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An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting by visiting sports teams. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he’s introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Similar flag-planting scuffles broke out across college football on that rivalry weekend. Williams is calling it the O.H.I.O Sportsmanship Act. “Behavior that incites violent brawls and puts our law enforcement officers in danger has no place on the football field,” Williams said. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Mayfield, who now plays for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said he doesn’t think flag planting is a big deal. “I’ll say this: OU-Texas does it every time they play,” Mayfield said on Dec. 1. “It’s not anything special. You take your ‘L’ and you move on. I’ll leave it at that.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

With each team coming off a come-from-behind win, West Virginia and North Carolina Central square off Tuesday night in Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia (6-2) has won two straight games and is in the midst of a 16-day, four-game homestand that kicked off with a 73-60 win over Georgetown in the Big 12-Big East Battle on Friday night. North Carolina Central (4-7) comes off a 78-77 road win over Gardner-Webb on Saturday night. Javon Small led the Mountaineers with a game-high 26 points against Georgetown as they overcame a second-half deficit with a decisive run. "The way we played in the second half (against Georgetown), I'll take that team everywhere," West Virginia coach Darian DeVries said. "You have to be able to do that every single night, every single possession you don't always get to go on a 16-0 run to pull you out of it. That's where we are still growing as a team." Eduardo Andre was questionable for the Georgetown game after he missed the Mountaineers' 83-76 overtime win against Arizona on Nov. 29. But the fifth-year senior center returned with four points, three rebounds and four blocks. "It was good to have him back in the lineup for a reason," DeVries said. "That presence, especially defensively and the ability to block shots, that's a huge deal for us." Against Gardner-Webb, Po'Boigh King led NCCU with 28 points, well above his 17.4 points per game average, as the Eagles rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to win on a late 3-pointer from Isaac Parson. On offense, the Eagles take care of the ball. They are seventh in the nation in turnover margin at plus-7.5 per game. They seek extra possessions on defense and are second nationally with 18.9 turnovers forced per game "We're good enough, we just need to fine tune some things," NCCU coach LeVelle Moton said. "We've got to cross some T's, dot some I's and close. We can't be a really good basketball team until we get the mindset that when winning time presents itself in the last five minutes, (the other team) has to earn it." --Field Level MediaCould comeback spark winning streak for West Virginia or NCCU?

Juan Soto contract breakdown: Details of Mets' $765M deal, including opt-out clause, incentives and more

Intel’s new Lunar Lake hardware is a reflection of modern chip design. It’s tempting to call it a “processor” or “CPU” — old habits die hard, after all — but it’s really a system-on-a-chip (SoC), both in terms of architecture and philosophy. The CPU cores are joined by integrated GPU cores, a neural processing unit (NPU), and even on-chip RAM. Also, unlike past Intel chips, Lunar Lake seems set on striking a balance between the three. That’s keenly felt in Intel’s approach to Lunar Lake’s integrated graphics (iGPU). Building on the success of Intel Core Ultra, Intel’s new processors also offer Intel Arc graphics — but this time around, Intel has returned to providing each iGPU a name unique to its configuration, and the best version here is the Intel Arc 140V with eight Xe Cores and a max frequency of 2.05GHz. Meanwhile, Intel’s competition hasn’t been spinning its wheels. AMD’s latest Ryzen AI processors have their own integrated graphics updates in the form of the Radeon 880M (succeeding the well-respected Radeon 780M) and the new Radeon 890M (which clearly thumped an earlier Intel Arc iteration ). So, how well does the iGPU in Intel’s Lunar Lake chips perform? Is it a minor boost over previous incarnations? Or a major update? Spoiler alert: Lunar Lake’s visual chops are good enough to let you play many modern games without paying extra for a discrete graphics card. Keep reading for our in-depth benchmark test results. This article was updated to include benchmark results from the Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. Additional testing was conducted after initial results suggested the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition might be delivering lower-than-typical graphics performance for this configuration. Hardware specifications for our tests Our game benchmarks below were conducted on two laptops: a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition with Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor and an Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor. The Intel Core Ultra 7 processors are high-end Core Ultra 7 chips for slim-and-light laptops, though more mid-range in terms of overall core count and performance (as opposed to, say, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K). These chips are common choices for thin, light, Intel-powered laptops sold above $1,000. Cheaper laptops may offer them as upgrades. While neither the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V nor 258V are the most powerful SKUs in Intel’s latest line-up, their iGPU looks impressive on paper. Both are badged as Intel Arc 140V, which is the best version of Arc integrated graphics in the Lunar Lake line-up. They have eight Intel Xe Cores, the same number as higher Lunar Lake SKUs. With that out of the way, let’s get to the benchmarks. 