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NEW YORK : Netflix shares were on track for a fifth consecutive gain on Friday and set for their biggest weekly percentage rise since January, after the streaming media company's popular boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. The stock was last up 0.2 per cent at $899.06, off its intraday record high of $908 on Thursday. It has risen every session since the Nov. 15 fight, taking the stock up more than 9 per cent for the week. Several brokerages this week raised their price targets on the stock, including BofA Global Research, which on Thursday bumped up its price target to $1,000 from $800. Netflix said on Tuesday that 108 million people worldwide watched the match between Paul, a 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prize-fighter, and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson. The event, which Paul won, was streamed live on Netflix. Jefferies analysts, which also raised their 12-month target on Netflix to $1,000 this week, wrote in a note on Monday that the event was "a major breakthrough for NFLX's live events strategy." The median 12-month price target on Netflix is $800, with 31 analysts rating the stock a "buy" or "strong buy," 14 rating it a "hold," and two analysts rating it a "sell," according to LSEG data. Kenneth Leon, vice president and senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, wrote in a note this week: "NFLX is flexing its streaming capability with select live sporting events that draw from a global subscriber base." "Advertising is still in the early stages, but is expected to be a revenue driver by 2026," Leon noted. CFRA also raised its price target on Netflix. Including the session move, the stock is up roughly 85 per cent for the year.

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The arrival of a new model year is a chance for manufacturers to debut their latest creations, and the 2025 model year has seen a particularly strong showing from some of the biggest names in the industry. Alongside a number of brand-new nameplates, several well-known models have seen overhauls for 2025, offering new styling, new tech, and revised powertrains. It's a great year for SUV buyers, as almost every category within the segment sees at least one new model, from luxurious family haulers down to entry-level crossovers. With so many new models on offer, it's tough to stand out from the crowd. As a result, manufacturers must keep stepping up their game to draw attention away from their rivals. These 14 cars have all received major updates for 2025, with many being all-new for the coming model year. They hail from a diverse range of manufacturers, so there's something to get excited about whether you prefer German performance or all-American luxury. The 2025 Infiniti QX80 has a tough job. It has a lot of competition, both from well-established luxury SUV nameplates and some newer, more recent entries into the segment. Plus, we felt the previous generation was overshadowed somewhat by the QX80's platform sibling, the Nissan Armada. The latter was significantly cheaper, yet with the same underpinnings, powertrain, and a surprisingly upscale interior in top-spec form, it felt much better for money. The 2025 model gets an overhaul to tackle this competition, both in terms of its exterior styling and in terms of its interior luxury and tech features. In top trims, the front row seats get a Klipsch audio system that wraps around the headrest, which is certainly a unique innovation even if its appearance is one that might take some getting used to. Upgraded touchscreens are also dotted around the cabin, and there are massage seats for the rear passengers. The elephant in the room is that the Nissan Armada also receives an upgrade for the 2025 model year and still offers far better value for money — the QX80 starts in the mid-$80k range and can stretch up to six figures. Still, Infiniti has done a much better job than before of providing reasons for buyers to cough up the extra cash, even if plenty of buyers will still likely be tempted away by its German, Japanese, and American competition. At the polar opposite end of the Nissan SUV stable sits the Nissan Kicks , the brand's entry-level crossover that's designed with first-time buyers in mind. For 2025, the Kicks gets a full makeover, with its new styling being the most immediately noticeable difference. It's a bolder look than before, one that borrows from the brand's bigger SUVs more than its predecessor, and the new shape is designed to translate into a more spacious interior, too. Only one engine option is available for 2025: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 141 horsepower, which SlashGear's tester found more than capable of hauling the little Kicks around the varied roads of California. The car's infotainment system is also upgraded, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen available in higher trims. Nissan's Safety Shield 360 driver assistance package comes standard across all trims. The new suite of upgrades hasn't resulted in a significantly higher price, with the 2025 Kicks starting at just under $22,000 for the front-wheel drive variant and just under $24,000 for the new all-wheel drive variant. Already a strong-selling model in