9 vip Egypt Daily News – As opposition terrorist groups announcing the start of the phase of “encircling” Damascus, US President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States should not interfere in the conflict in Syria, where terrorist groups threaten the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Trump said in a post on his “Truth Social” social media platform, “Syria is in chaos, but it is not our friend, and the United States should have nothing to do with it.” Before his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, he added: “This is not our battle. Let us let the situation take its course. Let us not interfere.”Irish premier praises Dublin woman who won civil case against Conor McGregorOn Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said that HHS secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is “somebody who is pro-climate, pro-choice, essentially shares our Democratic values.” Polis stated [relevant remarks begin around 35:40] that “compared to the pharmaceutical lobbyist [Trump] appointed last time, this is somebody who will take on Big Pharma, and is absolutely not a fox guarding the henhouse. This is somebody that we have great opportunities to work with on improving nutrition, on addressing chronic disease, and, of course, somebody who is pro-climate, pro-choice, essentially shares our Democratic values. Obviously, was a Democratic candidate for president as well, running in the primary against Joe Biden.” Earlier, he said that Kennedy has “said some false and outright dangerous claims about vaccines...I would strongly oppose RFK or anybody trying to get in the way of measles or polio vaccines, and I don’t think he will. Those are good questions for senators to ask him, to confirm, in fact, that that’s not what he’s going to use that office for. But I would be strongly opposed to that. And if he were to state that he were to use the office to end vaccination — and he’s actually quite said the opposite, he’s not going to take on vaccinations — but if he were, that would be stuff that would hurt the public health.” Polis concluded that he hopes Kennedy would support vaccinations and has really talked about choice on vaccines. Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

NEW DELHI: Uddhav Thackeray 's bold decision to challenge the BJP in 2019 and form an alliance with the Congress and NCP has resulted in a significant electoral setback in the Maharashtra assembly elections, where his Shiv Sena (UBT) secured only 20 out of 95 contested seats. He expressed surprise at the electorate's dramatic shift in preference, considering their rejection of the BJP-led alliance merely five months ago in Lok Sabha elections. The political journey of Bal Thackeray's reserved son has been notable. He successfully overcame challenges from Narayan Rane and his cousin Raj Thackeray, eventually becoming Maharashtra's chief minister in November 2019 after dissolving the long-standing BJP alliance post-assembly elections. During the Covid-19 crisis, Uddhav established a strong connection with the public through social media platforms like Facebook live, presenting himself as a reassuring leader. Despite receiving acclaim for his pandemic management, he failed to recognise growing dissatisfaction within his party regarding the alliance with former ideological opponents. Maharashtra Jharkhand Maharashtra Alliance View i Party View Seats: 288 L + W Majority: 145 BJP+ 229 MVA 47 OTH 12 Leads + Wins : 288 / 288 BJP+ WON Jharkhand Alliance View i Party View Seats: 81 Results Majority: 41 INDIA 56 NDA 24 OTH 1 Results : 81 / 81 INDIA WON Source: PValue Eknath Shinde 's rebellion in June 2022 resulted in his government's collapse and a party split. Nevertheless, Uddhav maintained his criticism of the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and those he termed "traitors" who aligned with Shinde. His party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections was modest, winning nine out of 21 contested seats. Critics have pointed out his limited accessibility, with even ally Sharad Pawar commenting on his tendency to work from home during his chief ministership. However, Uddhav gained support from previously distant communities, including Muslims and Dalits, and developed his own distinctive speaking style, different from his father's but equally sharp. Following the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance's decisive victory, chief minister Eknath Shinde declared it settled the question of Shiv Sena's legitimate leadership. The 64-year-old Uddhav and his son Aaditya now face the task of maintaining their remaining support base and challenging Shinde's claim to Bal Thackeray's legacy, while defending their alliance with the 'secular' Congress and NCP. Will he be able to make a