Rising Cybersecurity Insurance Demands Create New Opportunities for Technology Service Providers, Says Info-Tech Research Group
NEW 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.Stock market today: Tech stocks and AI pull Wall Street to more recordsLook Back ( now streaming on Amazon Prime Video ) adapts Tatsuki Fujimoto’s hit 2021 manga about, well, making a hit manga. And director/animator Kiyotaka Oshiyama made it an acclaimed anime that racked up good reviews and grossed $6.4 million at the box office in Japan. It’s not the first time Oshiyama (whose resume includes being a key animator on Studio Ghibli films such as The Boy and the Heron and The Wind Rises ) has worked with Fujimoto; the former worked on the adaptation of the latter’s far less gentle and far more violent Chainsaw Man series, which I’m not familiar with, but I assume doesn’t have quite as much to say about the nature of creating and reflecting upon one’s own art, like Look Back does so well. LOOK BACK : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? The Gist: The wind has been taken out of Fujino’s (Yumi Kawai) sails. Gut punch. Whufff. Her manga strips in the school newspaper are a smash hit, but a new artist’s strip sits next to hers and, well, ego blow. Not that Fujino’s are bad. Not at all. But this new strip is full of Fine Drawings. Amazing detailed landscapes and such. Which, juxtaposed with Fujino’s goofy comix – which are at least darkly funny – make her feel inadequate. So she drops all social interaction from her life and draws draws draws draws draws to get better. Envy and jealousy are quite the motivator. Time passes, as it does. Fujino’s friends have given up on her and her parents and siblings are all like your test scores are down, what gives? But she’s too busy drawing to even look up and acknowledge anyone. Then her teacher passes out the next issue of the school paper and she sees the other artist’s work and gives up. Back to being a normal, non-obsessed kid. But about this mystery artist: Her name is Kyomoto (Mizuki Yoshida) and she doesn’t attend school. She stays home and does her work. And now Fujino is asked to deliver Kyomoto’s congrats-you’ve-graduated-to-middle-school diploma. She reluctantly agrees. What Fujino finds is a quiet home stacked with notebooks full of sketches, and from behind a closed door emerges a painfully shy bundle of anxiety with hair over her face. Now, we should point out something crucial here: If Fujino’s drawings are an apple, Kyomoto’s drawings are an orange. “Comic” art is one thing and “fine” art is another. Comparing the two is silly, but we’re talking about young people who lack wisdom and are apt to veer from one emotional extreme to the other. Anyway, Kyomoto manages to stammer out that she’s a HUGE FAN of Fujino’s manga and wants her autograph. Huh. Not sure we (or Fujino) expected that. More importantly, how would Fujino’s figures look overtop Kyomoto’s backgrounds? Smashing. Absolutely smashing. Is this the beginning of a bee-yoo-tiful friendship? Spoiler alert: Yes! What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Haven’t seen an anime this chill since the sweet story of friendship Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop . Performance Worth Watching Hearing: Both Kawai and Yoshida give relatively understated vocal performances that help cultivate our empathy for these characters. Memorable Dialogue: On off-screen voice asks the question Fujino kinda struggles to answer: “Why do you draw, Fujino?” Sex and Skin: None. Our Take: You can sense Fujimoto and Oshiyama perhaps exploring their own efforts in the act of creating art in the subtext of Look Back – and you can also reach a bit, maybe not too far, and assert that they perhaps reflect the traits of either character here, or at least elements of them. Fujino and Kyomoto follow their youthful obsessions, writing and drawing a full manga that wins them a contest with a tidy cash prize (inspiring a spending-spree montage that reminded me of Bart and Milhouse’s all-syrup Squishee bender, and please take that as a compliment), and the narrative jumps through their teen years to a point where, sadly or inevitably or both, their artistic goals diverge. Throughout, and as the story follows Fujino’s success as a manga illustrator and Kyomoto’s attempts to improve her skills at art school, one senses Fujimoto and Oshiyama tightroping the line between art as a passion and art as a career. It’s a precarious place to stand. When does what you love become work? The narrative focuses more on Fujino as she sits at her desk drawing for hours, hunched and lonely and surrounded by clutter, and the implication is, even though her manga sells well, this is fairly grueling, almost assembly-line work. Is this rewarding? On some levels, yes, but she almost certainly looks back and wonders when she crossed the aforementioned line, and if the friendship she had with Kyomoto was the true reward. This latter point is underscored somewhat unnecessarily during a very YA-anime melodramatic turn, but its poignant and pointed themes remain intact: As we come of age, how do we tend to the core, naive notions that fuel our passion? There’s no easy answer for it. Our Call: Look Back is a deep, thoughtful examination of the life of artists, and the contradictions they wrestle with. STREAM IT. John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump's proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
