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'Unbelievable' Odegaard transforms Arsenal and gets Saka smiling again LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard. Canadian Press Nov 26, 2024 3:14 PM Nov 26, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Arsenal's Martin Odegaard, left, and Sporting's Goncalo Inacio fight for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard. Make that eight goals in two games since the international break for Arsenal after its 5-1 hammering of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, tying the English team’s heaviest ever away win in the competition. Odegaard is back in Arsenal’s team after missing two months with an ankle injury . In that time, Mikel Arteta’s attack stuttered, with a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle dropping the Gunners well off the pace in the Premier League. There was also a 0-0 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan last month, when Odegaard made his comeback from injury as an 89th-minute substitute. Since then, Arsenal hasn’t lost and the goals have returned. After a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday came the cruise in Lisbon — and Odegaard was at the heart of everything as Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end. “He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.” Odegaard was involved in the build-up to Arsenal’s first two goals against Sporting — scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz — and was fouled to win the penalty converted by Saka in the 65th to restore Arsenal’s three-goal lead at 4-1. Odegaard was seen flexing his leg after that but continued untroubled and was substituted in the 78th minute. The last thing Arteta would want now is another injury to Odegaard as Arsenal attempts to reel in first-place Liverpool in the Premier League. Liverpool is already nine points ahead of fourth-place Arsenal after 12 games. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer Man City blows 3-goal lead and gets booed by fans in draw with Feyenoord in Champions League Nov 26, 2024 3:29 PM Bayern Munich fans protest against PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi Nov 26, 2024 3:26 PM Lewandowski scores his 100th Champions League goal. He is the 3rd player to reach the milestone Nov 26, 2024 3:02 PM
BRIGHTON, England (Reuters) -Brighton & Hove Albion were held to a 0-0 draw with Brentford in a mid-table Premier League clash at a misty American Express Stadium on Friday after dominating the match but lacking a finishing touch. Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts extended their winless run to six games and are 10th in the table with 26 points after 18 games, two points ahead of 11th-placed Brentford who are still without an away victory this season. Brighton peppered Mark Flekken’s goal with shots all night after Julio Enciso set the tone in the fifth minute when Joao Pedro, with his back to goal, laid the ball off for the Paraguay international, who clattered his shot off the woodwork. It was a sign of things to come for the 20-year-old Enciso, whose eight shots in the first half were the most by a player in the first half of a Premier League game since Luis Suarez’s eight for Liverpool against Aston Villa in March, 2013. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa celebrated what he thought was a sumptuous goal against the run of play in the first half when he latched onto Mads Roerslev’s through ball on the counter and fired into the top corner but it was ruled out for offside. Flekken limped off late in the first half with a hamstring injury, which could have been costly with Brighton having had 15 shots to the visitors’ two. However, back-up Hakon Valdimarsson and a resolute defence limited Brighton to a point. Brentford fans shouted for a red card when Joao Pedro threw an elbow near Yehor Yarmoliuk’s head in the second half after the Ukrainian dragged him back. But a lengthy VAR check ruled there was no violent conduct as Joao Pedro made no contact. Brighton fans sang Solly March’s name during an emotional standing ovation when the 30-year-old was brought on as a late substitute in his long-awaited return from a serious knee injury suffered in October 2023. March had a terrific chance deep into added time but there would be no fairytale ending as he curled his effort just over. It was one of 24 shots on the night for the Seagulls to eight for Brentford, who grew into the game but could not secure that elusive away win, their two points on the road being the worst record in the league so far this season. (Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );This year's Amazon Cyber Monday deals offer record-low prices on everything from super cheap own-brand devices to high-end TVs. The retailer's annual mega-sale runs through the end of the day, so it will not be long before many of these superb deals disappear into the ether. • Shop Amazon's full sale As TechRadar's Deals Editor, I've rounded up all of today's best Amazon Cyber Monday deals into one neat little package on this page. That includes record-low prices on leading brands like Apple, Dyson, Shark, LG, Samsung, and many more across the retailer's vast inventory. Some Amazon Cyber Monday deals have been available since Saturday - when the retailer launched its sale - but this afternoon is your last chance to bag them. Generally speaking, Amazon's deals tend to expire around midnight, and we've already seen a few popular items (such as the latest Apple MacBook Air M3) that have already sold out. Luckily, there's plenty to check out just below in the remaining few hours left - over 70 deals on models that we've tested and reviewed here at TechRadar. Amazon Devices : 54% off Kindle, Echo & TVs Apple : AirPods + iPads from $119 Beauty: 80% off toothbrushes & skincare Christmas trees: deals from $49.99 Gifts: top-rated gifts from $6.99 Headphones : $120 off Bose, Apple & Sony Health : electric toothbrushes from $24.99 Holidays: decor, PJs & lights from $7.99 Kitchen : 54% off Ninja, Nespresso & Keurig Laptops : record-low prices from $179 Tablets : iPads and Samsung from $54.99 Toys : 40% off Lego, scooters & Toniebox TVs : cheap TVs from $59.99 Vacuums : Shark, Bissell & Dyson from $81.99 My 9 favorite Amazon deals this Cyber Monday Kindle ereaders are always popular deals during Cyber Monday, and I predict this discount on Amazon's all-new model will go fast. Amazon's latest Kindle was just released this month, and you can find a first-time discount, which brings the price down to $89.99. The 2024 Kindle is Amazon's lightest and most compact e-reader and features a six-inch glare-free display and a battery life that lasts six weeks. Record-low price : This is $12 cheaper than AirPods Pro 2 have ever been, and I expect this deal won't last long. They sound excellent, the noise cancellation is top tier, Dolby Atmos spatial audio is amazing for movies, and they even have an unlosable case, thanks to tech that points you to where it's hiding (and a speaker to help, too). They're also very small and light, which is great for comfort. The previous lowest price was $169, so absolutely do not miss this deal – they're fantastic value for this price. LG's highly rated C3 OLED TV is on sale for $1,196.99 - that's a return to the record-low price. The OLED display features a brilliant picture with bright colors and powerful contrast, thanks to LG's latest Alpha9 Gen6 chip. Plus, you're getting four HDMI 2.1 ports for the best gaming experience on next-gen consoles, a sleek, thin design, and an updated webOS experience. The Sony WH-1000MX4 are older now but they are still some of the best over-ear headphones ever. These wireless Sony cans package together top-notch audio, excellent comfort, and effective noise cancellation all at a reasonable price point that's about $100 less than the newer Sony XM5 that are only a minor upgrade. We still rate these as the best headphones for most people, exactly because you can find them at a price like this during major sales such as Cyber Monday. There's a massive 42% off this Shark cordless vac at Amazon for Black Friday, matching the lowest price ever on this model. I'm not familiar with this specific vacuum, but Shark consistently scores highly on review, and this model boasts many features we've praised elsewhere, including LED headlights to illuminate dark corners, a clip that enables you to store the vacuum freestanding, and a larger than usual dust cup. Shark is a reliable brand, and this is a very wallet-friendly price. Sony Alpha 7 IV : was $2,499.99 now $2,099 at Amazon We