comeback from this? (With PTI inputs)In this article AVGO Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Broadcom CEO Hock Tan. Lucas Jackson | Reuters Broadcom reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday and said artificial intelligence revenue for the year more than tripled. The chipmaker's stock jumped after Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said the company is developing custom AI chips with three large cloud customers. The shares were up 13% in extended trading. Here's how Broadcom did versus LSEG consensus estimates for the quarter ending Nov. 3: Earnings per share: $1.42, adjusted vs. $1.38 expected Revenue: $14.05 billion vs. $14.09 billion expected Broadcom said it expects first-quarter revenue of about $14.6 billion, just ahead of the $14.57 billion average analyst estimate. For the fourth quarter, year-over-year revenue increased 51% from $9.3 billion. Net income in the fourth quarter came in at $4.32 billion, or 90 cents per share, up 23% from $3.52 billion, or 83 cents per share, in the same quarter a year earlier. In its semiconductor solutions group, which includes the company's artificial intelligence chips, revenue increased 12% to $8.23 billion from $8.03 billion a year ago. Broadcom is seeing soaring demand from the boom in generative AI infrastructure. For the year, the company said AI revenue jumped 220% to $12.2 billion. Some of that growth is from ethernet networking parts, which are used to tie together thousands of AI chips. "We see an opportunity over the next three years in AI," Tan told investors on the earnings call. "Massive specific hyperscalers have begun their respective journeys to develop their own custom AI accelerators." Tan said Broadcom is currently developing AI chips with three very large customers, and he expects each of them them to deploy 1 million AI chips in networked clusters by 2027. Tan said the total market opportunity for its AI chips, which it calls XPUs, as well as parts for AI networking could be between $60 billion and $90 billion by 2027. Broadcom said its infrastructure software division generated $5.82 billion in revenue for the quarter, nearly tripling from last year's $1.96 billion. That includes a boost from the $69 billion acquisition of VMware, which was completed after the year-ago quarter. Broadcom said it would increase its quarterly dividend by 11% in fiscal 2025 to 59 cents per share. WATCH: Broadcom shares spike on earnings watch now VIDEO 3:47 03:47 Broadcom shares spike after reporting mixed earnings Closing Bell: Overtime

Reports: Oklahoma State to add former TCU QB Hauss Hejny

Murray – who retired after the summer Olympics at the age of 37 after finally admitting defeat in his battle against his body – will join the Serbian’s team in the off-season and coach him through the opening grand slam of 2025. It will see the Scot surprisingly join forces with the man who was his biggest nemesis during his long career, especially in Australia where he lost to Djokovic in four finals. Murray, who beat Djokovic to win the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013, says he wants to help the 24-time grand slam champion achieve his goals. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off-season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open, he said. “I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Djokovic, a week younger than his new coach, added: “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach. “Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on the Australian soil.” In posting a teaser about the appointment on social media, Djokovic said: “He never liked retirement anyway.” He then added: “We played each other since we were boys, 25 years of pushing each other to our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in in our sport. They called us gamechangers, risk takers, history makers. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome aboard coach, Andy Murray.” Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016 Australian Open finals while also losing in the French Open final in 2016. It was his pursuit of toppling Djokovic at the top of the rankings in 2016 which was a precursor to his 2017 hip injury which derailed Murray’s career. Djokovic, who split with coach Goran Ivanisevic earlier this year, hopes that adding Murray to his team will help him get back to the top of the game as he went through a calendar year without winning a grand slam for the first time since 2017. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have developed a stranglehold at the top of the men’s game and Djokovic, who has seen Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all retire in recent years, is still hoping to move clear of the record 24 grand slams he shares with Margaret Court.