CORYDON, Ind., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors of First Capital, Inc. FCAP has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.29 (twenty-nine cents) per share of common stock, according to Michael C. Frederick, President and Chief Executive Officer. The dividend will be paid on December 27, 2024 to shareholders of record as of December 13, 2024. First Capital, Inc. is the holding company for First Harrison Bank. First Harrison currently has eighteen offices in the Indiana communities of Corydon, Edwardsville, Greenville, Floyds Knobs, Palmyra, New Albany, New Salisbury, Jeffersonville, Salem, Lanesville and Charlestown and the Kentucky communities of Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington and Lebanon Junction. Access to First Harrison Bank accounts, including online banking and electronic bill payments, is available anywhere with Internet access through the Bank's website at www.firstharrison.com . For more information and financial data about First Capital, Inc., please visit Investor Relations at First Harrison Bank's aforementioned website. Contact: Joshua Stevens Chief Financial Officer 812-738-1570 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Lea en español For many people, this time of year is all about the shopping. And there's a fair chance many feel less than joyful about the prospect. If fulfilling your lengthy list feels overwhelming, learning what brain science and evolutionary psychology say about shopping and gift-giving might help you understand exactly why you're stressed – and even point you toward a healthier, happier holiday season. Our reactions are encoded into our nervous system, said Dr. Beth Frates, a part-time associate professor in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "By understanding these brain responses, people can develop strategies to manage stress better, such as setting realistic expectations, focusing on mindfulness and simplifying holiday preparations," said Frates, who also is the immediate past president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. The idea of exchanging gifts at this time of year can be traced back to pagan solstice celebrations. But the drive to share with another is as old as humanity itself, said Dr. Diego Guevara Beltran, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at the University of Arizona in Tucson who studies cooperation and generosity. The science of generosity is more about survival than stocking stuffers, Guevara Beltran said. Sharing food gave early humans an evolutionary advantage. "Generosity is just one of the ways by which we can accumulate resources, be it wealth itself or friendships or work partners or more attractive, more intelligent mates," he said. Sharing with other people, Guevara Beltran said, is "a signal that communicates how much you value them, their welfare, your relationship with them." Research has shown that helping people makes us feel good. Part of that, he said, is because when someone is part of a community, they feel protected. One way this manifests is through the act of giving gifts. But to derive happiness from gift-giving, the giver needs to feel both that it was not an obligation and that it was effective, according to the 2019 World Happiness Report . That means it could be stressful to be in a culture where gift-giving feels mandatory, or if we can't see that a gift helped someone, Guevara Beltran speculated. It also might be stressful if gift-giving becomes a competition to show that you care about somebody more than the others around them. Our brains on shopping Stressful shopping can cause several physiological responses to kick in, Frates said. First is the "fight or flight" reaction that comes with stress. The release of chemicals that increase our heart rate, raise our blood pressure and intensify our breathing evolved to give us bursts of energy to escape danger. Frates said that while holiday stressors are not life-threatening, they can still trigger the stress response. The pressure to stay within budget could create a sense of scarcity, she said. "This taps into an evolutionary response, where the fear of losing resources like money can feel urgent and distressing." The holiday season also involves a lot of choices. "The brain has limited capacity for decision-making, and making multiple decisions can lead to decision fatigue," Frates said. "This fatigue reduces the ability to self-regulate and cope, which can lead to heightened stress responses when confronted with even minor setbacks, like a long line or out-of-stock item." The stress of needing to complete tasks within a limited time can intensify the fight-or-flight response, she said, as the brain interprets the ticking clock as a sense of urgency or threat. Meanwhile, Frates said, holiday shopping can also trigger brain chemicals that affect our