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NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution's suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea "absurd." The Manhattan district attorney's office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to "pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful," Trump's lawyers wrote in a 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump's lawyers filed paperwork this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn't resolved because of presidential immunity. Former President Donald Trump appears May 30 at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined comment. It's unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump's request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution's suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution's suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the "ongoing threat" that he'll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. The prosecution's suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they contend. Attorney Todd Blanche listens May 30 as his client Donald Trump speaks at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump tapped for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution's novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to "fabricate" a solution "based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September "and a hypothetical dead defendant." Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what's already a unique case. "This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding," prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn't "precipitously discard" the "meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers." Prosecutors acknowledged that "presidential immunity requires accommodation" during Trump's impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury's verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Other world leaders don't enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation's wars in Lebanon and Gaza. President-elect Donald Trump attends a Dec. 7 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Trump has fought for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. Trump's hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith ended his two federal cases, which pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in each case. Trump was scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November, but following Trump's Nov. 5 election win, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president's sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Franklin Institute celebrating 200 years with brand new experiences The Franklin Institute was founded in 1824 in Philadelphia to honor the legacy of Benjamin Franklin. Two centuries later it remains a destination for science and technology education, recognition and inspiration for future generations. The landmark building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway has been the home for The Franklin Institute Museum since it opened in 1934. It was one of the first hands on science museums in the country and remains a leader in that industry of "informal" science education. Continuing the mission of the Institute since it opened inspiring a passion for learning about science and technology. In celebration of 200 years the museum is undergoing a modernization project that will reimagine the core galleries that make up the Franklin Institute. Wondrous Space opened last November as the first part of the project. Body Odyssey and the Hamilton Collections Gallery are the newest additions. Body Odyssey is the new home for the iconic Giant Heart. The artifact that has been at the museum since 1954 is now surrounded by a larger discussion on whole body health. The new exhibition features interactives that will take learners inside the field's most groundbreaking technology and aims to inspire new generations of workers in the medical industry. The Hamilton Collections Gallery is centered around the largest artifact at the Franklin Institute, the Baldwin 60,000 Locomotive. The new space has brought the museum's vast archives to the public in cases that show of the many treasures. The inaugural exhibition in the gallery is '200 Stories for 200 Years.' It is a curated collection of the museum's most important pieces since the it opened in 1824. The Franklin Institute | Facebook | Instagram 222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Thanksgiving Day Parade Preview The 6abc Dunkin Thanksgiving Day Parade is ready for its 105th year. Witness the long tradition of balloons, floats, and marching bands along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Special guests like Darlene Love will bring Christmas vibes with her hit song "Christmas Baby Please Come Home". One of "Abbott Elementary's" favorite teachers, Lisa Ann Walter, will join us this year, riding in style on a float. There will be music for everybody, with performances from The Sharpe Family, Ladies of Chic, Funky Bunch, and the Sugar Hill Gang. Watch classic holiday performances like " The Nutcracker " by The Philadelphia Ballet and The Walnut Street Theatre's production of Elf . TV personalities Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Ryan Seacrest, and Carson Kressley will also make an appearance. Spend the day with the 6abc crew to experience a magical parade filled with bands, mascots, and holiday cheer. Philly Cake Lady makes 3-D cakes at 4 Every Occasion Cakes & Cupcakes Anitria Odum started 4 Every Occasion Cakes and Cupcakes 11 years ago after a mid-life career change. The medical field did not inspire her, so she left to find her passion. In her years as a wedding planner, she says her brides were always asking for specialty cookies. When she did not know anyone who made them, she set out to learn on her own. A serendipitous class at a local craft store was focused on cookies, so even though she wanted to do specialty cakes instead, she took the cookie class anyway. One frustrating night of homework for class led her to online videos, and one after another, she says over time that is the way she learned to decorate cakes. Since then, she has become an instructor herself, and has legions of regular customers for all of her baked goods, especially the custom 3-D cakes. The cakes look amazingly realistic, and need to be ordered at least 2 weeks in advance. 4 Every Occasion Cakes & Cupcakes Bakery | Facebook | Instagram 1821 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111 215-722-2250 custom cakes: by appointment only shop hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00am-2:00pm pop-ups: follow social media for dates and locations Sharing Excess connects those who have extra with those who need more The Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market is the largest fully enclosed and refrigerated produce terminal in the world, a place where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables from across the globe. When vendors have more of a particular item than they can sell, or perhaps produce that's misshapen, they give it to the food rescue organization, Sharing Excess. Workers inspect each piece of produce. Anything past its prime goes to compost; the rest is packed and prepared for delivery to one of over 300 community organizations that distribute food to communities all over the city. Evan Ehlers officially founded Sharing Excess in 2018 but the idea took root 2 years earlier when he was a student studying entrepreneurship at Drexel University. He had 50 leftover meal swipes on his dining account. At the same time, he says he was seeing people suffering from hunger on a daily basis. So he swiped all of the meals out, loaded them into his car and gave them to people living on the street in Center City. He also started researching and found "that nearly 38% of the food we produce in the U.S. goes to waste.: His first step was to convince his classmates to donate their unused meals too. Then he started connecting with grocery stores to pick up whatever perishable foods hadn't sold that day, and he started calling shelters, churches and other organizations addressing hunger and food insecurity in our area. Sharing Excess now rescues and re-distributes over a million pounds of food each week, partnering with grocery stores, restaurants and farmers. Evan credits his mother for his empathy. A Colombian immigrant who, he says, taught him how important it was to be grateful for what he had. He describes his parents as beyond proud, and says he is just getting started. His hope is to expand Sharing Excess nationwide and one day all over the world. Sharing Excess | Website | Facebook | Instagram Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market | Website | Facebook | Instagram 6700 Essington Ave, Philadelphia, Pa. 19153 6abc Dunkin' Holiday Food Drive: Particpate here George Balanchine's The Nutcracker coming to Academy of Music Paid Sponsor Partnership: Philadelphia Ballet The holiday classic, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker , returns to the Academy of Music on December 6. Angel Corella, Artistic Director for Philadelphia Ballet, calls the ballet the number one holiday tradition in Philadelphia. "It's very exciting," says Corella. "The dancers in the Philadelphia Ballet, they're wonderful." He says that the holiday feeling will overtake you in the theater when you hear the music of The Nutcracker for the first time. Tchaikovsky's famous score helps tell the story of Marie and her brother, Fritz. Corella says they're celebrating Christmas with their parents, who are hosting a beautiful party with many guests when Marie's Uncle Drosselmeyer brings a special gift. "This gift that is a Nutcracker, and Marie falls in love with it completely," says Corella. But Fritz takes the Nutcracker and breaks it, leaving Marie upset. Corella says Drosselmeyer kind of fixes it before the party's end, and once the guests leave, Marie goes to bed. That's when everything in the room becomes gigantic, including the Nutcracker. "Rats, they start to come in, and then the Nutcracker comes in and defends her," he says. "The Mouse King comes in also and tries to attack her." Once victory is won, the Nutcracker takes Marie to the Land of Candy. "And that's where they actually get to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy, her Cavalier. They get to see all the different dancers from all the different countries," he says. In the end, Marie returns home. "And we don't really know if it was a dream or if it was reality," says Corella. Philadelphia Ballet will perform 30 shows, with $10 tickets on opening night, December 6, and a sensory-friendly performance after Christmas. Corella says The Nutcracker is a wonderful ballet to share with someone who has never been to the ballet. "It's magical," he says. George Balanchine's The Nutcracker runs December 6 - 29 at the Academy of Music. Philadelphia Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker | Tickets Academy of Music 240 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Evans scored for the career-high fifth consecutive game and the surging Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday night. Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Alex Newhook also scored to help the Canadiens win for the fifth time in six games. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.

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Lil Uzi Vert Replies To Fan’s Request For New Music With A Typical “Uzi” Response.TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Evans scored for the career-high fifth consecutive game and the surging Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday night. Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Alex Newhook also scored to help the Canadiens win for the fifth time in six games. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.Luxurious gifts and artsy options

NoneNEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.” Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament's Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi . Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister. Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.” “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.” Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X. The United States offered its condolences, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that Singh was “one of the greatest champions of the U.S.-India strategic partnership.” “We mourn Dr. Singh’s passing and will always remember his dedication to bringing the United States and India closer together,” Blinken said. Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis. His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens. The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states. In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology. But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized. Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years. His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy. Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.Dave Portnoy shares staggering story of how his podcast saved a fan's life

NEW YORK , Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global data center it equipment market size is estimated to grow by USD 73.6 million from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 9.44% during the forecast period. The report provides a comprehensive forecast of key segments below- Segmentation Overview Get a glance at the market contribution of rest of the segments - Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! 1.1 Fastest growing segment: Data center servers play a crucial role in processing, storing, and distributing data for various applications and workloads. Enterprises and service providers rely on servers to support their operations, with rack servers being the most widely used type. These servers can be installed in frames called racks, accommodating other hardware equipment. Rack servers are popular among enterprises and SMEs due to their suitability for fixed business requirements and efficient use of space. The data center server infrastructure segment has seen significant growth in the past five years and is expected to continue expanding. This growth is driven by the increasing adoption of cloud services, data-intensive applications, and the need for scalable and high-performance computing solutions. The server equipment market is expected to grow steadily during the forecast period, with investments being made in the expansion and building of new data centers, as well as technology refresh cycles. Other server types include blade, tower, and modular servers, each catering to diverse computing requirements. Despite the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model's dominance, there is a shift towards the operational expenditure (OPEX) model to optimize server infrastructure utilization and reduce costs. This trend has also fueled the demand for server consolidation, virtualization, and containerization. Analyst Review The Data Center IT Equipment Market is experiencing significant growth, driven by various factors in the foodservice industry. The plastic segment is currently dominating the disposable plates market due to its affordability and convenience. However, the household sector is shifting towards biodegradable plates as part of a growing trend towards sustainable practices. The coronavirus pandemic has further accelerated this trend as consumers demand more hygienic and disposable options. Urbanization and Westernization have led to an increase in fast food consumption and takeaway food chains, driving demand for disposable plates. Biodegradable plates made from renewable resources, such as sugarcane, corn starch, and potato starch, are gaining popularity due to their biodegradability and eco-friendliness. The food packaging industry is also embracing sustainability, with an increasing focus on sustainable packaging solutions. Millennials, who prioritize convenience and environmental concerns, are a key consumer demographic driving this trend. Restaurants, hotels, and commercial places are adopting customized disposable plates to enhance their branding and customer experience. Sales channels, including food delivery apps and roadside vendors, are also adopting biodegradable plates to meet consumer demand. Manufacturing businesses and the food delivery industry are investing in product innovations to meet the growing demand for sustainable and hygienic disposable plates. Environmental concerns, sustainability, and hygiene and safety are the key driving factors for the market, while restraints include cost and availability of raw materials. Market Overview The Data Center IT Equipment Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions in various industries. One such segment witnessing is the Foodservice Disposables Market, which includes biodegradable plates made of plastic. The household sector, fast food consumption, and takeaway food chains are major contributors to this market's growth. The coronavirus pandemic has further accelerated the trend towards disposable plates due to hygiene and safety concerns. Biodegradable plates are gaining popularity due to their environmental benefits, aligning with the growing trend of sustainable packaging. Urbanization and Westernization have led to an increase in the number of commercial places, hotels, and restaurants, driving the demand for disposable plates. The foodservice industry, including roadside vendors and events, also contributes significantly to the market's growth. Product innovations, such as customized disposable plates, are trending, catering to the changing consumer lifestyles and preferences of millennials. The food delivery industry, including food delivery apps, is also driving the demand for biodegradable plates due to their convenience and sustainability. However, the market faces restraints due to the environmental impact and the need for sturdiness and durability. Overall, the Data Center IT Equipment Market's growth is influenced by various factors, including sustainability, convenience, changing consumer lifestyles, and environmental concerns. Industry sources suggest that manufacturing businesses are focusing on product innovations to cater to the evolving market demands. To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Venodr Landscape 11 Vendor Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/data-center-it-equipment-market-size-to-increase-by-usd-73-6-million-between-2023-to-2028--market-segmentation-by-product-end-user-geography---technavio-302331326.html SOURCE TechnavioCop29: Saudi Arabia accused of editing official negotiating text, report findsMUNICH, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) , opens new tab is reviewing its majority stake in medical technology subsidiary Siemens Healthineers, (SHLG.DE) , opens new tab , the German technology group's Chief Financial Officer Ralf Thomas told the Handelsblatt newspaper. The synergies with the manufacturer of MRI machines and laboratory systems are not great enough to justify a capital commitment of 45 billion euros ($46.91 billion), Thomas told Handelsblatt, referring to how much Siemens' 75% equity stake is worth. "We are evaluating the economic opportunities for Siemens AG in the healthcare sector. We will then derive from this how instrumental Healthineers is as an investment. And then we will draw a conclusion from that," he said, adding that the results will be presented at a capital markets day at the end of 2025. Siemens AG spun off the Erlangen, Germany-based subsidiary in 2018 and floated it on the stock exchange. Until now, Siemens had maintained it would keep the majority stake in Siemens Healthineers. However, Thomas recently held out the prospect of selling around 5% in the foreseeable future to finance the takeover of U.S. software company Altair (ALTR.O) , opens new tab . Thomas said he remained committed to the Mobility train division, which investors have repeatedly called to be spun off. "The business is in good hands with us. I don't see any need for us to part with it at the moment," he told Handelsblatt. ($1 = 0.9592 euros) Sign up here. Reporting by Alexander Huebner, Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Rod Nickel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

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https www nice88 asia A recent article highlighted the challenges faced by , once considered Europe’s flagship battery manufacturing startup, and underscores broader concerns about the green industrial transition in Europe. However, those same lessons are applicable for the U.S. as it seeks to compete in a space dominated by China. Northvolt’s bankruptcy serves as a cautionary tale about Europe’s struggle to compete in the electric vehicle (EV) and clean tech sectors against better-established Asian companies. While Northvolt secured substantial orders and funding ($15 billion raised and $50 billion in orders), it was hampered by production delays, operational mismanagement, and an inability to scale effectively. This reflects broader systemic challenges such as high costs, regulatory hurdles, and fragmented policymaking across Europe. Northvolt’s bankruptcy also reflects the challenges posed by political shifts and economic uncertainty. In the U.S., bipartisan support for clean energy is critical to ensure that initiatives survive changes in administration or economic downturns. Policymakers must build resilience into programs to ensure they can withstand external shocks, such as fluctuating energy prices or global market competition. The article criticizes Europe’s inconsistent support for clean technologies. Unlike China’s coordinated industrial policies, European policymakers have been hesitant to act decisively, even as green initiatives face growing political resistance. Comparisons to bailouts for financial institutions highlight a reluctance to treat green tech failures as critical to economic and strategic interests. This hesitance could jeopardize the continent’s climate goals and its automotive sector, which is heavily reliant on transitioning to EVs. Similar to Europe, the U.S. needs a unified, long-term industrial policy for green technology. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided significant incentives for domestic clean energy development, but ensuring these funds are effectively deployed requires strong coordination between federal, state, and local governments. Northvolt’s struggles highlight the risks of fragmented policies and hesitation, which could undermine investor confidence and the timely rollout of critical infrastructure. Northvolt’s collapse can be attributed to a combination of internal missteps and external pressures. According to , excessive spending, subpar safety standards, and an over-reliance on Chinese machinery significantly hampered the company’s ability to scale effectively. Externally, slower-than-anticipated adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and high operational costs placed additional strain on the business. These challenges underscore the need for greater operational discipline, diversified supply chains, and a robust domestic manufacturing base to avoid such pitfalls. The United States can take valuable cues from its semiconductor initiatives, like the CHIPS and Science Act, to support clean technologies such as battery manufacturing. Prioritizing diversified supply chains and fostering advanced domestic production capabilities can mitigate risks and bolster competitiveness, especially against established players like China. One potential takeaway from Northvolt’s struggles is the need to integrate the second-life battery market into business strategies. By focusing on repurposing surplus batteries for secondary applications, manufacturers can reduce inefficiencies and strengthen supply chains. This approach not only addresses sustainability concerns but also enhances competitiveness in a market increasingly shaped by Chinese dominance. Currently, a significant gap exists between battery manufacturers like Northvolt and recyclers such as . Companies like are working to bridge this divide by redistributing functional surplus batteries for second-life applications rather than recycling them prematurely. This strategy taps into a lucrative market opportunity and highlights the potential of “reverse logistics” to transform the industry. Innovative approaches to battery reuse might have dramatically improved both operational efficiency and market viability. Ben Firestone, CEO of Bluewater Battery Logistics, has emphasized that prioritizing the second-life battery market enables battery integrators to streamline supply chains and maintain a competitive edge. Despite its collapse, Northvolt’s Chapter 11 filing aims to secure short-term financing and attract new investors to reorganize. This restructuring underscores the high capital intensity and risk associated with battery production but also reveals potential opportunities for those willing to bet on long-term clean energy growth. Policymakers and investors must balance the risks with the strategic necessity of developing domestic clean tech capabilities. The U.S. can draw from the coordinated public-private partnerships that have worked in other sectors, such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals. Encouraging collaboration between government agencies, established corporations, and startups can de-risk large-scale projects and ensure that new technologies like (EGS) or advanced batteries succeed. Northvolt’s bankruptcy is not just the failure of a company but a wake-up call for Europe’s clean tech ambitions. To compete globally, the continent needs cohesive policies, streamlined regulations, and unwavering support for critical green technologies. As the push for decarbonization accelerates, addressing these issues will be vital to ensuring that Europe can sustain and grow its green economy. Northvolt’s challenges offer a roadmap for avoiding similar pitfalls in the U.S. The focus should be on strategic planning, operational discipline, supply chain resilience, and clear, long-term policies that support innovation and competitiveness. If these lessons are heeded, the U.S. can strengthen its leadership in the global clean energy transition. By