the brand's lineup, the latest iteration of the Chevrolet Equinox takes what the outgoing car did best and improves on it. New family-friendly features are available across all trims, including the Teen Driver feature, which logs the driving habits of new and trainee drivers so that parents can check up on them. A new set of driver assistance features is also available to keep both new and experienced drivers safe during everyday journeys. The car is powered by a 175 horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, which provides adequate grunt, although our reviewer wasn't entirely sold on its soundtrack, nor its efficiency figures. All-wheel drive is available — although base-spec variants come with front-wheel drive — and with the former, the Equinox is capable of trailering up 1,500 pounds. Pricing for lower trims remains competitive for the segment, with the base trim starting at a hair under $30,000 (excluding fees). However, higher-spec Equinox trims can seriously add up, with SlashGear's test vehicle sporting a sticker price of just over $38,000. Available in various grades to suit family-oriented and off-road buyers, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner is a welcome update to the long-running model. Two powertrain options are offered: a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque and a hybrid option with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque on tap. Upon stepping inside the car, buyers will find that the cabin is also upgraded, with a smattering of new tech , including a new infotainment touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay — both wireless — are now also supported as standard. Buyers looking for the most all-terrain capable version of the 4Runner will gravitate towards the Trailhunter trim, which incorporates parts from leading aftermarket suppliers like Old Man Emu and ARB. TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro are also offered alongside the new Trailhunter trim. Also making its debut on the latest generation 4Runner is the luxurious Platinum trim, which adds extras like a head-up display, heated seats for the second row, and a tow package as standard. That's in addition to all the niceties available on the Limited trim, which now acts as the second most luxurious in the 2025 4Runner lineup. As of this writing, Toyota has yet to disclose the new model's pricing. Night Vision might sound like a gadget from a classic spy thriller, but in this case, it's actually just one of the many new features available on the 2025 GMC Yukon. The Night Vision system includes a thermal imaging camera that detects pedestrians or animals that might be near the car at night, then automatically flags them up to the driver. GM's Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving feature is also available on the new model, as well as other useful features such as the Transparent Trailer View, which uses a camera mounted on the trailer to provide a live feed of the rearview. Various other bits of trailer tech are also new for 2025, including a jackknife alert system. This new steering assist feature covers the car, trailer, and a trailer tire monitoring system. Further new features include a new AT4 Ultimate trim, which adds extras like a front skid plate and adaptive air suspension alongside a plusher interior with generous lashings of wood and leather trim. None of this comes cheap though since the Yukon starts at just under $70,000 and stretches past $100,000 for the most expensive trims. Options can push that price even higher. Benefitting from an all-new design for 2025 , the Lincoln Navigator offers plenty of new features to justify its six-figure starting price. Described by the brand as a "spa on wheels," it debuts with what's essentially a zen mode that allows drivers the chance to recline their seats and relax while the car is parked. Ambient lighting, a soundtrack of nature recordings such as waterfalls, and built-in scent dispensers all aim to provide a temporary moment of calm for the driver — fittingly, the car also comes with a one-year subscription to "Calm," a meditation and mindfulness app. Once they're suitably relaxed, drivers can get back on the road and make full use of the Navigator's impressive towing capacity and burly powertrain, which boasts 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. Four-wheel drive comes as standard, but this is no off-road beast. It's designed to remain firmly on the asphalt, and as such features Ford's Blue Cruise hands-free driving technology for those long highway drives. The Navigator doesn't skimp on luxury, with leather and wood trim throughout the cabin and a 48-inch infotainment display that stretches across the cabin. The driver benefits from a 24-way power adjustable seat in standard trims, but splash out for the Black Label trim, and that figure is upped to 30-way adjustment. The new split tailgate design is a nod to everyday practicality, but really, the Navigator is all about providing maximum luxury to those who can afford it. Buyer interest in hybrid cars has spiked in recent years, and automakers have responded accordingly. BMW is one such automaker and has given the new 2025 BMW X3 two new mild hybrid powertrains, with a hybrid 3.0-liter V6 and