feelings. "Dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, is released when we anticipate something exciting or enjoyable, like finding a great gift or finding a good deal," she said. "This anticipation can feel rewarding even before any actual purchase is made." For some people, this dopamine boost can make shopping a relaxing experience. "It provides a temporary distraction from other stressors and allows them to focus on something positive, creating a 'holiday high,'" Frates said. For some people, that can be problematic. "When shopping becomes a way to chase that next dopamine hit, it can lead to excessive spending or impulsive purchases," she said. "This can become a trap, particularly during the holidays, when deals, sales and gift-giving pressures are everywhere." Understanding how all these processes work can help people recognize why they feel the way they do and adopt strategies to cope, Frates said. Here are some of her suggestions. 1. Start with self-care before shopping Prioritizing self-care means people can be their best selves and make good decisions, Frates said. So, "eat food that is delicious and nutritious. Get seven to nine hours of sleep. Make sure to enjoy physical activity. Take walks when you can and invite friends along. Practice stress reduction like meditation or yoga to help you calm your body and mind." Before going shopping, try taking deep breaths using stress-relieving techniques such as 4-7-8 breathing (inhale through your nose for four counts, hold for seven counts, and exhale through your mouth for eight) or box breathing (inhale through the nose for four counts, hold your breath for four, exhale for four, then hold for four). 2. Be strategic Don't shop when you're hungry, tired, lonely or stressed, Frates said. And don't start shopping 15 minutes before a store closes or a website's online deals end, she said. That's setting yourself up for triggering the fight-or-flight response. 3. Be mindful Before making a purchase, take a moment to consider whether it's truly needed or whether it's an impulsive choice. To avoid overindulging, set a specific budget or limit yourself to a couple of hours or specific shopping days. "This keeps dopamine-driven spending in check while still allowing for the enjoyable aspects of holiday shopping," Frates said. Look for post-shopping activities that provide rewards without the financial cost. That can satisfy your brain's desire for more dopamine in a healthier way. "Plan enjoyable, stress-relieving activities after shopping, like going for a walk, spending time with friends or indulging in a hobby," she said. 4. Bring a friend Not only does this support healthy social connections, Frates said, but if things start feeling stressful, "you have a buddy, and you have a support system right there for you." 5. Rethink the focus of the season "With gift-giving, we need to change mindsets in order to be able to manage the stress," Frates said. The holidays could be used to emphasize social connections, she said. "Thinking about the connection with the person and making gift-giving more about deepening the connection than anything else, I think, will really help to reduce the stress around the process," she said. So instead of scouring shops and websites for the "perfect" gift, think about making a meaningful and personal one, she suggested. It could be a poem, a painting, a song or a framed photograph that captured a special time. 6. Lessons for children It's easy to get caught up in the hunt for a hard-to-get item, Frates said. But ask yourself what the holiday means in your family's traditions. "Is it about getting that perfect gift for the child? Or is it about celebrating the meaning of that holiday?" So instead of having children ask for one specific toy, or a specific brand of clothing, teach them to leave a little leeway on their lists. "It is a good reminder to express to children that this season is about giving and sharing what we can in the best way that we can," she said, "and sometimes the exact gift is not available." Encouraging such an attitude can be a tall order, Frates said, but it's a place to start. "A simple mindset shift could be the difference between a stressful holiday shopping season or a joyful journey to find meaningful gifts for people you care about." American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week!NoneThis story was originally published on Nov. 26 and misreported fee changes related to renting SD 27 facilities, stating they had doubled when in fact they have been cut in half. Several organizers of events raising funds for student programs were surprised this year with a hefty bill in order to operate in School District 27 (SD 27) facilities. The annual Cariboo Hobby Con and Craft Fair was scheduled to run on Nov. 23 this year at Columneetza Jr. Secondary in Williams Lake, but with less than two weeks before the day organizers announced they would cancel the fair. “It is with great sadness we have to announce that this year’s Cariboo Hobby Con has been cancelled,” wrote the organizers on their Facebook page. They credited the cancellation to policy changes which led to “uncertain