SINGAPORE: Potential employers often tell Ms Susan Tan (not her real name) how impressed they are by her resume and skills, only to conclude by saying they cannot hire her because she was born deaf. One recent reason given was that she "would not be able to communicate with clients", said the 40-year-old in text messages to CNA. In jobs she did land, Ms Tan claimed to have been been abruptly dismissed from one after being wrongly accused of not pulling her weight. In another, she resigned after what she felt was an unfair reprimand for not meeting deadlines. And in jobs she could hold down, there were times she felt excluded or unsupported. “Employees often chit-chat among themselves and I won’t be included in conversations," said Ms Tan, who still finds it challenging to secure full-time work and has been making ends meet through freelance tutoring. "I even had to pay for sign language interpreters out of my own pocket for meetings.” Ms Tan was thus not surprised by the findings in Singapore's first disability trends report, released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development earlier in December. They revealed that only about half of those surveyed had positive attitudes towards people with disabilities (PWDs) in the workplace in 2023, down from nearly six out of 10 in 2019. And the proportion of respondents who felt negatively about PWDs in the workplace rose from 9 per cent to almost 14 per cent. The study did not identify specific reasons. But experts told CNA it could be due to a degree of apprehension among employers and employees; while PWDs on their part could be lacking in social skills due to being "overprotected". In all cases, more education is key, they added. WHAT’S BEHIND THE GAP? The average employment rate of PWDs hit 32.7 per cent in 2022/2023, up from 28.2 per cent in 2018/2019. But workplace inclusivity is still a "work in progress" in Singapore and has a ways to go before reaching a goal of 40 per cent by 2030 , said disability agency SG Enable’s chief executive officer Lee May Gee. “It’s human nature to feel apprehensive about what we do not understand," she said. "Employers and employees may be unsure, uncomfortable, or simply lack the confidence on how to approach persons with disabilities and how to integrate them into the workplace.” Ms Lee also highlighted that smaller and more close-knit work teams may have positive attitudes towards PWDs in their ranks, while broader company-level attitudes may be neutral or negative due to a lack of interaction. MSF’s study showed that respondents who had contact with PWDs at least twice in the past year reported more positive attitudes compared to those who did not. In workplaces, skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence are becoming increasingly important as companies seek out a human touch amid rapid automation, said Mr Sean Goh director of capability and business development at Human Capital Singapore, a continuing education and training centre in human resource management. And these are the necessary soft skills which PWDs might be lacking in, through no fault of theirs. “PWDs have been raised in more sheltered environments where their disabilities resulted in well-meaning accommodation or overprotection," said Mr Goh. "It can inadvertently limit opportunities for social exposure, leading to challenges in self-management and social awareness." WHAT CAN BE DONE? Mr Rendi Toh was born with Alstrom Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder causing blindness from birth. He lacked the confidence when he first started job-hunting, but programmes at Human Capital taught him communication and teamwork skills that eventually helped clinch his current role as a host at NOX - Dine in the Dark. Still, there was the odd misunderstanding or run-in with colleagues unfamiliar or uncomfortable with his condition. But things have improved with continued training on areas such as resolving conflicts and developing emotional intelligence, and Mr Toh has since become an advocate for other PWDs employed by the restaurant. “PWDs definitely have concerns on how they are seen and perceived by others, but it’s a chicken and egg problem," said Ms Azlin Amran, an employment support specialist at local charity SPD. "They need to learn to project confidence so that they will be perceived as such.” Those who acquired their disabilities instead of being born with them also need time to grieve, she added. SPD, which serves PWDs of all ages, also offers training courses on both practical and soft skills necessary for the workplace. Top-down initiatives are just as - if not more - important. SG Enable, for one, offers training to help employers and employees better interact with and integrate PWDs in the workplace, and to cater to their different needs. “There’s a part in the workshop where we blindfold participants and guide them to do tasks, or get them to sit in a wheelchair and experience how hard it could be to move around," said the agency's CEO Ms Lee. "This helps develop awareness and empathy on what persons with disabilities are experiencing.” She called on employers to take the first step to dispel misconceptions of PWDs, and to encourage their employees to learn how to better promote inclusivity in the workplace. For instance, Mr Andrew Lim, who was born with a rare genetic eye disorder called cone dystrophy, works at a finance firm which has an inclusivity team. The team ensures employees know how to assist and create a safe environment for PWD employees. Mr