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BY MIKE PETRO Dec. 16, 2024 Customers wait in line at the Buffalo Redhots concession booth at the KeyBank Center in October. Buffalo-based hospitality company Delaware North is looking into incorporating AI at its concession stands. Buffalo hospitality company keeps testing new tech for potential integration Integrating technology and artificial intelligence into the food and beverage industry has been critical for hospitality and entertainment companies in the post-pandemic world. For Buffalo-based Delaware North, that means trying new things at stadium and arena test sites, with a focus on improving speed of service, to see if something could eventually work for the global brand’s broader footprint. An example of this effort was when 10 Mashgin self-checkout stations were installed last season at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, split between the 100 and 300 levels. Delaware North started with a few units at a test location and that grew into division-wide implementation. Delaware North’s latest foray into new tech and AI is experimenting with a humanoid robot bartender at Globe Life Field, the home of MLB’s Texas Rangers. With the support of the baseball team and Delaware North, Globe Life Field has become one of those test sites to try new things to see if they connect with fans and one day potentially wind up in other venues like Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Delaware North CEOs Lou Jacobs, left, and Jerry Jacobs Jr. “Sports, and the world, in general, is changing and while you’re never going to take the human aspect out of it, maybe this helps speed up lines and helps with service, especially when there are staffing shortages. There’s a movement toward automation and AI technology to help make a better and quicker product,” said Casey Rapp, general manager at Globe Life Field for Delaware North, which provides all food and beverage and retail services at the stadium. Richtech Robotics’ ADAM was introduced for the first time at a major league sports arena or large-scale entertainment venue when the Rangers hosted this year’s MLB All-Star Game in July, and it remained at the stadium for the remainder of the season. Combining AI, advanced sensors and two robotic arms, ADAM emulates human actions within a stadium bar, serving cocktails and mocktails alongside a team of human bartenders. With the help of the robot, stadium workers can focus on engaging fans, helping alleviate wait times and workloads, especially on busy game days. Delaware North tried a few versions of the robot bartender, before deciding to go with ADAM, which turned heads, Rapp said. It can talk, sing, pitch advertisements, make mixed drinks and pour soda, wine and beer. It can even do facial recognition, after scanning an ID or license. “I think it was a huge success for us, but I don’t know that I would put 50 ADAM robots to replace humans, by any means, but definitely a cool add to a ballpark or stadium,” Rapp said. Some of the other ideas that have been attempted at test locations include Venmo vending, self-serve popcorn and cotton candy machines, smart scanners and payment options and a partnership with Amazon to incorporate Just Walk Out technology – a cashierless checkout system. And as new stadiums and arenas are built, there will be more AI incorporated, customized to each customer, to improve the game day experience. “There’s places in the business where this stuff works, but we’re in the hospitality industry and obviously, no matter how nice a robot may be, it is not going to be as hospitable as an actual human being,” said Greg Maass, assistant general manager for Delaware North at Globe Life. Delaware North continues to collect data and have discussions about whether it will implement the humanoid bartenders at any other venues. But they will likely need to become a little more affordable before there’s any mass implementation, as price, value and economy of scale are always part of these conversations, Rapp said. So, next time you’re inside Highmark Stadium or KeyBank Center, don’t expect ADAM to be serving you a drink. At least, not yet. Voting begins for 2024 NFL Fan of the Year Voting is underway as Fan of the Year nominees from all 32 NFL teams vie for the overall winner of the award – Ultimate Fan of the Year. Richard "Poo" Peterson and Derrick "Norm" Norman, known as The Chefs, are the Buffalo Bills’ representatives for Fan of the Year this season. The two have been season ticket holders for more than 30 years and are best known for their epic tailgates. Peterson is retired from the NFTA and is an Army veteran, and Norman is a retired firefighter of 28 years with the City of Buffalo. This annual celebration recognizes fans who spice up game day through their love of football, embody the essence of fandom and inspire their community. All nominees will represent their respective teams at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9 and the winner will be announced during the NFL Honors program Feb. 6. Fans can vote online at NFL.com/fanoftheyear until polls close Feb. 5. Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News brings you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy – from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com . THE LATEST A court injunction will put some legal cannabis license applications on hold while speeding up some others. Chick-fil-A is running into problems finding spots for new restaurants in the Buffalo Niagara region. Traffic concerns are a big issue. Residents are asking the Bills to use CBA funds to help revitalize the neighborhood where they once played. The Hamburg IDA went on record against a proposed moratorium on new apartments. Wells Enterprises is getting cheap hydropower from the New York Power Authority for its expansion in Dunkirk. Micron has finalized the financing of its massive $6 billion chip plant in Syracuse − and that's good news for the Buffalo Niagara region's hope to build its tech sector. An Orchard Park medical device maker is cutting 80 jobs − a quarter of its local staff. As the state ramps up its glacially slow pace of granting legal cannabis licenses, one industry group now worries the process will go too fast − and create too much competition. A Buffalo law firm is forming a strategic partnership with a local political lobbying firm. A panel monitoring the Buffalo Bills Community Benefits Agreement wants more details on who's getting construction contracts − and the Bills are balking at providing it. The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to get the latest in your inbox five days a week . Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.In a shocking turn of events, the Beijing basketball team's recent loss has brought to light a glaring weakness in their lineup – the softest center in the league. After a disappointing performance on the court, it became clear that Beijing's center was not up to the task, leading to a 13-point deficit in the game."Nezha 2: Trouble in the Sea" Officially Announced for Lunar New Year 2025 Release, Can It Continue the Box Office Magic?

Among these three captivating designs, fans are divided on which one they prefer. Some argue that the black and gold design exudes a sense of power and elegance, reflecting Kobe's impact on the basketball world. Others find the gray and purple gradient design to be a poignant tribute to Kobe's indomitable spirit and dedication to excellence. Meanwhile, many fans are drawn to the colorful mix of blue, red, and yellow, which symbolizes a harmonious blend of Barcelona's heritage and Kobe's enduring legacy.

WASHINGTON — There's a common trait that President-elect Donald Trump is clearly prizing as he selects those to serve in his new administration: experience on television. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., speaks during a hearing July 18, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Duffy to be Transportation Secretary. Trump loves that "central casting" look, as he likes to call it. Some, like his choices for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, were until recently TV hosts on Trump's favorite network, Fox News. Mike Huckabee, his pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel, hosted the Fox show “Huckabee” from 2008 to 2015 after his time as Arkansas governor. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former syndicated talk show host and heart surgeon, was tapped to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that oversees health insurance programs for millions of older, poor and disabled Americans. He would report to Trump's choice for health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., himself a regular on the cable news circuit. Mehmet Oz visits the AW Driving School & License Testing Center on Sept. 23, 2022, in Allentown, Pa. Trump, a former reality television star himself, has made no secret of his intention to stack his administration with loyalists after his decisive 2024 election win — including some whose lack of relevant experience has raised concerns among lawmakers. But he's also working to set up a more forceful administration in this term, and in his eyes, many of those people happen to intersect with celebrity. The trend was not lost on Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who posted on social media after the Oz nomination: “We are becoming the world’s first nuclear-armed reality television show.” For good measure, Himes added: “Just spitballing here, but what if the Attorney General and the Secretary of HHS fight each other in an octagonal cage?” That was a reference to Trump's affinity for the UFC fighters who do battle in the octagon. Choosing TV personalities isn't that unusual for the once-and-future president: A number of his first-term choices — John Bolton, Larry Kudlow, Heather Nauert and Mercedes Schlapp, were all on TV — mostly also on Fox. Omarosa Manigault Newman, a confrontational first-season member of Trump's NBC show “The Apprentice," was briefly at the White House before she was fired. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who ran Trump’s 2016 transition team until he was fired, said that eight years ago, Trump held “Apprentice-like interviews at Bedminster,” summoning potential hires to his club in New Jersey. On a call on Tuesday organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, Christie said this year’s Cabinet choices are different than 2016’s but it’s still “Donald Trump casting a TV show.” “He’s casting,” Christie said. Trump has readily highlighted the media experience of his choices as he's announced them. He said Duffy, a former lawmaker and onetime cast member of MTV’s “The Real World," was “a STAR on Fox News.” Pete Hegseth walks to an elevator for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower on Dec. 15, 2016, in New York. Hegseth, a military veteran, “has been a host at FOX News for eight years, where he used that platform to fight for our Military and Veterans,” Trump said. He also noted that Hegseth's book “The War on Warriors” spent nine weeks on The New York Times “best-sellers list, including two weeks at NUMBER ONE.” As for Oz, Trump said: “He won nine Daytime Emmy Awards hosting ‘The Dr. Oz Show,’ where he taught millions of Americans how to make healthier lifestyle choices." It's also true that those seeking positions in Trump's orbit often take to the airwaves to audition for an audience of one. Tom Homan, Trump's choice for “border czar,” is a frequent Fox contributor. Ohio Sen. JD Vance was chosen as Trump's running mate in part because of how well he comes across on air. Trump's choice to lead the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, upped his profile when he took to Fox News to argue that a pre-election appearance on NBC's “Saturday Night Live” by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was a violation of the “equal time” rule governing candidate appearances on television. The White House-to-cable news pundit pipeline tends to cut across administrations of both parties, to some extent. President Joe Biden had three MSNBC contributors on his transition team and his former press secretary went to the network after she left the White House. Biden, though, looked to career diplomats, longtime government workers and military leaders for key posts like the Defense Department. Trump's affinity for Fox News is well-documented, though the romance cooled for a time after Fox made an early call of Arizona for Biden in 2020, a move that infuriated Trump and many of the network’s viewers. Trump suggested viewers should migrate to other conservative news outlets. While the Arizona call ultimately proved correct, it set in motion internal second-guessing and led some Fox personalities to embrace conspiracy theories, which ultimately cost the network $787 million to settle a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems. But Trump is still an avid watcher — the network provides Trump a window into conservative thinking, with commentary from Republican lawmakers and thinkers who are, often, speaking directly to the president-elect. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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IRWINDALE, Calif. , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BIC America continues to showcase its legacy of delivering exceptional sound solutions with the Acoustech Architectural Series, featuring five expertly engineered in-ceiling speaker models: AU510, AU610, AU620, AU810, and AU820. These speakers demonstrate the company's commitment to providing superior audio performance across various applications for both residential and commercial installations.Acoustech Architectural Series: Delivering Excellence Across Every Model Acoustech Architectural Series: Unmatched Quality and Design Each speaker in the Acoustech Architectural Series is crafted with durability and performance in mind. Featuring innovative pivoting tweeters and precision-engineered drivers, these speakers provide tailored sound while maintaining a discreet, seamless ceiling integration. Key Differentiators: About BIC America With over 50 years of audio expertise, BIC America continues to be a trusted name in sound technology. The company remains dedicated to creating high-quality audio systems that enhance listening experiences for home theater enthusiasts and music lovers. Contact: Eric Huang , bic@bicamerica.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bic-america-spotlights-acoustech-architectural-in-ceiling-speaker-series-302326616.html SOURCE BIC AmericaFrench government toppled in deepening political crisisNicky Apple turns 4 today and he is wicked excited. He gets up very early and opens all his presents in a few frantic minutes while his parents, Bill and Sandy Apple, try without success to slow down their spoiled brat of a child. The family is expecting guests later in the day. Jeffrey and Mia Freed are a childless couple, who travel the world studying children in primitive tribal cultures. Sandy, convinced that having a child is the most fulfilling thing a woman can do, is determined to persuade the Freeds to have one of their own. The University of Maine’s School of the Performing Arts skillfully puts a current cultural debate about the role of motherhood in society front and center in Tina Howe’s play “Birth and After Birth” at the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre in Orono. Howe, who died last year at the age of 85 , wrote the play in 1972 during the second feminist wave but continued revising it through 2006, when it was finally produced off Broadway. Jayden Moore (Bill Apple), Inanna Piccininni (Sandy Apple), Patrick “Patty” Morris (Nicky Apple), Wyatt Gamage (Jeffrey Freed) and Jess Baran (Mia Freed) create a tight knit ensemble and wring a whole lot of laughs out of a show with many absurd but few tragic touches. Howe saw herself as an absurdist playwright following in the footsteps of Samuel Beckett, author of “Waiting for Godot,” and Eugene Ionesco, best known for “Rhinoceros,” but chose to write from a female perspective. Director Rosalie Purvis, an assistant professor of theater and English at the university, said in the director’s note in the program that she chose the play to honor Howe’s “significant contribution to contemporary American theatre and her pioneering effort to bring motherhood quite literally center stage, incorporating the ‘female gaze’ into the genre of absurdism. “Currently, much of American political discourse has been reducing women’s perceived ‘functionality’ to only their gestational and child-rearing roles,” she said. Purvis wrings some fine performances out of her student cast. Her attention to details, whether it’s the use of a camcorder, using a red wagon like a piece of furniture or having the couples wear wedding rings, is impressive. Much of the absurdity and the humor in the show comes from having a grown man with a full beard portray 4-year-old Nicky. He runs around the stage in colorful pajamas, sucks his thumb, plays a version of Simon Says, demands grape juice and, for the most part, just behaves badly. Morris, who gave a searing performance last year as a father grieving the death of a child in UMaine’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire ’s play “Rabbit Hole,” is equally excellent here albeit in a far different role. Any parent who lives with or remembers living with an active 4-year-old will find the energy Morris brings to the role exhausting and exhilarating. It’s hard not to love his obnoxious Nicky because Morris is so good. He also does some very good imitations of past presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton in a sequence where the actor dons a series of masks and recites well-known quotes from the mostly dead politicians. Morris, a fourth-year student, sometimes is a bit too loud for the intimate Pavilion space but 4-year-olds often are loud unless they are up to something they shouldn’t be. Second-year Moore and first-year Piccininni are totally believable as Nicky’s parents, Bill and Sandy. Moore swaggers about the stage but is never brutish as the insurance salesman, who’s having a crisis at work. Piccininni beautifully indulges Nicky while extolling the joys and challenges of motherhood. Together, they beautifully bring to life a loving couple sometimes overwhelmed by the demands of parenthood. Gamage and Baran, second- and fourth-year students, respectively, don’t join the party until the second act. They are entirely convincing as an academic couple more interested in observing children rather than raising one. Both actors lean into the absurdity of the Freeds’ work in the telling of a story about an odd tribe of tree dwelling human beings with tails and how one of them gives birth. The duo give detailed and delightful performances. The technical work for “Birth and After Birth” is outstanding and the designers use the round building, built in 1908 as the Stock Judging Pavilion for the School of Agriculture, to great advantage. Daniel Bilodeau’s set brings the audience into the Apple’s toy-strewn living room and JP Sedlock’s lighting and sound design illuminate the characters beautifully. The costumes by Janet Sussman are colorful, creative and perfectly define each character. While many who lived through the nation’s second feminist movement in the 1960s and ’70s assumed the debate over whether women belonged in the workforce or the home had been answered with a resounding, “Both,” recent political discourse is resurrecting the issue. That makes Howe’s play, unfortunately, as relevant as when it was written. Purvis and her cast brilliantly capture all the comic absurdity of the question in “Birth and After Birth.” “Birth and After Birth” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre at the University of Maine in Orono. For information, visit umaine.edu/spa/tickets or call 581-1755.

Fans of the duo took to social media to express their admiration for Xiang Zuo's revamped look, showering him with compliments and praise. Many were quick to point out how the actor's new hairstyle highlighted his natural good looks and added a touch of maturity to his image.