financial constraints that would be detrimental to our fundraiser.” The annual fair event raises funds for a volleyball club run by SD 27 employee Tim Hurley. The funds are used to buy equipment such as a referee stand and uniforms, as well as to help out students in need with travel and accommodation. Last year Hobby Con raised about $2,000 for the club, but Hurley told Black Press Media it’s more than just the money, as Hobby Con provides a space for other clubs to run their own fundraisers and for young entrepreneurs to set up their own vendors. He added that his volleyball club has served as a “turning point” for vulnerable students whose interest in the sport has kept them in school and safe. SD 27 updated its policy 730 – Community use of School Facilities – in August of this year. Changes to the policy include “more robust vetting” of events such as craft fairs, large sporting tournaments and Parent Advisory Council (PAC) events. In a statement sent to Black Press Media, SD 27 secretary-treasurer Brenda Hooker provided reasons for the policy updates. “The District updated AP730 to clarify our process and publish the applicable fees when applying for facilities use. In most cases, the cost to rent a space in our various facilities was decreased.” She wrote that fees were not always applied consistently in the past, such as whether or not the use of school equipment would be charged. When asked if the district took into account what impact the changes could have on events which benefit students, Hooker wrote the district recognized there were changes in fees “by applying our policy consistently and fairly.” “Some organizers have chosen to cancel instead of moving forward, which is their choice...The district recognizes that access to our schools is important to the community and we are striving to balance the demand while covering the associated costs and conducting our due diligence for all involved,” she wrote. Hobby Con is not the only event which has been impacted by the changes. The annual Chilcotin Road Elementary School PAC Ladies Night, which raises money for the school to buy things like books, projectors and playground equipment, operated in SD 27 facilities for 11 years without cost. This year’s event, which was in April, the organizers found out they would have to pay $600 to run the Ladies Night at the school. Even the lakecity’s beloved Medieval Market, which raises money for student programs and also equips participating students with work experience, has seen quite the impact. Without any real change to the event’s layout, which as previous years was hosted at Lake City Secondary School, the total cost to run the market increased by more than $4,000 from 2019 until now. While in 2019 the market operated at a total cost of about $800, this year’s market came to a total of just under $5,000. Even in 2023, prior to SD 27’s policy changes, organizer Kirstin Lauren said custodial charges had doubled from the previous year. This was despite few, if any, changes being made to the market which would result in further custodial requirements. Custodial hours, organizers said, doubled from 24 to 48 hours without explanation. In fact, Lauren said it’s been difficult to get any clear answers from the district, and while she is hoping to maintain a relationship with the district and see the market thrive in its traditional location of several years, there needs to be better communication. Hooker told Black Press Media organizers are made aware of requirements and risks associated to holding their event before their application is approved. The biggest change the Medieval Market saw this year was in insurance fees. While costs going specifically to the district amounted to about $4,000, the market had to pay an extra $800 for third party liability insurance. Organizers were told they had to purchase the insurance this year, while in previous years this was not a concern. Lauren told Black Press Media students were still able to benefit from this year’s market, which attracted about 3,500 guests, 100 vendors and 100 student workers. “But the more money we have to pay out, the less money we have to give to students,” she said, adding all she wants is to figure out what’s going on and continue having a positive working relationship with the district. In her statement to Black Press Media, Hooker said insurance requirements have always existed. “The district is now clarifying these requirements with users and consistently ensuring the appropriate insurance is obtained. The cost to obtain liability insurance is minimal and is needed to cover both the organizers and the volunteers working any event that is not directly related to education. The district values all of our employees and volunteers and is simply trying to make sure organizers have appropriate insurance coverage in place in the case of an unexpected event,” Hooker wrote. She later clarified with Black Press that these events were simply not being insured previously, a fact which was overlooked, and the policy change was to ensure everyone’s safety. Lauren said she and other organizers are planning to meet with the district to understand