This year, Amazon is pulling out all the stops for Black Friday and offers incredible discounts on a wide range of Dyson products including their renowned vacuums, air purifiers and hair dryers. Among these, the Dyson Supersonic stands out as a global reference in hair care technology. Yes, it’s true that the Dyson Supersonic is easily ten times more expensive than an average hair dryer, but its efficiency and performance make it worth every penny. It not only enhances the beauty of your hair but also protects it from heat damage, which makes it the best investment you can make for your hair care routine. Currently available for $329.00 on Amazon, the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is marked down by $100, reflecting a 23% discount from its original price of $429.99 . This price drop during Black Friday makes it one of the most anticipated deals of the season. See at Amazon The Supersonic is engineered with advanced technology that allows it to dry hair quickly while minimizing heat exposure . Its powerful digital motor V9 spins up to 110,000 RPM and creates a high-velocity jet of air that dries hair swiftly and efficiently. Intelligent Heat Control The Dyson Supersonic has an intelligent heat control system which measures air temperature over 40 times per second to prevent extreme heat damage. This ensures that your hair maintains its natural shine and softness while reducing frizz by up to 75% . The dryer comes with multiple styling attachments including a smoothing nozzle for a sleek finish, a diffuser for defining curls and a styling concentrator for precision styling. Each attachment uses Dyson’s innovative magnetic connection system. The design of the Dyson Supersonic is not only functional but it’s also aesthetically pleasing: Its lightweight construction prevents arm strain during use and its sleek appearance adds a touch of elegance to any vanity or bathroom counter. Many professional salons around the world have adopted the Supersonic as their go-to hair dryer due to its superior performance and relibiality. Users rave about how quickly they can achieve salon-quality results at home without the risk of damaging their hair. As you consider your options this Black Friday, remember that investing in a high-quality product like the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer means you’re choosing durability and effectiveness over temporary savings. Unlike cheaper alternatives that may break down or underperform after a short period, the Supersonic model is built to last and deliver exceptional results consistently. See at AmazonClara Strack, Georgia Amoore help No. 16 Kentucky rout Western Kentucky50 jili ph 。

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Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’Cheryl Hines is facing backlash after posting a video of her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , President-elect Donald Trump 's nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and human services, showing him partially naked in the shower. Hines posted the video on her Instagram Stories, also apparently promoting a line of "MAHA" or Make America Healthy Again candles for her self-care product company Hines+Young for Black Friday. "No! You can't take a shower, I'm doing a video!" Hines yelled at Kennedy. "No, no, no, I'm doing a... you've gotta give me a second I'm doing a video for Hines+Young. Honey... 60 percent off." The entire time, the 70-year-old Kennedy goes about his shower, seemingly unbothered by Hines' presence. "Oh Bobby," the video was captioned, followed by heart and smiley face emojis. The video provoked some criticism on social media. "Cheryl Hines went from being tacitly complicit to actively participating," the Republicans Against Trump X account wrote, accompanied by the vomiting emoji. "I've now lost all respect for her." "The MAGA grift runs deep," former NBC Universal executive Mike Sington wrote. "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears in a promotional video showering to help his wife Cheryl Hines hawk self-care products. Get ready for four years of this." "Can MAGA just not be weird for like one day?....this is gross," online political commentator Dog House Show commented. Newsweek has contacted Kennedy and Hines for comment via email. Hines, who is an actress, was not a prominent supporter of her husband on the campaign trail. Kennedy previously told TMZ that his endorsement of Trump was "difficult" for Hines. "This is a really difficult issue for Cheryl," Kennedy said in August. "This is the opposite of what she would want to do. "She went along with it because she loves me and she wanted to be supportive of me, but it was not something that she ever encouraged. I would say, her trepidation about this and her discomfort with this were the dominant feelings." "She's a life-long Democrat," he added. Earlier this year, when a Variety reporter asked Kennedy whether he would accept an offer to be Trump's running mate, he pointed at Hines and said: "I don't think that my marriage would survive it." Hines responded: "I think he's right." After Kennedy suspended his campaign in August, Hines released a statement where she said she had "deep respect" for her husband's decision to run for president. "I deeply respect the decision Bobby made to run on the principle of unity. Over the last year and a half, I have met some extraordinary people from all parties— Democrats , Republicans, and Independents. It's been my experience that the vast majority of all parties are truly good people who want the best for our country and for each other. It has been an eye-opening, transformative, and endearing journey," she said in a post on X. According to Page Six , she was seen at Mar-a-Lago on Election Night. She was also reportedly seen mingling with Trump supporters during the America First Policy Institute gala mid-November.A bitcoin crash could trigger a broader stock market decline, Interactive Brokers' Thomas Peterffy says. Rising leverage in bitcoin futures poses significant risks to broader assets, Peterffy said. "It's basically just a figment of the imagination, so it doesn't have any underlying value," Peterffy said of the crypto. Interactive Brokers chairman Thomas Peterffy sees a bitcoin crash as one of the biggest risks that could lead to a stock market decline in 2025. In an interview with Bloomberg last week, Peterffy explained why he is concerned that the stock market could decline in 2025. The problem Petterffy sees is the high levels of leverage coursing through the system. "A downturn is a very big risk because margin balances have been growing very, very quickly," Peterffy said. According to Peterffy, one area that has seen a big spike in margin-based risk-taking is bitcoin, which benefits from low fees on bitcoin futures charged by the CME. "I am very worried that people overextended themselves," Peterffy said. Margin allows investors to take on a certain amount of debt based on the value of their investment account, and use the proceeds to buy more assets. While the strategy can juice returns while the market is rising, a correction could unravel the margin debt strategy if an investor's account falls below a certain threshold. This would force them to exit their positions at a lower price and likely at a loss or add new cash to the account to meet the margin threshold imposed by the brokerage firm. FINRA margin debt hit its highest level since February 2022 in October, at about $815 billion, according to YCharts data. Meanwhile, MicroStrategy has recently raised billions of dollars in debt to add to its bitcoin stash. But if bitcoin saw a sudden and sharp decline, it could unravel the margin debt as investors could be forced to sell their assets to meet margin calls, putting further pressure on prices. "Bitcoin falls say 30, 40, 50% from one day to the next. There would be many bankruptcies, the clearing houses would be unable to pick up the pieces," Peterffy warned. When asked directly about his views on bitcoin, Peterffy admitted he was "scared" by it, adding, "they can go to any price because it's basically just a figment of the imagination, so it doesn't have any underlying value." To limit his firm's exposure to a potential meltdown in cryptocurrencies, Peterffy noted that Interactive Brokers limits its customers from investing more than 10% of their assets directly into bitcoin because he thinks "that would be very dangerous." In a statement to Business Insider, Interactive Brokers confirmed that the platform applies limits to clients' maximum bitcoin exposure. "To ensure cryptocurrencies remain a complement to our core business, we will limit clients from opening cryptocurrency positions above certain thresholds through any IBKR-linked Cryptocurrency Service Providers," Interactive Brokers told Business Insider. Despite Peterffy's concerns surrounding cryptocurrencies, bitcoin has been on a tear, hitting record highs on Monday above $107,000. But Peterffy isn't alone in his cautious stance on the world's largest cryptocurrency. In his 2025 outlook, BCA Research strategist Peter Berezin argued that the token is nothing more than a leveraged bet on technology stocks and warned investors that it could crash 57% to $45,000 in 2025.

US to require passenger vehicles to sound alarms if rear passengers don't fasten their seat beltsNone

Michigan upsets No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 for Wolverines' 4th straight win over bitter rivalLesson from a year at war: In contrast to the Russians, Ukrainians master a mix of high- and low-end technology on the battlefield

Met Office app gives ‘severe high temperature’ warning despite Scots bracing for blizzardsLOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Snell and the Los Angeles Dodgers have finalized a $182 million, five-year contract. The reigning World Series champions announced the deal with the two-time Cy Young Award winner on Saturday. Snell, who turns 32 on Wednesday, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts for San Francisco this year, throwing a no-hitter at Cincinnati on Aug. 2 for one of only 16 individual shutouts in the major leagues this season. The left-hander struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings. He was sidelined between April 19 and May 22 by a strained left adductor and between June 2 and July 9 by a strained left groin. Snell gets a $52 million signing bonus , payable on Jan. 20, and annual salaries of $26 million, of which $13 million each year will be deferred. Because Snell is a Washington state resident, the signing bonus will not be subject to California income tax. Snell joins Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop Los Angeles’ rotation. Ohtani didn’t pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery but the two-way star is expected back on the mound in 2025. Snell won Cy Young Awards in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego. He is 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants. Because he turned down a qualifying offer from San Diego last November, the Giants were not eligible to give Snell another one and won’t receive draft-pick compensation. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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Authorities in Pakistan launch operation to clear Khan supporters from capitalUS President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he was nominating staunch loyalist and retired general Keith Kellogg as his Ukraine envoy, charged with ending the two-and-a-half-year Russian invasion. Trump campaigned on a platform of ushering a swift end to the Ukraine war, boasting that he would quickly mediate a ceasefire deal between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But his critics have warned that the incoming Republican will likely leverage US military aid to pressure Kyiv into an agreement that left it ceding occupied territory permanently or agreeing not to join NATO. "I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia," Trump said in a statement on social media. "Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration." A fixture on the cable news circuit, the 80-year-old national security veteran co-wrote an academic paper earlier this year calling for Washington to leverage military aid as a means of pushing for peace talks. Ukraine has received almost $60 billion from Washington for its armed forces since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, but with the more isolationist Trump taking over the White House, supporters fear the spigot will run dry. "The United States would continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen its defenses to ensure Russia will make no further advances and will not attack again after a cease-fire or peace agreement," Kellogg's research paper for the Trumpist America First Policy Institute think tank said. "Future American military aid, however, will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia." Kellogg served in several positions during Trump's first term, including as chief of staff on the White House national security council and national security advisor to then-vice president Mike Pence. Kellogg told Voice of America at the Republican convention in July that Ukraine's options were "quite clear." "If Ukraine doesn't want to negotiate, fine, but then accept the fact that you can have enormous losses in your cities and accept the fact that you will have your children killed, accept the fact that you don't have 130,000 dead, you will have 230,000–250,000," he said. Trump's announcement came as the outgoing administration of Democrat Joe Biden was hosting a news conference to urge Ukraine to enlist more recruits by reducing the minimum age of conscription to 18. Facing a much larger enemy with more advanced weapons and with stocks of volunteers dwindling, Ukraine is facing an "existential" recruitment crunch, a senior administration official told reporters. "The simple truth is that Ukraine is not currently mobilizing or training enough soldiers to replace their battlefield losses while keeping pace with Russia's growing military," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. He was pressed on what Washington considers an appropriate minimum age and he replied that "we think there's real value in them considering lowering the recruiting age to 18" -- in line with the US benchmark. He added that an additional 160,000 troops would be "on the low end" to fill out Ukraine's ranks -- but "a good start." The former Soviet republic's population has fallen by more than a quarter since its mid-1990s peak of 52 million, and authorities are desperate to shield the younger generation -- but a US congressional report in June estimated the average Ukrainian soldier is 40. Zelensky signed a decree in April lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 but the move did not alleviate the chronic troop shortages, according to US officials. ft/bjt

City are now six games without a victory but appeared to be cruising towards three points before being stunned by the Eredivisie side, who hit them with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko to fight back from 3-0 down. Two goals from Erling Haaland, one of them a penalty, and one from Ilkay Gundogan had the 2023 European champions three up after 53 minutes as they sought the win that would help to get their ailing season back on track. FULL-TIME | A point apiece. 🩵 3-3 ⚫️ #ManCity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/6oj1nEOIwm — Manchester City (@ManCity) November 26, 2024 After the team collapsed in the closing stages, Ake called on his team-mates to show their mettle if their campaign is not to wither away. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he was asked whether he believed the the team’s problem is a mental one. “Maybe it is,” he said. “It is difficult to say. Obviously we have not been in this situation many times but this is where we have to show our character. “When everything seems to go against us and everyone is writing us off, we have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves and stick together. 🔢 pic.twitter.com/diyhxQXsdF — Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) November 26, 2024 “Every season there is a period when they write us off. We have to make sure we stay strong as a team and staff and make sure we get out of it.” The draw leaves City with work to do if they are to secure one of the eight automatic spots in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League. They are currently 15th in the table, two points outside of the top eight, and will need positive results in their next two games against Juventus and Paris St Germain to keep their hopes alive. They then face Club Brugge in their final league match on January 29. The result at least ended a run of five straight defeats in all competitions ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown with leaders Liverpool at Anfield. “When you are three goals up it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home,” said Ake. “It is tough now, a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. Liverpool is a big game and it is another challenge to overcome. “(We were) 3-0 up and we played quite well and were under control, but then it all changed. “You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1 they then push on but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them, but we stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us. “Then when you concede the second one there is even more pressure and then we have to stay stronger mentally.”US to require passenger vehicles to sound alarms if rear passengers don't fasten their seat belts

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma made an honest admission and said he was sulking when South Africa were batting when things were not going his team's way during the chase against Pakistan. South Africa failed to handle the pressure in the first session on Sunday and were reduced to 99/8, but they found an unlikely hero in Kagiso Rabada , who scored an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls to rescue them. Rabada shared an unbeaten 51-run stand alongside Marco Jansen as South Africa registered a nervy two-wicket win and sealed a place in the World Test Championship Final. Bavuma, who was dismissed for 40, admitted that he hid in the toilet when things were not going their way and came out when 15 runs were needed. "Quite an emotional moment for me. Lot of joy and happiness on our side. We did the hard way. But glad we won. I was still sulking in the toilet. Aiden (Markram) get them going. Was not a lot of conversations. We still had the confidence. I did not come out to the viewing area and was in the toilet. I came when 15 runs were needed. It is a big win. Not just for myself. But for the coaches," Bavuma said in the post-match presentation. Meanwhile, chasing a 148-run target, Proteas were restricted to 99/8 despite knocks from Markram (37 in 63 balls, with six fours) and skipper Bavuma (40 in 78 balls, with four boundaries and six) by Mohammed Abbas (6/54). However, Rabada and Jansen pulled them up and helped them took over the line. South Africa continued their brilliant run in ICC tournaments as after the final of ICC T20 World Cup this year, they have booked for themselves a spot in the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's next year. ‘We were not given much of a chance’: Temba Bavuma The Proteas skipper further discussed qualifying for the WTC final and recalled that not many gave them a chance to reach it when they started their campaign against India, which ended in a 1-1 draw. "The way we started our campaign against India. We were not given much of a chance. We were not ruthless. But we kept finding ways. We hope the guys can get confidence from performances like these. Guys get picked on when they do badly. We would like to enjoy the moment and take stock of what we have done," he added.The latest development came hours after thousands of his supporters, defying government warnings, broke through a barrier of shipping containers blocking off Islamabad and entered a high-security zone, where they clashed with security forces, facing tear gas shelling, mass detentions and gunfire. Tension has been high in Islamabad since Sunday when supporters of the former PM began a “long march” from the restive north-west to demand his release. Khan has been in a prison for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, led the protest, but she fled as police pushed back against demonstrators. Hundreds of Khan’s supporters are being arrested in the ongoing night-time operation. Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters that the Red Zone, which houses government buildings and embassies, and the surrounding areas have been cleared. Leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, have also fled the protest site. Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan’s army took control of D-Chowk, a large square in the Red Zone, where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is staying. Since Monday, Mr Naqvi had threatened that security forces would use live fire if protesters fired weapons at them. “We have now authorised the police to respond as necessary,” Mr Naqvi said Tuesday while visiting the square. Before the operation began, protester Shahzor Ali said people had taken to the streets because Khan had called for them. “We will stay here until Khan joins us. He will decide what to do next,” Mr Ali said. Protester Fareeda Bibi, who is not related to Khan’s wife, said people have suffered greatly for the last two years. “We have really suffered for the last two years, whether it is economically, politically or socially. We have been ruined. I have not seen such a Pakistan in my life,” she said. Authorities have struggled to contain the protest-related violence. Six people, including four members of the security services, were killed when a vehicle rammed them on a street overnight into Tuesday. A police officer died in a separate incident. Dozens of Khan supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for the Associated Press and took his camera. He sustained head injuries and was treated in hospital. By Tuesday afternoon, fresh waves of protesters made their way unopposed to their final destination in the Red Zone. Mr Naqvi said Khan’s party had rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city. Information minister Atta Tarar warned there would be a severe government reaction to the violence. The government says only the courts can order Khan’s release. He was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. In a bid to foil the unrest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in some parts of the country. Messaging platforms were also experiencing severe disruption in the capital. Khan’s party relies heavily on social media and uses messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, which is banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible, even with a VPN. Last Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Mr Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads. All education institutions remain closed.

