lucky 9 online Jaguar's Type 00 concept car: Redefining EV landscapeCAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Rob Martin had 17 points in Southeast Missouri State's 88-39 victory against Westminster (MO) on Sunday night. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Rob Martin had 17 points in Southeast Missouri State's 88-39 victory against Westminster (MO) on Sunday night. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Rob Martin had 17 points in Southeast Missouri State’s 88-39 victory against Westminster (MO) on Sunday night. Martin also contributed seven rebounds for the Redhawks (7-6). Braxton Stacker scored 16 points while going 7 of 11 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and added five rebounds. Damarion Walkup went 5 of 11 from the field (4 for 10 from 3-point range) to finish with 14 points. The Blue Jays were led in scoring by Walker Gohring, who finished with 13 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementWelcome to the Week 17 picks and let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas, but that's only to the people who are reading this on or before Dec. 25. If you're reading this after Christmas, then happy early new year. And if you're reading this five years down the road because you found it on the internet after you Googled "Who was the fourth-handsomest NFL writer at CBS Sports in the 2020s," then I hope you found what you're looking for. Anyway, we're about to begin one of the wildest weeks in NFL history and that starts with the fact that we have two Wednesday games this week. There have only been two Wednesday games in the NFL over the past 74 years and we're going to double that total on Christmas. As if that's not unusual enough, both games are going to be on Netflix, which will mark the first time ever that Netflix is showing NFL games . I was going to offer to share my Netflix password with all of you guys, but I've been told that Netflix frowns upon that. Although I can't share my password, I can share my picks, so lets get to them. NFL Week 17 picks Kansas City (14-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5) Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET (Netflix) I'm not sure what's on Mike Tomlin's Christmas list, but I have to think he'll be asking Santa for a defensive game plan that can stop Patrick Mahomes , because that's one thing Tomlin hasn't been able to figure out how to do in his career. Tomlin has been one of the best coaches in the NFL over the past 17 years.... except when he faces Mahomes. In three career games against Mahomes, including the playoffs, the Steelers have gone 0-3 and the Chiefs have AVERAGED 40 points per game. Let's take a look at how Mahomes has done against the Steelers defense: September 2018: Mahomes throws for 326 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-37 win. December 2021: Mahomes throws for 258 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-10 win. January 2022: Mahomes throws for 404 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-21 win. Mahomes is averaging 329.3 passing yards and 4.7 touchdown passes per game against the Steelers. Over an entire 17-game season, that would average out to 5,598 yards and 79.9 touchdown passes. Sure, these teams haven't played since January 2022, but there's no reason to think that anything is going to change in this game. These big games aren't just happening because Mahomes is a great quarterback, it's also happening because Andy Reid knows how to exploit every weakness the Steelers have on defense. Reid knows what Tomlin is going to do before Tomlin know what Tomlin is going to do. I feel like the only way the Steelers have a chance is if Mahomes is extremely hobbled by his injured ankle in this game, which is certainly possible. His ankle got a big test on Saturday, and it passed that test, but this is an even bigger test, because he now has to turn around and play another game just four days after facing the Texans . The Chiefs have plenty of incentive to win and that mostly comes from the fact that they can clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC with a win. If they get the top seed, then Mahomes wouldn't have to play again until Jan. 18 at the earliest, which would give his ankle almost a full month to heal. The Steelers are going to need a Christmas miracle to pull this one off and unless this game is being moved to 34th street, I don't see that happening (There it is, there's the cheesy Christmas joke we all knew was coming). The Chiefs haven't scored more than 30 points in a single game all season, but with Mahomes going up against the Steelers defense, this feels like the spot where it might actually happen. The pick: Chiefs 31-24 over Steelers Baltimore (10-5) at Houston (9-6) Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. ET (Netflix) The best thing about the NFL's Christmas doubleheader being on Netflix is that you can kill some time between games by watching a Christmas movie, and as we all know, Netflix definitely has the BEST Christmas movies. I mean, I'm trying to decide right now if I'm going to watch Hot Frosty, Single all the Way or Santa's St. Bernards Save Christmas after the Chiefs-Steelers game ends. Single all the Way is a modern classic. Holiday games tend to draw big audiences, which means this might be the most viewed game of the NFL season, although I'm not sure if that's because his is