why their costs have seen such an increase and what can be done to mitigate the impact on students for which the event is being hosted. Most of the fees related to renting SD 27 facilities have been cut in half, with some additional fees being added to the list. New fees include $200 for wireless access, which is available only to weekend sports tournaments and craft fairs. A small fee was added for access to the entire sports equipment room and $85 has been added for intruder alarm activation. Fees which have seen no change include non-profit adult sport groups’ use of multi-purpose spaces such as libraries and cafes, as well as field use by any type of group. Fees marked as “local delivery” and “out of town delivery” haven’t changed, nor have weekend custodial charges seen any changes. However, general custodial charges have seen a change. Non-profit groups used to be charged $30 per hour for custodial services, a custodian’s regular hourly pay, and now pay $30 per use. Other groups, such as private craft fairs and political parties, used to pay $30 per hour for custodial services and now pay $67.75 per hour. A $200 key deposit was also removed, replaced by a $30 charge to replace a fob or get an extra one. Hooker also told Black Press Media that the district does not profit from the fees. “The fees collected are applied to the direct staffing costs associated with approving the request. We are not charging rates that provide any funds towards repairs and maintenance of our facilities nor capital replacement costs,” she wrote. Tammy Woodcock Banks was one of more than 40 vendors registered to sell their crafts at Hobby Con. She told Black Press Media Hobby Con is one of the most important markets where she sells her wind chimes and Christmas cards which she makes under the name Tammy’s Creations. “I had loads of stock that I had worked on this year for the show,” she said. Banks said she was grateful to be welcomed as a vendor at the Cariboo Corner market instead, but only made about one third of what she would normally make at Hobby Con. However, she said the market’s cancellation is also a big loss for the students who benefit from Hobby Con. “It’s not only us that got let down, it was the kids,” she said. When they heard the news that Hobby Con was being cancelled, Bewitching Market organizers Wanda Sheppard and Sunny Dyck decided something needed to be done. They quickly organized a new market without using SD 27 facilities so local crafters and business owners can still benefit from the holiday season. “They’re quite happy with it, they’re excited,” Sheppard told the Tribune about the almost 40 vendors who have registered for the new market called A Misfits and Mistletoe Christmas Market. The market, which will be taking place on Dec. 15 at the Ramada Convention Centre, is open to everyone and any kind of item being sold. “If you want to do goth you can do goth, if you want to do Christmas you can do Christmas,” Sheppard said. She said all she wants is to be fair to the vendors, promote their works and have fun.
NoneStock market today: Wall Street drifts lower as it waits for inflation data
"As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level." The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. "We're excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. "Together, we're assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world." Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. "The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team," Michael Andretti posted on social media. "I'm very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!" The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti's dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years, and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA. The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they've already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti's application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1's current grid. "General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. "Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024," F1 said in a statement. "Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1."Reality check: Is Donald Trump right about drugs and migrants coming across the Canada-U.S. border?
Percentages: FG .444, FT .708. 3-Point Goals: 8-22, .364 (Nwokeji 3-6, McCray 2-5, Arias 1-2, K.Jackson 1-2, Bell 1-5, Munson 0-1, Spence 0-1). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 4 (Rivers 2, Nwokeji, Payne). Turnovers: 15 (McCray 5, Arias 2, Payne 2, Spence 2, Bell, Borio, K.Jackson, Nwokeji). Steals: 13 (Bell 2, McCray 2, Munson 2, Payne 2, Rivers 2, Spence 2, Arias). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .581, FT .688. 3-Point Goals: 7-21, .333 (Robinson 4-5, Shoulders 2-4, Bryant 1-4, Vaistaras 0-1, Grant 0-3, Johnson 0-4). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 4 (Holt, Johnson, Overstreet, Robinson). Turnovers: 18 (Robinson 10, Holt 2, Johnson 2, Bryant, Grant, Montas, Shoulders). Steals: 10 (Robinson 3, Johnson 2, Shoulders 2, Bryant, Holt, Overstreet). Technical Fouls: None. A_592 (3,300).