FIRST DAY HIKE Wednesday, Jan. 1 join Desoto State Park and JSU Field Schools staff on a fitness hike in DeSoto State Park. See Lost Falls, Laurel Falls, Indian Falls, and more water features like Laurel Creek and the West Fork of Little River. Trail weaves through hardwood forest with sandstone outcroppings, streams, and wetlands. The trail will be moderate, rocky terrain over approximately 3 miles. The orange and blue trails will be utilized for this hike. Hike begins at 10 a.m. and ends about 1 p.m. Meet at DeSoto’s Country Store on County Road 89, inside the State Park. Free and open to everyone, no-preregistration required. Weather-dependent, call the Lodge at 256-845-5380 beforehand to check on status of hike. Contact Brittney.Hughes@dcnr.alabama.gov for any details. www.alapark.com/desoto-state-park/hiking . Bring water and/or sports drink, snacks/lunch, hiking poles/staff (optional), sturdy shoes (open toe shoes are not recommended) Trail may be wet. Dress with seasonal weather/temperature changes in mind. No age restrictions on this hike and well-behaved dogs are allowed on a leash at all times. BULL BASH North Country Ford presents the PBR Bull Bash 2025 at the Northeast Alabama Agribusiness Center on Friday/Saturday, Jan. 24 – 25. Attendees will see top bull riders in the Touring Pro Division. Back again this year are the freestyle bullfighters brought by Busch Light and the Ultimate Bullfighters. Advance General Admission Ticket $25, General admit at door $30, Premium seating $45, ages 3 and under free. No car seats or strollers allowed. Tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ LIBRARY EVENTS Moon Lake Library will host Author Talk with Mark L. Brooks, debut author of “Laying Autumn’s Dust.” The 2024 book is a southern tragedy about betrayal, revenge, and murder as well as love, hope, and charity. The novel showcases a father named Donny with a low moral compass, who cannot seem to rise above his worst instincts. His wife, Abigail, who is not perfect, but gives life her best shot. Their son Jesse could follow in either of their footsteps. Carol Plum-Ucci, author and two-time Edgar Allen Poe Award finalist says, “Mark L. Brooks hits a homer with this first novel if you love family dynamics, how each member plays on each other with the good, the bad, the most ugly, and how they can arrive victorious.” Book talk takes place on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. Books will be for sale at the book signing/book talk. Paperbacks are $20 and hardcover $25. The Moon Lake Library Book Club meets the second Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m. All members do not necessarily read the same book; some meetings are discussions on what the various members have recently read by the same author, genre, or theme. January’s meeting will be a discussion on short stories, articles, and essays. Join the Moon Lake Library for Family Game Night on Friday, Jan. 25, 2025 from 6 – 8 p.m. Board games, cards, snacks and more create a fun gathering. Popular games are: Rummikub, Mexican Train Dominoes, Hearts, and Chess. Moon Lake Library is located at 4607 AL-117, Mentone. STORM SPOTTER CLASS On Monday, January 30 meet EMA officials from DeKalb County and officials from the National Weather Service Huntsville and learn more about storms and storm spotting at Northeast Alabama Community College. Storm spotters come from all walks of life. Spotters are taught to coordinate with local emergency management officials. Training is free and open to the public. Prior registration is not required. Meeting will be held in the Math, Science, and Engineering Technology building, room 119 at 6 p.m. on the Northeast Alabama Community College campus. NACC is located at 138 AL-35, Rainsville.SLNG Stock Soars to 52-Week High, Reaching $5.37ATCO Australia selects GE Vernova for hydrogen-capable turbines for South Australia Government’s Hydrogen Jobs Plan CALGARY, AB, Nov. 20, 2024 /CNW/ – ATCO Australia, a division of Canadian Utilities Limited (TSX: ), announced that as part of its partnership with the South Australian Government to deliver the world-leading Hydrogen Jobs Plan project, it has awarded GE Vernova the supply of the LM6000* gas turbine, included in the GE Vernova LM6000VELOX* packaged solution for the . The official announcement was made this week at the COP29 Australian Pavilion in Baku, Azerbaijan as part of the 29 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The GE Vernova turbine is expected to become the first “aeroderivative” (derived from aviation jet engine technology) gas turbine capable of operating on 100 per cent renewable hydrogen. This first-of-its-kind technology will power the Whyalla power plant and is expected to provide crucial firming capacity to support the energy transition in South Australia. ATCO is actively developing hydrogen projects globally and has been selected by the South Australian Government as one of the key preferred partners for the design of what will be the world’s biggest hydrogen power station, in Whyalla. ATCO Australia CEO and Country Chair, said: “ ATCO Australia is participating in the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) phase of the South Australian Government’s Hydrogen Jobs Plan. During the ECI phase, ATCO Australia will work closely with other project delivery partners to undertake detailed project and engineering design, procure critical equipment, finalise contracting arrangements, and complete cost estimations. The project’s operations are set to commence in 2026. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at ATCO Australia selects GE Vernova for hydrogen-capable turbines for South Australia Government’s Hydrogen Jobs Plan, Hydrogen-heated home lays ground for low-carbon communities On the outside, the new house just east of Edmonton in Sherwood Park looks like any other Canadian suburban home. But inside, the home’s state-of-the-art... Cemex Ventures announces collaborative project with UK hydrogen company Cemex Ventures – the corporate venture capital and innovation unit of Mexico-based construction materials company Cemex – announced what it called... Hydrogen Europe and H2Chile agree to strengthen industry cooperation on clean hydrogen deployment and trade Hydrogen Europe and H2Chile have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the European Hydrogen Week...

Manchester City's struggles continued as Pep Guardiola's side remarkably blew a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain to leave the French club in danger of elimination. There were also big wins for Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen, while Inter Milan went top of the standings after five games and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski reached a century of Champions League goals. However, the biggest drama came at the Etihad Stadium, where City were cruising early in the second half with a three-goal advantage as they sought to end a run of five successive defeats in all competitions. Erling Haaland opened the scoring from a penalty just before half-time, and Ilkay Gundogan's deflected shot made it 2-0 in the 50th minute. Haaland struck again to make it 3-0, but Feyenoord's comeback began on 75 minutes when Anis Hadj Moussa took advantage of hapless defending to round goalkeeper Ederson and pull one back. Substitute Santiago Gimenez bundled in to make it 3-2 on 82 minutes and the equaliser arrived a minute from the end. Ederson was again caught out with Igor Paixao going around the goalkeeper and crossing for Slovak international David Hancko to head in. "We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable," complained Guardiola. "We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and of course we need a victory." It is the first time that a team has gone into the last 20 minutes of a Champions League game trailing by three goals and still avoided defeat, as the point boosts the Dutch side's hopes of progressing. City are two points outside the top eight places which offer direct qualification for the last 16, while Bayern moved above them by beating PSG 1-0 in Munich. South Korean defender Kim Min-jae scored the only goal seven minutes before half-time, heading in after goalkeeper Matvei Safonov failed to clear a corner. PSG had Ousmane Dembele sent off in the second half and the French champions have just four points, and three goals, from five games. They are a lowly 26th in the 36-team league, a point adrift of the positions which offer a place in the play-off round in February. "We need to win our last three matches, otherwise we risk being eliminated," admitted PSG coach Luis Enrique. Lewandowski notched his 100th goal in the competition with an early penalty in Barcelona's 3-0 home win over French side Brest. Dani Olmo netted midway through the second half before Lewandowski sealed Barca's win at the death, his 101st goal in the Champions League -- only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored more. Inter lead the standings with 13 points, a point ahead of Barcelona and Liverpool, after a 1-0 win at home to RB Leipzig which means they are also still yet to concede a goal. Castello Lukeba's own goal made the difference at San Siro, and Leipzig are one of only three teams to have lost five games out of five. Arsenal romped to a 5-1 victory away to Sporting in Lisbon, as the Portuguese side adapt to life without coach Ruben Amorim, who has departed for Manchester United. Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes all scored in the first half for Arsenal, before Goncalo Inacio pulled one back shortly after the restart. Bukayo Saka converted a penalty on 65 minutes after Martin Odegaard had been brought down, and Leandro Trossard headed in to seal Arsenal's win late on. Atalanta romped to a 6-1 win over rock-bottom Young Boys in Switzerland, with Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere both scoring braces. Sead Kolasinac and Lazar Samardzic also netted for the Italians, with Silvere Ganvoula getting the hosts' reply. Florian Wirtz struck twice, including a penalty, as Leverkusen crushed Red Bull Salzburg 5-0, with Alejandro Grimaldo scoring a superb free-kick and Patrik Schick and Aleix Garcia also netting. Julian Alvarez and substitute Angel Correa each scored twice and Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann once as Atletico romped to a 6-0 win away to Sparta Prague. Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao and Tammy Abraham were the scorers in AC Milan's 3-2 win at Slovan Bratislava, whose goals came from Tigran Barseghyan and Nino Marcelli. Marko Tolic saw red at the end for Slovan, who are without a point. as/nf

By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.US to require passenger vehicles to sound alarms if rear passengers don't fasten their seat belts

Executive assistants, high salaries, and other ways early-stage founders will trigger a seed VCNASA has selected Sierra Lobo, Inc. of Fremont, Ohio, to provide for test operations, test support, and technical system maintenance activities at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The NASA Stennis Test Operations Contract is fixed-price, level-of-effort contract that has a value of approximately $47 million. The performance period begins July 1, 2025, and extends three years, with a one-year base period and two one-year option periods. The contract will provide test operations support for customers in the NASA Stennis test complex. It also will cover the operation and technical systems maintenance of the high-pressure industrial water, high-pressure gas, and cryogenic propellant storage support areas, as well as providing welding, fabrication, machining, and component processing capabilities. NASA Stennis is the nation’s largest propulsion test site, with infrastructure to support projects ranging from component and subscale testing to large engine hot fires. Researchers from NASA, other government agencies, and private industry utilize NASA Stennis test facilities for technology and propulsion research and developmental projects. For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Tiernan Doyle Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov C. Lacy Thompson Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 228-363-5499 calvin.l.thompson@nasa.govAdani Energy Solutions said on Saturday that Kenya's cancellation of a $736 million transmission line project did not require it to make any regulatory disclosure under Indian stock exchange rules as it was within its ordinary course of business. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Election Results Jharkhand Election Results Bypoll Election Results It said it was responding to a request for clarification from the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange after Reuters reported that Kenya's president had ordered the cancellation of the 30-year public-private partnership deal. "Further, the Company hereby submits that there is no material impact of the Media Report on the operations of the Company," Adani Energy Solutions said in a statement. President William Ruto also said on Thursday he had ordered the cancellation of a procurement process that had been expected to award control of Kenya's main airport to India's Adani Group. U.S. authorities on Wednesday indicted Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and seven others, alleging they paid $265 million in bribes to Indian officials. The group denied the allegations. Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Marketing Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Master RESTful APIs with Python and Django REST Framework: Web API Development By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Leadership Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrow's Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Under the Kenyan international airport plan, worth nearly $2 billion, the Adani Group was to add a second runway and upgrade the passenger terminal in exchange for a 30-year lease. Adani Energy Solutions said in its statement on Saturday that it was not involved in the deal to manage and upgrade Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta airport. "The Company nor any of its subsidiaries have entered into any contract in connection with any airport in Kenya," it said. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Poll Results Highlights 2024 Jharkhand Poll Results Highlights 2024 Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is November 30, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )jili01 。

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Fashion event celebrates 75 years of Indonesia, PH diplomatic tiesCNN — World leaders have offered their condolences following the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter , who died Sunday at the age of 100. The 39th American president led consequential foreign policy initiatives that still endure today, including a Middle East peace deal between Israel and Egypt, the normalization of relations with China that the Richard Nixon administration initiated, and the signing of treaties that gave Panama eventual control of the Panama Canal from the U.S. Video above: President Biden speaks about the death of former President Jimmy Carter In 2002, Carter was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." But Carter was widely criticized for his handling of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis , in which dozens of American citizens were held captive for 444 days by Iranian revolutionaries who had stormed the U.S. embassy Tehran, angered by the United States' support of Iran's authoritarian ruler Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. In their own words Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi: "In this moment of sorrow, I extend my sincerest condolences to the family of former American President Jimmy Carter, as well as to the president and the people of the United States of America. President Carter was a symbol of humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, his deep belief in peace and justice has inspired many individuals and institutions around the world to follow his path. His efforts in preserving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel will remain etched in history, and his humanitarian work demonstrate a standard of love, peace, and brotherhood. His legacy ensures that he will be remembered as one of the world's most prominent leaders in service to humanity. May God have mercy on former President Jimmy Carter." Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino: "I offer my condolences to the family and to the people and government of the United States on the death of former President Jimmy Carter. His time in the White House marked complex times, which were crucial for Panama in order to negotiate and agree on the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977, which achieved the transfer of the canal to Panamanian hands and the full sovereignty of our country. May his soul rest in peace." French President Emmanuel Macron: "Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter has been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace. France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "I was very sorry to hear of President Carter's passing and I would like to pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. His presidency will be remembered for the historic Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, and it was that lifelong dedication to peace that saw him receive the Nobel Peace prize. Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad. Whether supporting elections around the world and spreading healthcare solutions through the Carter Center or still building homes with Habitat for Humanity into his nineties, Jimmy Carter lived his values in the service of others to the very end. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban: "The memory of President Jimmy Carter will always be cherished in Hungary. By returning the Holy Crown to the people of Hungary at the end of the 70's, he gave freedom loving Hungarians hope in a hopeless time. I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Carter family and the American people." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: "Jimmy Carter's legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me. My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones, and the American people who are mourning a former president and a lifelong humanitarian. May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: "Jimmy Carter was a senator, governor of Georgia, and president of the United States. Above all, he was a lover of democracy and a defender of peace. In the late 1970s, he pressured the Brazilian dictatorship to release political prisoners. Later, as a former president, he continued to campaign for the promotion of human rights, peace, and the eradication of diseases in Africa and Latin America. Carter achieved the feat of having a job as a former president, over the decades, that was as important or even more important than his term in the White House. He criticized unilateral military actions by superpowers and the use of killer drones. He worked with Brazil to mediate conflicts in Venezuela and to help Haiti. He created The Carter Center, a world reference in democracy, human rights and dialogue. He will be remembered forever as a name that defended that peace is the most important condition for development. My condolences to his family, friends, co-religionists and compatriots at this time of farewell." Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel: "Condolences to the people and government of the United States, especially to the family and loved ones of President James Carter. Our people will remember with gratitude his efforts to improve relations, his visits to Cuba and his statement in favor of the freedom of the (Cuban) Five."