a holiday game or because the the halftime show is going to feature Beyonce . BEYONCÉ Halftime of Ravens vs. Texans Kickoff at 4:30PM ET Christmas Day on Netflix #NFLonNetflix pic.twitter.com/p3t7L5XPQt The fact that Beyonce is serving as the halftime show is almost fitting because the last time she served as headliner of an NFL halftime show came in Super Bowl XLVII. That game involved the Ravens and it was played in New Orleans. Now, here she is 12 years later doing the halftime show again in a game that involves the Ravens in a year where the Super Bowl is being played in New Orleans. That's too many coincidences for me to overlook. I'm just going to go ahead and bet all my money now on the Ravens to get to the Super Bowl. The one thing about Beyonce's last halftime show is that the LIGHTS WENT OUT. The Texans are likely going to be hoping that that lights go out in this game because I feel like that's the only way they're going to be able to win. The Texans have struggled this year when a game turns into a shootout and there's a good chance that's going to happen against the Ravens. Baltimore is averaging 30.1 points per game, which isn't good news for a Texans team that's 1-6 this season when their opponent scores 22 points or more. The Texans just got hit with a devastating injury ( Tank Dell ), they don't really have anything to play for since they've already clinched the AFC South, so this feels like a spot where they might go a little conservative with their game plan. On the other hand, this game means everything to the Ravens, who would take a huge step toward winning the AFC North if they can win in Houston. The pick: Ravens 30-20 over Texans Denver (9-6) at Cincinnati (7-8) Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET (NFL Network) I know this game isn't being played on Christmas, but maybe it should be, because no one does Christmas like Joe Burrow . Every year, we see quarterbacks around the NFL buy a gift or two for their offensive linemen, but no one needs to do that anymore because no one is ever going to top Burrow's gift. Joe Burrow's gift to his offensive linemen? Authentic Katana swords ⚔️ (h/t @pauldehnerjr ) pic.twitter.com/7luHZgyjOj If anyone ever buys me a Japanese katana sword for Christmas, we will instantly become best friends. I would take it everywhere until I inevitably got arrested with it and then I'd probably just keep it in my office and tell everyone about the time I got arrested with it. Speaking of the Japanese katana sword, the Bengals offensive linemen will have a lot of time to learn how to use one if Cincinnati doesn't win this game. Going into Week 17, things are pretty simple for the Bengals: If they lose to the Broncos , they're eliminated from the playoffs. According to our friends at SportsLine, the Bengals have just a 6.8% chance of making the playoffs. Now, I'm not good at math, but I have to say, those odds make it feel like they don't have a good chance of getting into the postseason. However, that DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T HAPPEN. The odds also said that a movie about a swashbuckling cat would never work, but Puss in Boots is one of the greatest cat movies ever made. Also, the odds said Trent Dilfer would never win more Super Bowl rings than Jim Kelly and Dan Marino combined, but that happened. And let's not forget, the odds also said that there's no way that kickers would have more total NFL MVP awards than wide receivers, but that fact is actually true, so let's not pretend like the Bengals getting into the postseason is impossible. As a matter of fact, not only is it possible, it actually seems somewhat plausible. Here's what their path looks like: Bengals win out (Broncos, at Steelers) Broncos lose out (at Bengals, Chiefs) Dolphins lose at least one game (at Browns , at Jets ) Colts lose at least one game(at Giants , Jaguars ) OK, so that's a lot of things that need to happen, so maybe this isn't as plausible as I thought. As for this game, Burrow is one one of the hottest streaks in NFL history right now. Bengals QB Joe Burrow is first player in NFL history with 250-plus passing yards, three-plus passing TDs in seven consecutive games https://t.co/0b8JrDUuvJ pic.twitter.com/VmtunOp9Ne He has thrown for at least 250 yards and three touchdowns in seven straight games, and now, he gets to face a Broncos defense that gave up 497 yards to Jameis Winston in Week 13 and 284 yards to Justin Herbert in Week 16. I think what I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure the Broncos are going to be able to stop Burrow, who's playing the quarterback position better than almost anyone in football right now. The pick: Bengals 27-24 over Broncos Green Bay (11-4) at Minnesota (13-2) Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (Fox) We are 17 weeks into the NFL season and I still have no idea how good the Packers are, which seems like a crazy thing to say about an 11-4 team. Now, before you start sending me hate mail, Packers fan, let me finish my point. I know the Packers are good, and I think they might even win a playoff game, but I'm not sure if they're good enough to beat the best teams in the NFC and that's mostly because they haven't done it yet. The Packers have played four games this year against teams that currently have 10 wins or more and they've gone 0-4 in those games. On the other hand, they're 10-0 against teams that have nine wins or