hybrid, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder on offer. The former boasts a combined 393 horsepower, while the latter offers 255 horsepower. Revised engines aren't the only new change — the X3 has also been given a styling overhaul, plus an updated cabin that includes a large, curved display. The display incorporates both the instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen and runs on BMW's Android-based Operating System 9. This system can play games while the car is stationary thanks to BMW's partnership with AirConsole. Various driver assistance systems can also be controlled via the screen, but the available head-up display shouldn't get too distracting while on the road. The base-spec X3 starts around $50,000, while the X3 M50 xDrive costs around $65,000. Revised with new technology and trims for 2025, the Nissan Armada gains plenty in its latest iteration. It also loses a little — most notably, two cylinders from its engine. The new powertrain is a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, replacing the outgoing model's V8 engine. Despite that, the 2025 Armada is more powerful than before, offering 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. That added power helps boost towing capacity to 8,500 pounds. One of the biggest gains for the new Armada is the addition of the PRO-4X trim, which toughens up the car and offers a choice of eight drive modes to effectively deal with all kinds of terrain. Various new cameras are also fitted to provide better awareness of the surrounding area when dealing with rougher terrain, with those cameras controllable via one of the two 14.3-inch touchscreens. Lower trims receive a slightly smaller pair of 12.3-inch touchscreens. The Armada is also roomier than before, offering 24% more cargo space behind the third row than the outgoing model, according to Nissan. There's certainly a lot to like, and the car's starting price of $56,250 (excluding fees) means that buying one doesn't have to break the bank. However, top spec models become significantly pricier, with the Armada Platinum Reserve 4-by-4 starting at $79,990, excluding fees. Alongside its Chevy-branded cousin, the Equinox, the GMC Terrain gets a new set of features and a new look for the latest model year. The car's safety tech suite sees a particularly big upgrade, with new features including enhanced steering assistance, an automatic braking system that detects pedestrians and cyclists, and a side cyclist alert. Also new are the infotainment and driver information screens, which clocks in at 15 inches and 11 inches, respectively. The new look of the Terrain is intended to more closely align with the brand's larger models, specifically its truck range. However, its engine won't deliver truck-like performance — it's only 1.5 liters in displacement and can tow a maximum of 1,500 pounds. Later in 2025, GMC also intends to launch AT4 and Denali trims for the Terrain, but these will be launched as 2026 models. Pricing starts at just over $31,000 (excluding fees) for the front-wheel drive version, while all-wheel drive variants command a further $2,000 premium. Both the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe full-size SUV siblings have been subject to a recent redesign, with those changes launched for the 2025 model year. SlashGear took both for a drive earlier in 2024 and came away impressed with the latest improvements, with our reviewer finding them to be more refined on the road than before and significantly more competitive in terms of tech. The Chevy twins have been given facelifts too although they're both less drastic makeovers than some of the other redesigned cars here. The Suburban and Tahoe's cavernous interiors and potent powertrains remain present and correct, although there's a small change for the latter — the turbodiesel option is now more powerful than before thanks to a suite of revised parts. Chevy has done a solid job of improving the outgoing car without changing any existing aspects of its appeal, including their MSRPs. Prices can vary considerably between model and trim, but both start from under $65,000, excluding fees. Alongside revamping its entry-level Kicks and family-sized Armada, Nissan has also given its mid-range Murano an overhaul for 2025. The list of changes is familiar to the brand's other models: there's new tech, new driver assistance features, and a revised design both inside and out. The engine has also been tweaked, with all 2025 Muranos featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with slightly more torque than the previous generation. Two 12.3-inch displays are now standard across all trims, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The latest version of Nissan's ProPilot Assist driver assistance suite is also offered. The tech upgrades don't end there — Nissan has added ambient lighting, a head-up display, and two new camera modes to better compete with its upscale competitors, alongside extras like heated front seats with massage functionality. Pricing for the full range has yet to be disclosed as of this writing, although it's not expected to differ significantly from the 2024 model, which starts around $40,000. Audi's long-running Q5 nameplate receives a new generation for the 2025 model year,although American buyers miss out on a few tweaks