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Investors seek coins with exponential profit potential as the crypto market enters another bull cycle. Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Rexas Finance seem promising. Here’s a detailed look at these three assets, including their performance and development prospects. Crypto Whales Purchased RXS Token Rexas Finance (RXS): A Game Changer in Asset Tokenization Rexas Finance is a unique real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform. Using blockchain technology, it permits the faultless tokenization and trade of RWAs, including financial instruments, real estate, art, and other assets. This unique strategy makes non-liquid assets liquid, introducing them to global investors at relatively low costs. The project’s market scope is immense, with RWAs representing trillions of dollars in the worldwide economy. Real estate alone, valued at $379.7 trillion, demonstrates the enormous potential for tokenization. Rexas Finance streamlines this process with its rich ecosystem, which includes tools such as the Rexas Token Builder for no-code token generation, the QuickMint Bot for instant token launches via Telegram, and Rexas GenAI, which incorporates AI to modernize NFTs. The RXS token powers the platform and provides utilities such as yield farming, ecosystem involvement, and governance. Rexas Finance has already undergone a Certik assessment, confirming strong security and credibility—an important factor for investors. RXS placement on token tracking websites like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko enhance its expanding prominence. Rexas Finance is currently at Stage 10 of its presale, having raised $30 million and selling 352 million RXS tokens. The presale price of $0.15 will increase to $0.175 in the following stage. Notably, RXS is slated to list on at least three tier-1 crypto exchanges for $0.20, setting the token for a rapid increase upon listing. Experts believe a possible rally to $10 isn’t far-fetched. With exploding early-stage demand and community engagement projects like the ongoing $1 million giveaways, which offers investors the chance to be among the 20 participants to win $50,000 each, Rexas Finance has demonstrated its market dominance. Will Whales Push Dogecoin (DOGE) to $1? Dogecoin has been one of the best meme coins in the ongoing bull run, with over 230% gain in November. DOGE’s community-driven nature and links to Elon Musk help it to be a regular player in bull markets despite its volatility. DOGE trades at $0.40 as of this report, recovering its recent losses by notable increase in whale activity. Over 60.9 billion DOGE were moved within 24 hours, demonstrating investor confidence. Dogecoin’s historical all-time high (ATH) of $0.7376 is a significant milestone that analysts feel could be retested in the current cycle. IntoTheBlock data shows a 41.12% increase in large transactions, an optimistic indicator frequently preceding price increases. Social mentions about Musk and impending ecosystem developments may rekindle interest, but breaking through the $1 barrier would require broader market support. Shiba Inu (SHIB): a 1,700% Increase in Play? Shiba Inu (SHIB), called the “Dogecoin Killer,” is another meme coin with huge upside potential. CryptoELITES, a prominent analyst, expects that SHIB will increase by 1,700% to $0.0004729 during the current bull market. This estimate is based on a cup-and-handle pattern that has been developing on SHIB’s weekly chart for more than three years. Historically, this pattern indicates the continuance of positive trends. As of this report, SHIB trades at $0.0000268, and analysts like Himanshu Maradiya predict it will reach between $0.0001 and $0.0003 by 2025. However, the timing strongly depends on Bitcoin’s dominance—if capital shifts from Bitcoin to altcoins, SHIB might experience tremendous growth. Shiba Inu ecosystem advancements like Layer 2 Shibarium and SHIB’s decentralized exchange – Shiba Swap, inspire long-term hope. Verdict: Rexas Finance Has the Advantage While Dogecoin and Shiba Inu have thriving communities and substantial development potential, their reliance on market hype and whale behavior creates volatility. In contrast, Rexas Finance (RXS) provides concrete value through real-world applications, making it a more secure and attractive long-term investment. Its focus on RWA tokenization, new features, and forthcoming exchange listings position it for significant and long-term growth. Also, meme coins like DOGE and SHIB have histories of rapid profit shedding. DOGE and SHIB peaked at $0.72 and $0.00008, respectively, after their outstanding results in the 2021 bull run. Three years later, both coins struggle to reach and better these feats. Meme coins are great for their short-term gains but not suitable candidates for a long-term portfolio. With the presale nearing completion and listing prices expected to rise, RXS provides an attractive chance for investors to get in early and ride the next wave of blockchain innovation. Conclusion When comparing Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Rexas Finance, the latter appears as a strong contender for long-term portfolios, owing to its real-world utility and rapid development potential. Rexas Finance’s presale performance and forthcoming milestones make it a project to monitor. As the ecosystem grows, RXS may reshape asset ownership for the digital age. For more information about Rexas Finance (RXS) visit the links below: Website: https://rexas.com Win $1 Million Giveaway: https://bit.ly/Rexas1M Whitepaper: https://rexas.com/rexas-whitepaper.pdf Twitter/X: https://x.com/rexasfinance Telegram: https://t.me/rexasfinanceRealme has officially announced the upcoming launch of the Realme 14 Pro series, set to take place next month. While the exact date remains under wraps, anticipation is building around the features and innovations of these smartphones. The latest rumours have revealed that the Realme 14 Pro series will bring a unique colour-changing experience. The Realme 14 Pro series will include two models: the and the . Both devices will captivate users with their colour-changing back panels, a feature that sets them apart in the smartphone market. While this isn’t the first time Realme has experimented with this technology, the implementation in the 14 Pro series takes a different approach. Unlike the , which featured a rear panel that changed colour under UV light, the back panels of the Realme 14 Pro series will shift colours when exposed to temperatures of 16°C or lower. This innovative feature is part of what Realme calls the making the phones not just functional devices but also artistic creations. Realme describes the effect as a shimmering and shifting display of colours that reacts to light and temperature, ensuring the devices stand out wherever you go. This aesthetic appeal is a significant selling point for the series, aimed at users who value both functionality and style in their smartphones. The Realme 14 Pro+ has already garnered attention through hands-on previews. Early impressions highlight the colour-changing technology as a standout feature, alongside its elegant design and solid build quality. Additionally, Realme has teased the photography capabilities of the Pro+ model, sharing impressive camera samples that hint at powerful image-capturing abilities. In terms of performance, the will come with Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC, promising robust performance for everyday use, gaming, and multitasking. Although detailed specifications for both models are not available, the use of Qualcomm’s advanced chipset suggests that the devices will deliver smooth and efficient performance. See Also: The colour-changing technology featured in the Realme 14 Pro series showcases innovation but raises some questions regarding its practical use. While the idea of a back panel that shifts colours depending on temperature is visually appealing, the practicality of such a feature might be limited. The colour-changing effect only activates at lower temperatures (16°C or below), which could reduce its visibility for many users in warmer climates. Moreover, while the technology enhances the phone’s aesthetic appeal, it may not provide significant functional value beyond style. Users might find the novelty of colour-shifting back panels intriguing, but whether it justifies a premium price or adds meaningful utility remains debatable. Overall, while the Realme 14 Pro’s colour-changing design is a step forward in terms of innovation, its long-term relevance and practical impact may be questioned by some users. PTA Taxes Portal Find PTA Taxes on All Phones on a Single Page using the PhoneWorld PTA Taxes Portal

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Seoul, December 22: Kia, South Korea's second-biggest carmaker by sales, said on Sunday it will launch the compact SUV “Syros" in India next year to boost sales. Kia, the maker of K5 sedans and Sorento SUVs, unveiled the new model for the first time in India on Sunday. The Syros SUV will be released in two trims, one with a 1.0-liter gasoline turbocharged engine and the other with a 1.5-litre diesel engine, the company said in a press release. Starting with sales in India, Kia plans to introduce the compact car in the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and the Middle East, it said, reports Yonhap news agency. The new model is equipped with safety features such as the front collision avoidance, lane-keeping assistance, surround view monitor and driver awareness warning systems. The company didn't provide the vehicle's price. ‘Its All Asli Sona’: Bhavish Aggarwal Teases Ola S1 Pro Sona With Real 24K Gold (See Pics). Meanwhile, Kia India has announced up to 2 per cent price hike across its entire lineup, effective from January 1, “primarily due to rising commodity prices and escalating supply chain-related costs”. “At Kia, we are committed to delivering exceptional, technologically advanced vehicles of the highest quality to our valued customers. However, due to the persistent rise in commodity prices, unfavourable exchange rates, and increased input costs, a necessary price adjustment has become unavoidable,” said Hardeep Singh Brar, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Kia India. Maruti Suzuki e Vitara Unveiled: India’s First eBorn Electric SUV To Debut at Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. Despite these challenges, Kia is absorbing a significant portion of the cost increase, minimizing the financial impact on our customers, so they can continue enjoying their favourite Kia vehicles without major dent on their pockets, he added. Kia has sold 1.6 million units in India and overseas markets combined to date. Its best-selling innovation, Seltos, has surpassed 670,000-unit sales, followed by Sonet with over 480,000 units, Carens with 214,400 units and Carnival with over 15,000 units. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 22, 2024 04:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).

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Hyderabad: Farmers and farm workers’ organisations under the aegis of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will hold a public hearing of tenant farmers at Dharna Chowk on December 4. They will urge the state government to give them recognition and provide loan eligibility cards (LEC) to avail loans from banks and welfare schemes. During a press conference at Basheerbagh Press Club on Saturday, November 30, representatives of SKM reminded the promise made by chief minister A Revanth Reddy on September 13, 2023, during his stint as the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president. Prof G Haragopal among others will participate as a jury member during the public hearing. Tenant farmers from across the state are expected to participate. They will voice their concern about facing hardships in availing bank loans, handling debts, issues on procurement and other welfare schemes to name a few. Farmer union representatives also pointed out that the Licensed Cultivars Act, which granted LECs to tenant farmers, was introduced during the Congress government in undivided Andhra Pradesh. However, it was discontinued by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government after the formation of Telangana in 2014.PRO and LLA trade blows as tension over failed anti-graft bill rises