less. Every time the Packers face one of the top teams in the NFC, they completely melt down and find a way to lose the game. I'll give them a pass for their Week 1 loss to the Eagles , because that game was in Brazil and as everyone knows, you can't be blamed for anything you do wrong in Brazil. They lost to the Vikings in Week 4 in a game where they were down 28-0 before halftime. In Week 9, they lost to the Lions in a game where they were trailing 24-6 before the third quarter was even over. In Week 14, they lost to the Lions again in a game where they fell behind 10-0 in the first half. I'm starting to notice a pattern here and that pattern is that they always seem to trip over their own feet to the start the game when they're playing a good team. If the Packers can avoid a slow start, then they can absolutely win this game, especially because Jordan Love will be going up against a Vikings defense that's surrendering 248.7 yards per game through the air, which is the fourth-most in the NFL. I feel like these two teams are pretty even, but with the Packers coming off a short week after playing on Monday in Week 16 AND being forced to the road for this game, I think I have to roll with Minnesota. The pick: Vikings 30-27 over Packers Atlanta (8-7) at Washington (10-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) The is the Kirk Cousins revenge game except I don't think we can actually call it that since Kirk Cousins won't be playing. Instead of getting Cousins against his former team, we're getting an unexpected rookie showdown between Michael Penix Jr . and Jayden Daniels . And let me just say that of all the unexpected things in life, "unexpected rookie showdown" definitely ranks in the top-three behind only "unexpected free beer" and "unexpected free money." This is a huge game for both teams: If the Commanders win, they'll clinch a playoff berth, but if they lose, there's a very real chance that they could be left out of the postseason. If you're wondering how that might happen, it's simple: Buccaneers and Falcons go 2-0 to end the season while the Commanders go 0-2. That would leave all three teams at 10-7 and Washington would be the odd team out. The problem with trying to predict this game is that I have no idea what Penix is going to look like. I've seen him play exactly one NFL game and I learned absolutely nothing because he was playing against the Giants. Penix didn't wow me, but he also didn't raise any red flags with his play. He made smart throws, he made safe passes and he only threw one interception, which wasn't his fault. Juggled and picked off by the Giants at the goal line! 📺: #NYGvsATL on FOX 📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/PdRfXIGHCa Of course, I just spent all this time talking about Penix and it might not matter how he plays, because if the Falcons are going to win, it's likely going to be because of Bijan Robinson . The Commanders are surrendering 137.4 yards per game on the ground this year, which is the third-worst number in the NFL. If Robinson goes off against Washington's defense, we could have an upset in the making. However, there won't be an upset because Jayden Daniels won't let it happen. Daniels has been absolutely clutch this year and we saw that against the Eagles in Week 16 when he threw five touchdown passes, including a game-winning TD pass that came with just six seconds left. I'm not sure we'll see five touchdown passes again this week, but I do think the Commanders will win and part of that is because I don't think anyone wants to win this game more than Dan Quinn. We're not getting the Kirk Cousins revenge game, but we are getting the Dan Quinn revenge game. Quinn got fired by the Falcons in 2020 and I'm guessing that he'd love to beat them by any score except for 28-3. The pick: Commanders 30-23 over Falcons NFL Week 17 picks: All the rest Seahawks 20-17 over Bears Chargers 23-16 over Patriots Rams 27-20 over Cardinals Colts 24-13 over Giants Bills 27-17 over Jets Buccaneers 23-20 over Panthers Titans 21-17 over Jaguars Dolphins 24-10 over Browns Lions 34-20 over 49ers NFL Week 17 picks where I have no idea who the starting QB will be for at least one team Derek Carr revenge game Quick take: If Derek Carr (hand) can't play, the NFL should postpone this game until he can because everyone in America wants to see what would be the ultimate revenge game. If Carr does play, and he loses, he'd become the first QB in history to lose to all 32 teams. That's a juicy sub-plot. The pick (If Derek Carr plays): Saints 19-16 over Raiders The pick (If Derek Carr doesn't play): Raiders 20-17 over Saints Jalen Hurts dealing with concussion game Quick take: The Cowboys have certainly enjoyed playing the role of spoiler over the past few weeks with wins over both the Buccaneers and Commanders. If Hurts (Concussion) can't go, I don't l like Kenny Pickett 's chances against the Cowboys defense. The pick (If Jalen Hurts plays): Eagles 27-23 over Cowboys The pick (If Jalen Hurts doesn't play): Cowboys 23-20 over Eagles Last week Best pick: Last week, I predicted that the Rams would beat the Jets in a low-scoring slugfest and guess what happened? The Rams beat the Jets, 19-9, in a low-scoring slugfest. Now, did I know that the Jets were going to become just the second team over the past 74 years to be held under 10 points in a game where they punted ZERO TIMES? Of course I did. This is the Jets we're talking about and if any team can set some sort of bizarre record for offensive futility, it's definitely them. Since 1950 there have only been two teams that have punted ZERO times in a game without scoring at least 10 points. 