3DMark Let’s start things off with 3DMark’s Time Spy and Night Raid tests. Time Spy is a more demanding (but still not especially punishing) benchmark while Night Raid is a less demanding benchmark meant for entry-level graphics hardware, including integrated graphics. Matthew Smith / IDG The Asus Zenbook S 14’s Arc 140V shows strong synthetic benchmark performance, scoring 31,946 in Night Raid and 4,236 in Time Spy. That’s a big improvement over the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition’s results of 28,193 and 3,585, respectively. While the Zenbook puts Intel closer to competing with AMD’s Radeon 890M, AMD still maintains an advantage of 39,966 in Night Raid, though it falls behind in Time Spy. That suggests we’ll see varied results in actual games, with Asus’ implementation providing stronger performance than our initial Lenovo test unit. Onward, to the games! Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Let’s give a polite round of applause to . First released in October 2016, the game is now eight years old — and over the course of that journey, it has roughly doubled its active player base since the months following its launch (based on publicly available Steam stats). With due out in 2025, the sun is setting on this title. But, at the moment, it’s still by far the most popular and commercially successful entry in the franchise. It’s also a less demanding game that’s playable even when frame rates dip below 30 FPS, which makes it easy to enjoy on mid-range, thin-and-light laptops with integrated graphics. Matthew Smith / IDG The Asus Zenbook’s Arc 140V delivers 72.46 FPS average with 43.35 FPS 1% lows. While this matches the Lenovo’s average frame rate of 72.6 FPS, the improved 1% low (compared to Lenovo’s 55.6 FPS) suggests more stable performance. However, both Intel Arc 140V laptops trail significantly behind AMD’s Radeon 890M and Radeon 880M, which average 126.5 and 89.9 FPS, respectively. Even the older Radeon 780M beats Intel’s Arc 140V by a few frames per second. That’s a huge advantage for AMD in this title. Dota 2 Although not often discussed in “mainstream” gaming news, still typically sits among the top three games on Steam and has a vibrant esports scene. It’s also the least demanding game used for this test. Matthew Smith / IDG ‘s average frame rate sees another marginal uplift for the Intel Arc 140V. Though it churned out a slightly better average frame rate, its advantage comes down to just a handful of frames, which is trivial in a game that averages above 100 FPS. The minimum frame rate is more impactful. The Asus Zenbook S 14 beat a 1% low of 60 FPS, which means it can generally achieve 60 FPS or better in even the most demanding scenes. Intel Arc 140V beat the 1% lows from the AMD Radeon 880M and 890M laptops by roughly 10 FPS. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition was not as quick, however, and more-or-less tied its AMD-powered peers. Final Fantasy XIV is a personal favorite and remains among the most popular MMORPGs on the market. The latest expansion, , brought a graphics update that noticeably improves texture quality and polygon count. That makes it somewhat challenging for iGPUs to handle, though most can deliver an average around 30 FPS or better at High (Laptop) detail. Matthew Smith / IDG These results are the opposite of what we saw from . The Intel laptops dominate, with the Asus Zenbook S 14 averaging nearly 52 FPS and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition averaging about 45 FPS. Both figures leave AMD’s Radeon 890M and Radeon 880M behind. Total War: Warhammer III Though it sits in the same grand strategy genre as , Creative Assembly’s is far more demanding. It’s enough to challenge the most capable iGPUs, even at just 1080p and the Low detail preset. Intel’s Arc 140V is no exception. Matthew Smith / IDG This is a disappointing result for Intel. While the Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Arc 140V delivered a small performance boost over the prior generation of Intel Arc, the game still can’t provide a consistent 30 FPS at these settings. The slower Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is even worse off, as it averaged a tad under 30 FPS. AMD’s Radeon 890M notches a win here, raising the minimum frame rate above the crucial 30 FPS line. The Radeon 880M, on the other hand, finds itself tied with Intel Arc 140V. It’s playable, I suppose, but barely. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Though over 10 years old at this point, is a game that keeps on giving. It remains popular and, thanks to graphical upgrades in the , it’s still somewhat demanding for iGPUs when played at 1080p resolution and High detail. Matthew Smith / IDG These results are good for Intel. While none exactly hit 60 FPS, it’s important to note the game has a 60 FPS cap. Because of that, it’s the minimum frame rate that matters most — and Intel’s Arc 140V beats both the AMD Radeon 890M and Radeon 880M by that metric. On the other hand, the older Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with Intel Arc delivered performance very close to the Asus Zenbook S 14 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition with Intel Arc 140V. plays well on Intel Arc 140V, but Intel’s prior-gen hardware is nearly as good. Cyberpunk 2077 We finish off with , a notoriously demanding game that, despite a lackluster launch, has roared back to popularity in part thanks to its visually stunning and immersive world. Matthew Smith / IDG This is a good result for the Intel Arc 140V, which delivers a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. Asus’ Zenbook S 14 took a clear lead over the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, as