panloloko english The grant — if received — could help address the coal dust pollution that plagues the Southeast Community. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular 1 dead, 2 seriously injured in Newport News triple shooting, police say 1 dead, 2 seriously injured in Newport News triple shooting, police say Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to Al Roker speaks out after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chair mishap Al Roker speaks out after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chair mishap Former Hampton High football coach Mike Smith highlights latest Virginia Hall of Fame inductees Former Hampton High football coach Mike Smith highlights latest Virginia Hall of Fame inductees German restaurant Deutsche Ecke opens in Newport News German restaurant Deutsche Ecke opens in Newport News Underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets extinguished Underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets extinguished Dad kills wife, shoots 21-year-old daughter on the phone with 911, police say Dad kills wife, shoots 21-year-old daughter on the phone with 911, police say Teel: Chaos abounds in college football, but not when it comes to Virginia Tech vs. UVA Teel: Chaos abounds in college football, but not when it comes to Virginia Tech vs. UVA Editorial: New executive director set to lead Fort Monroe into the future Editorial: New executive director set to lead Fort Monroe into the future Oscar Smith, Phoebus, Maury, Poquoson will host VHSL state semifinals in football Oscar Smith, Phoebus, Maury, Poquoson will host VHSL state semifinals in football Trending Nationally Woman who snuck onto NYC-to-Paris flight foils forced U.S. return by ‘causing such a scene’: source US Senate inquiry into Chicago’s housing of migrants at airports likely to heat up after Republican election wins Homes vs. beaches: Court makes key decision in battle over California seawall construction amid ocean rise Fruit trees and ‘generational learning’ turn this California city into a parrot paradise as temperatures drop Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine’s legal troubles expand with two South Florida lawsuitsMichigan mobile home park bills running out of time – again

Zimmerman named Outstanding Alumnus of Army War College

NEW YORK — There's a Christmas Day basketball game at Walt Disney World, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Wemby. An animated game, anyway. The real game takes place at Madison Square Garden, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a game televised on ABC and ESPN and streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+. The special alt-cast, the first animated presentation of an NBA game, will be shown on ESPN2 and also stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. Madison Square Garden is a staple of the NBA's Christmas schedule. Now it merges with a bigger home of the holidays, because the "Dunk the Halls" game will be staged at Disney, on a court set up right smack in the middle of where countless families have posed for vacation photos. Why that location? Because it was Mickey Mouse's Christmas wish. "Basketball courts often have the ability to make a normal environment look special, but in Disney it can only turn out incredible," Wembanyama said in an ESPN video promoting his Christmas debut. The story — this is Disney, after all — begins with Mickey penning a letter to Santa Claus, asking if he and his pals can host a basketball game. They'll not only get to watch one with NBA players, but some of them will even get to play. Goofy and Donald Duck will sub in for a couple Knicks players, while Mickey and Minnie Mouse will come on to play for the Spurs. "It looks to me like Goofy and Jalen Brunson have a really good pick-and-roll at the elite level," said Phil Orlins, an ESPN vice president of production. Walt Disney World hosted real NBA games in 2020, when the league set up there to complete its season that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The setting for the Christmas game will be Main Street USA, at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Viewers will recognize Cinderella's castle behind one baseline and the train station at the other end, and perhaps some shops they have visited in between. Previous alternate animated broadcasts included an NFL game taking place in Andy's room from "Toy Story;" the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" during a game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers; and earlier this month, another NFL matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys also taking place at Springfield's Atoms Stadium as part of "The Simpsons Funday Football." Unlike basketball, the players are helmeted in those sports. So, this telecast required an extra level of detail and cooperation with players and teams to create accurate appearances of their faces and hairstyles. "So, this is a level of detail that we've never gone, that we've never done on any other broadcast," said David Sparrgrove, the senior director of creative animation for ESPN. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 phenom from France who was last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, looks huge even among most NBA players. The creators of the alternate telecast had to design how he'd look not only among his teammates and rivals, but among mice, ducks and chipmunks. "Like, Victor Wembanyama, seeing him in person is insane. It's like seeing an alien descend on a basketball court, and I think we kind of captured that in his animated character," said Drew Carter, who will again handle play-by-play duties, as he had in the previous animated telecasts, and will get an assist from sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Wembanyama's presence is one reason the Spurs-Knicks matchup, the leadoff to the NBA's five-game Christmas slate, was the obvious choice to do the animated telecast. The noon EST start means it will begin in the early evening in France and should draw well there. Also, it comes after ABC televises the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" for the previous two hours, providing more time to hype the broadcast. Recognizing that some viewers who then switch over to the animated game may be Disney experts but NBA novices, there will be 10 educational explainers to help with basketball lingo and rules. Beyond Sports' visualization technology and Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking allow the animated players to make the same movements and plays made moments earlier by the real ones at MSG. Carter and analyst Monica McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast, donning VR headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA. Other animated faces recognizable to some viewers include NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will judge a halftime dunk contest among Mickey and his friends, and Santa himself, who will operate ESPN's "SkyCam" during the game. The players are curious how the production — and themselves — will look. "It's going to be so crazy to see the game animated," Spurs veteran Chris Paul said. "I think what's dope about it is it will give kids another opportunity to watch a game and to see us, basically, as characters."

( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Global gas Turbine market Greatness Worth USD 25.4 Billion by 2030 David Correa Allied Market Research +1 800-792-5285 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "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 author above. MENAFN23122024003118003196ID1109025630 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.James Gunn Explains Why Creature Commandos Isn’t Released All At Once By Celebrating the news that had been renewed for a second season, took to social media to explain why the show is released episodically, rather than releasing all at once. What did James Gunn say about Creature Commandos? Under a post celebrating the of Creature Commandos, Gunn was asked by a fan why the series wasn’t released all at once, as some streaming platforms choose to do. Gunn said a week-to-week release allows the show to be talked about more, and gather natural popularity via word of mouth. “Because it affords a quality show an opportunity to be discussed and grow from week to week,” said Gunn. “[Creature Commandos] has gotten more popular from episode to episode because of the positive discussion around it and has cultivated an enthusiastic audience. If we had dropped all the episodes at once who knows what would have happened. I will likely always be in the one-a-week camp for our shows. For people who want to binge all at once they can wait until the end of the season.” Creature Commandos was created by James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, and is the first project set in the new and ongoing DC Universe of content. The next project set in the DCU will be Gunn’s , which is set to release next year. “Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans,” the logline for the series reads. “When all else fails... they’re your last, worst option.” The series’ voice cast includes Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot and Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. and Warner Bros. Animation produce Creature Commandos, while Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register also serve as executive producers alongside Gunn. Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer. Anthony Nash has been writing about games and the gaming industry for nearly a decade. When he’s not writing about games, he’s usually playing them. You can find him on Twitter talking about games or sports at @_anthonynash. Share article

Archer Aviation Midnight flight test It has been a turbulent 30 days in the stock market for Archer Aviation ( ACHR ), one of several hopefuls in the emerging electric air taxi field. On November 5th, its share price clocked in at $3.25. By one point on November 29th, it was priced at $9.75, a 200% increase in just over 3 weeks. On that day alone, the stock closed up 18% from the previous day’s close. But quicker than you can say electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), the stock price lost a quarter of its value the very next day the market was open on December 2nd. This segment of the aviation industry caught fire as the next big thing. Visions of thousands of these tiny vehicles swooping down to pick up passengers Uber-style and dropping them off at their urban destination were stoked throughout the investment community. Some estimate that over 300 startups with a better mousetrap evolved, with billions of dollars pouring into the programs deemed most feasible. What wasn’t always counted on was the sheer amount of time and money it takes to certify something new in civil aviation for passenger use. This was further complicated by the implications of novel technologies, ground and airspace infrastructure, and regulatory hurdles that first needed to be addressed. Hundreds of millions of dollars weren’t sufficient for an entrant to cross the finish line - it was on the order of billions with a potential time horizon upwards of a decade. Archer Aviation got started to get traction in 2018, and by 2021 had built a team, dialed in a design, obtained an order from United Airlines, and became publicly listed on the the NYSE. By 2023 they were flying a prototype model named Midnight and upped their total funding to $1.1 billion. Looking at Archer’s latest financials for the third quarter of this year, a net loss of $115M was realized, compared to $97M the year earlier. This is on the heels of a $116M loss for the first quarter and a $107M loss for the second for a 9-month loss of $338M. Aviation manufacturing, particularly for an early-stage entrant, is a very capital-intensive endeavor. Save Up To 75% With The Best Black Friday Clothing Deals That Are Still Running 10 Unofficial Hoka Cyber Week Sales You Don’t Want To Miss Despite this, the stock price had a nice run for most of November, nearly doubling in value. In addition to the 3Q financial report, the only meaningful news release during this time was a potential order for up to 100 Midnight aircraft from a Japanese joint venture. However, this only involved a right to place an order, not a firm order. This certainly wasn’t enough to move the needle by a factor of two. A more plausible explanation for the rise was that the stock became a meme, where just like AMC and GameStop, individual investors were creating a “short squeeze”, causing financial institutions who had bet the stock would go down to cover their positions by buying more stock at a higher