1991: Colts 2024: The Jets on Sunday against the Rams https://t.co/m4gvsCNQnO The Jets have mastered the art of the bizarre loss. Heading into Week 8, NFL teams were a collective 750-0 in games where they scored at least 20 points with zero turnovers while holding their opponent 250 yards of offense and somehow, the Jets ended that streak in a 25-22 loss to the Patriots. If any other team had scored just nine points in a game where they punted zero times, I would have been shocked, but not with the Jets. Worst pick: Leave it to the Raiders to win a game that even their fans wanted them to lose. Heading into Week 16, I thought for sure the Raiders would go into full tank mode so they could land the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, so I picked them to lose the Jags. I turned out to be wrong, but the joke is on the Raiders, because now, they're going to be stuck with a pick outside the top five and they're not going to land the quarterback they want and they're going to be bad forever. Sorry, I don't mean that Raiders fans. I'm just bitter about my missed pick. Finally, if you're still reading, you might be wondering which teams I've done well picking this year and here's the answer: My best picks record by team (Straight up): Chiefs (13-2), Raiders (12-3), Broncos (12-3), Titans (12-3) Longest winning streak: Chiefs (13 straight correct picks) My worst picks record by team (Straight up): Bengals (7-8), Ravens (7-8), Steelers (7-8), Cardinals (7-8) Longest losing streak: Panthers (Two straight incorrect picks) Every other team is somewhere in the middle. Picks record Straight up in Week 16: 11-5 SU overall: 155-85 Against the spread in Week 16: 8-7-1 ATS overall: 122-113-5 You can find John Breech on Facebook or Twitter and if he's not doing one of those things, he's probably Googling to see who the fourth-handsomest NFL writer at CBS Sports actually is.

The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “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.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Gordon Brown, another former prime minister, said it was a “privilege” to have known Mr Carter, who “will be mourned, not just in America, but in every continent where human rights are valued”. Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceNEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces an investigation into BioAge Labs, Inc. BIOA for potential violations of the federal securities laws. If you invested in BioAge, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/bioage-labs-inc . Why is BioAge being Investigated? BioAge Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of therapeutic products for metabolic diseases, with a primary focus on obesity. The company's lead product candidate, azelaprag, is an orally available small-molecule agonist of the apelin receptor (APJ), designed to enhance weight loss. During the relevant period, the company stated that azelaprag was well-tolerated in 265 individuals across eight Phase 1 clinical trials and that following the company's IPO it was "well-equipped to advance our clinical programs[.]" The Stock Declines as the Truth is Revealed On December 6, 2024, BioAge announced that it discontinued its STRIDES Phase 2 trial for azelaprag, citing safety concerns, after liver transaminitis was observed in subjects receiving azelaprag. The company stated that the decision to discontinue the STRIDES Phase 2 study of azelaprag "became clear" due to "the emerging safety profile of the current doses tested[.]" This news caused the price of the company's stock to decline over 76%, from a closing price of $20.09 per share on December 6, 2024, to $4.65 per share on December 9, 2024. Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/bioage-labs-inc . What Can You Do? If you invested in BioAge 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/bioage-labs-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/bioage-labs-inc Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.US News Live: Get the latest updates and breaking news from the US on elections, politics, crime, trends, weather along with national affairs. Stay up to date with news developments on Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump. all right here This is an AI-generated live blog and has not been edited by Hindustan Times staff. ...Read More US News Live: Kate Middleton reflects on 'difficult times' at Christmas service; shares handwritten notes with guests

