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Furthermore, the update brings a host of quality-of-life improvements and optimizations, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience for all players. From improved graphics and performance to better controls and interface enhancements, the update is designed to make your time in the world of "黑神话" as seamless and enjoyable as possible.The San Francisco 49ers claimed running back Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the New York Jets on Tuesday, one day after placing running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason on injured reserve. The Jets released Abanikanda on Monday after adding Kene Nwangwu to the active roster. Nwagwu had been a practice-squad elevation for the Jets last Sunday against Seattle and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the game. Abanikanda, 22, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Jets in 2023. After running 22 times for 70 yards and catching seven passes for 43 yards in six appearances as a rookie, Abanikanda did not play a regular-season game for New York in 2024, buried on the depth chart behind Breece Hall and others. When the Niners placed McCaffrey and Mason on IR, rookie Isaac Guerendo was left as the only healthy running back on their active roster. In Sunday night's loss at the Buffalo Bills, McCaffrey left the field in pain in the second quarter and was diagnosed with a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee. Mason also suffered a high ankle sprain in the game. McCaffrey was playing in just his fourth game of the season after missing the first eight because of Achilles tendinitis in both legs. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season, when he led the league with 2,023 yards from scrimmage: a league-leading 1,459 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns plus 67 catches for 564 yards and seven scores. Mason is the leading rusher for San Francisco (5-7) this season with 789 yards and three touchdowns on 153 carries. It was his third season in the league. --Field Level Media

49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from JetsJaland Lowe, Pitt charge past LSU in second half to move to 6-0Alibaba Cloud Computing Data Center Suffers Major Fire Incident – Response Issued

What is an Enclave? An Enclave is a midsize SUV built in the General Motors Lansing, Michigan assembly plant and sold in North America by Buick. The Enclave is a good midsize SUV with a lengthy list of standard infotainment features, a cushioned ride and a powerful turbo engine. It also has some of the roomiest accommodations in the entire midsize SUV segment, with 3 rows of seats for 7 passengers and all their gear. The 2025 Buick Enclave Sport Touring is a sporty SUV that offers sophisticated features like a blacked out mesh grille and sleek 20′′ styled alloy wheels with a glossy black finish that makes it a sharp looking SUV. And one that you can instantly recognize as a Buick, as the tri-shield Buick logo is on the hood, deck lid, steering wheel and on all 4 wheel center caps. The tri-shield red, white and blue colored logo and its American symbolism, came to represent Buick in 1960. It remains in place on every Buick they build today. The 2025 Enclave is offered in 3 trim levels: Preferred, Sport Touring and Avenir. All Enclave models are powered by the same turbocharged 2.5 liter 4 cylinder gas engine with 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. This engine is shared with the Chevrolet Traverse and the GMC Acadia and like those models, the Buick Enclave has an 8 speed automatic transmission and comes in either front wheel drive (FWD) or all wheel drive (AWD). Fuel economy for this AWD model is 19 MPG highway, 24 MPG highway and a respectable 21 MPG in combined everyday driving. To showcase this new 2025 Enclave, this week Buick sent me a Sport Touring edition to test drive and review. The base window sticker price for this AWD model is $47,400. The options on the test SUV are: the Super Cruise package for $3,255, the special tintcoat paint for $645, and the AWD system for $2,000. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), including the $1,395 destination charge, is: $53,300. After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the out the door and in your garage total purchase price came to: $59,963. At just $37 bucks under $60 Grand, this 2025 Buick SUV has all the best equipment for a great Sport Touring SUV. It includes over a 300 HP engine, AWD, Super Cruise and a super comfortable interior with power everything that is loaded up with high tech features.. For just under $60,000, you get everything you need with none of the silly stuff. Some of the special features included are enhanced automatic parking assist, super cruise, rear seating safety alert, forward collision alert, following distance alert, rear parking assist, blind zone steering assist, front pedestrian and bicyclist alert, reverse automatic braking, advanced adaptive cruise control, enhanced intersection automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, rear pedestrian alert, high definition surround vision, and traffic sign recognition; just to name a few of the best ones. According to recent reviews and reliability studies, Buicks are considered to be very good cars today, ranking highly for reliability and offering a comfortable driving experience with a focus on luxury features, particularly in terms of their interior quality. Many consider them a solid choice for those seeking a dependable and comfortable vehicle with a premium feel, at a relatively accessible price point. Plus, Buick is the oldest surviving American auto brand, founded in 1903, that made the first production vehicles with an automatic transmission, traction control, and CRT screens in their cars. You should consider buying a 2025 Buick Enclave SUV if you prioritize a spacious, comfortable, and luxurious interior; particularly for large families. While also wanting a good selection of advanced technology, including hands free driving capabilities, it is all wrapped up in a stylish and refined design, with agile handling and one with the largest interior space in the 3 row midsize SUV class. So, call, click or visit your local Buick dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on the 2025 Enclave Sport Touring AWD SUV. And remember that the base price for a new Enclave starts at only $45,000. Buick – Exceptional by Design. Buick recently updated its brand identity with this tagline, Exceptional by Design, emphasizing the focus on meticulous design, innovation, and luxury across their lineup, and it represents Buick’s shift towards a more modern and stylish aesthetic, today being exceptional by design. Now really, wouldn’t you rather have a Buick? Be smart, stay safe, and just breathe. Remember, You Are What You Drive, and maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should Drive one, Buy one, Today. Have a great day, drive safely, and enjoy the ride, as the future looks nice and bright – Tony the Car Guy. This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. Tony the Car Guy is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.netPay first, deliver later: Some women are being asked to prepay for their baby

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Nate Johnson had 18 points in Akron’s 92-84 victory against Omaha on Saturday night. Johnson added five assists for the Zips (3-2). Isaiah Gray scored 16 points while going 6 of 10 from the floor, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and 2 for 4 from the line. Amani Lyles had 15 points and shot 6 for 9, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc. Marquel Sutton led the way for the Mavericks (2-5) with 26 points and six rebounds. Lance Waddles added 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for Omaha. JJ White also had 16 points. Akron led 40-36 at halftime, with Gray racking up 12 points. Tavari Johnson scored a team-high 12 points for Akron after intermission. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Atletico Madrid, known for their gritty style of play, face off against Porto in a matchup that promises to be fiercely contested. Both teams will be looking to start their Champions League campaign on a positive note, setting the stage for an intriguing battle.

As a prominent advocate for diversity and inclusion in gaming, Lenovo's release of the official guide for female gamers to play "Infinite Warmth" reflects its commitment to empowering players of all backgrounds and skill levels. By providing comprehensive keyboard tutorials and valuable insights, Lenovo aims to encourage female gamers to explore their potential, hone their skills, and thrive in the gaming community.

ATLANTA (AP) — A judge is weighing whether a Georgia state Senate committee has the right to subpoena testimony and documents from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as it looks into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. The Republican-led committee sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify at its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. The committee was formed earlier this year to examine allegations of “various forms of misconduct” by Willis, an elected Democrat, during her prosecution of Trump and others over their efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Willis' attorney, former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram during a hearing Tuesday that although the Georgia General Assembly has subpoena power, that power is not automatically conferred on a single legislative chamber or its committees. Even if the committee did have such power, he argued, the subpoenas in question are overly broad and not related to a legitimate legislative need. Barnes said the focus on Willis and her investigation into Trump shows that the committee was politically motivated and not a legitimate inquiry into the practices of district attorneys' offices: “What they were trying to do is chill the prosecution of Donald Trump and find out what they had.” Josh Belinfante, a lawyer representing the lawmakers, said there is nothing in the Georgia Constitution that prohibits the Senate from issuing a subpoena. The duly formed interim committee is looking into whether new legislation is needed to regulate the practices of district attorneys' offices in the state, he argued. “They are investigating and making an inquiry into these allegations that may show that existing state laws, including those establishing the processes for selecting, hiring and compensating special assistant district attorneys, are inadequate,” Belinfante said. The resolution creating the committee focused in particular on Willis’ hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade , with whom she had a romantic relationship , to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. It says the relationship amounted to a “clear conflict of interest and a fraud upon the taxpayers” of the county and state. One of the committee’s subpoenas orders Wills to produce documents related to Wade, including documents related to his hiring and payment, documents related to money or items of value that Wade and Willis may have exchanged, text messages and emails between the two, and their phone records. The committee also requested any documents her office sent in response to requests from the U.S. House, as well as communications Willis and her office had with the White House, the U.S. Justice Department and the House relating to the 2020 presidential election. And they asked for documents related to federal grant money Willis’ office has received. Before the deadlines in the subpoenas, Willis challenged them in court. Willis’ challenge was pending in mid-September when she skipped a hearing during which the committee members had hoped to question her. In October, the committee asked Ingram to require Willis to comply with the subpoenas. The committee’s lawyers wrote in a court filing that Willis’ failure to do so had delayed its ability to finish its inquiry and to provide recommendations for any legislation or changes in appropriations that might result. Barnes also argued that once the regular legislative session has adjourned, which happened in March this year, legislative committees can meet to study issues and come up with recommendations but do not have the power to compel someone to appear or produce documents. Belinfante rejected that, saying the state Constitution expressly permits the creation of interim committees and allows them to make their rules. Even if these subpoenas were validly issued, Barnes argued, they ask for too much, including private and personal information that is not a legitimate target of a legislative subpoena. Belinfante said the lawmakers are simply trying to do their jobs. He asked that Willis be ordered to appear before the committee in early January. He also asked that she be ordered to provide the requested documents and explain what privilege justifies any that are excluded. With a glaring lack of state case law on the issue of the General Assembly's subpoena power, that's one issue Ingram will have to address. She said she will consider the arguments and release her order as soon as she can. Willis and Wade have acknowledged that they had a relationship but have said it began after he was hired and ended before the indictment against Trump was filed. Trump and other defendants argued that the relationship created a conflict of interest that should disqualify Willis and her office from continuing with her prosecution of the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis’ actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment,” but he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He said she could continue her prosecution as long as Wade stepped aside, which he did. Trump and others have appealed that ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals, and that appeal remains pending.Packers will be without two of their best defensive players vs 49ers

In the quiet moments that follow, Mr. Zhang will undoubtedly feel the absence of his beloved companion. But he can take solace in knowing that Oscar's spirit will always be by his side, guiding him through life's challenges, and reminding him of the enduring power of love.Global Financial Research Software Market Size, Share and Forecast By Key Players-Bloomberg Terminal, Thomson Reuters, Sentieo, FactSet, S&P Capital IQ platform

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WASHINGTON — A failure to recognize a high-risk area including a rooftop within range of a presidential nominee's stage. Insufficient guidance on who was responsible for what at an immense, boisterous rally. Heavy responsibility placed on Secret Service agents with little-to-no experience in advance planning. And a fragmented communication structure and technology breakdowns that let a gunman elude law enforcement and open fire — rocking an already heated election and taking a man's life. The bipartisan House task force on the assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump on July 13 at the Butler Farm Show grounds cited these and other severe, systemic failures in its final report released Tuesday. The 180-page report, which is redacted to exclude personnel and other security issues and covers a second thwarted attempt on Trump's life at a Florida golf course in September, paints a damning picture of Secret Service training, planning and operations after a nearly five-month investigation helmed by Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Butler, and Jason Crow, D-Colo. "The task force found that the tragic and shocking events in Butler, Pennsylvania were preventable and should not have happened," the report states. "There was not, however, a singular moment or decision that allowed (20-year-old Bethel Park gunman) Thomas Matthew Crooks to nearly assassinate the former president. The various failures in planning, execution and leadership on and before July 13, 2024, and the preexisting conditions that undermined the effectiveness of the human and material assets deployed that day, coalesced to create an environment in which the former president — and everyone at the campaign event — were exposed to grave danger." The most glaring concern noted by the task force aligns with what the acting Secret Service Director, Ronald Rowe, testified in an occasionally combative hearing last week: Despite close proximity to a main road, "clear sight lines to the stage and elevated position," the Secret Service — the lead protective agency helping manage more than 100 state and local supporting law enforcement personnel — failed to secure the immediately adjacent American Glass Research grounds. This allowed an unscreened crowd to gather and let Crooks — who used drones to survey the area while the Secret Service did not — climb to a roof and fire a rifle eight times into the rally, injuring and nearly killing Trump, killing former firefighter Corey Comperatore and wounding attendees David Dutch and James Copenhaver. That failure was compounded "by the fact that the area was not sufficiently monitored or patrolled to deter threats," and the "Secret Service did not provide clear guidance to its state and local partners about which entity was responsible for the area," the task force said. But beyond the planning and operational failures on July 13 in Butler County, Kelly's hometown, the task force said the Secret Service must address longstanding leadership and culture issues, including around training and preparing agents for protective work. "There is a culture and practice of expecting on-the-job training to teach and prepare agents to fulfill critical roles like Security Room Lead and (protective intelligence advance)," the panel wrote. "Understanding that the operational tempo is strenuous, the Secret Service needs to prioritize periodic training on protective operations during times when agents are available, and such training should take priority over investigative activities that are unrelated to protective operations." The task force made nearly two-dozen recommendations to improve security and safety based on its findings from the Butler investigation, 11 of them focused on bolstering leadership, training and "agency resources to enhance the Secret Service's capacity to fulfill its zero-fail protective mission." The recommendations include, among others: consolidating all operational plans; more vigilance when considering coverage inside and outside security perimeters; documenting all line of sight vulnerabilities; clearer written policies on asset and resource approval based on threats; implementing a formalized process for elevating security concerns; using counter-surveillance assets for all outdoor events; ensuring state and local law enforcement representatives are in a unified security room to improve the flow of information; reviewing budget, staffing and retention; and improved communication plans among the Secret Service and its partners. The panel also suggested the Secret Service should consider separating from the Department of Homeland Security, and reducing its number of protectees, particularly as the U.N. General Assembly relies on the agency to protect foreign dignitaries — a job that could potentially "be transferred or abrogated in order to focus on the (agency's) primary duty: to protect the president and other critical U.S. leaders." After investigating the West Palm Beach, Fla., golf course attempt on Sept. 15, the task force also recommended a review of protocols for sweeping golf courses in advance and increasing reliance on K9 sweeps. However, the 13-member panel said the "events that transpired" in Florida "demonstrated how properly executed protective measures can foil an attempted assassination." As Crow and Kelly told the Post-Gazette last week, the task force says the Department of Justice "withheld information ... related to ongoing investigations,' specifically regarding the actions and motives of Crooks and Ryan Routh, the would-be assassin in Florida. The FBI, whose role in the Butler investigation is focused on Crooks, disputed that characterization in a statement to the Post-Gazette last week, noting the agency "shared an incredibly large amount of detailed information with the House task force." This included "documentation of more than 80 interviews with members of the (Secret Service) and other law enforcement agencies who responded on July 13; 17 detailed and technical laboratory reports analyzing the bullets, IEDs, Crooks' drone, DNA and other evidence; classified intelligence documents; records of communications with the (Secret Service) prior to the rally; photos of evidence; verified timeline based on evidence; dispatch log of 911 call from Crooks' parents; autopsy evidence documents; and other documents." The FBI also provided many briefings, including a classified briefing about threat intelligence — the task force found that Iranian-linked threats never reached the right personnel at Butler — and a visit by task force members to see evidence and talk with experts at FBI's Laboratory Division at Quantico. The FBI provided the information while the investigation continues "because of the exceptional circumstances presented by the attempted assassination, marking an extraordinary accommodation, far beyond what the constitutionally-required accommodation process would mandate, because we took into account the national importance of these events," the agency told the Post-Gazette. But the task force says Congress and the American public deserve more answers on Crooks in particular, including greater details from his phone, communications and online activity and who he may have been interacting with prior to the shooting. The task force recommended that Congress clarify its oversight role and the need to review records even when there is an active investigation by federal agencies. "The relevant committees may also seek to address important questions that the task force did not fully examine," the panel reported. "Foremost among them are the motivations of Thomas Crooks and Ryan Routh, which remain largely unknown. The American people (and in the case of Crooks, the victims and their families) deserve that information, and the task force expects the FBI, ATF, and DOJ to be more forthcoming in that regard going forward." (c)2024 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.NoneNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes rose to more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to add to what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s the 56th time the index has hit an all-time high this year after climbing in 11 of the last 12 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock price of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, jumped 11%. Marvell Technology leaped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. All the optimistic talk helped Nvidia , the company whose chips are powering much of the move into AI, rally 3.5%. It was the strongest force pushing upward on the S&P 500 by far. They helped offset an 8.9% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released Wednesday morning suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut rates cautiously because inflation has slowed from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts haven't pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped. Plus, “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s sank 6.2% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It also said it’s benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 3.5%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 36.61 points to 6,086.49. The Dow climbed 308.51 to 45,014.04, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 254.21 to 19,735.12. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed near $99,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.