price. Another driver could have been some positive stock picker comments on the segment which may have triggered a fear of missing out stampede. As for the 25% single-day loss, car maker Stellantis, maker of such brands as Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, had invested millions to date and was to provide another funding round of close to $400M to help scale up Archer’s manufacturing. But Stellantis hasn’t been having a good day at the office this year with overloaded dealer lots stuffed with overly expensive inventory out of touch with today’s cautious consumer tastes. The final shoe dropped when the Stellantis CEO was suddenly ousted, causing both the automaker’s stock and Archer’s stock to tumble. There now seems to be investor uncertainty in Stellantis’ future commitment to a non-core aviation gamble. Archer Aviation was contacted but has not yet provided comment. There will certainly be some more volatility in the days to come as the uncertainty of Stellantis and the viability of the eVTOL business model battle with meme stock mania. Elsewhere in the industry, Lilium Air Mobility recently filed for bankruptcy, perhaps a harbinger of an impending culling of the herd.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson has been ruled out for the Colts' big game at the New York Giants on Sunday. Richardson missed practice on Thursday and Friday because of back and foot injuries. He was listed as questionable before he was downgraded to out on Saturday. Indianapolis (7-8) has a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Colts need to win out and get some help. Richardson's absence likely means Joe Flacco will start against New York. Flacco, a New Jersey native who turns 40 on Jan. 16, has passed for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns in six games this season, including four starts. He also has thrown five interceptions. The 22-year-old Richardson was selected by Indianapolis with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft. He has passed for 1,814 yards and eight touchdowns with 12 interceptions this year. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Donald Trump said Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has asked to visit him at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida on Friday night. Part way through a Truth Social post on Friday morning, Trump referred to his Mar-a-Lago home, saying "Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year's Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT." Trump provided no further details. Download the CTV News App for breaking news alerts and video on all the top stories Emails and calls to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation asking about a potential Gates visit to Mar-a-Lago were not immediately answered. Gates has been critical of Trump in the past, particularly over his first administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Gates publicly congratulated Trump on his Nov. 5 election victory and expressed hope they could work together. Some of the biggest tech sector companies in the U.S. have pledged donations to Trump's inaugural fund as they seek more favorable relations with the Republican president-elect before he takes office on Jan. 20. In November, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Meta has donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Dec. 12. Other tech companies that are donating $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund include Amazon and Uber Technologies. Follow the CTV News channel on WhatsApp (Reporting by Tim Reid in Washington; Editing by Howard Goller)

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Cooper Bowser scored 16 points as Furman beat South Carolina State 68-64 on Saturday. A jumper from Tom House gave Furman a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds remaining and the Paladins closed out the win by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Bowser added three steals and four blocks for the Paladins (10-1). Eddrin Bronson scored 11 points while going 3 of 8 from the floor, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Nick Anderson had 11 points and shot 3 for 9 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Drayton Jones led the Bulldogs (5-7) in scoring, finishing with 15 points. Omar Croskey added 13 points for South Carolina State. Davion Everett also had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated Press

Maryam invites Chinese tech companies to invest in PunjabPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss two games, the team said Thursday. The 76ers said George did not suffer any structural damage when he injured the same knee that he hyperextended during the preseason in Wednesday night's loss at Memphis. The game marked the first time this season the All-Star trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey started a game together. George will miss home games Friday against Brooklyn and Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, his former team. A nine-time All-Star, the 34-year-old George will be evaluated again on Monday. Wednesday's 117-111 loss to the Grizzlies dropped the Sixers to 2-12, the worst record in the NBA headed into Thursday night's games. George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with Philadelphia after five seasons with the Clippers. He has averaged 14.9 points in eight games this season. Embiid has been out with injuries, load management rest and a suspension, while Maxey was sidelined with a hamstring injury. An expected contender in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers haven't won since an overtime victory against Charlotte on Nov. 10. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