don't see many deals on what is arguably the best mirrorless camera in the world at the moment, but thanks to Cyber Monday, you can now get it for $400 less than normal. Our Sony Alpha 7 IV review gave the camera 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it the 'hybrid king'. This mirrorless camera is one of the standouts from the past few years thanks to next-level its next-level autofocus, 33MP full-frame sensor, and vari-angle screen. The Pixel 9 Pro is on sale from Google, but Amazon has an even better price for the phone we awarded our Phone of the Year prize for 2024, dropping it to the lowest price we've seen since the phone launched in August. We love this phone's design, durability, and amazing features, so if you need a new Android, don't hesitate. The best-selling Solo Stove makes a great Christmas gift idea, and Amazon's Cyber Monday sale includes the Bonfire 2.0 model for $195.99 – a record-low price. The smokeless, portable Solo Stove includes a stand, a removable base plate, and an ash pan, making cleaning easier. The viral Beckham Hotel Collection pillows are always a top seller during holiday sales like Cyber Monday, and the queen-size set is on sale for $46.97 when you apply the additional discount. The queen-size pillows have over 240,000 positive reviews and are the number-one best-selling pillow on Amazon's site. Add smart capabilities to any device in your home with the best-selling Amazon Smart Plug on sale for just $12.99. With over 500,000 positive reviews on Amazon, the smart plug works with Amazon Alexa, so you can turn on lights and appliances using just your voice. I've had my eye on the Blink Mini 2 since its release, and now that it's on sale for just $19.99 - it's a must-buy. The compact security camera features two-way audio and will alert your phone when motion is detected. The Blink 2 also includes a 1080p HD live view, night view in color with a built-in spotlight, and a wider field of view. The new version of Amazon's standard Fire TV Stick is half-price at Amazon's Cyber Monday sale, bringing the price down to a record low. In our Fire TV Stick review, we found the original version was a cheap way to add essential smart features to your TV, including access to streaming apps in HD, Alexa voice controls, and the ability to control other smart home devices. As the name suggests, the Fire TV Stick 4K streams shows and movies on your TV in ultra-high definition 4K resolution. It's a good offer for a solid streaming stick that comes with access to all the major apps and supports voice controls through Alexa. This offer matches the previous record-low price we saw during last year's Prime Day so it's worth buying now as we likely won't see a better offer during Cyber Monday. Looking to buy a smart speaker for a small space? Amazon's Cyber Monday deals include the all-new Echo Pop for just $17.99 - the cheapest Echo device you can buy right now. For that money, you're getting a compact smart speaker with Alexa built-in, so you can play music, ask questions, and check the weather completely hands-free. If you're looking for more robust sound, Amazon's Cyber Monday deals also include the Echo Dot for its lowest price. Amazon's best-selling smart speaker offers an improved audio experience, plus a new temperature sensor and all the handy features from Alexa, like playing music, answering questions, and checking the weather completely hands-free. Amazon's brand new Echo Spot pairs a 2.83-inch touch with a 1.73-inch front-firing speaker, which might make it the ideal smart alarm clock. With Alexa onboard, you can ask the assistant for the weather, play music, or even schedule alarms. Today's Cyber Monday deal is a return to the record-low price. Amazon's Cyber Monday sale has the top-rated Blink Video Doorbell on sale for its lowest price ever. The Blink doorbell alerts you when motion is detected and features infrared night video, two-way audio, and long-lasting battery life - all for $29.99. This is the lowest price we've seen for Amazon's premium streaming device. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max streams the same content in the same quality as the standard 4K version, but the extra power inside means faster performance when navigating apps. Plus, it uses WiFi 6E technology to give you a more stable and consistent streaming experience. Amazon's best-selling Echo Show 5 is on sale for a whopping 50% discount. The 2023 Echo Show 5 features a compact 5.5-inch display but packs impressive sound with deeper bass and clearer vocals. With Amazon Alexa, you can listen to podcasts, movies, music, and more. If you're looking for a larger smart home display, Amazon has the latest Echo Show 8 on sale for a new record-low price of $79.99. Thanks to Alexa compatibility, the eight-inch display allows you to make calls, watch movies, check the weather, and control compatible smart home devices completely hands-free. The 4th generation Blink outdoor security camera features enhanced motion detection, two-way audio, a two-year battery life, and works with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control. Today's Cyber Monday deal is a massive 58% discount and a record-low price. Today's Cyber Monday deals at Amazon has the Ring Stick Up Cam on sale for $54.99 - the cheapest price we've ever seen. The Alexa-enabled security camera features motion-activated notifications and two-way talk and can be placed indoors or outdoors. I already own the best-selling Ring Video Doorbell and can't imagine living without it. The smart doorbell includes a built-in battery and allows you to see, hear, and speak to anyone from your phone or computer. Today's Cyber Monday deal from Amazon is a record-low price. My favorite Amazon smart home deal is the Echo Pop and Amazon's smart color bulb for just $17.99, thanks to a massive 66% discount. For that money, you're getting a compact smart speaker with Alexa built-in, so you can play music, ask questions, and control your included smart bulb completely hands-free. Amazon's latest tablet, the Fire HD 10, is down to its lowest price, under $100. It has a big, bright 10-inch Full HD display, 3GB of RAM, and an octa-core processor for speedy performance. The tablet also works with Amazon Alexa and provides an impressive 12 hours of battery life. Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite is always a best seller at holiday sales, and today's Cyber Monday deal brings the price down to a new record low. The waterproof e-reader features a large 7-inch glare-free display, a battery that lasts for weeks, and a single charge that lasts up to 12 weeks. If you want a more premium Kindle Paperwhite experience, then the Signature Edition is the was to go, with its 32GB of storage and auto-adjusting front light, plus wireless charging. All for $45 off the original price. Kindle ereaders are always popular deals during Cyber Monday, and I predict this discount on Amazon's all-new model will go fast. Amazon's latest Kindle was just released this month, and you can find a first-time discount, which brings the price down to $89.99. The 2024 Kindle is Amazon's lightest and most compact e-reader and features a six-inch glare-free display and a battery life that lasts six weeks. ^ Back to all deals Record-low price : This is $12 cheaper than AirPods Pro 2 have ever been, and I expect this deal won't last long. They sound excellent, the noise cancellation is top tier, Dolby Atmos spatial audio is amazing for movies, and they even have an unlosable case, thanks to tech that points you to where it's hiding (and a speaker to help, too). They're also very small and light, which is great for comfort. The previous lowest price was $169, so absolutely do not miss this deal – they're fantastic value for this price. Today's Cyber Monday deal on the budget Apple Watch SE for $149 is a new record-low price. The Apple Watch SE tracks activity, sleep, and calories burned and will notify you when a high or low heart rate is detected. The water-resistant smartwatch also helps you stay connected by allowing you to receive notifications, take calls, and reply to texts directly from your wrist. This might be Amazon's best Cyber Monday deal - Apple's all-new Apple Watch 10 on sale for a new record-low price of $329. The Apple Watch 10 includes upgrades such as Apple's new S10 chipset, sleep apnea detection, depth gauge, and a new design featuring the most advanced display. This offer is in danger of being sold out throughout today as the latest Apple Watch models are always popular. The new iPad Air is the closest thing you can get to an iPad Pro without