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Assad leaves behind a fragmented nation – stabilizing it will be a major challenge for fractured opposition and external backersPlanet A Foods nabs $30M to make tons more cocoa-free chocolateEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — With tears occasionally welling in his eyes, Daniel Jones disagreed Thursday with the New York Giants' decision to bench him earlier this week and perhaps end his five-plus tenure as the team's quarterback. The 27-year-old Jones said he gave the team everything he had after being taken sixth overall in the 2019 draft and he believes he still has a future in the NFL. He held himself accountable for the Giants making the playoffs once in his tenure as the starter. The Duke product took over early in his rookie season when then-coach Pat Shurmur benched two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, who was near the end of his career. Coach Brian Daboll benched Jones Monday after the Giants (2-8) returned to practice following a bye week and 20-17 overtime loss to Carolina in Germany. Tommy DeVito will start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Daboll hoping he can spark the team. “Definitely not happy about it," said Jones, who read a 90-second statement before taking questions from reporters. “Yeah, not what you want to hear. So, yeah, all those emotions you have. But at the end of the day, this is football. We’re in a business where your expected to get results and we weren’t doing it.” Wearing his no-contact red jersey with a faded No. 8, Jones indicated the Giants offered him the opportunity to walk away from the team with seven games left in the season. He said he is considering it, but he also wanted to stay and help DeVito get ready this week. It is unlikely the Giants are going to let him play again. He has two years left on a four-year, $160 million contract. Next season includes a $23 million guarantee that will kick in if he is hurt and is not ready to start the 2025 season. Since being benched, Jones is barely getting any snaps, with most of them being taken by DeVito and backup Drew Lock. “I got the injury guarantee," Jones said of his lack of work. Asked if he would have waived the guarantee, Jones said general manager Joe Schoen and his agent, Brian Murphy, discussed the issue but that was it. Jones spoke for almost 11 minutes. He got emotional when told receiver Darius Slayton and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence both referred to him as still the best quarterback on the team. All three were drafted in 2019. Jones called the Giants a first-class organization, cherished the relationships he has and thanked his teammates, coaches and staff. “There have been some great times. But of course, we all wish there had been more of those,” Jones said. “I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. No one wanted to win more games worse than me. I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation.” Jones called the 2024 season disappointing and took responsibility. “The idea to change something happens, and I understand. I love the game,” Jones said. “I love being part of a team. I’m excited for the next opportunity. I know that there’s a lot of good football in front of me.”

49ers QB Brock Purdy, DE Nick Bosa out, Brandon Allen to start at Green Bay

Appeals court rejects emergency bid to ban transgender San Jose State volleyball player from championship tournament

Kim Williams on the future of the ABCSaquon Barkley hits 2K yards, Eagles crush Cowboys to win division

A new year will be upon us in less than a month, and investors are thinking about how they want to invest during 2025. Trends can change quickly, which is why the most important factor in making a decision about any investment should always be its underlying fundamentals. If you're looking for excellent stocks that are also benefiting from strong tailwinds right now, Amazon ( AMZN 2.94% ) , SoFi Technologies ( SOFI 2.36% ) , and Carnival ( CCL 0.60% ) ( CUK 0.54% ) would be great picks. 1. Amazon: Driving AI innovation Amazon is leading innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). Ever since it unveiled its AI technology two years ago, it has remained at the forefront of the revolution, launching a large selection of services for Amazon Web Services (AWS) clients and even developing its own graphics processing units (GPUs) to compete with Nvidia 's. Business is booming. Not only is the AI business itself already producing billions of dollars in revenue, but the AWS platform is attracting new clients who want to use Amazon's AI services. CEO Andy Jassy has emphasized his view that this is just the beginning, noting that 90% of global IT spending still goes toward on-premises systems, while 10% goes to the cloud. He expects those proportions to flip over the long haul. Amazon is positioned to enjoy windfall gains as that shift happens. Amazon is using AI throughout its business, such as offering generative AI solutions like product descriptions based on prompts for third-party sellers and data analytics for advertising clients. These services are elevating the entire enterprise. It's not easy for a megacap company to achieve double-digit percentage revenue growth, but Amazon continues to demonstrate robust growth. It's also highly profitable. It has incredible long-term opportunities, but 2025 could be particularly strong as the AI trend drives it forward. 2. SoFi: The lending business is rebounding For SoFi, the driving trend will be falling interest rates. SoFi stock was down for most of this year because of pressure on its core lending business. But lower interest rates are helping the lending segment, and the rest of its business is already in fantastic shape. Several years ago, SoFi developed a strategy to increase engagement through cross-selling and upselling, and it acquired Golden Pacific Bancorp to get a banking charter. It now has three business segments: lending, financial services, and tech platform. The lending segment still accounts for more than half of total revenue and most of the company's profits, and its growth is accelerating again. Its revenue increased 14% in the third quarter, and contribution profit was up by 17%. Financial services is the standout segment and includes non-lending services like bank accounts and investments. Revenue from that unit increased 102% year over year in the quarter, while contribution profit improved from $3 million to $100 million. Tech platform is a white-label business-to-business platform; its revenue was up 14% in the quarter, with contribution profit up 2%. On a consolidated basis, SoFi has reported four straight quarters of positive net income, and management is guiding for that to continue into 2025. With strong engagement, hundreds of thousands of new customers, and now a reignited lending business, SoFi stock could be a standout performer in 2025. 3. Carnival: Unprecedented demand Carnival's tailwind is lower inflation, although it's also benefiting from lower interest rates. Carnival has made a huge comeback after having to shut down its operations for more than a year during the pandemic, but it continues to see unprecedented demand that seems like more than a rebound. However, it's still recovering from that hiatus in two crucial ways. It hasn't yet had a full year of positive net income since 2019, and it has a huge amount of debt to pay off after taking out loans to stay in business while it was unable to generate revenue. Profitability is improving. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) increased 25% year over year to $2.8 billion in its fiscal 2024 third quarter, which ended Aug. 31. Management also raised its guidance. It now anticipates a 40% adjusted EBITDA increase for the fiscal year. Operating income increased by $554 million in the quarter to $2.2 billion, and the company reported $1.7 billion in net income. Wall Street is looking for earnings per share of $1.33 for 2024. As for the debt, Carnival still has nearly $30 billion, but it has been paying it down efficiently, and lower interest rates should make that process easier. With inflation largely back in check, people should have more money to spend on expensive cruise tickets, and Carnival is coming into 2025 in its best-ever booked position, with more than half of its inventory sold out for the year. It's already seeing these trends continue into 2026 bookings. As demand for cruises remains strong, Carnival is well-positioned to move toward a full recovery in 2025, and the stock should reflect that journey.

Stocks closed higher on Wall Street, giving the market its fifth gain in a row and notching another record high for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Friday. The Dow added 1%, and the Nasdaq composite tacked on 0.2%. Retailers had some of the biggest gains. Gap soared after reporting quarterly results that easily beat analysts’ estimates. EchoStar fell after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company’s Dish Network unit. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Crude oil prices gained ground. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Stocks rose on Wall Street in afternoon trading Friday, keeping the market on track for its fifth straight gain. The S&P 500 was up 0.2% and was solidly on track for a weekly gain that will erase most of last week's loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 333 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite was essentially flat with a gain of less than 0.1% as of 3:07 p.m. Eastern. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. “Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 10.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 1.5% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.4% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 were gaining ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.3%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.6%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.8% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, Bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.

Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to join the 2,000-yard club and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title with a lopsided 41-7 victory against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Eagles (13-3) swept the rival Cowboys (7-9) for the first time since 2011 and locked up at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. With his 11th 100-yard game of the year, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Sitting on 2,005 yards, he needs 101 to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season record of 2,105 set in 16 games in 1984. Starting for Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts in the concussion protocol, Kenny Pickett tallied a touchdown pass and a touchdown run before exiting early in the third quarter with a rib injury. Tanner McKee, making his NFL debut, replaced Pickett and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown to put the Eagles up 34-7 with 2:44 left in the third quarter. McKee added a 25-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to DeVonta Smith, who finished with six catches for 120 yards and two scores. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times. Cooper Rush threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass and Rico Dowdle rushed for 104 yards to notch his first 1,000-yard season (1,007). Philadelphia built a 24-7 halftime lead by scoring 17 points off three Dallas turnovers. The Cowboys' opening drive ended in a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown by C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Rush shook off the pick-6 and fired a game-tying 4-yard TD pass to Jalen Tolbert with 5:38 left in the first quarter. Pickett's 22-yard strike to Smith put Philadelphia ahead for good at 14-7 midway through the second quarter. Jake Elliott's 31-yard field goal made it 17-7 after Jordan Davis recovered a fumble by the Cowboys' Jake Ferguson. Gardner-Johnson's second interception gave Philadelphia the ball back with 36 seconds left in the half. Smith's 49-yard catch got the Eagles to the doorstep and Pickett punched it in. Elliott's 26-yarder extended the lead to 27-7 on the first drive of the third quarter, but Pickett's day was over after absorbing a hit from Micah Parsons. --Field Level MediaChildren and their parents are being told in an Usborne book that refugees “enrich our country”. Usborne has published a book for ages seven and up called Lift the Flap: Questions and Answers About Refugees, which informs readers that “we all have roots in other countries”. Teaching material has been provided alongside the book which sets out classroom activities including having children write to MPs to express how much refugees “enrich our countries”. Further guidance seeks to educate mothers and fathers on the importance of their children learning about the “array of multicultural foods” and “population numbers” provided by refugees who also drive “growth”. The book, which has been branded “indoctrination” by critics, has been stocked by local council libraries, and free copies have been distributed to schools following its release in 2023. The children’s book was created with help from the Refugee Council, and contains 14 illustrated pages with lifting flaps providing answers to questions about issues . One page covers the “big risks” faced by those in small boats, while another page is titled “Refugees Welcome”, and shows a crowd with placards stating “our home is your home” and “bridges not borders”. The final page urges children to talk about how “we all have roots in other countries”, and how refugees “enrich our countries”. Usborne teaching resources paired with the book outline lesson objectives, including “to know that positive action is possible”, with one activity stating: “People in power can do a lot to help – but they don’t always choose to. “Governments want to be popular with their own people, so one way to encourage them to support refugees is by showing them how important refugees’ safety is to you.” It adds: “You could also write a letter to your local MP or councillor. Try to include some facts about why refugees need our help and how they can enrich our countries.” Usborne has also created “notes for grown-ups to help explain why it’s important to talk to children about refugees”. These notes urge parents to drill home to their children the point that “without migration we would not have access to the vast array of multicultural foods that we are lucky to enjoy”. Parents are assured that there are “so many” positives to the arrival of refugees, who “fill gaps in the labour market”. The material claims it is cheaper to recruit foreign doctors than train British medical staff. Low-skilled arrivals additionally “do dirty, difficult, dangerous or dull jobs that locals do not wish to do”, adding that “ageing societies with a shrinking native working-age population benefit from the arrival of younger refugees” who “support population numbers, and thus investment and growth”. Around via small boats in 2024, most of whom claim asylum. The total cost for maintaining the system of migrant hotels is now estimated at £5.4 billion a year. The notes further claim that “people who have been uprooted from one culture and exposed to another tend to be more creative” and they can “help spark new ideas and technologies”. The Arts Council-backed Books Trust has since supported a promotion which promised to distribute 500 copies to UK schools to mark an occasion called “Empathy Day”. The children’s book and the accompanying material has been criticised by Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, who has pushed for transparency on the costs of migration. He said: “This is disgraceful indoctrination, which is sadly widespread in schools across the country. “Parents need to be incredibly cautious about what is being shown to their children in schools - I would advise parents to take a far more proactive role in monitoring their school’s curriculum where possible. “We need to remove activist teachers, remove activist material and remove all political activism from British schools. Teach children how to think, not what to think.” Usborne has been contacted for comment.