( MENAFN - Jordan Times) AMMAN - Minister of Social Development and Head of the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment Wafa Bani Mustafa met on Sunday with Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality, Stephanie Copus Campbell, to explore avenues for cooperation and the exchange of expertise. During the meeting at the ministry's headquarters, attended by Australian Ambassador to Amman Bernard Lynch, the officials reviewed the ministry's key social programmes and services focused on empowering women, including initiatives for women residing in the ministry's care homes who have experienced abuse. Bani Mustafa also shared insights into the ministerial committee's efforts to enhance women's empowerment, highlighting the progress made in recent years through legislative reforms designed to increase women's political and economic participation, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. The envoy expressed her admiration for the ministry's work and the strides made by the committee, stressing her commitment to furthering cooperation in the field of women's empowerment. MENAFN24112024000028011005ID1108920884 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.Drew Lock will start at QB for Giants against SaintsJordan Sears scores 25 points, Jalen Reed has double-double and LSU outlasts UCF 109-102 in 3OT

Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”Activist who claims ties to Pocahontas is not part of her tribe, according to former chief

Fundamental Global Inc. Declares Cash Dividend on Its 8.00% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series AThe Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”

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Article content Silverthorn Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke was in lockdown late Tuesday afternoon after reports of a person with a gun inside the school. Recommended Videos Toronto Police were called to the Mill-Burnhamthorpe Rds. area at 3:59 p.m. for the gun report and said in a post on the social-media site X that there was “evidence of a firearm discharge located.” There were no injuries reported. FIREARM DISCHARGE: Mill Rd. & Burnhamthorpe Rd. area (Silverthorn Collegiate Institute) 3:59 p.m - Reports of a person w/ a gun inside the school - School in lockdown - Police o/s - Evidence of a firearm discharge located - No reports of injuries #GO2673285 ^vs In a follow-up post at 4:58 p.m., police said two individuals were reportedly inside the school with a gun. Officers were actively clearing the building, police said, and there were no immediate suspect descriptions available.

WASHINGTON , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's audio storytelling reached new frontiers in 2024, with Spotify Wrapped revealing the agency's podcasts as a favorite among listeners worldwide. In celebration of the milestone, NASA astronaut Nick Hague spoke with Spotify about what space sounded like this year. "Music is one of those things that connects us to the planet," said Hague, in the video released on Spotify and NASA social accounts . "Music is a vital part of life up here. The soundtrack up here, it's just going all the time. Everybody's got their own flavor of music. Every Friday night the crew gets together, we turn on music and we stream things that we like. Whether they're into pop or hard rock, it's an international mix. When I think of space walks, I think of classical music, slow, methodical tunes, because that is the way that we conduct spacewalks. Slowly and methodically. Classical music captures the essence of, just floating in space." With listeners in more than 100 countries, NASA podcasts reached new audiences and inspired people around the world on Spotify this year. Other 2024 highlights included: Ranked as a top choice for thousands of listeners seeking to learn about science and space. Spent a combined 37 weeks in Spotify's top charts for science podcasts. The top streamed podcast was "NASA's Curious Universe", and the top streamed episode was "A Year in Mars Dune Alpha" "We're thrilled to have our space-centric content featured in Spotify Wrapped 2024," said Brittany Brown , director of digital communications, NASA Headquarters in Washington . "Our collaboration with Spotify is a testament to NASA's commitment to producing innovative and engaging content. We're excited to see how audiences continue to respond to this unique listening experience only NASA can provide." The agency's podcasts cover a wide range of topics, including in-depth conversations with NASA astronauts, stories that take audiences on a tour of the galaxy, and Spanish-language content. "Music, just like space, connects us all," said Katie Konans , audio program lead, eMITS contract with NASA. "Our partnership with Spotify has allowed NASA to share the wonder and excitement of space with music and podcast lovers globally. This year, we're thrilled to take this connection to new heights by bringing the Spotify Wrapped 2024 conversation beyond planet Earth." NASA released its collection of original podcasts on Spotify in 2023, furthering the agency's mission to engage the Artemis Generation in the science, space exploration, and discovery. In addition to Spotify, users may find NASA podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Soundcloud. Discover all of NASA's podcasts at: https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/space-meets-sound-nasa-lands-in-2024-spotify-wrapped-302328253.html SOURCE NASA © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The 1% Club viewers 'suspicious' as they say the same thing about 'easy' questions

Stochastic Equilibrium and the Role of Economic Growth in Non-Stochastic ModelsA since-deleted TikTok purportedly depicts a person using an illegal flamethrower to burn the words “TRUMP” and “USA” onto a street in Glen Burnie, according to a screen recording obtained by the Capital Gazette. Before it was taken down, the TikTok post was used by Anne Arundel County Fire investigators to file one felony and two misdemeanors against Craig Philip McQuin . Authorities say McQuin, 35, set the road outside his home ablaze less than two weeks after Donald Trump won the presidency for a second, nonconsecutive term. Attorney Richard Altmark, who identified himself in an email as representing McQuin, declined to comment Wednesday. Messages sent to social media accounts for McQuin’s wife, who investigators say first published the TikTok, were not returned. The 30-second video, first published Nov. 15, shows a person walk up to a black-outlined set of letters on a street. A line of small flames ignites a blue ring of fire that expands across the road. The flamethrower soon pushes a streak into the air before the person directs it to the ground. Doing so, the word “TRUMP” appears across Hickory Hollow Drive in an orange glow. One photograph then shows the same person posing with their work before transitioning to another with the enflamed “USA.” The TikTok ends with a clip of the person setting off a firework. During the entire video, a song celebrating Trump and denouncing President Joe Biden plays in the background, while “God Bless America!” sits onscreen in red font. Investigators responded to the Creekside Village community Nov. 15 following a vandalism complaint, according to charging documents. The burn marks, they said, had stretched between 15 and 20 feet in length and approximately 5 feet in width, costing $5,500 to repair. After speaking with someone in the neighborhood’s homeowners association, investigators were told a video of the incident had been posted online by McQuin’s wife, according to charging documents. Most of the TikTok page is dedicated to two pigs she cares for, though one post makes reference to a construction site outside the White House and says, “Hang them all!” As of Monday, the flamethrower video could no longer be viewed on the wife’s TikTok account. A representative from the Creekside Village Homeowners Association declined to comment or provide the name of its president Wednesday. The association’s website does not list its board members. The flamethrower McQuin allegedly used can be purchased in every state except Maryland, according to its manufacturer, Exothermic Technologies. Though the Florida-based company describes the device allegedly used in Glen Burnie as a “long range torch,” capable of launching fire up to 25 feet, it said flamethrowers are “outright prohibited” in Maryland. State law categorizes flamethrowers as “ destructive devices ,” similar to a grenade, Molotov cocktail or missile. The felony McQuin faces for possessing a destructive device carries with it a 25-year maximum sentence and/or a fine upwards of $250,000. Though a summons has been issued for McQuin to appear before a judge, a date was not specified in the court record. Have a news tip? Contact Luke Parker at lparker@baltsun.com , 410-725-6214, or on X @lparkernews .

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Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. could strengthen their struggling electric vehicle businesses through a merger, sharing substantial development costs and utilizing common parts for EVs, potentially reshaping the global auto industry. Japan's No. 2 and No. 3 carmakers by volume are in talks on a merger under a holding company, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The talks on the deal, which would create the world's third-largest auto alliance after the Toyota and Volkswagen groups, follow the two automakers' March agreement to conduct a feasibility study on a strategic partnership in EV production and software technologies to compete with overseas rivals such as Tesla Inc. and BYD Co. Honda and Nissan are restructuring their operations in China to revive faltering sales amid fierce competition from local rivals like BYD, which are gaining market share with affordable battery-powered vehicles. The two carmakers have introduced fewer new EV models in the world's largest auto market as they contend with rising research and development costs, not only for zero-emission vehicles but also advanced technologies such as autonomous, connected and shared vehicles, similar to many other global automakers. "It is time to accelerate the development of EVs rather than slow it," Jin Tang, senior principal researcher at Mizuho Bank, said. Global EV sales are expected to grow 5.7-fold from the 2023 level to 57.13 million vehicles in 2040, according to research firm Fuji Keizai Group. Honda is streamlining its production operations in China, planning to reduce its annual output capacity by 290,000 vehicles, with further cuts potentially needed due to declining sales. Nissan, meanwhile, closed one of its local plants earlier this year.School shootings: Vallejo district’s response to potential threatsElon Musk has emerged as a key player in US politics, with his actions already starting to influence major decisions in Washington. His role in derailing a bipartisan Congress deal to prevent a government shutdown has highlighted his sway over the Republican Party and Donald Trump’s incoming administration. While recognised as the world’s wealthiest individual, Musk is being dubbed as "President Musk" by Democrats, reflecting their concern over his outsized political clout. Musk has been tapped by Trump to run the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) agency, but the billionaire is throwing his weight around even before the president-elect takes office on January 20. On Wednesday, shortly after 4:00 am, the hyperactive owner of Tesla and SpaceX used his social platform X to attack the budget bill hammered out by Republicans and Democrats in Congress to keep the federal government operating. "This bill should not pass," the 53-year-old Musk wrote in the first of what became a barrage of posts. "Kill the bill," he exhorted Republican members of the House of Representatives. "This bill is criminal." A number of Republican lawmakers quickly fell in line, with some even engaging in a bit of flattery. "In five years in Congress, I’ve been awaiting a fundamental change in the dynamic," Representative Dan Bishop commented on an X post by Musk. "It has arrived." Other right-wing members of Congress even went so far as to suggest that the South African-born Musk should take over as House speaker. Trump himself joined the budget battle later in the day. The 78-year-old president-elect denounced the spending bill as "ridiculous and extraordinarily expensive." The dramatic developments left the country facing a government shutdown just days before Christmas. Musk rejoiced after the bill was torpedoed. "The voice of the people was heard," he said. "This was a good day for America." He followed up by reposting a picture of himself in front of an American flag with the words "VOX POPULI" and "VOX DEI," a Latin phrase which translates to "the voice of the people is the voice of God." After the intervention, Republicans in Congress on Thursday came up with a new funding package that satisfied Trump -- and Musk. Democrats have painted the tech billionaire as unstable and a megalomaniac, and hope calling him "President Musk" will needle Trump. "Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government," Senator Bernie Sanders said. "The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it. "Will Republicans kiss the ring?" Sanders asked. "Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government." Democratic Representative Jim McGovern said "at least we know who’s in charge." "He’s president and Trump is now vice president," McGovern said.