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Click .Russia launched more than 100 drones at Ukraine on December 22, half of which were shot down, according to Ukraine's military, with no casualties reported. The regions of Kherson, Mykolayiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv all saw drones fired in their direction, with 52 of the total 103 shot down, the Ukrainian Air Force reported . Businesses and apartment buildings were damaged in the Russian attacks, though at this point, the military said, "without casualties." Russia has stepped up its air attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy saying on December 21 that Moscow has launched more than 550 guided bombs, almost 550 drones, and 20 missiles over the past week. Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure since the start of the war, stepping up attacks especially at the onset of the cold season, causing maximum difficulties and lengthy power cuts for Ukrainians for the third winter in a row. It has also been accused by Kyiv of targeting residential buildings, which Moscow denies. Russia's massive attack comes a day after Ukraine struck high-rise buildings in Kazan , the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan. Ukraine has been investing heavily in drone production in part to compensate for its shortage in manpower on the battlefield. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said earlier this month that it had transferred 1.2 million drones to the armed forces through the first 11 months of 2024, including more than 6,000 deep strike drones. Ukraine's drone production is now close to parity with Russia, experts have said. Kyiv has used its long-range drone capacity to hit objects crucial to Russia's war effort, such as weapons and energy facilities. It has tried to avoid civilian targets in part amid concern about backlash from its Western backers. Kazan, one of the wealthiest cities in Russia, is approximately 800 kilometers east of Moscow. Several Russian pensioners were allegedly tricked by scammers into carrying out risky stunts in crowded places in Moscow and St. Petersburg on December 21, police said. A number of the pensioners have been detained, the police said. Law enforcement is still searching for at least one of the suspects. It is unclear who is behind the scam. One incident took place at the Fort shopping center in northeastern Moscow. The building was evacuated following a small explosion in the public services center located there. One woman was treated for injuries after she fell amid the rush for the doors. Meanwhile, a shopping center and a post office in the suburban Moscow towns of Korolev and Khimki, respectively, were evacuated the same day on similar grounds. In Korolev, the explosion blew out several windows and triggered a fire that damaged the shopping center’s ceiling. In the Fort incident, police detained a pensioner who allegedly detonated a firecracker on the instructions of unknown individuals who had extorted 120,000 rubles ($1,200) from her. The 64-year-old suspect in the Korolev incident allegedly tried to detonate pyrotechnics at the police station as well. A 70-year-old woman was detained in connection with the explosion at the post office in Khimki. The same day, two retired women in St. Petersburg allegedly tried to set fire to a police car at the direction of telephone scammers. They have been detained and a case has been opened against them on terrorist charges. Also in St. Petersburg, an explosion occurred at an ATM location belonging to Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender. No injuries were reported. Local media reported that an elderly woman poured a flammable liquid inside the ATM before the explosion. A similar incident at an ATM occurred the night before in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, RFE/RL’s Siberia.Realities reported. This time the suspect was a teenager. Police said the 19-year old girl was duped into carrying out the attack by scammers. She received second-degree burns and is being treated at a hospital. Pakistani militants carried out a daring early-morning raid near the northwestern border with Afghanistan, killing over a dozen officers in the latest attack of 2024 -- a year already marked as one of the deadliest in the region. Laddha Police Deputy Superintendent Hidayat Ullah told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that 16 security officers were killed when militants opened fire at a security checkpoint in South Waziristan at 2 am on December 21. He said eight more officers were wounded. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claimed responsibility for the attack, said it killed 35 Pakistani security officers. Radio Mashaal could not independently confirm the number of officers killed. Neither side said how many militants were killed during the attack. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in August 2021. The TTP seeks to impose Shari'a law in Pakistan. The latest attack came as the elders of Dre Maseed in the Sur Rogha area of South Waziristan held a meeting on December 20 to demand that the security forces change tactics. Sherpao Maseed, a leader of the assembly, told Radio Mashaal that Pakistani defense forces are targeting militants with artillery and mortar shells , putting civilians in danger. The Pakistan Center for Conflict and Security Studies said in its most recent report that more than 240 people were killed in "terrorist incidents" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November The death toll included 68 security officers, the highest in a single month this year. Meanwhile, the Army Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) claims to have killed dozens of suspected militants in operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this month. The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan say they are committed to wiping out the TTP. BUDAPEST -- Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's recent reported proposal for NATO members states to increase their defense spending would cripple the Hungarian economy. According to recent reports in Britain's Financial Times and The Telegraph, Trump's team informed European officials that the president-elect was expecting the United States' NATO allies to raise their defense expenditure to 5 percent of national gross domestic product (GDP). Speaking at his year-end press briefing on December 21, Orban said that Hungary has already sweated blood to reach the current 2 percent target, and "if the 2 percent has to be increased, that would shoot the Hungarian economy in the lungs." "We would prefer to not spend even 2 percent of GDP on weaponry...but the world is going in the opposite direction," he said. Orban, who has been accused at home and abroad of democratic backsliding, also said he had not discussed this with Trump, adding that, if the increase is inevitable, then he believes it should be gradual. Hungary budgeted to spend 2.1 percent of GDP in 2024 on defense. Orban is one of Trump's main allies in Europe and, on December 9, he met with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Throughout the Ukraine war, Orban has maintained friendly ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been critical of EU aid for Ukraine, and has obstructed the bloc's sanctions regime against Moscow. NATO Spending Targets During his time as president between 2016 and 2020, Trump regularly called for NATO members to meet the required 2 percent level of defense spending, goals that most have since met. NATO leadership has also called for member nations to boost spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has triggered the largest war in Europe since World War II. Before leaving office, former Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance's members would "have to be willing to pay the price for peace" and said that the current 2 percent target was "no longer enough to keep us safe." And in Budapest in November, the current NATO secretary-general, Mark Rutte, said at the European Political Community summit that member states would have to pay more. "It will surpass the 2 percent greatly more. I am quite clear about that," Rutte said. The United States contributes around 16 percent to NATO's common-funded budget, which is the joint largest share alongside Germany. The United States will also spend roughly $967 billion on defense in 2024. While that accounts for around two-thirds of what all NATO members will spend on defense combined this year, it represents about 3 percent of GDP. The United States last spent 5 percent of GDP on defense in the late 2000s and early 2010s amid the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the Cold War, the United States spent between 5 and 11 percent of GDP on defense . Experts said that Trump's proposal is likely a starting point for negotiations with NATO members. Spat With Poland The Hungarian prime minister also defended Budapest's decision to grant political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a Polish lawmaker from the right-wing Law and Justice party, who is wanted for alleged corruption during his tenure in Poland's previous government. Orban said he didn't think the case involving a Polish politician would be the last. He added, however, that he wanted to keep "conflicts with Poland at a manageable level," and would refrain from commenting on the country's rule-of-law situation. The Hungarian prime minister's office made the announcement on December 19, arguing that the Polish government was persecuting its political rivals. Warsaw has called the move a "hostile act" and has summoned Hungary's ambassador to Poland. KARACHI, Pakistan -- Pakistani military courts have sentenced 25 people for their part in attacks on military facilities in May 2023. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan's armed forces, said in a statement on December 21 that 25 defendants were given sentences ranging from two to 10 years. On May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in a fraud case, supporters of Khan's party, Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI), attacked and damaged military installations, mosques, and government buildings in cities across Pakistan. Several people were killed and dozens injured in the unrest. In its statement, the military's media wing described the sentences as an "important milestone in dispensation of justice to the nation." It added that May 9, 2023 was a sad day for the country, and it would be officially commemorated every year. In response to the verdicts, PTI wrote on the X social network that the military courts have violated the defendants' constitutional and human rights. Khan's party has said the judicial process is not transparent and about 80 people have been in military custody since the unrest, their fundamental rights violated. Supporters of the imprisoned former prime minister, who is accused of inciting attacks against the armed forces, have expressed concerns that military rather than civilian courts are trying some of the cases. They have staged months of protests to demand Khan's release. PTI says its members and supporters did not attack military or government buildings on May 9, 2023. Last year, Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled that civilians should be tried in civilian courts, not military courts. However, on December 13, the Supreme Court suspended the decision and allowed military courts to hear civilian cases. Others charged over the violence are being tried in anti-terrorism courts. PTI regularly campaigns against corruption and nepotism in Pakistan but has been accused of populism and authoritarian tendencies centered around its charismatic leader Khan. KVIV -- An air-raid warning has been declared in all regions of Ukraine due to possible ballistic missile strikes, Ukrainian military authorities said. Russia continued its regular attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure overnight, launching 113 drone attacks, according to the Ukrainian Air Force on December 21. Of those drones, 57 were shot down, and 56 others were unable to reach their targets, the air force said. The Ukrainian Air Force also said Russia had fired one surface-to-air S-400 missile at central Ukraine, but it did not cause any damage or casualties. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported that in the eastern Ukrainian Zaporizhzhya and Kharkiv regions downed drones damaged apartment buildings, causing casualties. Ukraine was under a general air-raid alert for several hours on December 20 as Russia launched missile and drone attacks against the capital, Kyiv, and several other regions around the country. Russian Advance The latest attacks come as Ukrainian forces are struggling to stop Russia's rapid advance in the east of the country. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on December 21 that Russian forces had taken control of the village of Kostyantynopolske in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region. The claim about the village, called Ostrovsky by Russia, could not be independently confirmed by Reuters. Meanwhile, Reuters quoted Aleksandr Khinshtein, the acting governor of Russia's Kursk region, as saying that six people, including one child, were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on December 20 on the town of Rylsk. Ukraine seized territory in the Kursk region in an incursion in August but has since given up about half its territorial gains. Drones, thought to be from Ukraine, hit high-rise buildings in Kazan , the capital of Russia's republic of Tatarstan, with the attacks causing the city's airport to temporarily suspend flights. No casualties were reported. KAZAN, Russia -- Ukraine struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan, in the latest display of its growing drone capabilities. The December 21 attacks came in three waves between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., the Russian Defense Ministry said. The ministry said the drones were of Ukrainian origin. Western experts said they appeared to be Ukraine's Lyitiy model , a light, aircraft-like drone. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the strike. The press service of Rustam Minnikhanov, the leader of Tatarstan, said in a statement that eight drones attacked the city. According to the statement, six struck luxury residential buildings, one struck an industrial facility, and one was shot down over a river. In a post on its Telegram channel, Kazan mayor’s office said the drones struck targets in three districts of the city. Two drones slammed into the upper floors of a 37-story luxury skyscraper, according to videos posted on social media. The strikes, which were about 30 minutes apart, hit the glass-and-metal building in roughly the same spot. Schools Evacuated RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reported that pupils were evacuated from schools in the Soviet district of Kazan and that sirens could be heard in the city. There were no casualties, local authorities said. According to Interfax reports, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin said that people had been evacuated from the affected buildings and were being provided with accommodation and food. The mayor said that all large events in the city would be canceled over the weekend. Kazan, one of the wealthiest cities in Russia, is approximately 800 kilometers east of Moscow. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a "Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan by the air defense forces on duty." Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement that "temporary restrictions were imposed at Kazan Airport on the morning of December 21 in order to ensure the safety of civilian flights. Both arrivals and departures are suspended." The ban has since been lifted. Ukrainian drone attacks have previously targeted Russian military and industrial locations in Tatarstan. Local authorities on May 15 shut down two major airports -- one in Kazan and another in the city of Nizhnekamsk -- for several hours "for security reasons" following a drone attack. The Russian Defense Ministry said that "a Ukrainian drone" was shot down over Tatarstan. In April, Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery in Tatarstan and a dormitory in the Alabuga special economic zone in Yelabuga, which hosts more than 20 industrial enterprises, including chemical, mechanical engineering, and metal treatment factories. It also reportedly houses a facility producing drones. Drone Surge Ukraine has been investing heavily in drone production in part to compensate for its shortage in manpower on the battlefield. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said earlier this month that it had transferred 1.2 million drones to the armed forces through the first 11 months of 2024, including more than 6,000 deep strike drones . Ukraine's drone production is now close to parity with Russia, experts have said. Kyiv has used its long-range drone capacity to hit objects crucial to Russia's war effort, such as weapons and energy facilities. It has tried to avoid civilian targets in part amid concern about backlash from its Western backers. In the summer of 2023, Ukrainian drones twice struck the floors of a high-rise building in Moscow's business district housing Russian government ministries. Experts speculated whether the skyscraper in Kazan that was struck twice was home to someone connected with Russia's war effort. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine will continue to target military objects in Russia with drones and missiles. "We will definitely continue to strike Russian military facilities - with drones and missiles, and increasingly Ukrainian ones, at precisely those military bases, at precisely that Russian military infrastructure that is used in such terror against our people," he said in his regular nightly video address to the nation. In the meantime, Russia has continued its regular attacks against Ukraine, including civilian targets. Russia's armed forces launched 113 drone attacks against Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian Air Force on December 21. Of those drones, 57 were shot down, and 56 others were unable to reach their targets, the air force said. At least two people were killed and more than 60 injured after a car drove at high speed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, German officials said on December 20. The car plowed into the market in what authorities suspect was an intentional act in the city in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. “This is a terrible event, particularly now in the days before Christmas," Saxony-Anhalt Governor Reiner Haseloff said. The driver of the car was arrested. Haseloff told reporters that the suspect is a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who first came to Germany in 2006. He had not been on law enforcement's radar as a known Islamist, security sources told the dpa news agency. "From what we currently know he was a lone attacker, so we don't think there is any further danger for the city," Haseloff said. Haseloff said the two people confirmed dead were an adult and a toddler, and he couldn’t rule out further deaths. Police evacuated the area as they suspected there could be a bomb still in the car that was driven into the market. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he plans to visit the city on December 21. “The reports from Magdeburg suggest something terrible is to come. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours,” Scholz said on X. French President Emmanuel Macron also reacted on X. “Deeply shocked by the horror that struck the Magdeburg Christmas market in Germany this evening. My thoughts are with the victims, the injured, and their loved ones and families. France shares the pain of the German people and expresses its full solidarity,” he said . Magdeburg, a city of about 240,000 residents west of Berlin, is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt. The suspected attack came eight years after an Islamic extremist plowed into a Christmas market in Berlin. killing 13 people and injuring dozens more. The attacker was killed days later in a shootout in Italy. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in its final report on the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia that numerous issues “negatively impacted" the elections and eroded public trust. The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) issued the final report on December 20. The OSCE said shortly after the October 26 elections that it had recorded instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The final report reiterates the organization's concerns and offers recommendations to improve elections in Georgia. “Numerous issues noted in our final report negatively impacted the integrity of these elections and eroded public trust in the process,” said Eoghan Murphy, who headed the ODIHR’s 2024 election observation mission to Georgia. Murphy urged authorities in Georgia to urgently address all concerns about the elections, which gave the ruling Georgian Dream party more than 54 percent of the vote, enough to maintain control of the government. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze acknowledged that the final report contains "critical remarks," including on the suppression of votes. "In 76 percent of the polling stations where it observed, OSCE/ODIHR did not identify any irregularities at all," he said at a briefing, adding that in other cases there were "isolated irregularities" that were identified. "These were related to incorrect ballot entry, improper arrangement of the polling station, so-called leaks, video recording, etc." According to Kobakhidze, the Georgian Dream government is ready to cooperate with the OSCE to implement its recommendations. The report refers to the passage of a "foreign agents" law modeled on a similar Russian law, earlier in the year, saying the election took place amid “serious concerns about the impact of recently adopted legislation on fundamental freedoms and civil society.” The law, which mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as “foreign agents,” took effect on August 1, sparking significant backlash from international and domestic actors. The final report also cites pressure on voters and election day practices that “compromised the ability of some voters to cast their vote without fear of retribution.” In addition, there was an overall lack of response to complaints in the post-election period, the report said, saying the ODIHR “found that cases were not considered sufficiently, limiting legal remedies.” The report reiterates the negative impact of the “polarized and instrumentalized media” and limited campaign finance oversight. It notes that candidates were generally able to campaign freely, and candidates across 18 party lists competed, but a "significant imbalance in financial resources contributed to the uneven playing field.” Demonstrators began gathering in central Tbilisi soon after the elections as criticism mounted over voting irregularities. The protests intensified after Kobakhidze announced that Tbilisi was suspending until 2028 talks with Brussels on Georgia's bid to join the European Union. The ODIHR notes that some protests were violently dispersed, resulting in numerous arrests and allegations of brutality toward protesters and journalists. The ODIHR said that the suppression of protests by force and numerous arrests “caused grave concerns about compliance with international commitments to freedom of peaceful assembly.” Poland has summoned Hungary's ambassador over Budapest's decision to grant political asylum to a Polish opposition politician who is wanted for alleged corruption during his tenure in Poland's previous government. Warsaw was outraged by Hungary's decision to grant political asylum to Marcin Romanowski. The decision, announced the Hungarian prime minister's office on December 19, accused the Polish government of persecuting its political opponents. Poland called the move a "hostile act" that runs counter to the principle of loyal cooperation among members of the European Union. "In response to this action, the Hungarian ambassador to Poland will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, where he will receive an official protest note," the ministry said on December 20. The ministry also said that if Hungary fails to comply with its EU obligations, Poland will ask the European Commission to respond. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government says it has opened the door for prosecutors to investigate suspected wrongdoings committed during the tenure of the nationalist Law and Justice party, which ruled the country for eight years until 2023 and which have been covered up. Tusk said he was dismayed by Hungary's decision to shelter a man being sought on suspicions of defrauding the state of millions of zlotys. “I did not expect corrupt politicians escaping justice would be able to choose between [Belarusian authoritarian leader Alyaksandr] Lukashenka and [Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor] Orban,” Tusk said on December 20. His reference to Lukashenka was apparently linked to the case of a Polish judge who fled to Belarus. Romanowski was detained during the investigation but released in July. He denies the charges against him. Through his lawyer he has argued that he is the victim of political retribution by Tusk's government. Gergely Gulyas, head of Orban's office, said the decision of the Hungarian authorities was in line with both domestic and European Union legislation. He said Romanowski's arrest raised serious concerns about fair treatment and political bias in Polish judicial proceedings. Polish opposition lawmakers, including Romanowski, accused Tusk's government of conducting a politically motivated witch-hunt against them. Romanowski told Polish broadcaster TV Republika that he thinks the fact that Hungary has granted him asylum confirms that "we are dealing with political persecution in Poland." Prosecutors and judges in Poland are politically controlled, he said. A spokesman for the European Commission declined to comment on the specific case but emphasized that EU member states are obligated to enforce European arrest warrants. Stefan de Keersmaecker said at a briefing in Brussels on December 20 that the obligation means that Hungary should send Romanowski back to Poland to face justice. The spokesman added that all EU member states maintain a high level of protection for fundamental rights and freedoms, making them all safe countries for asylum seekers. But an asylum application from a national of another EU member state can only be accepted under exceptional circumstances. The Georgian government has pledged to amend its controversial "foreign agents" law following discussions with the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset. Berset announced at a press briefing in Tbilisi on December 20, wrapping up a three-day visit, that a working group including Georgian representatives, the Council of Europe, and the Venice Commission will be formed to draft necessary changes to the legislation. "The government of Georgia promised to modify the content of the 'Foreign Influence Transparency' law. This working group will determine the specific changes required. I hope similar collaborative processes can extend to other areas, such as equality, anti-discrimination, electoral reform, and reforms in penitentiary and probation systems," Berset said. The law, modeled on a similar Russian law, mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as "foreign agents." Passed by the Georgian parliament in May despite a presidential veto, it came into force on August 1, sparking significant backlash from international and domestic actors. Georgian NGOs began appearing on the "foreign agent" registry in October, raising concerns about their ability to operate freely. Critics, including the European Union, have warned that the law could derail Georgia's aspirations for EU membership. While Moscow praised the Georgian government for adopting the law, Western countries, including the United States and Britain, condemned it as a tool for undermining democracy. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, however, reiterated Georgia's openness to discussions about the law. "If anyone proves there's something harmful in this legislation, we're ready to address it and work with relevant structures of the Council of Europe," Kobakhidze said. Berset's visit comes amid heightened political tensions in Georgia, marked by public polarization, high-level violence, and allegations of electoral misconduct. Addressing the situation, Berset emphasized: "Georgia is at a critical juncture. The country is filled with political tension, polarized public debate, and high levels of violence," adding that the country "deserves stability and democracy." "I am not here to legitimize elections; that is the responsibility of other competent institutions," Berset said, stressing that his primary goal was "to support Georgia and its people." He also said that resolving the political crisis depends on "upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law." During his visit, Berset held multiple meetings with government officials, including Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, and opposition representatives. His visit is seen as an effort to mediate amid deep divisions within Georgian society. On December 19, the United States imposed sanctions on Georgia's Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and Special Tasks Department Deputy Director Mirza Kezevadze under the Global Magnitsky Act. Hours earlier, Britain had sanctioned Gomelauri and four other senior officials. These sanctions reflect growing Western dissatisfaction with Georgia's political trajectory. Despite this, Kobakhidze assured that the government would "compensate any losses" incurred by sanctioned individuals and announced plans to award honors to the Interior Ministry's leadership following the presidential poll in February 2025 and inauguration of Georgia's next president, whose legitimacy is contested by the opposition and the current President Salome Zurabishvili. Georgia's "foreign agents" law has become a focal point in the country's strained relations with the West. The government's decision last month to delay European Union accession talks until 2028 also sparked protests in the country and criticism in the West. Moreover, economic hardship and the threat of backsliding from the Euro-Atlantic course have created a sense of urgency and fertile ground for unrest. International partners are apprehensive that Georgia's adoption of tactics similar to those used by Moscow could undermine its democratic progress and EU aspirations. Russia's top Islamic body has approved a religious edict that allows Muslim men to practice polygamy, which contradicts Russian law that prohibits individuals from entering multiple registered marriages simultaneously. The Council of Islamic Clerics of Russia's Spiritual Administration of Muslims (DUM), issued a fatwa on December 18 that allows a Muslim male to enter up to four marriages at the same time as long as certain conditions are met. Russia's Family Code explicitly prohibits a person from entering a registered marriage with someone who is already married. But it comes as the Russian authorities are grappling with a dire demographic situation amid a population decline exacerbated by emigration, low birthrates, and high mortality. While the full text of the fatwa has yet to be published, reports from Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti revealed key provisions in it that allow Muslim men to enter into multiple religious marriages. The fatwa stipulates that a man can engage in polygamy only if he ensures equitable treatment for all wives. This includes equal material provision, separate housing for each wife, and spending equal time with them according to an agreed schedule. If a man cannot meet these requirements, he is prohibited from entering multiple religious marriages unless a bride "voluntarily waives" her rights to them. Other circumstances under which polygamy is permitted by the DUM include cases where the first wife cannot conceive due to health issues, lack of desire, or age; in situations of "sexual incompatibility" between spouses; or when a man wishes to provide social and financial support to a single woman and her children. The DUM has acknowledged that women in purely religious marriages lack legal protections, which critics argue may leave women in polygamous religious marriages vulnerable. The conditions for such a marriage, they say, place a significant burden of proof on religious institutions or individuals to ensure compliance. How these provisions align with Russia's secular legal framework and broader societal norms is yet to be determined. Russian officials have yet to comment on the fatwah. The government, however, has been looking for ways to spur Russians to have more children as the declining population ages, a problem worsened by the Kremlin's war in Ukraine, which experts say has seen hundreds of thousands of Russian men die. The Russian government has actively promoted policies to encourage women to have more children, with financial incentives for larger families and efforts to discourage abortions. The Russian Orthodox Church has been assisting the government to promote such policies. Ukraine launched a deadly missile attack on the Russian region of Kursk on December 20, just hours after Russia carried out a massive air assault on Kyiv during rush hour that killed one person and damaged a historic cathedral and other buildings in the capital, including six embassies. Russia's Investigative Committee said an unspecified number of people were killed in the attack on Kursk involving U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets on the town of Rylsk. According to Mash Telegram channel , at least five people have been killed, and 26 others injured. The attack has destroyed several critical pieces of social infrastructure, including a pedagogical college, a cultural center, and a school. The attack came shortly after Russian launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Kyiv and several other regions around Ukraine. The whole of Ukraine was under a general air-raid alert for several hours as Russia launched eight missiles -- including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and Iskander/KN-23 ballistic missiles -- on Kyiv alone, Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, reported . Ukrainian cities and infrastructure continue to sustain regular Russian drone and missile strikes while outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces are facing difficulties in staving off Russia's increasingly rapid advance in the east. One person was killed by a strike in Kyiv's Holosiyiv district, while eyewitnesses reported several blasts in the city. The U.S. State Department condemned the missile attack, which damaged a building hosting several diplomatic missions. "Any attack against diplomats or diplomatic facilities anywhere is unacceptable," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on X. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko separately reported that falling debris from downed Russian drones fell on four of the capital's districts -- Holosiyiv, Solomyansk, Shevchenkivsk, and Dniprovsk -- wounding at least two people. Kyiv restaurateur Nadir Ahundov voiced his outrage at the Russian strike that completely destroyed his restaurant. "These subhuman [Russians], to drop such bombs on residential buildings," Ahundov told RFE/RL. "I put my heart, my soul into [creating] this," he said, pointing to the trees outside the restaurnat. "These trees were small when I planted them. Look at them now -- those monsters knocked them down." In Kherson, a 60-year-old man was killed in a Russian strike and two others, including an 86-year-old man, were wounded, regional Governor Roman Mrochko reported on Telegram. Late on December 19, a Russian missile struck and badly damaged a two-story apartment building in the southeastern city of Kryviy Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hometown, wounding five people, including two pulled alive from under the rubble, officials said. The attack also crippled the power supply in parts of the city of 600,000 and damaged a hospital, regional Governor Serhiy Lysak said. In a statement on Telegram, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that the strikes on December 20 were "in response" to Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets using Western-supplied weapons. The latest wave of attacks from both sides came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested at his highly choreographed annual press conference a "high-tech duel" over Kyiv to prove that Russia's new hypersonic ballistic missile, dubbed Oreshnik, cannot be shot down by Western-supplied air defenses. "It would be interesting for us.... Let's conduct this experiment, this technological duel, and see the results. I think it would be useful for both us and the Americans," Putin said. In reaction, Zelenskiy posted a message on X calling Putin a "dumbass." "People are dying, and he thinks it’s 'interesting'... Dumbass," Zelenskiy wrote. The United States and the United Kingdom have announced sanctions on Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and other senior officials in the ministry in response to their alleged role in a violent crackdown on journalists, opposition figures, and anti-government protesters. The United States also imposed sanctions on Mirza Kezevadze, deputy head of the special forces department in the Georgian Interior Ministry, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on December 19. The Treasury Department said it was taking the action in coordination with Britain, which on December 19 imposed sanctions on Gomelauri and four other officials of the Interior Ministry for alleged human rights violations. A U.S. Treasury Department official said the reasons cited by the two governments for imposing the sanctions were similar. “In the wake of Georgia’s election, key officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs engaged in a severe and vicious crackdown against their own people, including the intentional targeting of journalists and use of violence,” Acting Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith said in the statement. Any assets owned by Gomelauri and Kezevadze in U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, making their business operations more difficult, the Treasury Department statement said. In addition to Gomelauri, Britain imposed sanctions on deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Sulkhan Tamazashvili, Zviad Kharazishvili, and Mileri Lagazauri, according to a U.K. government statement. Thousands demonstrated in Tbilisi again on the night of December 19. It was the 22nd consecutive day of protests against the government's decision to effectively halt the country's EU accession talks. The protesters have questioned the legitimacy of the victory of the Georgian Dream party in the election that took place at the end of October. The demonstrations intensified after Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Tbilisi was suspending until 2028 talks with Brussels on Georgia's bid to join the European Union. “Security forces from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Special Task Department responded to protests with disproportionate violence to suppress dissent and discourage protesters,” the U.S. Treasury Department’s statement said. Georgia's pro-Europe president, Salome Zurabishvili, has said the October 26 election was rigged with the help of Moscow and has vowed not to leave office even when her successor -- selected by what protesters say is an illegitimate parliament -- is scheduled to be sworn in on December 29. Zurabishvili has condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media," comparing the crackdown to "Russian-style repression." Demonstrations have repeatedly been violently broken up, activists have been detained, and opposition politicians and media representatives attacked. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, and according to surveys, a majority of Georgians support EU membership. Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests. Georgia’s relations with Brussels soured with the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law that critics say threatens media and civil society groups by accusing them of "serving" outside powers. One lawmaker was killed and another injured in a shooting at the de facto parliament in Georgia's Abkhazia, a breakaway region supported by Russia. According to local media reports, Adgur Kharazia and Kan Kvarchia, lawmakers operating under the self-proclaimed government, were meeting on December 19 over a proposal to ban the mining of cryptocurrency when a disagreement boiled over. Kharazia, a former mayor of the region's capital, Sukhumi, has a history of violent incidents and reportedly pulled out a firearm and began shooting. Vakhtang Golandzia, a fellow lawmaker who was trying to intervene, was fatally shot. Kvarchia was shot in the arm and taken to hospital. The Health Ministry confirmed the incident while acting Interior Minister Robert Kiut said in a statement that "Kharazia managed to flee the scene and police are searching for him. A special investigative group has been sent to detain him." The shooting comes weeks after Abkhazia's parliament rejected a controversial investment deal with Russia on December 3. The shooting also underlines the region's instability, with presidential elections scheduled for February 2025. The agreement, signed in Moscow on October 30, was widely criticized as 'exploitative' by opposition figures and civil society groups who felt it would grant undue economic advantages to Russian investors while undermining Abkhazia's sovereignty. The political aftermath of the deal also provoked mass protests, forcing the de facto leader, Aslan Bzhania, to resign on November 19. He was replaced by acting leader Badra Gunba, yet the region remains in a state of political instability. The December 19 shooting further indicated the deep division within Abkhazia's leadership and the uncertainty within its political climate. Kvarchia, the injured legislator, has actively opposed the now-shelved Russian investment agreement. In the parliamentary session on December 3, he said the deal was "enslaving for Abkhazia." He accused the executive branch of trying to push the agreement through despite a public outcry. His opposition to the current administration's move has made him one of the key figures in the opposition movement that successfully rallied public dissent against the current administration's policies. Kharazia has a controversial history. In 2020, he was detained for allegedly causing grievous bodily harm and illegally possessing firearms after reportedly injuring an administrative official. His involvement in the December 19 shooting has once again raised questions about accountability within Abkhazia's separatist leadership and broader security mechanisms. The incident has piled on the pressure on acting leader Badra Gunba, who held an emergency meeting following the shooting. Gunba has already been under pressure from opposition groups demanding accountability for the mishandling of the Russian investment deal. The protests that led to Bzhania's resignation underlined deep-seated discontent with Abkhazia's governance and fragile dependence on Russia. The political crisis in Abkhazia reflects a struggle in the region to balance its reliance on Moscow for economic and military support with growing public unease about over-dependence on Moscow. While Russia recognized Abkhazia's independence after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, most international community still views the region as part of Georgia. A court in Romania has accepted an appeal filed by controversial Internet influencer Andrew Tate and his brother and sent his case on human trafficking and other charges back to prosecutors. The Bucharest Court of Appeals said on on December 19 that it found "irregularities" in the indictment issued by the Prosecutor-General's Office. The prosecutors can now bring forth new evidence to back up their charges or amend the existing ones. The ruling is a blow to Romania's anti-organized crime prosecuting unit DIICOT, which filed charges against Tate, his brother Tristan Tate, and two Romanian women after they were arrested in December 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking. They were formally indicted last year, and the Bucharest Tribunal ruled earlier this year that a trial could start but did not set a date. All four deny the charges. Andrew Tate, 38, and Tristen Tate, 36, are dual British-U.S. citizens and former kickboxers. Andrew Tate has amassed more than 10 million followers on the social media platform X but has been kicked off other platforms, including Facebook and TikTok over accusations of posting hate speech and misogynistic comments. Eugen Vidineac, one of the Tate brothers’ lawyers, said the decision was “a significant legal victory” that “rightly determined that there is insufficient basis to proceed with the case.” Mateea Petrescu, a spokeswoman for Andrew Tate, said the court's review "revealed significant procedural flaws and raised serious concerns about the integrity of the investigative process, further undermining the credibility of the prosecution’s case.” Andrew Tate complained bitterly about the case in a statement issued after the ruling. "They’ve had years to build their case -- years to tear apart my life, target everyone I know, and even subpoena the mother of my child," Tate said. "And yet, they have nothing." DIICOT has not commented on the ruling. The Bucharest Court of Appeal judges said in their decision that they had identified problems in "the manner of presenting the factual situation and describing the constitutive elements in the case" against the two female suspects. The judges also said Andrew Tate's right to a defense was violated in the way he was informed of the accusation of human trafficking regarding one of the alleged victims. Andrew Tate in August was placed under house arrest and Tristan Tate under judicial control for 30 days after they were interrogated by Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors as part of an investigation into new allegations against them. During the criminal investigation, prosecutors said they identified seven women who were sexually exploited "forcibly, in order to obtain significant financial benefits" for the defendants from people who accessed content on social media. Prosecutors accused the Tate brothers of recruiting their victims using the so-called "lover boy" method, seducing them and claiming to want a relationship or marriage. The victims were then taken to properties outside Bucharest, where they were sexually exploited through physical violence and psychological intimidation as they were forced to produce pornographic content, the prosecutors said. Romanian investigators carried out the interrogations and fresh searches at the brothers’ residences as part of the investigation into the new charges. DIICOT said at the time that the new accusations included charges of forming an organized crime group, trafficking of minors, a sexual act with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering. The brothers said through a spokesperson that the fresh accusations were “not fully clarified." They have been barred from leaving Romania as the proceedings against them continue but are set to be extradited to Britain once their case in Romania concludes. They face further allegations of rape and human trafficking in Britain, where a court ruled on December 18 that police can seize more than 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) to cover years of unpaid taxes. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring of the Westminster Magistrates’ Court said what appeared to be a “complex financial matrix” was actually a “straightforward cheat of the revenue.” Andrew Tate said in a statement that the ruling “is not justice” and claimed it was a “coordinated attack on anyone who dares to challenge the system.” The Tate brothers have stated that they do not want to be extradited from Romania, which they said they consider their home. A court in Moscow charged Uzbek citizen Ahmat Qurbanov on December 19 with terrorism and other charges in the high-profile killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces. In addition to terrorism, Qurbanov has been charged with murder and the illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. Qurbanov, born in 1995, has been accused of detonating a self-made explosive device concealed in a scooter parked near a residential building in Moscow on December 17. The blast killed Kirillov and his assistant. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Qurbanov shortly after the attack in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and the Investigative Committee. Investigators claimed Qurbanov was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services. The Russian authorities released a video in which a man speaking poor Russian introduced himself as Ahmad Qurbanov from Uzbekistan and "confessed" to having committed the attack. The circumstances in which the video was recorded remain unknown. During the court hearing on December 19, Qurbanov requested a translator due to his limited command of the Russian language. The Uzbek Embassy in Moscow has been actively involved in the case. It commented on Qurbanov's arrest on Telegram, saying that it was in contact with Russian law enforcement agencies. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev discussed cooperation in the fight against terrorism in a phone call on December 19, the Kremlin said. Mirziyoev expressed his condolences for the death of Kirillov and his assistant, according to the Kremlin. The FSB said in a statement on December 18 that the suspect had been recruited and trained by Ukraine's special services and promised money to carry out the attack. While there has been no formal claim of responsibility for the killing, a source at Ukraine's SBU security service told RFE/RL that the blast was the result of a special operation by the Ukrainian agency. Ukraine had accused Kirillov of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops. Moscow has denied the accusation. Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev has praised the Czech Republic after it adopted a resolution recognizing the deportation of Crimean Tatars by Soviet authorities in 1944 as genocide. In a December 18 vote, 70 of 74 senators supported the resolution, making the Czech Republic the seventh country to recognize the genocide, joining Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. "This decision morally supports Crimean Tatars and Ukraine and encourages other countries to follow suit," Mustafa Dzhemilev, the national leader of the Crimean Tatar people and a member of Ukraine's parliament, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in an interview after the vote. Eighty years ago, over three days from May 18 to May 20, 1944, Soviet security forces rounded up at least 200,000 Tatars on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and brutally sent them into exile in Central Asia. Tens of thousands died during the deportation and under the harsh conditions of their first years in exile. Soviet demographers in 1949 estimated there had been nearly 45,000 “excess deaths” among Crimean Tatars in the previous five years, while Crimean Tatar sources put the losses far higher. Dzhemilev said the recognition means even more than usual for Crimean Tatars since it comes while Russia occupies Crimea -- it illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014 -- and continues its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched almost three years ago. "This is a really important event, especially for the Crimean Tatars, who are currently under occupation. This is moral support for them. And at the same time, this is moral support for Ukraine, which is currently in a state of war with our not very good neighbor," Dzhemilev said. Dzhemilev noted the Czech government's readiness to use its influence to urge other countries to pass similar resolutions, especially those in Russia's traditional sphere of influence. The deportation of the Crimean Tatars -- like those of several other Soviet ethnic populations around the same time -- was ordered by dictator Josef Stalin and overseen by notorious secret police head Lavrenty Beria. It was followed by a campaign of de-Tatarization in Crimea, during which the culture of the Turkic, Muslim people was virtually wiped out on the peninsula. Although most of the persecuted ethnic groups were allowed to return to their homelands after Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev condemned the population transfers in 1956, Crimean Tatars were not. Only in the late 1980s, after more than four decades of exile, did the Soviet government condemn the deportation as a crime and lift the ban on their return. With Crimea occupied again, Dzhemilev said he understands Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's recent statement that Kyiv currently lacks the military strength to retake Crimea by force. Still, he hopes European countries such as Germany and France will convince the United States, which will see an administration change in January when President-elect Donald Trump moves into the White House, to continue its support for Ukraine in repelling Russian forces, including from Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is nearing its primary goal in the war against Ukraine and challenged the United States to a missile "duel" involving Russia's new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile. Speaking at an annual news conference used in large part to show his control over almost every aspect of Russia's political and economic spheres, Putin boasted about the country's economy, glossing over the impact of severe sanctions imposed by the West for the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine . The tightly controlled question-and-answer session on December 19, a live broadcast on state TV that lasted almost 4 1/2 hours, focused on domestic issues at the start before turning to foreign policy, namely the war in Ukraine. Putin, in power for almost a quarter of a century, said Russian forces were advancing along the front line of Ukraine and were moving toward achieving their primary goals . He didn't specify what he meant, but previously he has said peace will be possible after the "denazification, demilitarization, and a neutral status" of Ukraine. Russia has falsely claimed Ukraine is run by "radical nationalist" and neo-Nazi groups. Later in the broadcast, Putin said he was ready for "negotiations and compromises" in possible peace talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and that he had no conditions for starting such talks. Putin has previously ruled out making any major territorial concessions to end the war, while it has also insisted Kyiv abandon its ambitions to join the NATO military alliance. "Soon, those Ukrainians who want to fight will run out, in my opinion. Soon there will be no one left who wants to fight," he said. "We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises." However, Putin also admitted he could not say when Russia would regain full control of the western region of Kursk, where Ukraine launched a shock offensive in August and still occupies territory. "We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can't be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I'm sorry, I cannot say right now," Putin said. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on December 19 that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had spoken by phone the day before with his Swiss counterpart, Ignazio Cassis, about the conflict in Ukraine. The ministry said Lavrov "explained in detail the Russian position on the settlement of the situation" and outlined Putin's conditions. Well-known military analyst Michael Kofman at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said on a podcast earlier this month that he was skeptical that Russia would agree to an early cease-fire and suspected that Moscow could try to tie up the United States in "envoy diplomacy" for months. "I'm sure they'll be happy to schedule a summit in Geneva or perhaps some other place in Europe, all the while intending to make gains on the battlefield. And they've done this before," said Kofman. Kofman added that if Ukraine can maintain its front lines and prevent a breakthrough over the next several months, Russia's negotiating hand will weaken as military resources and economic problems become more acute. Russia has been trending toward authoritarianism since the beginning of Putin's tenure. But since an election in 2018, that trend has been more firmly entrenched than ever. The already marginalized opposition has been crushed. Earlier this year, Aleksei Navalny, Putin's most prominent critic, died while in a Siberian prison. A raft of constitutional amendments imposed in 2020 enabled Putin to seek two additional six-year terms, the first of which he secured with a landslide victory in March in balloting the international community called a "sham" and not "free and fair." The 72-year-old Putin, who is set to surpass Soviet dictator Josef Stalin’s nearly 30-year reign by the end of his new term to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than two centuries, could conceivably hold power until 2036. Putin struck a defiant tone when the subject of weaponry came up during the broadcast. In an apparent trolling of Washington, he suggested a "21th-century high-tech duel." "Let them determine some target for destruction, say in Kyiv: Concentrate all their air defense and missile defense forces there, and we will strike there with Oreshniks and see what happens," he said. "We are ready for such an experiment, but is the other side ready?" Russia launched the so-called Oreshnik ballistic missile against Ukraine on November 21 in a strike targeting the city of Dnipro. Putin said at the time it was part of Moscow's response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil with U.S.-supplied ATACMS and British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Analysts have voiced skepticism about the Oreshnik, saying the launching of the new intermediate-range missile was as much about political messaging as it was about military might. Putin has been raising the specter of a nuclear strike since long before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and analysts said the Russian leader chose the Oreshnik to send a different signal to Washington. "It's the kind of signaling you engage in when you can't, in fact, escalate in the way you've been threatening," Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, wrote on X of the November 21 missile strike. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that only transatlantic unity could eventually stop the war in Ukraine and lead to peace amid a change of administrations in the United States. Zelenskiy met on December 19 with EU leaders in Brussels to seek fresh support amid concerns that President-elect Donald Trump could pull U.S. support for Kyiv after he returns to the White House next month. Addressing the EU leaders, Zelenskiy welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to deploy troops to Ukraine following an eventual cease-fire. "We support France’s initiative for a military contingent in Ukraine as part of these guarantees and call on other partners to join this effort, it will help bring the war to an end," he told the closed-door meeting, according to a text posted on his website. It is "crucial for Europe to make a significant contribution to security guarantees," he said. "We all understand that in January, President Trump will intensify efforts to end the war. It’s up to us whether Europe supports him with a strong, united voice," he told the EU leaders, according to the text. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would ultimately need more protection through membership in the NATO military alliance. NATO has said Ukraine will join its ranks one day but it has not set a date or formally invited Ukraine to join. "It is impossible to discuss this only with European leaders, because for us, the real guarantees in any case - today or in the future - are NATO," he told reporters. "On the way to NATO, we want security guarantees while we are not in NATO. And we can discuss such guarantees separately with both the U.S. and Europe," he said. The meeting came as Ukrainian cities and infrastructure continue to sustain regular Russian drone and missile strikes while outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces are facing increasing difficulties in staving off Russia's increasingly rapid advance in the east. The EU leaders and Zelenskiy are to reaffirm their "unwavering commitment" to supporting Ukraine "for as long as it takes," according to draft conclusions seen by Reuters. "Russia must not prevail," the EU draft conclusions say. The bloc's leaders also stress that no decision must be made on Ukraine's fate without Kyiv's involvement. Zelenskiy on December 18 met in Brussels with NATO chief Mark Rutte and a group of European leaders who seek to develop their own plans if Trump, who has pledged to bring a swift end to the conflict, pulls support or forces Kyiv to make concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a cease-fire. Organized by Rutte, the meeting involves officials from Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the European Union's main institutions. The key topic of Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte was security guarantees, Zelenskiy's office said. "It is very important to use these two days in Brussels to meet with all our partners and have the same, and very importantly, not divided -- the same -- common European position on how to secure Ukraine, how to strengthen our people and, of course, make our army stronger," Zelenskiy said, according to a statement released by his office. Strengthening Ukrainian air defense especially ahead of the winter was a key topic during Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte, according to the statement from Zelenskiy's office. Rutte said Kyiv's allies should focus on ramping up arms supplies to ensure that Ukraine is in a position of strength. Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukrainian regions with 85 drones early on December 19, the Ukrainian Air Force said, adding that 45 drones were shot down while the other 40 were derailed by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems that jammed their navigation systems. The air force said the attack targeted 10 Ukrainian regions -- Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Khmelnytskiy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolayiv. Russia also launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and an Kh-59/69 guided missile during the attack, the air force said. The missile strikes damaged private homes and apartment buildings in the Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions, with no casualties or injuries reported. In the Kharkiv region, three people were killed in the village of Shevchenkove, said Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov. Two women, aged 67 and 65, and a 33-year-old man, were killed, Synyehubov said. One woman was injured and hospitalized as a result of the Russian shelling of Dvorichnaya, he added. The Ukrainian General Staff separately said that it struck an oil refinery in Russia's Rostov region. "Damage was inflicted to the infrastructure and production facilities of Novoshakhtinsk Oil Products Plant located in the Rostov Region of the Russian Federation," the General Staff said in a statement, adding that the refinery supplied Russia's military. Rostov's acting governor Yury Slyusar said that the region "suffered a massive attack" using 30 drones and three missiles. Russia's Rostov region has repeatedly been targeted by Ukraine. Separately, Russian officials said Ukraine struck Russia with at least 13 missiles and 84 drones. In recent months, Ukraine has increased the number of drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and fuel depots that work for Moscow's military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met in Brussels on December 18 with NATO chief Mark Rutte and several European leaders to discuss war strategy amid concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could pull U.S. support for Kyiv after he returns to the White House next month. The meeting came as European leaders seek to develop their own plans if Trump, who has pledged to bring a swift end to the conflict, pulls support or forces Kyiv to make concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a cease-fire. The key topic of Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte was security guarantees, Zelenskiy's office said . "It is very important to use these two days in Brussels to meet with all our partners and have the same, and very importantly, not divided -- the same -- common European position on how to secure Ukraine, how to strengthen our people and, of course, make our army stronger," Zelenskiy said, according to a statement released by his office. Zelenskiy said earlier on X that he and French President Emmanuel Macron had a "detailed one-on-one discussion" that focused on priorities to further strengthen Ukraine’s position. "We continued working on President Macron’s initiative regarding the presence of forces in Ukraine that could contribute to stabilizing the path to peace," Zelenskiy said in an apparent reference to a discussion of boots on the ground raised recently during a meeting between Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters ahead of the meeting that the priority of the meeting was to secure the "sovereignty of Ukraine and that it will not be forced to submit to a dictated peace." He said any discussion of boots on the ground would be premature. Rutte said Kyiv's allies should focus on ramping up arms supplies to ensure that Ukraine is in a position of strength. Strengthening Ukrainian air defense especially ahead of the winter was a key topic during Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte, according to the statement from Zelenskiy's office. "We have to do everything we can now to make sure that when it comes to air defense, when it comes to other weapons systems, we are doing everything we can to provide everything we can," Rutte said. Zelenskiy was expected to again plead for more air-defense systems to try to help stave off Russian barrages against Ukraine's power grid. Organized by Rutte, the meeting involves officials from Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the European Union's main institutions. Among the potential topics are possible security guarantees offered to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire and how a cease-fire could be monitored, with one option being an international peacekeeping force. NATO members have rebuffed Kyiv's calls for an invitation to join the alliance right away, sparking speculation that sending peacekeepers could be an alternative. Rutte also said he wants to discuss military aid, especially air defense, with Zelenskiy, saying Ukraine needs 19 extra air-defense systems to protect the country's energy infrastructure from Russian bombardment. Earlier on December 18, Rutte announced that a new NATO command in the German city of Wiesbaden has taken up its work to coordinate Western military aid for Ukraine. "The NATO command in Wiesbaden for security assistance and training for Ukraine is now up and running," Rutte told reporters at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. Dubbed NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), the command takes over coordination of the aid from the United States in a move widely seen as aiming to safeguard the support mechanism against Trump. NSATU is set to have around 700 personnel, including troops stationed at NATO's military headquarters in Belgium and at logistics hubs in Poland and Romania. Russia has condemned increases in Western military aid to Ukraine as risking a wider war. The U.K. and U.S. governments on December 18 said the comments of Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev following the assassination of a high-ranking Russian general by Ukrainian security services were irresponsible and yet another sign of Moscow's desperation. Medvedev, reacting to an editorial in the London-based Times newspaper that called the December 17 killing of a high-ranking Russian officer "a legitimate act of defense by a threatened nation," said Moscow should apply the same logic. Medvedev accused NATO and officials from countries allied with Ukraine in its battle to repel invading Russian troops of being participants in the conflict, making them "legitimate military targets." The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL that Medvedev's comments amounted to more irresponsible rhetoric from the Kremlin and reiterated that the United States and NATO do not seek a military conflict with Russia. "The Kremlin's aggression against Ukraine is the most significant and direct threat to Europe's security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. It is the Kremlin that started this war, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin could end it today," the State Department's press office said in a statement e-mailed to RFE/RL. U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a briefing on December 17 that Washington had no connection to the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces (RKhBZ), or any prior knowledge of it. The U.K. Foreign Office said the comments were "just another example of Putin’s propaganda machine," while a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was quoted as saying Medvedev's comments were "simply the latest in a stream of desperate rhetoric" to come out of Putin's government. "Unlike in Russia, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we take any threats made by Russia incredibly seriously," the spokesman added, according to The Times. "Our newspapers represent the best of British values: freedom, democracy and independent thinking," he said. "I stand with The Times." In its article, The Times said the assassination was "a discriminate strike against an aggressor" and that it underlines the need for Western governments to give Ukraine "all support it needs to fight a just war of self-defense." "All officials of NATO countries involved in decisions about military assistance to...Ukraine are participating in hybrid or conventional warfare against Russia.... And all these individuals can and should be considered legitimate military targets for the Russian state. And for all Russian patriots." Medvedev wrote in response. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told RFE/RL on December 18 that "Russia is always threatening. And it is meant to scare us, so what we see is the threats we have heard before." Speaking in Brussels before a meeting of EU leaders to discuss the war, she said: "I think the only response we can have is not to be afraid." The man nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia also weighed in on the killing, telling Fox News that it was "not a good idea" in his opinion. "There are rules of warfare and there are certain things you don't do," said Retired Lieutenant-General Keith Kellogg. "When you are killing [officers] in their hometown it's kind of like you kind of extended it and I don't think it's really smart to do." Kirillov and his assistant were killed by a bomb concealed in a scooter outside the entrance of a Moscow building early on December 17. Kirillov is one of a number of Russian officers and pro-war figures to be killed in Russia and in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. His death came a week after a senior official from a Russian company that develops cruise missiles used by Moscow in the war was reportedly shot dead just outside the capital. Medvedev's rhetoric draws from the Kremlin's long-term narrative of blaming Western "forces" for anti-Russian actions worldwide and acts of sabotage and "terrorism" on Russian territory. Russian investigators termed the killing a "terrorist" attack and immediately attributed it to Ukrainian intelligence. On December 18, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had detained a suspect -- a 29-year-old unnamed Uzbek national -- in the case. Medvedev also threatened retribution against journalists from The Times, ominously warning that the newspaper could be included in those "legitimate military targets," adding that "in London, many things happen...be careful." That warning appears to be a thinly veiled reference to the radiation poisoning of former FSB officer and Kremlin critic Aleksandr Litvinenko in London in 2006, and the attempted assassination of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in the British city of Salisbury with a deadly nerve agent in 2018. Russia accused Kyiv of "terrorism" after authorities said they had detained an Uzbek citizen who confessed to planting an explosive device that killed a high-ranking Russian officer on the instruction of Ukrainian intelligence. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces (RKhBZ), and his assistant were killed by a bomb concealed in a scooter outside the entrance of a Moscow building early on December 17. The speed of the arrest of the unnamed suspect led some analysts to question whether the 29-year-old Central Asian was a scapegoat, while unconfirmed reports swirled that police were ratcheting up raids on migrants. "The special services have a clear interest in showing their superiors the result of their work, that a successful investigation has taken place, and so on. It's not the first time we've seen this. It's hard to judge right now how accurate this [arrest] is," political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin told Current Time. While no individual or group officially claimed responsibility for the killing, a source at Ukraine's SBU security service told RFE/RL that the blast was the result of a special operation by the SBU. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement on December 18 that the unnamed suspect had been recruited and trained by Ukraine's special services and promised money to carry out the attack. The FSB said the suspect, on instructions from Ukraine, "arrived in Moscow, received a high-power homemade explosive device, and placed it on an electric scooter, which he parked near the entrance to the house of Kirillov." The Kremlin has not commented on the FSB statement, which said the suspect activated the bomb when Kirillov and his assistant were coming out of the building. The accused man had been given $100,000 for the murder as well as residency in a European country, the statement said, adding that the suspect faces life in prison for his alleged crime. "The Ukrainian special services officers involved in organizing the terrorist attack will be found and will receive the punishment they deserve," the FSB said. The FSB did not present any evidence along with its statement, and some analysts questioned the speed of the response. One woman from Kyrgyzstan told RFE/RL in Moscow that she expects a backlash for migrants from Central Asia. "The situation is difficult," the woman said. "I think the position of Central Asian migrants will only worsen after this event. Street inspections will likely intensify." The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was afraid to reveal her identity, recalled that events after the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in March there were many raids and deportations of Central Asians from Russia and it's possible this could happen again, she said. Russian investigators said the assault in which 144 people were killed was carried out by four men, all Tajik nationals. The Kyrgyz woman who spoke with RFE/RL said that she believes Uzbeks in Russia will continue to have a difficult time. "Migration laws in Russia are already being tightened. Things will get worse for them regardless," she said, noting that new laws will come into effect on January 1 and "everything will become even harder." Kirillov, 54, is the highest-level Russian military officer to be killed in an apparent assassination since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His death came a day after the SBU reported that Ukrainian prosecutors had filed a charge against him, accusing him of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops during the war started by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The SBU has said Russian forces have used chemical weapons almost 5,000 times during the war in Ukraine under Kirillov's leadership. The claim could not be independently verified. The RKhBZ are special forces who operate under conditions of radioactive, chemical, and biological contamination. Kirillov is one of a number of Russian officers and pro-war figures to be killed in Russia and in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. His death came a week after a senior official from a Russian company that develops cruise missiles used by Moscow in the war was reportedly shot dead just outside the capital. Viktor Yahun, the former deputy head of the SBU, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in an interview that with some 20 million people in Russia having Ukrainian origins, "you can find a percentage who are ready to sincerely work for Ukraine. That's why there are so many agents over there." Kirillov was seen in footage that was central to an RFE/RL Russian Service investigation that revealed details about a restricted facility outside Moscow. The site is linked to a U.S. assertion that Russia maintains an offensive biological weapons program in violation of the UN Biological Weapons Convention. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior Russian security official, told a meeting shown on state TV that NATO and Ukraine's Western allies were behind the attack because of their support for Kyiv throughout Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor. "These individuals can and should be considered a legitimate military target," he said. NATO officials have not commented publicly on Medvedev's remarks, but Kaja Kallas, the top EU diplomat, told reporters in Brussels that "Russia is always threatening." "And it is meant to scare us, so what we see is the threats we have heard before, so I think the only response we can have is not to be afraid,” she added. Security analyst Yuri Fedorov told Current Time he expects that Russia "will certainly try to retaliate, so it is very possible that there will be attempts by the Russian agents to kill high Ukrainian military and/or security services officers." "The attacks on Russian generals could have a political and psychological effect, but they cannot seriously impede Russia’s military effort: people like General Kirillov are not the irreplaceable figures who cannot be substituted."

Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. "Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to... MATT O'BRIEN AP technology writerOXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Sira Thienou scored 16 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals and No. 18 Mississippi coasted to an 89-24 win over Alabama State on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Sira Thienou scored 16 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals and No. 18 Mississippi coasted to an 89-24 win over Alabama State on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Sira Thienou scored 16 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals and No. 18 Mississippi coasted to an 89-24 win over Alabama State on Saturday. Starr Jacobs and Christeen Iwuala both added 12 points and Kennedy Todd-Williams had 11 for the Rebels (5-2), who had a breather after losing to No. 2 UConn by 13 in the Bahamas. Kaitlyn Bryant had seven points to lead the Hornets (2-5), who shot 19% with 33 turnovers and were outrebounded 43-25. Alabama State was 1 of 8 with 11 turnovers in the first quarter, falling behind 24-4. The Hornets were 2 of 11 with seven giveaways in the second quarter when they were outscored 33-6 to trail 57-10 at the half. The Rebels shot 58% with 28 points off turnovers. They scored the first 16 points of the game and the first 24 points of the second quarter. Ole Miss had the last five points of the third quarter and the first seven of the fourth to get the lead to 82-22. The Hornets went 1 of 10 in the final 10 minutes with 10 turnovers. It was Mississippi’s third win against teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference with one more to play. The Rebels play at NC State on Thursday in the SEC/ACC Challenge. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball Advertisement