LeRoy Zimmerman, a graduate of Wilkinson High School and South Carolina State University was recently honored at the U.S. Army War College as of the 2024 Outstanding Alumni of the War College. He was commissioned through the SC State ROTC program. Zimmerman served 27 years of active duty as a field artillery officer, including a combat tour in Vietnam. His education includes a master's from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a doctorate from George Washington University. Local news has never been this personal. Free to download. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access. According to the citation, "Col. (Ret) LeRoy Zimmerman, Class of 1986, has continued to serve selflessly since his retirement in 1993 after 27 years of active duty as a combat arms officer and Operations Research Analyst. Immediately upon retirement, he was recruited by a public school system in Virginia to redesign the district's high school math curriculum....in 1996 he was selected to be a high school administrator, and then a nationally certified staff developer for the Advancement Via Individual Determination Program, instructing and mentoring high school principals, superintendents and assistant superintendents in 16 states." He founded a program to prepare young men in high schools and prisons for fatherhood as well as designing and implementing in-school mentoring programs. Additionally, Zimmerman and his wife have adopted 25 children over the last 26 years. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.Work on one of the state's largest solar farms has kicked off in the Upper Hunter. Login or signup to continue reading The $880 million Goulburn River solar farm, located near Merriwa, will produce 1.3 terawatt hours of renewable energy annually, enough to power 225,000 homes. The 1249 hectare project, which will save about 910,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, is due to commence operating by the end of 2026. The project will generate 350 construction jobs and support the local regional economy by preferencing local workers and businesses in the construction and operation of the project. Located between the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and the Hunter-Central Coast REZ , the project will have direct access to the existing electricity transmission network. It was recently announced as a successful project under the Australian Government's Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS). The program aims to accelerate investment in renewable energy generation and storage to ensure a reliable and affordable energy transition. "Australia is perfectly positioned to deliver on its energy transition, with abundant renewable resources that not only meet domestic needs but also offer significant potential for energy exports. While there's ongoing debate about the role of nuclear, the reality is that we have solutions today for firmed renewables - wind and solar backed by batteries - which are already proving to be the most cost-effective and reliable energy solution," Lightsource bp chief operating officer Adam Pegg said. "These projects set a new benchmark for how we approach all future developments, demonstrating how market-driven innovation can deliver cost-effective solutions that meet growing energy demands. By embracing firmed renewables, we can build a modern energy grid that is cleaner, more resilient, and capable of powering the nation's growth, driving both economic progress and sustainable development in a rapidly changing world." Lightsource bp has also begun work on its Woolooga Battery Energy Storage System in Queensland. In late 2023, Lightsource bp was awarded a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA) after a competitive tender process with the NSW government to provide long-duration energy storage services. As part of this, a long-duration battery will be installed at a later stage to enable hybridisation. The Independent Planning Commission will hold a public hearing next year into the proposed large-scale solar farm near Muswellbrook. OX2 in partnership with Idemitsu Australia proposes to develop a solar generation facility and associated infrastructure to be known as the Muswellbrook Solar Farm . The project includes a 135( MW) solar farm with battery storage. The site is located approximately 2.5km east of Muswellbrook, adjacent to the Muswellbrook Coal Mine, on land primarily owned by Idemitsu, the mine operator. It is accessed from Muscle Creek Road within the Muswellbrook Shire Council local government area and Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone. Coal mining operations at the Muswellbrook Coal Company site were completed at the beginning of 2023, after 115 years of operation. Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues. Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. 