Lim, who did not want to be known by his real name, has just 10 per cent of his vision left and it could deteriorate further. But the 28-year-old said he has never felt excluded or incapable in the workplace. Once, a colleague offered to help him take food at a company buffet, before patiently telling him where each item on the plate was positioned. “The chicken was at 3pm, the rice was at 6pm, and the tofu was placed at 9pm,” said Mr Lim. "Nobody has done that for me before." Ms Tan, the freelance tutor, said it was fundamentally about employers being more open to hiring PWDs. "We need to be given a chance,” she said. The value and the benefits of hiring PWDs are "not very well-known”, said SG Enable's Ms Lee. “But studies have shown that workplaces that hire PWDs often experience a shift towards stronger culture and organisational performance.” At Siloso Beach Resort on Sentosa island, employees Anthony Saminathan and Jason Karthikgesan Raja pointed out how their PWD colleagues don't complain about the workload, listen to instructions well and have a good attendance record. More than 30 per cent of the hotel's workforce are PWDs with a range of conditions and in roles such as dishwashing, housekeeping and food and beverage service. “Whenever I need help, I go to one of them first because they’re always very willing to give their best effort,” Mr Raja said. “There was an employee under me that didn’t speak much, apart from a few words. But I encouraged him every day. He came up to me one day and asked me out for dinner in a full sentence, and I cried. I will always remember that experience.” Mr Saminathan also recalled how he once had a PWD colleague video-call him at 11pm from Malaysia, asking if he wanted some souvenirs. “You need to be patient with them to understand how to better help them at their jobs," he said. "They’ll show you a lot of love and treat you well once you form a bond.”

Reiterates Commitment to Investing in America to Lower Grocery Prices, Raise Associate Wages, and Support Local Communities Highlights Resilience of Value Creation Model and Strong Momentum to Drive Long-term, Sustainable Growth Board of Directors Authorizes $7.5B Share Repurchase Program including $5B Accelerated Share Repurchase CINCINNATI , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR ) today terminated its merger agreement with Albertsons after the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon granted the Federal Trade Commission's request for a preliminary injunction to block the proposed merger. After reviewing options, the company determined it is no longer in its best interests to pursue the merger. "Kroger is moving forward from a position of strength. Our go-to-market strategy provides exceptional value and unique omnichannel experiences to our customers which powers our value creation model. We look forward to accelerating our flywheel to grow our alternative profit businesses and generate increased cash flows. The strength of our balance sheet and sustainability of our model allows us to pursue a variety of growth opportunities, including further investment in our store network through new stores and remodels, which will be an important part of our 8 – 11% TSR model over time," said Rodney McMullen , Kroger's Chairman and CEO. America's Grocer is Committed to Lowering Grocery Prices & Investing in Associates "Kroger has an extraordinary track record of investing in America," said McMullen. "We are at our best when we serve others – our customers, associates, and communities – and we take seriously our responsibility to provide great value by consistently lowering prices and offering more choices. When we do this, more customers shop with us and buy more groceries, which allows us to reinvest in even lower prices, a better shopping experience and higher wages. We know this model works because we've been doing it successfully for many years, and this is exactly what we will continue to do." Kroger's ongoing investments in America include: $5 billion in lower prices since 2003 $2.4 billion in incremental wage increases on top of industry-leading benefits since 2018, a 38% increase in average hourly rate, while growing opportunities for a largely unionized grocery workforce $3.6 - $3.8 billion in annual capital investments to build new and remodel stores, food processing and other facilities, improve the customer experience and create additional job opportunities $2.3 billion to support local communities through charitable giving since 2017, including $1.5 billion to feed hungry families "I appreciate our associates who remained focused on taking care of our customers, communities and each other throughout the merger process," added McMullen. Share Repurchase Program Including Accelerated Share Repurchases Now that Kroger has terminated the merger agreement, the company is ready to deploy its capacity. With its strengthened balance sheet, Kroger will resume share repurchases after a more than two-year pause. Since announcing the merger, Kroger used its strong free cash flow and debt financing to build meaningful balance sheet capacity while maintaining its investment-grade rating. Kroger's Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the repurchase of up to $7.5 billion of common stock. The new repurchase authorization replaces Kroger's existing $1 billion authorization which was approved in September 2022 . Kroger intends to enter an accelerated share repurchase ("ASR") agreement for the repurchase of approximately $5 billion of