having to pay upwards of $1,000, which is why we believe it's the best iPad for students in 2024. For over half the price of Apple's professional-grade iPad, you'll get a beautiful Liquid Retina display, a MacBook-level M2 chipset, a landscape-oriented front-facing camera, and landscape stereo speakers with spatial audio. Amazon's $499 deal is a record-low price, though right now it's only available on the purple and blue variants. Getting $150 off a tablet that could double as a laptop is not bad at all. This iPad Pro features a high-resolution Liquid Retina XDR display, strong battery life, and 256GB of storage. These specs are impressive already but when paired with the latest M4 chip you get a tablet that is truly special indeed. The power makes it possible to effortlessly perform even the most demanding of tasks, including photo and video editing as well as gaming. The 2024 MacBook Air is TechRadar's pick for the best overall Apple laptop and this is the first discount we've spotted on the new version with 16GB of RAM for improved performance. It also houses the super-powerful M3 processor, which is strong enough to support Apple Intelligence and the majority of advanced computing jobs you can throw at it, including video editing, photo editing, and coding. As part of the Air family, it measures only half an inch thick, with battery life that can reportedly last up to 18 hours. Note , this is a deal that was $844 over Black Friday so it's not a record-low price. Unfortunately, that price was so popular that there's now a 1-month wait for delivery. ^ Back to all deals Amazon's best-selling 43-inch 4-Series 4K smart TV is on sale for $229.99 - a new record-low price. It offers 4K HD resolution, smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa, so you can use your voice to control your TV. This is an amazing price on a mid-size display if you want to add a budget 4K TV to your home. The best-selling Insignia 43-inch TV features 4K HD resolution, smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa, so you can use your voice to control your TV. Amazon's highly rated Omni Series TVs feature 4K resolution support, Dolby Vision, HDR 10, and hands-free TV with Alexa. So, you can control the volume and launch channels hands-free instead of using your remote. Today's Cyber Monday deal brings the 50-inch model to $329.99 - the lowest price this year. The Hisense U7N is an affordable mini-LED TV that provides serious bang for your buck, packing great features and performance into a budget package. It supports all HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, comes packed with gaming features, including 4K, 144Hz, and Dolby Vision gaming, and uses Google TV as its smart TV platform. This Cyber Monday deal takes the 75-inch model to under $1,000 – for a TV with this much to offer at this much size, this is a superb deal. Amazon's all-new Fire TV Omni QLED Series is a big step up in the otherwise cheap range of smart TVs. This set boasts premium features, including a QLED display, full-array local dimming, Dolby Vision IQ, and HDR10+ Adaptive support to deliver a high-quality picture for all-around viewing and gaming. A good overall buy for the budget-conscious who don't want to compromise on performance, especially now that it's down to a record-low price of $599.99. Samsung's The Frame QLED TV is my dream Cyber Monday purchase, and the 50-inch model just dropped to a jaw-dropping price of $847.99. The 2024 Samsung Frame TV features Pantone art-validated colors that deliver lifelike images. Plus, the display now comes with Streams, a complimentary set of artwork streamed from the Samsung Art Store. This is a new record-low price that won't budge over the holiday weekend. LG's highly rated C3 OLED TV is on sale for $1,196.99 - that's a return to the record-low price. The OLED display features a brilliant picture with bright colors and powerful contrast, thanks to LG's latest Alpha9 Gen6 chip. Plus, you're getting four HDMI 2.1 ports for the best gaming experience on next-gen consoles, a sleek, thin design, and an updated webOS experience. The Samsung S90D may not have a QD-OLED panel like its larger screen counterparts, but it's still a feature-packed TV. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor with Real Depth Enhancer has been a hit for other Samsung sets, and it still uses an OLED panel for deeper black levels and contrast. Plus, it is filled with gaming features, including a 120Hz refresh rate, VRR, ALLM, and the Samsung Game Hub. It's still a premium small screen, but this Cyber Monday deal brings the price below $1,000, which is a record low. Our Samsung S95D review awarded this OLED display five stars and said it was 'the very pinnacle of OLED TV'. The Samsung TV delivers stunning picture quality, top-notch gaming performance, and a beautiful design, combining to offer one of the best OLED TVs money can buy right now. Today's early Cyber Monday deal from Samsung brings the price of the 65-inch model down to $2,299.99, which is a $1,100 discount and a record-low price. One of Panasonic's first TVs available in the US in over a decade, the Z85A is an entry-level OLED with premium quality and features. Its picture delivers refined detail, stunning black levels and contrast and natural, accurate colors. It also has decent built-in sound and a solid list of gaming features. Despite a relatively recent release in September 2024, the Z85A's 65-inch model has already had its price slashed by $400, making it seriously competitive with OLED models from LG and Sony. Paramount Plus add-on to Prime Video: was $15.98 for two-months now $5.98 at Amazon With this limited time Cyber Monday offer, you can get two months of Paramount Plus as a subscription add-on for just $2.99 a month. That means you can sign up for the 30-day free Amazon Prime trial, which gives you access to Prime Video, and only spend an extra $2.99 to unlock access to one of the world's best streaming services for more than half the usual price. This offer ends on December 2 and is for the Paramount Plus 'Essential' plan, which means you'll have to put up with ads. Starz add-on to Prime Video: was $21.98 for two-months now $5.50 at Amazon If any of the following shows are on your watchlist – Sweetpea, Mary and George, Outlander or Serpent Queen – then this Amazon Cyber Monday deal is for you. Until December 2, you can save close to 75% off a two-month Starz subscription add-on when you sign up through Prime Video. That means you're only paying $2.75 a month for an extra subscription (your account will automatically renew to the full $10.99 a month price thereafter though, so make sure to keep an eye on when your subscription runs out). ^ Back to all deals This is an incredible price for a pair of wireless on-ear headphones – on sale for just $24.95 at Amazon right now. The JBL Tune 510BT features Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Streaming, so you can stream music and podcasts and take calls from your device, and you'll enjoy an impressive 40 hours of battery life. It's no t a model we've tested, but the JBL Tune 510BT have over 50,000 positive reviews on Amazon and are one of the best-selling headphones on the site . They also come with JBL's renowned Pure Bass sound. If you need something inexpensive and you need it now, it's hard to argue with this price tag... The Beats Solo 4 were released in May 2024 and the price-cut listed on Amazon marks a return to their lowest ever price on record. This model supports lossless audio that you can listen to via USB-C or 3.5mm audio cable, and Spatial Audio that uses head tracking to enhance your listening experience. These headphones also last up to 50 hours on a single charge and can regain five hours of playback time in just 10 minutes of charging. Not bad overall for the new budget price point, we think you'll agree... The Sony WH-1000MX4 are older now but they are still some of the best over-ear headphones ever. These wireless Sony cans package together top-notch audio, excellent comfort, and effective noise cancellation all at a reasonable price point that's about $100 less than the newer Sony XM5 that are only a minor upgrade. We still rate these as the best headphones for most people, exactly because you can find them at a price like this during major sales such as Cyber Monday. The Bose QuietComfort headphones are the manufacturer's mid-range noise-cancelling cans and have dropped to a record-low price in this deal ahead of Cyber Monday. On top of the manufacturer's excellent ANC to block out unwanted noise, you get high-fidelity audio and an EQ control to