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The United States will provide Ukraine with a $725 million weapons package, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, as President Joe Biden's outgoing administration seeks to bolster the government in Kyiv in its war with Russian invaders before leaving office in January. The assistance will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), drones and land mines, among other items, Blinken said in a statement. Reuters had reported last week that the Biden administration planned to provide the equipment, much of it anti-tank weapons to ward off Russia's attacking troops. "The United States and more than 50 nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression," Blinken's statement said. The announcement marks a steep uptick in size from Biden's recent use of so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. Recent PDA announcements have typically ranged from $125 million to $250 million. Biden has an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in PDA already authorized by Congress that he is expected to use for Ukraine before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The tranche of weapons represents the first time in decades that the United States has exported land mines, the use of which is controversial because of the potential harm to civilians. Although more than 160 countries have signed a treaty banning their use, Kyiv has been asking for them since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, and Russian forces have used them on the front lines. The land mines that would be sent to Ukraine are "non-persistent," with a power system that lasts for just a short time, leaving the devices non-lethal. This means that - unlike older landmines - they would not remain in the ground, threatening civilians indefinitely.BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — One of Colombia’s legendary drug lords and a to the South American country, after serving 25 years of a 30-year prison sentence in the United States. A short while later, Fabio Ochoa was again a free man. Ochoa arrived in Bogota’s El Dorado airport on a deportation flight on Monday, wearing a grey sweatshirt and carrying his personal belongings in a plastic bag. After stepping out of the plane, the former cartel boss was met by immigration officials in bullet proof vests. There were no police on site to detain him. Colombia’s national immigration agency promptly posted a brief statement on the social media platform X, saying Ochoa was “freed so that he could join his family” after immigration officials took his fingerprints and confirmed through a database that he is not wanted by Colombian authorities. Ochoa, 67, and his older brothers amassed a fortune when cocaine started flooding the U.S. in the late 1970s and early 1980s, according to U.S. authorities, to the point that in 1987 they were included in the Forbes Magazine’s list of billionaires. Living in Miami, Ochoa ran a distribution center for the cocaine cartel once headed by . Escobar died in a shootout with authorities in Medellin in 1993. Ochoa was first indicted in the U.S. for his alleged role in for the Medellin cartel, but became an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Along with his two older brothers, Juan David and Jorge Luis, Ochoa turned himself in to Colombian authorities in the early 1990s under a deal in which they avoided being extradited to the U.S. The three brothers were released from prison in 1996, but Ochoa was arrested again three years later for drug trafficking and was extradited to the U.S. in 2001 in response to an indictment in Miami naming him and more than 40 people as part of a drug smuggling conspiracy. He was the only suspect in that group who opted to go to trial, resulting in his conviction and a 30-year sentence. The other defendants got much lighter prison terms because most of them cooperated with the government. Ochoa’s name has faded from popular memory as Mexican drug traffickers take center stage in the global drug trade. But the former member of the Medellin cartel was recently depicted in the Netflix series Griselda, where he first fights the plucky businesswoman Griselda Blanco for control of Miami’s cocaine market, and then makes an alliance with the drug trafficker, played by Sofia Vergara. Ochoa is also depicted in the Netflix series Narcos, as the youngest son of an elite Medellin family that is into ranching and horse breeding and cuts a sharp contrast with Escobar, who came from more humble roots. Richard Gregorie, a retired assistant U.S. attorney who was on the prosecution team that convicted Ochoa, said authorities were never able to seize all of the Ochoa family’s illicit drug proceeds and he expects that the former mafia boss will have a welcome return home. “He won’t be retiring a poor man, that’s for sure,” Gregorie told The Associated Press earlier this month. Associated Press, The Associated PressAI Frenzy or Smart Picks? Meet Top Stock Picks

Applied Materials Inc. stock outperforms competitors on strong trading dayAmerican Tower AMT has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 3.99% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 12.27%. Currently, American Tower has a market capitalization of $87.84 billion. Buying $1000 In AMT: If an investor had bought $1000 of AMT stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $10,289.06 today based on a price of $187.97 for AMT at the time of writing. American Tower's Performance Over Last 20 Years Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time. 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.