The largest intergenerational wealth transfer in US history is about to take place — though the vast majority of Americans are unlikely to inherit much money at all. About $US105 trillion ($164 trillion) is projected to be passed down from older generations over the next quarter century, according to research firm Cerulli Associates, an amount roughly equal to global gross domestic product in 2023. Rising stock markets and home prices, as well as inflation, have fattened the estates that members of the baby boom generation are expected to leave their heirs. Credit: Glenn Hunt Rising stock markets and home prices, as well as inflation, have fattened the estates that members of the baby boom generation, born between 1946 and 1964, are expected to leave their heirs. The latest inheritance projection by Cerulli is 45 per cent higher than the 25-year forecast the firm made only three years ago. US gifts and inheritances are expected to total $US2.5 trillion next year alone. “About 80 per cent of the wealth held today is going to be in motion,” Chayce Horton, the lead author of the Cerulli report, said in an interview. “The ratio of wealth expected to be changing hands in the next 25 years is significant, and much greater than what we even saw a decade ago.” Yet even as the assets of millions of ageing Americans are passed on, the share of the US population that will benefit from inherited money has remained static, a sign of how accumulating family wealth has become more concentrated among the most affluent households. At the same time, money passed down from one generation to another accounts for a growing share of the overall wealth of heirs, rising relative to income from work or investments. Inherited money represented about a quarter of the net worth of households that received it, a Bloomberg analysis of the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances found, up from roughly 10 per cent in the late 1990s. “We’re becoming less of an economy that promotes entrepreneurship and production and more of an economy focused on inheritance and dynasty,” said Chuck Collins, Director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies. Collins, whose great-grandfather founded the hot dog and lunchmeat maker Oscar Mayer, gave up his inheritance when he was in his twenties. He is now a member of the Patriotic Millionaires, a nonprofit group of affluent Americans that pushes for the wealthy to pay higher tax rates. Receiving any funds from a deceased family member remains the exception in the US, not the rule. Just one in five American households have received a substantial gift, trust or inheritance in recent decades, according to Bloomberg’s analysis. Inherited wealth is expected to become increasingly concentrated among the most affluent, according to Cerulli. The firm estimates that more than half of the wealth transferred between generations through 2048 will come from households with at least $US5 million in investible assets. Only about 2 per cent of US households meet that threshold. The share of the US population that will benefit from inherited money has remained static, a sign of how accumulating family wealth has become more concentrated among the most affluent households. Credit: Bloomberg The figures lend support to an idea that has long had currency among economists but that has been difficult to confirm — that the share of overall wealth derived from inheritance is far higher than it appears. A 2017 paper argued that inherited money had accounted for more than half of total wealth in the US and Europe since the 1990s, and that “self-reported inheritance flows are implausibly low.” “Inheritance is still the most important factor in terms of wealth concentration,” said Kaushik Basu, professor of economics at Cornell University and former chief economist at the World Bank. The trillions of dollars set to be passed on in coming years could create more social mobility for younger generations, even though its greater concentration among the wealthiest Americans is likely to create more obstacles for lower-income households and exacerbate inequality. “Markets may still flourish, and overall economic growth may continue, but the polarisation between the born-poor and born-rich will become more acute,” Basu said. He added that many of the economic advantages of family wealth are conferred indirectly, through access to education and other opportunities. As more members of the massive baby boom generation die, the annual rate at which wealth is being passed on is expected to increase until the end of the decade. Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, are expected to inherit more than $US45 trillion by 2048, including some $US3.9 trillion that year alone. Generation X, sandwiched between the baby boomers and millennials, will see their annual inheritance levels peak in 2038 at just shy of $US2 trillion, according to Cerulli. ‘Markets may still flourish, and overall economic growth may continue, but the polarisation between the born-poor and born-rich will become more acute.’ Wealth isn’t only cascading down to younger generations, it also is moving sideways. Before reaching younger heirs, inheritances are often transferred to surviving spouses and partners. Since women tend to outlive men, they are expected to receive a large share of the fortunes being passed on. “A significant amount of the wealth that is held today is believed to be controlled by men,” said Cerulli’s Horton. As those men die, “we expect that wealth to be much more equitably distributed on a gender basis.” Cerulli estimates that women will inherit nearly half of the total projected value of inheritances over the next 25 years. US tax policy has made it easier for wealthy heirs to hang on to more of the money they inherit. President-elect Donald Trump wants to extend part of his 2017 tax-cut package that doubled the estate-tax exemption from $US5.49 million to $US11.18 million. For many older Americans, money handed down from previous generations has shaped their own planning. Alan Jewett, a 75-year-old retiree in Delaware, and his wife received an inheritance of nearly $US3 million from her childless aunts in 2014, after the couple had already put both their children through college and bought a home. “Having money changes the way you look at things in the sense that it gives you and your family a feeling of security,” Jewett said. He and his wife gave part of the inheritance to their kids and set up an irrevocable trust for their three young grandchildren. Some heirs say they have used inherited money to prepare for their own health and elder-care expenses. Lee Robin Gebhardt, a 63-year-old wine seller living in Putnam County, New York, said she invested a $US150,000 retirement account that she received from her father, who died in 2020, in her long-term care. Gebhardt, who plans to work for at least another two years, has enough money put away to last her until she’s 110. “That will take some pressure off my children,” she said. Other relatively wealthy baby boomers have decided to pass on some of their wealth while they’re still able to see its effects for themselves. “I’ve seen an increasing focus on ‘giving while living,’ where people provide for their family’s needs during their lifetime,” said Jared Jones, senior advisor at Omega Wealth Management. “There’s definitely a big focus on not waiting until one passes away to help and witness the benefits of the wealth from the family.” Bloomberg The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .

Holiday gift ideas for the movie lover, from bios and books to a status toteBrixmor Property stock soars to all-time high of $30.2SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Dr. Phil and Tom Homan visited Cochise County on Wednesday, to learn more about how activity at the southern border is affecting the rural county. President-elect Donald Trump appointed Homan to be border czar. The visit served two purposes: One for Dr. Phil to film a segment for his show and two for Homan to sit down with local law enforcement. Homan had a meeting with community leaders, including Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa, Border Patrol, Cochise County Sheriff Deputies, and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. "Now that we have this engagement you can’t say well 'I don’t want to work with you', that doesn’t serve a purpose. It’s hypocritical,” Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said. The visit comes after Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and other politicians visited the area this past election cycle. For Dannels, having anyone from the federal government come and listen to the problems he, his deputies, and his constituents face, is a step in the right direction. “We’re hoping that now that has been shared our expectations that we'd be funded properly, the resources are probably put back on the border," Dannels said. "Let the federal government do their job, let us do our job, but there is still need to be a partnership.” He's been calling for action from the federal government for years since there are limitations to what his deputies and local law enforcement can do. Dannels says the meeting went well, and that Homan shared some of Trump's agenda for illegal immigration and deportations. “The biggest threat of public safety, national security, threat to this country, are the ones that they're looking at," he said, "That's what the pride of this plan is.” Dannels expressed to the new border czar the need for resources and funding. The sheriff says border crimes is Cochise County have increased the workload for public defenders and the county attorney's office. Dannels told KGUN 9 that Homan told the group the exact plan isn’t done yet. "What matters is, how are we protecting the people in this county," he said. This is why, Dannels says they host visits like Homan's and Dr. Phil's; to help educate people. Mayor McCaa says it’s time to put aside politics and political affiliation, and find answers. "(The) ideal way forward is to make sure that people of Cochise County are taken care of," he said. "I share that way forward as we together collaborate to make sure Cochise County is safe.” --- ——- Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9 . She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook .

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Li Sisi's transition from a traditional TV host to an online influencer has captured the attention of many, sparking conversations about the power of digital media and the opportunities it presents for individuals looking to reinvent themselves. Her decision to embrace the world of e-commerce livestreaming reflects a growing trend in the entertainment industry, where personal branding and social media influence play an increasingly important role.1. Nicolae Ceaușescu (Romania): Ceaușescu, the former dictator of Romania, faced a swift and deadly fate after being overthrown. He and his wife were captured, tried, and executed by firing squad in 1989.The decision to pre-sell the VIP boxes is a strategic one, timed perfectly with the club's recent financial troubles and the need to boost its revenue streams. With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering and the rising costs of player salaries and transfers, Barcelona needs to explore new avenues for income generation. By offering long-term contracts for the VIP boxes, the club can ensure a stable source of revenue that will help offset its operating costs and provide financial stability in the long run.

Millwall will look to extend their eight-game unbeaten run when they travel to Fratton Park for Wednesday's Championship clash with Portsmouth . The Lions will head into the midweek round of fixtures in eighth position, while Pompey are languishing in 23rd place in the Championship table . © Imago Portsmouth are still waiting to play their first game following the international break after Saturday's away meeting with Blackburn Rovers was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Following the postponement, Pompey boss John Mousinho would have quickly turned his focus to Wednesday's home fixture against Millwall, with his side keen to build the victory they recorded in their most recent outing against Preston North End. On that occasion, Josh Murphy , Conor Ogilvie and Colby Bishop all got on the scoresheet to fire Pompey to a 3-1 victory, representing their first home win of the season. Pompey will have to start picking up wins on a more consistent basis if they are to close the four-point gap to safety and avoid an immediate return to League One. However, their hopes of claiming all three points against Millwall may be tempered by the fact they have failed to win their previous five head-to-head meetings (W4, D1) since they picked up a 1-0 away victory in October 2010. © Imago In contrast to their hosts, Millwall are operating in the top half of the table after winning six, drawing six and losing four of their 16 league matches. The Lions have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent times, having put together an eight-game unbeaten run since they lost to Cardiff City at the start of October. Neil Harris 's side kicked off that encouraging run of form with back-to-back draws, before they recorded four consecutive 1-0 victories. After playing out a 1-1 draw with Stoke City before the international break, Millwall went on to repeat that scoreline in Saturday's away clash against Sunderland, with Femi Azeez netting a 93rd-minute winner to extend his team's unbeaten streak. Millwall, who are two points adrift of the playoffs, will now look to continue their impressive record against Portsmouth, having won each of their previous four competitive meetings, including a 1-0 win in August's EFL Cup clash at Fratton Park. © Imago The hosts will also be without the services of Jordan Williams and Ibane Bowat due to hamstring and knee injuries respectively. Mousinho recently revealed that Conor Shaughnessy will be out for the rest of 2024 after picking up another calf issue in training. Bishop could be given more valuable minutes off the bench after he made a surprise return following heart surgery to score in the 3-1 win over Preston. As for the visitors, Harris has confirmed that defender Jake Cooper will be sidelined for around 10 weeks due to a knee injury. Calum Scanlon is also expected to miss the away trip, while Josh Coburn will have to be assessed after he appeared to pick up a knock at the weekend. Billy Mitchell and Adam Mayor are closing in on a return to fitness, but it remains to be seen whether either of the pair will be ready for Wednesday's away trip. Portsmouth possible starting lineup: Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Pack, Ogilvie; Potts, Dozzell; Ritchie, Lang, Murphy; Yengi Millwall possible starting lineup: Jensen; Leonard, Hutchinson, Tanganga, Bryan; Saville, De Norre; Esse, Coburn, Azeez; Bradshaw Millwall have enjoyed success in their recent meetings with Pompey, but the Lions have won just one away league game this season, with that in mind, we think they will have to settle for a point on Tuesday, especially as they have drawn four of their previous six away matches. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .

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The court case, which is now officially underway, is expected to delve into the nature of the self-discipline challenge, the obligations and responsibilities of the participants, and the legal implications of failing to fulfill the requirements. The man will have the opportunity to present his case and provide reasoning for his inability to meet the challenge standards, while the organizers of the challenge will likely be called upon to provide insights into their selection process and the expectations placed on participants.

Article content After a Snoop Dogg figurine and other merchandise was stolen from a St. Thomas games store earlier this week, its owners scored when their Facebook post motivated two shoplifters to return the items a day later. Marty Hancox, founder and co-owner of Fan of the Sport, was unpacking stock on Monday at the shop in the Elgin Centre shopping mall that sells sports memorabilia, trading cards and board games. He discovered a Pop Funko, a type of figurine depicting famous people and pop culture characters, was missing, said co-owner Dionne Turner, Hancox’s partner. After a search of the store failed to turn up the figurine of rapper Snoop Dogg, Hancox checked the store’s surveillance tapes, Turner said. The video showed that around 1:30 p.m., two females had pocketed the Snoop Dogg Pop Funko, a Pop Funko of X-Men character Wolverine, and a Toronto Maple Leafs coffee mug, Turner said. “I said, ‘I’m posting this online because we’ve had issues before,’” she said. “The police, they try to help, but there’s only so much they can do . . . and that’s how it all started.” This time, rather than contacting police, Turner and Hancox decided to post a video and several still images of the two females who had pocketed about $80 worth of merchandise to the store’s Facebook page around 4 p.m. on Monday, Turner said. Both Hancox and Turner said it wasn’t the cost of the items that motivated the post. Hancox said it was “more the principle of they took stuff” with Turner noting money is “out of our pocket ,too.” “We didn’t really like it, to kind of shame them on Facebook, but I thought, we’ll give it a try, and sure enough within 24 hours they contacted us,” Hancox said. He believes the pair were likely “getting pressure from family and friends” who saw their picture, he said. Turner said the two females returned the stolen property on Tuesday evening, and that the names of the shoplifters were never learned, nor were there were hard feelings. “I thanked them for bringing this stuff back,” Turner said, and told them she was “really impressed because it took a lot of guts to come in here and face me.” “We don’t care what their names are, we’re just happy we got our items back,” Hancox said. A spokesperson from the St. Thomas police stated by email that a property crime analyst with the department called shoplifters returning stolen property “very rare.” Turner said the shoplifters had mentioned they were having difficulty affording Christmas gifts, which she empathized with, but “they just went the wrong way about it. “I didn’t want them to get ostracized because everybody knew who they (are) now,” Turner said. “We got this stuff back, we’re going to drop it (and) hopefully they learned their lesson.” The post with the video and images of the shoplifters was removed and another was uploaded to Fan of the Sport’s Facebook page giving thanks to the pair for returning the stolen property and thanking customers and friends for sharing the post. The post has received an outpouring of support and even some kudos to the pair who returned the items. “Glad they came in and had a civil conversation and apologized,” wrote Facebook user Rebecca Seeley. Tammy Crosby wrote: “That’s amazing news! That takes a lot of accountability on their part. Well done.” Turner appreciated the compassion for the two women as well. “I got teary eyed when I was reading the comments,” she said. “I was really, really impressed that everybody kind of supported them and agreed.” bwilliams@postmedia.com @BrianWatLFPress The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada

Trump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction

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Article content The Maple Leafs had Grinched the Winnipeg Jets just about long enough. It was time to steal one back after Toronto’s six straight wins, in the final pre-Christmas game for both teams on Monday afternoon at Scotiabank Arena. Now it will be a bit of a bah-humbug break for Toronto, which fell 5-2, recording consecutive losses for the second time this month. While the Leafs are still a strong second in the Atlantic Division (21-12-2), coach Craig Berube was grousing before the game that details in the team’s system are slipping, including the three preceding wins. Winnipeg, leading the Central Division and tied with New Jersey atop the NHL’s overall standings, hadn’t beaten the Leafs in a few years, which included Toronto ending its eight-game win streak to start this season. Mark Scheifele’s empty-netter completed a hat trick. The Leafs had a couple of first-period chances against league save-percentage leader Connor Hellebuyck, including a breakaway by Manitoba native Connor Dewar. But it was another Connor, first name Kyle, who opened the scoring for the visitors. With Mitch Marner off on a rare penalty, a hook that spun Nino Niederreiter hard into Joseph Woll’s post. Connor pounced on a rebound before Woll could get across to his left. Connor added his 15 th goal in 23 career games against Toronto early in the second period, getting a step on defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to tip in Scheifele’s pass, before the Leafs got to work with a double minor when Morgan Rielly was high-sticked. Anxious to atone, Marner delivered his own fine feed diagonally through the slot to John Tavares for his 200 th as a Leaf. Tavares became the fifth NHLer with 200 for two teams, joining Wayne Gretzky, Keith Tkachuk, Lanny McDonald and Mark Messier. Scheifele, with a Connor assist, made it 3-1 in the third, then jammed the puck through a mouse hole Woll had left trying to hug the post on a stretch pad save. Tavares added another late in the game, Nylander reaching 40 points with his second assist. Coach Craig Berube made two changes, resting workhorse defenceman Chris Tanev with what was listed as a lower body injury and winger Ryan Reaves. Philippe Myers, valued for his size and hard shot, came in, partnered with Rielly, and Pontus Holmberg replaced Reaves. Myers had a grand opportunity late in the second period alone on Hellebuyck, but was halted. The Leafs will be free to make more roster moves if they choose after they play in Detroit on Friday and the NHL holiday roster freeze is lifted. That will likely see Matt Murray recalled to play in the back-to-back against Washington. Lhornby@postmedia.com X: @sunhornby