the Asus averaged about 48 FPS against the Lenovo’s 40 FPS. Compared to the AMD-powered systems, Intel’s Arc 140V seems to edge out the AMD Radeon 880M, but it falls behind the AMD Radeon 890M. Still, it’s important to note the Intel Arc 140V scored both average and minimum frame rates above 30 FPS at these settings. That means the game should feel playable on Intel’s Arc 140V — which, given how demanding this game can be, is impressive. Intel Arc 140V performance discussion Intel’s Arc 140V is definitely superior to the prior-gen Intel Arc offering. How much so depends on the game, but best-case scenarios see that it can increase average frame rates by up to 25 percent. That would be significant in any case, but it’s especially important for integrated graphics solutions that often struggle to hit the 30 FPS target in modern titles. An extra 25 percent can mean the difference between clearing a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS or falling short a few frames — and that’s exactly what happens in . However, not every game saw a noticeable performance boost. was no quicker on the new Intel Arc 140V than it was on an older Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with first-gen Intel Arc. The performance uplift was also rather marginal in and . To be fair, though, all these games were enjoyable at the settings we used for testing. We also saw a notable difference in performance between the and . While the former felt like a respectable upgrade over the prior generation, the latter just barely edged ahead. We’ve also tried other laptops with Intel’s Arc 140V, like the , and we’ve found that performance leans closer to the Asus Zenbook S 14 than the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (so far). But this goes to show that, in 2024, you can’t count on a graphics solution to perform similarly across all laptops that use it. You’ll need to read a review of the specific laptop you want to buy. How does the Intel Arc 140V compare to AMD’s Radeon 880M and Radeon 890M? We’d say the Intel Arc 140V has a general edge over the AMD Radeon 880M but isn’t as quick overall as the AMD Radeon 890M. As mentioned, it depends on the particulars of a given laptop. The verdict on Intel’s Arc 140V In summary, the Intel Arc 140V is a good update over prior Intel Arc integrated graphics. It pushes integrated graphics performance in a way that is at times meaningful, especially in more demanding games (like ) that struggle to offer a steady 30 FPS. In other games, like , the performance increase is evident in benchmarks but slim enough that it’s hard to notice in real gameplay. The real winner in all of this, truth be told, is you. Intel Arc and AMD Radeon integrated graphics solutions are competitive, and that competition is forcing both companies to put their best feet forward. In fact, Intel Arc 140V and AMD Radeon 880M/Radeon 890M graphics can now deliver performance that isn’t far behind some laptops with Nvidia GTX 3050 mobile graphics — and thanks to that, there’s a buffet of modestly priced laptops that can handle today’s most popular PC games. Matthew S. Smith is a freelance technology journalist with 15 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics. In addition to PCWorld, his work can be found on Wired, Ars Technica, Digital Trends, Reviewed, IGN, and Lifewire. Matthew also covers AI and the metaverse for IEEE Spectrum and runs Computer Gaming Yesterday, a YouTube channel devoted to PC gaming history.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan returned to the silver screen with a bang in 2023 by delivering three massive hits and once again returned to hiatus this year as he had no movies releasing on the big screen. However, Khan’s life remained eventful on the sporting field since his Kolkata Knight Riders won the coveted Indian Premier League for the third time since the inception of the cash-rich tournament. Despite remaining absent on the big screen, Khan shattered a new record and surpassed his colleague Akshay Kumar or even cricket icon Virat Kohli to become the highest tax-paying celebrity in the country this year. As per a list prepared by Forbes in September, Khan paid Rs 92 crore in taxes. This was expected especially after the success of three back-to-back movies last year. Bollywood’s Mr Dependable could not live up to the expectations since all his releases, except Singham Again, bombed at the Box Office. He began the year by teaming up with Tiger Shroff with his Eid release Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. The action thriller hit the silver screen with higher expectations but opened with negative reviews and ended with a whimper. His other two releases Sarfira and Khel Khel Mein remained impactless and tasted unimpressive run at the Box Office. Akshay made a small appearance in 2024’s biggest hit Stree 2 and was also a part of the other major release of the year Singham Again. The two releases were saving grace. Fans expect Kumar to return as a Box Office rockstar in the coming years. Shraddha Kapoor-Rajkummar Rao-Pankaj Tripathi: The tio-Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi-joined to deliver one of the biggest hits of the year-Stree 2. Winning hearts with its perfect comic timing and strong acting, the tale of the headless ghost was successful in minting a worldwide gross of Rs 858.4 crore. Shraddha became one of the most sought-after actors in Bollywood following her convincing performance in the horror comedy. The actor spent some tense days in 2024 after he repeatedly received death threats with reports suggesting Lawrence Bishnoi gang was behind it. Earlier this year, shots were even fired by alleged members of the gang outside Khan’s Bandra residence. From playing a robot who romanced Shahid Kapoor to producing his own film, Kriti Sanon continued to impress her fans