Aug. 5-7. Minnesota's first series against the Rays will be played at Steinbrenner Field from May 26-28 and the Twins' second will be at Target Field in Minneapolis from July 4-6. The Class A Tampa Tarpons, Steinbrenner Field's usual team, had six home postponements, two cancellations and four suspended games this year from June 21 through their season finale on Sept. 8. Tampa Bay is now scheduled to play its first six games at home against Colorado and Pittsburgh, go to Texas for a three-game series, then return for a 13-game homestand against the Angels, Atlanta, Boston and the New York Yankees. Tropicana Field, the Rays' home since the team started play in 1998, was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, with most of its fabric roof shredded. The Rays cannot return to the Trop until 2026 at the earliest, if at all. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/

HNB General Insurance (HNBGI) has demonstrated its excellence by securing three prestigious awards at the National Sales Awards 2024, organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM). Reflecting HNBGI’s exceptional sales achievements during the 2023–24 period, the company’s Channel Development Manager Danidu T. Galappaththi, clinched the coveted Silver award under the National Sales Manager category. Danidu’s multifaceted contributions have been instrumental in driving HNBGI’s sales success. His leadership encompassed managing a dynamic sales team to achieve enhanced performance, leveraging innovative technologies, and adopting strategies such as product diversification and bundling to penetrate new market segments. In the Territory Manager category, HNBGI Malabe Branch Manager Pulasthi Bandara was honoured with a Gold award for his strategic planning capabilities, financial acumen, and strong communication skills which were pivotal in achieving sales targets and implementing best practices. In the same category, HNBGI Cluster Manager – Colombo South Ranga Deshan won a Merit award for his outstanding efforts in overseeing branch performance. His expertise in branch-level strategy, target achievement, and team development were critical to HNBGI’s consistent growth. HNBGI CEO Sithumina Jayasundara said: “The steady sales growth we have achieved over the last few years is a testament to the dedication and exceptional performance of our sales force. At HNBGI, we ensure their hard work is recognised and celebrated internally but seeing them honoured on a national stage is incredibly rewarding. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our award winners for their outstanding contributions to the company.” These accolades underscore HNBGI’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement within its sales force. The recognition at SLIM National Sales Awards 2024 solidifies HNBGI’s position as a leader in the industry, driven by a passionate and high-performing team.

Syria's de facto leader said Sunday it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans to dissolve his Islamist group that led the country's insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad's decades-long rule, ending the country's uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Al-Sharaa said it would take time to hold elections because of the need for Syria's different forces to hold political dialogue and rewrite the country's constitution following five decades of the Assad dynasty's dictatorial rule. Also, the war-torn country's battered infrastructure needs to be reconstructed, he said. “The chance we have today doesn’t come every 5 or 10 years,” said al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani. “We want the constitution to last for the longest time possible.” Al-Sharaa is Syria's de facto leader until March 1, when Syria's different factions are set to hold a political dialogue to determine the country's political future and establish a transitional government that brings the divided country together. There, he said, HTS will dissolve after years of being the country's most dominant rebel group that held a strategic enclave in the country's northwest. Earlier, an Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday killed 11 people, according to a war monitor, as Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure even after the ouster of Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrike targeted a weapons depot that belonged to Assad’s forces near the industrial town of Adra, northeast of the capital. The observatory said at least 11 people, mostly civilians, were killed. The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrike Sunday. Israel, which has launched hundreds of airstrikes over Syria since the country's uprising turned-civil war broke out in 2011, rarely acknowledges them. It says its targets are Iran-backed groups that backed Assad. Unlike his criticism of key Assad ally Iran, al-Sharaa hoped to maintain “strategic relations” with Russia, whose air force played a critical role in keeping Assad in power for over a decade during the conflict. Moscow has a strategic airbase in Syria. The HTS leader also said negotiations are ongoing with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, and hopes that their armed forces will integrate with the Syrian security agencies. The Kurdish-led group is Washington’s key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Islamic State group. Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have been clashing with the SDF even after the insurgency, taking the key city of Manbij, as Ankara hopes to create a buffer zone near its border in northern Syria. The rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, while the SDF shared a video of a rocket attack that destroyed what it said was a radar system south of the city of Manbij. In other developments: — Syrian state-run media said a mass grave was found near the third largest city of Homs. SANA said civil defense workers were sent to to the site in al-Kabo, one of many suspected mass graves where tens of thousands of Syrians are believed to have been buried during a brutal crackdown under Assad and his network of security agencies. — An Egyptian activist wanted by Cairo on charges of incitement to violence and terrorism, Abdulrahman al-Qardawi, was detained by Lebanese security forces after crossing the porous border from Syria, according to two judicial and one security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to to talk to the press. Al-Qardawi is an Egyptian activist residing in Turkey and an outspoken critic of Egypt's government. He had reportedly visited Syria to join celebrations after Assad's downfall. His late father, Youssef al-Qaradawi, was a top and controversial Egyptian cleric revered by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. He had lived in exile in Qatar for decades. — Lebanese security forces apprehended an armed group in the northern city of Tripoli that kidnapped a group of 26 Syrians who were recently smuggled into Lebanon, two Lebanese security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information with the media. The Syrians included five women and seven children, and security officials are working to return them to Syria.Obtain trade licences or face action, commercial establishment owners told2 held from Delhi's Batla House over Sambhal violence

Daily Post Nigeria Niger Govt partners Chinese agro firms to reduce post-harvest losses Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Niger Govt partners Chinese agro firms to reduce post-harvest losses Published on November 25, 2024 By Priscilla Dennis The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, has disclosed that measures have been adopted by the state to reduce post-harvest losses to enhance food security in the state. Usman, who stated this in Minna, said to reduce losses, the state entered into a collaboration with Chinese Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone facilities in Chendgu, Mlian Uang, and De Yang City, all within Sichuan Province, to acquire more knowledge to improve the quality of agricultural products. According to him: “The arrangements can enhance food security, reduce poverty, and improve the livelihoods of our citizens.” Usman, who led the state’s delegation to the agro-industrial processing zone facilities, explained that the visit aims to facilitate knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and investment opportunities. Usman noted: “By learning from China’s successful experiences in agro-industrial processing, as a state, we can enhance our own capabilities, create jobs, stimulate economic growth and increase the state’s competitiveness in the global market. “The state can increase its agricultural productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve the quality of agricultural products.” Also, the state commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Aminu Suleiman Takuma, said the move by the state government to develop an agro-industrial sector was to promote economic diversification. “It will also reduce the dependence on oil revenues, promote economic diversification, and increase our resilience to external shocks. I assure you that Niger State can enhance food security, reduce poverty, and improve the livelihoods of our citizens,” he stated. Related Topics: niger Don't Miss ‘Releasing Nnamdi Kanu will make you hero’ – Ohanaeze chieftain writes Tinubu You may like Hemp smokers blamed as fire razes classrooms in Niger school ICPC tracks N13.9bn FG projects in Niger Niger CAN commiserates with govt, Muslims over chief imam’s death Niger Gov Bago mourns death of Minna Chief Imam, Malam Isah Fari Plans complete for implementation of N80,000 new minimum wage in November- Niger NLC Police parade three for theft, receiving stolen property, recover 35 cattle in Niger Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media LtdNone

MERACH Exercise Bike, Smart Magnetic Stationary Bike with Bluetooth APP 11-25-2024 10:56 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: PR Distribution Service Revolutionizing Indoor Cycling: Meet MERACH S28 - The Only Smart Bike with Gradient Adjustment When it comes to fitness technology, MERACH has consistently pushed boundaries. With the launch of the MERACH S28, the bar has been raised once again. As the first and only smart exercise bike featuring gradient adjustment, the S28 transforms your indoor cycling experience into a realistic, immersive journey. Here's why this groundbreaking innovation is turning heads and how it stacks up against other products in the market. Unmatched Realism with Gradient Adjustment Unlike traditional exercise bikes that simulate flat roads or rely solely on resistance settings, the S28 introduces automatic gradient adjustment. Whether you're ascending steep hills or cruising downhill, the bike adjusts its slope to mimic real-world terrains. Seamless Integration with FantomFite: Your Ultimate Fitness App The S28 is fully compatible with MERACH's proprietary FantomFite gaming app, offering a next-level interactive experience. Engage in gamified workouts where the gradient adjusts dynamically with the virtual terrain. Unlike standard apps that focus solely on metrics, FantomFite combines entertainment with fitness, keeping you motivated throughout every ride. Premium Build Meets Affordability Priced at $799.99, with a limited-time offer bringing it down to $499.99, the S28 delivers premium features without the premium price tag. A Step Ahead in Sustainability and Durability Built with a heavy-duty frame and an ultra-quiet belt-driven mechanism, the S28 ensures longevity and smooth performance. Its compact design is perfect for modern homes, while its low power consumption reflects MERACH's commitment to eco-friendly innovation. The Future of Indoor Cycling Is Here Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a