'We had nothing to give': Sarnia food banks struggle to meet demands as food banks across province face increased pressuresMoody’s upgrades Sri Lanka’s rating to Caa1; outlook stable

Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and WembyIn April, the UFC announced that for fighters that would offer more mobility and flexibility while reducing eye pokes and hand injuries. The new gloves, coined "3Eight/5Eight" (the 3Eight glove is for three-round fights, and the 5Eight gold glove for championship fights), premiered at UFC 301 in June. It marked the first time since fingerless gloves became mandatory for all fighters back in 1997 that the fight glove had evolved. "This redesign will truly be a game changer for the entire sport of MMA," UFC CEO and president Dana White said in the April statement. "These gloves will feel lighter, fit fighters' hands better, prevent injuries and provide maximum flexibility during the fights." But after five months -- 21 UFC events (pay-per-views and Fight Nights) and 10 "Dana White's Contender Series" cards -- and return to the original fingerless gloves. "The new gloves are now the old gloves," UFC CEO Dana White said in a surprise announcement ahead of UFC 309 last weekend. "You know what, there were good intentions with the new gloves. We spent a lot of time, energy and money on them. ... It didn't work out and it is what it is." The abrupt about-face came as a shocker.. Interestingly enough, the switch came just days after independent researcher and data scientist Nate Latshaw posted a detailed report demonstrating a significant drop in knockouts from when the new gloves were introduced. Comparing the knockout rate of the old gloves -- now referred to as "classic" by the UFC -- from Jan. 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, to when the new gloves were in play from June 1 to Nov. 9, Latshaw's findings showed an 8.5% drop off in knockout rates. Between Latshaw's report gaining traction on social media and UFC heavyweight champion balking at the fit and feel of the new gloves ahead of his fight with at UFC 309, the timing of the announcement felt like a little more than a coincidence. "The shape, the curve in your hands, they're very uncomfortable for me," Jones said last week in New York. "I was actually really stressed thinking, 'How am I going to go into fight week wearing these gloves that I don't even really want to train in?'" When the switch was announced, several UFC fighters breathed a sigh of relief over the promotion reversing course. "When I first got the new gloves, I didn't like them," lightweight told ESPN. "I think they look and felt cheap. The material was not very good, and I didn't like the design." Moicano had one of his best performances with the new gloves, a decisive TKO victory over in September. The fight was stopped due to a doctor's intervention. "I was thinking to myself, 'This is a bad glove,' and then I had an awesome performance," Moicano said. "Maybe it actually was the glove? I don't know. But I don't think it affected my performance at all." Women's flyweight contender echoed Moicano's assessment of the gloves feeling "cheap." "I wasn't opposed to the new gloves when they announced they were coming, but when I saw them, I didn't like how they looked," Blanchfield said. "I didn't like the design, and the colors looked tacky and cheap. They looked like something you can buy from a sporting goods store." Blanchfield, who relies heavily on her wrestling and grappling, found that the gloves felt restrictive and affected her grip during her unanimous decision victory over earlier this month. "It felt harder to close my hands because the fingers were so tight," she said. While Blanchfield eventually broke in the new gloves during training, she was issued a new pair ahead of her fight. "I had my cornermen working on the gloves the entire time in the locker room," Blanchfield said. "Just pulling at them, stretching them out, really trying to loosen them up for me. They literally had to make a tool that everyone in the locker room passed around to loosen up the fingers." Strawweight , who lost a decision to in the new gloves in August, said they "felt like having memory foam wrapped around your fist." "I hated them at first," Hill said. "But after training in them for a while, I didn't mind them as much. They are way thinner and aren't formed at all. The old gloves had more of a natural curve to them." The restrictive feel that Hill and Blanchfield are referring to was originally installed to prevent fighters from extending their fingers and committing eye-poke fouls. But both said that the intent didn't match the outcome. "I don't think they did anything for eye pokes," Hill said. "Until you break them in, it's harder to make a closed fist." What about the decrease in knockouts? Latshaw, a data scientist with a focus on quantitative analysis in MMA, noted that the research didn't include the variety of ways to obtain a knockout. "I continue to caution against drawing any particularly strong conclusions from the data," Latshaw told ESPN. "I'm looking at all knockdowns and all knockouts, which is really not a good way to study the impact of the gloves because I'm including knockouts and knockdowns that come from head kicks, elbows, knees, things like that where the gloves aren't impactful." While the old gloves are now back in play, it doesn't mean the "new" gloves are gone forever...yet. A UFC spokesperson told ESPN that "some fighters may still be wearing the new gloves in upcoming events while UFC re-stocks its inventory of the classic gloves." According to White, fighters will use the "classic" gloves at UFC 310 on Dec. 7. "They tried a new idea, and it ended up being a mistake, so they decided to go back to the old gloves once they saw the gloves weren't working out," Moicano said. "That's better than to keep trying to push a glove on us that everyone hates. This is what was good for business. "I don't know if we'll ever get the perfect glove, but I hope they keep trying."