Bass 2-8 0-0 6, Okon 0-1 0-0 0, Hines 6-13 4-6 19, Knox 3-9 0-3 8, Madlock 7-14 2-4 17, Mack 6-9 0-0 18, Walker 2-7 2-2 8, Simpsom 0-2 0-0 0, Andrews 0-1 0-0 0, Fulcher 1-2 0-0 2, Kaego 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-66 8-15 78. Harris 2-8 0-0 5, Lyles 1-3 1-2 3, Gray 4-7 2-2 11, T.Johnson 3-10 0-0 8, N.Johnson 7-12 8-8 25, Scott 3-8 0-0 8, Hardman 6-7 1-2 19, Okonkwo 3-5 2-5 8, Young 3-8 4-4 10, Musiime-Kamali 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-69 18-23 97. Halftime_Akron 50-41. 3-Point Goals_Alabama St. 16-33 (Mack 6-9, Hines 3-5, Knox 2-4, Walker 2-4, Bass 2-7, Madlock 1-3, Simpsom 0-1), Akron 15-35 (Hardman 6-7, N.Johnson 3-5, Scott 2-5, T.Johnson 2-6, Gray 1-1, Harris 1-5, Lyles 0-2, Young 0-4). Rebounds_Alabama St. 25 (Madlock 5), Akron 49 (Harris, Okonkwo 10). Assists_Alabama St. 13 (Knox 4), Akron 21 (Harris, Gray, T.Johnson 4). Total Fouls_Alabama St. 19, Akron 15.Dune: Prophecy improves in an intense second episodeHow major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 11/27/2024

Stocks slide after inflation data; tech leads Nasdaq downturnNoneWhy Takeda (TAK) Is One of the Most Profitable Pharmaceutical Stocks Right Now?LAS VEGAS — There are three races remaining in the Formula 1 season and Max Verstappen of Red Bull is close to a fourth consecutive world championship, which can wrap up Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. All is not smooth sailing headed into this final month of racing: "It was a bit of a surprise, I think, for everybody," said Mercedes driver George Russell, a GPDA director. "It's a hell of a lot of pressure now onto the new race director (with) just three races left. Often, as drivers, we probably feel like we're the last to find out this sort of information." The Andretti team is expected to receive F1 approval to join the grid, albeit without Michael Andretti, who has scaled back his role dramatically since the IndyCar season ended in September. Many drivers, particularly seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, have been at odds with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem since his election following the 2021 season finale. In the GDPA statement, they reminded the sanctioning body "our members are adults" who don't need lectures and fines on foul language or jewelry bans, and simply want fair and consistent race control. There's been no response from Ben Sulayem, and won't be this weekend since he does not attend the LVGP. He will be at Qatar and the finale in Abu Dhabi next month. Hamilton doesn't think all the behind-the-scenes changes will be a fan topic as the season comes to a close. But he noted that consistency from race control is all the drivers have asked for, while throwing his support behind Domenicali and the job Maffei has done in growing F1 since Liberty took over. "I really hope Stefano is not leaving because he's been so instrumental in changes and progress to this whole thing," Hamilton said. "And he knows the sport as well as anyone. But all good things do come to an end, and whoever they put into place, I just hope they are like-minded. But sometimes you have to shake the trees." That's just what happened with the surprise departure of race director Wittich. Although drivers have been unhappy with race officiating this season and held a private GPDA meeting in Mexico City, Russell said they had no prior warning Wittich was out. The race director is the referee each weekend and Wittich has been in charge since 2022, when Michael Masi was fired following the controversial 2021 season-ending, championship-altering finale at Abu Dhabi. Now the man in charge for the final three races is Rui Marques, the Formula 2 and Formula 3 race director. Las Vegas, which overcame multiple stumbling blocks in last year's debut before putting on one of the best races of the season, is a difficult place to start. Verstappen can win his fourth title by simply scoring three points more than Lando Norris of McLaren. "It's a bit weird with three races to go to do that," Verstappen said. "It doesn't matter if you're positive or negative about certain things. I thought in Brazil there was definitely room for improvement, for example. It's still a bit weird having to now then deal with a different race director." Charles Leclerc of Ferrari wondered why the move was made with only three races to go. "To do it so late in the season, at such a crucial moment of the season, it could have probably been managed in a better way," he said. The drivers have consistently asked for clearer guidelines in the officiating of races, specifically regarding track limits and racing rules. The drivers have no idea how Marques will officiate, highlighting a disconnect between the competitors and Ben Sulaymen's FIA. "We just want to be transparent with the FIA and have this dialogue that is happening," Russell said. "And I think the departure of Niels is also a prime example of not being a part of these conversations." The GDPA statement made clear the drivers do not think their voice is being heard. "If we feel we're being listened to, and some of the changes that we are requesting are implemented, because ultimately we're only doing it for the benefit of the sport, then maybe our confidence will increase," Russell said. "But I think there's a number of drivers who feel a bit fed up with the whole situation. It only seems to be going in the wrong direction." He also said the relationship between the drivers and the FIA seems fractured. "Sometimes just hiring and firing is not the solution," he said. "You need to work together to improve the problem." Norris, who has battled Verstappen this year with mixed officiating rulings, said "obviously things are not running as smoothly as what we would want." Marques has his first driver meeting ahead of Thursday night's two practice sessions and then three weeks to prove to the competitors he is up for the job. Carlos Sainz Jr., who will leave Ferrari for Williams at the end of the season, hopes the drama doesn't distract from the momentum F1 has built over the last five years. "I think Formula 1 is in a great moment right now and all these rumors, I think in every team, every job, there's job changes," he said. "It's not big drama. I'm a big fan of the people you mentioned, they've done an incredible job in Formula 1 and Formula 1 is what it is thanks to these people. But it's just so emotional, especially the Stefano one. The only one that has a real effect is the race director. But I think if he does a good job, it should be transparent and nothing big." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”

24X National Exchange Plans to be the First Exchange to Offer U.S. Equities Trading 23 Hours-Per-Day on Weekdays STAMFORD, Conn. , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 24 Exchange announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to operate 24X National Exchange as the first national securities exchange in the U.S. that allows trading of U.S. securities 23 hours each workday. The extended hour trading is subject to Equity Data Plans making changes that would facilitate overnight trading hours and 24X National Exchange making an additional rule filing with the SEC confirming the changes and the Exchange's ability to comply with the Securities Exchange Act. 24X National Exchange will be subject to the SEC's ongoing regulatory oversight and full range of investor protections. The new Exchange will enable retail and institutional customers anywhere in the world to trade in U.S. equities via broker-dealers who are approved members of 24X National Exchange. 24X National Exchange will be launched in two stages. A first stage will open in the second half of 2025, with the Exchange operating from 4:00AM ET to 7:00PM ET on weekdays. The second stage, which will launch once the conditions noted above are met, will offer trading in U.S. equities from 8:00PM ET on Sunday through 7:00PM ET on Friday . A one-hour operational pause will occur during each trading day to accommodate routine software upgrades and functionality testing. 24 Exchange CEO and Founder Dmitri Galinov said: "The SEC's approval of our new exchange is a thrilling development that the 24X Team has been working toward for many years. Traders are most at-risk when the market is closed in their geographic location. 24X National Exchange will seek to alleviate this problem by facilitating around-the-clock U.S. equities trading for broker-dealers and their institutional and retail customers." As the first national securities exchange approved by the SEC to operate 23 hours each weekday, subject to the conditions noted above, 24X National Exchange will initially focus on capturing the expanding demand in the APAC region for overnight liquidity in U.S. equities. The 24X National Exchange will run on a proven, state-of-the-art technology platform provided by MEMX Technologies. The new Exchange's executive team will place a high priority on enhancing client experience through continuous technology innovations and improvements. "With this historic SEC approval in place, we will build and operate a customer-driven Exchange that can rapidly align with market demands and adapt quickly to client feedback," Galinov added. "We look forward to bringing a superior trading experience to global customers. 24X National Exchange will deliver the cost efficiency, speed, resilience, and adaptability that the company's financial institutional customers have long come to expect." 24X National Exchange will close on U.S. market holidays, similar to the schedules maintained by the NYSE and Nasdaq. 24 Exchange through 24X Bermuda Limited, an affiliate of 24X National Exchange, will continue to offer FX NDFs, Swaps and Spot trading to institutional clients. Since its launch in 2019, 24 Exchange's multi-asset offering through a single trading interface has enabled clients to access increased liquidity at lower cost. About 24 Exchange 24 Exchange allows market participants to seamlessly exchange their exposures at the lowest possible cost. 24 Exchange's mission is to enable members to initiate the most cost-effective trades across a growing range of asset classes, 24 hours a day. 24 Exchange lowers the cost of exchanging assets in the global markets while delivering creative and unique workflows catered to each asset class. More information is available at https://24exchange.com/ . Media Contact: Eric Andrus , KARV 24Xmedia@karv.global Phone: +1 (212) 333-0275 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/24-exchange-receives-sec-approval-of-its-new-national-securities-exchange-24x-national-exchange-302317878.html SOURCE 24 ExchangeUSC women move to No. 4 in AP poll as top three unchanged

Prediction: This 1 Catalyst Will Help Nvidia Do Something No Other Company Has Ever Done.Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Carpenter Technology Co. ( NYSE:CRS – Free Report ) by 54.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 23,068 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 8,095 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Carpenter Technology were worth $3,681,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new stake in shares of Carpenter Technology during the 3rd quarter worth $2,214,000. Entropy Technologies LP raised its stake in Carpenter Technology by 325.8% during the 3rd quarter. Entropy Technologies LP now owns 13,578 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,167,000 after purchasing an additional 10,389 shares during the last quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Carpenter Technology during the 3rd quarter valued at $18,868,000. Versor Investments LP raised its stake in Carpenter Technology by 19.0% during the 3rd quarter. Versor Investments LP now owns 2,669 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $426,000 after purchasing an additional 427 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lisanti Capital Growth LLC raised its stake in Carpenter Technology by 29.3% during the 3rd quarter. Lisanti Capital Growth LLC now owns 49,315 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $7,870,000 after purchasing an additional 11,180 shares during the last quarter. 92.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Carpenter Technology Trading Up 5.7 % Shares of CRS stock opened at $190.97 on Friday. Carpenter Technology Co. has a 52-week low of $58.87 and a 52-week high of $192.34. The stock has a market cap of $9.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.53, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a current ratio of 3.84. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $162.86 and a 200-day moving average of $135.60. Carpenter Technology Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 5th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 22nd will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 22nd. Carpenter Technology’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 17.82%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. BTIG Research upped their target price on shares of Carpenter Technology from $120.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $175.00 target price on shares of Carpenter Technology in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of Carpenter Technology in a research note on Friday. They set an “overweight” rating and a $220.00 target price for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Carpenter Technology has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $153.00. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on CRS Carpenter Technology Company Profile ( Free Report ) Carpenter Technology Corporation engages in the manufacture, fabrication, and distribution of specialty metals in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Mexico, Canada, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Specialty Alloys Operations and Performance Engineered Products. The company offers specialty alloys, including titanium alloys, powder metals, stainless steels, alloy steels, and tool steels, as well as additives, and metal powders and parts. See Also Five stocks we like better than Carpenter Technology How Can Investors Benefit From After-Hours Trading Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot Stock Market Upgrades: What Are They? MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 The How And Why of Investing in Oil Stocks 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Carpenter Technology Co. ( NYSE:CRS – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Carpenter Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Carpenter Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Sells 2,074 Shares of SPX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SPXC)

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Today's fortune: Dec. 19, 2024The Revenue Department reported its revenue collection in the first two months of fiscal 2025 grew 2.1% year-on-year, attributed to efforts to bring individuals outside the tax system into compliance and stricter enforcement of tax evasion measures. According to director-general Pinsai Suraswadi, the department's revenue collection in October tallied 146 billion baht, up 4.93 billion baht or 3.5% year-on-year. The amount surpassed the target by 2.33 billion baht or 1.6%. For November, revenue collection amounted to 147 billion baht, rising by 1.17 billion or 0.8% year-on-year. The amount exceeded the target by 239 million baht or 0.2%. For the first two months of fiscal 2025, revenue collection was 6.10 billion baht higher year-on-year, a gain of 2.1%, beating the target by 2.57 billion baht or 0.9%. Mr Pinsai said the higher revenue collection was attributed to a focus on bringing individuals outside the tax system and those within the system who were not paying taxes accurately into full compliance. The department used data analysis to identify the risks of businesses in various sectors, such as manufacturing, trade, restaurants and accommodations. These efforts were to ensure fairness for those already complying with tax obligations, he said. For fiscal 2025, Mr Pinsai said the department will concentrate on improving taxpayer services, focusing on e-commerce operators, while incorporating non-compliant individuals into the tax system, aligning with government policy. Advanced technologies will be used to promote cooperative compliance, he said. For personal income tax filings for tax year 2024, the department is encouraging taxpayers to file their returns (Forms P.N.D. 90 or P.N.D. 91) online between Jan 1 and April 8, 2025. Online filing is convenient and fast, accelerating the tax refund process, noted the department. This year the department enhanced its online filing system to offer pre-fill services for additional deduction information, as well as including income details such as dividends from mutual funds or unlisted stocks through the My Tax Account system. For fiscal 2025, the department set a revenue collection target of 2.37 trillion baht, up 4.2% year-on-year.As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows

BOONE, N.C. (AP) — South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has been hired as head coach at Appalachian State and will receive a five-year contract, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Saturday. The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina's offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football," Gillin said. "He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains' offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference's third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas' tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference's East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three 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-footballAI Breakthrough Sparks Industry Buzz! NVIDIA’s Surprising New Moves.Just a year after he became chief executive officer of Philip Morris International Inc., Jacek Olczak swooped on rival nicotine pouch maker Swedish Match in a $16 billion deal. Olczak wanted the company’s vast U.S. distribution network and popular Zyn nicotine pouches, which are about the size of a chiclet and meant to be placed between a user’s gum and upper lip. Hailed by some as a product that can give users “unstoppable force,” Zyn now is in such high demand that the company is on track to sell 580 million tins in the United States this year, up from 385 million a year earlier. It’s all part of Olczak’s plan as he charts a way for the world’s largest tobacco company to generate two-thirds of its revenue from smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes by 2030. The problem? It’s becoming increasingly clear that the huge wave in popularity for Zyn is also sweeping up kids. There are already an estimated half million underage pouch users in the U.S. who are developing a taste for nicotine — a highly addictive, toxic chemical. Philip Morris was fined $1.2 million over the weekend for sales in Washington, D.C., of pouches made with banned flavors, which are seen as more attractive to children. Olczak is clear that the tobacco company may never be able to stop kids from trying its products. “The unfortunate thing is that with young people, there is an element of experimentation,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg at the company’s headquarters in Switzerland. “It doesn’t matter which country. This age is about experimentation, and they will experiment with the things the adults are doing.” His own 16-year-old son is curious about nicotine, he said. “You have to understand that ‘zero’ will not exist.” For Philip Morris, which reported $35.2 billion in net annual sales last year, the company is at a precipice: navigating the potential huge upside in the U.S. could depend on its ability to prove that it’s not hooking a new generation of young people on nicotine. Olczak says the company is already able to show this and he knows how important it is to “shield young people” from nicotine-containing products. The Polish-born executive said Philip Morris seeks to stop underage use of fake IDs to gain access to restricted items by partnering with organizations such as WeCard and TruAge. It also uses technology to “age gate” Zyn’s digital advertising in the U.S. and monitors social media for inappropriate content. “The restrictions which we need to seriously walk the talk is the age access,” he added. And while 480,000 young Americans now use nicotine pouches, the number has held steady from last year, according to the annual National Youth Tobacco Survey. The cautionary example here though is Juul, the high strength e-cigarette brand accused in multiple lawsuits of targeting underage users through stylishly designed vaporizers and advertisements on youth-focused websites. The Food and Drug Administration banned Juul from marketing its products in 2022, and rescinded the order earlier this year. Olczak, 59, insists the marketing of Zyn is “day and night” compared to Juul, pointing again to his company’s focus on age verification. Still, a quick search on TikTok turns up a stream of videos promoting the pouches, including endorsements from Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson. The CEO maintains that Philip Morris has never paid for influencer promotion. The company is “very careful about which audiences we talk with,” he said. “We don’t mind our consumers sharing their happiness,” he added, “but we would like them to watch who follows them.” With sales climbing, the FDA has already begun to crack down, penalizing retailers caught selling to minors, and sending warning letters to online sellers offering unauthorized flavors of Zyn products. The regulator says that nicotine, which is addictive, can harm adolescent brain development and impact attention, learning and memory. To Olczak’s frustration, Zyn and other nicotine pouches have not yet been authorized by the FDA — Swedish Match filed an application in March 2020 — but are permitted to stay on the market while the request is being considered. That hasn’t dampened demand: Zyn sales grew 41.4% in the third quarter in the U.S. compared to a year earlier, reaching 149.1 million cans. Following reports of supply shortages in the U.S., Philip Morris made a fresh investment in its Owensboro, Kentucky plant, and announced plans to build a new factory in Colorado. Other Philip Morris products are facing similar regulatory challenges. Sales of a heated tobacco stick called IQOS are expected to decline slightly this year as a result of what Stefan Volpetti, who oversees the company’s inhaled smoke-free products, calls “short-term turbulence” related to regulation. The EU has banned flavored heated tobacco products, and Taiwan has banned heated tobacco outright. In the United Kingdom, Philip Morris has also come under fire for its ambitions to expand into health care. In September, it announced plans to sell British inhaler-maker Vectura Group Ltd. for roughly a third of the price it paid just three years ago. The $1.2 billion deal was criticized by scientific organizations, health charities and anti-smoking campaigners who said that Big Tobacco should not benefit from a company whose products are used by Britain’s National Health Service, among others. Some even recommended that doctors stop proscribing Vectura-made inhalers. Olczak believes that this response crossed a line. “The scientists of Vectura were cut off completely from any symposia or gathering,” he said. People were “obsessed with the fact Philip Morris was the shareholder.” The controversy illustrates the challenges facing the company, as it attempts to leave cigarettes behind and push into new product areas. Philip Morris still has a long way to go before it sells its last pack, Olczak sees the launch of IQOS in the U.S. and a surge in Zyn sales as an opportunity to step in the right direction. “The destination is a given,” he reflected. “It’s written on the wall.”

Forward William Karlsson (personal reasons) and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (upper body) are set to return to the Vegas Golden Knights lineup against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday at Ball Arena. The puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific time. Karlsson welcomed his second son to the family on Nov. 25 and missed the game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Pietrangelo has been out since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs. “’ Karly’s’ a proud papa for the second time. Everybody’s good and healthy back home. So we’re happy for him and his family, so he’s ready to go,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “’Petro’ is healed up and ready to go. Good add late in the trip.” Golden Knights Coming Home The Golden Knights will return home after the game against the Avalanche and will play the next four of five at home. Vegas wants to finish this road trip with seven or, ideally, eight points from the five-game road trip. “It’s the last one, so just empty the tank, then we can go home after,” forward Nicolas Roy said. “It’s going to be a big game for us.” About the Avalanche Colorado is coming off an 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa on Monday. Cassidy doesn’t take too much stock in how they played in that particular game. “We pay attention to how they’re playing,” Cassidy said. “No one wants to lose a game the way they did. I’m sure they want to bring their best. They’re back home. At the end of the day, I don’t know how much that factors in. The team that executes the best usually wins these types of games.” Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado with 35 points, while Mikko Rantanen leads the team in goals with 14. Vegas and Colorado played in the season opener on Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena, where the Golden Knights picked up an 8-4 victory. Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_ . This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

SuperTruth Acquires imaware and Enables Future Of Reliable AI Data Management and Better Health Outcomes

NoneATLANTA , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KORE Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KORE) ("KORE" or the "Company"), the global pure-play Internet of Things ("IoT") hyperscaler and provider of IoT Connectivity, Solutions, and Analytics, today announced it has received notification (the "Acceptance Letter") from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") that the NYSE has accepted the Company's previously-submitted plan (the "Plan") to regain compliance with the NYSE's continued listing standards set forth in Section 802.01B of the NYSE Listed Company Manual relating to minimum market capitalization and stockholders' equity. In the Acceptance Letter, the NYSE granted the Company an 18-month period from September 12, 2024 (the "Plan Period") to regain compliance with the continued listing standards. As part of the Plan, the Company is required to provide the NYSE quarterly updates regarding its progress towards the goals and initiatives in the Plan. In the Plan, Kore included details regarding previously reported operational restructuring activities, as well as an outlook on the Company's business. The Company expects its common stock will continue to be listed on the NYSE during the Plan Period, subject to the Company adherence to the Plan and compliance with other applicable NYSE continued listing standards. The Company's receipt of such notification from the NYSE does not affect the Company's business, operations or reporting requirements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "believe," "guidance," "project," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "would," "plan," "predict," "potential," "seem," "seek," "future," "outlook," and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expected progress with the Company's compliance plan submitted to the NYSE, expected compliance with continued listing standards of the NYSE and expected continued listing of the Company's common stock on the NYSE. These statements are based on various assumptions and on the current expectations of KORE's management. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by any investor or other person as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of KORE. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including general economic, financial, legal, political and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; the potential effects of COVID-19; risks related to the rollout of KORE's business and the timing of expected business milestones; risks relating to the integration of KORE's acquired companies, including the acquisition of Twilio's IoT business, changes in the assumptions underlying KORE's expectations regarding its future business; our ability to negotiate and sign a definitive contract with a customer in our sales funnel; our ability to realize some or all of estimates relating to customer contracts as revenue, including any contractual options available to customers or contractual periods that are subject to termination for convenience provisions; the effects of competition on KORE's future business; and the outcome of judicial proceedings to which KORE is, or may become a party. If the risks materialize or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that KORE presently does not know or that KORE currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect KORE's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. KORE anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause these assessments to change. However, while KORE may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, KORE specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing KORE's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. KORE Investor Contact: Vik Vijayvergiya Vice President, IR, Corporate Development and Strategy vvijayvergiya@korewireless.com (770) 280-0324 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kore-announces-nyse-acceptance-of-plan-to-regain-listing-compliance-302338621.html SOURCE KORE Group Holdings, Inc.

Law, order situation in KP: APC to be held at governor’s house next monthPopular retail chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy after deal fails

KORE Announces NYSE Acceptance of Plan to Regain Listing ComplianceSterling dropped versus the dollar and rose against the euro on Monday, with political troubles in France and the so-called Trump trade back in focus. The euro fell on Monday on growing concerns about a possible government collapse in France, which would stall plans to curb a burgeoning budget deficit. Meanwhile, the greenback rose as President-elect Donald Trump marked a shift from his prior advocacy of a weaker dollar by demanding that BRICS member countries not create or support another currency that could replace the dollar. “High rates and relatively low exposure to the risk of Trump tariffs mean that the pound’s path of least resistance is probably up from here,” said Enrique Diaz-Alvarez, chief financial risk officer at Ebury. Sterling was down 0.22% to $1.2708 after increasing 1.64% last week in its biggest weekly rise since mid-August. Ebury’s Diaz-Alvarez flagged that last week’s rebound restored sterling to the top of the 2024 rankings, reclaiming the title from the dollar, although just barely. On Friday, the Bank of England warned that higher trade barriers could hit global growth and feed uncertainty about inflation, potentially causing volatility in financial markets and pushing up borrowing costs for businesses and consumers. However, money markets kept pricing just 75 bps of BoE rate cuts by the end of 2025, while discounting an ECB depo rate below 1.7% from the current 3.25% The pound rose 0.35% versus the euro to 82.75 pence not far from its 2-1/2-year high. It hit 82.58 pence per euro around mid-November, its highest level since April 2022. Markets also await the Bank of England Decision Maker Panel on Dec. 5, which could provide some clues about the inflation outlook and the Bank of England monetary easing path. Citi forecast some modest upside risks to price expectations and wage growth to be steady at 4.1% before moderating further in the months ahead. “We see the risks as broadly balanced here (in terms of wage growth),” Citi said in a research note. “The crystallization of a higher national living wage could put some upside pressure here.” Source: Reuters (Reporting by Stefano Rebaudo Editing by Gareth Jones)

Unai Emery angry at ‘harsh’ Aston Villa disallowed goal against JuventusDUBLÍN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--dic. 18, 2024-- GC Aesthetics® (GCA), una empresa privada de tecnología médica que ofrece soluciones estéticas y de reconstrucción para los mercados sanitarios mundiales, se enorgullece de anunciar el inicio de un importante estudio clínico multicéntrico y prospectivo en Europa para evaluar, y confirmar, la seguridad, eficacia y satisfacción de las pacientes asociadas al innovador implante mamario redondo liso opaco PERLETM. Este comunicado de prensa trata sobre multimedia. Ver la noticia completa aquí: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218698944/es/ GC Aesthetics' Perle Breast Implant feature a proprietary surface technology (BioQTM) and GCA’s industry-leading gel technology (EmunomicTM Breast Tissue Dynamic Gel). Este amplio estudio reúne a destacados cirujanos del Servicio Nacional de Salud (NHS, por sus siglas en inglés) y de clínicas privadas del Reino Unido, así como de consultas privadas de toda Europa, lo que garantiza un conjunto de datos sólido y diverso que aborda indicaciones tanto cosméticas como reconstructivas. "Mediante la generación de evidencia clínica de alta calidad, nuestro objetivo es brindar información sin precedentes sobre el rendimiento y los beneficios para el paciente del implante PERLETM, estableciendo un nuevo estándar para la tecnología de implantes mamarios y la atención al paciente", dijo Chris Brotherston, jefe de QA / RA y asuntos clínicos de GC Aesthetics. PERLETM es una línea muy innovadora de implantes mamarios opacos lisos que cuentan con una tecnología de superficie patentada (BioQTM), la tecnología de gel líder del sector de GCA (EmunomicTM Breast Tissue Dynamic Gel), además de una versión mejorada de las características de seguridad que han sustentado el excelente historial de seguridad de GCA a largo plazo. "PERLETM es un implante único e innovador y los datos a largo plazo sobre seguridad y eficacia ayudarán a pacientes y médicos a tomar decisiones informadas con confianza. El estudio PERLETM implica una recopilación de datos sólida y exhaustiva con una muestra de gran tamaño", comentó Nabila Nasir, cirujana de mama y oncoplástica MBBS, BSc, FRCS. Compromiso estratégico con la innovación y las soluciones basadas en la evidencia "Este estudio demuestra el enfoque de GCA hacia el crecimiento sostenible y la creación de valor a través de la innovación validada clínicamente. Los resultados no solo fortalecerán nuestra cartera de productos, sino que también reforzarán la reputación de GCA de ofrecer soluciones de alta calidad, seguras y centradas en el paciente. Al invertir en investigación clínica rigurosa y a largo plazo, GCA sigue posicionándose como un socio de confianza para los profesionales sanitarios y las mujeres de todo el mundo", concluyó Carlos Reis Pinto, director general de GC Aesthetics. Como parte del enfoque estratégico de GCA en la innovación y los avances clínicos basados en la evidencia, este estudio pone de relieve el compromiso de satisfacer las necesidades cambiantes de pacientes y cirujanos de todo el mundo. El texto original en el idioma fuente de este comunicado es la versión oficial autorizada. Las traducciones solo se suministran como adaptación y deben cotejarse con el texto en el idioma fuente, que es la única versión del texto que tendrá un efecto legal. Vea la versión original en businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218698944/es/ CONTACT: Fara Naomi Macias Director de marketing - GCA faramacias@gcaesthetics.com press@gcaesthetics.com KEYWORD: EUROPE IRELAND UNITED KINGDOM INDUSTRY KEYWORD: WOMEN SURGERY HEALTH MEDICAL DEVICES HEALTH TECHNOLOGY CONSUMER CLINICAL TRIALS OTHER HEALTH SOURCE: GC Aesthetics Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/18/2024 05:12 PM/DISC: 12/18/2024 05:11 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218698944/esDon't brine your turkey in the lake, park tells AmericansOpposition fighters are at Damascus' gates. Who are they and what now?

THE Government yesterday refused to rule out more tax increases next year after figures showed the economy was flatlining. Ministers were accused of talking the country towards a recession — with zero growth from July to September. Economists warned there is a risk the UK economy could even have shrunk in the final three months of the year. And the Institute for Fiscal Studies said Chancellor Rachel Reeves could be forced into a fresh tax raid to shore up the nation’s finances. IFS boss Paul Johnson said: “It’s not impossible that the Chancellor will feel she needs to come back for yet more money next autumn if the economy doesn’t pick up.” Earlier this month, the PM refused to rule out further tax increases despite £40billion of tax rises since the election in July — saying that events such as the pandemic could change circumstances. Read More on Politics Following the disappointing economic figures , his spokesman again declined and said: “The Government is now focused on getting growth in the economy that delivers for working people that they feel in their pay slips.” Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: “Labour have killed, plucked and cooked the UK economic goose”. He added it had been a “summer of trash-talking the economy, an autumn tax-hiking budget and now a winter of discontent with a recession a distinct possibility”. Liz McKeown, of the Office for National Statistics, said the economy was weaker than previously suggested as people cut back on nights out and advertising spend also fell. Most read in The Sun Living standards were also lower than expected with GDP per head falling 0.2 per cent. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the figures showed the “challenge we face to fix our economy and properly fund our public finances after 15 years of neglect is huge”. By ASHLEY ARMSTRONG , Sun Business Editor THE Grinch-like Chancellor has robbed the economy of any optimism and pushed the country to the brink of recession in just a matter of months. Rachel Reeves had promised businesses stability, and they had been willing her to succeed. But within days of getting the keys to Number 11 she dashed all the goodwill with warnings of tough and difficult decisions. Her Budget has made it much more expensive to hire and keep staff — and firms are now rushing to cut jobs, freeze investment and put up prices. With zero growth, the Chancellor will be lucky to get a lump of coal in her stocking this Christmas.How missing teen Maia Johnston's Upper Hutt rescue unfoldedUS lawmakers back Covid Chinese lab leak theory after two-year probe