from which international markets benefit. The Q5 is available with a hybrid powertrain in other markets, but it's not offered in America. Instead, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is the sole powerplant offered for the Q5. Buyers of the SQ5 get a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine under the hood. Engines, of course, only form part of the equation, as one of the biggest selling points of any new car is its onboard tech. Two screens come as standard, an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch infotainment screen, and a third screen for the front-seat passenger can also be optioned. The SUV's family hauling credentials remain unchanged, with Audi noting that cargo capacity improves over the outgoing car. Depending upon trim, a range of 18-inch to 21-inch wheels are available, with the SQ5 the only variant to receive the latter. Drivers who need maximum space and capability will find the Blue Oval's full-size SUV new and improved for 2025, including the launch of a new Tremor trim for all-terrain adventures. The Expedition Tremor features a 440 horsepower 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and a higher 10.6-inch ground clearance, alongside revised suspension and extra plating to prevent wayward rocks from damaging the underside of the SUV. All other trims aside from the Tremor receive a 400 horsepower variant of the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 instead. Elsewhere, a new tailgate design opens both downwards and upwards and can hold a maximum of 500 pounds, and a new 24-inch display sits high on the dash to prevent the driver needing to take their eyes off the road. BlueCruise is also available on the majority of Expedition trims. A small but useful feature debuting on the Expedition is a device holder for the seat headrests, which replaces the need for built-in entertainment screens. Rear seat passengers can secure their tablets or smartphones straight to the headrest in front of them, with the clamp adjustable to all common device sizes. It's just one example of the appealing new features introduced for 2025, and there are plenty more. Pricing is just as competitive as the Expedition's feature list, with base trims starting at $61,700 excluding fees. Buick has been updating its entire lineup with new styling and interior tech over the course of several years, and for 2025, it's the Enclave's turn to get a glow up. Its new look is a significant departure from the styling of the 2024 model, but is more closely in line with the brand's other recently refreshed cars. It's arguably a much needed upgrade to boot, as the older model looked notably dated compared to Buick's smaller SUVs. Those looks no doubt contributed to its status as one of the worst cars on the market for retaining value over time , an unfortunate title that Buick will no doubt be looking to shake with the latest Enclave. The flagship SUV receives Super Cruise for 2025, alongside a new 30-inch driver display and various new driver assistance features including road sign assist and revised automatic emergency braking. Niceties like a 12-speaker Bose audio system and a power liftgate are included as standard, while upgrading to the top-spec Avenir trim gets a further suite of extras. A head-up display is one of them, alongside ventilated front seats and a panoramic sunroof. They don't come cheap though: the base-spec Preferred trim starts at $46,395 excluding fees, while the Avenir stretches past the $60,000 mark in all-wheel drive form.

Rams can take huge step toward NFC West title by avenging 31-point loss to CardinalsLabor backbencher Josh Burns says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton intervened to stop Liberal senator James Paterson from reading his statement in response to the Melbourne synagogue firebombing, after the Jewish MP lost his voice. Burns is the member from Macnamara, the electorate that contains the Adass Israel Synagogue targeted by a firebombing on Friday, and held a joint press conference that morning with Paterson as a show of unity. Josh Burns (centre right) claims James Paterson (speaking) agreed to read out his words before Peter Dutton intervened. Credit: Arsineh Houspian Burns said on Radio National on Tuesday that Paterson had agreed to read out a statement on his behalf expressing devastation at the attack and condemning antisemitism. “Unfortunately, right before we got on ... Peter Dutton told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out my words,” Burns said. “I wanted to stand out with James and present a united front on this. And Peter Dutton decided that it was more important to play partisan games than to allow my words that I physically couldn’t speak to be read out.” Loading Burns’ statement was instead read by the president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Daniel Aghion. “The attack was a disgrace and extremely dangerous,” Burns said via Aghion. “The rise in anti-Semitism in Australia is shocking and it needs to stop. I’m standing here with James because we need to confront this together. I hope those injured make a full recovery and may those who committed the crime feel the full force of the law.” Paterson, the opposition’s home affairs spokesman, issued a brief written statement in response.