with her progressive stance every year. She began 2024 with her first release for the year titled Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Starring opposite Shahid Kapoor, Kriti played the unconventional role of a robot in the science-fiction romantic-comedy movie which was released on February 9 ahead of Valentine’s Day. The movie gained mixed reviews in the market from critics and movie lovers alike. In March, just ahead of Holi, Kriti teamed up with two Bollywood beauties- Kareena Kapoor and Tabu- for their haste comedy Crew. The movie, which also featured Bengali actor Saswata Chatterjee, left film lovers happy and the Box Office lit up with its performance. Remaining busy in 2024, Kriti added one more feather to the successful crown when she turned into a producer with the movie Do Patti. The movie featured Kajol, her Dilwale co-star, in the lead role. Speaking about her journey as a producer, Kriti told Variety: “I really enjoyed the whole process of how that film was made. And I felt that I want to eventually also get involved in certain films that I feel passionate about, beyond just being an actor, [to] creatively be there in the whole filmmaking process.” The movie was released on Netflix in November. The Bollywood rumour mill was meanwhile buzzing with her dating news which was further fuelled by her attendance in a family wedding with UK-based businessman Kabir Bahia. She also shared a photo with Kabir Bahia on social media from their Greece vacation. After a fairytale marriage following years of romance, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh became parents when they welcomed their adorable baby girl Dua on September 8, 2024. She had an eventful working career this year when three of her movies- Fighter, Singham Again and Kalki 2898 AD- released on the big screen. From playing Air Force squadron leader Minal “Minni” Rathore in Fighter to a tough cop Shakti Shetty, Deepika Padukone preferred to showcase her dynamism onscreen by playing a bouquet of tough characters. Ranveer Singh returned as Sangram “Simmba” Bhalerao in Singham Again and put up a cracking performance in the Diwali release. Away from movies, Singh became a father to baby girl Dua this year. After playing serious role for years, actor Vicky Kaushal experimented by showcasing a romantic hero in Bad Newz where he fought Ammy Virk onscreen to win the heart of Triptii Dimri in the movie that revolves around the theme of heteropaternal superfecundation, which according to Biomedica is an extremely rare phenomenon that occurs when a second ova released during the same menstrual cycle is additionally fertilized by the sperm cells of a different man in separate sexual intercourse. It is the birth of fraternal twins from two different fathers. Karthik was back as ‘Rooh Baba’ to fight ghosts and spirits in the horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 which stood as one of the major Box Office hits of the year. Karthik’s golden run at the box office continued and he maintained his trend of delivering hits every year. Kathik experimented and played the character of India’s first Paralympics gold medallist Murlikant Petkar in director Kabir Khan’s Chandu Champion. Triptii Dimri: Tripti emerged as one of the most sought-after actors of the Indian film industry after she made her brief appearance in Animal in 2023. Tripti soon became a national crush and a sex symbol. This year, her presence in commercial movies grew stronger and she returned to the big screen with two films- Bad Newz and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Hrithik Roshan romanced Deepika Padukone onscreen for the first time in Fighter and their chemistry left the audience feeling the heat even in the month of January. The high-octane Indian Air Force-based movie remained one of the early hits of the year and the gripping storyline, backed with stellar performance by the actors, left movie lovers amazed. Years back, when Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan tied the knot, they broke the headlines as India celebrated a fairytale marriage that remained the talk of the town. That was 2007. The couple welcomed their baby girl Aaradhya in 2011. The country followed the power couple of Bollywood over the years until recent developments left fans shocked when rumours buzzed that they were planning to get divorced. Gossip even brewed that Abhishek Bachchan is involved in a relationship with actress Nimrat Kaur. There has been no official statement from the couple but the alleged discontent in their relationship kept followers busy at the fag end of the year. Yami Gautam perhaps delivered one of the best performances onscreen with her real-event-based movie Article 370. The movie moves around the events that led to the abolition of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, a landmark moment in Indian politics. Bollywood beauty Anushka Sharma and her cricketer husband Virat Kohli became parents for the second time when they welcomed their second child- Akaay. The baby boy was born in February. While they spend more time in London where they have a property, it is likely the couple would permanently shift to the UK. Vikrant Massey: Vikrant Massey was slowly marking his name in Bollywood as a thinking actor who played unconventional characters on the silver screen. His performance in 12th Fail earned him fame. His film The Sabarmati Report also made headlines owing to its subject- Godhra train burning on 27 February 2002, an incident that triggered the infamous Gujarat riots. However, leaving his followers shocked, Vikrant announced in December that he is retiring from films. Later it was reported that he is taking a long break, not completely retiring. “The last few years and beyond have been phenomenal. I thank each and everyone of you for your indelible support. But as I move forward, I realise it’s time to recalibrate and go back home. As a Husband, Father & a Son. And also as an Actor,” he wrote on Instagram, announcing his supposed retirement. “So coming 2025, we would meet each other for one last time [sic.]