Fresh rallies in Georgia after PM said 'won battle' with pro-EU protestersAmazon has just dropped prices across the board on various Apple iPad models for Black Friday , including the best deal we've ever seen on the new 2024 Apple iPad Pro. Right now the 11" model costs $849 (normally $999) and the 13" model costs $1099 (normally $1299). The new iPad Pro boasts a couple of significant upgrades over its predecessor, including a powerful M4 chip and, for the first time ever, a tandem OLED display. Black Friday iPad Pro Deals In our 2024 iPad Pro 11" M4 review , Jacqueline Thomas wrote, "For creative professionals, the 2024 iPad Pro is the most powerful tablet on the market and is going to shine if your work revolves around a touchscreen. For the rest of us, though, the iPad Pro is simply the most beautiful display you'll find in a tablet, with hardware that's powerful enough to be a top-end device for years to come." The 2024 iPad Pro is the best tablet on the market, iOS or otherwise, thanks to the new M4 processor which is both powerful and power efficient. Compared to the previous generation iPad M2, it performs about 20% better. However, the biggest update of the iPad Pro is not the M4 chip, but instead the tandem OLED panel which hadn't previously been seen on an Apple product. Tandem OLED is better than traditional OLED in two ways: (1) it's far brighter and (2) it's less prone to burn-in. If you're wondering why this technology hasn't found its way into TVs, the answer is simply because it's not cost effective at larger sizes. The iPad can get away with it because the 11" screen is much smaller, but that's also a major reason why the iPad Pro is priced considerably higher than the other iPads in Apple's 2024 lineup. More Apple iPad Deals for Black Friday If you're looking for other Apple devices, check out our Apple Black Friday hub with deals on AirPods, Watches, and more. Should You Wait Until Black Friday? Black Friday is the best opportunity to score some great deals on electronics, and Apple products are no exception. You might be wondering just how low these prices can go. Although we have no direct feedback from Apple themselves, we have years of our own historical price trends to back up our predictions. At this point, Black Friday is close enough that there's certainly no harm waiting. We might see as much as a $50 or even $100 price drop on the more expensive models like the iPad Air or iPad Pro. The iPad and iPad Mini might drop another $20 at most if retailers are feeling generous. If Amazon isn't your preferred vendor (or if it runs out of stock), I expect these deals to be available at Best Buy and Walmart as well. The Apple Store will also host its own Black Friday Sale, although these deals usually aren't nearly as good. Looking for more iPad resources? If you're not sure which iPad is best for you, we have an iPad guide which details which iPad is ideal for which use case. If you intend want to get an iPad for schoolwork, we have an iPad guide for students as well. If you're looking for options outside of iOS, check out the best Android tablets of 2024. Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Seahawks place running back Kenneth Walker III on injured reserveUN Nuclear Watchdog Says Iran Planning To 'Dramatically Increase' Uranium Enrichment

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is pulling out the federal wallet to put more money into people's pockets over the holidays, but its recently announced affordability measures create winners and losers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that the federal government will remove the goods and services tax on a slew of items for two months, starting Dec. 14. But in provinces where the provincial and federal sales taxes are blended together into a harmonized sales tax, Canadians will get a larger break. The federal government also plans to send $250 cheques to Canadians who were working in 2023 and earned up to $150,000. That means Canadians who were not working in 2023, including those who were receiving social assistance or were in retirement, will not be sent a cheque in April. In the House of Commons on Friday, NDP MP Peter Julian called the government out for not including Canadians with fixed incomes. "Why are Liberals excluding seniors and people with disabilities from the real help they need this holiday season? Why won't Liberals help them, too?" Julian asked during question period. At a news conference on Friday, Trudeau said that the federal government has already stepped up to help the most vulnerable Canadians and that it is now time to give a hand to workers. "Over the past number of years, we have been extraordinarily present in helping the most vulnerable Canadians," Trudeau said, mentioning the boost to old-age security for seniors aged 75 and older and the Canada Child Benefit. "But as I travel across the country, I do regularly hear from working Canadians who are having trouble making ends meet, but saying, 'look, I don't have kids. I'm not a senior yet, and I'm facing challenges.'" The GST break, which is expected to cost the federal government $1.6 billion, will apply to a number of items including children's clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine. It also applies to Christmas trees — both natural and artificial — along with a variety of snack foods and beverages, and video game consoles. Meanwhile, 18.7 million people will receive a check this spring, costing the government about $4.7 billion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 17 children, for their exceptional courage and outstanding achievements across diverse fields, including art, culture, sports and innovation at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre today (December 26). Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated all award winners and underlined the importance of nurturing and celebrating young talents. "Providing opportunities and recognizing children’s talents has always (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); been a part of our tradition. This tradition should be further strengthened to ensure that every child realizes their full potential," she said. The award recognizes outstanding achievements across seven categories: art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, sports, and environment. The recipients, comprising seven boys and ten girls from 14 states and Union territories, were honored with a medal, a certificate, and a citation booklet.London Symposium: Quebec out in front of green energy transition with support for tech, miners