Few companies in the world are as old and as successful as The Coca-Cola Company ( KO 0.16% ) . Its namesake drink was invented in 1886, and the logo for this beverage company is reportedly recognizable by an astounding 94% of the world's population today. Its scale is absolutely massive, and the market capitalization is an enormous $270 billion. Founded in 1923, The Walt Disney Company ( DIS 0.59% ) isn't as old as Coca-Cola. But its brand is similarly far-reaching. According to the Los Angeles Times , more people have heard of Mickey Mouse than Santa Claus. It's not surprising that this company has also reached a hefty market cap of more than $200 billion. As big and as iconic as Coca-Cola and Disney are, it's hard to imagine younger companies being more valuable. But the truth is that both of these companies are slow-growing, meaning their respective market valuations are going up relatively slowly, allowing some faster-growth companies to make up ground. A decade from now, I believe that MercadoLibre ( MELI 3.26% ) and Airbnb ( ABNB 3.76% ) could be worth more than Coca-Cola and Disney. Here's why. 1. MercadoLibre: $88 billion market cap As of this writing, MercadoLibre needs to gain about 130% to overtake Disney and gain about 210% to surpass Coca-Cola. I wouldn't be surprised to see MercadoLibre pass Disney within the next five years and Coca-Cola within the next 10. MercadoLibre already has the dominant e-commerce platform of Latin America, but it has ways to increase its market share in this still fast-growing space. For starters, the company launched loyalty program Meli+ last year, which gives its users perks that many other platforms don't offer. That's good incentive to use it over some rivals. One of the things offered by the loyalty program is free shipping. This is only possible because MercadoLibre spent years building its impressive logistics network. It can ship many products free and fast, which is an important driver of adoption. In terms of incremental opportunity, MercadoLibre's large e-commerce presence gives it the ability to branch into the rewarding new business of advertising. Consider that Amazon launched advertising relatively recently. In the third quarter of 2020, it had just $5 billion in revenue from advertising services, whereas it had well over $14 billion in Q3 2024. MercadoLibre's advertising revenue won't necessarily be this big. But the growth trajectory will likely follow a similar path. For the requisite growth to carry MercadoLibre's valuation beyond $200 billion, e-commerce, logistics, loyalty programs, and advertising are promising enough on their own. But there's an entire other component of the company in financial technology, and all those metrics are growing at strong double-digit rates as well. In short, MercadoLibre does business in a lot of different areas, and all are fast-growing. Therefore, when looking 10 years down the road, I feel confident that MercadoLibre could be worth $300 billion or more. 2. Airbnb: $81 billion market cap Airbnb stock needs to go up by 152% and 237% to pass Disney and Coca-Cola, respectively. But even though it needs to go up by more than MercadoLibre stock, I still think that Airbnb can get there on a similar timetable due to its big opportunities. Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky recently said: "What I expect is every year now, for the coming years, we will launch one to two new businesses that will generate $1 billion or more of revenue incrementally a year." Some of these launches could be in areas such as travel software and tourism experiences, but not all launches will necessarily be travel-related. Investors should temper expectations. But I believe the high-upside strategy is what's particularly exciting here. Airbnb is looking to try a lot of big ideas over the next decade. Many will probably fail. But by trying a lot of things, the odds increase for finding another lucrative revenue stream. Regarding the potential to pass Coca-Cola or Disney in value, I think that Airbnb will eventually come up with something that will get it there. Airbnb's core business is solid, which allows for experimentation elsewhere. For perspective, nearly 123 million nights and experiences were booked on the platform during Q3 2024 alone. It also generated $3.7 billion in revenue at a free-cash-flow margin of 29%. That's incredibly strong. Indeed, over the last five years, Airbnb's revenue has more than doubled and its free cash flow has skyrocketed, which is great for investors. ABNB Free Cash Flow Per Share data by YCharts. In other words, my investment thesis for Airbnb here is that its core business is rock solid, still growing, and incredibly profitable. This alone represents an upside opportunity for shareholders. But the company is also using its financial strength to experiment with many adjacent opportunities. If just one of these experiments is successful over the next decade, I believe this could provide the additional lift needed to surpass even Coca-Cola's value. Over the long term, growth is an extremely important component in investing. Looking at MercadoLibre and Airbnb, it's clear that a healthy amount of growth will be served up during the next decade. This is why I believe both could become more valuable than Coca-Cola and Disney, and it's why both are key holdings in my own portfolio.The NBA has issued a warning to its players to increase home security following a number of break-ins - and the FBI are involved. In a memo the NBA sent to its team officials, the league revealed that the FBI has connected several burglaries to "transnational South American Theft Groups." The groups are reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices." The NBA decided to warn players to safeguard valuable items as transnational crime rings could be targeting US sports stars. Officials with both the NBA and NFL are assessing the danger following a series of brazen home break-ins that've targeted some of their most well known players. NFL issues security alert after Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes incidents Giannis Antetokounmpo gets involved as 'Unrivaled' awaits Caitlin Clark decision The NBA's senior vice president and chief security officer Leon Newsome told league presidents and general managers that officials have been briefed by FBI agents. The FBI reportedly warned that pro atheltes are among the people targeted by “SATGs”. Newsome said: “These SATGs are reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices. The SATGs are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags. The FBI reported that, in most of the incidents, the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated. The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present.” The NBA memo did not name any victims. However, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Michael Conley both suffered burglaries after Kansas City Chiefs duo Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were hit. Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news Earlier this week, the NFL advised players to be mindful when it comes to publicly disclosing information associated with their whereabouts, homes, and any luxury items. The NFL memo read: “The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups. “It is important for players to maintain situational awareness, practice social media safety and implement home security measures to reduce risk of becoming a target.” Mahomes and Kelce, the star tight end and boyfriend of Taylor Swift , were both break-in victims at their homes in the Kansas City area. Mahomes' house in Belton, Missouri, was hit on Oct. 6, while Kelce's place in Leawood, Kansas, was broken into Oct. 7. Both men were out the house as they prepared for the Chiefs' Monday Night Football clash with the New Orleans Saints. “Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing,” Mahomes told reporters before facing the Bills on Sunday. “I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing. But obviously it's something that you don’t want to happen to, really, anybody but obviously yourself.”