First Quarter of Fiscal 2025 Continuing Operations Highlights * ** Organic sales represent net sales excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates, acquisitions, and divestitures. A reconciliation of organic sales to comparable net sales is presented in the tables accompanying this release. MILWAUKEE, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enerpac Tool Group Corp. (NYSE: EPAC) (the "Company” or "Enerpac”) today announced results for its fiscal first quarter ended November 30, 2024. "We entered fiscal 2025 mindful of a sluggish industrial macro environment,” said Paul Sternlieb, Enerpac Tool Group's President & CEO. "Nonetheless, we believe Enerpac can continue to outperform the market given our global brand leadership, targeted growth strategy, customer-driven innovation, and continuous improvement process to enhance operational efficiency and productivity.” "First quarter fiscal 2025 was essentially in line with our expectations, reflecting our ability to operate in a soft market, while lapping strong growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2024,” said Darren Kozik, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Consolidated net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 were $145.2 million compared to $142.0 million in the prior-year period, an increase of 2.3%. Organic sales, excluding the acquisition of DTA and the impact of foreign currency, decreased 0.8% year-over-year. Service organic revenue growth of 5.6% was offset by a 2.7% decline in product sales. Net sales for Industrial Tools & Services (IT&S) increased 2.3%, driven by the increase in service revenue and the acquisition of DTA. The organic sales decline of 1.0% for IT&S was partially offset by a year-over-year improvement at Cortland Biomedical, which comprises the Other operating segment. Gross profit margin declined 90 basis points year-over-year to 51.4% due to lower sales in the Americas, a higher percentage of service revenue, and a return to normalized margins at Cortland. Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) of $42.3 million were $2.3 million lower year-over-year. SG&A was 29.1% of sales, down from 31.4% in the year-ago period. Adjusted SG&A expenses, excluding one-time costs associated with the acquisition of DTA, were $42.2 million as compared to $41.1 million in fiscal 2024. The prior-year period adjusted SG&A excluded ASCEND and restructuring charges. As a percentage of sales, adjusted SG&A held flat at 29.0%. Operating profit increased 9% year-over-year to $31.1 million, with an operating profit margin of 21.4%, up from 20.2% in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Adjusted operating profit decreased 3.6% to $31.3 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 21.5%, down from 22.8% in the year-ago period. First quarter fiscal 2025 net income and diluted EPS were $21.7 million and $0.40 respectively, compared to $18.3 million and $0.33, respectively, in the year-ago period. First quarter adjusted EBITDA was $34.3 million compared to $34.9 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted EBITDA margin declined 100 basis points year-over-year to 23.6% driven by lower gross margins coupled with the inclusion of DTA. Net cash provided by operating activities was $8.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 as compared to a use of $6.7 million in the prior-year period. Cash flow from operations was higher than the prior year, the benefit of higher net earnings, lower annual incentive compensation payments made in the first quarter compared to the prior year, and the absence of payments related to discontinued operations. IT&S Results Comparisons First quarter fiscal 2025 net sales for IT&S were $140.1 million, an increase of 2.3% year-over-year with organic sales down 1.0%. The decline in organic sales was driven by a 3.0% decrease in product sales, partially offset by a 5.6% increase in service revenue. The segment's operating profit margin increased approximately 110 basis points to 27.1% as the prior-year period included ASCEND and restructuring costs. Adjusted operating profit margin declined 90 basis points to 27.2%, driven by sales mix and the inclusion of DTA's results. DTA Acquisition On September 4, Enerpac completed the acquisition of DTA, a producer of automated on-site horizontal movement products, to complement its Heavy Lifting Technology product portfolio. "With the integration well underway, we are capitalizing on the opportunity to leverage Enerpac's global sales network and expand DTA's sales outside of Europe,” added Sternlieb. Corporate Expenses from Continuing Operations Corporate expenses were $8.2 million and $8.9 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024, respectively. The prior-year period included charges for ASCEND and restructuring. Adjusted corporate expenses (2) of $8.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 were flat as compared to the prior-year period. (2) F irst quarter fiscal 202 5 adj usted corp orate expenses exclude approximately $ 0.1 million of M &A costs a s compared to approximately $0. 3 million of restructuring charges and $ 0.4 million of ASCEND charges in the first quarter of fiscal 202 4 . Balance Sheet and Leverage Net debt on November 30, 2024, was $62.6 million, resulting in a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 0.5x. The company repurchased approximately 110,000 shares of its common stock in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 for a total of $4.4 million under its share repurchase program announced in March 2022. Cash decreased from the end of fiscal 2024 primarily due to the acquisition of DTA in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. Outlook "With the first quarter results roughly as anticipated, we are maintaining our full-year fiscal 2025 guidance, including total revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth of 5% at the midpoint of our guidance,” concluded Sternlieb. The Company is projecting a net sales range of $610 million to $625 million in fiscal 2025. The forecast anticipates organic sales growth of approximately 0% to 2%, with expected adjusted EBITDA in the range of $150 million to $160 million, and free cash flow between $85 million to $95 million. This forecast is based on the Company's key foreign exchange rate assumptions and assumes that there is no broad-based global recession. Conference Call Information An investor conference call is scheduled for 7:30 am CT on December 19, 2024. Webcast information and conference call materials, including an earnings presentation, are available on the Enerpac Tool Group company website ( www.enerpactoolgroup.com ). Safe Harbor Statement Certain of the above comments represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition to statements with respect to guidance, the terms "outlook,” "guidance,” "may,” "should,” "could,” "anticipate,” "believe,” "estimate,” "expect,” "objective,” "plan,” "project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. In addition to the assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with such statements, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, general economic uncertainty, market conditions in the industrial, oil & gas, energy, power generation, infrastructure, commercial construction, truck and automotive industries, supply chain risks, including disruptions in deliveries from suppliers due to political tensions or the imposition, or threat of imposition, of tariffs, which could be affected by the outcome of the recent U.S. presidential election, the impact of geopolitical activity, including the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and international sanctions imposed in response thereto, as well as armed conflicts in the Middle East, including the impact on shipping in the Red Sea, the ability of the Company to achieve its plans or objectives related to its growth strategy, market acceptance of existing and new products, market acceptance of price increases, successful integration of acquisitions, the impact of dispositions and restructurings, the ability of the Company to continue to achieve its plans or objectives related to the PEP program, operating margin risk due to competitive pricing and operating efficiencies, risks related to reliance on independent agents and distributors for the distribution and service of products, material, labor, or overhead cost increases, tax law changes, foreign currency risk, interest rate risk, commodity risk, tariffs, litigation matters, cybersecurity risk, impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, the Company's ability to access capital markets and other risks and uncertainties that may be referred to or noted in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including those described in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024. Enerpac Tool Group disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Non-GAAP Financial Information This press release contains financial measures that are not measures presented in conformity with GAAP. These non-GAAP measures include organic sales, EBITDA from continuing operations, adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations, adjusted earnings from continuing operations, adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, adjusted operating profit from continuing operations, segment adjusted operating profit and adjusted EBITDA, adjusted corporate expense, adjusted SG&A expense, free cash flow and net debt. This press release includes reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measure, included in the tables attached to this press release or in footnotes to the tables included in this press release. Management believes the non-GAAP measures presented in this press release are commonly used financial measures for investors to evaluate Enerpac Tool Group's operating performance and financial position with respect to the periods presented and, when read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements, present a useful tool to evaluate ongoing operations and provide investors with metrics they can use to evaluate aspects of the Company's performance from period to period. In addition, these are some of the financial metrics management uses in internal evaluations of the overall performance of the Company's business. Management acknowledges that there are many items that impact a company's reported results and the adjustments reflected in these non-GAAP measures are not intended to present all items that may have impacted these results. In addition, these non-GAAP measures are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. About Enerpac Tool Group Enerpac Tool Group Corp. is a premier industrial tools, services, technology, and solutions provider serving a broad and diverse set of customers and end markets for mission-critical applications in more than 100 countries. The Company makes complex, often hazardous jobs possible safely and efficiently. Enerpac Tool Group's businesses are global leaders in high pressure hydraulic tools, controlled force products, and solutions for precise positioning of heavy loads that help customers safely and reliably tackle some of the most challenging jobs around the world. The Company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Enerpac Tool Group common stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol EPAC. For further information on Enerpac Tool Group and its businesses, visit the Company's website at www.enerpactoolgroup.com . (tables follow)REBELDOGS Introduces First Movie-Crypto Collaboration, Linking Cinema and Support for Dog Shelters

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Virginia Union gains 2nd Division II playoff road victory in 2 weeksA Marine veteran who used a chokehold on an agitated subway rider was acquitted on Monday in a death that became a prism for differing views about public safety, valor and vigilantism. A Manhattan jury cleared Daniel Penny of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely ’s 2023 death. A more serious manslaughter charge was dismissed last week because the jury deadlocked on that count. Penny, who had shown little expression during the trial, briefly smiled as the verdict was read. While celebrating later with his attorneys, he said he felt “great.” Both applause and anger erupted in the courtroom, and Neely's father and two supporters were ushered out after audibly reacting. Another person also left, wailing with tears. “It really, really hurts,” Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, said outside the courthouse. “I had enough of this. The system is rigged." The case amplified many American fault lines, among them race, politics, crime, urban life, mental illness and homelessness. Neely was Black. Penny is white. There were sometimes dueling demonstrations outside the courthouse, including on Monday. High-profile Republican politicians portrayed Penny as a hero while prominent Democrats attended Neely’s funeral. Penny’s attorneys argued he was protecting himself and other subway passengers from a volatile, mentally ill man who was making alarming remarks and gestures. Penny “finally got the justice he deserved,” one of his lawyers, Thomas Kenniff, said while celebrating the outcome with him at a downtown Manhattan pub. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat whose office brought the case, said prosecutors “followed the facts and the evidence from beginning to end” and respect the verdict. The anonymous jury, which had started deliberating Tuesday, was escorted out of court to a van. Andre Zachary, father of Jordan Neely, and attorney Donte Mills outside the criminal court, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) Penny, 26, served four years in the Marines and went on to study architecture. Neely, 30, was a sometime subway performer with a tragic life story: His mother was killed and stuffed in a suitcase when he was a teenager. As a younger man, Neely did Michael Jackson tributes — complete with moonwalks — on the city’s streets and subways. But Neely also struggled with mental illness after losing his mother, whose boyfriend was convicted of murdering her. He subsequently was diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia, was repeatedly hospitalized, and used the synthetic cannabinoid K2 and realized it negatively affected his thinking and behavior, according to medical records seen at the trial. The drug was in his system when he died. Neely told a doctor in 2017 that being homeless, living in poverty and having to “dig through the garbage” for food made him feel so hopeless that he sometimes thought of killing himself, hospital records show. About six years later, he boarded a subway under Manhattan on May 1, 2023, hurled his jacket onto the floor, and declared that he was hungry and thirsty and didn’t care if he died or went to jail, witnesses said. Some told 911 operators that he tried to attack people or indicated he’d harm riders, and several testified that they were afraid. Neely was unarmed, with nothing but a muffin in his pocket, and didn’t touch any passengers. One said he made lunging movements that alarmed her enough that she shielded her 5-year-old from him. Penny came up behind Neely, grabbed his neck, took him to the floor and “put him out,” as the veteran told police at the scene. Passengers' video showed that at one point during the roughly six-minute hold, Neely tapped an onlooker’s leg and gestured to him. Later, he briefly got an arm free. But he went still nearly a minute before Penny released him. “He’s dying,” an unseen bystander said in one video. “Let him go!” A witness who stepped in to hold down Neely’s arms testified that he told Penny to free the man, though Penny’s lawyers noted the witness’ story changed significantly over time. Penny told detectives shortly after the encounter that Neely threatened to kill people and the chokehold was an attempt to “de-escalate” the situation until police could arrive. The veteran said he held on so long because Neely periodically tried to break loose. “I wasn’t trying to injure him. I’m just trying to keep him from hurting anyone else. He’s threatening people. That’s what we learn in the Marine Corps,” Penny told the detectives. However, one of Penny's Marine Corps instructors testified that the veteran misused a chokehold technique he’d been taught. A person protests the not guilty verdict of Daniel Penny, not pictured, outside the criminal court, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) Prosecutors said Penny reacted far too forcefully to someone he perceived as a peril, not a person. Prosecutors also argued that any need to protect passengers quickly ebbed when the train doors opened at the next station, seconds after Penny took action. Although Penny told police he’d used “a choke” or “a chokehold,” one of his lawyers, Steven Raiser, cast it as a Marine-taught chokehold “modified as a simple civilian restraint.” The defence lawyers contended Penny didn’t consistently apply enough pressure to kill Neely. Contradicting a city medical examiner’s finding, a pathologist hired by the defence said Neely died not from the chokehold but from the combined effects of K2, schizophrenia, his struggle and restraint, and a blood condition that can lead to fatal complications during exertion. Penny did not testify, but relatives, friends and fellow Marines did — describing him as an upstanding, patriotic and empathetic man. The manslaughter charge would have required proving that Penny recklessly caused Neely's death. Criminally negligent homicide involves engaging in serious “blameworthy conduct” while not perceiving such a risk. Both charges were felonies punishable by prison time. During the criminal trial, Neely’s father filed a wrongful death suit against Penny. __ Associated Press journalists Joseph B. Frederick and Ted Shaffrey contributed.None

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WASHINGTON , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA continues to advance its campaign to explore more of the Moon than ever before, awarding Firefly Aerospace $179 million to deliver six experiments to the lunar surface. This fourth task order for Firefly will target landing in the Gruithuisen Domes on the near side of the Moon in 2028. As part of the agency's broader Artemis campaign, Firefly will deliver a group of science experiments and technology demonstrations under NASA's CLPS initiative, or Commercial Lunar Payload Services, to these lunar domes, an area of ancient lava flows, to better understand planetary processes and evolution. Through CLPS, NASA is furthering our understanding of the Moon's environment and helping prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of the agency's Moon to Mars exploration approach. "The CLPS initiative carries out U.S. scientific and technical studies on the surface of the Moon by robot explorers. As NASA prepares for future human exploration of the Moon, the CLPS initiative continues to support a growing lunar economy with American companies," said Joel Kearns , deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington . "Understanding the formation of the Gruithuisen Domes, as well as the ancient lava flows surrounding the landing site, will help the U.S. answer important questions about the lunar surface." Firefly's first lunar delivery is scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-January 2025 and will land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, on the northeast quadrant of the Moon's near side. Firefly's second lunar mission includes two task orders: a lunar orbit drop-off of a satellite combined with a delivery to the lunar surface on the far side and a delivery of a lunar orbital calibration source, scheduled in 2026. This new delivery in 2028 will send payloads to the Gruithuisen Domes and the nearby Sinus Viscositatus. The Gruithuisen Domes have long been suspected to be formed by a magma rich in silica, similar in composition to granite. Granitic rocks form easily on Earth due to plate tectonics and oceans of water. The Moon lacks these key ingredients, so lunar scientists have been left to wonder how these domes formed and evolved over time. For the first time, as part of this task order, NASA also has contracted to provide "mobility," or roving, for some of the scientific instruments on the lunar surface after landing. This will enable new types of U.S. scientific investigations from CLPS. "Firefly will deliver six instruments to understand the landing site and surrounding vicinity," said Chris Culbert , manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston . "These instruments will study geologic processes and lunar regolith, test solar cells, and characterize the neutron radiation environment, supplying invaluable information as NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the Moon." The instruments, collectively expected to be about 215 pounds (97 kilograms) in mass, include: Through the CLPS initiative, NASA purchases lunar landing and surface operations services from American companies. The agency uses CLPS to send scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to advance capabilities for science, exploration, or commercial development of the Moon. By supporting a robust cadence of lunar deliveries, NASA will continue to enable a growing lunar economy while leveraging the entrepreneurial innovation of the commercial space industry. Two upcoming CLPS flights scheduled to launch in early 2025 will deliver NASA payloads to the Moon's near side and south polar region, respectively. Learn more about CLPS and Artemis at: https://www.nasa.gov/clps View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-nasa-science-tech-will-fly-to-moon-aboard-future-firefly-flight-302335523.html SOURCE NASA