customize bass, mid-range, and treble. The QuietComfort lasts up to 24 hours on one charge and can get back 2.5 hours of playtime in 15 minutes. At the time of writing, only the Cypress Green colorway is discounted, but we actually love that finish. Quite simply the best in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4 headphones were outstanding, the XM3 cans before it were excellent, and it'll come as little surprise to know that Sony's XM5 proposition is also incredibly hard to beat – especially with a whopping 25% off, equalling their lowest-ever price! They don't fold up like the XM4 but, as a quick glance at our Sony WH-100XM5 review proves, there's not much else to pick fault with. Sonos' inaugural over-ears are a no-brainer if you've got a Sonos Arc soundbar (with support for more Sonos soundbars to come), because that means incredibly detailed, immersive, head-tracked spatial audio for your movies and shows. We think at this price, they're far more competitive too. Will they dip an extra $20 (to their lowest ever price, seen oh-so-briefly in September)? We can't say for sure, but this $100 discount is not to be sniffed at – not for high-end headphones such as these. ^ Back to all deals Thanks to its compact size, this Keurig K-Mini coffee maker is a great choice for those working with a small kitchen space. It can brew a cup in just minutes and is less than five inches wide. Today's deal ahead of Cyber Monday from Amazon brings the price down to just $49, a new record-low price. The Nespresso Vertuo Pop Plus Deluxe by Breville is on sale for its cheapest price yet. This easy-to-use coffee maker supports multiple types of drinks and sizes, and you can brew these using dedicated recyclable Nespresso pods. The large removable water tank and compact size also add to its convenience. Make a cup of coffee in less than two minutes with Keurig's best-selling K-Elite, which is on sale for $109.99 – the lowest price we've seen this year. Five brew-size selections let you choose how much to make, while Strong brew and Iced options mean you can enjoy a bold morning cup or a refreshing afternoon beverage with the touch of a button. This is the cheapest this multi-functional air fryer has been since Cyber Monday last year, with 40% off the list price at Amazon. We're particularly big fans of Vortex's Odor Erase technology (also used by the excellent Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 ), which does an excellent job at eliminating cooking smells. Bissell portable carpet cleaners have become the breakout stars at holiday sales like Cyber Monday, and the top-rated Little Green model is currently on sale for $81.49. Perfect for pet owners and parents, the portable carpet cleaner can magically erase spills and stains on carpets, couches, auto interiors, and more. The ultra-light Bissell CleanView vacuum features a compact size, making it easy to store if you're working in a small space. The Bissell vacuum also features powerful suction and a triple-action brush roll to pick up pet hair seamlessly. Today's deal ahead of Cyber Monday from Amazon brings the price down to just $59.99 - a record-low price. There's a massive 42% off this Shark cordless vac at Amazon for Black Friday, matching the lowest price ever on this model. I'm not familiar with this specific vacuum, but Shark consistently scores highly on review, and this model boasts many features we've praised elsewhere, including LED headlights to illuminate dark corners, a clip that enables you to store the vacuum freestanding, and a larger than usual dust cup. Shark is a reliable brand, and this is a very wallet-friendly price. The Stratos is one of the most powerful cordless vacuums in Shark's range, making it a top choice for anyone with lots of carpet or pets. At full price, it's a little overpriced, but with over $250 off for Black Friday it's suddenly far more appealing. That's the lowest price we've seen, give or take a couple of bucks. Get the full lowdown in our Shark Stratos Cordless Stick vacuum review . If you're on a budget but still want a high-end vacuum, Dyso's V8 Absolute is a fantastic option at just $299.99. Perfect for pet owners, the Dyson V8 features a de-tangling motor bar that works across hardwood floors and carpets and can transform into a handheld vac for quick and convenient clean-ups. The Outsize Origin has been this price for most of November, but it's still the cheapest it's ever been (by some way: $100 less than the previous low price). It's a scaled-up version of the V11 Dyson cordless vacuum, with a larger bin and wider floorhead, making it perfect for larger homes. There's up to a full hour of cleaning on one charge – we gave it a nearly perfect 4.5* in our Dyson V11 Outsize review . Amazon has the top-rated iRobot Roomba robot vacuum on sale for $149.99 - the lowest price we've ever seen. Designed with homes with pets in mind, the Roomba features three levels of powerful suction for custom cleaning on carpets and hard floors and recharges itself when the battery is low. Amazon has the top-rated Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum on sale for $299.99—just $4 shy of the record low. It offers powerful suction, and the inclusion of a self-emptying base solves one of the big irritations of robot vacuums, which is that they need to be emptied more often than uprights. ^ Back to all deals Sony Alpha 7 IV : was $2,499.99 now $2,099 at Amazon We don't see many deals on what is arguably the best mirrorless camera in the world at the moment, but thanks to Cyber Monday, you can now get it for $400 less than normal. Our Sony Alpha 7 IV review gave the camera 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it the 'hybrid king'. This mirrorless camera is one of the standouts from the past few years thanks to next-level its next-level autofocus, 33MP full-frame sensor, and vari-angle screen. Panasonic's smallest-ever full-frame camera is down to a record-low price, with a full $200 off the original launch price. Featuring 6K 'open gate' video, Panasonic's handy real time LUTs color profiles and impressive image stabilization, the S9 brings an extremely competitive set of video-focused features for the price. While photographers will be better served with other bodies, the S9 is a great choice for beginner videographers in particular. This vlogging camera shares many similarities with the ZV-1, including Sony’s impressive SteadyShot stabilization technology, 4K video footage, industry-leading autofocus and face-tracking, three-capsule built-in mic, and a fully articulating screen for easy shooting in selfie mode to guarantee everything is framed the way you want it. The main difference is the lens is a sharp fixed 20mm wide angle one, versus the versatile zoom lens of the ZV-1. Oh, and the price – the ZV-1F is even lower at $399.99 for Cyber Monday... bargain! 40% off: The EOS R100 packs Canon's excellent 24MP APS-C sensor, a dual-pixel autofocus system, plus an excellent DSLR-style form factor that's a brilliant design for photography, especially its EVF for clear viewing in bright light. Sadly, the LCD screen is fixed, nor is it touch sensitive, but the EOS R100 is far and away Canon's cheapest RF-mount mirrorless camera, especially now this two-less bundle has dropped to $499. The two entry-level lenses included are the RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM and the RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM, which between them will cover beginners for most photography scenarios. It's not our favorite mirrorless camera, but at this unbeatable price it makes more sense. Melding a compact, rugged body with advanced computational features and a 20MP BSI Live MOS Sensor, the OM-5 is an extremely capable camera for the price. Its superb 5-axis image stabilization provides up to 6.5 stops of compensation for blur-free telephoto and long handheld exposures. If you're into shooting video, then you'll get 4K resolution but only up to 30fps, meaning this camera is probably better for photographers. Combined with the 12-45mm F4 Pro lens, and you have a dream lightweight and rugged package for travel photography. Succeeding the ZV-1, the ZV-1 II packs many of the same features but delivered the zoom lens with wider field of view that vloggers were calling for, plus a much more useful and intuitive touchscreen. It also has USB-C charging, which cannot be said for the ZV-1 with it's micro USB port – a camera that will potentially be pulled for shelves come 2025 once the EU's Common Charger Directive kicks in. With this $200 price cut, the ZV-1 II comes mightily close in price to the