. Until time deems right. Last 2 movies and many a years of memories [sic.]. Thank you again. For everything and everything in between. Forever indebted,” the actor wrote in a note. Man of the Match Actor Ajay Devgn appeared in several movies in 2024 with Shaitaan marking his first release where he competed with R Madhavan to impress his fans in the supernatural drama. The two actors were praised for their performances and Shaitaan was one of the year’s most sought-after movies. Apart from Shaitaan, Ajay was seen in Naam, a movie which was finally released after getting postponed for years, the critically-acclaimed sports drama Maidaan, the romantic tale Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha and finally Singham Again. The multistarrer saw Ajay once again stepping into the shoes of DCP Bajirao Singham and fighting his way to deliver one of the major hits of 2024.INDIANA, Pa. and CINCINNATI, Oh., Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (“First Commonwealth”) (NYSE: FCF), the holding company for First Commonwealth Bank, and CenterGroup Financial, Inc. (“CenterGroup”), the holding company for CenterBank, today jointly announced the signing of an Agreement and Plan of Merger (“Agreement”) providing for the merger of CenterGroup with and into First Commonwealth in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $54.6 million in the aggregate, based upon the closing stock price of First Commonwealth as of December 17, 2024. Following the merger of CenterGroup with and into First Commonwealth, CenterBank will merge with and into First Commonwealth Bank. The business combination will significantly increase First Commonwealth’s presence in the Cincinnati market, adding approximately $348.4 million of total assets 1 , 3 branch locations, a loan production office and a mortgage office to First Commonwealth’s Cincinnati franchise. The transaction helps further First Commonwealth’s commercially focused strategy within the Cincinnati market by adding a customer base that is 65% business. Under the terms of the Agreement, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, CenterGroup shareholders will be entitled to receive a fixed exchange ratio of 6.10 shares of First Commonwealth common stock for each CenterGroup common share. The merger is expected to qualify as a tax-free reorganization and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025, subject to certain closing conditions, including approval by CenterGroup shareholders and customary bank regulatory approvals. “We are pleased to welcome CenterBank into our organization, further expanding our commercial franchise within the attractive Cincinnati market. We have known the CenterBank team for a long time and believe their customer-focused, commercially oriented business model is a strong cultural alignment and augments our existing Cincinnati growth plans,” said Mike Price, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Commonwealth. “The expansion of our branch network within greater Cincinnati allows us to attract additional talent, create meaningful customer relationships and deepen our penetration within the market.” “We are excited to partner with First Commonwealth’s growing and profitable franchise and believe the cultural alignment between our organizations is the ideal next chapter for CenterBank’s customers, employees and shareholders. We have admired First Commonwealth’s business and reputation within this market and are excited to be a part of its further expansion in Cincinnati. This combination also adds expanded banking products to our organization resulting in an enhanced experience for our customers, employees and community,” said Stewart Greenlee, President and Chief Executive Officer of CenterGroup. Excluding certain one-time merger charges, the transaction is expected to be approximately 2% accretive to First Commonwealth’s earnings in 2025, and approximately 3% accretive to earnings in 2026 once anticipated cost savings are fully phased in. Estimated tangible book value dilution is expected to be less than 2%, including the impact of estimated one-time charges. Advisors Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is serving as financial advisor and Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP is serving as legal counsel to First Commonwealth. Janney Montgomery Scott is serving as financial advisor and Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP is serving as legal counsel to CenterGroup. About First Commonwealth Financial Corporation First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE: FCF), headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is a financial services Company with 125 community banking offices in 30 counties throughout western and central Pennsylvania and throughout Ohio, as well as commercial lending operations in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Canton, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company also operates mortgage offices in Wexford, Pennsylvania, as well as Hudson and Lewis Center, Ohio. First Commonwealth provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking, mortgage, equipment finance, wealth management and insurance products and services through its subsidiaries First Commonwealth Bank and First Commonwealth Insurance Agency. For more information about First Commonwealth or to open an account today, please visit www.fcbanking.com . About CenterGroup Financial Corporation CenterGroup’s wholly owned subsidiary, CenterBank, founded in 2000, was built upon an old concept: community banking. CenterBank knows its customers on a first name