Luigi Mangione has been arrested in an investigation into UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, left an online trail before his arrest at McDonald's. He founded an app, talked about Artificial Intelligence on X, and read The Unabomber Manifesto. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, left a vast online trail before police in Pennsylvania picked him Monday as a "person of interest" in the Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . He was arrested on local gun charges, but New York Police Department officials say he's expected to be extradited to New York, where he'll face additional charges. Here's what to know about Mangione: Mangione attended elite schools Mangione graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. He achieved a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in computer science and a minor in mathematics. He also received a Master of Science in Engineering the same year with a major in computer and information science, a university spokesperson told Business Insider. Before that, he attended Gilman School, an elite all-boys preparatory school based in Baltimore. His yearbook entry, obtained by BI, says he was involved in robotics and Model UN. He wrote on his LinkedIn account that he was the valedictorian of his high school class. A spokeswoman for Gilman didn't immediately return a voicemail from BI. He favorably reviewed The Unabomber Manifesto On Goodreads, Mangione reviewed Ted Kaczynski's "Industrial Society and Its Future" book, also known as The Unabomber Manifesto, in early 2024. He gave it four out of five stars. "He was a violent individual — rightfully imprisoned — who maimed innocent people," Mangione wrote. "While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary." Mangione's review of the manifesto also quoted another online comment about the book, which appears to have originated on Reddit, praising the use of violence "when all other forms of communication fail." "'Violence never solved anything' is a statement uttered by cowards and predators,'" Mangione quoted. Online breadcrumbs suggest he dealt with back pain At the top of Mangione's profile on X — formerly Twitter — was a triptych of three images: a photo of himself, smiling, shirtless on a mountain ridge; a Pokemon; and an x-ray with four pins or screws visible in the lower back. Related stories Some of the books reviewed on Mangione's Goodreads account related to health and healing back pain, including "Back Mechanic: The Secrets to a Healthy Spine Your Doctor Isn't Telling You" and "Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery." The Pokemon featured in his X cover image, next to an apparent spinal X-ray, is Breloom. In the Pokemon games, it has special healing abilities. He founded an app and worked in tech While still in high school, in 2015, Mangione founded a company called AppRoar Studios. AppRoar released an iPhone game called Pivot Plane that is no longer available, but a reviewer in 2015 called it "a fun little arcade game brought to you by 3 high school juniors." He lived in a coliving space in Hawaii as recently as 2023. He posed for photos indicating he participated in Greek life at the University of Pennsylvania. The fraternity chapter represented in his photos couldn't be reached for comment. He cofounded a video game design club at the University of Pennsylvania, according to a blog post on the University of Pennsylvania's website that was removed Monday. Stephen Lane, a professor of video game design at the Ivy League university, who did not advise the club, told BI that "the fact he took the initiative and started something from nothing, that means at least in the context of Penn, that's a pretty good thing." However, the shooting of Thompson, Lane added, was "obviously not a good thing." According to his LinkedIn page, Mangione worked as a data engineer at the vehicle shopping company TrueCar starting in 2020. A TrueCar spokesperson told BI that Mangione has not worked for the company since 2023. He was previously cited for trespassing Mangione had at least one encounter with the legal system before his Monday arrest. Hawaiian court records indicate that he was cited in 2023 for entering a forbidden area of a state park. Mangione appears to have paid a $100 fine to resolve the matter. Mangione was interested in AI On his X account, Mangione posted and amplified posts about technological advances like artificial intelligence. He also posted about fitness and healthy living. He frequently reposted posts by the writer Tim Urban and commentator Jonathan Haidt about the promise and perils of technology. He also appeared to be a fan of Michael Pollan, known for his writing about food and ethics, and lab-grown meat. On Goodreads, he praised Urban's book "What's Our Problem?: A Self-Help Book for Societies," describing it as "one of the most important philosophical texts of the early 21st century." Urban posted to X on Monday: "Very much not the point of the book."

Anchored in Excellence: Miros’ 2024 Milestones Making Waves

kijiji brampton Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday started examining four cases that turn on how far social media should be regulated, and what responsibilities platforms have in cracking down on illegal content. The judicial review comes a month after the same court forced Elon Musk's X platform to obey rulings aimed at battling online disinformation. That issue has taken on heat in recent days in Brazil, with federal police accusing far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro and allied officials of using social media disinformation as part of a 2022 "coup" plot against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, then the country's president-elect. The alleged plot involved using online posts to undermine public trust in the electoral system to justify Bolsonaro holding onto the presidency after Lula defeated him at the polls. Bolsonaro says he is innocent. The Supreme Court's deliberations in the cases are not expected to be concluded until sometime next year. One key point it is looking at is whether social media platforms can be fined for illegal content posted by users. Another is whether the platforms should themselves be required to monitor and remove any illegal content without a prior court order to do so. The court's rulings will become precedents that will have to be applied generally to all social media platforms operating in Brazil. Brazil -- many of whose 216 million inhabitants are heavy users of WhatsApp and Facebook -- does not have legislation in that area. Global social media networks, however, already have to abide by laws in the EU against illegal online content, under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA), which could guide them in terms of Brazilian compliance. One of the Brazilian Supreme Court's judges, Alexandre de Moraes, in August ordered Musk's X be blocked across the country for failing to comply with a series of court orders against online disinformation. On October 9, the platform was allowed to resume activities after paying around $5 million in fines and deactivating the accounts of several Bolsonaro supporters accused of spreading disinformation and online hate speech. The court's presiding judge, Luis Roberto Barroso, told AFP that "digital platforms... open paths to disinformation, hate, deliberate lies and conspiracy theories." He added: "In the whole democratic world there are debates about protecting free speech without permitting everyone to fall into a pit of incivility." He pointed to the European Union's DSA as a form of regulation "that seeks a point of ideal equilibrium". Brazil, in his opinion, should carve out its own regulation "with a minimum of government intervention where it comes to freedom of thought, while preventing increased criminality and inciting violence." ffb/rmb/st

GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Bank of America became FIFA’s first global banking partner in August and sealed a separate deal for a second event also being played in the United States, two days before the group-stage draw in Miami for the revamped 32-team club event . It features recent European champions Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea. “FIFA is going to take America by storm and we’re going to be right at their side,” the bank’s head of marketing, David Tyrie, said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Bank of America joins 2026 World Cup sponsors Hisense and Budweiser brewer AB InBev in separately also backing the club event, and more deals are expected after Saudi Arabia is confirmed next week as the 2034 World Cup host. While games at the next World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, will be watched by hundreds of millions globally mostly on free-to-air public networks, the Club World Cup broadcast picture is unclear. FIFA has promised hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money for the 32 clubs to share but is yet to announce any broadcast deals for the month-long tournament. It is expected to land on a streaming service. “You have to think about how you are going to connect with these fans,” Tyrie told the Associated Press from Boston. “TV is one, sure, social media is a big avenue. “The smart marketing capabilities are able to say ‘Hey, we need to tilt this one a little bit more away from TV-type marketing into social-type marketing.’ We have got a pretty decent strategy that we’re putting in place to do activation.” Engaging Bank of America’s customers and 250,000 employees are key to that strategy, Tyrie said. “It’s going to be for our clients, and entertainment, it’s going to be for our employees in creating excitement. All of the above.” The Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 cities, including Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C, and Lumen Field where the hometown Seattle Sounders play three group-stage games. European powers Madrid, Man City and Bayern Munich lead a 12-strong European challenge. Teams qualified by winning continental titles or posting consistently good results across four years of those competitions. The exception is Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who FIFA gave the entry reserved for a host nation team in October based on regular season record without waiting for the MLS Cup final. LA Galaxy hosts New York Red Bulls playing for that national title Saturday. Messi’s team opens the FIFA tournament June 15 in the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium and will play its three group games in Florida. “The more brand players you bring in, the bigger the following you have got,” Tyrie acknowledged, though adding Messi being involved was “not a make or break for the event.” The Club World Cup final is July 13 at Met Life Stadium near New York, which also will host the World Cup final one year later. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerThe Pittsburgh Steelers signed tight end Pat Freiermuth to a four-year, $48M extension just before the season began. While his usage has not been as heavy as seasons in his first two years, he is still pacing to double his production last year. For Freiermuth, however, it’s more about the big games ahead. When asked about not getting as many targets compared to other receivers, Freiermuth knows the ball will come with patience. “The ball is going to find me. You know, I’m not stressing,” Freiermuth said of his targets this season. “I’m just happy that, you know, we’re winning now and we’re 8-3; first in the AFC North.” Despite the fourth-year pro out of Penn State’s outlook, he knows he will be needed with six big games down the stretch. Continuing to work and limit frustrations for Freiermuth is key. “We got a lot of big-time football coming up ... the worst thing I could do is complain or worry or stress.” Freiermuth said. His contributions go beyond the passing game, as well. In offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense, Freiermuth is willing to do the dirty work and sees improvement from previous seasons. “Being involved in the game plan ... is also about putting in a situation where they can be successful in me run blocking,” Freiermuth said of his usage. “Overall my game has improved a lot this year in all areas.” Freiermuth also pointed out that sometimes it comes down to the game flow and what the defense presents. With six games including two AFC North rematches, two games against the Cincinnati Bengals (starting this week), a trip to Philadelphia, and a Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, “Muth” will likely hear his name chanted a lot more the rest of the way. He will be playing against four teams who have allowed a good amount of tight-end production this season. Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh. This article first appeared on Steelers Now and was syndicated with permission.

Pam Bondi Nominated as U.S. Attorney General Amidst Trump's Strategic Administration ReshuffleN’DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Chadians voted Sunday amid a low turnout in parliamentary and regional elections that will end a three-year transitional period from military rule but which the main opposition is boycotting after accusing authorities of not overseeing a credible electoral process. The parliamentary election is the first in more than a decade in and comes months after the junta leader, Mahamat Idriss Deby, that was meant to return democracy. Deby took power in 2021 following the death of his father and longtime president Idriss Deby Itno, who spent three decades in power. Voting ended late Monday although official results won't be known for about two weeks. The election will “pave the way for the era of decentralization so long awaited and desired by the Chadian people," Deby said. The oil-exporting country of 18 million people, among Africa’s poorest, had not had a free and fair transfer of power since it became independent from France in 1960. The elections this year are the first in in Africa’s Sahel region to hold a promised but delayed return to democracy. At least 8 million voters are registered to elect 188 legislators in the Central African nation’s new National Assembly. Representatives at the provincial and municipal levels will also be elected. There was a low voter turnout in the capital N’Djamena, where only a handful of voters were seen in some polling stations. “We hope that the people we voted for do a good job for a better Chad, a Chad with a future," said Mahamat Issa Hissein, who voted in the capital. More than 10 opposition parties are boycotting the vote, including the main Transformers party, whose candidate, Succes Masra, came second in the presidential election. The party has criticized the parliamentary election, as well as the presidential vote that many observers were banned from, as a “charade” and a ploy for Deby to remain in power to continue a “dynasty." Masra briefly earlier this year after returning from exile before he resigned to run for president. On Saturday, he alleged that results of the vote would be tampered with and told voters, “It is better to stay at home.” Sunday's election comes at a critical period for Chad, which is battling several security challenges from in the Lake Chad region to the with France, its key ally. Mahamat Oumar Adam, a Chadian political scientist, said the main issue at stake in the election is not losing the country's democracy to a prolonged transition. That transition began in 2021, and featured a national dialogue in 2022, a constitutional referendum in 2023 and this year’s presidential election. “This is the last stage of the process of exiting the transition (but) the shortcoming is related to the lack of opposition in this election,” Adam said. —- Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. Mouta Ali And Chinedu Asadu, The Associated PressNone

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Baby Cribs and Cots Market Valuation is Poised to Surpass US$ 3,027.6 Million By 2033 | Standard Wooden Cribs to Remain at Top of Consumers Pick Says Astute AnalyticaPro-Russian Presidential Candidate Denies He Wants Romania Out Of NATOBob Dylan has six kids from his previous marriages to Sara Lownds and Carolyn Dennis. Dylan and Lownds welcomed four kids together and the singer adopted Lownds' daughter, Maria. Dylan shares a daughter named Desiree with Carolyn Dennis, whom he was married to from 1986 to 1992. Bob Dylan is a 10-time Grammy Award winner and is considered one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of all time, but his personal life is surprisingly low key. The Minnesota native's rise to fame in the '60s is the focal point of James Mangold's latest film, " A Complete Unknown ," which stars Timothée Chalamet as Dylan. The movie also features Monica Barbaro as the folk singer Joan Baez and Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, a fictional version of Dylan's girlfriend at the time, Suze Rotolo. In real life, Dylan, now 83, was twice married and shares six kids with his ex-wives. Here's everything to know about them. Dylan welcomed 4 children with his first wife, Sara Lownds, and adopted her daughter from a previous marriage Dylan and Lownds were married from November 1965 to June 1977. During their relationship, Dylan adopted Maria Lownds (born on October 21, 1961), Sara's daughter from her marriage to the photographer Hans Lownds. Maria changed her last name to Dylan after the musician legally became her father. According to Howard Sounes' 2001 Dylan biography, "Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan," Maria became a copyright lawyer and welcomed four kids with her husband Peter Himmelman. Dylan and Lownds' first child together, Jesse Byron Dylan, was born on January 6, 1966. Jesse got into filmmaking and directed music videos for artists including Dylan, Lenny Kravitz , Elvis Costello, and Tom Waits. He's also the director of the comedies "American Wedding" and "Kicking and Screaming." He's the founder and CEO of Wondros, a global creative agency geared toward social change, public health, and the arts. He's also the cohost of the educational podcast called "Wondros Podcast." Jesse and his wife, Susan Taylor, have a son named Pablo William Dylan , born in 1995, and a daughter named daughter Feury Mae Beatrice Dylan, born in 2000. Little is known about Dylan and Lownds' daughter, Anna Lea, who was born on July 11, 1967. According to the biography, she completed college in 1999 at 32 years old, became a painter, and got married. Dylan and Lownds' third child together, Samuel Isaac Abram, was born July 30, 1968. After graduating college, Samuel worked alongside Jesse at the LA-based production company Straw Dogs. He married Stacy Hochheiser, and they have two children, Jonah and Lowell. Dylan and Lownds' youngest child, Jakob Luke, was born on December 9, 1969. Like his famous father, Jakob became a singer-songwriter. Jakob is the lead singer and guitarist of the band The Wallflowers, formed in 1990. The band has released seven studio albums, beginning with its eponymous debut album in 1992. "One Headlight," from the album "Bringing Down the Horse," is perhaps their most notable song. Related stories Separate from the Grammy-winning band, Jakob also released two solo albums: "Seeing Things" in 2008 and "Women and Country" in 2010. In 2011, Jakob earned an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Idaho State University. He and his wife, Nicole Paige, married in 1992 and have three kids. Dylan shares one child with Carolyn Dennis, his second wife Dennis was Dylan's backing singer. On January 31, 1986, the couple quietly welcomed one child together, a daughter named Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan. Their secret wedding took place in LA in June of that year, and their marriage ended in 1992. Dylan and Dennis' child and marriage were kept a secret from the press for years. Upon the release of Sounes' biography, Dennis explained that she and Dylan mutually agreed to keep their marriage a secret so their daughter could have a normal childhood.