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By JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was “stupid” not to put his own name on pandemic relief checks in 2021, noting that Donald Trump had done so in 2020 and likely got credit for helping people out through this simple, effective act of branding. Biden did the second-guessing as he delivered a speech at the Brookings Institution defending his economic record and challenging Trump to preserve Democratic policy ideas when he returns to the White House next month. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television As Biden focused on his legacy with his term ending, he suggested Trump should keep the Democrats’ momentum going and ignore the policies of his allies. The president laid out favorable recent economic data but acknowledged his rare public regret that he had not been more self-promotional in advertising the financial support provided by his administration as the country emerged from the pandemic. “I signed the American Rescue Plan, the most significant economic recovery package in our history, and also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said at the Washington-based think tank. “He signed checks for people for 7,400 bucks ... and I didn’t. Stupid.” The decision by the former reality TV star and real estate developer to add his name to the checks sent by the U.S. Treasury to millions of Americans struggling during the coronavirus marked the first time a president’s name appeared on any IRS payments. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris , who replaced him as the Democratic nominee , largely failed to convince the American public of the strength of the economy. The addition of 16 million jobs, funding for infrastructure, new factories and investments in renewable energy were not enough to overcome public exhaustion over inflation, which spiked in 2022 and left many households coping with elevated grocery, gasoline and housing costs. More than 6 in 10 voters in November’s election described the economy as “poor” or “not so good,” according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. Trump won nearly 7 in 10 of the voters who felt the economy was in bad shape, paving the way for a second term as president after his 2020 loss to Biden. Biden used his speech to argue that Trump was inheriting a strong economy that is the envy of the world. The inflation rate fell without a recession that many economists had viewed as inevitable, while the unemployment rate is a healthy 4.2% and applications to start new businesses are at record levels. Biden called the numbers under his watch “a new set of benchmarks to measure against the next four years.” “President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history,” said Biden, who warned that Trump’s planned tax cuts could lead to massive deficits or deep spending cuts. He also said that Trump’s promise of broad tariffs on foreign imports would be a mistake, part of a broader push Tuesday by the administration to warn against Trump’s threatened action. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also issued a word of caution about them at a summit of The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council. “I think the imposition of broad based tariffs, at least of the type that have been discussed, almost all economists agree this would raise prices on American consumers,” she said. Biden was also critical of Trump allies who have pushed Project 2025 , a policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation that calls for a complete overhaul of the federal government. Trump has disavowed participation in it, though parts were written by his allies and overlap with his stated views on economics, immigration, education policy and civil rights. “I pray to God the president-elect throws away Project 2025,” Biden said. “I think it would be an economic disaster.” Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.In the southern city of Nanning, a city management officer was surrounded and slapped by a man, and the incident quickly escalated into a confrontation. The provocative behavior of the man attracted a crowd of onlookers and led to a violent altercation.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Isaac Brown and Duke Watson rushed for two touchdowns each, Ramon Puryear returned one of Louisville's five takeaways for a score and the Cardinals blew out rival Kentucky 41-14 on Saturday to win the Governor's Cup for the first time since 2017. Brown's 1-yard TD run started the Cardinals (8-4) toward a 20-0 halftime lead before he busted a 67-yard, exclamation-point score midway through the fourth as they halted a five-game losing streak against the Wildcats (4-8). He finished with career highs of 178 yards on 26 carries to surpass quarterback Lamar Jackson and become Louisville's first true freshman to rush for 1,000 yards. Jackson ran for 960 yards in 2015, a year before winning the Heisman Trophy. “I wanted to beat the record, so I had to stay focused and not let the outside get to me," said Brown, who has 1,074 yards and 11 touchdowns. Watson, another freshman, rushed six times for 104 yards. He exploded down the left sideline for a 58-yard TD in the second quarter before breaking a 24-yard scoring run late in the third to make it 34-7. Louisville totaled 358 yards rushing in freezing temperatures, notable for a team that entered the game with the nation's 13th-ranked passing attack. Puryear preceded that score with a 20-yard fumble return for a TD to blunt Kentucky's momentum after Ja'Mori Maclin caught a 4-yard TD pass from Gavin Wimsatt for its first score. Wimsatt, who started the second half in relief of Wildcats freshman Cutter Boley, also connected with Maclin for an 83-yard score in the fourth and was 4 of 9 for 125 yards. Kentucky finished with its sixth loss in seven contests after having its school-record eight-year postseason streak stopped. Defensive back Tamarion McDonald recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass for Louisville, which outgained Kentucky 486-328, denied all nine third-down situations and one fourth-down chance. “We did a good job pressuring the quarterback," Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte said. "They have a good run game, so they’re going to run at any stage, any part of the game and keep running. ... Our DBs capitalized on the moments and we capitalized in terms of sacks.” Louisville’s reward was the Governor’s Cup, a 33-inch-high, 110- pound trophy comprised of marble, crystal and 23-karat gold-plated brass and pewter. Brown was awarded the Howard Schnellenberger MVP award. Brown helped Louisville earn a rare achievement with its first 1,000-yard rusher to go along with a 1,000-yard receiver and 3,000-yard passer in the same season. It’s just the third time the Cardinals have done so and first since 1999. Receiver Ja’Corey Brooks previously surpassed 1,000 yards while quarterback Tyler Shough broke the 3,000-yard passing plateau last week against Pitt. Louisville: The Cardinals actually could have put it out of reach in the first half if they hadn't settled for field goals near the goal line. No big deal, as Brown and Watson broke it open in the second half with Puryear highlighting their huge defensive performance that created chances. They also had two sacks. “We talked about tackling," coach Jeff Brohm said. "Everybody tackling with your eyes, with your shoulders, with your arms, your body, not going for the ankles and swarming the ball. when you do that, that’s when you get extra arms and hands on the ball and you can knock things out.” Kentucky: Boley was supposed to offer a peek into the Wildcats' future in his first collegiate start but tossed two interceptions and completing just 6 of 15 passes for 48 yards. Jamarion Wilcox's two fumbles also hurt and Wimsatt was picked off, but his relief effort sparks offseason questions about a QB battle next spring. “I have a lot of confidence in Cutter,” coach Mark Stoops said. “We’ve got to make sure we build a very good team around him. We have to make sure that we have strong competition.” Louisville awaits its bowl assignment on Dec. 8. 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

NEW YORK — U.S. consumers who were "tricked" into purchases they didn't want from Fortnite maker Epic Games are now starting to receive refund checks, the Federal Trade Commission said this week. Back in 2022, Epic agreed to pay a total of $520 million to settle complaints revolving around children's privacy and payment methods on its popular Fortnite game. The FTC alleged the video game giant used deceptive online design tactics to trick Fortnite players, including children, into making unintended purchases "based on the press of a single button." Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.

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NoneMEXICO CITY — In recent days, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has touted her country's largest-ever seizure of fentanyl and highlighted multiple crackdowns on migrants headed toward to the United States. She was speaking to the press, but her most important audience is U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Her campaign is widely seen as a desperate effort to head off his pledge to impose a 25 percent tariff on Mexican goods when he takes office next month. "The timing is no coincidence," said Eduardo Guerrero, a security analyst in Mexico City. "President Sheinbaum's agenda has changed radically with the triumph of Trump and with the threats he directed at Mexico." There is deep anxiety here about the potentially devastating impacts of tariffs on an already sluggish economy that is heavily dependent on trade. The United States accounts for more than 80 percent of Mexico's exports. "They were clearly not prepared for Trump winning the way he won, and Trump saying the things he has said since the election," said Jorge Castañeda, a former foreign secretary. "So they are doing what they can to catch up, a little on the fly. To make Trump and the Americans in general feel like she is trying to do things to make Trump happy." A telephone conversation between the two leaders didn't seem to help. An elated Trump reported after the call on social media that Sheinbaum had "agreed to stop Migration through Mexico" and had committed to "effectively closing our Southern Border." Sheinbaum disputed that, saying that Mexico's position was not to close borders, but "to build bridges between governments and communities." Mexican officials have been enlisting U.S. corporations, politicians and others to help dissuade Trump from imposing tariffs. "It's better for Mexico to know about the tariff threat beforehand," said Sofía Ramírez, who heads the economic think tank México, ¿cómo vamos? "This way they can at least formulate a response." Officials even launched a highly publicized offensive against contraband goods from Asia, raiding a shopping center in downtown Mexico City and seizing thousands of toys and other products — an operation widely seen as a preemptive strike to discourage Trump from trying to punish Mexico for serving as a conduit for Chinese merchandise headed to the United States. Sheinbaum "realized that China is a big deal for Trump, and if she wants to stay on his good side, Mexico has to do more to prevent China from using Mexico as a back door to get into the U.S. market," said Denise Dresser, a columnist and political scientist at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico. The president has denied that she is simply trying to placate Trump. Mexicans, she recently told reporters, "can be sure that we are never going to bow our head or be ashamed." Sheinbaum must walk a fine line between her constituents, who don't want to see Mexico humiliated — or go broke — and the unpredictable, impetuous Trump. Few expect Sheinbaum, a scientist of austere demeanor, to secure the kind of rapport with Trump enjoyed by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a folksy, old-school populist who showered Trump with praise at every opportunity. "She is not going to go and campaign for Trump in the Rose Garden," said Dresser, recalling López Obrador's 2020 visit to the Trump White House. "He's not going to call her, 'Mi amiga Claudia,' or sit and drink tequilas with her." Trump views tariffs as a way to pressure countries to do what he wants. In issuing his threat against Mexico last month in a post on his social media platform, he wrote: "The Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!" It didn't take long before Sheinbaum started trotting out accomplishments in those areas. On Dec. 4 — nine days after the tariff threat — Sheinbaum announced the seizure of more than a ton of fentanyl in two raids in the state of Sinaloa, a notorious cartel bastion and manufacturing hub for the synthetic opioid. The haul could have produced 20 million doses of fentanyl and yielded more than $400 million for organized crime, she told reporters. The operation, she said, had been planned for some time, countering suggestions in the Mexican media that it had been stage-managed to win over the Trump team. Completely shutting down the fentanyl trade is probably not possible, according to experts. Smugglers ship precursor chemicals from China to Mexico, where the opioid is produced in clandestine labs, before being transported across the U.S. border. It's not clear whether Trump will be willing to compromise. "We don't really know what Trump wants other than these blanket statements to 'stop the drugs,’ ” Castañeda said. "Does he want to send in more DEA guys? More military? To go after kingpins again? Or go after shipments of the precursor chemicals coming in from China?" On migration, Sheinbaum has said that northbound migrant caravans were being "dealt with" — Mexican authorities have been breaking up the groups in southern Mexico. Mexico has been detaining more than 5,000 migrants a day, almost 50 percent more than during the final months of her predecessor's term. This year, Mexico has reported more than 1.2 million apprehensions of migrants — a record for Mexico that even tops the total arrests by the U.S. Border Patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border during the same period. Will that be enough to mollify Trump? No one knows. "Both governments are kind of condemned to deal with each other," Castañeda said. "There's not much choice. She can't make Trump go away and he can't make her go away. So they will eventually get along."

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — In some sports, playing three games in 11 days would be considered a lull in the schedule. Football is different — although this type of stretch is becoming more common in the NFL. “I just kind of put myself in a basketball perspective. Those guys play back to back, so I guess there’s a little merit behind us quote-unquote complaining about it, but they are playing 82 games," Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said. “MLB players are playing 162 games, and we have 17, and we’re trying to fight them to go to 18 right now. I think it’s good in a sense that we’ll see who is most prepared down the stretch, and it’s really challenging for teams — everybody that’s involved.” The Ravens are one of the five teams that are about to go through a three-game, 11-day stretch. The Ravens, Chiefs, Steelers and Texans are playing Sunday, the following Saturday and then the Wednesday after that on Christmas. Chicago has a game this coming Monday night, then plays the following Sunday before a Thursday game on Dec. 26. Before this season, 21 teams in the Super Bowl era had played three games in 11 days, according to Sportradar. In 2024 there are nine stretches like that on the schedule. In addition to the five teams above, four others have already gone through a three-game, 11-day period. The Jets, Seahawks, Saints and Cowboys all had Monday-Sunday-Thursday runs like the Bears are about to face. The Jets and Cowboys managed to go 2-1 during those stretches, but the Seahawks and Saints went 0-3. “Try to win the first one, rest, try to get your body back how it should be,” Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “If it’s not 100 percent, try to get it close as possible — just get ready to play football. That’s all.” For Baltimore, the easiest game of the three is in theory the first. As of Thursday afternoon, the Ravens were favored by 16 points at the New York Giants this weekend, according to BetMGM Sportsbook — but Baltimore has already lost to last-place teams like the Raiders and Browns this season. So the Ravens need to be careful not to overlook the lowly Giants. After the trip to New Jersey, Baltimore returns home to face Pittsburgh in a game that figures to be vital to the Ravens' AFC North title hopes. Then there's a road game against AFC South-leading Houston on Christmas. “The big picture is, ‘All hands on deck.’ We’re focused toward playing our best game so far on Sunday,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re going to need to do that, and that’s what we’re training and preparing to do. We have a plan for the three-game stretch, and that plan starts with Sunday.” The Ravens played on Christmas last year too, but that was on a Monday, so it wasn't that big a change in the schedule. If there's one factor in Baltimore's favor this season, it's that the Ravens had their open date last week — immediately before their rugged three-game stretch. But that meant Baltimore was among the last teams to have a week off. And the Ravens started earlier than almost anyone else, having been part of the NFL's opening game against Kansas City. “We reported to camp earlier than everybody else for that Thursday night game, and I think KC had their bye a little while ago,” Hamilton said. “I guess we had the longest stretch, continuous, of anybody else. It’s just going to be that much better at the end of it all, when we do what we need to do, and we can look back on that and say, ‘We did that, and we came out and won these three games.’” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflI’m A Celeb bosses plot tear-jerking surprise for Coleen in jungle as they aim for most emotional moment of the series

Tice, Otieno lead Quinnipiac to 75-69 OT win over HofstraAre you wanting to make new additions to your income portfolio in January? If you are, then it could pay to listen to what analysts are saying about the ASX dividend stocks in this article. They have recently been named as buys by analysts and tipped to offer attractive . Here's what you need to know about them: ( ) The team at Bell Potter thinks that agribusiness company Elders could be an ASX dividend stock to buy in January. It was pleased with the recent announcement of a new acquisition and feels it is another reason to buy. Especially given its belief that the market is underestimating the synergies on offer with the acquisition. Outside this, it thinks that Elders' shares are trading at a discount to fair value. The broker explains: Our Buy rating is unchanged. The acquisition of delta looks a relatively low-risk stepout with upside to the synergy target based on the 15% ROIC target (i.e ~$70m EBIT vs. 3yr target of ~$55m) largely through increased backward integration in crop protection. Trading at ~7.4x PF25e EBITDA, ELD trades at a reasonable discount to its through-the-cycle EBITDA multiple of 8.5x. Bell Potter is expecting Elders to pay fully franked dividends of 38 cents per share in FY 2025 and then 43 cents per share in FY 2026. Based on the current Elders share price of $7.23, this will mean of 5.25% and 5.95%, respectively. The broker has a buy rating and $9.45 price target on its shares. ( ) Another excellent ASX dividend stock for income investors to consider buying in January is Smartgroup. It is an industry-leading provider of employee benefits, end-to-end fleet management, and software solutions. Smartgroup currently has over 400,000 salary packages and 64,000 novated leases under management. Bell Potter is also positive on the company. It believes its shares are undervalued, particularly given its defensive qualities and favourable industry tailwinds. The broker said: Our favourable investment view is predicated on: (1) defensive customer segments with strong forecast occupational growth within the disability and aged care services; (2) the Electric Car Discount Bill (2022) which exempts new energy vehicles from Fringe Benefits Tax; and (3) a greater availability and selection of new energy vehicles, particularly in the mid-to-large Sports Utility segment. In respect to income, Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends of 59.7 cents in FY 2025 and then 62.7 cents in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $7.74, this will mean big dividend yields of 7.7% and 8.1%, respectively. The broker currently has a buy rating and $10.00 price target on Smartgroup's shares.