After President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, South Koreans of all ages have poured into the streets to send a message: There is no going back to the military rule and repression of the 1980s. A noodle vendor calls the incident embarrassing. A taxi driver says he regrets voting for Mr. Yoon. An IT professional says the president’s apology on Saturday was too little, too late. Even Mr. Yoon’s backers – less than 20% of South Koreans now, polls show – stress he must protect democratic institutions. “These incidents tell us that people are internalizing democratic norms,” says Myunghee Lee, a political scientist focused on East Asia. But South Koreans are also expressing frustration over the political gridlock that preceded the martial law attempt. And the crisis of legitimacy unleashed by Mr. Yoon must still be resolved, with the president surviving an impeachment vote this weekend after members of his party walked out. Park Jung Min, a shipping company worker from the southern city of Geoje, traveled five hours to attend a rally Saturday calling for the president’s removal – her first political protest. She says she’ll make the trip to Seoul again this week. “Our national character is we never give up,” she says. At Seoul’s traditional Namdaemun market, vendor Jang Chang Suk closely guards her knife-cut noodle recipe – but freely dishes out her views on South Korea’s current political crisis. “It’s embarrassing,” she says of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law Dec. 3, which has plunged the country into turmoil. But Ms. Jang’s dismay is matched by confidence that her fellow citizens will uphold South Korea’s democracy. “South Koreans are good people. They have it together – they’re on it,” she says, slicing fresh wheat dough with quick strokes of a cleaver and wiping her hands on her flower-print apron. In contrast, she says, “the government is lagging behind.” Indeed, across South Korea, people of all ages have poured into the streets in massive numbers in recent days to send the message that there is no going back to military rule and its dark legacy of repression from the 1980s. Even Mr. Yoon’s backers – less than 20% of South Koreans now, polls show – stress he must protect democratic institutions. “These incidents tell us that people are internalizing democratic norms,” says Myunghee Lee, an assistant professor at James Madison College of Michigan State University. “The absolute red line is using the military to suppress the opposition. That is not acceptable.” Still, Dr. Lee, a political scientist focused on East Asia, says the country’s democratic system has a long way to go. While buoyed by their success in drawing that line, many South Koreans are also expressing frustration over political gridlock that preceded the martial law attempt. And the crisis of legitimacy unleashed by Mr. Yoon must still be resolved, with the embattled president surviving an impeachment vote this weekend. “South Korean democracy is at a ceiling,” she says. So far, “it’s not breaking that ceiling.” In a bustling, concrete-and-glass coffee shop in downtown Seoul, IT professional Je Min Hwang pauses when asked who he’d favor to lead South Korea. He backs the opposition center-left Democratic Party, but its leader, Lee Jae-myung, is “not 100% clean” either, Mr. Hwang says. Mr. Lee was convicted last month by a Seoul court for violating election laws, a ruling he says he’ll appeal. An even bigger concern for Mr. Hwang is the polarizing, acrimonious campaign led by Mr. Lee since his party expanded its parliamentary majority in April to discredit Mr. Yoon and his ruling People Power Party (PPP). “They are butting heads,” Mr. Hwang says of South Korea’s two leading political parties. “There should be compromise.” The desire for less contentious politics is widespread among South Koreans. An Jung Min, a clothing importer, says he dislikes both Mr. Lee and Mr. Yoon, and voted for neither of them in the 2022 presidential election, which Mr. Yoon won by a razor-thin margin. “The current president doesn’t know how to negotiate or collaborate – he’s very stubborn,” says Mr. Min. As both sides dug in, Mr. Yoon drastically escalated the showdown on Dec. 3 by declaring martial law – banning all political activities and threatening violators with arrest, putting all media under military control, and prohibiting rallies. Mr. Lee immediately rushed to the National Assembly building – climbing a wall to get in as troops tried to seal off the parliament – and led a vote to oppose military rule. A few hours later, Mr. Yoon backed down and lifted the order. The public backlash and political fallout have been swift and catastrophic for Mr. Yoon. Last Thursday, then-Defense Minister Kim Jong-Hyun resigned, only to be arrested on Sunday for his role in the martial law decision. Military commanders distanced themselves from Mr. Yoon, testifying that the martial law attempt was rushed and disorganized, and military veterans – many of whom had supported the president – turned out to condemn him. South Korea’s stock market hit a one-year low, and its currency slid to a 15-year low against the dollar on Monday, matching the political fortunes of Mr. Yoon, whose popularity rating sank into the teens. “I voted for the wrong person,” says Seoul taxi driver Mr. Shin, withholding his first name to protect his privacy. Mr. Yoon’s martial law fiasco shocked him. “This is not the 1980s – it’s 2024!” he says, referring to the 1980-to-1987 dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan, who imposed martial law and ordered the brutal crushing of a democratic uprising in May 1980. “In the old days, you could block the media and the roads. But these days, every citizen is a reporter. These days, if a soldier was ordered to shoot civilians, he would disobey.” On Saturday, facing an impeachment vote by parliament, Mr. Yoon offered a televised apology, followed