ZV-1 too which is only $50 cheaper now. The Insta360 X4 is the best handheld 360-degree camera available, with 8K video, slick slow-motion video and a handy 4K single lens mode. Its rugged and waterproof and boasts powerful image stabilization to smooth out your video footage. Throw in a bunch of fun video modes and easy editing, you'll be making videos otherwise impossible with a phone. Seriously – whether it's for 360-degree, underwater action, vlogging or even as a dash cam – the X4 can do it all, with a neat invisible selfie stick for capturing third-person perspectives. Want a second camera for vacation? The X4 could be the ticket, and this sale price is the first-ever discount for our favorite 360-degree camera. ^ Back to all deals Last year's best Fitbit Inspire 3 deal has returned to its lowest-ever price of $69.95, $30/30% off the usual list price of $99.95. Available in both colors, you'll get 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and notifications from your communication apps. Get a massive $60 off the $160 Fitbit Charge 6 for a return to the lowest-ever price of $99.95. The ergonomic band and slender display provide sleep monitoring, multisport tracking, ECG, GPS, contactless payments, and more. Get $100 off Garmin's brilliant Vivoactive 5, now down to its lowest-ever price of $199. Available in four great colors it comes with 11 days of battery life and tracking for sleep, activity, heart rate, and more. The Garmin Venu 3S is a great mid-range smartwatch with excellent fitness tracking and many other features you'd expect from a great all-rounder. It's now $100 and down to a new lowest-ever price of $349 at Amazon. Get an impressive 24% off an already excellently-priced watch in the Amazon sales of Cyber Monday. The FE is Samsung's equivalent of an Apple Watch SE (a watch that boasts up-to-date software and performs very well, but doesn't have the latest hardware innovations) only even cheaper. A great buy for anyone with a Samsung phone. Get $200 off the Galaxy Watch Ultra, a new lowest-ever price sold directly from Amazon on the classic orange colorway. You can also save on the silver option, still $473. The PS5 Pro itself remains in steady stock in the US with a whole host of retailers offering ways to buy the upgraded console. Also in stock at: $699.99 at Target | $699.99 at Walmart | $699.99 at Best Buy | $699.99 at PlayStation Direct If you're looking for an affordable wireless Nintendo Switch controller right now, then your best bet is this more budget-friendly option from PowerA. Discounted by $21, this isn't quite the lowest-ever price but it's still a good lower-cost alternative to the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. This is the best discount on a PS5 DualSense right now, and it's a lowest price on the Cosmic Red colorway since last Cyber Monday! The Pixel 9 Pro is on sale from Google, but Amazon has an even better price for the phone we awarded our Phone of the Year prize for 2024, dropping it to the lowest price we've seen since the phone launched in August. We love this phone's design, durability, and amazing features, so if you need a new Android, don't hesitate. ^ Back to all deals Transform your table center pieces with the Lego Flower Bouquet, a beautiful looking building set that looks great all year round. This unique set is on offer at Amazon for Cyber Monday and while it's not a massive discount, it's enough to warrant your hard-earned cash. What's better than building just one Lego set? Well, clearly, it's building multiple pieces from just one set, and that's precisely what Tiny Plants accomplish. You'll build nine potted plants complete with a terracotta pot and can display them as you wish – maybe all in a row or scattered around for bright pops of color. I own the larger LEGO Hogwarts Castle, but there's something about this smaller diorama that really stands out. At $135.95, this Hogwarts Castle and Grounds would look excellent on any shelf in your home. Lego's Up house set – from the Pixar film – is just a few dollars away from the lowest price ever at $47.99. If you're shopping for a Pixar fan or are one yourself, you'll love the building and display experience with this set. It's not just the iconic house from the film; you get minifigs for Carl Fredricksen, Russell, and Dug. I love Japanese art, and I love LEGO, so this Hokusai The Great Wave set is my dream collaboration. At $80, this deserves a standout spot in your home, after all what's better than making your own art? Two cars is better than one, and this Lego Technic set lets you build a McLaren Formula E Race Car and a 2023 McLaren Formula 1 Race Car. Both sport plenty of pieces in the brand's iconic orange. ^ Back to all deals
Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics Market to Grow by USD 5.41 Billion (2024-2028), AI Redefines Market Landscape with Novel Biomarker Advancements - TechnavioWade Taylor IV scored 15 points and dished out 10 assists and C.J. Wilcher added 14 points as No. 13 Texas A&M throttled Abilene Christian 92-54 on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas. The Aggies (11-2) were in charge from the jump, forging a 19-point lead at halftime and never looking back. Texas A&M scored the first points of the second half, was up by 28 with 13:23 to play and cruised to the finish line while winning its seventh straight game. Taylor's output moved him into second place in the Aggies all-time scoring list. His 1,779 points are now behind only Bernard King, who had 1,990 from 1999-2003. Andersson Garcia and Zhuric Phelps added 12 points each for Texas A&M, which appears to be hitting on all cylinders heading into its Southeastern Conference opener at home against rival Texas on Jan. 4. Phelps added 10 rebounds for the Aggies. Quion Williams led the Wildcats (8-6) with 14 points. Abilene Christian missed its final six shots and went the last 5:24 of the game without a point. The Aggies made a statement in the early going by scoring the game's first nine points over the initial 3 1/2 minutes, with seven of those coming from Coleman. Abilene Christian fought back to within 16-12 after Dontrez Williams' layup with 12:12 left in the half. But A&M swung back, producing a 14-0 run capped by Garcia's layup with 8:51 to play in the half to pull away to a 30-12 advantage. The Wildcats again cut into their deficit, pulling to 30-19 when Cade Hornecker hit a layup with 6:26 to play until halftime. A&M boosted the lead back to 17 points after a pair of free throws by Taylor and got two more from the charity stripe to take a 48-29 edge to the break. Wilcher led all scorers in the half with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc while Garcia hit for 10 points for A&M while making all four of his shots from the floor. The Aggies outshot Abilene Christian 61.5 percent to 40.7 percent before halftime. Quion Williams and Leonardo Bettiol paced the Wildcats with seven points each in the first half. --Field Level Media
Vikings have ruled out tight end Josh Oliver. What does that mean for the running game?The final day of racing at Irwindale Speedway was both a party and a wake, one that began just after high noon last Saturday and ended just before Sunday started. There were funeral speeches — eulogies, if you like — tears and sadness. But there were also beach balls, cheers, flags and fireworks. In between there was racing — a lot of racing — with more than 140 drivers taking to the track in almost anything that had wheels and an engine before the final car crossed the finish line just before midnight. Irwindale has long been home to the weird, wacky and wonderful, from trailer and figure-8 races to all-female demolition derbies and RV auto soccer. It was where drifting got its start in the U.S., the wide, banked asphalt track perfectly suited for what has become one of the fastest-growing racing series in the country. And it was where a radio-controlled car hit a world-record speed of 111 mph. The track is — was? — historic and iconic so its closing after a quarter-century is another blow in what has been a long, slow decline of auto racing in southern California. A generation ago there were nearly a dozen tracks hosting regular events, from the Riverside International Raceway and the hulking Ontario Motor Speedway in the Inland Empire to Ascot Park’s half-mile dirt track near Gardena and Saugus Speedway, a third-mile oval built in a former rodeo arena in Santa Clarita. Just a handful are left with even NASCAR at least temporarily pulling up stakes, selling most of the land Auto Club Speedway stood on in Fontana and leaving Southern California