The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of (the ships) by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defence analyst at the Hudson Institute. The US has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the US military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added manoeuvrability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post newspaper reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defence department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon’s development, it had not recognised its testing. One of the US programmes in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the Conventional Prompt Strike. It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the three Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a 7.5 billion US dollars (£5.9 billion) warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an advanced gun system with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was cancelled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost up to one million dollars (£790,000). Despite the stain on their reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers: Zumwalt, Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B Johnson; remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warships in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimise radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The US is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to US national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities”, said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defence department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said.BEIRUT (AP) — 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.

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Devils see off Steelers on skipper's 1,000th gameMindful Spending and Saving Apps: Focusing on Intentional Financial ChoicesDating apps are a nice ego boost and a good way to kill time, but how often do you actually meet someone from there? Aisekiya are the middleman between dating IRL and dating via your phone. Today is the age of online everything—online shopping, entertainment, research simple things like that? We’re human beings and I think it would be hard to argue that human beings are not social creatures. Our ability to express our thoughts, feelings and emotions through verbal communication is one of the unique characteristics that set us apart from every other animal on this planet. That and opposable thumbs. So why are we limiting this basic human skill to mere digital messaging where our words are oftentimes misinterpreted anyway? I’ll tell you why: We’ve become so used to digital communication that a face-to-face conversation is now scary and uncomfortable. So am I doomed in my search to via photoshopped pics on my phone? That’s when my roommate told me all about . is a combination of the words, 相席 ( ; “sharing tables”) and 屋 ( ; “shop”). and throw them into a 居酒屋 ( ; “Japanese bar”), and you’ve got yourself one Aisekiya. Walk inside and you’ll see a dimly-lit restaurant filled with table booths. However, the main purpose of these booths isn’t to order a meal. It’s so you can chat it up with your assigned pair. And the bonus is that a buffet and drinks are available as well. #score! If you’ve ever heard of 合コン ( , joint dating party), this is very similar to that group dating concept, but Aisekiya is different in that the pairs meeting each other are totally random and have no connections whatsoever. , , ight. No need to set up a reservation here! You do have the option to download the Aisekiya app (new male customers can receive a discount on their first reservation), but as this is a more casual way of meeting new people, most people go without one. The first thing you’ll be asked is how many people you’re with (most people will go as pairs) and then wait to be seated in a booth. While you’re waiting, the waiter will ask for your photo ID (no one under the age of 20 is allowed in) and what you’d like to drink. For the ladies, you’ll be handed a red card (blue for boys) with a letter on it—this is like your group ID card. Once a booth has opened up, you’ll be seated in an empty booth to await your pairs or be seated in a booth with a pair of guys already sitting down. Grouping is done according to the time that you enter Aisekiya. If there are a couple of guys who enter right before/after you, chances are that they are the guys you’ll be paired up with. Keep in mind, this is group dating so if you go alone, you won’t be able to get in (go to one of “ ” locations instead.) If you go in a group of three or four, they will try to group you with another group similar in numbers. That being said, pairs are the most common so I recommend going with just one bestie linked to your arm. Something worth mentioning is that I was the only foreigner in the entire izakaya. If your Japanese is a bit rusty, I highly recommend going with one of your Japanese friends. Chances are the men you’ll be paired with are Japanese, so this is a great opportunity to practice your language skills! Here’s where the Tinder aspect comes into play: although you can’t literally “swipe left” the moment someone you’re uninterested in sits down, you do have the power to change partners whenever you want. Unlike Tinder, however, the people you don’t want to talk to anymore are sitting right in front of you, so you can’t just be a savage and yell, “Next!” Aisekiya requires you to be a little sneaky in your tactics: “Go to the bathroom” or “get yourself another drink” and while you’re up, secretly hand your group ID card to a waiter. Within 5-10 minutes, the waiter will come to your table and say that it’s time to switch and voila! You’ve successfully swiped left. Another reminder that you’re no longer staring at a five-inch phone screen. You’re conversing with your male counterparts in real life, so you won’t have time to think about some fancy line that makes you sound way cooler than you actually are (embrace the dorkiness within you). Sometimes, the conversation won’t flow so easily, and there can be awkward moments of silence. Luckily, Aisekiya is prepared for that! The waiters will come around periodically with quick card games to spark some liveliness in your group—and they’re surprisingly effective. The time that I went, we were lucky enough to have a magician come over and perform close-up magic tricks. Talk about working that Aisekiya magic! You didn’t think Aisekiya came without any rules, did you? Attention all: While waiting to be seated with others, the all-you-can-eat buffet and drinks are free for everyone to enjoy. However, once you’re paired up, the prices are the following: I know what some of you must be thinking. While it’s understandable why a girl would want to go (I mean, everything is free), why would a guy choose to spend money to go? My Japanese roommate gave me this insight: While Aisekiya doesn’t have as much of a “hook-up” vibe as Tinder might, definitely don’t walk in here with the expectation that you’re going to meet your future hubby. The harsh reality is that some of these men are just looking for a one-night stand or already have a significant other back home (disgusting, I know). Just be smart, cautious and careful, my friends. Savage boys still be running rampant on the streets of Tokyo. All that being said, if you’re looking for a break from the casual digital dating world or aren’t quite ready to take off your dating training wheels, this is a great way to mix things up! If you meet someone worth your time, great! If not, you’ll have some fun . Aisekiya is a fun and exciting way to meet new people—with someone you totally trust right by your side—and now you can do it the (somewhat) old-fashioned way! Multiple locations, check for one close to you Most open at 5 p.m. (check the above link for details) anyone sick of swiping, a fun night with your bestie

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President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday selected former Rep. Billy Long (R-MO), an auctioneer and ardent poker player, to be the country’s next IRS commissioner. The pick was announced Wednesday on Trump’s Truth Social platform as he continues the rollout of his second-term administration picks . Earlier in the day, he selected billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman for NASA chief and later announced Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) as his choice to lead the Small Business Administration. “Billy brings 32 years of experience running his own businesses in Real Estate and, as one of the premier Auctioneers in the Country,” Trump wrote. “He then served 12 years in Congress, because he ‘felt it was important for his constituents to have a Representative who has signed the front of a check!’ ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Senate Dems consider whether Biden should ‘clear the slate’ and pardon Trump Since leaving Congress , Long has participated in numerous poker championships, including the World Poker Tour, and other professionally sanctioned games such as the Southern Poker Championship. He also lost the 2022 Republican Senate primary after the seat became vacant when Sen. Roy Blunt announced he would not seek reelection. According to Trump, Long went on to work as a business and tax advisor "helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations." “I have known Billy since 2011 - He is an extremely hard worker, and respected by all, especially by those who know him in Congress,” the president-elect said. “Taxpayers and the wonderful employees of the IRS will love having Billy at the helm. He is the consummate ‘people person,’ well respected on both sides of the aisle.” He added: “Congratulations Billy!”

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Ecologists find computer vision models' blind spots in retrieving wildlife imagesDaiwa Securities Group Inc. decreased its stake in shares of GFL Environmental Inc. ( NYSE:GFL – Free Report ) by 40.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 29,305 shares of the company’s stock after selling 19,781 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in GFL Environmental were worth $1,169,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its position in shares of GFL Environmental by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 11,817,626 shares of the company’s stock worth $471,287,000 after buying an additional 257,486 shares during the period. Fred Alger Management LLC grew its position in shares of GFL Environmental by 7.1% during the 2nd quarter. Fred Alger Management LLC now owns 6,221,767 shares of the company’s stock worth $242,213,000 after buying an additional 411,128 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in shares of GFL Environmental by 40.0% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 5,649,169 shares of the company’s stock worth $219,922,000 after buying an additional 1,614,182 shares during the period. Maverick Capital Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of GFL Environmental by 22.1% in the 2nd quarter. Maverick Capital Ltd. now owns 3,285,656 shares of the company’s stock worth $127,911,000 after purchasing an additional 595,259 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in shares of GFL Environmental by 26.1% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 2,476,752 shares of the company’s stock worth $96,420,000 after purchasing an additional 512,735 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.70% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes GFL has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Scotiabank increased their target price on GFL Environmental from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. UBS Group increased their target price on GFL Environmental from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Raymond James increased their target price on GFL Environmental from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on GFL Environmental from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on GFL Environmental from $46.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, GFL Environmental has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $45.80. GFL Environmental Trading Up 1.8 % Shares of GFL Environmental stock opened at $47.08 on Friday. GFL Environmental Inc. has a 1 year low of $27.64 and a 1 year high of $47.16. The firm has a market cap of $18.52 billion, a PE ratio of -35.40 and a beta of 1.15. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $42.34 and a 200-day moving average price of $39.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.58. GFL Environmental ( NYSE:GFL – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.23 by $0.01. GFL Environmental had a positive return on equity of 3.50% and a negative net margin of 7.54%. The firm had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.49 billion. Equities research analysts anticipate that GFL Environmental Inc. will post 0.59 EPS for the current year. GFL Environmental Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 16th were given a dividend of $0.014 per share. This represents a $0.06 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, October 16th. GFL Environmental’s dividend payout ratio is presently -4.51%. About GFL Environmental ( Free Report ) GFL Environmental Inc offers non-hazardous solid waste management and environmental services in Canada and the United States. It offers solid waste management, liquid waste management, and soil remediation services, including collection, transportation, transfer, recycling, and disposal services for municipal, residential, and commercial, and industrial customers. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GFL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for GFL Environmental Inc. ( NYSE:GFL – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for GFL Environmental Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for GFL Environmental and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Netanyahu says he supports proposed ceasefire with Lebanon's Hezbollahkijiji brockville 。

The long WNBA offseason is well underway, and there has been more activity than usual this winter. Not only because of the expansion draft to fill out the Golden State Valkyries roster , which is now complete, but due to the unusual number of coaching changes. Seven franchises parted ways with their coach: The Atlanta Dream , Chicago Sky , Connecticut Sun , Dallas Wings , Indiana Fever , Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics . It's no surprise that group includes the five worst teams in the league last season. The Fever were the first to make a new hire when they agreed to a deal with Stephanie White, who left the Sun earlier in the offseason and previously played for and coached the Fever. The Sky then filled their vacancy by inking a deal with former Las Vegas Aces assistant Tyler Marsh. Up next, the Dream lured Karl Smesko away from Florida Gulf Coast University and the Sparks also dipped into the collegiate ranks to hire Lynne Roberts from Utah. Most recently, the Sun surprised everyone by hiring Belgian national team coach Rachid Meziane. Finally, the Wings filled their spot by hiring Chris Koclanes, while the Mystics agreed to a deal with Sydney Johnson. All seven open positions have now been filled. WNBA coaching tracker Team 2024 record Previous coach Current coach Dream 15-25 Tanisha Wright Karl Smesko Sky 13-27 Teresa Weatherspoon Tyler Marsh Sun 28-12 Stephanie White Rachid Meziane Wings 9-31 Latricia Trammell Chris Koclanes Fever 20-20 Christie Sides Stephanie White Sparks 8-32 Curt Miller Lynne Roberts Mystics 14-26 Eric Thibault Sydney Johnson Dream When the Dream hired Tanisha Wright in 2021, they were in desperate need of a leader who could help professionalize the operation. That's exactly what Wright did, as she turned the Dream into a tough defensive bunch and led them to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. However, the team had plateaued despite the addition of top draft picks, including No. 1 overall selection Rhyne Howard , and they had the worst offense in the league this season. Wright met her remit, but it was time for the Dream to go in a new direction. It certainly appears as though improving the offense was the primary goal in the Dream's coaching hire, as they've brought in Karl Smesko, who turned FGCU into a mid-major machine with a high-powered attack predicated on firing away from behind the arc. Smesko had a remarkable .847 winning percentage in his 23 years as in charge in Fort Myers, and led the Eagles to 14 Atlantic Sun regular season titles, 11 ASUN Tournament championships and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. This will be Smesko's first foray into the professional coaching ranks. Sky Perhaps the most surprising coaching change was when the Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season. Weatherspoon built a strong bond with Rookie of the Year runner-up Angel Reese and kept the Sky in the playoff hunt despite a major talent drain, poor roster construction and injuries. Ultimately, there were too many concerns about her lack of experience, which cropped up at times during the season and led to doubts about attracting free agents. Plus, she was hired before new general manager Jeff Pagliocca, and that order of operations usually doesn't lead to a long partnership. The Sky didn't wait long to make a new hire. They agreed to a deal with former Las Vegas Aces assistant Tyler Marsh. Marsh spent the last three seasons working under Becky Hammon and won two titles with the team. Prior to joining the Aces, he spent time with the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, and also worked briefly in the NBA G League. He specializes in player development, as does Pagliocca. Reese, posted "W" on social media shortly after the news was announced, seemingly giving her approval . Sun Stephanie White had real success with the Connecticut Sun, leading the team to a 55-25 record and two semifinal appearances in her two seasons in charge, but decided to part ways with the organization after the 2024 campaign. There had been rumors about this move ever since the Sun were eliminated from the playoffs, especially after White confirmed she was dealing with a family emergency. After White's departure become official, Sun president Jen Rizzotti told ESPN in a statement that the two sides "parted on good terms because some of [White's] decision-making process was not just about basketball." White added that leaving the Sun was "not an easy decision" but would be the "best one for my family and my career." The Sun took their time in naming a replacement for White, and stunned everyone by choosing 44-year-old Frenchman Rachid Meziane. A long-time coach in his native country, Meziane led Villeneuve-d'Ascq to the Ligue Féminine championship last season and has also enjoyed success on the international level as the coach of the Belgian national team. Most notably, he led the Belgian Cats to the 2023 EuroBasket Women gold medal. While Meziane is certainly a capable coach, he has no WNBA experience and it will be interesting to see what effect, if any, his hiring has on the Sun's ability to maintain their current core with Alyssa Thomas , DeWanna Bonner , Brionna Jones and DiJonai Carrington all entering free agency. Wings The Wings hired Latricia Trammell ahead of the 2023 season with an eye on improving their porous defense. She did just that, and the Wings enjoyed their best season in over a decade. They reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2008 and won a playoff series for the first time since 2009. That momentum was halted by horrible injury luck in the first half of this season. The Wings started off 5-19 and never recovered. They are now in the lottery for the first time since 2021, and have the best odds of getting the No. 1 overall pick due to the pick swap they have with the Sky. Ahead of a potentially franchise-altering winter, the Wings decided to go for a fresh start on the sideline. It took the Wings a while to find their man, but they finally filled their coaching vacancy by agreeing to a deal with Chris Koclanes on Dec. 23. Koclanes had been working as an assistant coach for USC's women's program, but is a long-time WNBA assistant who spent eight years on Curt Miller's staff with both the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks. Miller is now the Wings' general manager. Koclanes, who is known for his defensive-minded approach, will be tasked with fixing the Wings' pourous defense and developing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, which is widely expected to be Paige Bueckers. Fever As for the Fever, they actually had a fun and successful summer. Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark's arrival turned them into one of the best offensive teams in the league and they made the playoffs for the first time since 2016, ending the longest active postseason drought in the league. Christie Sides was even named Coach of the Month for August during their post-Olympics surge. But while Sides succeeded in getting the Fever back on track following an embarrassing run as the laughing stock of the league from 2017-2022, the organization ultimately felt she wasn't the coach to take them to the next level with Clark and Aliyah Boston . In Stephanie White, they believe they've found the coach to do just that. White has a long history with the organization as a player (2000-04), assistant coach (2011-14) and head coach (2015-16). She was there when the franchise came into being, was on the bench for their only championship and is the last Fever coach to win a playoff series. While there's no question about her credentials, perhaps the most important aspect is that she has Clark's backing. "I spoke with Caitlin last night, and I think just overall excitement," White told ESPN after being hired. "I have been watching Caitlin play since she was an eighth grader, when I was coaching in the college realm and covering her games in college, and just an exciting time for me, very excited to be working with her and this young team." Sparks Prior to the 2023 season, the Sparks made a big splash by hiring Curt Miller away from the Connecticut Sun, where he had enjoyed an extremely successful tenure that included two Finals appearances. The Sparks were hopeful that Miller could turn things around after they missed the playoffs in both 2021 and 2022. That did not happen, however, in large part due to injuries. After winning the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, they then pivoted to a full rebuild and finished in last place this season. Firing Miller seemed harsh considering the circumstances, but the Sparks wanted to go in another direction and Miller has always been better with veteran teams. The Sparks have now filled their vacancy by hiring University of Utah coach Lynne Roberts, who has nearly three decades of experience at the collegiate level. Roberts turned the Utes into a regular NCAA Tournament team in recent years by playing an analytically-driven style of offense. Last season, Utah shot 95% of their shots from beyond the arc, at the rim or in the paint. The Sparks finished 10th in the league in offensive rating (97.0) and 10th in 3-point percentage (32.0), and the front office is hopeful that Roberts can turn those numbers around. Mystics The Mystics fired both Mike Thibault (general manager and former long-term coach) and Eric Thibault. The younger Thibault, who took over for his dad ahead of the 2023 season, was hamstrung by injuries and Elena Delle Donne's decision to take a sabbatical. He guided the Mystics to the playoffs last season, but they began this campaign 0-12, which was the fourth-worst start in league history. Though they turned it around and were in the playoff hunt until the final day of the regular season, that wasn't enough to keep his job. The Mystics were the last team to hire a new coach, and will hope that their time was well spent. They have hired Sydney Johnson, who made his first foray into the WNBA as an assistant coach for Teresa Weatherspoon with the Chicago Sky last season. Johnson has extensive experience on the collegiate level, which includes stints as the head coach for Princeton and Fairfield. He has also worked with USA Basketball for a number of years, and led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup. The Mystics have not won a playoff series since they captured their first WNBA championship back in 2019, and Johnson will be tasked with getting the team back to playoff contention.AP Business SummaryBrief at 6:23 p.m. EST