basis, keeps an open-door policy, and works hard to find common sense solutions for its customers. Specific product sets have been developed for deposits, residential mortgages and full-service banking to owner-managed businesses in the Greater Cincinnati market. CenterBank specializes, and that gives it the opportunity to deliver best in class service to its specific customer niche while effectively managing operating risk. CenterBank has sought to maximize growth within the constraints of acceptable profitability and capital levels to ensure stable and positive regulatory ratings. To learn more about CenterGroup and CenterBank please visit www.center.bank . Forward-looking Statements: This joint press release of First Commonwealth and CenterGroup contains “forward- looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, relating to present or future trends or factors affecting the banking industry and, specifically, the financial operations, markets and products of First Commonwealth and CenterGroup. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe”, “plan”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “outlook”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “will”, “should”, “project”, “goal”, and other similar words and expressions. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. In addition to factors previously disclosed in First Commonwealth reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and those identified elsewhere in this press release, the following factors among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward- looking statements or historical performance: ability to obtain regulatory approvals in a timely manner and without significant expense or other burdens; ability to meet other closing conditions to the merger, including approval by CenterGroup shareholders; delay in closing the merger; difficulties and delays in integrating the businesses of CenterGroup and First Commonwealth or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the merger; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer acceptance of First Commonwealth products and services; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; customer disintermediation; the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize anticipated cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; economic conditions; and the impact, extent and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, and the actions and policies of the federal and state bank regulatory authorities and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms. First Commonwealth and CenterGroup undertake no obligation to revise these forward-looking statements or to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. CONTACT Media Relations: Ron Wahl Communications and Media Relations Phone: 724-463-6806 E-mail: RWahl@fcbanking.com Investor Relations: Ryan M. Thomas Vice President / Finance and Investor Relations Phone: 724-463-1690 E-mail: RThomas1@fcbanking.com An investor presentation accompanying this release is available at: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/2a211734-7811-4664-bb65-4a4f56ab1be8 1 As of September 30, 2024Gemini Advanced users can now access Google's most experimental model

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Attempted bank robber hands teller note, but handwriting can't be deciphered

Swifties live-streaming Eras Tour concerts say they’re part of a ‘community’What's New Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was blocked on Wednesday from quickly pushing through a bill addressing mysterious drone sightings. Why It Matters Hundreds of drones have been reported spotted in northeastern states such as New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, raising concerns about security threats and speculation of foreign involvement. In response to the rise in drone sightings, lawmakers have called on federal agencies to investigate the issue further. The sightings, which have sparked unease in affected communities, have not been linked to foreign interference or immediate public safety threats, according to national security officials. The proposed bill, co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, would grant federal agencies enhanced authority to address drone activity and launch a pilot program allowing state and local authorities to disable or seize drones under certain conditions. What Have Federal Officials Said The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a joint statement saying there is no evidence the recent drone sightings in New Jersey "pose a national safety threat or have a foreign nexus." The Pentagon has also stated the Federal Aviation Administration reports there are one million drones registered with the FAA, and that more than 8,000 drones are lawfully flown in the U.S. every single day. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also confirmed they are still investigating. "There's no question that people are seeing drones," Mayorkas told ABC 's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. "But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities." What To Know Schumer, a Democrat from New York, sought unanimous consent to expedite the bill, emphasizing the growing frustration among residents of New Jersey, New York and other eastern states baffled by the persistent drone activity. However, the legislation, aimed at empowering local law enforcement to track and potentially neutralize unidentified drones, was opposed by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, citing concerns over privacy. What People Are Saying Schumer said, "The people in New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions, and they're not getting good enough answers. The utter confusion surrounding these drone sightings shows that the feds can't respond all on their