1 dead after central Phoenix shooting

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Sowei 2025-01-13
For two years, Colorado fans have been entertained with some of the best players to come through Boulder. Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, and many others with the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3, 7-2 Big 12), will wrap up their collegiate careers with a bowl game later this month and turn their focus to the NFL. Head coach Deion Sanders, his staff and Buff Nation, however, are already peeking ahead to 2025. On Wednesday, Coach Prime and his staff signed 14 high school players as the early, three-day signing period began. In the ever-changing world of college football, this is the earliest the signing period has ever been, more than two weeks earlier than last year (Dec. 20). It’s the first step in reshaping a CU roster without Shedeur at quarterback and Hunter at cornerback and receiver. According to 247Sports, the Buffs’ class, as of Wednesday, ranks 37th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 Conference. Class size plays a role in those rankings and Coach Prime has never been one to build up a large class of prep recruits. In terms of average player rating (or the quality of the recruits), the Buffs lead the Big 12 and rank 21st nationally. The headliner of the class is Shedeur’s potential replacement, five-star quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis from Carrollton (Ga.) High School. With a .9831 rating on 247Sports.com, Lewis is the highest-rated high school quarterback to ever sign with the Buffs. Lewis was verbally committed to USC for 15 months before flipping to CU last month. Prior to Wednesday, Coach Prime could not talk about specific recruits. On Nov. 21, however, the day Lewis committed, Coach Prime had his coaches’ show and spoke about the newest commit, without mentioning his name. “It’s a great thing for the program,” he said. “We know that’s been in the working for quite some time. Great kid, great talent. I like the qualities and the home structure. I like all of that and I can’t wait to be a part of his life and coach him.” In recent years, Lewis has been close with former CU great quarterback Kordell Stewart, who is also a friend of Coach Prime. While securing one of the top quarterbacks in the country, the Buffs also put an emphasis on protecting him. Of the 14 players in the class, three are offensive linemen and two are tight ends. Two four-star linemen – Chauncey Gooden (Nashville, Tenn.) and Carde Smith (Mobile, Ala.) – lead the way up front. Combined, they had 73 scholarship offers. Smith, like Lewis, was committed to USC until recently, while Gooden was projected by some to go Clemson before committing to CU last summer. Three-star Jay Gardenhire is also joining the class as a 6-foot-8, 330-pound tackle from West Bloomfield, Mich. The Buffs also landed three receivers, all from Texas high schools: four-star prospects Quanell Farrakhan Jr. and Adrian Wilson and three-star Quentin Gibson. Defensively, the Buffs have added two linemen, an edge rusher, a linebacker and a safety. The group is headlined by four-star edge London Merritt, who was committed to Ohio State before flipping to CU last week. As a new crop of Buffs prepares to come to Boulder, the outgoing seniors have expressed confidence that even with them gone, success will continue. “We definitely laid the foundation for the younger guys to come up and keep their foot on the gas pedal, keep going, keep playing, and just believe in coaching,” Hunter said recently. Senior safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig said that when he comes back to Boulder in a few years, he expects to see more trophies on display. “We’re gonna have 2025 trophies, 2026, 2027 trophies,” he said. “That’s the standard, to win, at the end of the day.” Shedeur, projected as a top-five selection in the 2025 draft, even said he’ll do his part by donating money to the NIL collective to ensure the Buffs’ success will continue. “My main thing is surround them and give them everything that I wish I could have had,” he said after the win against Oklahoma State. “So it’s basically set them up for success, and everything in my power, I personally could do, I’m gonna do. I’m gonna donate to the collective for sure. “I’ll make sure you have a super team next year. I’m just happy for the new guys coming in and that we paved away for them. They just got to take control. They just got to take over. We’re gonna make sure everything is good, how they need it.” Notable CU did lose one commit on Wednesday, as four-star safety Alex Graham from Detroit flipped and signed with USC. He had been committed to CU since April. ... CU signed one in-state recruit, tight end Zayne DeSouza from Loveland High School. He’s just the second in-state recruit signed by Coach Prime in three recruiting cycles, with the other being current sophomore center Hank Zilinskas from the 2023 class. ... For decades, California was a recruiting hotbed for CU, but the Buffs haven’t signed any players from the Golden State in the last two classes.What’s next for AI: Trends, expectations for 2025, beyondnice 88 power filter

Texas and Georgia are battling for recruiting supremacy before duking it out for a Southeastern Conference title. Alabama, which also appears to be headed to the playoffs, is right behind them. The two Atlanta-bound and presumably playoff-bound SEC powers are leading the way in recruiting league-wide and nationally during the early signing period that started Wednesday. They'll meet Saturday in the SEC championship game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They're currently No. 1 (Texas) and No. 2 (Georgia) nationally, but the SEC holds a sweep of the top three with the Crimson Tide ranked third in Kalen DeBoer's first full recruiting cycle. The league holds eight of the top 11 spots. The final rankings are pending the decision of the nation's top uncommitted prospect, defensive tackle Justus Terry, who is expected to choose among three SEC schools: Georgia, Texas and Auburn. The Longhorns landed four five-star prospects, per the 247Sports composite rankings of recruiting sites. They also picked up No. 1-ranked athlete Michael Terry III on signing day when he chose Texas over Nebraska. Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns class is led by five-star safety Jonah Williams of Galveston, Texas, the nation’s No. 8 overall prospect, according to the composite rankings. They signed five-star wide receivers Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench, along with edge rusher Lance Jackson. Only Florida’s Ffrench was from out of state. Georgia had pledges from five five-star prospects entering signing day, led by No. 3 overall recruit defensive lineman Elijah Griffin, edge rusher Isaiah Gibson and linebacker Zayden Walker. Alabama got a potential successor to quarterback Jalen Milroe. Keelon Russell of Duncanville, Texas, is rated as the No. 2 quarterback and overall prospect per the composite rankings. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze has been touting his recruiting success frequently as building a solid foundation amid losing records in his first two seasons. The Tigers are currently at No. 6 and landed a much-needed quarterback in five-star Deuce Knight from Lucedale, Mississippi. LSU had the eighth-ranked class, a group led by five-star prospects in cornerback DJ Pickett, running back Harlem Berry and offensive lineman Solomon Thomas. Texas A&M stands at No. 9 after late flips in five-star signees in wide receiver Jerome Myles (from USC) and offensive tackle Lamont Rogers (Missouri). The Aggies are followed in order by LSU, Tennessee and Florida. The Volunteers were still awaiting the letter-of-intent from top-five prospect offensive tackle David Sanders Jr., who has been committed since August but is reportedly considering Ohio State. The Gators' class was highlighted by five-star receiver Vernell Brown III. Ole Miss wide receiver signee Caleb Cunningham is too highly rated to be truly under the radar for most programs. But Lane Kiffin has built the Rebels into an SEC contender largely with transfers, not blue-chip high school recruits. Cunningham, who de-committed from Alabama on Nov. 13, is rated as the No. 2 receiver and 18th-best player in the class. Ole Miss is looking for a replacement to star receiver Tre Harris. Alabama's Russell was the highest-rated recruit and plays at the most prized position. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder led Duncanville High School to state championships in 2022 and 2023 and was MVP of the Elite 11 quarterback competition this year. Alabama returns Ty Simpson and Austin Mack at quarterback, so there may not be a pressing need for an immediate impact. Myles was a big addition to the Aggies at a position of need. The nation's No. 5 receiver and 23rd-rated recruit had decommitted from USC after visiting College Station last weekend. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko's team is down to five scholarship receivers entering the postseason. Billy Napier and Florida flipped four-star safety Lagonza Hayward from rival Tennessee. Hayward ranks as the No. 9 safety in the country and had decommitted from the Vols on Sunday. Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 football throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Axon Enterprise CPO & CTO Jeffrey Kunins sells $1.73m in stockTexas, Georgia, Alabama top SEC and national recruiting rankings after early signingsChina Life Insurance Reports Accumulated Original Insurance Premium Income of Approximately 644.3 Billion Yuan in the First 11 Months, a Year-on-Year Increase of 4.8%

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi's return to FC Barcelona after a brief spell at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has sent shockwaves through the football world. Messi's comeback to his boyhood club has been met with jubilation by fans and has reignited hopes of glory for the Catalan giants. However, amidst the excitement, one thing is clear – time is of the essence for both Messi and Barcelona.Jimmy Carter Dies: A Look at the Love Story Between Jimmy and Wife Rosalynn

On the other side, we have Manchester City, the English powerhouse who have been on a meteoric rise in recent years under the guidance of Pep Guardiola. The Citizens are known for their stylish, attacking brand of football and possess a wealth of talent in every position. With the likes of Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield, Raheem Sterling causing havoc on the wings, and the clinical finishing of Sergio Aguero up front, Manchester City are a force to be reckoned with in any competition they enter.

Moreover, the lack of transparency in these deals raises serious questions about the ethical practices of these tech giants and their commitment to protecting user privacy. If they are able to manipulate the advertising market behind closed doors, it could open the door to potential abuses of power and violations of consumer trust.

Whetsch burst onto the football scene as a young prodigy with immense talent and potential. His exceptional skills and remarkable performances quickly caught the eye of top clubs, paving the way for a lucrative transfer to Inter Milan. During his time at the Italian giants, Whetsch enjoyed unprecedented success, showcasing his abilities on the pitch and solidifying his status as one of the most promising players in the world.‘World at dawn of third nuclear age’, armed forces chief warns

One of the most notable new moves for monsters in the co-op mode is the ability to team up and unleash devastating combination attacks. Players must be on high alert and work together seamlessly to counter these powerful moves and emerge victorious in the face of overwhelming odds.Boeing Announces Layoffs of Nearly a Thousand Employees in California and Washington

The developers of "Black Myth: Wukong" have been praised for their commitment to delivering high-quality content and engaging experiences for players. The attention to detail, stunning visuals, and immersive gameplay have earned the game a dedicated fanbase, who eagerly await each new update and challenge. With the latest boss challenge, the developers have once again demonstrated their dedication to providing players with thrilling adventures and memorable experiences.

One of the key factors driving the high volume of applications is the attractive subsidy provided to car owners looking to trade in their old vehicles. By offering financial incentives to those who choose to upgrade to newer models, the program not only incentivizes consumers to make environmentally friendly choices but also stimulates demand in the automotive market.By leveraging state-of-the-art error correction algorithms and innovative quantum hardware designs, the Willow team has made a significant breakthrough in quantum error correction. The ability to complete a computation that would take a traditional supercomputer 10²⁵ years in just 5 minutes demonstrates the tremendous progress that has been made in overcoming the obstacles posed by quantum errors.From a contractual standpoint, the addition of Kounde is unlikely to impact negotiations with Araujo over a new deal. Barcelona are keen on securing the services of the Uruguayan defender for the foreseeable future, recognizing his potential and value to the team. Araujo himself has expressed his desire to stay at the club and continue his development under Xavi's guidance.

Fans have taken to social media to express their reactions to the news of CD Projekt Red's warning to Doug Cockle. Many have voiced their concerns about the potential implications for the future of The Witcher series, with some fearing that the beloved franchise may be in jeopardy or undergoing uncertain changes.While the FIFPRO Best 11 is a celebration of the best performers in world football, the absence of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has caught many by surprise. Messi, a multiple-time Ballon d'Or winner and one of the greatest players of all time, had a memorable season with Barcelona despite their struggles. Ronaldo, the evergreen goal-scoring machine, continued to defy age and break records with Juventus. The exclusion of these two footballing icons has sparked debates and discussions about the criteria and selection process for the Best 11.