White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign
NEW 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.Travel Market size is set to grow by USD 5.50 trillion from 2024-2028, growing popularity of experiential travel boost the market- Technavio
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.With “Nosferatu,” director Robert Eggers reinvents the F.W. Murnau 1922 silent classic by emphasizing the folk tale mythology and leaning more into the supernatural. We find Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp ) demonically possessed by vampire Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) after inadvertently awakening him from the dead. It’s a twisted reversal of “Sleeping Beauty,” in which she becomes haunted and he becomes increasingly obsessed. Be careful what you wish for. For Linda Muir, the director’s go-to costume designer, it was essential to dig deeply into 1838 fashion for Ellen, who hails from a German village, and late 16th-century fashion for Orlok, the nobleman from Transylvania. This enabled Muir to convey the necessary authenticity, emotion, and social status of the characters, creating a costume story with its own arc. “For me, it was interesting to have all the taboos that are embedded in the period with a character like Ellen, who’s not adhering to what the norms are,” Muir told IndieWire. “Thomas [Nicholas Hoult], her husband, wants comfort and luxury, he’s trying to do what he thinks is best for her. But she comes from all that, and she doesn’t care about it. What she wants is him, she wants love.” Ellen valiantly fights Orlok’s power, but he’s obsessed with an all-consuming appetite for her and schemes to tear her apart from Thomas. “I thought it was fascinating to watch Bill and think that, under all of that prosthetic decay and decomposition, there was such a strong, visceral feeling of the guy, obviously wealthy, entitled, the beautiful young man that he might’ve been centuries before.” Ellen’s wardrobe, which is part of a pre-Victorian transitional period, reflects her confined status in the male-dominated society (she’s put in a self-tightening corset to help cure her), as well as an ethereal quality as a result of Orlok’s thrall. But as she gains confidence, Ellen’s wardrobe becomes less restrictive. “In the 1830s, women had a huge gigot sleeve, really extended puffy tops coming down into a tighter forearm,” Muir said. “Then, around 1836, that style starts to change. Women had taken all that excess fabric and didn’t want to cut it all out, it’s expensive. So they would fold it all in and then stitch it down and make it slightly smaller. So that would start to change the dimension of the sleeve.” Since Ellen’s costume choices are reduced and they repeat costumes, Muir learned that you could make a dress with removable sleeves. “So we actually shot a scene [which was cut] where she has short sleeves as well,” added Muir. “And the long sleeve is hanging over her dressing screen at the back.” Ellen’s most prominent evening dress is indigo with lilacs embroidered and beaded on the front and on the sleeves. This lavender hue subliminally underscores the connection between Ellen and Orlok, who remembers lilacs from when he was alive. “The period had some extraordinary patterns on the same piece of fabric: paisley, dots, ombre,” said Muir. “On the one hand, it’s very schitzy and overpowering, but I chose cotton as the fabric to make it calmer.” Meanwhile, Muir had fun digging into the 16th-century costuming for Orlok in a way that affected everything about him, from his speech to his manners to his castle. She went for an overall look of decadence and opulence, epitomized by the gold bar-like buttons on his large cloak (called a mantle), which was lined in fur and had a massive collar. It only slightly recalled the silhouette of Max Schrek’s Orlok from Murnau’s “Nosferatu.” The outer coat has very long arms, which got Muir researching how the men wore them. “You could put your arms through the coat and wear it, or you could wear it as more of a cape, like Dracula, without putting your arms through it,” Muir said. “And I thought that’s really fascinating because that’s like on the super-rich nobility level, and it’s also on the poorest of the peasants in the mountain by themselves, shepherds. So Orlok has that as his major piece. And he has the Hungarian fur hat and we played with the size of that so that it appears significant.” Muir wanted to convey the image of an ancient nobleman without overwhelming Skarsgård with a heavy outfit while obscuring enough of his decay to not arouse fear when he meets with Thomas in his castle. “And then he has underneath a beautiful dolman, which is like a tunic,” Muir said. “And that is layered and layered and layered. It has patterned