off its racing schedule for just the second time since 1997. That has left racing fans out in the cold while depriving up-and-coming drivers of the time they need behind the wheel to learn the sport. “It’s devastating,” said 26-year-old Evelyn Vega, who has been making the 10-mile drive from San Dimas to Irwindale for more than half her life. “It’s just so close that we would come as a weekend activity,” Vega said as her 18-month nephew, Maximilliano, sat behind the wheel of a Menards Series West car in the garage area. “My dad loves the racing. We grew up with it.” Nearby, Donna Gunther, 67, who has been driving race cars twice as long as Vega has been alive, strapped into her battered No. 88 car — she would finish sixth in street stocks. Gunther’s home is Las Vegas and she once had several tracks scattered between here and there at which to race. No longer. “That’s what makes it so hard to race in Southern California,” said crew member Matt Jackson, who has seen more than a half-dozen tracks close. Most of Southern California’s tracks met their demise in the final decade of the 20th century when the land they sat on became more valuable for warehouses, shopping centers, storage yards and townhouses. Even the 71-year-old Willow Springs International Raceway in Kern County, a 600-acre complex of eight tracks that is home to the oldest permanent road course in the U.S., is up for sale, although spokesman Rick Romo said plans are to keep the site a racetrack. Irwindale, which opened in 1999, was meant to help fill the void created by all those track closings, but it got off to an inauspicious start when a 23-year-old sprint-car driver named Casey Diemert died after hitting the wall during the track’s first practice session. The $7-million facility was unique because of its versatility, boasting half- and third-mile banked oval tracks, a drag strip and a 6,500-seat grandstand. And its location in the armpit of the 605 and 210 freeways made it easily accessible from anywhere in the Southland. In their heyday the tracks, nestled atop a former rock and sand quarry, were staples of NASCAR’s West Coast-based regional series, hosting nationally televised events, including the Toyota All-Star Showdown and NASCAR Cup Series drivers such as Tony Stewart, Jason Leffler and J.J. Yeley. But the track’s owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and plans were made to demolish the facility and replace it with an outlet mall. Those plans changed when Tim Huddleston, a former champion driver who won 45 races at the track — ranking him among the top 10 drivers all-time — took over management at Irwindale in the final week of 2017, giving the facility a second chance. That rebirth was short-lived, however, with Los Angeles-based IDS Real Estate purchasing the 63-acre site in 2022, then announcing in September the track would give way to an industrial park and commercial development. “Losing a track like Irwindale is definitely going to be a big blow to auto racing, NASCAR circle-track racing,” said Ryan Vargas, who watched his first race at Irwindale as a 9-year-old and returned to run in Saturday’s final event, only to have his night end in a crash with six laps left in the pro late model main event. “Irwindale was my home. There will definitely be a hole in that market.” But track closings aren’t just an issue in Southern California. Vargas, a La Mirada native who has relocated to North Carolina, said iconic short tracks have also been shuttered recently in places like Greenville, S.C., and Midland, N.C., the heart of stock-car country. “There’s so many drag strips, so many short tracks falling victim to land development and stuff like that,” said Vargas, who called Irwindale the best short track in the country. “It’s happening everywhere. It’s a really tough world for racing because of all the valuable real estate.” Many tracks, such as the ones in Riverside and Santa Clarita, were built in rural areas when the land was cheap. As suburban sprawl pushed cities farther and farther out, that land became more valuable for shopping centers and warehouses while neighbors began complaining of the noise from the thundering, angry bark of the stock-car engines. Promoters were also hurt by falling attendance, which cut into their already narrow profit margins. “These race tracks, they’re passion projects right? They don’t really turn big profits,” Vargas said. “These tracks don’t have TV dollars. These tracks just have ticket sales and entry fees. That’s their only source of income. “That’s difficult. It’s hard to keep up with the changing times.” That’s bound to have an impact on the development of young drivers, who have traditionally depended on short tracks to learn their craft the same way baseball players rely on the minor leagues. “That teaches you racing right there,” said Ron Hornaday Jr., who began his career driving stock cars at Saugus Speedway and went on to become a four-time champion in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series. “It taught you moving people out of the way and getting moved out of the way, of not running into them. And doing it with finesse. “You can’t teach that; just being in a race car and making laps.” Consider Vargas’ driver’s education. After watching that first race from the stands at Irwindale, he was hooked on the sport and by age 12 he was racing Bandoleros — entry-level cars that are slow to accelerate and top off at 70 mph — at the track. He quickly advanced to super late models and before his 20th birthday he had graduated to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he now races full time. “This is where I learned to race,” said Vargas, who brought his family back for Saturday’s finale, which seemed appropriate since Irwindale has long been a family track, with sons — and daughters — following their fathers and grandfathers from the stands to the pits and into the driver’s seat. Huddleston’s son Trevor dominated Saturday’s first race, an ARCA Menards Series West exhibition, and will finish as Irwindale’s all-time leader with 87 career wins, according to track officials. “Everybody likes to think of NASCAR as being an East Coast, Southern sport,” said Vargas, 24, whose primary sponsor is Santa Fe-based Swann Security. “But there a lot of very, very talented drivers on the West Coast. Without having a short track there, they may not even have a chance.” That was especially true for Vargas, who couldn’t drive himself to the races in those early days since he wasn’t old enough to get a license. If there hadn’t been a track 15 miles from his parents’ house, Vargas might never had gotten the opportunity to race. There are still places that provide that in Southern California, but they are shrinking in number. The Orange Show Speedway, a quarter-mile asphalt oval in San Bernardino, has been around for 77 years, helping launch the careers of NASCAR Cup champions Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. It still offers races in various stock car divisions as does the Perris Auto Speedway in Riverside County and the Ventura Raceway. Meanwhile Huddleston, who squeezed a few final seasons out of the Irwindale track, is moving to Bakersfield, where he has teamed with Harvick, a Bakersfield native, to refurbish the former Kern County Raceway Park as Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, a 120-acre motorsports facility with a half-mile asphalt oval and a one-third-mile dirt one. Yet for beginning drivers from L.A. and Orange County, who are struggling to race on a shoestring budget, that track might just as well be on another planet. “It’s just a two-hour drive but that’s gas money, that’s towing a trailer, that’s potentially hotel stays,” Vargas said. “So it’s a struggle if you’re operating on a budget. When we were getting our foot in the door we drove to Bakersfield and then drove home the night of practice because we didn’t want to buy a hotel room.” Getting started in racing has always been expensive and for many drivers — and fans —- Irwindale’s closing will raise those costs. So as much as Saturday’s finale was a party and a wake, it also marked the end of an era for racing in Southern California when Jeffrey Peterson took the final checkered flag in track history. Sometime in the wee hours Sunday morning, the lights over the speedway went dark for the last time. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