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The United States continues to lead the world in artificial intelligence ( AI ) innovation, according to the latest AI Index report from Stanford University 's Institute for Human-Centered AI. The report evaluates the "vibrancy" of the AI industry across various dimensions, including research activity, investment levels, and the pursuit of responsible AI practices. "The gap is actually widening" between the U.S. and China, said computer scientist Ray Perrault, director of the steering committee that oversees Stanford's AI Index. Stanford's findings show China eclipsed in key areas such as research output and private investment. "The U.S. is investing a lot more, at least at the level of firm creation and funding." The United States has maintained its top position since 2018, bolstered by substantial private AI investment, which reached $67.2 billion last year, significantly surpassing China's $7.8 billion. The U.S. also leads in publishing research focused on responsible AI development. Home to major AI companies like Google , Meta , OpenAI and Anthropic, the U.S. has produced numerous influential AI models that shape the technology's development and application. Additionally, the country has enacted several AI-related laws, though comprehensive federal regulations are still pending as the country waits on Republican President-elect Donald Trump 's approach. China, while trailing the U.S. in overall ranking, has demonstrated strong growth in AI innovation. The United Nations intellectual property agency reported that China has filed more patents related to generative AI than any other nation. It says, "China's focus on developing cutting-edge AI technologies and increasing its R&D investments has positioned it as a major AI powerhouse." Chinese universities have produced a significant volume of AI research publications, and companies like Baidu have developed notable AI models, such as the chatbot Ernie. The United Kingdom ranks third, attributed to its robust research and development infrastructure and leading computer science universities that cultivate a skilled AI workforce. The U.K. is also home to DeepMind , Google's AI subsidiary, whose co-founder recently received a Nobel Prize . The country has shown a high level of governmental engagement with AI, having more mentions of AI in parliamentary proceedings than any other nation, pushed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak . In the previous year, the U.K. hosted the world's first international AI safety summit . India follows closely in fourth place, supported by a strong AI research community, increased economic investments in AI, and active public discourse on AI topics across social media platforms. The United Arab Emirates placed fifth, having attracted significant investments including a $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft into the Abu Dhabi -based tech firm G42, which operates data centers and has developed Jais, considered the world's leading Arabic-language AI model. Completing the top 10 are France, South Korea, Germany, Japan and Singapore. France, home to the emerging AI startup Mistral, ranks high in AI policy and governance. Both France and Germany are part of the European Union 's sweeping new AI Act, which implements safeguards on various AI applications based on their risk levels. The EU is also following the U.S. in developing a plan to expand semiconductor production within the bloc. This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.US Outpaces China, Leads Global AI Innovation Ranking

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Minister of Local Government and Public Works, and Zanu-PF Mashonaland East chairperson, Daniel Garwe, has reiterated the party's commitment to extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term until 2030, declaring that the "ED 2030" slogan remains very much alive. Garwe made the comments last Friday during the commissioning and handover of 38 motorbikes to Chikomba Rural District councillors. The motorbikes, procured at a cost of US$53,000 from Manika Bikes, are intended to improve mobility for the councillors and enhance service delivery to communities in the district. In his address, Garwe, a staunch supporter of Mnangagwa, stated that Zanu-PF had already made clear its intention to ensure the President's tenure extends beyond the current term. He emphasized that the party's position on the matter was unequivocal, following the resolution passed in Mashonaland East province. "As Mashonaland East province, we carried a resolution to let the President continue until 2030. The resolution sailed through without objections and was adopted at the party's conference in Bulawayo," Garwe declared. Garwe further highlighted that the concept of Mnangagwa serving until 2030 is not only supported within Zanu-PF but is also reflected in the party's public messaging. "The idea that Mnangagwa will still be in office until 2030 is still alive and kicking," Garwe added. "Do the 'ED 2030' slogan freely because the plan for President Mnangagwa to continue beyond 2030 is still alive. The Constitution is made by the people." The remarks come at a time when Zanu-PF's internal discussions and national political dynamics are focused on the issue of presidential term limits, with many party members advocating for the extension of Mnangagwa's leadership. Although the Constitution of Zimbabwe currently limits the presidential term to two terms, Garwe's comments indicate that the party remains steadfast in its ambitions for a prolonged tenure for Mnangagwa. The motorbikes handover, which aims to boost the effectiveness of rural governance, was a gesture of goodwill by the government, with Garwe tying the distribution to the broader party agenda. He stressed that Zanu-PF would continue working towards a prosperous Zimbabwe, asserting that this goal is closely tied to the leadership of Mnangagwa. Garwe's statement on the "ED 2030" slogan comes as Zimbabwe's political landscape grapples with debates over the future of leadership and constitutional reforms, further solidifying Zanu-PF's vision for extending Mnangagwa's presidency. As the country moves forward, it remains to be seen how these discussions will unfold, especially with the possibility of constitutional amendments to accommodate the party's wishes.Role of literature in building harmonious society highlighted Islamabad:The ninth ‘Adab Festival Pakistan’ hosted by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in collaboration with Lightstone Publishers featured engaging daylong sessions highlighting the role played by literature in building a harmonious society. ISSI Director General and former ambassador Sohail Mahmood emphasised Pakistan’s literary richness and ISSI’s commitment to fostering creativity through literature. He highlighted the Adab Festival’s role in promoting book reading, especially among youth, as a vital balancing factor in the digital age. Mahmood lauded the festival as a platform to celebrate cultural pluralism, inspire dialogue, and explore creative ideas. Ameena Saiyid of Lightstone Publishers highlighted the transformative power of literature festivals in honouring writers, researchers, and poets, while addressing societal challenges and reinforcing cultural identity. Dr. Najeeba Arif of Pakistan academy of Letters emphasised literature’s role in fostering humanity, hope, and soft power, stressing its influence in shaping a nation’s cultural and intellectual landscape. The first session of the Adab Festival, titled ‘Jinnah's Vision for Pakistan – A Call for Action,’ featured insightful remarks by Barrister Yasser Latif Hamdani, author of the book. Barrister Hamdani emphasised Jinnah’s role as a key legislator in Pakistan’s formation, contrasting his inclusive vision with Gandhi’s focus on religion in politics. He said Jinnah envisioned a state, promoting harmony among diverse communities while fostering a modern Muslim society grounded in its religious roots. The session highlighted the need to realign contemporary discourse with Jinnah’s ideals, advocating for a more inclusive and harmonious society. The second session, titled ‘Leadership and Legacy,’ featured an engaging discussion with former ambassador Dr. Maleeha Lodhi and journalists Zahid Hussain and Arifa Noor. Zahid Hussain stressed the importance of history for the younger generation, reflecting on Pakistan's challenges and sharing insights from interviews with figures like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Rajiv Gandhi. Dr. Maleeha Lodhi highlighted unlearned lessons from history; missed opportunities in land reforms, education etc.; and the role of individuals in shaping history. Arifa Noor explored the evolution of political leaders and the need for balanced journalism to capture complex realities. Following an inspiring Sufi performance by Arieb Azhar, the third session of the Adab Festival, titled ‘Reimagining Education: New Frontiers and Opportunities,’ focused on critical challenges and innovative solutions in the education sector. Former secretary Shakeel Durani highlighted illiteracy as a central issue, advocating for community schools and emphasizing that just Rs15 billion annually could enrol 26 million out-of-school children. He also called for technology and policy interventions in remote areas. Ehtesham Anwar stressed the need to prioritize education and address overpopulation and systemic issues. Uzma Yousuf highlighted the role of parents, economic relevance in education, and the importance of teacher training. Hassan Khan advocated for a shift towards Education 5.0, incorporating AI, augmented reality, and project-based learning to equip students with future-ready skills, urging a collective responsibility for systemic transformation. The fourth session of the Adab Festival, titled ‘Her Story, Her Voice: Celebrating Women's Empowerment,’ explored themes of activism, optimism, and collaboration. Dr. Fouzia Saeed, the author of the book, emphasised the need to highlight positive advancements in the country to foster a sense of hope. Fazila Aliani reflected on her advocacy for Balochistan, calling for political collaboration and collective action to drive progress. The fifth session, titled "Pakistan and the Changing Global Scenario," moderated by Omayr Aziz Saiyid, focused on Pakistan’s strategic positioning amid global power shifts. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed discussed the "Asian Century," emphasizing Pakistan's ‘tactical’ ties with the US and “strategic” partnership with China. He called for political reconciliation and a strong counter-terrorism strategy.Level Up Your iPhone: 8 Essential Tweaks After Updating to iOS 18.2

Vanquishing Bears, Thanksgiving losing streak tops Lions' holiday listLONDON - Liverpool strengthened their hold on the Premier League top spot with an extraordinary 6-3 victory at battered Tottenham Hotspur after second-placed Chelsea were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw away to Everton. Mohamed Salah scored twice, as did Luis Diaz, while Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were also on target at bamboozled Spurs for Dutchman Arne Slot’s Liverpool side who head into Christmas four points clear. Chelsea could have gone into first place before Liverpool’s clash in north London but failed to make it nine straight wins in all competitions as Everton dug deep to earn a point at Goodison Park. Liverpool have 39 points from 16 games with Chelsea on 35 having played a game more. Arsenal, who won 5-1 at Crystal Palace on Saturday, have 33 points from 17 games. Bottom club Southampton’s 0-0 draw at Fulham on Sunday means reigning champions Manchester City are now the worst performing Premier League team since the start of November after a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday left them down in seventh. Manchester United suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss at home to Bournemouth on Sunday as the south coast club moved up to fifth, while Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3-0 at Leicester City in Vitor Pereira’s first game in charge. Tottenham’s last three home games in all competitions have now provided 23 goals as their wide-open style was ruthlessly punished by a razor-sharp Liverpool. Diaz met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s beautiful cross with a diving header to open the scoring before Alexis Mac Allister nodded home from close range to double Liverpool’s lead. James Maddison pulled one back for Spurs in the 41st minute but Dominik Szoboszlai restored the visitors’ two-goal lead before the break as he slotted past Fraser Forster following a counter-attack. Salah’s double came in seven second-half minutes to take his league tally this season to 15 before Tottenham hit back with Dejan Kulusevski’s volley and Dominic Solanke’s effort in the 83rd that threatened to set up a frantic finale. But Diaz settled any Liverpool jitters with his second goal of the game. Liverpool’s emphatic win means only one of the weekend’s Premier League games ended in a home victory. “We expected that (a chaotic game), the way they play, they open the game, they enjoy their football, physically tough and mentally we always have to be in the game,” Salah, whose two assists took his total for the season to 11, told Sky Sports. Tributes paid to Malika-e-Tarannum Noor Jehan Salah is the first player to reach double figures for both goals and assists before Christmas in a Premier League season. The closest Chelsea came to piercing Everton’s armour was a Nicolas Jackson shot against the post in the first half but while it proved a frustrating day for Enzo Maresca’s side the Italian remained upbeat. “That was a real game,” he said. “I’m very happy because the performance of the boys was fantastic. Sometimes you have to play a different game and we’re learning to play a different game. Everton are one of the best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets.”The Toffees kept a fifth clean sheet in six games. Tags: liverpool hit tottenhamHot property in regions, but there are signs of cooling