silk, and I tried to choose textiles that have a lot of gold threads because I knew [cinematographer] Jarin [Blaschke] would be using firelight and candlelight and this beautiful moonlight. So things that could twinkle and reflect back to us to give the shape of an outline. “And then he has kind of Mick Jagger trousers,” she continued, “which are mustard-colored, kind of shiny gold thread, skin-tight trousers and a beautiful sash at his waist. And then he has the coolest footwear. He has leather. They’re like mules, so a slip-on. But for safety and comfort, they gave Bill another 4 inches or so in what is already a really beautiful, thin, tall outline.” And, for practical purposes, Skarsgård wore a hefty harness next to his body that came through the tunic and clamped inside of the cloak because of the tremendous weight, heat, and prosthetic makeup. “So we tried to make it so that we could release him as quickly as possible,” said Muir. “We cooled him off between takes, in between setups, and not tire him out from walking around with this. It also had to look effortless, like he wouldn’t fall off, like it’s mesmerized onto his shoulders, and magical, too.” Focus Features will release “Nosferatu” in theaters nationwide December 25.
Motta satisfied with point as 'compact' Juventus draw at VillaEvolution Auto unveils flagship showroom in ColomboIRVING, Texas , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Caterpillar Inc. CAT voted today to maintain the quarterly dividend of one dollar and forty-one cents ($1.41) per share of common stock, payable Feb. 20, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 21, 2025 . Caterpillar has paid a cash dividend every year since the company was formed and has paid a quarterly dividend since 1933. Caterpillar has paid higher annual dividends to shareholders for 31 consecutive years and is recognized as a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index. About Caterpillar With 2023 sales and revenues of $67.1 billion , Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we've been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/en/news/social-media.html . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/caterpillar-inc-maintains-dividend-302328163.html SOURCE Caterpillar Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Man City stumble again while Arsenal and Bayern Munich earn dominant winsFeddersen's 17 help North Dakota State defeat West Georgia 73-61
Whooping cough cases are up in Cowlitz County, especially among high school students, County Health Officer Steve Krager reported at a Board of Health meeting Tuesday. Cowlitz County has the second highest rate of whooping cough in the state after Clark County, Krager said. So far this year, 37 cases have been reported. This is similar to pre-pandemic levels, but cases have been lower than usual the past few years, with only three cases in 2020 and none from 2021-2023. Some local cases are likely because of the frequent travel between Cowlitz and Clark counties, he said. Krager recommended that people get tested if they have a cough that lasts longer than seven days, especially if it causes whooping, gagging or vomiting. Infants with a persistent cough should also be tested. He said people should also ensure that they are up to date on whooping cough vaccines, especially if they expect to have contact with infants. "We know we’re missing cases," Krager said. "Not everyone who has (whooping cough) is getting tested, and we can only find the ones that are tested and reported." The per-capita infection rate in Cowlitz County is about double the statewide rate. Statewide, most cases are occurring in children under 1 year old, but 25 of the 37 cases in the county were teenagers between 14 and 18 years old. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial respiratory infection mainly spread through droplets from coughing. The severity of the cough causes some sick people, especially young children, to make the distinctive whooping sound the disease is named after. While most people are able to shake off the infection without much trouble, young children are especially vulnerable to it, Krager said. About one third of children under 1 year who get whooping cough are hospitalized, and in rare cases it can lead to death. Immunocompromised people may also experience more serious symptoms. The infection can be treated with antibiotics, and it typically takes five days before a person is declared non-infectious. Household members or immunocompromised people who have had contact with a sick person may also be prescribed antibiotics as a precaution. Minka Atkinson is a news reporter for The Daily News covering education, health and social services in Cowlitz County. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