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. 'Jimmy Who?' His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. 'A wonderful life' At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.

25 years ago, it was hard to escape talk of the 'Y2K bug'

No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streakUS indictment: Adani's foreign backer GQG goes for buyback after stock slides 19% - The Times of India

Andrew Ferguson, poised to chair the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, aims to hold Big Tech accountable while advocating minimal restrictions on artificial intelligence. His stance suggests potential shifts in policy affecting industry leaders such as Meta, Microsoft, and Google. Ferguson argues against regulating AI heavily, claiming it could stifle innovation and advantage existing tech giants. He sees overly strict measures as counterproductive and likely to drive innovators to other, more welcoming regions than the U.S. Prominent on Ferguson's agenda is tackling the 'online privacy crisis.' Despite calling for robust data protection laws, he warns that banning targeted advertising could disrupt the online economy. His term promises significant contention and evolution in tech regulation. (With inputs from agencies.)Women’s representation in the tech sector is improving across the country, even amid other drops in diversity. That’s according to a Wednesday report from the Vancouver-based Tech and People Network (TAP), which found that women’s representation in Canada’s tech sector made some progress over the last year, increasing from 36.9 per cent to 38.6 per cent among 149 employers surveyed. Nevertheless, the management-level gender pay gap still remains at 17 per cent, with all B.C. employers with over 50 employees required to report gender pay discrepancies by 2026, said the release. Women were represented most in tech companies’ human resources departments (84 per cent), while representation lacked in technology, design and support (27 per cent). Entry-level jobs for (45 per cent) had the highest representation, while women made up a meagre 5.8 per cent of jobs at the specialist level (5.8 per cent). Representation in those categories remain the same as last year, according to TAP’s 2024 Diversity in Tech Dashboard. But broader diversity in the tech sector has taken a considerable blow since 2023, with representation of persons of colour dropping by 4.4 percentage points to 33.1 per cent. The report found that the most significant proportion of people who self-identify as a person of colour were in the manufacturing sector (54 per cent), with the lowest being in the executive/corporate level (19 per cent) – those figures remain unchanged since 2023. Entry-level jobs (46 per cent) had the highest representation of this group, with the lowest being the specialist level (16 per cent). TAP Network CEO Stephanie Hollingshead said in Wednesday’s release that declining representation of people of colour and/or Black people is cause for concern, urging organizations to review recruitment/retention strategies. Underrepresented groups like persons with disabilities slightly increased by one percentage point from 4.2 per cent compared with 2023, with the largest numbers coming from those working in human resources. Representation of 2SLGBTQIA+ also increased annually by one percentage point to 9.9 per cent. However, representation for Indigenous persons was the lowest (0.8 per cent) and even saw a decrease of 0.1 percentage points in the last year. The tech sector experienced a mixed bag of improvements and declines over the last year – this was also the case for equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) policy building in the workplace. Just over half (57 per cent) of the 181 organizations who provided information stated they ask employees for their accessibility needs, with close to half providing EDIB training and analyzing pay gaps. However, only 18 per cent of senior leadership in these companies has set accountability to match these goals. While companies made progress in developing inclusive policies, significant steps forward in diversity and pay equity remain painfully slow, said Hollingshead. “Our 2024 findings serve as an urgent wake-up call for Canada's tech sector. We need decisive, bold action in 2025 to close these persistent representation and gender pay gaps in our sector." The data for TAP Network’s 2024 Diversity in Tech Dashboard was compiled from their tech salary and total rewards survey, which includes data from 27,000 participants at 202 Canadian tech companies. [email protected]NEW YORK, Nov. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that it has filed a lawsuit against Evolv Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) and certain of the Company’s current and former senior executives. If you invested in Evolv, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/evolv-technologies-holdings-inc . Investors have until December 31, 2024 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Evolv’s securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and is captioned Buchan v. Evolv Technologies Holdings, Inc. , No. 1:24-cv-12768. A copy of the lawsuit can be found here: https://www.bfalaw.com/siteFiles/Cases/EvolvFiledComplaint.pdf What is the Lawsuit About? Evolv is a security technology company that utilizes AI-based screening designed to help create safer experiences. The complaint alleges that Evolv’s financial statements prepared for the periods between the second quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2024 contained material misstatements relating to Evolv’s revenue recognition and other reported metrics that are a function of revenue. On October 25, 2024, Evolv announced that the Company’s financial statements issued between the second quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2024 should not be relied upon due to material misstatements impacting revenue recognition and other previously reported metrics that are a function of revenue. The Company revealed that certain sales, including sales to one of its largest channel partners, were subject to extra-contractual terms and conditions not shared with the Company’s accounting personnel and that certain Company personnel engaged in misconduct in connection with those transactions. The Company also announced that it has self-reported these issues to the Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission and was delaying filing its upcoming quarterly report for the third quarter of 2024. On this news, the price of Evolv stock declined roughly 40%, from $4.10 per share on October 24, 2024, to $2.47 per share on October 25, 2024. Then, on October 31, 2024, Evolv announced the termination of the Company’s CEO, Peter George, effective immediately. The Company announced that Michael Ellenbogen, Evolv’s Chief Innovation Officer will serve in an interim role until a successor is appointed. On this news, the price of Evolv stock declined roughly 8%, from $2.34 per share on October 30, 2024, to $2.15 per share on October 31, 2024. Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/evolv-technologies-holdings-inc . What Can You Do? If you invested in Evolv you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/evolv-technologies-holdings-inc Or contact: Ross Shikowitz ross@bfalaw.com 212-789-3619 Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP? Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd. For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com . https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/evolv-technologies-holdings-inc Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

The Bold Environmental Vision of President Jimmy Carter

25 years ago, it was hard to escape talk of the 'Y2K bug'AP Business SummaryBrief at 12:01 p.m. EST

NoneNo. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streak

d'hotel & suites But it is not just Li Yunrui's physical attributes that leave a lasting impression. It is the confidence with which he carries himself, the subtle smile that plays on his lips, and the effortless grace with which he moves. Whether he is engaged in a dramatic scene or simply walking across a room, his magnetic presence is undeniable.President Moon Jae-in, who came to power on a platform of transparency and anti-corruption, now finds himself in a precarious position. The scandal involving his justice minister has severely tarnished his image and raised questions about his ability to lead the country effectively.Republic Welcomes James Newman as General Partner - Fund Manager & VP of Operations

Squid Game season 2 isn’t here to give us resolution. Rather, it follows a similar trajectory of The Hunger Games’ Catching Fire : Now wealthy Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) returns to the games, desperate to shut them down once and for all. The stakes are technically the same as the first season — you win or you die — but another round adds to the pressure. Now he knows the odds, and so do we; extratextually, we know that this version of Squid Game has to up the ante for Gi-hun in order to do it for us in the audience. And it does, with the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) accepting Gi-hun’s challenge to go back in the game, and opting to go in alongside him. In a way this is a repeat of what we saw in season 1, with Gi-hun unknowingly befriending and protecting a member of the game’s establishment. But Lee Byung-hun’s and Lee Jung-jae’s performance brings the dynamic — and the themes of the show — to a new level. This is Squid Game , in radically new form. And creator Hwang Dong-hyuk asking the big questions. The season’s events technically flow out of Gi-hun’s decision at the end of season 1 — to not get on the plane and visit his kid and go off into the sunset with his billions, but rather to remain haunted by his time in the game — but it finds its footing in his final conversation with Oh Il-nam (O Yeong-su), the creator of the games who played alongside him. There, Il-nam lays out a belief that drove him to create the games: People are inherently greedy and corrupt, and the game is simply a way of letting people indulge their natural impulses in order to at least provide some good fun, and take the “trash” out of the wider public. Gi-hun, of course, vehemently disagrees. And spiritually, the show seems inclined to agree with him : Gi-hun wins Il-nam’s bet about someone helping a drunk man out of the cold before midnight, and Il-nam dies in his weird, desolate office space. But, as that final beat of Squid Game season 1 taunted, that such evil could prey on the world was far too haunting for Gi-hun to just walk off . Season 2 isn’t just built on the usual sequel stuff of getting Gi-hun in the game and trying to bring it down. The season is structured to allow Gi-hun to explore the question of what really drives the games, whether these are really bad people or just people driven to bad things. Hwang elegantly explores those questions through the gulf between Gi-hun and the Front Man — even when the former doesn’t know it’s being tested at all. The beauty of the season’s seven episodes is in how seamlessly it weighs the meaty themes. Gi-hun makes it his mission to bring a halt to the game, and enlists a small team of helpers to help sway the crowd around the votes. The Front Man — now disguised as Player 001, and using the name Oh Young-il — approaches him and pours honey into his ear. But all the while, he continues the grander conversation of what the games are driven by. As Young-il, he says Gi-hun’s success is what convinced him to stay, that he trusts his judgment. But after voting to keep the game going once, he votes no every time, verbally and physically supporting Gi-hun’s agenda. It’s never enough, which feels poignant. It’s not that people are inherently good or bad, but they are desperate and trapped. Gi-hun is the one fighting an uphill battle here, and even with the guy running the thing on his side (ostensibly, at least) the game goes on. At a press event earlier this year, Lee Byung-hun told Polygon that the performance was a challenging one, where he was balancing his personas, including the Front Man’s actual backstory as Hwang In-ho, through just his eyes. “So at times, I would have to switch on and off from my eyes having to be that of Young-il and then the next glance, having to be that of In-Ho, and having to switch that immediately on and off with each fleeting moment.” Having his shift be that small is a constant strength of Squid Game season 2. You never lose the character, whether he’s docile as Young-il or sinister and imposing as the Front Man. And it bolsters the show’s grander conversation where a weaker show might fail: we’re able to see the places he laces his lies with the truth of his own life, and how that’s corrupted him so deeply he can’t see Gi-hun’s hope as anything other than naiveté. Which, unlike so many sequel equivalents, actually does make Squid Game season 2 feel worth another go at the games. Beyond Gi-hun’s desperation, the second season explores a variety of people’s reasons for going in the games — the hope to pay off medical treatments, gambling debts, or just provide for an actual future among the capitalistic stakes of the real world. Plus, with our first look behind the scenes at some of the guards’ motivations, Squid Game actually feels like it’s building to something bigger (presumably in a third season that will feel more like part 2 of this season). As their stories all meld and swirl, Squid Game finds a groove, constantly dancing between the despair of their current predicament and the hopelessness of the life that brought them here. It’s a smarter way to advance a point, not withholding answers so much as miserably asking more questions. Its characters are straightforward, but they help focus a season that could otherwise be a rehash of basic themes. And as much as Gi-hun and “Young-il” want to help, the Front Man lets the anguish around them speak for itself. As they witness — or even perpetrate — one heinous act after another, Squid Game ’s players are looking for easy solutions in a world that has none of that. Instead of running from that conversation (or simply repeating itself), Squid Game looks us square in the face and asks us why we think we’re any better off. Entertainment Reviews TVNone

South Korea opposition moves to impeach acting president over court appointments for president's impeachment trial

Undercover FBI agents were not present during the 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Donald Trump supporters, a Justice Department watchdog said Thursday in a report debunking a popular right-wing conspiracy theory. "We found no evidence in the materials we reviewed or the testimony we received showing or suggesting that the FBI had undercover employees in the various protest crowds, or at the Capitol, on January 6," Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz said in an 88-page report. Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6 in a bid to prevent congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory. Right-wing media and even some Republican lawmakers have spuriously claimed that undercover FBI agents provoked the attack on Congress, which followed a fiery speech by Trump in which he falsely claimed the election had been stolen. The inspector general said that while no undercover FBI agents were present at the Trump rally or the Capitol, 26 FBI informants known as confidential human sources (CHS) were in Washington at the time. Three of the informants had been tasked with reporting on domestic terrorist suspects while the others were there on their own. "None of these FBI CHSs were authorized to enter the Capitol or a restricted area, or to otherwise break the law on January 6, nor was any CHS directed by the FBI to encourage others to commit illegal acts on January 6," the report said. The inspector general also said there had been an intelligence-gathering failure by the FBI ahead of the January 6 attack. "While the FBI undertook significant efforts to identify domestic terrorism subjects who planned to travel to the Capital region on January 6," the report said, "the FBI did not take a step that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations. "Specifically, the FBI did not canvass its field offices in advance of January 6, 2021, to identify any intelligence, including CHS reporting, about potential threats to the January 6 Electoral Certification," it said. FBI deputy director Paul Abbate was quoted as saying this was a "basic step that was missed" in "understanding the threat picture prior to January 6." Trump was impeached by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives following the attack on the Capitol, but acquitted by the Senate. He is to return to the White House on January 20 after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the November presidential election. More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the assault on Congress. Trump has lauded them as "patriots" and "political prisoners" and pledged to pardon many of them when he returns to the White House. cl/stWeekend review: Barça let Madrid into title race, Liverpool stomp City

According to President Zelensky, the Ukrainian military has suffered a significant number of casualties in the conflict with Russia. He disclosed that over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, and more than 20,000 have been wounded since the conflict began. These figures paint a stark picture of the devastating toll that the ongoing war has taken on Ukraine's armed forces and its people.

Donald Trump is facing widespread mockery online after recounting a "made up story" about a woman returning one apple to a grocery store's refrigerator due to high prices, with many criticizing his understanding of everyday life. The president-elect has made rising grocery prices a key talking point during his campaign to return to the White House, citing supply chain issues and energy policy as contributing factors. Trump: I tell the story about a woman who... went to a grocery store, had three apples and she put them down on the counter and she looked and saw the price and she said will you excuse me? And she walked one of the apples back to the refrigerator pic.twitter.com/MqIQ53bRAK His recent anecdote about the "old woman with three apples," intended to highlight the struggles of average Americans, was met with skepticism and mockery, as social media users questioned the practicality and reality of the story. "I tell this story about a woman who, an old woman, an old woman, no money, went to a grocery store, had three apples, she put them down on the counter, and she looked and she saw the price, and she said, 'Would you excuse me?' And she walked one of the apples back to the refrigerator and came back to pay for the two apples and she left with two apples. And the woman at the counter said that was so sad." Trump said. Critics on social media have dissected the implausibility of the scenario, noting that apples are not refrigerated in grocery stores and are sold by weight, not individually. "Trump announces that he has never bought an apple, or entered a grocery store," one user wrote on X. "It's fake, made up story to feed his poorly educated base," another added . While his supporters may overlook such gaffes, critics are likely to seize on similar missteps to question his credibility. Meanwhile, rising grocery prices will remain a pressing issue for Americans. Originally published by Latin Times