common stock. "Our strong balance sheet and free cash flows position us to deliver on our commitment to grow the business and return capital to shareholders, maintaining capacity to invest in lower prices and higher associate wages," McMullen said. Kroger expects to continue to generate strong free cash flow and remains committed to its capital allocation priorities including maintaining its current investment grade debt rating, investing in the business to drive long-term sustainable net earnings growth, and returning excess free cash flow to shareholders via share repurchases and a growing dividend over time, subject to board approval. Looking forward, Kroger plans to host an Investor Day event in late spring of 2025 to share an update on its strategic priorities, future growth prospects and long-term financial outlook. Merger Debt Redemption In connection with the termination of the merger agreement, Kroger will begin the process of redeeming the $4.7 billion of its senior notes issued on August 27, 2024 , that include a special mandatory redemption provision in accordance with their terms. The notes will be redeemed at a redemption price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the special mandatory redemption date. Termination of Exchange Offers In connection with the termination of the merger agreement, Kroger has also elected to terminate its previously announced offers to exchange (collectively, the "Exchange Offers") any and all outstanding notes (the "ACI Notes") issued by Albertsons Companies, Inc., New Albertsons, L.P., Safeway Inc., Albertson's LLC, Albertsons Safeway LLC and American Stores Company, LLC (collectively, the "ACI Issuing Entities"), for up to $7,441,608,000 aggregate principal amount of new notes to be issued by Kroger and cash. Kroger has also elected to terminate the related solicitation of consents (the "Consent Solicitation" and, together with the Exchange Offer, the "Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation") on behalf of the ACI Issuing Entities to adopt certain proposed amendments to the indentures governing the ACI Notes (the "ACI Indentures"). As a result of the Exchange Offer being terminated, the total consideration, including any consent fee, will not be paid or become payable to holders of the ACI Notes who have validly tendered and not validly withdrawn their ACI Notes for exchange in the Exchange Offer, and the ACI Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be promptly returned to the tendering holders. As a result of the Consent Solicitation being terminated, the proposed amendments to the ACI Indentures and the supplemental indentures previously entered into reflecting such proposed amendments will not become operative. About the Exchange Offers Global Bondholder Services Corporation served as exchange agent and information agent for the now terminated Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation. You should direct questions and requests for assistance to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (855) 654-2015 (toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (banks and brokers), or by email at [email protected] . About Kroger At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR ), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human SpiritTM. We are, across our family of companies nearly 414,000 associates who serve over eleven million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names , serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" about Kroger's financial position and the future performance of the company. These statements are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "achieve," "committed," "confidence," "continue," "deliver," "expect," "future," "guidance," "model," "outlook," "strategy," "target," "trends," "well-positioned," and variations of such words and similar phrases. Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for our last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as the following: Kroger's ability to achieve sales, earnings, incremental FIFO operating profit, and adjusted free cash flow goals may be affected by: the termination of the merger agreement and our proposed transaction with Albertsons and related divestiture plan; labor negotiations; potential work stoppages; changes in the unemployment rate; pressures in the labor market; changes in government-funded benefit programs; changes in the types and numbers of businesses that compete with Kroger; pricing and promotional activities of existing and new competitors, and the aggressiveness of that competition; Kroger's response to these actions; the state of the economy, including interest rates, the inflationary, disinflationary and/or deflationary trends and such trends in certain commodities, products and/or operating costs; the geopolitical environment including wars and conflicts; unstable political situations and social unrest; changes in tariffs; the effect that fuel costs have on consumer spending; volatility of fuel margins; manufacturing commodity costs; supply constraints; diesel fuel costs related to Kroger's logistics operations; trends in consumer spending; the extent to which Kroger's customers exercise caution in their purchasing in response to economic conditions; the uncertainty of economic growth or recession; stock repurchases; changes in the regulatory environment in which Kroger operates, along with changes in federal policy and at regulatory agencies; Kroger's ability to retain pharmacy sales from