beginner looking for an engaging way to stay fit, the MERACH S28 stands out as the ultimate choice for indoor cycling. With its unique features, affordability, and cutting-edge technology, it's more than a fitness tool-it's a gatew Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DK918QQ3 Media Contact Company Name: Merach Contact Person: Marketing Team Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=merach-exercise-bike-smart-magnetic-stationary-bike-with-bluetooth-app ] Address:Room 202, 2nd Floor, Pioneer Technology Building, 298 Weiye Road, Puyan Street, Binjiang District City: Hangzhou Country: China Website: https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/99D2F83D-75AB-4189-B2FF-1A514016B63B?ingress=2&visitId=2a82edd5-d6a3-4fc5-8a63-2891a0f90ad7&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto&ref_=ast_bln This release was published on openPR.Intercorp Financial Services Inc. (NYSE:IFS) Major Shareholder Peru Ltd Intercorp Acquires 574,071 SharesNew Syrian de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television channel that he wants relations with Iran and Russia, but he insisted any ties must be based on mutual "respect." Russia and Iran were major allies of Syria under the regime of President Bashar al-Assad until the totalitarian leader was ousted by rebels in early December. The West is closely watching the new ruler's actions, including the depth of any future ties with Tehran and Moscow. "Syria cannot continue without relations with an important regional country like Iran," Sharaa told Al Arabiya in a wide-ranging interview on December 29. But relations "must be based on respect for the sovereignty of both countries and noninterference in the affairs of both countries," he added. Sharaa urged Tehran to rethink its regional policies and interventions and pointed out that opposition forces protected Iranian positions during the fighting to oust Assad, even though rebels knew Iran was a major backer of the president. Sharaa said he had expected positive overtures from Iran following these actions but said they have not been forthcoming. Sharaa, previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, said that while he expects Moscow to withdraw its forces from Syria, he also spoke of "deep strategic interests" with the "second most powerful country in the world." "We don't want Russia to exit Syria in a way that undermines its relationship with our country,” he told Al-Arabiya, without providing details. "All of Syria's arms are of Russian origin, and many power plants are managed by Russian experts.... We do not want Russia to leave Syria in the way that some wish," he said. According to flight data analyzed by RFE/RL, Russia is reducing its military footprint in Syria and shifting some of its assets from the Middle Eastern country to Africa. To offset the potential loss of its air base in Hmeimim and naval base in Tartus, Russia appears to be increasing its presence in Libya, Mali, and Sudan, although experts say the loss of Syrian bases is a major blow to the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Sharaa also said that organizing elections in the country could take up to four years and that a new constitution could require three years to be finalized. The leader expressed hope that the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump -- set to take office on January 20 -- would lift sanctions on his country. "We hope the incoming Trump administration will not follow the policy of its predecessor," Sharaa said. The rebels who ousted Assad were led by Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamist group, a U.S. and EU-designated terrorist organization. Sharaa has publicly pledged to adopt moderate policies regarding women's rights, national reconciliation, and relations with the international community, although world leaders say they remain wary of the new rulers pending concrete actions. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said journalist Cecilia Sala, who was in Iran to carry out "journalistic activities," has been detained by Tehran police authorities. The ministry said in a statement on December 27 that Sala, who has a podcast called Stories that covers life in places around the world, was detained on December 19. It gave no reason for the detention, but said in a statement that the ambassador from Italy's embassy in Tehran had paid a consular visit "to verify the conditions and state of detention of Sala." "The family was informed of the results of the consular visit. Previously, Sala had the opportunity to make two phone calls with her relatives," it said. Sala posted a podcast from Tehran on December 17 about patriarchy in the Iranian capital. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. Earlier this month, Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, was handed a 10-year sentence by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. Iran is among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to Russia on January 17, state-controlled media in Iran and Russia reported on December 26. Quoting Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, Iran's Tasnim news agency said that “the president will visit Russia on January 17 and a cooperation agreement between the two countries will be signed during the visit." Russia and Iran both are under severe financial sanctions imposed by Western nations and have stepped up bilateral cooperation on many fronts in recent years. The West has accused Iran of providing weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Tehran has denied the allegations despite evidence widespread use of Iranian-made drones in the war. Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on the main airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on December 26 as it steps up attacks on the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in what Tehran called a “violation” of peace and security. Huthi rebels said three people were killed and 14 were injured or missing following the Israeli attacks on the airport and other sites in Yemen, including port facilities. "Fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attacks followed recent rocket launches by the Huthi fighters against the Tel Aviv area, although little damage was reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes on Yemen, calling them "aggressions" that it claimed were "a clear violation of international peace and security." It said they represented "an undeniable crime against the heroic and noble people of Yemen," who had "not spared any effort to support the oppressed people of Palestine." The Israeli military has said air strikes in Yemen are targeting Huthi sites that have been used to receive Iranian weapons, which are then often transported to other Tehran-linked groups in the Mideast -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, while Hezbollah has also been deemed a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists its military arm but not its political wing. The U.S. State Department designated the Huthis as a terrorist group at the start of this year. Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened following massive Israeli military strikes on their respective sites in Gaza and Lebanon, and most of their leaders have been killed in Israel's military response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue against the Huthi rebels, who have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, claiming they are in solidarity of Hamas fighters in Gaza. "We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- head of the World Health Organization who was at the Sanaa airport during the Israeli attack -- said he was safe but that "one of our plane's crew members was injured.” Iran’s council on safeguarding the Internet has voted to lift bans on the WhatsApp messenger and the Google Play apps, state media reported. The Supreme Cyberspace Council voted unanimously in favor of lifting restrictions on some foreign-owned applications, including WhatsApp and Google Play, during a meeting on December 24, state news agency IRNA said. "Today, we took the first step toward lifting Internet restrictions with unanimity and consensus," Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi said on X. It was not immediately clear when the decision would come into force. The Supreme Cyberspace Council holds its meetings behind closed doors and its members' votes are not made public. IRNA reported that the members of the council voted to lift restrictions while at the same time " emphasizing the importance of rule-of-law governance in cyberspace." The two apps were restricted in 2022 following the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that were severely suppressed. The Supreme Cyberspace Council, which was established by order of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also emphasized "supporting domestic platforms." On the eve of the council’s meeting, Mehr News Agency published a document indicating that, based on a Supreme Cyberspace Council plan, an "advertising support package" is to be allocated to domestic messaging services. The document states that the “first phase” of the council’s plan will include “building infrastructure” for domestic content platforms. While the bans on WhatsApp and Google Play were lifted by the council, other popular social media platforms including Facebook, X, Telegram, and YouTube remain blocked in Iran. Critics of the restrictions have argued that the controls have been costly for the country. "The restrictions have achieved nothing but anger and added costs to people's lives," social and political activist Ali Rabiei said on X on December 24. Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif added that President Masud Pezeshkian believes in removing restrictions and does not consider the bans to be in the interest of the people and the country. “All experts also believe that this issue is not beneficial to the country's security," Zarif said on December 24. Others, however, warned against lifting the restrictions. The reformist Shargh daily reported on December 24 that 136 lawmakers in Iran's 290-member parliament sent a letter to the council saying the move would be a "gift” to Iran's enemies. The lawmakers called for allowing access to restricted online platforms only "if they are committed to the values of Islamic society and comply with the laws of" Iran. The fall of Bashar al-Assad's government at the hands of rebels, including Ankara-backed factions, has effectively made Turkey the dominant foreign actor in Syria at the expense of Iran and its ally Russia . Turkey and Iran have competed for years for influence in the South Caucasus, and this rivalry appears to have now extended to the Levant. "The Islamic republic has had significant misgivings about Turkish influence in Syria, be it economic, political, or military, long before the fall of Assad. But with the loss of Iran's sole state ally in the region, these concerns are set to be magnified exponentially," said Behnam Taleblu, an Iran analyst at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Still, experts say Turkey's rising profile in Syria to the detriment of Iran does not necessarily mean Ankara-Tehran relations will be significantly impacted. What Is Turkey After? Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Iran and Russia backed Assad while Turkey supported rebel groups opposed to his rule. Iran needed Assad to remain in power so that it could use Syria as a staging ground to fund and arm its proxies and partners, especially the Lebanese group Hezbollah. For Russia, Assad's rule meant Moscow could maintain its Hmeimim air base and naval base in Tartus, which gave it easier access to the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean Sea. Ankara wanted a government in Syria more aligned with its regional vision and policies, especially those that would restrain Kurdish groups in northeastern Syria. A coalition of Kurdish parties, including the Democratic Union Party (PYD), heads the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. PYD's armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), leads the U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). "Turkey has had three core concerns in Syria: fighting the YPG/PYD, enabling the return of Syrian refugees to Syria, and preventing further refugee flows into Turkey," said Daria Isachenko, a Turkey expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Assad's downfall on December 8 has stemmed the influx of refugees into Turkey, but the "first two concerns remain," Isachenko added. Syria is now effectively ruled by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey , Iran's rival. Isachenko says Turkey's growing influence in Syria could further strengthen its position in the Mediterranean Sea if Ankara signs a Libya-style maritime deal with the new authorities in Damascus. The Road Ahead Turkey's growth in stature and Iran's weakened position in Syria could have ramifications for developments in the South Caucasus, where Iran, Russia, and Turkey vie for influence. Experts say while the Astana talks -- a format sponsored by the three countries to end the conflict in Syria -- may be dead, it still served as a platform for managing different interests. "Coordination and consultation on conflict management between Turkey and Iran as well as Russia on the Middle East and the South Caucasus should not be ruled out," Isachenko said. She adds that even in Syria, Turkey and Iran may find some of their interests aligned, such as finding a common adversary in Israel, which has moved into Syrian territory since the fall of Assad. Still, some argue that Tehran will seek to undermine Turkey in Syria in the hopes of returning the country into its so-called axis of resistance -- Iran's loose network of regional allies and proxies. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps will look for ways to claw back influence in Syria," said Taleblu of FDD. "Downtrodden, disposed, and spurned local actors are easy to co-opt, particularly in states where central authority is weak." The Kurdish Question U.S. support for the Kurdish-led SDF has weakened in recent years due to a combination of factors, including the withdrawal of a majority of U.S. troops in 2018 and 2019 and pressure from Washington's NATO ally, Turkey. Ankara, which launched an incursion into northern Syria in 2019 against Kurdish forces, is now in a strong position to further challenge the Kurds, experts say. Since Assad's fall, Ankara-backed rebel groups have clashed with Kurdish forces and seized the previously Kurdish-controlled cities of Manbij and Tarafat near the border with Turkey. Wladimir van Wilgenburg, an Iraqi Kurdistan-based analyst who has co-authored books on Syrian Kurds, says the presence of the 900 remaining U.S. troops might offer some protection to the Kurds but the situation remains precarious. "The new administration in Damascus likely will prefer relations with Turkey over the SDF," he said. "The situation is difficult for the Kurds unless they reach an agreement with HTS." HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa , previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, wants to unify all armed groups in Syria under one banner. But if the SDF were to join, it would effectively end Kurdish autonomy in Syria, Wilgenburg says. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called on Syrians to resist the emerging rebel-led government after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, saying the uprising was orchestrated by the West. Speaking in an address on December 22, Khamenei said Syrians, especially the country's youth, "should stand with strong will against those who designed and those who implemented the insecurity." Assad left the country in the late hours of December 8 after the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey -- overran government forces in a blitz offensive. While Assad was granted political asylum in Russia by President Vladimir Putin after more than five decades of iron-fisted rule by his family, the HTS has since moved quickly to establish an interim government, and its leader, Riad al-Asaad, has said he is confident the factions that helped topple Assad will unite as one force. HTS and the transitional government have insisted the rights of all Syrians will be protected, but Khamenei said he believes a group aligned with the Islamic republic's government would end up prevailing in Syria. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on December 22. Details of the meeting were not immediately released, but Turkey has long been seen as a backer of HTS as it looked to remove Assad. The toppling of Assad was seen by many as another blow to Tehran, which has seen regional groups aligned with it -- parts of the so-called axis of resistance -- suffer major setbacks in the past 14 months. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has been decimated by Israel, which launched a war against the group in the Gaza Strip and Hamas fighters in October 2023 crossed into Israel and killed 1,200 people while taking another 250 hostage. That conflict spread to Lebanon, home of the Tehran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. Israel has severely weakened Hezbollah -- killing its longtime leader and many of its top officials -- after the group launched attacks on Israel that it said was in support of Hamas. A U.S.-brokered deal to end hostilities in Lebanon took effect last month. Khamenei downplayed the links to Iran, saying they have fought against Israel on their own beliefs. "They keep saying that the Islamic republic lost its proxy forces in the region. This is another mistake. The Islamic republic does not have a proxy forces," he said. “If one day we plan to take action, we do not need proxy force,” he added. Despite sitting atop the world's second-largest natural gas reserves, energy shortages have become a feature of winters in Iran. Iran grapples with air pollution all year, but air quality significantly worsens during winter when power plants are forced to burn low-quality heavy fuel oil -- mazut -- to compensate for the lack of gas. A rare cold snap in recent weeks has exposed the extent of Iran's struggles to meet the rising demand for gas, with school classes forced to go online and government offices ordered shut to conserve energy. Highlighting the severity of the crisis, President Masud Pezeshkian last week appealed to the public to turn their thermostats down by 2 degrees Celsius to help address the energy deficit. Other government officials have followed suit with similar pleas, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi telling his staff to wear warmer clothes at work. Temperatures have plunged as low as -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Iran in recent days. "The situation is bad due to very cold weather, especially in Tehran and the northern provinces, but it's exacerbated by the structural trend toward runaway consumption over the last two to three years without an accompanying increase in production," said Gregory Brew, an Iran and energy analyst at the U.S.-based Eurasia Group. Old Infrastructure, Poor Management Energy subsidies in Iran mean energy bills are generally low, which has promoted overconsumption. But making matters worse is a devastating combination of mismanagement and outdated infrastructure that has significantly contributed to Iran's inability to meet the rising demand for gas. Gas flaring -- the burning of gas that comes out of the ground when drilling for oil -- is a major problem. Iran does not have the technology to collect it, so it is wastefully burned. World Bank data shows that Iran ranked second globally in 2023 in terms of the volume of gas flaring, burning around 21 billion cubic meters. That is more than double that of the United States, which ranked fourth, and enough to supply 40 percent of the gas demand in neighboring Turkey, which has a population similar to Iran's. Iran's major gas reserves are in the south, southwest, and offshore, so an expansive and powerful grid is needed to transport gas to the north. To do that, Iran needs to invest heavily both in expanding its aging infrastructure and increasing production, said Brew. "But that's difficult to do without investment constrained by both a weak economy and international sanctions," he added. The United States has imposed sweeping sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear and missile programs. The sanctions have crippled the Iranian economy and dented Tehran's ability to sell oil and gas, its key exports. They have also prevented Iran from accessing foreign investment and technology. The South Pars Field in the Persian Gulf is the world's largest natural gas field, and Iran shares it with Qatar, where it is referred to as the North Dome. While Qatar has signed lucrative deals with international energy companies to develop its section of the gas field, Iran has had to rely on lackluster domestic capabilities to exploit it. Iran's seemingly never-ending struggle with gas shortages in winter has led many to question the rationale behind exporting gas to neighboring Iraq and Turkey. "Given how constrained it is by sanctions, Iran has to find and exploit any means of increasing exports, which increases pressure on supply at home," Brew said. The stand-off with the West over Iran's nuclear program means the odds of sanctions being lifted are slim, and with Donald Trump returning to the White House in January, the pressure will increase even further, experts said. The U.S. State Department condemned the 10-year sentence handed down by Iranian authorities against Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "We strongly condemn this sentencing and call for his immediate release and the release of all political prisoners in Iran," a spokesperson told Radio Farda on December 17. "The Iranian government has repeatedly suppressed press freedom through threats, intimidation, detentions, forced confessions, and the use of violence against journalists in Iran," the spokesperson added. According to court documents sent to the journalist's lawyer on December 10 and subsequently reviewed by RFE/RL, Valizadeh was sentenced by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." In addition to the prison term, Valizadeh was banned for two years from living in Tehran and adjacent provinces, from leaving the country, and from joining political or social organizations following the completion of his sentence. Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. The State Department earlier condemned Valizadeh's detention, calling it "unjust" and inconsistent with international legal standards. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged Iranian authorities to release Valizadeh immediately. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus also called for Valizadeh to be released, saying the charges against him, his conviction, and sentence were unjust. "Time and again, the Iranian regime has attempted to spread its malign influence around the world, trampling on human rights at every opportunity," Capus said in a statement. "Clearly, this regime feels threatened by the forces of freedom, including independent journalism." Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap. Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal. Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. Iran closed government offices and shifted school classes online on December 16 due to freezing temperatures and a severe gas shortage. Northern provinces have experienced temperatures plunging to -20°C (-4°F) in recent days, accompanied by widespread gas supply disruptions. President Masud Pezeshkian called on citizens last week to lower their thermostats by 2 degrees Celsius to conserve energy. Other government officials have made similar pleas online. Despite sitting on the world’s second-largest proven gas reserves, Iran’s aging infrastructure has struggled to meet increasing demand during winter. To read the full story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . Iranian police released singer Parastoo Ahmadi in the early hours of December 15 following a brief detention after she performed without the mandatory head scarf, her lawyer has confirmed. Ahmadi caused a stir on social media earlier this week after recording a performance with her hair uncovered and wearing a dress. The performance, recorded with a crew of male musicians, was uploaded to YouTube. The police on December 14 claimed she was released after a "briefing session" but a source close to the family told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that she remained in custody. Her lawyer Milad Panahipur also denied the police claim, writing on X that the authorities were "lying" about her release. The following day, Panahipur confirmed Ahmadi, who had been detained in her home province of Mazandaran, was released at 3 in the morning. Two of her bandmates, Soheil Faqih-Nasri and Ehsan Beyraqdar, were also detained briefly. Ahmadi’s Instagram account is no longer accessible, but her YouTube account remains active. The video of her performance, dubbed "an imaginary concert" because female performers cannot sing solo in front of an audience, has received around 1.6 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded on December 11. On December 12, the authorities said legal proceedings had been launched against Ahmadi and her bandmates for the "illegal concert." Ahmadi, who gained prominence during the 2022 nationwide protests after singing a song in support of demonstrators, has been widely praised for her performance. On social media, many have hailed her for fighting "gender apartheid" and showing "bravery, resilience, and love." A rising number of women have been flouting the mandatory hijab in public since the 2022 protests, which gave rise to the Women, Life, Freedom movement. The authorities have tried to crack down and recently passed a law enhancing the enforcement of the hijab by introducing hefty fines, restricting access to basic services, and lengthy prison sentences. The new hijab and chastity law, which has been widely criticized by even conservative figures, is scheduled to go into effect this month, but at least two lawmakers have said its implementation has been postponed by the Supreme National Security Council. An Iranian court has sentenced Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, to 10 years in prison on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." According to court documents sent to the journalist’s lawyer on December 10 and subsequently reviewed by RFE/RL, Valizadeh was sentenced by Judge Iman Afshari of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, Branch 26. In addition to the prison term, Valizadeh was banned for two years following the completion of his sentence from living in Tehran and adjacent provinces, from leaving the country, and from joining political or social organizations. Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22 . His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. The U.S. State Department earlier condemned Valizadeh’s detention, calling it "unjust" and inconsistent with international legal standards. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged Iranian authorities to release Valizadeh immediately. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus also called for Valizadeh to be released, saying the charges against him, his conviction, and sentence were unjust. "Time and again, the Iranian regime has attempted to spread its malign influence around the world, trampling on human rights at every opportunity," Capus said in a staetment. "Clearly, this regime feels threatened by the forces of freedom, including independent journalism." Valizadeh remains in Tehran’s Evin prison under severe restrictions, with limited access to legal representation and family. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap. Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal. Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. The husband of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been detained by security forces, according to their daughter. Mehraveh Khandan said on Instagram that her father, Reza Khandan, was arrested on December 13 at her home in Tehran. The circumstances of Khandan's arrest and the charges against him were not known. Mohammad Moghimi, a lawyer, said on X that the reason for the arrest was likely related to a six-year prison sentence in a case in which he represented Reza Khandan and activist Farhad Meysami. The sentence against Reza Khandan was handed down in February 2019 by Tehran's Revolutionary Court. Meysami also faced a similar sentence in the case. Reza Khandan had been charged with "assembly and collusion against national security," "propaganda against the state," and "spreading and promoting unveiling in society." The sentence against Reza Khandan also banned him from membership in political parties and groups, leaving the country, and using the Internet and other media and press activities. Sotoudeh, a vocal advocate for numerous activists, has been arrested several times since 2010. Her detention has included periods of solitary confinement, highlighting the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Iran. Sotoudeh was arrested last year during the funeral of 17-year-old Armita Garavand, who died of injuries suffered in an alleged confrontation with Iran's morality police in the Tehran subway over a violation of Iran’s compulsory head scarf law. Reza Khandan said at the time of his wife's arrest in October 2023 that she started a hunger and medication strike after she was severely beaten when she was taken into custody. Sotoudeh was released about two weeks later. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in his first public comments since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted , accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the rebel uprising that toppled the regime over the weekend. Khamenei on December 11 also implicitly blamed Turkey for the lightning push of Syrian rebels who reached Damascus from their strongholds in the northwest with little resistance. "It should not be doubted that what happened in Syria was the product of a joint American and Zionist plot," he said. "Yes, a neighboring government of Syria plays, played, and is playing a clear role...but the main conspirator, mastermind, and command center are in America and the Zionist regime," Khamenei added. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey -- ousted Assad on December 8, less than two weeks after launching their offensive. Syria under Assad served as a crucial part of a land corridor connecting Iran to the Levant, which was considered the logistical backbone of the so-called axis of resistance -- Iran's loose network of regional proxies and allies. Iran spent billions of dollars and sent military advisers to Syria to ensure Assad remained in power when civil war broke out in 2011. Russia -- where the ousted Syrian leader has been granted political asylum -- also backed Assad, while Turkey has supported rebel groups who aimed to topple the regime. A Khamenei adviser once described Syria as the "golden ring" in the chain connecting Iran to its Lebanese partner, Hezbollah. With the ring broken and Hezbollah's capabilities degraded after a devastating war with Israel, experts say the axis has become severely weak. Khamenei said only "ignorant and uninformed analysts" would assess that the axis has become weak and vowed that its reach "will expand across the region more than before." Reza Alijani, an Iranian political analyst based in France, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Khamenei's comments were more "trash talk" than anything else. "The axis may not have been defeated, but it has suffered a serious blow and the Islamic republics arms in the region have been deal major hits," he said. Alijani argued that factions within the Islamic republic's core support base may be starting to question Khamenei's policies and vision after the recent setbacks, which he said is a cause for concern among the clerical establishment's top brass. Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking China's resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. I'm RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish and I'm back after a reporting trip in Taiwan. I'm off again for the holidays but will be back here with another newsletter at the end of the year. Here's what I'm following right now. Beijing Watches Assad Fall The full effects from the swift collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria is still playing out on the ground, but his sudden fall is set to shake up the Middle East and beyond. Here's what it means for China. Finding Perspective: China has been aligned with Assad since Syria's civil war began in 2011 but largely through its close ties to Russia and Iran, which backed the Syrian leader. At the United Nations, Beijing has often voted with Moscow, blocking condemnations of Assad as well as cross-border aid. Beijing supported the Assad regime with eight vetoes at the UN, which is half the total vetoes China has ever used. Beijing significantly reduced its presence in Syria amid the conflict, though it kept building close ties with Assad, eventually culminating in his state visit to China in 2023. Chinese investment in Syria was scarce, and beyond a strategic partnership agreement and a pledge to join the Belt and Road Initiative there has been essentially no Chinese investment in Syria and no major contracts with Chinese firms in the country since 2010. So why did Beijing throw its weight behind Assad? Revisiting The Arab Spring: For Beijing, the biggest issue was the symbolism and appearance of stability that Assad represented, especially given he was first threatened by a popular uprising that then set the Syrian civil war in motion. The spread of revolutions in the Arab world in 2011 was alarming for the Chinese Communist Party. Inside China at the time, popular grumbling with corruption at various levels of government was common, and the party was concerned the protests across the Middle East could inspire its own population, especially given simmering tensions in Tibet and Xinjiang at the time. Added to that was the rise of the Islamic State in Syria. The war led to thousands of Uyghurs, the predominantly Muslim group from western China, traveling to Syria to fight against the Syrian government. Many of those fighters said they were there to learn how to use weapons and then return to China, and fears over the return of battle-hardened fighters to Xinjiang was one of the pretexts Xi expressed to top party brass to launch the crackdown and camp system in western China that targeted the Uyghur population, according to a set of leaked internal government documents obtained by the New York Times. Why It Matters: From this logic, Beijing's support for Assad makes sense, but it's a big bet that hasn't paid off. The fall of Assad is also a reflection of the weakened regional power of two of its main partners: Iran and Russia. Their inability to prop up Assad indicates they've been consumed by the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine, which may be a concern for Beijing looking ahead. The rapid collapse of the Syrian government is also an unwelcome message at home for Beijing, which was reflected in the way Chinese media covered the events for Chinese viewers. As images circulated around the world of jubilant crowds and the toppling of statues, Chinese state media's coverage on CCTV mostly centered around a fixed live shot of Damascus without a crowd in sight. Three More Stories From Eurasia 1. China Flexes Its Muscles Around Taiwan Beijing said it is taking "necessary measures" to defend the country's sovereignty and will not tolerate "separatist" activities, as Taiwan reported another rise in Chinese warplanes and ships near the island. The Details: Taiwan's Defense Ministry said China was deploying its largest navy fleet in regional waters in nearly three decades, posing a threat to Taiwan that is more pronounced than previous Chinese war games. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, had been expected to launch drills to express its anger at President Lai Ching-te's tour of the Pacific that ended last week, which included stopovers in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam. Without any announcement from China on military drills, Taiwan officials are calling the ongoing activity a training exercise and warned it could be used to further violate Taiwan's territorial boundaries. China, which views Lai as a separatist, held major military exercises around Taiwan following his inauguration in May and his National Day speech in October. It also held a major drill after Nancy Pelosi, then the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, visited Taiwan in 2022. 2. The California Connection A Chinese company that owns a California electronics distributor has sent hundreds of shipments of restricted dual-use technology to Russia since the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, including to sanctioned companies with ties to the Russian military, my colleagues Mike Eckel and Mark Krutov report . What You Need To Know: The findings further highlight the difficulty Western countries have had in trying to choke off the Russian military's access to Western technology for use in its weapons and operations as its war on Ukraine continues. At least one component manufactured by the company, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic Technology Company Limited, was found in a Russian weapons guidance system recovered from the battlefield in Ukraine, according to a public database maintained by the Ukrainian military. Yangjie Technology, located in the city of Yangzhou northwest of Shanghai, has sent more than 200 shipments of specific goods to Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to customs records obtained by C4ADS, a Washington-based, nonprofit data-analysis and global-research organization. The listed contents of those shipments -- totaling at least 238 -- included electronic components categorized as "high-priority" by the United States due to their potential use in Russian weapons systems, according to the data obtained by C4ADS and shared with RFE/RL, which independently corroborated more than 150 such shipments. 3. China And Serbia Eye New Cooperation On Extraditions Serbia has extradited five Chinese citizens in the past five years, according to data obtained by my colleague Mila Manojlovic from RFE/RL's Balkan Service. What It Means: The data shows extraditions are already taking place. That cooperation is also set to grow as Serbia's Justice Ministry prepares to submit to parliament a draft extradition law with China that, if passed, would expand the scope of cooperation between Beijing and Belgrade. That extradition deal, which would regulate the bilateral extradition of citizens charged with crimes, is seen by experts as a response to the influx of tourists and Chinese nationals to Serbia that have corresponded with high-profile Chinese investments and loans for projects through the BRI. According to data from Serbia's National Employment Service, more than 45,000 work permits have been issued to Chinese citizens since 2016, the year the ruling Serbian Progressive Party started intensifying relations with Beijing and expanding BRI projects. Serbia's Interior Ministry told RFE/RL there are currently 3,433 Chinese citizens registered in the country. Across The Supercontinent Looking at 2025: Here's my look at what's on Taiwan's agenda as we prepare to enter 2025, as part of a wider lookahead from across RFE/RL coverage region. My segment begins at 7:25. Train Links: The first train carrying goods from China to Afghanistan arrived in Mazar-e Sharif on November 23 after crossing through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Taliban said 55 containers arrived in Afghanistan after a 22-day journey, marking the inauguration of the first direct train link between China and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The New Normal: From attacks in Pakistan to new episodes in Tajikistan, my colleagues Bashir Ahmad Gwakh and Frud Bezhan look at how new violence in South and Central Asia could affect Chinese investment projects across the region. A Late Warning: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on December 2 warned her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that Beijing's support for Russia would "impact" ties with Europe. One Thing To Watch According to a draft sanctions package obtaind by RFE/RL, the European Union has proposed for the first time to target Chinese companies and individuals with visa bans and asset freezes over their dealings with Russian firms linked to Moscow's war effort in Ukraine. The draft version of the sanctions package was first shared with EU countries on November 22 and would still need to be approved before the end of the year by all 27 member states in order to come into effect. That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have. Until next time, Reid Standish If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here . It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday. Syria's interim prime minister took power with the support of the rebels who ousted President Bashar al-Assad as outside powers -- including Russia, Turkey, the United States, and Israel -- maneuvered to protect their geopolitical interests in the war-torn Middle East nation. In an address on recently captured state TV, Muhammad al-Bashir said he would lead Syria's interim authority through March 1 as the new rulers, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants, looked to solidify control after deposing Assad over the weekend. Little-known Bashir, born in Idlib Province in 1982 and an engineering graduate, had once worked for Syria's state gas entity and has served as head of the rebel's so-called Salvation Government for the past year. HTS has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union. In recent years, the group severed ties with Al-Qaeda and sought to remake itself as a pragmatic alternative to the Syrian government, although Western powers and rights groups remain cautious. Meanwhile, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, on December 10 told NBC News that Moscow is providing sanctuary to Assad after transporting him there "in the most secure way possible." He didn't provide further details. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on December 9 that President Vladimir Putin made the decision personally to grant asylum to Assad and his family. Earlier on December 10, loud explosions were heard amid reports Israel has been systematically striking Syrian military installations following the ouster of Assad’s brutal regime. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the military had struck several Syrian sites and had hit its naval vessels in overnight strikes. "The [military] has been operating in Syria in recent days to strike and destroy strategic capabilities that threaten the State of Israel. The navy operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet with great success," Katz said. Katz said Israel’s military has been ordered to create a weapons-free zone in southern Syria "to prevent the establishment and organization of terrorism] in the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said Israel had "destroyed the most important military sites in Syria," including “airports and their warehouses, aircraft squadrons, radars, military signal stations, and many weapons and ammunition depots in various locations in most Syrian governorates." The reports came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "transforming the face of the Middle East" and defeating its enemies "step by step" in what he called an "existential war that has been imposed upon us." Netanyahu said Assad's regime had been a "central element of Iran's axis of evil," accusing it of facilitating a "weapons pipeline" between Iran and the Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, which has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States. Israel has launched a monthslong air campaign in Lebanon against Hezbollah. Washington has also conducted some 75 air strikes on Islamic State (IS) militants, who still have a presence in Syria, in recent days to prevent the group from taking advantage of the turmoil that followed Assad's fall. "You can expect that kind of activity will continue. We don't want to give [IS] an opportunity to exploit what is going on," White House national-security spokesman John Kirby said on December 10. The United States has about 900 troops in Syria as part of its decade-long fight against IS. "[IS] will try to use this period to reestablish its capabilities, to create safe havens," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on December 9. "As our precision strikes over the weekend demonstrate, we are determined not to let that happen." Washington said it is seeking ways to engage with Syrian rebel groups and is reaching out to partners in the region, including Turkey, to initiate informal contacts. "We have the ability to communicate with the opposition groups, and we'll continue to do that," Kirby said in his briefing. The Syrian Observatory also said IS militants killed at least 54 government soldiers who were fleeing advancing rebels "during the collapse of the regime" in the Sukhna area of Homs Province. The report could not immediately be verified. Meanwhile, satellite imagery by Planet Labs showed Russian naval ships have left their Syrian base at Tartus, with some dropping anchor offshore. Imagery showed at least three vessels -- including two guided missile frigates -- some 13 kilometers off the coast. Russia has an estimated 7,500 troops and multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim along with the strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin's actions in North and sub-Saharan Africa. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government has ties to many of the rebel groups involved in the takeover, said Ankara will act against anyone seeking to compromise its Syrian territory. "From now on, we cannot allow Syria to be divided again.... Any attack on the freedom of the Syrian people, the stability of the new administration, and the integrity of its lands will find us standing against it," he said. Turkey has claimed U.S.