It doesn’t matter how many terrible wars we’re mired in overseas. It doesn’t matter how many seemingly unsolvable social and political problems we face at home. At this time of year, we Americans have the usual Walmart store of blessings to be thankful for. An extra reason for the entire country to give thanks next week is the fact that the long-dreaded 2024 election is finally in our rearview mirror – and for half of us the outcome was a blessing. Thanksgiving is usually a national holiday that doesn’t get stuck in the swamp of partisan politics. But this year, the shocking victory of Donald Trump was too much to take for ordinary Democrats and many of our most fragile liberal TV talking heads and pundits. Three weeks after Election Day, most of the liberal media are still in meltdown mode. They are encouraging lame-duck Biden Democrats, the Justice Department, the Coast Guard – anyone who works for the federal government – to do whatever it takes to sabotage Trump’s incoming administration, even before he takes office. Whether it’s risking a nuclear war with Russia by giving gifts of fancy rockets to Ukraine or digging up every speck of old dirt on Trump’s cabinet picks, Democrats and the liberal media are so busy trying to thwart Trump they have little time to give thanks for anything or anyone. Some nasty newspaper columnists and teary-eyed panelists on CNN are so despondent about Trump’s victory they are willing to spoil the love and fun at half of America’s Thanksgiving dinners. They are urging their fellow Democrats not to invite – or to dis-invite – friends and family members to Thanksgiving dinner who voted for Trump or didn’t vote for Kamala Harris. Some MAGA hardheads who are just as dumb are saying they aren’t going to sit down with RINOs who hate Trump and think Mitt Romney is a real Republican. But making our family Thanksgiving tables smaller and smaller because of politics is all wrong. It does nothing but ruin America’s best holiday and further divide the country into partisan bubbles and silos. My father Ronald Reagan never let politics come between friends and family, especially during Thanksgiving during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He had two children with Nancy Reagan, Patti and Ron. In 1980, Patti was a Peace and Freedom Party member and didn’t vote for her dad to be president. Ron didn’t vote for our father, as far as we know. Both didn’t vote to reelect their father in 1984, either. In fact, Patti and her friend led a peace march in Washington, DC, while her father was president of the United States. Patti also has written highly critical books about her relationships with her father and her mother, mostly her mother. And Ron is a lifelong atheist who makes radio ads saying he’s “not afraid of burning in Hell.” Once, while we were having dinner together as a family, my father, a sincere Christian, reached over, grabbed my hand and said, “My only prayer is that before Ron dies, he too will know Jesus like we do.” So, each Thanksgiving at the ranch, you had two children who were absolutely opposed to their father’s politics, eating with him and the rest of the Reagan family. And if you want to know if those bipartisan family turkey dinners were noisy with angry political arguments, the answer is “No.” Nobody was throwing mashed potatoes or drumsticks at each other, either. The point I’m making is that these political people I hear dropping my dad’s name on TV all the time could learn a lot from the way he always put politics in its proper place. So this Thanksgiving, don’t ask, “What would Ronald Reagan do?” – do what he did. Invite your whole family and your old friends. Sit down and have a nice turkey dinner with all the fixings. Argue all you want about sports or music. Just don’t ask anyone to pass the politics. – Copyright 2024 Michael Reagan, distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Michael Reagan, the son of President Ronald Reagan, is an author, speaker and president of the Reagan Legacy Foundation. Send comments to reagan@caglecartoons.com and follow @reaganworld on Twitter. –

PINE RIVER — Happy Dancing Turtle and Pine River-Backus Community Education will host the 19th Annual Back to Basics sustainable living event Feb. 15 at Pine River-Backus School. Workshops, vendors, exhibitors, lunch, door prizes and a keynote speaker are planned for the event which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attend the morning keynote address and the all-day vendor/exhibitor fair for free. Register to participate in a full day of workshops, choosing from over 50 offerings on topics such as food, DIY, gardening, health & wellness, and environmental sustainability. ADVERTISEMENT Benjamin Winchester, a rural sociologist with the University of Minnesota Extension’s Department of Community Development, will present the keynote, “Rewriting the Rural Narrative.” “Benjamin Winchester brings a fresh framing of opportunities and challenges of rural living, with a big emphasis on the opportunities. His enthusiasm is just contagious,” said Happy Dancing Turtle Executive Director Quinn Swanson in a news release. Running concurrently throughout the day will be the free Back to Basics vendor/exhibitor fair which requires no registration and is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Visit more than 50 booths of sustainably themed vendors and chat with knowledgeable people while stocking up on handmade and locally sourced foods, house goods, handmade herbal products and jewelry, clothing and more. “With new workshop presenters and topics like cheese making, small batch fiber processing, cooking Ayurvedically, biometeorology, carbon credit cash plus the variety of new and returning vendors/exhibitors, this will be an outstanding event,” Michelle Hoefs, one of the primary event coordinators, said. “The synergy of so many people sharing ideas, products, and information on sustainable living make for an inspiring day.” Happy Dancing Turtle is looking for helpers to contribute their time and energy for the event. In exchange for four hours of help, volunteers receive lunch, an event T-shirt, and will have the opportunity to attend workshops. Email b2b@happydancingturtle. org if you would like to volunteer or call 218-587-2303. Full-day registration for workshops is $40, with discounts for senior citizens and students. Á la carte options are also available. Participant registration opens Jan. 3; register online at www.happydancingturtle.org/back-to-basics-workshops . Walk-in registration is available the day of the event, although some workshops may have filled. It is recommended to register early to reserve the workshops you wish to attend. ADVERTISEMENT

Thousands of defiant pro-EU protesters in Georgia staged a fresh rally Friday after the prime minister claimed victory in a "battle" against the opposition, amid a deepening post-electoral crisis. Tbilisi has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared that it had won a disputed October 26 election. The party's critics have accused it of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets since the election to protest against alleged electoral fraud. Fresh rallies took place across the country after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced last week that Georgia would not hold talks on European Union membership until 2028. Police have fired tear gas and water cannon against pro-EU protests in Tbilisi and hundreds of arrests have been made, triggering outrage at home and mounting international condemnation. France, Germany and Poland condemned what they called the government's "disproportionate" use of force against protesters and opposition leaders in a joint statement by their foreign ministers Friday. Several thousand people blocked the street outside parliament for a ninth consecutive night Friday, some blowing whistles and others setting off firecrackers. The crowd was smaller than on previous nights and the mood quieter, but protesters rejected claims the movement was dying out. "We are fighting for our freedom," said Nana, 18, a medical student, wrapped in an EU flag, accompanied by a friend in a matching Georgian flag. "We are not going to give up." Another protester, 35-year-old academic Alexander Kavtaradze, said: "It's a battle of nerves right now. The illegitimate government is hoping we'll get tired, that fewer people will come out each day. "We will continue our fight until the end." Separate protests were held outside Georgia's Public Broadcaster -- accused of serving as a government propaganda tool -- the education ministry, and the country's tourism administration offices. Shalva Alaverdashvili, founder of the Georgian hotels' federation, told AFP that the "unexpected and unacceptable" suspension of EU accession talks has severely hit the country's tourism industry, which accounts for seven percent of the country's GDP. Thousands have also staged anti-government rallies in the second city of Batumi on the Black Sea coast. On Friday evening, a court in Tbilisi put a 19-year-old youth activist in pre-trial detention. Zviad Tsetskhladze had been arrested during the protests on charges of "organising, leading, and participating in group violence". Tsetskhladze told the judge: "Democracy in Georgia is no more. The rule of law has been crushed. "Our actions are a form of resistance, aimed at preserving the rule of law, defending democracy, and protecting the rights of every individual." Earlier Friday Prime Minister Kobakhidze praised his security forces for "successfully neutralising the protesters' capacity for violence". "We have won an important battle against liberal fascism in our country," he told a news conference, using language reminiscent of how the Kremlin in Russia targets its political opponents. "But the fight is not over. Liberal fascism in Georgia must be defeated entirely, and work towards this goal will continue," Kobakhidze said. He repeated an earlier threat to "complete the process of neutralising the radical opposition". With both sides ruling out a compromise, there appeared to be no clear route out of the crisis. The leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, said the ruling party "no longer has the strength or resources to stand against the people." The government "has resorted to arresting young activists and political opponents out of fear of relentless public protests and growing civil disobedience by public servants," he told AFP. The interior ministry said police had detained three more individuals Friday for "participating in group violence", punishable by up to nine years' jail. Masked officers have raided several opposition party offices and arrested opposition leaders earlier this week, while around 300 people have been detained at rallies. On Friday Nika Gvaramia, leader of the opposition Akhali party, was sentenced to 12 days in prison. Alexandre Elisashvili, leader of the Strong Georgia opposition group, was remanded in custody for two months of pretrial detention. More trouble is expected after December 14, when Georgian Dream lawmakers elect a loyalist to succeed pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili. She has vowed not to step down until the parliamentary polls are re-run. Local media has also reported protests across the country, including in the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Rustavi and Telavi. Critics of Georgian Dream are enraged by what they call its betrayal of Tbilisi's bid for EU membership, enshrined in the constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Several ambassadors, a deputy foreign minister, and other officials have resigned over the suspension of EU talks. Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, has advanced controversial legislation in recent years, targeting civil society and independent media and curbing LGBTQ rights. Brussels warned such policies were incompatible with EU membership, while domestic critics accuse the government of copying Russia's playbook. Georgia's own rights ombudsman Levan Ioseliani has accused the police of "torture" against those arrested. ub-im/jjShakira pens heartfelt note to winner of her social media contest

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hit out at the Albanese government, blaming its "anti-Israel position" for the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne. The Jewish community has been left devastated after a fire tore through the Addas Israel Synagogue of Melbourne in Ripponlea in the city's south-east. Emergency crews including 65 firefighters were called to the synagogue with reports of a blaze around 4.10am on Friday. The synagogue has sustained significant damage and Victoria Police is currently investigating how it was sparked, with three offenders believed to be involved. On Friday, Israel time, Netanyahu posted a statement on X, condemning the incident while also taking aim at the Labor government. "The burning of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne is an abhorrent act of antisemitism. I expect the state authorities to use their full weight to prevent such antisemitic acts in the future," Netanyahu said. "Unfortunately, it is impossible to separate this reprehensible act from the extreme anti-Israeli position of the Labor government in Australia, including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel "to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible", and preventing a former Israeli minister from entering the country. "Anti-Israel sentiment is antisemitism." Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, vowing that authorities would have all the resources needed for the investigation. "To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values, to attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism," Mr Albanese said at a press conference in Perth. "This is the heartland of the community. "I’ve spoken with the head of the AFP and all resources that are requested will be available, it is important these people are held to account for what is a shocking crime. "Antisemitism has been around for a long period of time, it has been on the rise and we’ve called it out whenever we see it." The Prime Minister said his government would be providing increased support and security for Jewish organisations. The statement shared on Netanyahu's social media doubles down on his criticism of the Albanese government's change of position on Israel in the UN, after a statement from his office labelled Australia's "flip-flop" as "disappointing". Foreign Minister Penny Wong supported a UN resolution recognising "permanent sovereignty" of Palestinians in November in a surprise move after Australia's top UN diplomats recommended the government abstain from the resolution. Earlier this week, the Albanese government again backed a UN motion in favour of Palestine, supporting an "irreversible pathway" to Palestinian statehood while also calling for Israel to withdraw its "unlawful presence" from the West Bank, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem. Netanyahu's comments on Australia's new approach to Israel suggested the bipartisanship between the two countries had significantly weakened as a result. “Awarding anti-Semitism and terrorism with a state in the heart of the Jewish ancient homeland and cradle of civilisation will invite more terrorism and more anti-Semitic riots at campuses and city centres, including in Australia," the statement said. “To the contrary, they have embraced those atrocities that ­included the rape, murder and ­beheading of Jews. It’s a shame that the current Australian government wants to award these savages with a state. “Thankfully, our key allies support Israel as we strive for true peace and security."State gets first semiconductor ATMP training facility