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Canada’s only Elevated Park is joining forces with other railway entities in St. Thomas. Seven years after the park opened on the former Michigan Central Rail Bridge, volunteers say it’s time for the next chapter and new leadership. Those behind the park have joined forces with the Railworks Coalition to help collaborate and grow. “We have a board structure and management and a bigger group of volunteers,” said Mat Janes, president of On Track St. Thomas, who manage the park. “Up to this point, it's been a small number of us that have been doing all the work. We hope to take advantage of Railworks standing in the community to bring some more people into the project as well.” The Railworks Coalition believes this is the natural next step, to unite all rail entities. “When this was all envisioned many years ago, it was to bring together all the rail, heritage and rail assets within St. Thomas and surrounding communities,” said Scott Sleightholm, president of Railworks Coalition. “Up until now, we have the Elgin County Railway Museum, CASO Station and BX Tower. When we were presented with the opportunity to bring in the Elevated Park, into the assets, I think it was a natural next step.” The park, which opened in 2017, recently received a boost from a local business. Entegrus has donated $10,000 to support enhancements. “What we're going to do is continue our tree planting program to the west of the bridge,” said Janes. “We call it the Arboretum Line because it's going to be all native trees identified. We're going to use it as an educational opportunity for people to learn about native trees. Then we'll also use it (the donation) for other improvements on the bridge, such as repairing the light sculpture.” It’s a partnership both parties believe will enable them to provide opportunities to attract new visitors, supporters, solidify the park’s impact on the region. “We've been expanding events at the CASO Station, the Elgin County Railway Museum, we can move to maybe bring back some more events and some different events over on the Elevated Park as well,” said Sleightholm. “We want to continue to push the rail heritage and the rail assets in St. Thomas-Elgin community.” Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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Statistics Canada reports real GDP grew 0.3 per cent in October STPS searching for two theft suspects CTVNews.ca Top Stories Quebec fugitive killed in Mexican resort town, RCMP say RCMP are confirming that a fugitive, Mathieu Belanger, wanted by Quebec provincial police has died in Mexico, in what local media are calling a murder. Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office. Multiple OnlyFans accounts featured suspected child sex abuse, investigator reports An experienced child exploitation investigator told Reuters he reported 26 accounts on the popular adults-only website OnlyFans to authorities, saying they appeared to contain sexual content featuring underage teen girls. King Charles ends royal warrants for Ben & Jerry's owner Unilever and Cadbury chocolatiers King Charles III has ended royal warrants for Cadbury and Unilever, which owns brands including Marmite and Ben & Jerry’s, in a blow to the household names. 'Serious safety issues': Edmonton building where security guard was killed evacuated An apartment building where a security guard was killed earlier this month is being evacuated. Santa Claus cleared for travel in Canadian airspace Santa's sleigh has been cleared for travel in Canadian airspace, the federal government announced on Monday just ahead of the busy holiday season. Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. U.S. House Ethics report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid thousands for sex and drugs including paying a 17-year-old for sex in 2017 The U.S. House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to a final draft of the panel's report on the Florida Republican, obtained by CNN. Young mammoth remains found nearly intact in Siberian permafrost Researchers in Siberia are conducting tests on a juvenile mammoth whose remarkably well-preserved remains were discovered in thawing permafrost after more than 50,000 years. Kitchener Parts of southern Ontario under travel advisory Anyone planning to travel today is being urged to be prepared as 5 to 15 cm of snow could hit a large portion of southern Ontario. Beloved bookstore in Uptown Waterloo forced to close for months following fire A beloved bookstore in Uptown Waterloo is bearing the brunt of some holiday misfortune. Grand River Transit’s holiday service begins Grand River Transit (GRT) will operate on a holiday service schedule starting Monday. Barrie Several collisions reported along Highway 11 as driving conditions deteriorate Highway 11 was closed briefly in Oro-Medonte on Monday afternoon as driving conditions deteriorated, causing multiple collisions. Firearms seized after 'violent threats' made against secondary school: YRP Police say officers found several firearms during a search at a teen’s home after he allegedly made violent threats against a secondary school. Single-vehicle crash in Springwater Twp. One woman was taken to the hospital following a single-vehicle crash in Springwater Township. Windsor City of Windsor reviewing other H4 properties, no longer pursuing Wellington Avenue The City of Windsor has announced it is no longer pursuing land at 700 Wellington Avenue and is looking at other properties for the new Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4). Parvovirus found in Belle River A local groomer has confirmed a positive case of parvovirus, found in Belle River. Santa Claus cleared for travel in Canadian airspace Santa's sleigh has been cleared for travel in Canadian airspace, the federal government announced on Monday just ahead of the busy holiday season. Northern Ontario Teen passed out at coffee shop with bottle of booze on the table, northern Ont. police say A 19-year-old from Blind River is facing several charges following incidents at a coffee shop and in jail. Stolen vehicle investigation ends with sleeping driver and impaired charges An apparent attempt to steal a vehicle in Thunder Bay, Ont., failed when the impaired driver fell asleep in a parking lot. Man charged with damaging downtown Sudbury eatery A man free on probation has been charged with causing significant damage to a restaurant on Elgin Street in downtown Sudbury over the weekend. Sault Ste. Marie Northern Ont. hospital to close emergency department for Christmas and Boxing Day A physician shortage is again forcing the closure of the emergency department at the Thessalon Site of the North Shore Health Network – this time for more than 48 hours over the holidays. Suspect charged with headbutting their parent, confining them to a chair in Thessalon, Ont. A member of the family in the northern Ontario community of Thessalon is charged with a vicious assault and forcibly confining their parent. One injured in the Sault after lithium-ion battery starts house fire Sault fire officials have determined a lithium-ion battery to be the cause of a house fire that broke out early this morning. Ottawa SNOWFALL WARNING | Pre-Christmas storm forecasted in Ottawa with up to 20 cm of snow tonight Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Ottawa and parts of eastern Ontario with a snowstorm in the forecast Monday afternoon and into the evening. Man handed 5th distracted driving charge for using cellphone on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa An Ottawa driver was charged for using a cellphone behind the wheel on Sunday, the fifth time he has faced distracted driving charges. Brockville, Ont. cafe giving hundreds of Christmas dinners to people in need Richard's Coffeehouse in Brockville, Ont. is handing out hundreds of free Christmas dinners to people in need on Monday afternoon. Toronto LIVE UPDATES | Parts of Ontario under snowfall warning Monday as holiday travellers hit the road Holiday travellers and commuters could be in for a messy drive on Monday morning as a significant round of snowfall moves into the region. Here are live updates on the situation in Toronto. Doug Ford dresses up like Santa to grant wishes in Christmas video In a video posted on social media on Monday morning, Ford is seen dressed up in a bright red Santa suit performing a personalized rendition of the famous 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Durham police looking for man after Whitby home hit by bullets For the second time in less than a week, police are investigating reports of gunshots fired into a home in Whitby. Montreal Judge rejects lawsuit tied to controversial 2017 Montreal Formula E car race An entrepreneur who sued the City of Montreal for not considering his bid to organize a 2017 electric car race has failed in his effort to obtain more than $3 million in compensation. Snow on the way as Montreal is put under weather advisory A weather advisory has been initiated for the Greater Montreal area, with 10 to 15 cm of snow expected to hit the ground. Quebec fugitive killed in Mexican resort town, RCMP say RCMP are confirming that a fugitive, Mathieu Belanger, wanted by Quebec provincial police has died in Mexico, in what local media are calling a murder. Atlantic No need to dream, White Christmas all but assured in the Maritimes An early nor'easter followed by a low-pressure system moving into the region all but ensure a Maritime White Christmas Province names 2024 Order of Nova Scotia recipients Nova Scotia has named the five individuals who will receive the province’s highest honour for 2024. Nova Scotia RCMP investigating structure fire on South Shore Queens District RCMP is investigating a fire that destroyed a home in Pleasantville, N.S., Sunday. Winnipeg Manitoba government to make permanent cut to gas tax Manitobans can expect to see a permanent change at the gas pump as early as next week Snowmobile crash leaves 10-year-old dead: RCMP A 10-year-old boy is dead following a snowmobile crash near Rosebank, Man., on Sunday. Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office. Calgary Serious crash closes part of Highway 1 near Bassano, Alta. RCMP responded to a serious crash on Highway 1 near Bassano, Alta., on Monday morning. The collision occurred approximately two kilometres east of Highway 56. 2 Alberta men charged with sex crimes involving children in separate investigations Two registered sex offenders are facing charges after separate investigations in northern Alberta. Crews respond to blaze at Calgary pizzeria The Calgary Fire Department put out a fire at a northeast business Monday morning. Edmonton DEVELOPING | 'Serious safety issues': Edmonton building where security guard was killed evacuated An apartment building where a security guard was killed earlier this month is being evacuated. City of Edmonton to lift Phase 1 parking ban Monday evening The City of Edmonton will lift the Phase 1 parking ban on Monday at 5 p.m. 2 Alberta men charged with sex crimes involving children in separate investigations Two registered sex offenders are facing charges after separate investigations in northern Alberta. Regina Heavy fog descends over Regina, most of Saskatchewan Dense fog is being reported across much of the province to begin the week of Christmas, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Regina police asking for public's help in assault investigation The Regina Police Service (RPS) is asking the public for help finding a suspect connected to an assault with a weapon over the weekend. Weyburn police searching for suspects after copper wire, motorcycle theft The Weyburn Police Service (WPS) is asking for the public's help after motorcycles and copper wire were stolen over the weekend. Saskatoon 'There are lines': In year-end interview, NDP leader says Moe went too far in election campaign Saskatchewan’s two main political leaders had agreed before October's provincial election not to target the families of candidates during the campaign, says Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck. Saskatoon woman arrested following machete attack A 55-year-old woman was arrested following a stabbing with a machete early Monday morning. Heavy fog hits Saskatoon, creating slippery roadways Saskatoon is under a fog advisory on Monday, creating slippery conditions for commuters and last-minute Christmas shoppers. Vancouver Chilliwack farmer facing multiple charges after crashing tractor into police vehicle A Chilliwack man has been charged with multiple criminal counts in connection to an incident involving a tractor being driven dangerously during a protest last year. Over $20K worth of stolen search and rescue gear found in Squamish More than $20,000 worth of search and rescue equipment stolen from BC Parks has been recovered, say the Sea-To-Sky RCMP. More than 280M trees planted in 2024 in B.C., focus on fire-damaged areas British Columbia's forests ministry says more than 280 million trees were planted in the province this year. Vancouver Island More than 280M trees planted in 2024 in B.C., focus on fire-damaged areas British Columbia's forests ministry says more than 280 million trees were planted in the province this year. Several storms in store for B.C.’s south coast over Christmas A series of storms are expected to bring heavy winds and wet weather to B.C’s south coast over the festive period. Over $20K worth of stolen search and rescue gear found in Squamish More than $20,000 worth of search and rescue equipment stolen from BC Parks has been recovered, say the Sea-To-Sky RCMP. Stay Connected

AI has massively shaped lives over the last few years. One of the biggest changes brought on by AI is the sudden proliferation of AI girlfriends. People have had romantic discussions with AI chatbots since at least 2011. However, major advances in AI technology have made them far more appealing in the last couple of years. There are currently 1,663,200 searches a year for people seeking a girlfriend experience with an AI partner. About a quarter of men between the ages of 18 and 34 have used an AI companion from sites, which has an article about the concept . Men are still ten times more likely to use AI partners than women, but the number of women using them is growing significantly. Washington may become one of the most popular states for AI companions. For some reason, the dating scene has gotten a lot worse recently. A Washington news site published an article earlier this year showing that 900,000 people suddenly became single. Dating is a lot harder in places like Seattle. Many single people may feel AI companions are great alternatives to traditional dating. Of course, there are pros and cons of using an AI companion. But one thing is certain — AI is changing the concept of soulmates forever. There are a number of reasons many Washingtonians are turning to AI companions instead of seeking traditional relationships. Some of the biggest benefits are listed below. AI Companions Are More Accepting of Flaws Washington is a state known for perfectionism. Part of this is due to the fact that the state has a strong tech sector, which attracts many highly talented, intelligent people with Type A personality traits. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for people seeking traditional connections, especially on dating apps. People in Washington often exclude potential partners for the tiniest of flaws. Some people in online single communities have admitted to breaking up with people because they use emojis in text messages. Men and women are both responsible for this frustrating reality, so many singles are deciding to give up looking for love with another person. This is a huge reason some people are considering AI companions instead. They won't write people off for silly things. AI Companions Are Great for People Frustrated with the Washington “Freeze” The Pacific Northwest is known for being a very introverted region. Many people have talked about the “Seattle freeze,” which has spread to most of the rest of the state. It is difficult to meet new people in the area because people tend to cling to their regular social groups. You can't easily strike up a conversation with someone in a coffee shop and ask them a date like you could in the Midwest or South. AI companions can be perfect for people trying to find their soulmate without wanting to bother people that want to be left alone. AI partners are always available when you want to chat with them. AI Companions Are Perfect for People That Don't Align with The Local Demographics In Washington, it can be difficult for people who deviate from the average resident to find partners. People who feel like they don't fit in may prefer using an AI companion instead. They can customize their companion to satisfy essential dimensions of compatibility. AI Companions Can Be Cheaper than Regular Dating Washington is not a cheap place for singles trying to find a partner. The average cost of a first date is $122 and the cost of premium subscription for most dating apps is $50 to $60 a month. Some AI companion websites are totally free, while others charge different fees. However, almost all of them are cheaper than going on dates. Therefore, having an AI boyfriend or girlfriend may be a great alternative for people living on tight budgets. AI Companions Don't Make You Wait for Love Finding romance the old-fashioned way takes time, even if you are using dating apps. One study found that the average American used online dating for eight months before finding their partner. It can be even harder for older generations. Gen Xers spent nearly 10 months before finding their significant other. People living in Washington may have to wait even longer, since the dating scene is so miserable. Fortunately, you don't have to wait for love with an AI partner. It can be a great option for people who don’t want to spin their wheels on dating apps for months or even years. AI Companions Can Be Great for People Trying to Improve Their Social Skills to Meet Real Partners Many people would like to have a regular relationship but lack the social skills to form one. Younger adults who missed out on formative social experiences during the pandemic and neurodivergent people have the hardest time. AI companions can help these people practice their social skills to become better at dating. This will make it easier for them to find love down the road. AI boyfriends and girlfriends are going to become a lot more popular in the near future. If the social climate in Washington doesn't improve soon, it may be one of the most common states where people have AI companions. There are a lot of great reasons to consider having an AI companion. However, the quality of the experience is going to depend on how you use it. Here are some tips to have the best possible experience with an AI partner. Customize Your AI Partner Based on Important Features of Compatibility Most AI companion websites give you the option to create your partner based on factors that are most important. You can choose the age, physical features, personality type, political orientation and other factors that are important. You will want to spend some time thinking about your ideal partner and customize your AI companion around those traits. Test Different AI Companion Sites to Find One that Works Best There are a number of different AI companion websites. You will want to test them out to find one that best meets your needs. Here are some factors that you should consider before giving them a try: Some AI companion sites specialize in serving different audiences. For example, some have a lot of models for people who enjoy anime. Others are great for people seeking partners from a particular country or LGBT partners. Some sites offer a much broader range of options, so it is easier to tweak your partner to meet your needs, regardless of what they are. It is a good idea to research each site before giving it a try. You will want to understand the rules of each site before joining. Some sites are more restrictive on the types of conversations that you are allowed to have with your AI companion. You don't want to create an account and then get in trouble for violating the rules. Make sure that you find a site that lets you have the type of relationship that you are looking for. Look for sites that have a free trial. You will want to experiment with it a bit before paying for a subscription. Make sure you are aware of the features it offers. Some sites allow you to exchange selfies or have video chats with your AI companions. You will want to be aware of these features if they are important to you. Finding the right AI companion site can be just as important as creating the right partner. You may need to experiment a little to find one that is the right fit. Don't Be Shy About Providing Feedback to Your AI Companion Communication is important in any relationship. Relationships with AI companions are no exception. You will want to continually provide feedback to your AI partner, so they can get to know you better and better meet your needs. Some of the things that you should tell your AI partner include the following: Let them know if you prefer having more concise or longer messages. Tell them how you feel about the facial expressions they are making when you are engaging in video chats or exchanging selfies. Provide clear feedback on elements of their personality that you want them to fix, such as wanting them to speak in a kinder or more sarcastic tone. Let them know if you prefer them to get their points across by telling stories or engaging in non-literal communication styles. You will have a much richer relationship with your AI companion if you provide clear feedback. Treat Your AI Companion With Respect and Follow Good Consent Practices Some people believe that they don't need to be respectful to their AI partner, since it doesn't actually have feelings. While it is true that these entities are not sentient, there are a couple of reasons it is still important to be respectful to them: Many AI companion websites have started providing better user experiences for people that are respectful to their AI companion. Many of them also explicitly require you to be respectful in their terms of service. You will have a more enjoyable experience if you are kind to your partner. The habits that you get into with your AI companion will carry over into real relationships. You will be more likely to have a healthy relationship with other people if you practice good habits with your AI companion. You should follow the platinum rule whenever you are engaging with any partner. Your AI companion is no exception. Use Your AI Partner As an Opportunity to Build Your Social Skills A recent article from a major news site shows that Washington is one of the loneliest states in the country. The author cites Census data showing that 43% of Washingtonians are lonely at least some of the time . Your AI companion can help take the edge off your loneliness. However, most people will want to eventually form real relationships with other humans. Fortunately, your AI companion can help with this as well. You may want to consider using your AI relationship to work on your social skills. This will make it easier to date and find friends. Here are some tips for Washington residents who want to use their AI companion to boost their emotional intelligence and dating skills: Ask your AI companion to get ongoing feedback about your conversations. Some people want AI partners that will always agree with and validate them. While this can be enjoyable at first, it is not going to help you improve your social skills. You need to know what you are doing wrong. Make sure you tweak your AI companion to match the personality types of people you will actually be dating. This is important so that you can get targeted feedback. You want to be realistic about the types of people you will be matching with on dating apps or meeting in real life. You don't want to get feedback from the perspective of a dream partner that you will never actually meet, such as someone 20 years younger or a celebrity. Ask your AI companion to pretend to go on a date with you. Request clear feedback on What they did and did not like on the date. This will give you a better sense of what real people are looking for on a date. Have your AI partner explain its emotions while you are video chatting with it. Pay close attention to their facial expressions and other nonverbal communication. At least 80% of communication is nonverbal, so this will help you better understand how to engage with people on dates. AI is transforming love lines in Washington. More people are going to have relationships with AI companions, since they are easier to connect with and are very supportive. They may be ideal partners if the state’s dating scene doesn’t get better anytime soon. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