-backed Syrian-Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria to be "terrorists" linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been designated as a terrorist group by Ankara, as well as by Washington. Tehran, which was also a long-standing backer of Assad, on December 10 said some 4,000 Iranian citizens have left Syria over the past three days. Iranian proxies are thought to have multiple military sites inside Syria, some of which have been hit by Israeli air attacks, but the government has so far been relatively muted in its response to Assad's fall. On December 9, the UN Security Council held a closed-door meeting on the situation in Syria called by Russia, which together with Iran, has been a main backer of Assad's regime. "The Council, I think, was more or less united on the need to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to ensure the protection of civilians, to ensure that humanitarian aid is coming to the population in need," said Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, in a statement released after the meeting. The HTS-led rebels announced on December 9 that they were granting amnesty to all military personnel conscripted during Assad's rule, which began in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who had seized power in 1970. Ahmad al-Sharaa, 42, previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, has become the public face of HTS, which itself was formerly known as the Al Nusra Front, among other names. Several European states on December 9 announced they were suspending the granting of asylum requests from Syrians as they awaited developments. The flood of Syrian refugees during the country's 14-year civil war has often been used by far-right politicians in Europe to inflame passions and bolster their support among voters. The EU has urged a peaceful political transition in Syria, saying that "it is imperative that all stakeholders engage in an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned dialogue on all key issues." But EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said the bloc was "not currently engaging with HTS or its leaders, full stop." The Syrian civil war began after Assad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown in March 2011 against peaceful demonstrators inspired by the wave of protests known as the Arab Spring that were sweeping the Middle East at the time. Beginning in 2015, Russia intervened in the civil war on Assad's side, unleashing a massive bombing campaign against the rebel groups, including Islamist militants, causing numerous civilian casualties and prompting tens of thousands to flee. The fall of the Assad regime marks a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin, which, along with Iran, has propped up his government, experts say. Iran spent decades building the so-called axis of resistance, its network of regional armed proxies, Tehran-backed militant groups, and allied state actors. The network was the lynchpin of Tehran's efforts to deter Israel and the United States and exert its influence across the Middle East. But the fall of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Tehran, has done irreparable damage to the network, analysts say. For Iran, Syria provided a crucial land corridor to the Levant that was considered the logistical backbone of the axis. The corridor, also known as the Shi'ite Crescent, connected Tehran to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, a key ally and an integral part of the axis. "There is no axis without access," said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. "The resistance is not done, but losing the ability to logistically support Hezbollah means the loss of Iran's strategic depth." Broken Corridor Underscoring Syria's importance, Iran spent billions of dollars to keep Assad in power. Tehran intervened militarily in Syria's civil war in 2013 and played a key role in shoring up Assad's forces. It deployed hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officers to recruit and train tens of thousands of local and foreign Shi'ite fighters. After the loss of the land corridor connecting axis members from Iran to Lebanon, "we are likely to see a much-diminished resistance in the coming months and years," said Farzan Sabet, senior research associate at the Geneva Graduate Institute. The axis, he said, will have "a considerably lower capacity to rebuild or conduct military operations in the future." At its height, the axis was active in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and was meant to give Iran the ability to hit its enemies outside its own borders while allowing it to maintain a position of plausible deniability. But the axis has suffered a series of debilitating setbacks in recent months. Syria is now effectively ruled by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey, Iran's rival. The HTS seized power in Damascus on December 8. Hezbollah has been severely weakened after a bruising, yearlong war with Israel, which killed the group's longtime leader , Hassan Nasrallah. Meanwhile, Israel's devastating war in the Gaza Strip has diminished the capabilities of U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, another axis member. Events in Syria "will certainly place significantly more restraints on Iran’s ability to maintain its regional influence," said Raz Zimmt, senior researcher at the Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies. Iran's 'Very Bad' Options Weakened regionally, Iran now has tough decisions to make, including reconsidering its deterrence strategy and possibly developing a nuclear bomb, experts say. Zimmt says Iran has two "very bad options" -- to do nothing and recognize that its deterrence against Israel has been compromised, or weaponize its nuclear program and expose itself to the possibility of an Israeli attack. Things look equally grim for Iran’s axis of resistance, according to Sabet, who says Tehran will be under pressure to pull back its regional activities. Sabet says Iran will seek to exploit any potential chaos in the region, including in post-Assad Syria, to reassert its influence. "If the civil war in Syria is not quickly settled and a new order created, it might become precisely the type of environment where the Islamic republic has historically thrived," Sabet said. The collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime sparked nationwide celebrations, as scenes of jubilation and chaos unfolded across the country. In the early hours of December 8, videos emerged on social media showing groups of people gathering on Umayyad Square in Damascus, a key landmark in the capital. Thousands more joined them throughout the day, with some participants climbing atop a tank. Social media footage verified by RFE/RL showed people exiting the central bank building in Damascus carrying bags and boxes. Looting was reported in the capital and in other cities across the country, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. At the gates of the presidential palace in Damascus, video footage captured jubilant men cheering and firing weapons into the air. People were seen entering the palace freely throughout the day after Assad fled the country. Russian state media reported later on December 8 that he and his family had arrived in Moscow and been granted asylum. Video footage from inside the palace showed crowds milling around, as well as people carrying out furniture and valuables, leaving trashed rooms behind them. Verified video footage obtained by RFE/RL also showed the building of the Syrian Interior Ministry's immigration and passport department ablaze in Damascus. Statues of Assad's late father, Hafez al-Assad, who created the authoritarian system his son inherited, were dismantled nationwide after a lightning-fast rebel offensive. On Arwad Island, off the coast of Tartus and around 10 kilometers from a Russian naval base, jubilant crowds toppled a statue of the elder Assad, who died in 2000, and climbed onto the monument in celebration. In Latakia, a coastal town that was a stronghold of the Assad family, another statue of Hafez al-Assad was torn down and dragged through the streets behind a truck as revelers rode atop it. Images also showed the aftermath of the storming of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, which appeared to have been abandoned earlier on December 8. Iranian media reported that diplomats had already evacuated the premises. President-elect Donald Trump said Russia and Iran are in a "weakened state" and called on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine. Trump made the comments in a post on Truth Social on December 8 as Syrian rebels captured Damascus , ending the half-century rule of the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad family. The incoming U.S. president said Russia and Iran couldn't come to the support of Syrian dictator Assad because they were in a "weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success." Russia has lost about 600,000 soldiers since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said, adding that Ukraine has lost about 400,000 defending its territory. "There should be an immediate cease-fire and negotiations should begin," Trump said. "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!" The Kremlin did not immediately respond to Trump's comment. Paris Meeting Trump said in the post that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy "would like to make a deal." Trump held talks with Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on December 7 to discuss the war. Zelenskiy called the trilateral talks "good and productive" and said the leaders discussed the potential for "a just peace." Trump and Zelenskiy were among world leaders who gathered in Paris on December 7 to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. "We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible," Zelenskiy said in a December 7 post on Telegram . "President Trump, as always, is determined. We are thankful for that," he added. Macron said , "Let us continue joint efforts for peace, security." Trump , who will take office on January 20, has criticized the tens of billions of dollars the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. He has claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. Experts say it will be difficult to hammer out a peace deal quickly because there are so many aspects, including security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions relief for Russia. In the meantime, the outgoing Biden administration has been accelerating weapons shipments to Ukraine ahead of the transfer of power to Trump to bolster its defenses. Washington said on December 7 that it is preparing a $988 million package of arms and equipment to Ukraine, funds taken from the remaining $2.21 billion available in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The funds will be used to buy precision missiles for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and for drones, the Pentagon said. European countries are also stepping up aid in case the Trump administration ends U.S. support for Kyiv. Zelenskiy announced on December 7 that Ukraine had received a second shipment of sophisticated F-16 fighter jets from Denmark. Copenhagen announced last year it would deliver a total of 19 aircraft to Ukraine. "The second batch of F-16s for Ukraine from Denmark is already in Ukraine. This is the leadership in protecting life that distinguishes Denmark," he wrote on Telegram . Syrian rebels led by Islamist militants have entered the central city of Homs as they close in on Damascus while the country’s main allies -- Russia and Iran -- scrambled to protect the regime of authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad and their own assets in the country. Abu Mohammad al-Golani, a leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, said late on December 7 that the insurgent fighters were "in the final moments of liberating" Homs, a city of 775,000 people. HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada, and the European Union. Experts said the future of the Assad regime was hanging in the balance -- and that, if it fell, it would also represent a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. Media reports said many residents of Damascus were stocking up on supplies as thousands were attempting to leave the country through the border with Lebanon -- itself a war-torn nation in the increasingly chaotic Middle East. As fighting on the ground and rebel gains intensified, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey held emergency talks in Doha, Qatar, on December 7 calling for an end to hostilities in the most serious challenge to Assad’s rule in years. The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL that Washington was closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Syria. A spokesperson said the United States and its partners and allies urged that civilians, including members of minority groups, be protected. The spokesperson said it was time to negotiate an end to the Syrian conflict consistent with principals established in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The spokesperson added that the refusal of the Assad regime to engage in the process has directly led to the current situation. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War ( ISW ) said that “Assad regime forces have collapsed and Assad’s backers do not appear willing to bolster the Syrian Arab Army by rapidly deploying additional forces.” Russia has multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin’s actions in Africa. The ISW said that Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the base, “but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory.” The American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats blog said the Assad regime “faces an existential threat given the widespread collapse of regime forces and lack of sufficient external backing to bolster these forces.” It added that “Russia will face logistic challenges that will undermine its Africa operations if it loses its footprint in Syria.” Mark Katz, a professor emeritus at George Mason University who focuses on Russia and the Middle East, told RFE/RL that the Kremlin risks losing its air assets in Syria if it can’t agree with Turkey on the use of its airspace. “In one sense, the Turkish government might be happy to grant permission as the more the Russian Air Force is out of Syria, the happier Ankara will be,” he said. "Russia would also face difficulties relocating its warships because they would need Turkey's permission to get into the Black Sea. They would have to go through NATO waters," he added. Meanwhile, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States “should have nothing to do” with the war in Syria, where a small contingent of U.S. forces remain deployed in some areas. "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT,” he wrote on the Truth Social platform. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Fast-moving developments on the ground were difficult to confirm, but media outlets quoted witnesses as well as rebel and Syrian army sources as saying militant fighters were continuing to make large gains on December 7 in their effort to topple Assad. Some reported signs of panic in Damascus, with shortages of critical supplies, although the government said Assad was at work as usual in the capital. Government forces and their Russian allies appear to have failed in their attempt to halt the rebel push toward Homs, which stands at an important intersection between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus. Homs is 140 kilometers from the capital. Witnesses and army sources told Reuters and other news agencies that rebels had entered Homs amid reports that government forces had pulled out. Celebrations were reported in some areas of the city. Homs Province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. The city is also home to one of Syria’s two state-run oil refineries. The AFP news agency quoted security sources as saying hundreds of Syrian government troops, some injured, had fled across the border into Iraq. The surprising offensive was launched last week by a coalition of rebel groups led by the Islamist HTS faction. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said civilians were fleeing from Homs toward the Mediterranean coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government and the site of the Russian air and naval bases. Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he “wasn’t in the business of guessing.” The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Following the foreign ministers' meeting in Doha, Lavrov said -- referring to HTS rebels -- that it was "inadmissible to allow terrorist groups" to take control of Syrian territory and that Russia would oppose them with all means possible. Since the rebels seized control of Aleppo a week ago, they have moved on to capture other major cities with Assad’s forces providing little resistance. Besides capturing Aleppo in the north, Hama in the center, and Deir al-Zor in the east, rebels rose up in southern Suweida and Deraa, saying on December 6 they had taken control of the two cities and posting videos showing insurgent celebrations there. Taking Deraa and Suweida in the south could allow a concerted assault on the capital, Damascus, the seat of Assad's power, military sources said. Video posted online showed protesters in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana chanting and tearing down a statue of Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000, when his son took power. Golani, the HTS leader, told CNN in an exclusive interview on December 5 from Syria that Assad’s government was bound to fall, propped up only by Russia and Iran. “The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it,” he said. “But the truth remains, this regime is dead.” Iran is poised to significantly increase the production rate of highly enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned in a confidential report. The IAEA report said the effect of the change "would be to significantly increase the rate of production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent," according to news agencies quoting the report on December 6. This means the rate of production will jump to more than 34 kilograms of highly enriched uranium per month at its Fordow facility alone, compared to 4.7 kilograms previously, the report to the IAEA's board of governors says. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, who spoke to reporters about the report on the sidelines of an international conference in Bahrain, said the increase would represent “seven or eight times or even more," calling the development very concerning. “They were preparing, and they have all of these facilities sort of in abeyance and now they are activating that. So we are going to see,” he said, adding that it would be a “huge jump” if Iran begins increasing its enrichment. The report also said Iran must implement tougher safeguard measures such as inspections to ensure Fordow is not being "misused to produce uranium of an enrichment level higher than that declared by Iran, and that there is no diversion of declared nuclear material." Iran's decision to accelerate production of enriched uranium is in response to recent censure by the IAEA, Grossi told the AFP news agency. "This is a message. This is a clear message that they are responding to what they feel is pressure," the UN nuclear watchdog's head said. Tehran was angered by a resolution last month put forward by Britain, Germany, and France, known as the E3, and the United States that faulted Iran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. Britain, Germany, and France have adopted a tougher stance on Iran in recent months, in particular since Tehran ramped up its military support to Russia. In addition, there was little progress last week when European and Iranian officials met to determine whether they could enter serious talks on the nuclear program before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers and is now appointing hawks on Iran to his planned administration. While Iran maintains its program is peaceful, Iranian officials increasingly threaten to potentially seek a nuclear bomb and an intercontinental ballistic missile. But experts war that the enrichment of uranium at 60 percent is just a short step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent, and they say there is no justification for enriching uranium to such a high level under any civilian program. The news of Iran's decision to increase uranium enrichment came just hours after Tehran claimed it had conducted a successful space launch with its heaviest payload ever. Official media reported that the launch of the Simorgh rocket took place at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Semnan Province located about 220 kilometers east of Tehran. Western governments have expressed concern that the Tehran’s ballistic missile program is coming closer to having the ability to launch a weapon against distant foes like the United States. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system” and two research systems to a 400-kilometer orbit above the Earth. It also carried the Fakhr-1 satellite for Iran’s military, the first time Iran’s civilian program is known to have carried a military payload. Iran has said its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes.

Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season

Rays will play 13 of first 16 games at home and 47 of 59, then have 69 of last 103 on roadPaige Bueckers poured in a season-high 29 points as No. 2 UConn downed No. 14 North Carolina 69-58 on Friday, allowing Huskies coach Geno Auriemma to tie the all-time Division I wins record for women's and men's basketball. The triumph was No. 1,216 for Auriemma, pulling him level with Tara VanDerveer, who stepped down as Stanford's women's coach following the 2023-24 season. The men's Division I record is held by ex-Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, 1,202. Auriemma would stand alone if UConn beats visiting Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday. The 70-year-old Italy native has led the Huskies to 11 national titles and 23 Final Fours. Sarah Strong amassed 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and five blocks for UConn (3-0), which led by double digits for almost all of the final three quarters. Indya Nivar paced North Carolina (3-1) with 15 points and nine rebounds. No. 7 LSU 74, Murray State 60 The Tigers surrendered 32 points in the second quarter to fall behind at half 46-37, but their defense put the clamps down over the final two quarters as LSU (4-0) rallied to down the Racers (1-2). LSU allowed eight points in the third quarter as it cut its deficit to 54-53, then was even stingier in the fourth, allowing six points to pull away. Murray State shot a blistering 61.1 percent and outscored the Tigers 32-12 in the second quarter, keyed by 16 points from Ava Learn. Learn finished with 18 points and added 10 rebounds, while Halli Poock scored 15 points and Haven Ford had 10 points. LSU held the Racers to just 4-for-27 (14.8 percent) shooting in the second half, including 0-for-14 from 3-point range. Flau'Jae Johnson led the Tigers with 25 points, Mikaylah Williams added 15 and Aneesah Morrow chipped in 10. No. 3 Southern California 81, Santa Clara 50 JuJu Watkins scored 22 points and Kiki Iriafen added 20 points, seven rebounds and three steals as the Trojans remained perfect on the season with a blowout of the Broncos in Los Angeles. Rayah Marshall scored 12 points for USC (4-0). The Trojans took control early, racing to a 25-13 lead after one quarter by shooting 47.6 percent from the floor and turning seven Santa Clara turnovers into 15 points. Kaya Ingram scored 13 points for Santa Clara (2-1), which committed 23 turnovers. No. 15 West Virginia 83, Texas A&M 62 JJ Quinerly hit 4 of 5 3-point attempts while scoring 27 points as the Mountaineers dumped the Aggies in Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia (4-0) led by just four points at halftime before putting the game away with a 27-7 edge in the third quarter. Kylee Blacksten contributed 17 points and Sydney Shaw had 12 for the Mountaineers. Aicha Coulibaly logged 21 points and Sole Williams added 14 for Texas A&M (2-2). --Field Level Media

BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag —a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country,” Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country’s condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party’s public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper’s own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk’s social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print,” Eva Marie Kogel wrote. A critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, accompanied Musk’s opinion piece. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk’s piece was “very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa. The Associated PressMeo, Battle net 13 to help Coastal Carolina down South Carolina Upstate 73-51BEIJING, Dec. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) has long been praised for its ability to extinguish fires swiftly, thanks to the inclusion of PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid). Despite its effectiveness, the presence of PFOS has raised serious concerns about environmental pollution and potential risks to public health – according to a new article by China News Network. In an effort to address these issues, the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in partnership with the World Bank and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has launched the “Reduction and Phase-Out of PFOS in Priority Sectors Project in China.” This program aims to develop and implement safer, more sustainable alternatives for firefighting across the country. Beyond simply improving fire suppression technology, the initiative is designed to protect ecosystems, safeguard public health, and foster a greener future for generations to come. Through innovative research and collaborative action, China is making significant strides in managing and ultimately eliminating the use of PFOS in firefighting foam. PR Contact Name: Wen Tianxia Email: guojixinwenbu@chinanews.com.cn Phone Number: +86(010)68315046 A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/65c26b6b-0ff4-4f12-9794-882d1f71bdb6

Lauren Betts recorded 18 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four blocks as No. 5 UCLA held off No. 17 Louisville 66-59 on Monday in Paris, France. UCLA led the game 32-29 at halftime and 50-46 after three quarters. Isla Juffermans made a jumper to cut the deficit to 50-48 before the Bruins rattled off 11 of the next 14 points. Betts had the final four points of that surge. Her layup gave UCLA its largest lead at 61-51 with 4:02 to play. Oregon State transfer Timea Gardiner put up 15 points in her team debut and Londynn Jones had 13 for the Bruins. Tajianna Roberts finished with 21 points for Louisville to lead all scorers, while Jaleah Williams had 11 points, nine assists and four steals. --Field Level MediaTax-obsessed Labour won't like it... but my radical plan to stop the poor paying any tax AT ALL would benefit every one of us, by LORD SAATCHI

How Rosalynn Carter shaped Jimmy Carter's presidency, volunteerismUoH Professor Highlights Advantages of Digital Payments

How Long Will the "Trump Bump" for the Stock Market Last? Here's What History Shows.Texans who worked with Jimmy Carter remembered him as a principled and compassionate leader — the last Democrat to win the state in a presidential election. Carter died Sunday afternoon at his Georgia home at age 100. The peanut farmer turned politician was praised for philanthropic efforts that continued well into his ninth decade after a single-term presidency that began with his 1976 defeat of Republican President Gerald Ford. “He’s exactly the kind of human being that needs to be president,” John Pouland, Carter’s state coordinator for the 1976 Democratic primary, said soon after learning that Carter would receive hospice care. “He lived the life that he felt was the right way to live as a Christian.” Born and raised in Plains, Georgia, Carter actively served in the Navy for eight years before returning to his home state to take over the family’s peanut-growing business after his father’s death in 1953. Carter went on to serve in the Georgia Senate and as governor before winning the 1976 presidential election. Texas’ 26 electoral votes helped put Carter over the top, a victory he couldn’t repeat in his landslide loss to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Brownsville during a campaign stop in the closing days of the 1980 election season. He praised the area’s farmland, viewed during a low-altitude plane trip from Houston; extolled his record on education; and boasted about appointing more than 200 Hispanic Americans to senior positions, “more than any other previous administration in history.” With the polls pointing toward defeat, his speech in Brownsville also veered into the philosophical, with Carter speaking about the burden of making “the final judgment in the loneliness of the Oval Office.” “Sometimes it has been a lonely job, but with the involvement of the American people, it’s also a gratifying job,” he said in the Nov. 1, 1980, speech. He ended up losing Texas by nearly 14 percentage points, starting a losing streak for Democratic nominees that has lasted through the next 10 presidential elections. A pair of Texans may have played a part in that defeat. In 1980, former Texas Gov. John B. Connally Jr., ran for the Republican nomination to challenge Carter. When Connally lost, he threw his support behind GOP nominee Ronald Reagan. That summer, Connally and former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes took a trip to the Middle East, meeting with heads of state in various capitals. In the midst of the campaign, the Carter administration was embroiled in the Iranian Hostage Crisis, in which 52 Americans were held captive in Iran. Nightly news of the crisis strained Carter's support and left him vulnerable to charges of ineptitude. During the trip, according to Barnes, Connally told the Middle Eastern leaders to deliver a message to Iran that Reagan would give them a better deal if they waited to release the hostages until after the election. Barnes kept silent about the trip for decades, only revealing it to the New York Times in March after it was announced that Carter had entered hospice care. Connally died in 1993. Connally told an Arab leader in their first meeting, “‘Look, Ronald Reagan’s going to be elected president and you need to get the word to Iran that they’re going to make a better deal with Reagan than they are Carter,’” Barnes told the Times. “He said, ‘It would be very smart for you to pass the word to the Iranians to wait until after this general election is over.’ And boy, I tell you, I’m sitting there and I heard it and so now it dawns on me, I realize why we’re there.” Former Carter aides have speculated that they might have won if they had returned the hostages before the election. The 52 Americans were released on the day Reagan took office. Texans were introduced to Carter in the 1976 Democratic primary, when he faced U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, a politically established Texan. “The ‘Jimmy who?’ line was not made up,” Pouland said. “We probably heard that refrain more than anything.” Carter defeated Bentsen — the Georgian was established as the party’s standard bearer by the time Texas held its primary — and Pouland attributed Carter’s success to his Navy service and Christian values, characteristics that appealed to Texas voters. freestar At the time, Texas was at the tail end of a century-long, post-Civil War era of domination by Democrats in state politics. There were 133 Democrats in the 150-member state House, and 28 in the 31-member state Senate. The most significant political divides were among liberal and conservative Democrats, not Democrats and Republicans. But in presidential politics, Republicans had made inroads. Richard Nixon had won the state by 33 percentage points four years earlier, breaking a streak for three straight Democratic victories. Carter won the state with 51% of the vote. But the state was changing fast as conservatives flocked to the GOP. The state elected its first Republican governor since Reconstruction, Bill Clements, two years after Carter was elected. Pouland said Carter served as a model for attracting moderate Southern Democrats, something former President Bill Clinton tried but failed to replicate. Garry Mauro, a former Texas land commissioner who worked for Carter’s 1976 presidential bid, remembered the candidate as genuine and earnest. Mauro said it never occurred to Carter to filter people out, and he didn’t restrict access to himself even as his campaign built momentum. Mauro recalled numerous occasions when he dialed a campaign number, only to have the candidate’s wife, Rosalynn Carter, answer the phone. “He really was the people’s president,” Mauro said. Carter’s influence on Texas Democrats was immense, reshaping the state party’s power base to accommodate new faces on his team, Mauro said. “Jimmy Carter empowered a whole new generation of leadership in Texas,” Mauro said. His many years in politics did not change Carter’s altruistic outlook, Pouland added, and Carter took an active role in advancing human rights through his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center, after leaving office. Carter, Pouland said, “went to his same church, worked on his same farm, kept his same friends and continued to live his life as an example for the very thing that he was an advocate of, and that was compassion.” Though Carter was the last Democrat presidential candidate to win Texas, his legacy is still evident in the party, said state Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas. “He was committed to human rights and gave Democrats the confidence to be for human rights and for peace and for honesty in government,” said Bryant, who served as Carter’s campaign manager in Dallas County during Carter’s first presidential campaign. Bryant points to Carter’s post-presidential years as some of his most impactful. “Instead of serving on corporate boards, or making big speaking fees, or playing golf, he was going to Habitat for Humanity. He was at the [Carter Center]. And he wrote 30 books, the proceeds of which went to nonprofits,” Bryant said, adding that Carter was “just a great example for how to live a life devoted to the public interest. “He lived his faith. He practiced what he preached,” Bryant said. “That’s very important for the country to see that.” In August 2007, Carter joined South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu in calling Texas to stop the execution of Kenneth Foster, an inmate who was on death row for acting as the getaway driver during a killing. Then-Gov. Rick Perry commuted Foster’s sentence to life in prison hours before the execution was scheduled. After the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, Carter joined four other former presidents — Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton and George H.W. Bush — in appealing for donations to help in the recovery. The effort raised more than $41 million in response to the costliest natural disaster of 2017, when extreme flooding in Houston and the surrounding area caused more than $125 billion in damage. Carter maintained his commitment to service through his life, helping to build and repair Dallas homes for Habitat for Humanity as a 90-year-old in 2014. “No matter what your faith may be, we are taught to share what we have with poor people,” he told The Dallas Morning News at the time. “It’s very difficult to cross that divide between people that have everything and people that have never had a decent house. Habitat makes it easy to cross that line.”

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