At KIPP DC College Preparatory School, students study budgeting, savings, accounting, investing and managing risk, among other topics. Unlike many other high schools, the personal finance curriculum spans three years with a work-based learning component. The goal, according to Shavar Jeffries, chief executive officer of the the non-profit KIPP Foundation, is "breaking cycles of poverty." Keith Harris, a 17-year-old high school senior at KIPP DC College Preparatory , has studied accounting, investing and budgeting , among other basic lessons, like his English, history and math curriculum. Harris is enrolled in his high school's NAF Academy of Business , a rigorous three-year finance program with a work-based learning component. Because Harris, who lives with his aunt, received a full scholarship to college next fall, he's also able to set some of his part-time earnings aside and invest those funds. "Through the program I developed a lot of skills, such as managing my finances and investing in stocks," Harris said. "It laid down a good foundation for me." More from Personal Finance: Number of millennial 401(k) millionaires jumps 400% Biden ends some student loan forgiveness plans Why the 'great resignation' became the 'great stay' Unlike other one-semester high school personal finance courses across the country, more than 160 students enrolled in the KIPP DC College Preparatory's NAF Academy of Business program study budgeting, saving, investing and managing risk, as well as other topics, right through graduation. Some receive NAFTrack certification , a credential that demonstrates a high standard of college and career readiness. Many students also choose to enroll in the First Generation Investors program , where they can complete capstone projects while being tutored by students from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. Additionally, internship opportunities pair students with nearby employers, including Ernst & Young, the Navy Federal Credit Union and Verizon. The program is paid for, in part, through federal and local funding and administered by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The goal of the program, according to Shavar Jeffries, chief executive officer of the the non-profit KIPP Foundation, is "breaking cycles of poverty." KIPP DC College Prep caters to an underserved population of teens, and yet 100% of the senior class are accepted into at least one college, Jeffries noted, which is largely consistent with last year's numbers. "Economic security has to be a key part of it," Jeffries said. "We have too many young people who don't have the knowledge base to make smart financial decisions. When we can add that value and students bring these lessons home, that is also very powerful." Donyae Vaughan, 18, a senior at KIPP DC College Prep, will graduate this spring with a number of financial classes under her belt, including Accounting 1 and 2. She also landed a summer internship at consulting firm Accenture. "Most people my age don't get to learn about this stuff," she said. Vaughan, who has plans to attend dental school, said the coursework compliments what she has been taught at home. "My family is big on saving," she said. "Last year we learned a lot about investments, savings and stocks and how we can grow our money," she said. "Every time I learn something new, I would go home and talk about it with my mom." Vaughan said she also learned about the merit of locking in a top-yielding certificate of deposit through the program. "The three years is a level of robust programming we don't typically see," said Raven Newberry, managing director of policy at the National Endowment for Financial Education. As of 2024, about half of all states require or are in the process of requiring high school students to take at least one financial literacy course before they graduate, according to the latest data from Next Gen Personal Finance , a nonprofit focused on providing financial education to middle and high school students. Although some schools and school districts have required students receive some financial education even without a state mandate, it is the schools that serve students from lower socio-economic backgrounds that tend to fall short in financial education offerings, according to Newberry. "When a state requires it, that helps close that gap," she said. Many studies show there is a strong connection between financial literacy and financial well-being . "We know there are benefits when a financial education is required," Newberry said. "Right now, the question is implementation." Students who are required to take personal finance courses starting from a young age are more likely to tap lower-cost loans and grants when it comes to paying for college and less likely to rely on private loans or high-interest credit cards, according to a 2018 study by Christiana Stoddard and Carly Urban for the National Endowment for Financial Education. Students are also even more likely to enroll in college when they are aware of the financial resources available to help them pay for it . Further, students who have completed a financial literacy course have better average credit scores and lower debt delinquency rates as young adults, according to data from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's Investor Education Foundation, which promotes financial education. In addition, a 2018 report by the Brookings Institution found that teenage financial literacy is positively correlated with asset accumulation and net worth by age 25. Among adults, those with greater financial literacy find it easier to make ends meet in a typical month, are more likely to make loan payments in full and on time and less likely to be constrained by debt or be considered financially fragile. They are also more likely to save and plan for retirement, according to data from the TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index based on research collected annually since 2017. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.M&M severes business ties with Lokesh Machines over U.S. sanctionsNo. 25 UConn working on climbing back up poll, faces No. 15 Baylor