own." Senator Gary Peters highlighted the urgency of equipping law enforcement with tools to identify and respond to drone sightings. "This bill would ensure that law enforcement has the technology needed to quickly and clearly identify exactly what the reported sightings of drones across the country actually are," Peters said. Senator Rand Paul said the bill would "expand federal authority to intercept communications and disrupt drone activity—powers that raise serious concerns for Americans' privacy, civil liberties, and Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure." What's Next The drone sightings have also drawn commentary from President-elect Donald Trump and other political figures. Schumer has called on the Department of Homeland Security to deploy more advanced tracking technology to address the issue, but for now, legislative action on the matter is stalled, leaving residents and lawmakers with more questions. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

Liu Gaoqiong (left) gives guidance to Mary Mwangi, a local farmer, on the field management of grafted tomatoes at a tomato farm in Nakuru County, Kenya on Oct 23, 2024. – Xinhua photo NANJING (Nov 24): After a short stay in China, Liu Yutao is about to return to Kenya, where he has been working as an expert for almost three years in an effort to help local farmers grow tomatoes. “Tomato is an important vegetable in Kenya. In recent years, the country’s tomato production has been threatened by diseases and pests such as bacterial wilt and leaf miners, leading to severe yield reductions, and in some areas even complete crop failure,” said Liu, who is an agronomist from Nanjing Agricultural University in east China’s Jiangsu Province. China’s grafting technology provides a solution for tomato farmers in Kenya. A mature, safe and time-honoured agricultural technology in China, grafting is widely used in the cultivation of melons, vegetables and fruit trees. In 2022, Nanjing Agricultural University and Egerton University in Kenya decided to introduce and promote tomato grafting technology in Kenya, with the aim to empower rural youth in Kenya through innovation of the tomato value chain. By the end of 2023, the tomato grafting programme managed to secure funding from the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development. According to Liu, who is also the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at Egerton University, the tomato grafting technology has been promoted in Kenya’s Nakuru County via 15 demonstration sites and more than 10 technical training classes and demonstration promotions. “After witnessing harvests achieved at the demonstration farms, more and more local farmers have regained confidence in growing tomatoes, and are signing up for training,” he added. According to Liu Gaoqiong, another agronomist working in Kenya who is also from Nanjing Agricultural University, the tomato seedlings now planted by the farmers at the demonstration sites have strong disease resistance and growth capabilities. They bear fruit earlier, have good quality and high yield, while resulting in an increase in production of at least 50 per cent. Joshua Ogweno, the Kenyan director of the Confucius Institute at the Egerton University, said the tomato grafting technology from China is well adapted to the local environment in Kenya and has greatly improved agricultural productivity. More than 4,000 Kenyan farmers have received training in the fields of Chinese greenhouse agriculture and tomato grafting technology. It is predicted that this technology can reduce the incidence of bacterial wilt in local tomatoes from 90 per cent to below 10 per cent, and increase annual yield from near total crop failure to up to 90 tonnes per hectare, while elevating income by about 1.5 million Kenyan shillings (about US$11,600) per hectare. The work being done by Liu Yutao and his Chinese colleagues in Kenya is part of China’s efforts to use advanced agricultural technologies in cooperation with African countries to promote the adoption of modern agriculture on that continent. At a China-Africa innovation forum held earlier this month, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the African Academy of Sciences initiated the China-Africa agricultural sci-tech innovation alliance. The alliance aims to promote the development of modern agriculture in both China and Africa, with emphasis on food security, biosecurity and green development, and cooperation in fields such as sustainable development, application of remote sensing and big data, pollution control, and poverty alleviation through sci-tech empowerment. Over the last three years, China has sent more than 500 experts to Africa and provided nearly 9,000 training opportunities to agricultural talents. By the end of 2023, China had established 24 agricultural demonstration centres in Africa, promoting more than 300 advanced technologies such as dense planting of corn, vegetable cultivation and rapid propagation of cassava — benefiting over 1 million local households. Chinese institutions participating in China-Africa agricultural cooperation include not only local universities such as Nanjing Agricultural University, but also national institutions like the CAAS and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS). Chen Qing, a professor at the CATAS, has been focusing on green and integrated pest management for cassava in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, for many years. One of his students, Oluwole Gregory Ijiti, comes from Nigeria, which is the world’s largest cassava producer in terms of harvested area. In a field in Sanya’s Yazhou District, Ijiti accompanied Chen Qing in harvesting new varieties of cassava under the scorching sun. “This new variety can be eaten both fresh and processed, with features of high yield, insect