NoneBOSC stock touches 52-week high at $3.4 amid market optimismPCJCCI calls for boosting seafood exports to China LAHORE: China plays a pivotal role in Pakistan’s exports, particularly in the seafood sector, where it remains a key market, said President of the Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Nazir Hussain during a think tank session at the PCJCCI Secretariat on Monday. He said that seven to eight types of fish are highly consumed in China, adding that Pakistan’s ‘sole fish’ enjoys immense popularity in Tianjin City, with 70 per cent of this variety of fish exports being consumed there. Hussain talked about Pakistan’s rich fishing potential and the robust growth of its seafood exports. During the first 11 months of the 2022-23 fiscal year, seafood exports rose by 17.13 per cent, reaching $456.668 million compared to $389.873 million in the same period of 2021-22. In May 2023 alone, seafood exports surged by 25.06 per cent to $50.578 million, up from $40.444 million in May 2022. He also pointed out the benefits of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA), under which Pakistan enjoys zero duties on the export of over 1,000 products to China. Key fish species exported to China include ribbonfish, squid, mackerel, and sole fish. Senior Vice President PCJCCI Mansoor Saeed Sheikh explained that exporting to China is straightforward due to fewer certification requirements compared to markets like Europe and America. He noted that many Pakistani seafood products exported to China, such as squid and cuttlefish, are processed into value-added products and later exported to European countries. Vice President PCJCCI Zafar Iqbal underscored the importance of value addition in the fishery sector. He suggested that producing value-added seafood products could increase export revenues and create local employment opportunities. “Adopting contemporary technology is critical,” Iqbal said, noting the need for nitrogen-based quick-freezing systems to preserve quality and reduce costs. He added that replacing outdated machinery with modern automated systems would improve efficiency and lower expenses. Iqbal further suggested that Chinese investors could establish seafood processing facilities in Pakistan. “With cheaper labour, fresh raw materials and reduced transportation costs, processing fish locally would benefit both countries,” he said, calling for stronger collaboration in the sector.

Tweet Facebook Mail Detectives are investigating after an 11-year-old boy was approached by an unknown man driving a white van while walking home from school in Melbourne's south-east last week. Police believe the boy was walking along Halley Street in Blackburn when a white van pulled onto the wrong side of the road and rolled down his window about 3.45pm on November 18. The man told the boy his mum had asked him to give him a lift home, according to police. READ MORE: 'Stop violence before it starts': How a simple question can help change men's attitudes towards women Police have released a computer-generated image of a man they believe may assist with their enquiries. (Victoria Police) Police are searching for a van they believe was involved in the incident. (Victoria Police) The boy refused and the van drove away. He was not physically injured and was able to walk home and notify his mum of the incident which was reported to police. Investigators have released a computer-generated image of a man they believe may assist with their enquiries. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

Valladolid loses again and Getafe ends winless run in La LigaQatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Fun Ville, a leading family entertainment centre, has leveled up fun for enthusiasts with its new store located on the first floor of Abu Sidra Mall in Qatar. Boasting a fresh look and feel, the 11,900 square feet Fun Ville store promises to be a haven for families seeking wholesome entertainment experiences. As the only Family Entertainment Center (FEC) in the area, the new Fun Ville store introduces a wide array of exciting rides and attractions designed to cater to visitors of all ages. From funtastic games to interactive play area, Fun Ville offers something for everyone in the family to enjoy. The new space is thoughtfully designed to deliver endless fun and adventure, offering an exciting mix of attractions. It features kiddie rides like Hello Kitty and Memo Twister, alongside big rides such as the exhilarating Happy Swing, Jump around Jumbo Tour. Visitors can also enjoy a range of thrilling video games, arcade classics, novelty experiences, and redemption games, including Super Bikes, Boxer Premium, and Lane Master, to name just a few. Additionally, the space boasts a state-of-the-art play area equipped with interactive slides, ball pools, obstacle courses, and vibrant tunnels, ensuring children can stay engaged in active play all day long. One of the highlights at Fun Ville is the introduction of “Oops & Whoops,” a soft play area exclusively designed for toddlers. This specialised play zone provides a safe and enjoyable environment for the youngest visitors, ensuring their entertainment needs are met while prioritising their safety. “As a proud homegrown brand, we are committed to delivering exceptional entertainment experiences for our visitors,” said Silvio Liedtke, CEO of Landmark Leisure, GCC & India. “Our mission is to provide wholesome entertainment and establish ourselves as the go-to destination for families in Qatar, offering a wide variety of attractions suitable for all age groups. With the launch of our store at Abu Sidra Mall, we are excited to welcome families from across Qatar and beyond to experience the magic of Fun Ville.” For gaming enthusiast or a thrill-seekers, there’s something for everyone. Fun Ville promises endless fun and unforgettable moments, sure to ignite a sense of wonder and adventure. Copy 25/12/2024 10Gainers TruGolf Holdings TRUG stock rose 60.6% to $0.83 during Friday's pre-market session. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $11.3 million. Kore Group Holdings KORE shares moved upwards by 18.69% to $1.46. The company's market cap stands at $24.8 million. Brera Holdings BREA stock moved upwards by 13.65% to $0.76. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $10.0 million. Starbox Group Hldgs STBX stock rose 11.78% to $1.6. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $78.9 million. Gaxos.AI GXAI shares moved upwards by 7.83% to $3.99. The company's market cap stands at $11.4 million. LQR House LQR shares rose 7.14% to $1.2. The company's market cap stands at $8.6 million. Losers Fangdd Network Group DUO shares decreased by 12.5% to $0.69 during Friday's pre-market session. The company's market cap stands at $16.0 million. Anghami ANGH stock decreased by 8.58% to $0.8. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $53.4 million. TuanChe TC stock decreased by 6.13% to $0.92. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $1.6 million. Gaia GAIA shares declined by 6.07% to $4.96. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $116.0 million. Gambling.com Gr GAMB stock fell 5.32% to $14.8. The company's market cap stands at $546.4 million. Haoxi Health Technology HAO shares declined by 4.9% to $0.13. The company's market cap stands at $6.6 million. See Also: www.benzinga.com/money/best-communication-services-stocks/ This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.kijiji burlington 。

With Black Friday Coming Up, Retailers Are Better Off Using AI to Combat TheftMENLO PARK, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GRAIL, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRAL), a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured, today announced that it has granted equity awards in the form of restricted stock units ("RSUs") underlying an aggregate of 115,093 shares of GRAIL's common stock to 46 recently hired non-executive employees as an inducement material to their acceptance of employment with GRAIL. The employment inducement awards were granted under GRAIL's Inducement Equity Incentive Plan and related form of restricted stock award agreement in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The inducement plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of GRAIL, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such individuals entering into employment with GRAIL, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The RSUs vest over an approximately four year period, with 25% of the award vesting November 30, 2025 , and on each one year anniversary of those respective dates thereafter, subject to continued employment with GRAIL (or any successor to or subsidiary of the Company) through the vesting dates. About GRAIL GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art machine learning, software, and automation to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types in earlier stages. GRAIL's targeted methylation-based platform can support the continuum of care for screening and precision oncology, including multi-cancer early detection in symptomatic patients, risk stratification, minimal residual disease detection, biomarker subtyping, treatment and recurrence monitoring. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C. , North Carolina , and the United Kingdom . For more information, visit grail.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grail-announces-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4-302321454.html SOURCE GRAIL, Inc.After three years of ownership, secondhand clothing marketplace ThredUp has sold Remix , its European reCommerce platform. The company announced the divestiture Tuesday (Dec. 3), the results of a management buyout led by Florin Filote , general manager of Remix. The deal sees ThredUp retaining a minority interest in Remix, with the company also giving R emix a final investment of $2 million. “This is a mutually beneficial outcome for both ThredUp and Remix,” ThredUp Co-Founder and CEO James Reinhart said in a news release. “We are confident that Remix will thrive under Florin Filote’s leadership and the team’s expertise. This transaction will allow ThredUp to focus on our core U.S. business and continue to innovate and evolve our marketplace.” “We are excited to embark on this new chapter as an independent company,” added Filote. “We have a strong foundation and a talented team, and we are committed to continuing to provide our customers with a best-in-class resale experience. We believe that this transaction will enable us to accelerate our growth and expand our presence in the European market.” ThredUp acquired Remix in July 2021, a $28.5 million deal designed to give it a foothold in the then-emerging European resale market, while providing the Bulgaria-based Remix with the resources to scale faster than it would on its own . In other ThredUP news, PYMNTS wrote last month about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help customers match unique items with potential buyers by analyzing photos and descriptions. It’s something that highlights a rising tension between the efficiency-focused eCommerce space and the treasure-hunt ethos that has long been a part of thrift shopping. “I believe that AI will help match consumers with the items they are looking for and, because of this, can help small business owners compete in an increasingly competitive resale marketplace,” Aaliyah Kissick , owner of thrift shop AK Boutique, told PYMNTS. “At the same time, AI can facilitate a form of novelty online by learning consumer behavior and giving intermittent reinforcement, much in the same way social media algorithms do.” Meanwhile, ThredUp recently hired Amazon’s former luxury resale head as its new social commerce director. Danielle Vermeer is set to take on the newly created role of head of social commerce beginning in January of next year, PYMNTS wrote last month. In addition to her time with Amazon, she co-founded and led Teleport, a social commerce app that allows consumers to purchase and sell secondhand fashion from a “TikTok-like video feed.”

How ASX dividend stocks can be the key to financial freedomIntuit earnings beat by $0.14, revenue topped estimates

Sinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’According to the supercomputer's predictions, English Premier League champions Liverpool are expected to dominate their group and finish on top of the table. The Reds, led by their charismatic manager Jurgen Klopp and with a formidable squad including the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Virgil van Dijk, are seen as strong contenders to progress deep into the tournament. Liverpool's attacking prowess and defensive solidity are expected to guide them to a comfortable first-place finish in their group.kijiji dartmouth 。

Top federal prosecutor in New York announces resignationAs we look ahead to the upcoming season, football enthusiasts can expect to see these players continue to dazzle and delight on the pitch, showcasing their skills and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the beautiful game. The FIFPRO Best 11 lineup is a celebration of excellence in football, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of these incredible athletes who continue to inspire us with their talent and passion for the game.On November 8th, the A-share market witnessed a volatile start as the three major indexes, namely the Shanghai Composite Index, the Shenzhen Component Index, and the CSI 300 Index, all opened higher in the morning trading session. However, the initial surge was short-lived as the market quickly reversed course and began a steady descent.

As the landscape of football management continues to evolve, clubs are constantly assessing and adjusting their organizational structures to stay competitive and adapt to the ever-changing demands of the game. The decisions made by clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal regarding their managerial and recruitment approaches will undoubtedly shape their fortunes in the seasons to come.In addition to promoting individual reading habits, "Reading on the Island" also emphasizes the value of communal reading experiences. By bringing together a diverse group of guests, including writers, artists, and scholars, the show creates a vibrant literary community where ideas can be shared, debated, and celebrated. Through collaborative readings, book clubs, and literary events, the show encourages viewers to engage with literature not just as solitary readers, but as members of a larger cultural conversation.Irish Government doubted UK campaign to ‘save David’ Trimble

In a dramatic turn of events, the South Korean National Assembly recently passed a resolution calling for the swift arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol. This unprecedented move has plunged the country's political landscape into chaos and uncertainty, as lawmakers and citizens alike grapple with the implications of such a decision.