skygaming WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect's threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America’s leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City . It was unclear, as Trudeau headed back to Canada from Florida, whether the conversation had alleviated Trump’s concerns. A person familiar with the details of the leaders' hastily arranged meeting Friday night said it was a “positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.” The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. As he was leaving his West Palm Beach hotel, Trudeau stopped briefly to answer a reporter’s question about the dinner meeting, saying it was "an excellent conversation." Trump’s transition team did not respond to questions about what the leaders had discussed. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Among those at the dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick for commerce secretary; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, in line to lead the Interior Department; and Mike Waltz, Trump's choice to be his national security adviser. Accompanying Trudeau were Canada's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, and Katie Telford, Trudeau's chief of staff. Trudeau had said earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs issue by talking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said a day earlier after speaking with Trump that she is confident a tariff war with the United States will be averted. Trudeau said Trump got elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he's talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said before his leaving for Florida. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. To Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, Trump "doesn’t need convincing that new tariffs on Canadian products would not be in U.S. interests. He knows that, but cannot say it because it would detract from what he has said publicly. His goal is to project the image that he gets action when he talks.” Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. Trump made the tariff threat Monday while citing an influx of migrants entering the country illegally, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison to those at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump also spoke about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are ready to make new investments in border security. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.

Yuletide: Business owners count gains amidst hardship

AP News Summary at 4:04 p.m. EST

Idaho Statesman staff The Fiesta Bowl matchup is set between the No. 3 seed Boise State Broncos and No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions. Both teams are covered by McClatchy Company newspapers. The Idaho Statesman’s coverage of Boise State, the 2024 Mountain West champion and three-time Fiesta Bowl champ, has been headed by beat writer Shaun Goodwin. The Nittany Lions, who narrowly lost the Big 10 championship game to Oregon but routed SMU in the first round of the playoffs, are covered by the Centre Daily Times’ Jon Sauber. The two teams now will meet in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time on Tuesday, Dec. 31. How did both teams get here? Which team is favored, and why? How might the game play out? Shaun and Jon share their thoughts about the matchup. Join our livestream at noon, Monday, Dec. 30, to hear what they have to say and to have your questions answered. You can click here to register and submit your question for Shaun. We’ll also take questions during the livestream on all our social platforms. Watch on IdahoStatesman.com , our Facebook and Instagram pages, and our YouTube channel. Join us What: Idaho Statesman Fiesta Bowl Preview When: Noon, Monday, Dec. 30 How: Click here to register and submit a question. It’s free. Idaho Statesman Boise State sports reporter Shaun Goodwin Centre Daily Times Penn State sports reporter Jon Sauber This story was originally published December 24, 2024, 1:00 PM.None

Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Several festive foods are being urgently pulled from supermarket shelves over fears they are riddled with a potentially deadly bacteria which could trigger meningitis and sepsis. Cheeses by Wicklow Farmhouse, including festive favourites brie and cheddar , must be recalled due to a potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes — a type of bacteria that causes a disease called listeriosis, which causes flu-like symptoms, vomiting and diarrhoea in most people, according to the Food Standards Agency. Wicklow Farmhouse cheeses are currently being sold in independent stores as well as Aldi supermarkets in Ireland. In most severe cases of listeriosis, infections may spread to the bloodstream or brain, potentially bringing on meningitis or life-threatening sepsis, reports the Mirror . Those most at risk include the elderly, young children and anyone with a weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients. Pregnant women are also considered high risk, with almost one in five that get listeriosis suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth. Stores across Ireland stock these cheeses , which have seen the 150g portions and their use-by dates impacted. The recall specifically affected those in Northern Ireland, The Food Safety Agency said, with buyers urged to return them for a full refund with no receipt required. The food watchdog said: "Point of sale notices will be displayed in the retail stores in Northern Ireland that are selling the products." Just a day prior, several other Christmas dinner staples were pulled off the shelves due to concerns over customers' health. Products included cabbage, cooked meats and cheeses made by Dunnes in Ireland which were also feared to contain Listeria. There were 177 cases of listeriosis up from 124 in the previous year. Of the cases reported last year, 32 were fatal, according to the latest data in England and Wales from 2023. Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter .

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — It wasn’t how Duke drew up the final play, but it worked out perfect for the Blue Devils in Saturday’s 23-17 victory over Wake Forest. Maalik Murphy threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Moore as time expired, allowing Duke to end the regular season with three consecutive victories. Murphy said he realized he took too long to make a decision after the last snap. “I knew at that point I had to make a play,” he said. “The damage was already done, time was ticking.” With the score tied at 17, the Blue Devils (9-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) moved 76 yards in 1:22 after forcing a Wake Forest punt. It appeared that Duke might run out of time in the slow-developing play, but Moore improvised and broke free along the right side, caught the ball at the 10-yard line and spun into the end zone to complete a comeback from 14 points down in the second half. “The play that Maalik and Jordan put together was magical,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “Nobody thought a 5-yard route would turn into a (long) touchdown.” So instead of a long field-goal attempt, Duke had something better. “I just decided to take it down the field,” Moore said. “I think that’s a testament to our chemistry. ... Maalik had the confidence in himself to make that kind of play.” It resulted in Duke’s sixth victory by seven points or less. “It’s like a perfect exclamation point to our season,” Diaz said. “An unbelievable way to finish our season.” Murphy racked up with 235 yards on 26-for-34 passing. Moore, who was down with an injury after a reception earlier in the second half, made five catches for 98 yards. Hank Bachmeier threw for 207 yards and a touchdown as Wake Forest (4-8, 2-6) ended its second straight four-win season with a four-game losing streak. “A heartbreaking loss,” Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson said. “It’s a tough way to lose a game and a tough way to end the season.” Tate Carey’s 8-yard run, Matthew Dennis’ 37-yard field goal and Horatio Fields’ 9-yard reception across 11 minutes of game time gave Wake Forest a 17-3 lead with nine minutes left in the third quarter. Duke took advantage of a short field following a punt, moving 42 yards in four plays to score on Star Thomas’ 3-yard run. The Blue Devils recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and converted on Murphy’s 2-yard run with 12:57 left to pull even. “What has been proven is that we’re mentally tough,” Diaz said. “We’re not going to do everything perfect.” Taylor Morin became Wake Forest’s all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,974. He picked up 47 yards on eight catches on Saturday. Morin, in his fifth season, passed former NFL player Ricky Proehl, who had 2,929 yards in the late 1980s. Duke: The Blue Devils have secured at least a nine-win season for the second time in three seasons, this one coming in Diaz’s first season. They racked up a 4-0 record against in-state opponents, including comebacks to top North Carolina and Wake Forest. “Every quest that we have for championships starts in our own state,” Diaz said. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons punted on their final three possessions of the season. They finished with a 1-6 record in home games. “It’s been a tough year, a long year, and I’m proud of our team and how hard they fought,” Clawson said. Duke: Awaits a bowl invitation Wake Forest: Enters the offseason with a losing record for the third time in five seasons. 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.Cutting in line? American Airlines' new boarding tech might stop you at now over 100 airports