third party payors; consolidation in the healthcare industry, including pharmacy benefit managers; Kroger's ability to negotiate modifications to multi-employer pension plans; natural disasters or adverse weather conditions; the effect of public health crises or other significant catastrophic events; the potential costs and risks associated with potential cyber-attacks or data security breaches; the success of Kroger's future growth plans; the ability to execute our growth strategy and value creation model, including continued cost savings, growth of our alternative profit businesses, and our ability to better serve our customers and to generate customer loyalty and sustainable growth through our strategic pillars of fresh, our brands, personalization, and seamless; the successful integration of merged companies and new strategic collaborations; and the risks relating to or arising from our proposed nationwide opioid litigation settlement, including our ability to finalize and effectuate the settlement, the scope and coverage of the ultimate settlement and the expected financial or other impacts that could result from the settlement. Our ability to achieve these goals may also be affected by our ability to manage the factors identified above. Our ability to execute our financial strategy may be affected by our ability to generate cash flow. Kroger assumes no obligation to update the information contained herein unless required by applicable law. Please refer to Kroger's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties. SOURCE The Kroger Co.NFL will consider replay assist for facemask penalties

New York, NY, Dec. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In an era where customer expectations are higher than ever and the need for quick, accurate information is paramount, Goldmarketer.com has taken a groundbreaking step in transforming the landscape of online financial services. The platform, a long-established leader in digital gold and financial derivatives, has unveiled the world's first 24-hour AI intelligent customer service, setting a new standard for how financial platforms can deliver efficient, personalized support to users worldwide. A Game-Changer for Financial Services Goldmarketer.com, a comprehensive internet-based financial platform, has long been a trusted name in the world of digital gold trading, foreign exchange (forex), cryptocurrency, stocks, ETFs, and other financial instruments. With years of experience and a wide range of advanced products, Goldmarketer has always been at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technology into its operations. The launch of its 24-hour AI-powered customer service is a major milestone, not just for Goldmarketer but for the entire financial services industry. As digital platforms become increasingly integrated into daily financial management, the need for immediate, precise, and round-the-clock support is growing. Recognizing this shift, Goldmarketer.com has leveraged the power of artificial intelligence to ensure that users have access to real-time assistance, whenever they need it. Why AI-Powered Customer Service? Traditional customer support models in the financial industry, particularly those dealing with complex and diverse products like forex, crypto, and digital gold, often struggle to provide quick responses or address inquiries effectively. This can lead to frustration among users, especially during critical trading moments when every second counts. Goldmarketer.com's AI intelligent customer service is designed to tackle these challenges by using advanced algorithms and machine learning to handle a wide array of customer inquiries, from basic account-related questions to more complex financial transactions. The system can interpret user queries in real-time, offering highly relevant and accurate responses in a fraction of a second. Whether it's assisting with forex trading strategies, providing updates on cryptocurrency prices, or offering guidance on ETF investments, the AI system ensures that users receive precise, helpful support without delay. The Power of 24-Hour Availability In today's fast-paced financial environment, markets operate around the clock. Forex trading and cryptocurrency exchanges, for example, never sleep. For active traders, this means that support needs to be available at any time, regardless of time zone. Goldmarketer.com's AI-powered customer service is a game-changer because it operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Users can access help no matter where they are or what time it is, eliminating the need to wait for human agents to become available. The platform's AI is capable of handling a wide range of common queries automatically, but it also seamlessly escalates more complex issues to human agents when necessary. This hybrid approach ensures that users get both the speed and the personalized attention they need, while still benefiting from the efficiency of AI. How It Works Goldmarketer.com's AI-powered customer service is integrated directly into the platform, accessible via the website, mobile app, and other user interfaces. When users encounter an issue or have a question, they simply type or speak their query into the system. The AI then processes the request using natural language processing (NLP) to understand the intent behind the query, before providing an answer or taking action. In cases where the query requires a more nuanced response or specialized knowledge, the AI will prompt the user to either schedule a