There are times when a postseason bowl seems like the first game of next year for the participating teams. That cliche means something a little different for NC State and East Carolina. The Wolfpack and Pirates face each other in the Military Bowl on Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland. Then they'll see each other again in about eight months. NC State opens the 2025 season at home against ECU on Aug. 30. There is certainly plenty of familiarity between these two programs, even though NC State (6-6) is in the ACC and East Carolina (7-5) is in the AAC. The teams — located about 80 miles apart — have met 32 times, most recently in 2022 when the Wolfpack won 21-20. From 1970-87, these teams played each other every year. Since 2004, they haven't gone more than two consecutive seasons without meeting. “Hour and a half down the road and you're playing — whether you play every year or don't play every year — I think it's still a rivalry," East Carolina coach Blake Harrell said. "Our fans still get excited. They still think that's a rivalry. Our players still think that's a rivalry.” NC State leads the series 19-13 and has won three straight — but East Carolina won three in a row before that. “It's weird playing a team that we open with next year,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. “We don't play them that much. We play them every three years, so it's really a roster turnover. Every time we see them, it's a different ballclub for the most part. But yeah, finishing with who you open with is unique.” NC State and East Carolina met in the Peach Bowl in 1992 — during an eight-year hiatus in their regular-season series. ECU scored three touchdowns in the final 7:26 to win 37-34. “We had that time during COVID, we obviously all had some down time. I remember searching through YouTube, just past games to check out. That game did pop up," Harrell said. "That was a special moment for that team and that program at the time, and this could be a special moment for this team and this program.” NC State is playing in the Military Bowl for the first time. East Carolina was supposed to participate in 2021, but the game was canceled. The Pirates lost to Maryland in the 2010 edition. Harrell took over on an interim basis in the middle of the season when Mike Houston was fired. After leading the Pirates to four straight wins, Harrell had the interim tag removed . Freshman CJ Bailey took over at quarterback for NC State this season after concussion problems ended Grayson McCall's career. Bailey has completed 64.1% of his passes. Only Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson threw for more touchdowns as a freshman for the Wolfpack than Bailey, who has 14 TD tosses. “He's a really good player. Doesn't play like a freshman to me,” Harrell said. "Makes really good throws down the field, has a really good arm, and then if he takes off scrambling or if the quarterback-designed run game, he's a long strider. He can eat up some ground. Nobody ever catches him." Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.CONWAY, Ark., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home BancShares, Inc. (NYSE: HOMB) (“Home” or “the Company”), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank (“Centennial”), announced it has established additional reserves for loan losses as a result of Hurricane Milton. On October 11, 2024, HOMB announced a $16.7 million reserve as a result of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall September 26, 2024. Upon announcement HOMB indicated the more recent and powerful Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on October 9, 2024, and caused the spin-off of more than two dozen tornados, would likely lead to an increase in this reserve amount. “Out of an abundance of caution, HOMB has decided to make an additional $16.7 million reserve following the second Florida hurricane, bringing our total hurricane reserve to $33.4 million for the year,” said John Allison, Chairman of HOMB. “The two hurricanes spanned across the third and fourth quarter and the amount of time it takes for customers to settle with insurance will no doubt increase, with two back-to-back events,” continued Allison. “We have approximately $110 million currently on deferral as a result of the two hurricanes and in keeping with our conservative nature, we feel as though this proactive move is a prudent and predictable course of action,” added Allison. Branches The Company currently has 76 branches in Arkansas, 78 branches in Florida, 58 branches in Texas, 5 branches in Alabama and one branch in New York City. About Home BancShares Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, Texas, South Alabama and New York City. The Company’s common stock is traded through the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HOMB.” The Company was founded in 1998. Visit www.homebancshares.com or www.my100bank.com for more information. General This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future, including future financial results. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events, performance or results. When we use words or phrases like “may,” “plan,” “propose,” “contemplate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “continue,” “expect,” “project,” “predict,” “estimate,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “on track” and similar expressions, you should consider them as identifying forward-looking statements, although we may use other phrasing. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, real estate values and unemployment, including the ongoing impacts of inflation; the ability to identify, complete and successfully integrate new acquisitions; the risk that expected cost savings and other benefits from acquisitions may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; diversion of management time on acquisition-related issues; the availability of and access to capital and liquidity on terms acceptable to us; legislative and regulatory changes and risks and expenses associated with current and future legislation and regulations; technological changes and cybersecurity risks and incidents; the effects of changes in accounting policies and practices; changes in governmental monetary and fiscal policies; political instability, military conflicts and other major domestic or international events; the impact of recent or future adverse weather events, including hurricanes, and other natural disasters; disruptions, uncertainties and related effects on credit quality, liquidity and other aspects of our business and operations that may result from any future public health crises; competition from other financial institutions; potential claims, expenses and other adverse effects related to current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other government actions; potential increases in deposit insurance assessments, increased regulatory scrutiny or market disruptions resulting from financial challenges in the banking industry; changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements; and other factors described in reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including those factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2024. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Townsell Director of Investor Relations Home BancShares, Inc. (501) 328-4625
HOMB Takes Additional Hurricane Reserve Out of Abundance of CautionOrioles to non-tender reliever Jacob Webb; decisions loom ahead of deadlineThe final day of racing at Irwindale Speedway was both a party and a wake, one that began just after high noon last Saturday and ended just before Sunday started. There were funeral speeches — eulogies, if you like — tears and sadness. But there were also beach balls, cheers, flags and fireworks. In between there was racing — a lot of racing — with more than 140 drivers taking to the track in almost anything that had wheels and an engine before the final car crossed the finish line just before midnight. Irwindale has long been home to the weird, wacky and wonderful, from trailer and figure-8 races to all-female demolition derbies and RV auto soccer. It was where drifting got its start in the U.S., the wide, banked asphalt track perfectly suited for what has become one of the fastest-growing racing series in the country. And it was where a radio-controlled car hit a world-record speed of 111 mph. The track is — was? — historic and iconic so its closing after a quarter-century is another blow in what has been a long, slow decline of auto racing in southern California. A generation ago there were nearly a dozen tracks hosting regular events, from the Riverside International Raceway and the hulking Ontario Motor Speedway in the Inland Empire to Ascot Park’s half-mile dirt track near Gardena and Saugus Speedway, a