by a deep bow. But many South Koreans rejected the mea culpa as too little, too late. “It lacked sincerity,” says Mr. Hwang. Ki-Soo Lee, a Seoul kindergarten staff person, was putting her 10-year-old son to bed last Tuesday when the phone rang. A friend frantically told her the president had declared martial law. “We were all asking, ‘What should we do?’” Ms. Lee recalls. Thoughts raced through her head. Her husband was in the hospital – should she leave her son at home? Overhearing, her son chimed in. “Umma,” he told her, “under the bed is the best place to hide!” Ms. Lee says she’s grateful the decree was overturned so quickly, amid large-scale protests. “I believe in the strength of the South Korean people,” she says, clasping her hands together in a sign of solidarity. Now, she says, Mr. Yoon should resign. “I want the president to realize what he did and step down. If that is not possible, the citizens of South Korea will help him step down,” she says. The next day, Ms. Lee joined more than 100,000 people from all over South Korea who thronged to the National Assembly to call for impeachment. Chanting and singing, they huddled together, lighting candles as dark descended and it grew bitterly cold. A few hundred Yoon supporters rallied nearby. As the vote neared, however, Mr. Yoon’s ruling PPP members stood up and filed out – their boycott making the vote impossible. “Go back,” the protesters chanted, calling the boycotting PPP members by name. Later, in what experts called a highly unorthodox arrangement, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said the party, together with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, were taking over responsibility for “state affairs.” Mr. Yoon would no longer be involved in governance or foreign affairs, essentially losing legitimacy while remaining president. On Monday, South Korea’s justice ministry reportedly barred Mr. Yoon from leaving the country. “The party should not be ruling, because that’s not what the Constitution says,” Dr. Lee says. “This is not great for South Korean democracy.” Many South Koreans like Park Jung Min believe Mr. Yoon must go. “Our national character is we never give up,” says Ms. Park, a shipping company worker from the southern city of Geoje who traveled by bus for five hours to come to Saturday’s rally – her first political protest. “It’s in our instinct and our blood,” she says. “I will come back [to protest] next week.”

Notable quotes by Jimmy Carter

Regrettably, 2024 was a good year for scammers. Colorado is on pace to see a bigger financial loss from scams by the end of 2024 than the nearly $190 million stolen in 2023. The mass use of artificial intelligence could be driving the surge, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s office. Long gone are the days of using clear misspellings, unprofessional website design and fishy email domains as reliable identifiers for online scams. With the recent explosion of artificial intelligence into everyday life, scammers have transitioned from using flashy pop-up advertisements to duplicating the voices of family members in fake emergency situations to extract money and information. “Artificial intelligence takes existing scam opportunities and puts them on steroids,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said. The FBI Denver Field Office reported scammers stole $187 million from nearly 11,500 Coloradans in 2023. This was an increase of nearly $9 million over the 2022 dollar amount — an upward trend that shows no signs of slowing down in 2024. In 2023, the top three schemes with the largest dollar amount losses in Colorado were investment fraud ($60 million), business email compromise ($57 million) and tech support ($23 million), according to the FBI’s report. Weiser said his office has seen a record-breaking number of scam complaints since 2019, each year greater than the last. The complaints were reported through StopFraudColorado.gov , an education outreach program in the Attorney General’s Office where Coloradans can report cases of fraud and learn about online risks. In 2019, consumers in Colorado filed 9,819 complaints and inquiries with the Consumer Protection Section in the Attorney General’s office. During 2023, the number of complaints hit 20,390. According to the FBI Denver Field Office, Colorado ranks seventh in the nation for complaints per capita. “There’s no question that the use of AI is a part of what’s driving up those scams,” Weiser said. “I hate to say this because it will be a painful occasion, but I’m bracing myself for that number to go up this year,” he added. The most common types of complaints in 2023 were for unauthorized subscriptions and retail services, professional services, automobile sales and services, and home repair services. The fifth most common complaint alerted Weiser’s office of imposter scams. He gave the example of the “grandparent scam,” which involves targeting victims who have a grandchild traveling abroad. The scammer will contact the grandparent, either by email or phone, to tell them that their grandchild is in jail in a different country and they need money right away in order to be released. The selling point comes when scammers use AI to replicate the voice of the grandchild in a phone call, making it more believable. “One of the scary parts is many people have a hard time understanding the difference between the so-called deepfakes made by AI and what’s real, and the implication of this means that everybody needs to practice constant vigilance,” Weiser said. One of the telltale signs that something is a scam is a false sense of urgency. The pressure from the scammer to “act now before things get worse” can keep people from calling appropriate family members or authorities to make sure the call is real. “Don’t trust those calls. Hang up, and then you can call the right source — the bank, for example — and ask, ‘Is there