resistance and strong adaptability,” Chen said. Cassava is an important staple crop in Nigeria. Chen helped Ijiti establish a research direction based on the actual needs of cassava production in Nigeria and in line with Ijiti’s goal of improving his technical innovation ability. “My student is tackling Tetranychus Urticae, a pest that heavily impacts cassava crops in his home country,” Chen said. “By merging insect and pesticide resistance studies, we aim to develop pest-resistant cassava varieties, ensuring both high yield and green approaches.” “Such collaboration is beneficial to both countries, and will lead to progress beyond national borders to alleviate poverty and hunger,” Ijiti said. Over the past decade, the CATAS has signed 19 cooperation memoranda with African institutions, promoted about 50 new varieties and technologies in Africa, and conducted 65 technology training sessions involving more than 3,000 participants. Technology cooperation efforts include tropical crop cultivation and processing involving Rwanda, tropical crop pest and disease control in collaboration with Tanzania, and research on crops such as cassava in partnership with Nigeria, Tanzania and Cote d’Ivoire. “China plays an important role in the modernization of agriculture in Africa,” said Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman Elnor, the African Union’s permanent representative in China. He added that China’s technology advantage and policy expertise combine to offer African countries experiences that are easy to understand and quick to grasp, which not only supports the sustainable development of agricultural production in Africa but also helps African farmers to increase their incomes. – XinhuaMINOT — Artificial intelligence. Whether you love it, hate it or are indifferent, it's here, and there are important questions about how it will be used and what sort of opportunities it presents for our region, which policymakers need to discuss. Rep. Josh Christy is a first-term Republican lawmaker from Fargo who is heading into his second legislative session. He's also what you could call an AI professional. He's an entrepreneur, software development executive and consultant who works with AI and AI policies on a regular basis. ADVERTISEMENT "Two years ago, generative AI was not something anyone was talking about," he said, referring to his first session in Bismarck. But now it's here. Teachers are using it. Students are using it. The business community is using it. On this episode of Plain Talk, Christy argued that it's time for North Dakota's laws to catch up. "With any type of technology, there's the good, the bad, the ugly," Christy said, and he's got legislative proposals for each of those. One bill he has developed in conjunction with Attorney General Drew Wrigley's office would address abusive uses of AI. Say, to develop images or videos of public figures for nefarious purposes or of children for sexual gratification. "People are using this to generate images of children in compromising positions," Christy said, and current law doesn't necessarily address that. But other initiatives Christy proposes would seek to welcome the AI industry into North Dakota as a partner. Christy proposes leveraging North Dakota's oil, gas and coal resources to help power data centers. He wants to develop "computing credits" that could help facilitate the data industry's move into the state. He'll be pushing these bills during the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January. Also on this episode, Chad Oban and I discuss the ongoing controversies around Burleigh County auditor Mark Spolonskowski, the efforts to recall Dickinson city commissioner Jason Fridrich, the arrest of Luigi Mangione, who is accused of gunning down an insurance industry executive in Manhattan, and what all those stories mean for our society's notions about right and wrong. 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OVER £8000 has been raised for a teenager who died following a medical emergency at a rugby club last weekend. Seren Jenkins, from Tycroes, died in the early hours of Saturday, November 16 after emergency services were called to Amman United RFC in Glanaman. Despite advanced critical care support from paramedics and the attendance of Wales Air Ambulance, Seren passed away at the age of 14. A GoFundMe page has been set up by Cari Bradshaw with the following description: “Hi, my name is Cari, and I’ve set up this page because my friends and I would like to raise money to help Stephen, Sarah and the family with the costs for the funeral and memorial for our very special friend Seren. “Seren was suddenly taken from us all on Saturday, November 16. She’s left a big hole in our hearts, and we miss her very much. Please donate if you can and help us raise as much money as possible to help Seren’s family. “Any donations will be greatly appreciated, no matter how big or small. Thank you so much.” Following Seren’s death, her family have released a tribute to their ‘loving daughter, big and little sister.’ They said: “Seren lived her short life to the full and was a budding artist, rugby player and social media lover. “Seren was loved by all who knew her and no doubt will also be remembered for her sense of humour. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the emergency services at the scene, and everybody for for Seren, where proceeds will be likely donated to various asthma services, the Wales Air Ambulance, and a possible memorial for her friends to remember her. “We would also like to take this opportunity to thank people for their kind words and support at this horrific time but would now like to ask for this time to grieve in private.” At the time of writing, £8,425 has been raised for Seren, including 510 separate donations.

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:02 p.m. ESTNone