call with a human agent or continue the conversation in more detail. The AI system can handle inquiries in multiple languages, ensuring that Goldmarketer's global user base receives support in their native language, enhancing accessibility and user experience. Benefits for Users Instant Support: With AI handling requests around the clock, users no longer need to wait for business hours or deal with long response times. Enhanced Accuracy: Powered by machine learning, the AI continuously improves its ability to understand and address user needs, reducing the chances of human error. Scalable Assistance: Whether there's a spike in user activity or a steady stream of queries, the AI is designed to scale seamlessly, ensuring that every user gets the help they need without delay. Global Reach: The 24-hour availability and multilingual support mean that users across the world-no matter where they are-can receive expert guidance whenever they need it. Personalized Experience: The AI is not just a generic response tool; it's designed to learn from interactions, offering tailored recommendations and personalized insights based on a user's trading habits and preferences. Looking Ahead: The Future of Financial Platforms The integration of AI in customer service is just one of many ways Goldmarketer.com is embracing technological innovation to improve user experience. With the financial industry increasingly turning to automation and AI to streamline processes, Goldmarketer.com is leading the way with its smart customer service system. Looking ahead, the platform plans to expand the capabilities of its AI system to offer even more sophisticated tools for users, from automated trading insights to personalized portfolio management suggestions. By continually evolving its technology, Goldmarketer aims to remain at the forefront of the digital finance revolution. Conclusion Goldmarketer.com's launch of the world's first 24-hour AI intelligent customer service represents a significant step forward in the evolution of online financial platforms. As the demand for instantaneous, accurate, and round-the-clock support grows, this innovative feature positions Goldmarketer as not just a platform for digital gold and financial derivatives, but as a pioneer in the future of customer service in the financial industry. With AI at the helm, users can expect a smoother, more efficient experience-no matter the time of day or night. Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Jack Levin support at goldmarketer.comIowa turns to former walk-on QB to start against MarylandCouncil approves by-law amendment for less parking in new affordable housing project

Romania's far-right candidate Calin Georgescu on Saturday urged voters to go to polling stations despite the country's top court having scrapped the presidential elections over alleged irregularities amid claims of Russian interference. The court's shock ruling, coming just before the presidential run-off which had been due Sunday, opens the way for a new electoral process starting from scratch in the EU and NATO member state bordering war-torn Ukraine. The annulment follows a spate of intelligence documents declassified by the presidency this week detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including claims of "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks. Georgescu -- who unexpectedly topped last month's first round of voting -- called for voters on Sunday "to wait to be welcomed, to wait for democracy to win through their power", said a statement from his team. "Mr. Calin Georgescu believes that voting is an earned right," said the statement. "That is why he believes that Romanians have the right to be in front of the polling stations tomorrow." Georgescu himself would go to a polling station near Bucharest at 0600 GMT, said his team. Earlier Saturday, police raided three houses in Brasov city in central Romania as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery". Among the houses searched was that of businessman Bogdan Peschir, a TikTok user who according to the declassified documents allegedly paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu, Romanian media reported. Peschir has compared his support for Georgescu to the world's richest man Elon Musk's backing of US president-elect Donald Trump. Little-known outsider Georgescu, a 62-year-old former senior civil servant, was favourite to win the second round on Sunday against centrist pro-EU mayor Elena Lasconi, 52, according to several polls. But the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process as it was "marred... by multiple irregularities and violations of electoral legislation". President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that he had discussed with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, and they agreed on the "need to strengthen the security of social media". The European Commission announced earlier this week that it had stepped up monitoring TikTok after Romania's authorities alleged "preferential treatment" of Georgescu on the platform -- a claim the company has denied. Following the court's decision, the United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions and called for a "peaceful democratic process". Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on X branded the vote's cancellation an "attempt at rigging the outcome" and "denying the will of the people". Georgescu called it "a formalised coup d'etat" and said democracy was "under attack". His team on Saturday declined to comment on the raids, saying they "will not comment or provide answers until we have exact data". Georgescu and another far-right party, the AUR, have said they plan to appeal the decision to stop the voting to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. A past admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Georgescu, an EU and NATO sceptic, in recent days had reframed himself as "ultra pro-Trump," vowing to put Romania "on the world map" and cut aid for neighbouring Ukraine. In an interview with US broadcaster Sky News on Saturday, Georgescu said there were no links between him and Russia. Political scientist Costin Ciobanu told AFP that the annulment has "further polarised Romanian society". With trust in institutions and the ruling class already low, the vote's cancellation poses a "major danger that Romanians will think that it doesn't matter how they vote", Ciobanu added. Elsewhere in the EU, Austria annulled presidential elections in 2016 because of procedural irregularities. In Romania, a new government is expected to set another date for the presidential vote. In last weekend's legislative elections, the ruling Social Democrats came top. But far-right parties made big gains, securing an unprecedented third of the ballots on mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in Ukraine. In a joint appeal on Wednesday, the Social Democrats and three other pro-EU parties -- together making up an absolute majority in parliament -- signed an agreement to form a coalition, promising "stability". bur-jza/jj

If finding the right present and making sure the recipient gets it on time leaves you feeling anxious, you’re not alone. More than half of Americans say that gift-giving stresses them out . Concerns about on-time delivery are so common that people share holiday deadlines for each shipping service . And in the event that you can’t meet these deadlines, there are now handy etiquette guides offering advice for how to inform the recipient. If you’ve sent late gifts thanks to shipping delays , depleted stocks or even good old-fashioned procrastination , our new research may offer some welcome news. In a series of studies that will soon be published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology , we found that people overestimate the negative consequences of sending a late gift. Why do people tend to overestimate these consequences? Our findings indicate that when people give presents, they pay more attention to norms about gifting than the recipients do. For example, other researchers have found that people tend to be reluctant to give used products as presents because there’s a norm that gifts should be new. In reality, though, many people are often open to receiving used stuff. We found that this mismatch also applies to beliefs about the importance of timing. Many people worry that a late gift will signal that they don’t care about the recipient. They then fear their relationship will suffer. In reality, though, these fears are largely unfounded. Gift recipients are much less worried about when the gift arrives. Unfortunately, aside from causing unnecessary worry, being overly sensitive about giving a late present can also influence the gift you choose to buy. A U.S. Postal Service worker places packages on a parcel sorting machine on Dec. 12, 2022. Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images To test how lateness concerns affect gift choice, we conducted an online study before Mother’s Day in 2021. We had 201 adults participate in a raffle. They could choose to send their mother either a cheaper gift basket that would arrive in time for the occasion or a more expensive one that would arrive late. Concerns about lateness led nearly 70 per cent of the participants to choose the less expensive and more prompt option. In another study, we conducted the same kind of raffle for Father’s Day and got similar results. Aside from finding that people will choose inferior items to ensure speedier delivery, we also found that givers may feel that they can compensate for lateness with effort. In another online study of 805 adults, we discovered that participants were less likely to expect a late delivery to damage a relationship if they signaled their care for the recipient in a different way. For example, they believed that putting an item together by hand, versus purchasing it preassembled, could compensate for a present being belated. If sending something late isn’t as bad as expected, you may wonder whether it’s OK to simply not send anything at all. We’d caution against going that route. In another online study of 903 participants, we found that recipients believed that not receiving anything at all was more likely to harm a relationship than receiving something as much as two months late. That is, late is better than never as far as those receiving gifts are concerned. You may want to keep that in mind, even if that new gaming console , action figure or virtual reality headset is sold out this holiday season. It could still be a welcome surprise if it arrives in January or February. Rebecca Walker Reczek _, Professor of Marketing, The Ohio State University_ Cory Haltman , Ph.D. Candidate in Marketing, The Ohio State University Grant Donnelly, Assistant Professor of Marketing, The Ohio State University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .Taoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100

House approves $895B defense bill with military pay raise, ban on transgender care for minors