Christopher Nolan’s next film is based on ‘The Odyssey’Thanks to meme culture, a whole new generation is enjoying the beloved 2003 holiday movie, “Elf.” We are now learning the behind-the-scenes story about one particular scene that has gone viral. According to Mark Acheson, who played “Mailroom Guy” in the film, not only was much of his scene improvised, it almost didn’t make it into the movie. “I called my agent and he said, ‘Listen, they would like you to come and do one line with Will Ferrell. Would you like to do it?,’” Acheson told People magazine. “And I said, yeah, I’d be happy to do that. I was only supposed to say ‘work release’ and that was the end of it.” Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, sent to the mailroom at his father’s office to stay occupied. “Elf” director Jon Favreau got Acheson to improvise with Ferrell. During the scene, Acheson’s character tells Ferrell’s character he’s 26 years old but has “nothing to show for it.” “You’re young, you’re so young,” Ferrell’s Buddy tells the “Mailroom Guy.” But not everyone loved the banter, and Acheson said the improvised dialogue initially landed on the chopping block. “The producers wanted to axe the whole scene because of that. I think, ‘Who is gonna believe this guy is 26?’ I mean, seriously,” Acheson said. “I believe I was 46 at the time and an older, 46 even at that. Because I never looked young in my life.” Favreau fought to keep it in the movie. “He said that the joke, that’s the funny part, right?” Acheson recalled. “He kept me in. They didn’t want me, but he did and thank God for me because it changed my career quite a bit.” The scene is now being shared all over social media.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that the firm advised CleanSpark Inc. on a convertible senior notes offering. , Partner and Co-Chair of the Capital Markets practice, led the Katten team that advised the company in connection with its offering of aggregate principal amount of 0.00% convertible senior notes due 2030. The notes were sold to the initial purchasers, led by Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. as Lead Book-Running Manager, in a private offering for resale to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act). The issuance and sale of the notes closed on . In connection with the pricing of the notes, CleanSpark entered into capped call transactions with various counterparties and repurchased approximately of its common stock. ICR Capital LLC served as financial advisor to CleanSpark in connection with this offering. "We congratulate our client CleanSpark on successfully completing its first-ever 144A convertible notes offering," Wood said. "It has been a privilege to work alongside the CleanSpark team as it has led CleanSpark's growth in the mining industry." CleanSpark is a market-leading, pure play miner. The company owns and operates a portfolio of mining facilities across . Katten regularly advises companies within the and blockchain industries, combining its regulatory expertise and deep experience in a wide range of sophisticated transactions to deliver holistic legal advice to companies in this industry. The Katten team also included Capital Markets Partners Elizabeth McNichol and , and Associates Maximillian Licona and Michael Tremeski; Financial Markets and Funds Partner Krassi Zourkova and Associate Eli Krasnow; and Transactional Tax Planning Partner Todd Hatcher and Associate Jeffrey Ng. Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across and in and . Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit . View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE KattenBy Connor Smith The stock market’s Santa Claus rally kicked off with solid gains, but the major indexes will still need more holiday magic to finish the year at record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up about 15% this year, but at 43,297.03 points is off 3.8% from its Dec. 4 record close of 45,014.04. The other indexes are a bit closer. The S&P 500 is up nearly 27% this year and is only down 0.8% from its Dec. 6 closing high of 6,090.27. The Nasdaq Composite, up 33% this year, is off only 0.7% from its Dec. 16 record close of 20,173.89.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Advocates for transgender rights are turning to a conservative-dominated Supreme Court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The justices on Wednesday are taking up the issue of gender-affirming care for transgender minors, which has been banned by Tennessee and 25 other Republican-led states. The fight over whether transgender adolescents can access puberty blockers and hormonal treatments is part of a broader effort to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. Trump backed a national ban on such care as part of his 2024 campaign in which he demeaned and mocked transgender people. In its waning days, the Biden administration, along with families of transgender adolescents, will appeal to the justices to strike down the Tennessee ban as unlawful sex discrimination and protect the constitutional rights of vulnerable Americans. "The stakes are high, of course, for transgender adolescents, but also for the parents who are watching their children suffer, who are just trying to do right by their kids," Chase Strangio, who represents the families at the Supreme Court, said in an interview. Strangio, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, will be the first openly transgender person to argue before the high court. A lawyer for Tennessee will argue that the "life-altering gender-transition procedures" are risky and unproven and that it's the state's role to protect children. Trump nominated three justices in his first term who pushed the court in a more conservative direction that included the decision in 2022 overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which had protected abortion rights for nearly 50 years. Yet one of Trump's appointees, Justice Neil Gorsuch, also authored a ruling in 2020 that protected LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace under federal civil rights law. The administration and transgender families both rely on that decision to bolster their arguments. After Trump takes office on Jan. 20, 2025, it's