anything going on with my account, or is this a scam?'” he said. “You will have saved yourself a lot of headache and a lot of money by proceeding carefully as opposed to acting immediately.” Weiser explained that the people most vulnerable to these scams are often younger internet users who are less experienced, and older adults who are perhaps overly trusting. “AI is not a brand-new technology, but the widespread use of ChatGPT has taken the adoption of AI to a new level,” Weiser said. Austin Hastings, assistant vice president and data analyst for Colorado-based Alpine Bank, said customers often see repeats of the same types of scams until people stop falling for them — after which scammers select a new strategy and use it until failure. “If there’s a big batch of people that fall for one scam and then ... people start talking to each other, posting things on social media, (they’re) not going to be able to compromise as many people,” he said. “They’re almost incentivized to ‘stay fresh.'” AI technology has been used by scammers to clone the voices of loved ones or employers (often paired with fake caller IDs), forge copies of trusted websites to steal login credentials, hijack smartphones and other devices with malware, and place fake QR codes over parking meters, restaurants and advertisements. Hastings said they’ve seen an increase in reports of fraud involving AI this year, mostly in the form of phishing rather than video or audio manipulation. Part of what’s behind the increase is the ability of AI to mass-produce email and website templates to look like the real thing. Alpine Bank, which serves over 170,000 customers across the state, suggests that its customers be extra vigilant around holidays as scammers are more active during seasons of high spending. Alpine Bank offers the following guidelines to help consumers avoid falling victim to sophisticated scams: “No. 1 would be, don’t click the link. But if you do, communicate it with the bank,” Hastings said. It’s better to report things right away, as timing can impact what kind of help victims can get from their bank. Alpine Bank has worked with victims of scams to recover funds, restrict accounts and coordinate with law enforcement. Another way to avoid becoming the target of scammers is restricting the sharing of personal data, an option enabled by the Colorado Privacy Act in 2021 . The act gives Coloradans the right to opt out of the sale of their personal data or its use for targeted advertising, as well as requiring entities to safeguard personal data. “It’s a dangerous world out there, and AI is making it more dangerous, so please protect yourself and protect those you love,” Weiser said.The seven principles of Kwanzaa will be celebrated through a host of events across the Chicago area, but some event leaders are adamant that the traditionally African American holiday's meaning is for everyone. The celebration, created in 1966, kicks off Thursday and runs for a week, with each day honoring a different principle of Kwanzaa. Malcolm X College has held a Kwanzaa celebration for nearly 20 years. Throughout the holiday, the school will host live music, art, shopping markets, dance performances and more from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the first floor of the college, at 1900 W. Jackson Blvd. While the seven-day celebration showcases African culture from art to hair care, the college's leader says the holiday is not just relevant to African American people. "It's relevant to all people if you really understand the true essence of what Kwanzaa is all about," said Malcolm X College President David Sanders. Sanders rejects the often divisive political and social climate across the country and says the "polarization" of the times "does not really benefit us." "Once we unify and we come together and figure out what's the best course of action, we're better as a nation, and the polarization of the world that's there today — that has us not talking to one another and going in our separate little (groups) — it really doesn't benefit us. It just makes us opposing factions. And Kwanzaa really fights against it." Unity and community strength are the prevailing goals of the holiday, Sanders said. "Kwanzaa is about defining and remembering the principles that made us great." Those seven principles are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and... Mariah RushAs the end of the year approaches, now’s the time to start preparing for filing your 2024 tax return in 2025. 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Who are they and why now? Need a cuddle? Check out America’s first CuppaPug café

CLEVELAND (AP) — Tyler Huntley stepped in for Tua Tagovailoa and stepped up for the Dolphins. Miami still has a playoff pulse. Huntley scrambled for a touchdown and threw for one while starting for the injured Tagovailoa, and the Dolphins stayed in the AFC wild-card race heading into their season finale with a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. With Tagovailoa sidelined by a hip injury, the backup known as “Snoop” did enough for the Dolphins (8-8). “This was not ideal in any way, shape or form,” said Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, adding he held out hope up until just before kickoff that Tagovailoa might play. “But it was a tremendous outing for (Huntley). It showed how far Snoop has come.” Miami needs to win next weekend at the New York Jets and hope the Denver Broncos lose at home to Kansas City to get a postseason berth. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and many of the top-seeded Chiefs' starters are expected to rest. “For the first time in my life, I'm about to be a huge Chiefs fan,” Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “It might not happen (making the playoffs), but we have an opportunity. And if it does happen, look out, we're coming.” Tagovailoa's status for next week is unclear, but Huntley showed he can get the job done if necessary. He finished 22 of 26 for 225 yards and didn't have any turnovers in his fourth start this season. The 26-year-old was with Cleveland in training camp before being released in August. Huntley downplayed any thought he was seeking revenge against the Browns. “When I left, that was it,” said Huntley, who was signed by Miami in September when Tagovailoa suffered his latest concussion. “For him to get cut, it was our blessing picking him up,” Campbell said. Tagovailoa was limited in practice all week with the hip injury suffered two weeks ago against Houston. McDaniel said “it's impossible” to know whether Tagovailoa will be available to face the Jets. “From a medical perspective, it was not an option for him to play today,” McDaniel said. Tagovailoa spent the afternoon on the sideline in sweats, encouraging Huntley and his other teammates. The quarterback was not available for interviews afterward. The Browns (3-13) dropped their fifth straight, finished 2-6 at home and could be headed toward another offseason of major turnover. They improved their draft position for 2025, when they will likely look for a quarterback. “I have no comment on that,” said Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, whose job appears safe despite the team's regression after making the playoffs last season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn't the long-term answer. In his second straight start, the second-year QB completed 24 of 47 passes for 170 yards. He also threw an interception, lost a fumble and was flagged three times for intentional grounding. “We were harassing him all day,” Campbell said. Both offenses had issues in windy and wet conditions, but Huntley handled them better. He ran for a 13-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to put the Dolphins up 13-3. After rolling right, Huntley made several precise cuts as he picked his way down the sideline and into the end zone. “He was just making plays,” said receiver Tyreek Hill, who had nine catches for 105 yards. Hill said Tagovailoa pushed as hard as possible to play. “Basically, it was the staff trying to save a player from himself,” Hill said. The Browns had a chance to cut into the lead, but Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey broke up Thompson-Robinson's fourth-and-goal pass toward Jerry Jeudy in the end zone. Huntley connected with tight end Jonnu Smith on a 7-yard TD with 3:38 left. Miami's Jason Sanders kicked field goals of 54 and 39 yards. He's made a franchise-best 25 in a row, the streak helped by a friendly bounce off the crossbar on his 54-yarder in the first quarter. The Browns tied it when Dustin Hopkins, who was benched for a game during a recent slump, kicked a 25-yard field goal. Sack happy (birthday) Browns defensive end Myles Garrett celebrated his 29th birthday with a pair of sacks. Last season's defensive player of the year has 14 this season, making him the first player in league history to get that many four years in a row. Injuries Dolphins: LT Terron Armstead was forced out in the second quarter with a knee injury that has bothered him for weeks. Patrick Paul filled in. ... WR Jaylen Waddle (knee) was inactive. Browns: CB Denzel Ward (shoulder) didn't play in the second half after getting hurt in the second quarter. ... LB Jordan Hicks was ruled out with a head injury. ... RB Jerome Ford (ankle) was forced out in the first half. He came back but was only on the field for one play after halftime. ... RB Pierre Strong Jr. left with an apparent head injury in the final minutes. Up next Dolphins: Wrap up the regular season against the Jets on Jan. 4 or 5. Browns: Visit Baltimore next weekend. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

The military's tradition of tracking Santa Claus on his gravity-defying sweep across the globe will carry on this Christmas Eve, even if the U.S. government shuts down , officials said Friday. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online — in nine languages — as St. Nick swoops along the earth's meridians. “We fully expect for Santa to take flight on Dec. 24 and NORAD will track him," the U.S.-Canadian agency said in a statement. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year's Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” The endeavor is supported by local and corporate sponsors, who also help shield the tradition from Washington dysfunction. Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer, told The Associated Press that there are "screams and giggles and laughter” when families call in, usually on speakerphone. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, "Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early." NORAD's annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here's how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child's accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy's mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80-foot (18-by-24-meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from "those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup's story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy's call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child's call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. "When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,'" Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. "People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD's tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa's story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That's when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time. Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.Marcos vows to build AFP that stands shoulder to shoulder with world's finestOncology Advancements Accelerate Amid Rising Early-Onset Cancer Diagnoses

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