third-mile oval built in a former rodeo arena in Santa Clarita. Just a handful are left with even NASCAR at least temporarily pulling up stakes, selling most of the land Auto Club Speedway stood on in Fontana and leaving Southern California off its racing schedule for just the second time since 1997. That has left racing fans out in the cold while depriving up-and-coming drivers of the time they need behind the wheel to learn the sport. “It’s devastating,” said 26-year-old Evelyn Vega, who has been making the 10-mile drive from San Dimas to Irwindale for more than half her life. “It’s just so close that we would come as a weekend activity,” Vega said as her 18-month nephew, Maximilliano, sat behind the wheel of a Menards Series West car in the garage area. “My dad loves the racing. We grew up with it.” Nearby, Donna Gunther, 67, who has been driving race cars twice as long as Vega has been alive, strapped into her battered No. 88 car — she would finish sixth in street stocks. Gunther’s home is Las Vegas and she once had several tracks scattered between here and there at which to race. No longer. “That’s what makes it so hard to race in Southern California,” said crew member Matt Jackson, who has seen more than a half-dozen tracks close. Most of Southern California’s tracks met their demise in the final decade of the 20th century when the land they sat on became more valuable for warehouses, shopping centers, storage yards and townhouses. Even the 71-year-old Willow Springs International Raceway in Kern County, a 600-acre complex of eight tracks that is home to the oldest permanent road course in the U.S., is up for sale, although spokesman Rick Romo said plans are to keep the site a racetrack. Irwindale, which opened in 1999, was meant to help fill the void created by all those track closings, but it got off to an inauspicious start when a 23-year-old sprint-car driver named Casey Diemert died after hitting the wall during the track’s first practice session. The $7-million facility was unique because of its versatility, boasting half- and third-mile banked oval tracks, a drag strip and a 6,500-seat grandstand. And its location in the armpit of the 605 and 210 freeways made it easily accessible from anywhere in the Southland. In their heyday the tracks, nestled atop a former rock and sand quarry, were staples of NASCAR’s West Coast-based regional series, hosting nationally televised events, including the Toyota All-Star Showdown and NASCAR Cup Series drivers such as Tony Stewart, Jason Leffler and J.J. Yeley. But the track’s owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and plans were made to demolish the facility and replace it with an outlet mall. Those plans changed when Tim Huddleston, a former champion driver who won 45 races at the track — ranking him among the top 10 drivers all-time — took over management at Irwindale in the final week of 2017, giving the facility a second chance. That rebirth was short-lived, however, with Los Angeles-based IDS Real Estate purchasing the 63-acre site in 2022, then announcing in September the track would give way to an industrial park and commercial development. “Losing a track like Irwindale is definitely going to be a big blow to auto racing, NASCAR circle-track racing,” said Ryan Vargas, who watched his first race at Irwindale as a 9-year-old and returned to run in Saturday’s final event, only to have his night end in a crash with six laps left in the pro late model main event. “Irwindale was my home. There will definitely be a hole in that market.” But track closings aren’t just an issue in Southern California. Vargas, a La Mirada native who has relocated to North Carolina, said iconic short tracks have also been shuttered recently in places like Greenville, S.C., and Midland, N.C., the heart of stock-car country. “There’s so many drag strips, so many short tracks falling victim to land development and stuff like that,” said Vargas, who called Irwindale the best short track in the country. “It’s happening everywhere. It’s a really tough world for racing because of all the valuable real estate.” Many tracks, such as the ones in Riverside and Santa Clarita, were built in rural areas when the land was cheap. As suburban sprawl pushed cities farther and farther out, that land became more valuable for shopping centers and warehouses while neighbors began complaining of the noise from the thundering, angry bark of the stock-car engines. Promoters were also hurt by falling attendance, which cut into their already narrow profit margins. “These race tracks, they’re passion projects right? They don’t really turn big profits,” Vargas said. “These tracks don’t have TV dollars. These tracks just have ticket sales and entry fees. That’s their only source of income. “That’s difficult. It’s hard to keep up with the changing times.” That’s bound to have an impact on the development of young drivers, who have traditionally depended on short tracks to learn their craft the same way baseball players rely on the minor leagues. “That teaches you racing right there,” said Ron Hornaday Jr., who began his career driving stock cars at Saugus Speedway and went on to become a four-time champion in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series. “It taught you moving people out of the way and getting moved out of the way, of not running into them. And doing it with finesse. “You can’t teach that; just being in a race car and making laps.” Consider Vargas’ driver’s education. After watching that first race from the stands at Irwindale, he was hooked on the sport and by age 12 he was racing Bandoleros — entry-level cars that are slow to accelerate and top off at 70 mph — at the track. He quickly advanced to super late models and before his 20th birthday he had graduated to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he now races full time. “This is where I learned to race,” said Vargas, who brought his family back for Saturday’s finale, which seemed appropriate since Irwindale has long been a family track, with sons — and daughters — following their fathers and grandfathers from the stands to the pits and into the driver’s seat. Huddleston’s son Trevor dominated Saturday’s first race, an ARCA Menards Series West exhibition, and will finish as Irwindale’s all-time leader with 87 career wins, according to track officials. “Everybody likes to think of NASCAR as being an East Coast, Southern sport,” said Vargas, 24, whose primary sponsor is Santa Fe-based Swann Security. “But there a lot of very, very talented drivers on the West Coast. Without having a short track there, they may not even have a chance.” That was especially true for Vargas, who couldn’t drive himself to the races in those early days since he wasn’t old enough to get a license. If there hadn’t been a track 15 miles from his parents’ house, Vargas might never had gotten the opportunity to race. There are still places that provide that in Southern California, but they are shrinking in number. The Orange Show Speedway, a quarter-mile asphalt oval in San Bernardino, has been around for 77 years, helping launch the careers of NASCAR Cup champions Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. It still offers races in various stock car divisions as does the Perris Auto Speedway in Riverside County and the Ventura Raceway. Meanwhile Huddleston, who squeezed a few final seasons out of the Irwindale track, is moving to Bakersfield, where he has teamed with Harvick, a Bakersfield native, to refurbish the former Kern County Raceway Park as Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, a 120-acre motorsports facility with a half-mile asphalt oval and a one-third-mile dirt one. Yet for beginning drivers from L.A. and Orange County, who are struggling to race on a shoestring budget, that track might just as well be on another planet. “It’s just a two-hour drive but that’s gas money, that’s towing a trailer, that’s potentially hotel stays,” Vargas said. “So it’s a struggle if you’re operating on a budget. When we were getting our foot in the door we drove to Bakersfield and then drove home the night of practice because we didn’t want to buy a hotel room.” Getting started in racing has always been expensive and for many drivers — and fans —- Irwindale’s closing will raise those costs. So as much as Saturday’s finale was a party and a wake, it also marked the end of an era for racing in Southern California when Jeffrey Peterson took the final checkered flag in track history. Sometime in the wee hours Sunday morning, the lights over the speedway went dark for the last time. Get local news delivered to your inbox!