possible the new administration could weigh in on the case, which is not expected to be decided until the spring. There are about 300,000 people between age 13 and 17, and 1.3 million adults who identify as transgender in the United States, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. The Williams Institute is a think tank that researches sexual orientation and gender identity demographics to inform laws and public policy decisions. Most Republican-controlled states have adopted a ban similar to the one in Tennessee, and those laws mostly are in effect, despite legal challenges. The Tennessee case is the first time the nation's top court will consider the constitutionality of the bans. Sivan Kotler-Berkowitz, a 20-year-old college student in Massachusetts who is transgender, said his life would have been very different if he were just a few years younger and living in one of the states. "These bans are denying people the opportunity to live and excel," he said in an interview. "There are thousands of transgender youth across the country that are thriving just like me because we've had the love and understanding of our families and because we've had access to proper care." The bans in Tennessee and elsewhere have put families in the position of deciding whether to travel for ongoing health care, go without or wait until their children turn 18. Erin Friday, a leader of Our Duty, an international group that supports the bans on gender-affirming care for minors, said the case is going to be as important as Roe v. Wade. She said upholding the Tennessee law would bolster the cases for the laws restricting sports participation and bathroom use. Among the arguments advanced by defenders of the state laws is that many children who initially say they are transgender eventually change their mind. Friday said her daughter was 11 when she said she was transgender, which Friday attributed to the child having been "indoctrinated" at school. But after receiving psychiatric treatment, her daughter changed her mind, Friday said. If laws like Tennessee's are struck down, "more children would be irreversibly harmed and live a life of deep regret," Friday said in a Supreme Court filing. Guidelines from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health that were revised in 2022 say evidence of regret about transitioning is scant but also that patients should be told about the possibility during psychological counseling. Some doctors who work with transgender minors said a state should not come between doctors, their patients and parents. "From a medical standpoint, I think it's really frightening and dangerous to think that legislators could pass a law that basically judges or controls what people could do with a medication based on a diagnosis," Dr. Susan Lacy of Memphis, Tennessee, who joined with the families in suing the state, said in an interview. Michelle Quist Ryder, CEO of the American Psychological Foundation, said the laws, if left in place, are damaging for the physical and mental health of transgender people and their supporters. Gender dysphoria — the unease a person may have when their assigned sex and gender identity don't match — has been linked to depression and suicidal thoughts. "The more we lessen the sense of safety in this community, trans youth will look out and say, 'Who else is going to come after me?'" she said. There are prominent names in some of the 83 briefs, an unusually high number, filed on both sides of the case. Actors Elliot Page and Nicole Maines, and Sarah McBride of Delaware, who in November became the first openly transgender person to win election to Congress, have joined more than five dozen people in urging the court to strike down the Tennessee law. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova and Olympic swimming gold medalists Donna de Varona and Summer Sanders are among 135 athletes, coaches, officials and parents who want the justices to uphold the ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. _______ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson in Seattle and Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this article. Rebecca: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/a2/d9/fb69982545c59e9836fbe80fe431/rebecca-recommends.png Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png Ben: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/df/c4/19fa7c504480938f39a431e3b276/ben-recommends-header.png Amy: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/b9/b6/1408516a4a91b97639b178fc1ba9/amy-recommends-header.png Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png Journalism is at its best when we can shine a light on an issue that needs more attention. Once again, Hannah McDonald does this beautifully by highlighting the hardships of teens aging out of the foster care system. I learned something new in her reporting and am inspired by the work I AM NEXT is doing to make a difference. I think you will be too! -Carrie Sharp

‘One of greatest darts games ever’ Dave Chisnall CRASHES OUT after brilliant win by ‘weird Kettering lad’ Ricky Evans

Trump's incoming envoy raises hopes of a 'free Imran Khan'The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Marcus Johnson scored 23 points and Javontae Campbell secured the victory with a free throw with 12 seconds remaining as Bowling Green knocked off New Mexico State 61-60 on Saturday. Johnson had five rebounds and three steals for the Falcons (3-5). Derrick Butler scored 15 points while going 4 of 15 from the floor, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and 5 for 5 from the line and added five rebounds. Campbell had 12 points and shot 1 of 9 from the field and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. The Aggies (3-4) were led by Jaden Harris, who posted 18 points and nine rebounds. New Mexico State also got 10 points and seven rebounds from Robert Carpenter. Christian Cook finished with nine points and four assists. Campbell scored a team-high 12 points for Bowling Green in the second half, including their game-winner. NEXT UP Up next for Bowling Green is a Saturday matchup with Morgan State at home, and New Mexico State hosts Abilene Christian on Wednesday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .