Clash Before Delhi Polls: Congress Calls Kejriwal 'Anti-National'; Is AAP Going To Leave I.N.D.I.A.?

Who’s to blame for climate change: Fossil fuel producers or purchasers?

The aching Steelers still control their destiny in the AFC North. Their grasp, however, is slippingAI generated image NEW DELHI: Toothpastes and toilet soaps, traditionally focused on functionality, are now shifting their emphasis to ingredients, reflecting a broader consumer preference for natural and plant-based ingredients. FMCG players and research agencies point out that the trend is becoming more pronounced, with this spilling over into haircare and other personal care products. Recent product launches underscore this shift, as consumers increasingly favour scientifically backed and safe ingredients. Over 70% of the new launches in toothpastes are now in the natural space, up from 60% in 2018-19, while the largest jump has come in hair wash products from 10% to now 70%, recent Kantar data said. In oral care, the natural or herbal segment is growing at a faster pace, with the trend towards herbal and ayurvedic ingredients in toothpastes gaining significant momentum over the past three-to-four years. The share of herbal/ayurvedic in the overall market is 36% now, up from 32% four years ago, according to Kantar Household Panel. "Consumers are increasingly seeking toothpastes and even mouthwashes with natural ingredients. This trend is now becoming more pronounced, with other segments, such as gel variants (Dabur Red Bae), mouthwashes, and specialised solutions, for issues like whitening and sensitivity also shifting towards natural formulations," Prashant Agarwal, marketing head-oral care, Dabur India told TOI. Such is the preference of 'natural' that the market leader in toothpastes, Colgate also has herbal variants, such as salt, neem and clove, besides its range of 'Vedshakti'. Earlier, HUL also launched its Ayurveda range, Ayush. While, under its naturals brand, Indulekha, it has expanded its portfolio into anti-dandruff hair cleansers and oils. The ingredient-centric approach resonates strongly with consumers, particularly Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha, who prioritise safety and transparency in their personal care choices, experts added. Says Ragini Hariharan, marketing director - beauty & personal care, Himalaya Wellness: "We've observed a significant shift in consumer preferences towards products that emphasise scientifically-backed, safe, and effective ingredients. This trend is particularly visible within our face washes and broader personal care portfolio, including face creams, scrubs, serums, face packs." . Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!

Shares of Nvidia fell Monday after China said it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. In a brief news release with few details, Chinese regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia's $6.9 billion acquisition of network and data transmission company Mellanox in 2019. Nvidia shares about 3% Monday. They are still up 179% so far this year. Considered a bellwether for artificial intelligence demand, Nvidia has led the AI sector to become one of the stock market’s biggest companies , as tech giants spend heavily on the company’s chips and data centers needed to train and operate their AI systems. Nvidia's shares have surged this year along with the California company's revenue and profit due to AI demand. According to data firm FactSet, about 16% of Nvidia's revenue comes from China, second only to its U.S.-generated revenue. A spokesperson for the company based in Santa Clara, California, said in an emailed statement that Nvidia is “happy to answer any questions regulators may have about our business.” In its most recent earnings release, Nvidia posted revenue of $35.08 billion, up 94% from $18.12 billion a year ago. Nvidia earned $19.31 billion in the quarter, more than double the $9.24 billion it posted in last year’s third quarter. The earnings release did not break out revenue from China. The company's market value rocketed to $3.5 trillion recently, passing Microsoft and briefly overtaking Apple as the world's most valuable company. China’s antitrust investigation follows a report this summer by technology news site The Information that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating complaints from rivals that Nvidia was abusing its market dominance in the chip sector. The allegations reported include Nvidia threatening to punish those who buy products from both itself and its competitors at the same time. David Bieri, an international finance expert at Virginia Tech, said that China’s investigation is “not about what Nvidia is doing in China, per se” but rather a signal to the incoming Trump administration. China, Bieri said, is looking to set the tone of future relations. The Chinese government, he said, is telling the U.S. “don’t mess with us, because all of your darling corporations that your version of capitalism needs to prosper have entanglements” with China. Nvidia will have to revise its strategy in China or come up with provisions in their budgets for the type of uncertainty business with China will bring, Bieri said. “I don’t think this is something that they can shake off,” he said. “I also have a tremendous amount of faith in the brilliance of the management strategy of a corporation like Nvidia to not only pay attention to credit risk, market risk and operational risk, but also to political risk.” Nvidia’s invention of graphics processor chips, or GPUs, in 1999 helped spark the growth of the PC gaming market and redefined computer graphics. Last month, it replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ending the pioneering semiconductor company's 25-year run on the index. Unlike Intel, Nvidia designs but doesn’t manufacture its own chips, relying heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an Intel rival. Associated Press Technology Writer Sarah Parvini in Los Angeles contributed to this report.MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans on Sunday voted in the second round of the country's presidential election , with the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month’s vote . The closing of polls started a countdown to the announcement of official results as independent polling firms were preparing to release so-called quick counts. Depending on how tight the vote turns out to be, electoral officials may not call the race for days — as happened in the contentious 2019 runoff that brought center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou to office and ended 15 years of rule by Uruguay’s left-leaning Broad Front. Uruguay's staid election has turned into a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate who won 27% in the first round of voting on Oct. 27, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, who took 44% of the vote in the first round. But other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party — notched 20% of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger. Congress ended up evenly split in the October vote. Most polls have shown a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, with nearly 10% of Uruguayan voters undecided even at this late stage. Many said they believed turnout would be low if voting weren't compulsory in the country. “Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation," said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.” Analysts say the candidates' lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power elsewhere . “The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy," said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn't exist in Uruguay.” Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over a surge in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach. Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, campaigned on a vow to continue the legacy of current President Lacalle Pou — in some ways making the election into a referendum on his leadership. He campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government." While a string of corruption scandals rattled Lacalle Pou's government last year, the president — who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term — now enjoys high approval ratings and a strong economy expected to grow 3.2% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Inflation has also eased in recent months, boosting his coalition. Delgado served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor's pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce. "We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday. Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to iconic former President José “Pepe” Mujica , an ex-Marxist guerilla who raised Uruguay's international profile as one of the region's most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations during his 2010-2015 term. His Broad Front coalition oversaw the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation of 3.4 million people. “He's my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children's,” Yeny Varone, a nurse, said of Orsi. “In the future they'll have better working conditions, health and salaries.” Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer , was among the first to cast his ballot after polls opened. “Uruguay is a small country, but it has earned recognition for being stable, for having a citizenry that respects institutional formalities,” he told reporters from his local polling station. “This is no small feat.” While promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay, Orsi plans no dramatic changes. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay's unions. The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint. Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected. “I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital's upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans. Orsi similarly pledged a smooth and respectful transition of power, describing Sunday's democratic exercise as “an incredible experience" as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade. “The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.” Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.

DP World has issued a groundbreaking $100 million Blue Bond to fund sustainable projects cutting across marine transportation, port infrastructure, marine pollution, as well as nature and water positive initiatives. Through this issuance, DP World will contribute to closing the significant funding gap for UN SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation), as well as increasing transparency to meet investors’ growing interest in blue assets. This is the first Blue Bond issuance from a company in the Middle East and North Africa, reflecting the company’s aim of leading the logistics sector and region toward a more resilient future. It is also the first corporate Blue Bond out of the broader Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa region. DP World’s 5-year Blue Bond was priced at a 5.25% coupon rate. Investment management firm, T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. was the key investor. The Blue Bond is fully aligned with the DP World’s recently launched Ocean Strategy and long-standing Decarbonisation and Water Strategies. The Ocean Strategy, which encompasses four foundational pillars, links global trade and environmental stewardship, supports the company’s leadership towards a Sustainable Blue Economy and removes barriers to comprehensive climate ocean action. The strategy aims to advance the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Goals. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive of DP World, said: “As a responsible leader in global trade, we are committed to preserving the ocean’s ability to provide for future generations. It is our ambition to lead our industry towards a sustainable blue economy as we work with our partners to remove barriers to comprehensive climate and ocean action. This Blue Bond will lay the foundation for the years to come.” “We are increasingly working in regions where the ocean is being polluted, coastal biodiversity is being lost, and critical resources like water are becoming scarcer, posing significant threats to both nature and people. This issuance represents DP World’s second foray into the sustainable financing capital markets highlighting our commitment to sustainability and demonstrates our approach towards sustainable business practices.” “We are proud to partner with DP World on its issuance of the first corporate Blue Bond in the Middle East. This innovative transaction will mobilize capital towards UN SDG 14, Life Below Water, while providing an opportunity for attractive investment returns. We recognize UN SDG 14 as the most underfunded of all the sustainable development goals. We hope this transaction can be a model for other issuers and investors to support the blue economy.” Philip Brown, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Debt Capital Markets of Citigroup, which advised on the bond, said: “Citi is proud to have supported DP World in arranging this important inaugural Blue Bond issuance under the updated and pioneering Sustainable Finance Framework.” The Blue Bond spread of 99.6 bps above US treasuries represents DP World’s tightest ever spread in the bond or sukuk market, demonstrating the attractiveness of the issuance. · Sustainable Marine Transportation: Supporting research, development, and procurement of alternative fuels and technologies to reduce carbon emissions, and other sources of marine pollution in the maritime sector. · Sustainable Ports Development: Funding infrastructure upgrades to minimise environmental impacts, noise and air pollution. · Marine Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration: Expanding Nature Based Solutions projects to conserve and restore marine ecosystems, and innovations to enhance biodiversity. · Marine Pollution: Initiatives to tackle waste and pollution in coastal and marine environments, as well as improvements to water quality and ensuring the equitable access to water. The Bond follows the publication of DP World’s recently enhanced Sustainable Finance Framework, which is aligned with various international standards. The Framework takes into consideration the Guidelines for Blue Finance from the International Finance Corporate and the ‘Bonds to Finance the Sustainable Blue Economy – A Practitioner’s Guide’. Earlier this year, DP World published its inaugural Green Sukuk Impact and Allocation Report. Of the $1.5bn raised in 2023, $1.17bn has already been allocated to eligible green projects. Projects financed though the Sukuk have contributed to avoiding more than 177 million kg of CO2 emissions, saving 466,057 MJ of energy and generating 866,686 kWh of renewable energy. Source: DP WorldBeacon Healthcare Systems Expands Leadership Team with Addition of Ayman Mohamed as Chief Technology Officer

Nvidia's stock dips after China opens probe of the AI chip company for violating anti-monopoly laws

Car companies may hit road to robust sales next year

On the shimmering waters of Myanmar's Ayeyarwady River, fishermen tap a wooden stick against the side of a boat and sing out a rhythmic sound of "kroo kroo". It's a call to summon their unlikely partners — Irrawaddy dolphins. Together, they perform a delicate choreography. The dolphins herd shoals of fish toward the fishermen's boat. When the lead dolphin approaches, it signals by flapping its fin. A fisherman throws the net, trapping fish between the approaching dolphin and the boat. It's a win-win situation: The dolphins catch any escaping fish from the net, while the fishermen benefit from the fish driven toward their boat and catch more to sell at market. "These dolphins take care of us and help meet our needs," 53-year-old fisherman U Kyi told the ABC. "I feel a sense of pride in the close bond we share, like they're family." This cooperative relationship between fishermen and dolphins in central Myanmar is as intricate as it is rare and has been passed down over generations. "My first experience was when I joined my father on a fishing trip as a kid," said U Kyi. "When there were no boats or other noise around, the dolphins would come to us right away." But this ancient bond is under threat. A historic bond in peril Irrawaddy dolphins, charismatic and uniquely adapted to freshwater, are endangered. Found only in a few rivers — Myanmar's Ayeyarwady, Cambodia's Mekong, and Indonesia's Mahakam River — their survival is threatened by harmful fishing practices and environmental degradation. "Illegal fishing is a worsening problem," says Win Hte, a program officer for the Myanmar branch of the Swiss environmental NGO Helvetas. Some fishermen use destructive methods that indiscriminately kill fish, like detonating dynamite sticks or electrifying waters with car batteries connected to rods or nets, known as "electro-fishing". "A lot of fish go to waste — many sink to the bottom and only float up once they start to rot," U Kyi said. Gill nets, toxic chemical use and increased boat traffic have further jeopardised the dolphins' survival. According to a 2020 report by the Wildlife Conservation Society, 79 Irrawaddy dolphins remained in the Ayeyarwady River — a slight improvement from 69 in the previous year. However, the situation has deteriorated since Myanmar's military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government in 2021, destabilising the nation and halting many government-backed conservation initiatives. "After 2018, we started getting much more reliable data as experts brought their knowledge to Myanmar," Win Hte said. "But now, it's nearly impossible." The instability has driven many researchers away. For three years, Win Hte has studied dolphin and porpoise populations at the river mouth of the Ayeyarwaddy in the Gulf of Mottama, but his monitoring has been increasingly hampered by the security situation. "Tracking the exact population is now very challenging," he said. The rise of 'Dolphin Guardians' In the absence of formal conservation efforts, community-based conservation efforts have stepped up. A group of local fishers, known as the "Dolphin Guardians", monitor dolphin populations and report illegal fishing. The program involves about 75 fishers, including 15 women, across several communities. Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has helped fill the gap left by halted government monitoring. "We educate people that the number of dolphins reflects the health of the river — they are interconnected," said U Kyi, who is a member of the group. The guardians patrol the river, counting dolphins and keeping an eye out for illegal activities like electro-fishing. However, the war has made river monitoring risky. "There's ongoing conflict in our area, so we have to check with each other before heading out to the river to avoid trouble," says U Kyi. Burma Dolphins, a social enterprise that supports the guardians, once offered alternative livelihood programs for fishing families to reduce pressure on fish populations but many of these programs have stalled. The challenges of cracking down on illegal fishing Illegal fishing practices, particularly electro-fishing, have devastated fish populations and harmed dolphins. U Kyi has witnessed species like Gagata catfish decline from areas where he once fished. He said confronting the illegal fishers was impossible. "They have more people with dangerous equipment," he said. Instead, he gathers information on their activities and reports it to the Burma Dolphins who map illegal fishing hotspots. Although the monitoring was not perfect, it kept communities engaged in conservation, said network co-founder Paul Eshoo. "We're just trying to do our part and keep our staff fed," Mr Eshoo said, referring to network members like U Kyi who are paid for their participation. Hope through community efforts Win Hte said community education, particularly for young people, was important despite the country's despite instability. "We inform villages along the coast, and they also help us with information like if they find any [dolphins or porpoises] dead, so we can map the incidents," he says. Before the military coup, conservation initiatives showed promise. Protected zones were established along the Ayeyarwady, and eco-tourism allowed tourists to watch a dolphin-fisher cooperative for a fee, generating a significant income and awareness. More women were becoming involved too. With such programs on hold, grassroots efforts like the Dolphin Guardians' community monitoring provide a glimmer of hope. "These dolphins have taken care of us and taught us so much," U Kyi said. "When I see dolphins while fishing, it feels like meeting a relative," he added. ABC

Kentucky will aim to improve upon its best start in seven seasons when it hosts Western Kentucky on Tuesday night in Lexington, Ky., in the final game of the BBN Invitational. The Wildcats (5-0) are ranked No. 8 in the latest Associated Press poll and are setting impressive offensive milestones even for a program as tradition-rich as Kentucky, which includes eight national championships. The Wildcats have scored 97 or more points in their first four home games for the first time in program history and eclipsed the 100-point mark in three of those games. Their lone trip out of state was a solid 77-72 victory over Duke in a matchup of top-10 teams in Atlanta. Kentucky has also made at least 10 three-pointers in each of its first five games of a season for the first time ever. "I think Kentucky attracts good people," Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after the Wildcats' 108-59 win over Jackson State on Friday. "It's the one place in all college basketball where you represent just a fanbase in a different, unique way." Otega Oweh and Koby Brea have led the Wildcats' early scoring outburst. Oweh, who is averaging 16.2 points per game, had 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting against Jackson State. "He gets us off to unbelievable starts every night," Pope told reporters after that game. "He's probably been our most consistent guy in games." Brea, who scored 22 points against Jackson State and is averaging 16.0 points per game, is leading the nation in 3-point accuracy at 74.1 percent. As a team, the Wildcats are shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. And the few times they miss, Amari Williams has been doing the dirty work on the glass, averaging 10.8 boards in addition to 9.6 points per game. Kentucky faces a different challenge than it's had to contend with so far in the Hilltoppers (3-2), who have won three in a row after losing their first two games to Wichita State and Grand Canyon. Their up-tempo play hasn't exactly resulted in great offensive output, but in the Hilltoppers' 79-62 win over Jackson State on Wednesday, they shot 45.2 percent from 3-point range (14 for 31). "I was happy to see a lot of different guys contribute tonight and, hopefully, get their feet under them a little bit and get some confidence," said Western Kentucky coach Hank Plona, who is in his first season as head coach. "Obviously, Tuesday will be quite a test and challenge for us and we'll need them to be at their absolute best." Western Kentucky has an experienced group, which returned mostly intact from last season. The team is led by Conference USA first-team selection Don McHenry, who is leading the team with 17.2 points and 2.2 steals per game. McHenry is one of four Hilltoppers with scoring averages in double figures. Julius Thedford (11.4 points per game) and Babacar Faye (15.0) are each shooting 40 percent or better from 3-point range. Western Kentucky also figures to challenge the Wildcats on the boards as it enters the game ranked in the top 25 in defensive rebounding (30.4 per game). Faye leads the Hilltoppers in that department, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and figures to battle Williams inside. "We're not the biggest team in the world, but our depth and our quickness are our strengths," Plona said. --Field Level MediaORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LENSAR, Inc. (Nasdaq: LNSR) (“LENSAR” or the “Company”) today announced that a majority of the independent members of LENSAR’s board of directors granted four newly-hired non-executive employees stock options to purchase an aggregate of 2,475 shares of the Company’s common stock. The options were granted as of December 8, 2024, as inducements material to each employee entering into employment with the Company. The options were granted in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The options have an exercise price of $7.70 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The options vest as to 25% of the total amount of the award on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date of December 2, 2024 and in thirty-six substantially equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to the new employee’s continued service with the company. Each stock option has a 10-year term. The options are subject to the terms and conditions of LENSAR’s 2024 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan and a stock option agreement covering the grant. About LENSAR LENSAR is a commercial-stage medical device company focused on designing, developing, and marketing advanced systems for the treatment of cataracts and the management of astigmatism as an integral aspect of the procedure. LENSAR has developed its ALLY Robotic Cataract Laser SystemTM as a compact, highly ergonomic system utilizing an extremely fast dual-modality laser and integrating AI into proprietary imaging and software. ALLY is designed to transform premium cataract surgery by utilizing LENSAR’s advanced robotic technologies with the ability to perform the entire procedure in a sterile operating room or in-office surgical suite, delivering operational efficiencies and reducing overhead. ALLY includes LENSAR’s proprietary Streamline ® software technology, which is designed to guide surgeons to achieve better outcomes.The Blockchain Association has filed a lawsuit against the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to new regulations imposed on cryptocurrency brokers. According to the Association, these regulations exceed the IRS’s statutory authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act. The IRS recently introduced rules requiring brokers to report digital asset transactions, including front-end platforms such as decentralized exchanges, starting in 2027. These rules mandate brokers to disclose gross proceeds from digital asset sales and taxpayer information. Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, announced the lawsuit, describing the new rules as unconstitutional and stating that they pose unlawful compliance requirements on software developers involved in building trading infrastructure. The regulations broaden the definition of “broker” to include decentralized finance (DeFi) trading platforms, potentially affecting millions of U.S. taxpayers. Legal experts argue that the new rules infringe on the privacy rights of DeFi users. They worry that these regulations could push innovation and technology offshore. The IRS estimates that these changes will impact between 650 and 875 DeFi brokers and up to 2.6 million U.S. taxpayers.WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. (AP) — Jordan Sears scored 25 points, Jalen Reed had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and LSU defeated UCF 109-102 in triple overtime on Sunday to take third place at the Greenbrier Tip-Off. LSU trailed by 18 points early in the second half, then failed to hold a lead at the end of regulation and each of the first two overtime periods. The Tigers went up by five with a minute to go in the third overtime. UCF cut it to three, then Vyctorius Miller made a driving layup, Jordan Sears followed with a dunk and the Tigers were able to hold on when leading by seven. Cam Carter scored 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey 14 for LSU (5-1). Darius Johnson had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds for UCF (4-2). Keyshawn Hall had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Ivy-Curry scored 20. South Florida led by 15 points at halftime and maintained a double-digit lead for all but a few possessions in the first 11 1/2 minutes of the second half. UCF led 62-48 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining but Sears hit three 3-pointers and LSU drew to within 64-59 with 6 minutes to go. The Tigers scored the last six points of regulation to force overtime. In the first half, LSU led 15-13 about eight minutes into the game but the Tigers missed 15 of 16 shots while being outscored 25-3 over the next 10 minutes. South Florida led 40-25 at halftime after shooting 46% to 25% for LSU. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

For more than 30 years, a man known as Roger A. Pearce Jr. worked as a prosperous land-use and zoning attorney in Oregon and Washington. He represented some of the Pacific Northwest’s most prominent people and businesses and took on high-profile projects. He served on planning commissions, nonprofit boards and racked up hours doing pro bono legal work. He and his wife retired to a $1.4 million condo on Seattle’s Lake Washington. By all accounts, the now-77-year-old had made a good name for himself. Except one thing: Roger Pearce wasn’t actually his name. It belonged to a baby who died in Vermont in 1952. Pearce stole the identity when he was in his early 20s and looking to leave his troubles behind – college dropout, check fraud, a failed marriage. The State Department unmasked him only in 2022 during a review of one of his applications for a new passport. Federal workers detected that he had applied for a new Social Security number as an adult – a red flag. But they still couldn’t figure out who he truly was. So prosecutors last year indicted the man in federal court in Oregon as “John Doe,” charging him with making a false statement in an application for a passport, a felony. He was arrested last year on a warrant in Washington. When he pleaded guilty three months ago to an identity fraud misdemeanor, the courtroom deputy, at the judge’s behest, asked him to state his name for the record. “My birth name was Willie Ragan Casper Jr.,” he said, marking the first time since his arrest that he gave his real name under oath. “The name I’ve gone under and been known as for the last over 50 years is Roger Alfred Pearce Jr.” When he stood Wednesday in Portland to receive his sentence, he offered an explanation for his decades of duplicity. “I really wanted to start over,” he said. ‘I FELT THE FAILURE’ Casper was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in December 1946, the older of two boys. He seized an opportunity to leave his hometown to attend Rice University in Texas but wasn’t prepared for the rigor of the classes and dropped out. An early marriage ended around the same time. Then Casper got involved in fraud, writing checks on a bank account with no money in what he called a “fairly naive” anti-war protest against banks during the Vietnam War era, he said. “I was a young person, confused, depressed. I felt the failure,” he said in court, reading in a steady voice from an open binder resting on the defense table in front of him. Casper, tall, slim and white-haired, sat upright beside his lawyer. He wore a black blazer and gray slacks, a white shirt and a black tie that he adjusted just before the judge arrived on the bench. He looked every bit the experienced lawyer he typically portrayed in court during his three-decade-long career, even engaging in small talk with the prosecutor before the hearing began. “I was ashamed that I had wasted a lot of my parents’ money supporting me in a distant city they couldn’t really afford,” Casper said. “My marriage had fallen apart. I had no real career prospects.” He said he also was worried about getting arrested for his check-kiting. A friend had been caught renting a car with a false ID and police had come to the house they shared. He wasn’t home at the time but feared police would return, looking for him. He spoke for about six minutes as his wife sat in the front row behind him in the public gallery. A psychologist who evaluated Casper and submitted a sealed report to the judge was present by video but didn’t speak. Casper said he stayed another six weeks in Houston and then fled. He also changed his identity. “I wanted to start over with a clean slate,” he said. “I felt like everything was at a dead end for me there in Texas.” In 1971, he stole the name of a dead child using the baby’s birth certificate. It’s unclear who gave him the certificate or if he paid for it, but his lawyer said birth certificates were apparently easy to come by during the anti-Vietnam era as others used them to try to evade the draft. Two years later, when he was in his late 20s, he applied for a Social Security number in the name of Roger Alfred Pearce Jr., using the dead baby’s birth certificate. Casper first went to Montana, then to Oregon, where he had some friends in Eugene. “The decision to change my name at that time was foolish, of course. At the time, I viewed it as a clean break from the past,” he said. I was also naive and in love with grand gestures, like some young people are.” He found work and took classes at Lane Community College in the early 1970s, records show. He made new friends, he said. “I crawled out of being depressed and within a few years, that new name was absolutely normal to me,” he told the judge. “After that, I have never thought of myself as other than Roger Pearce.” He did a stint as a dancer and singer in New York before ending up in Seattle, working for a bakery and then got the idea to go to law school, according to his lawyer. He enrolled in what was then the University of Puget Sound law school in Tacoma without a college degree, graduating in his mid-40s as the first in his class, summa cum laude in May 1991, according to his lawyer. He went on to a successful career with the Seattle-based firm Foster Pepper LLC, representing Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan development company and serving as a lawyer for the Seattle Monorail Popular Authority. In 2014, he was admitted to the Oregon State Bar, later moved back to Oregon and opened Pearce Law in Ashland. He served as chair of Ashland’s planning commission and as a Jackson County hearings officer. He also was secretary of the Rotary Club of Ashland and secretary of the Ashland New Plays Association. ‘FALSE PRETENSES’ His façade cracked in 2022 when the State Department discovered an unresolved irregularity in his Social Security number. When Casper had gotten his fraudulent number, technology wasn’t available to track the birth certificate he submitted back to a dead child. But the federal government now has fraud detection that screens passport applications of people who received Social Security numbers as adults. Late-issued Social Security numbers strongly correlate to fraud, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan D. Knight wrote in his sentencing memo. The State Department’s screening has caught members of the mafia and other criminals trying to avoid detection. This time, it caught Casper. He had applied for a U.S. passport in 1991 and then renewed it twice more — in 2003 and May 2013 in Ashland. His applications got flagged as suspicious. State Department investigators then confirmed the Pearce name he was using was of someone who had died and had been submitted illegally to get a passport. But they couldn’t figure out his true name — only that the man claiming to be Pearce lived in Oregon and Washington and had been practicing law since 1991. “This is a case, from a criminal perspective, more about who the defendant is not, than who he is,” Knight said. In January 2023, a federal grand jury in Oregon returned a one-count indictment charging “John Doe” with making a false statement on his passport application and he was arrested in Seattle. In a plea deal in August, Casper pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of producing an identification document without lawful authority. The maximum penalty is a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Prosecutors had weighed his “sustained act of deception” with his “otherwise law-abiding existence” and “fundamental decency,” Knight said. When defense lawyer Janet Lee Hoffman tried to explain at the plea hearing that Casper had pursued an illustrious legal career, the judge hastened to interject. “Under false pretenses,” U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon pointed out. ‘CHOICE THAT FEW RECEIVE’ At the start of sentencing Wednesday, Simon asked, “Do you want me to refer to your client as Mr. Pearce, Mr. Doe or Mr. Casper.” Hoffman said Pearce. She sought a year of probation for her client, but the prosecutor recommended two years. “Every person is responsible for and owns their own history and really the shadow that that casts and the consequences that ultimately may bear out,” Knight said. “The defendant’s choice in this case really is an abdication of that basic principle.” Many people come before the court who would have liked the option Casper took to start anew and leave their past behind, Knight said. “He availed himself of a choice that few receive, and that’s why we’re here today,” he said. Hoffman said the defendant lived a model life under his new identity. “Roger had a stellar career and enhanced each community that he lived in and the lives of everyone he touched,” she said. The judge said he considered Casper’s statement, the psychologist’s evaluation and letters from his wife and from Elisabeth Ann Zinser, a retired Southern Oregon University president who had known him for 10 years. Simon noted that Casper’s wife – Julie Benezet, a Seattle finance lawyer and author – hadn’t said in her letter if she knew of her husband’s long deception. He asked if Casper would say. Casper demurred, replying, “I prefer not to answer,” while acknowledging that he didn’t expect the government to prosecute his wife for fraud. He also said they have a “really wonderful marriage.” Simon said he was troubled that no one had delved into the real Roger Pearce Jr. Based on a photo in the court documents, he noted that the baby’s gravestone indicated he had lived six months and nine days. “It must be tough for a parent to lose a baby after six months, and it would only be worse if they ever knew or learned that someone else falsely took that baby’s name,” Simon said. Knight told the judge that the baby’s parents had both died. Simon then adopted the prosecutor’s recommendation and sentenced Casper to two years of probation. Casper must now relinquish his licenses to practice law in Oregon and Washington and never reapply to practice law. He also faces an Oregon State Bar disciplinary investigation. He is barred from getting a new piece of identification, whether it’s a driver’s license or Social Security number, in any name other than his legal name. But Casper said he intends to legally change his name to Roger Alfred Pearce Jr. soon, making the prohibition moot. “He will always be Roger Pearce,” his lawyer said after court. ‘STILL IN SHOCK’ The actual Roger Alfred Pearce Jr. was born in Montpellier, Vermont, in September 1951 and died March 11, 1952. A younger sister, Dawn Hyttinen, now 51, said she believes her brother died of meningitis. He was the first born of seven children, she said. Their mother died in 2016 and father died in 2020, she said. “I grew up hearing about him,” she said. She said her father didn’t talk about the baby, but her mother always did. But she said no one in her family was told that someone had stolen her brother’s identity or was living under his name. “This is just absolutely crazy,” she said. “I’m flabbergasted.” Government investigators couldn’t find any living relatives of the boy, prosecutors said in court records, but an Oregonian/OregonLive reporter found Hyttinen in Arizona. She said she’s very curious about Casper and how he ended up using her brother’s identity. “I’m still in shock,’’ she said. The same is true for the family that Casper left behind. “He’s alive?!” a stunned Justin Casper blurted when contacted by The Oregonian/OregonLive. He’s the son of Casper’s younger brother, Dr. Robert Casper, now 72. “This is the first I’ve heard anything about him,” said Justin Casper, who lives in Arkansas. “We didn’t have a good answer as to what really happened to him. He’s my dad’s long lost brother.” He said he had heard his uncle had some problem with credit card fraud. “He just kind of left. He took off and never said where he was going. He never had any contact with his family again,” Justin Casper said. “I thought he was dead.” In a coincidence, Justin Casper had tried about six months ago to track down his uncle for his dad but couldn’t find anything online about him and was thinking of hiring a private investigator. He said his father hasn’t talked much about his older brother through the years. “I think it hurt him too much,” Justin Casper said. Now, the nephew is eager to learn what happened. “Why? What in the world? I’m happy that he’s alive,” he said. “Maybe we can reconnect with him, though it’ll be an awkward conversation.” ANOTHER CHANCE In the months since his arrest, Willie Casper said he has had to face his past. He’s had difficult and emotional conversations with colleagues and friends about what he did but said they’ve been supportive. “I didn’t forget my birth name. I didn’t forget my early history,” he said in court. “I think I just literally compartmentalized it because it wasn’t relevant to my day-to-day life.” He added matter of factly: “I was Roger Pearce.” As he’s reflected on his identity, he said he feels good about what he’s accomplished: “I contributed to my community. I think I’ve helped raise a wonderful daughter.” At the same time, he can’t shake his true past. “I’ve also had an opportunity to think about what I’ve walked away from and lost,” he said. At the time he changed his name, he said he was “disengaged and estranged” from his birth family. His parents didn’t understand his anti-war sentiment, his lawyer said. “I really never got back in touch with them,” Casper said. But now, he said, he would be willing to contact his younger brother. He hasn’t seen him in over 50 years. “Perhaps paradoxically,” he said, “this prosecution may give me the chance to recover some of what I’ve lost.” ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit oregonlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke continued to push back against potential changes to U.S. Postal Service operations in Montana last week, arguing that the changes would alienate rural residents and delay services. Republican Zinke joined 11 other members of Congress signing a letter to the Postal Regulatory Commission on Nov. 22 asking that it keep rural processing centers and limit consolidation. The commission is reviewing the Postal Service's , known as its Delivering For America plan. U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, pictured in 2023, pushed back on potential changes to U.S. Postal Service operations in Montana last week, arguing that the changes would alienate rural residents and delay services. Sherry Patterson, a strategic communications specialist for the Postal Service, told the Missoulian in an email on Monday that the regulatory commission has yet to offer an advisory opinion on the plan. Once an opinion is finalized from the commission, which is an independent agency that oversees the Postal Service, Patterson said USPS will consider the opinion and then finalize its decision. Previously, USPS had plans to consolidate Missoula's regional processing center with Spokane's, adding a roughly 400-mile roundtrip for some packages. Backlash from congressional leaders led Postmaster Louis DeJoy in May . The $40 billion Delivering for America plan that started in 2021 is meant to add new technology and streamline the mail processing system to create long-term savings. “This is a classic example of decisions coming down from D.C. that just don’t make any sense in Montana,” Zinke said in a Friday press release. “Mail service in Montana is already a logistical nightmare. Sending the Missoula Processing and Distributing Center out of the State will slow things down, add confusion, and lead to more Montanans being unable to receive their mail in a timely manner. Just because it works in Baltimore or New York, doesn’t mean it will work in Ravalli or Lincoln.” Zinke joined Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming to pen the letter. Ten Republican and two Democrat House representatives signed the letter. The lawmakers said they understood the need for USPS to modernize its mail system, but warned cutting programs and costs in rural states would lengthen delivery times. "Despite the USPS's repeated assurances, we struggle to see how on-time delivery rates, which are already below the USPS goals, will improve," the letter read. The plan has already seen pushback from other members of Montana's delegation, including Sen. Steve Daines, incoming Sen. Tim Sheehy and outgoing Sen. Jon Tester. Daines previously expressed opposition to the consolidation plan and also criticized the . "The Postal Service's decision to suspend air service in Montana is going to hurt Montanans who rely on the mail to receive prescription medication, pension payments, disability benefits and more," Daines said in July. "And I urge Postmaster General DeJoy to reconsider this decision. I look forward to working with Mr. DeJoy to find ways to reverse years of sustained financial losses that don't affect Montanans." Incoming U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy told the Missoulian on Monday that rural Montanans must depend on timely mail service to keep their economies and communities strong. "Montanans do not want to see bureaucrats in D.C. leave rural America behind by imposing top-down plans that don’t work for Montana," Sheehy said in an email. "As we consider reforms and work to improve mail service in Montana, it’s absolutely critical we hear local voices, build consensus, and forge a path forward that makes sense for Montanans.” U.S. Sen. Jon Tester gives remarks about the USPS decision to halt plans to move Missoula mail processing to Spokane during a press conference at the John Engen Local Government Building in downtown Missoula on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Sheehy defeated Tester to win a U.S. Senate seat earlier this month and will assume office on Jan. 3. Tester previously introduced a bill to halt the consolidation plans, but no action was taken on the legislation. He said at a May press conference that postmaster DeJoy is a "lost cause" and that the Postal Service should remove him from office. "This would have major impacts, particularly on western Montana," . "Let's say that you're diabetic and you need insulin. You don't have an extra day. You can't wait around." Griffen Smith is the local government reporter for the Missoulian. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.