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(Note to subs: amends byline error) The world stands at the dawn of a “third nuclear age” in which Britain is threatened by multiple dilemmas, the head of the armed forces has warned. But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” The first nuclear age was the Cold War, while the second was “governed by disarmament efforts and counter proliferation”, the armed forces chief said. He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”Cam Carter scored LSU's first eight points and finished with a game-high 23 and LSU raced to a 37-8 lead on its way to a 110-45 victory against outmanned Mississippi Valley State on Sunday in Baton Rouge, La. Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and Jordan Sears and Daimion Collins scored 15 each for the Tigers (11-2), who led 55-13 at halftime. It was their final game before opening Southeastern Conference play against visiting Vanderbilt on Saturday. LSU, which defeated Mississippi Valley 106-60 last season, shot 65.7 percent (46 of 70) from the floor. The Delta Devils (2-11) had no player score in double figures. The closest was Alvin Stredic with eight points. Mississippi Valley State remained winless against Division I opponents and have an average margin of defeat of 44.2 points heading into their Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at Alabama State on Jan. 4. Stredic's field goal tied the score at two before Carter made a tie-breaking 3-pointer to give LSU the lead for good. Carter made another 3-pointer during a 7-0 run that increased the lead to 12-4. Another field goal by Stredic ended that run before Carter and Sears each made a 3-pointer and the Tigers pushed the lead to 20-6. Stredic made another field goal, giving him six of his team's first eight points, before Carter made a 3-pointer and another basket to help fuel a 17-0 run that enabled LSU to build the 37-8 bulge. Johnathan Pace made a field goal to stop the run, but Sears and Curtis Givens III each made a 3-pointer to complete a 10-0 run that expanded the lead to 47-10. Jair Horton answered with the Delta Devils' only 3-pointer of the half before Miller and Sears each scored four points and the Tigers led by 42 at the break. Carter (16 points) and Sears (10) combined to score twice as many points as Mississippi Valley State in the half. Carter made 6-of-10 3-pointers and Sears made 4 of 8. --Field Level Media

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Sowei 2025-01-13
New Delhi, Dec 28, 2024- While India has proved its prowess in precision landing with Chandrayaan-3, the impending SpaDeX mission will achieve a historic space docking feat, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aims to launch the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission, aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket, at 21:58 IST from Sriharikota on December 30. The mission aims to dock two satellites in space, a challenge only mastered by the US, Russia, and China, so far. “ISRO’s year-end mission is going to be a historic one as it will seek the rare feat of docking or merging or joining together two satellites in space,” Singh said, adding that “the indigenous technology used for this mission is called the ‘Bharatiya Docking System’”. “SpaDEX will mark a milestone, showcasing India’s expertise in spacecraft docking technology,” Singh noted. The success of this mission is vital for India’s future space ambitions. Docking technology will help upcoming missions like Chandrayaan-4 and the planned Indian space station, expected to be ready by 2035. It is also crucial for the eventual manned Gaganyaan mission, expected to launch in 2026. With SpaDeX, “ISRO will attempt to dock two satellites orbiting at speeds of 28,800 km/h”. And both satellites must be carefully manoeuvred to reduce their relative velocities to a mere 0.036 km/h”. The two satellites, SDX01 or Chaser and SDX02 or Target, will merge to form a single unit in space. Each satellite weighs around 220 kilograms and will orbit 470 km above Earth. The mission aims to include performing precision rendezvous and docking manoeuvres, validating power transfer between docked spacecraft, and operating payloads post-undocking, with a two-year lifespan. SpaDEX will also use PSLV’s fourth stage, POEM-4, for experiments. The stage will carry 24 payloads from academic institutions and startups. These experiments will utilise the microgravity environment in orbit.(Agency)The body of Hamas hostage Itai Svirsky has been recovered by Israeli forces 14 months after he was taken by the terror group. Svirsky, 38, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri, where he was visiting his parents, during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. Both his parents were murdered after the terrorists swept through the community , and their corpses were identified days after their son went missing. Svirsky’s body was returned to Israel as part of an operation by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to recover the remains of captives killed in Gaza. “The Kidnapped and Missing Persons team in the IDF Human Resources Division, responsible for supporting the families of the kidnapped, worked closely with the Institute for Forensic Medicine and the Israel Police to identify his remains,” the Israeli military said in a statement, according to the Jerusalem Post . Svirsky was last seen alive in a series of videos the terrorists released in January, which showed him along with since-free hostage Noa Argamani — whose kidnapping on the back of a motorcycle became one of the enduring symbols of Oct. 7’s horrors — and Yossi Sharabi, who is believed to have been killed during an IDF airstrike. Svirsky and the hostages were filmed pleading with the Israeli government to secure their release — before concluding by telling the Israeli people “Your government is lying” in a coerced statement. It is unclear when those clips were taken, or whether Svirsky was still alive at the time. The three had been held together during their captivity, Argamani confirmed after her release in June. “Dear Itai, during our shared stay in captivity, we imagined thousands of situations together, how we would return to Israel together, how we would meet for coffee after everything was over and laugh about it all. “We never thought for a moment that you would return to Israel like this, as a corpse,” Argamani wrote in a social media post after his body was returned. “Thank you for every moment of our shared time together. You were my friend; you were my big brother in this dark place. You taught me so many things that I will take with me no matter where I go. Now, you will receive a proper burial in Israel. Rest in peace.” Svirsky’s death was announced in a Hamas-released video on Jan. 15, where a still-captive Argmanani claimed he was killed in an airstrike shortly after Sharabi was killed. But the IDF maintains that story was concocted by the terror group, and that Svirsky was actually shot dead in captivity, the Jerusalem Post reported. At least 100 hostages remain in captivity nearly 14 months since the attack.nice 88 slot net

LONDON—Apple complained that requests from Meta Platforms for access to its operating software threaten user privacy, in a spat fueled by the European Union’s intensifying efforts to get the iPhone maker to open up to products from tech rivals. The 27-nation EU’s executive Commission is drawing up “interoperability” guidelines for Apple under its new digital competition rulebook. The interoperability measures would ensure that devices like smartwatches or features like wireless file transfers work as smoothly with iPhones as do Apple Watches or AirDrop. The EU’s rulebook, known as the Digital Markets Act, aims to promote fair competition in digital markets and prevent Big Tech “gatekeeper” companies from cornering markets. The commission posted proposed measures late Wednesday on how Apple should make its iOS operating system work with other technology. In response, Apple said it’s “concerned that some companies—with data practices that do not meet the high standards of data protection law held by the EU and supported by Apple—may attempt to abuse the DMA’s interoperability provisions to access sensitive user data.” The company singled out Meta, saying it has made at least 15 requests “for potentially far-reaching access to Apple’s technology stack” that would reduce privacy protections for users. If those requests were granted, “Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp could enable Meta to read on a user’s device all of their messages and emails, see every phone call they make or receive, track every app that they use, scan all of their photos, look at their files and calendar events, log all of their passwords,” the company said in a report. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, fought back. “Here’s what Apple is actually saying: they don’t believe in interoperability,” Meta spokesman Andy Stone said in a post on X. “In fact, every time Apple is called out for anticompetitive behavior, they defend themselves on privacy grounds that have no basis in reality.” The Brussels-based European Commission’s proposed measures call for an approach based on Apple’s existing “request-based process,” in which developers ask for access to features and functions. Apple should provide a “dedicated contact” to handle requests and give updates and feedback, and there should be a “fair and impartial conciliation” process to settle disagreements on technical issues. The commission is now asking for feedback from the public by January 9 on the proposals, including from any companies that have made interoperability requests from Apple, or are thinking of doing so. APTULSA, Okla. , Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS ) today issued financial guidance for 2025 and updated its five-year growth rates. "We enter 2025 focused on creating long-term value for our stakeholders, supporting growing customer demand, and enhancing the safety and reliability of our system," said Robert S. McAnnally , president and chief executive officer. "Our strategic plan supports a long runway of growth opportunities and investments in system reinforcements." 2025 FINANCIAL GUIDANCE ONE Gas (the "Company") expects 2025 net income to be in the range of $254 million to $261 million, with earnings per diluted share of $4.20 to $4.32 . The midpoints of 2025 guidance are net income of $257 million and earnings per diluted share of $4.26 . The Company's 2025 earnings guidance includes the benefit of new rates and customer growth, partially offset by higher operating expenses, including employee-related and contractor costs, depreciation expense from capital investments, and interest expense. Capital investments, including asset removal costs, are expected to be approximately $750 million in 2025, primarily targeted for system integrity and replacement projects. Capital investments for extensions to new customers are expected to be approximately $180 million, largely due to continued growth opportunities in Texas and Oklahoma . The anticipated average rate base for 2025 is $5 .8 billion. The Company has outstanding forward sale agreements covering approximately 3.6 million shares of its common stock at an average price of approximately $77 per share. Had all forward shares been settled at the end of the third quarter, net proceeds would have been approximately $275 million . The Company expects to settle approximately $245 million of its outstanding equity under forward sale agreements at year-end 2024 and roll forward approximately $30 million to settlement in 2025. FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL GROWTH RATES For the five years ending 2029, capital investments, including asset removal costs, are expected to be in the range of $750 million to $850 million per year, or approximately $4.0 billion for the five-year period, including growth capital of approximately $1.0 billion . Capital expenditures support estimated average rate base growth of 7% to 9% per year through 2029. Annual net income and diluted earnings per share are expected to increase by an average of 7% to 9% and 4% to 6%, respectively, over the long term and the Company expects to be at the high end of these respective ranges through 2029. Operating costs over the five-year period are expected to increase an average of approximately 4% per year, down from the 5% average annual increase indicated in the 2024 guidance. The Company estimates total net long-term financing needs for the period 2025 through 2029 of approximately $1.5 billion , of which approximately 40% is expected to be equity. Consistent with last year's guidance, the Company expects to achieve an average annual dividend growth rate of 1% to 2% through 2029, subject to the board of directors' approval, with a target dividend payout ratio of 55% to 65% of net income. CONFERENCE CALL, WEBCAST AND INVESTOR PRESENTATION The ONE Gas executive management team will conduct a conference call on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 , at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time ( 7 a.m. Central Standard Time ). The call also will be carried live on the ONE Gas website. To participate in the telephone conference call, dial 833-470-1428, passcode 934495, or log on to www.onegas.com/investors and select Events and Presentations. If you are unable to participate in the conference call or the webcast, a replay will be available on the ONE Gas website, www.onegas.com , for 30 days. A recording will be available by phone for seven days. The playback call may be accessed at 866-813-9403, passcode 503269. Additional information can be found in the 2025 Financial Guidance investor presentation on the ONE Gas website at https://www.onegas.com/investors/financials-and-filings/guidance . Guidance estimates may be impacted by the variables in the forward-looking statements listed below. ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS ) is a 100% regulated natural gas utility, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "OGS." ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States . Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma , ONE Gas provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 2.3 million customers in Kansas , Oklahoma and Texas . Its divisions include Kansas Gas Service, the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas ; Oklahoma Natural Gas, the largest in Oklahoma ; and Texas Gas Service, the third largest in Texas , in terms of customers. For more information and the latest news about ONE Gas, visit onegas.com and follow its social channels: @ONEGas , Facebook , LinkedIn and YouTube . Some of the statements contained and incorporated in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. The forward-looking statements relate to our anticipated financial performance, liquidity, management's plans and objectives for our future operations, our business prospects, the outcome of regulatory and legal proceedings, market conditions and other matters. We make these forward-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following discussion is intended to identify important factors that could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include the items identified in the preceding paragraph, the information concerning possible or assumed future results of our operations and other statements contained or incorporated in this news release identified by words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "should," "goal," "forecast," "guidance," "could," "may," "continue," "might," "potential," "scheduled," "likely," and other words and terms of similar meaning. One should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are applicable only as of the date of this news release. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Those factors may affect our operations, costs, liquidity, markets, products, services and prices. In addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with the forward-looking statements, factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statement include, among others, the following: our ability to recover costs, income taxes and amounts equivalent to the cost of property, plant and equipment, regulatory assets and our allowed rate of return in our regulated rates or other recovery mechanisms; cyber-attacks, which, according to experts, continue to increase in volume and sophistication, or breaches of technology systems that could disrupt our operations or result in the loss or exposure of confidential or sensitive customer, employee, vendor, counterparty, or Company information; further, increased remote working arrangements have required enhancements and modifications to our information technology infrastructure (e.g. Internet, Virtual Private Network, remote collaboration systems, etc.), and any failures of the technologies, including third-party service providers, that facilitate working remotely could limit our ability to conduct ordinary operations or expose us to increased risk or effect of an attack; our ability to manage our operations and maintenance costs; changes in regulation of natural gas distribution services, particularly those in Oklahoma , Kansas and Texas ; the economic climate and, particularly, its effect on the natural gas requirements of our residential and commercial customers; the length and severity of a pandemic or other health crisis which could significantly disrupt or prevent us from operating our business in the ordinary course for an extended period; competition from alternative forms of energy, including, but not limited to, electricity, solar power, wind power, geothermal energy and biofuels; adverse weather conditions and variations in weather, including seasonal effects on demand and/or supply, the occurrence of severe storms in the territories in which we operate, and climate change, and the related effects on supply, demand, and costs; indebtedness could make us more vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions, limit our ability to borrow additional funds and/or place us at competitive disadvantage compared with competitors; our ability to secure reliable, competitively priced and flexible natural gas transportation and supply, including decisions by natural gas producers to reduce production or shut-in producing natural gas wells and expiration of existing supply and transportation and storage arrangements that are not replaced with contracts with similar terms and pricing; our ability to complete necessary or desirable expansion or infrastructure development projects, which may delay or prevent us from serving our customers or expanding our business; operational and mechanical hazards or interruptions; adverse labor relations; the effectiveness of our strategies to reduce earnings lag, revenue protection strategies and risk mitigation strategies, which may be affected by risks beyond our control such as commodity price volatility, counterparty performance or creditworthiness and interest rate risk; the capital-intensive nature of our business, and the availability of and access to, in general, funds to meet our debt obligations prior to or when they become due and to fund our operations and capital expenditures, either through (i) cash on hand, (ii) operating cash flow, or (iii) access to the capital markets and other sources of liquidity; our ability to obtain capital on commercially reasonable terms, or on terms acceptable to us, or at all; limitations on our operating flexibility, earnings and cash flows due to restrictions in our financing arrangements; cross-default provisions in our borrowing arrangements, which may lead to our inability to satisfy all of our outstanding obligations in the event of a default on our part; changes in the financial markets during the periods covered by the forward-looking statements, particularly those affecting the availability of capital and our ability to refinance existing debt and fund investments and acquisitions to execute our business strategy; actions of rating agencies, including the ratings of debt, general corporate ratings and changes in the rating agencies' ratings criteria; changes in inflation and interest rates; our ability to recover the costs of natural gas purchased for our customers and any related financing required to support our purchase of natural gas supply; impact of potential impairment charges; volatility and changes in markets for natural gas and our ability to secure additional and sufficient liquidity on reasonable commercial terms to cover costs associated with such volatility; possible loss of local distribution company franchises or other adverse effects caused by the actions of municipalities; payment and performance by counterparties and customers as contracted and when due, including our counterparties maintaining ordinary course terms of supply and payments; changes in existing or the addition of new environmental, safety, tax and other laws to which we and our subsidiaries are subject, including those that may require significant expenditures, significant increases in operating costs or, in the case of noncompliance, substantial fines or penalties; the effectiveness of our risk-management policies and procedures, and employees violating our risk-management policies; the uncertainty of estimates, including accruals and costs of environmental remediation; advances in technology, including technologies that increase efficiency or that improve electricity's competitive position relative to natural gas; population growth rates and changes in the demographic patterns of the markets we serve, and economic conditions in these areas' housing markets; acts of nature and the potential effects of threatened or actual terrorism and war, including recent events in Europe and the Middle East ; the sufficiency of insurance coverage to cover losses; the effects of our strategies to reduce tax payments; changes in accounting standards; changes in corporate governance standards; existence of material weaknesses in our internal controls; our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and the ONE Gas Credit Agreement, a violation of which, if not cured in a timely manner, could trigger a default of our obligations; our ability to attract and retain talented employees, management and directors, and shortage of skilled-labor; unexpected increases in the costs of providing health care benefits, along with pension and postemployment health care benefits, as well as declines in the discount rates on, declines in the market value of the debt and equity securities of, and increases in funding requirements for, our defined benefit plans; and our ability to successfully complete merger, acquisition or divestiture plans, regulatory or other limitations imposed as a result of a merger, acquisition or divestiture, and the success of the business following a merger, acquisition or divestiture. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other factors could also have material adverse effects on our future results. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Part 1, Item 1A, Risk Factors, in our Annual Report. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or change in circumstances, expectations or otherwise. SOURCE ONE Gas, Inc.

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Indiana’s next governor has added a layer of management with his incoming cabinet, with just two of the eight members serving as agency heads in addition to their secretarial duties. Other positions in the cabinet include the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, the superintendent of the Indiana State Police and the lieutenant governor. All eight will oversee several agencies and report directly to Gov.-elect Mike Braun. In contrast, Gov. Eric Holcomb had two dozen members in his cabinet, including direct reports from agency heads. “So much of the inefficiency in government is when it sprawls and you don’t have any real good management structure to it,” Braun said at an Indianapolis steakhouse on Friday. He likened it to adopting a new technology with a steep up-front cost. “Sometimes you might be spending a little more on the structure of something — and I don’t view it as this being the case — because I can see how savings are going to immediately flow from it,” Braun said. “... The goal is going to be, as I’ve said many times, to show how you can do more with less. Government always wants to get more done; they want more to do it. “That’s not the real world. It doesn’t work that way and that’s not called productivity,” Braun continued. Cabinet members would be “entrepreneurial and accessible,” though Braun didn’t clarify if each would be able to hire their own staff — which could add more government positions. He said each would have “a lot of latitude.” At the event, Braun assembled nearly every cabinet member — Jennifer-Ruth Green, the incoming public safety secretary, was still on a military assignment — and called the government positions “the most exciting team we’ve had in state government for a long, long time.” “We’ve reorganized the executive side to make it streamlined so it’s going to emphasize transparency, results (and) accountability,” Braun told reporters. He recapped his one term in Congress, which culminated in a farewell speech last week, continuing his criticism of the federal government. “Here you’re going to see, I think, what government’s supposed to be about,” he said. He also repeated his company’s insurance “fix” to cap premiums in a high-deductible plan for his employees. Health care, he said, would be one of the hardest challenges to address, acknowledging a tight budget in the upcoming session. He also vowed to collaborate with the state legislature “in a way that’s probably never been done before” and continue to visit all 92 counties regularly. Braun’s incoming cabinet includes: This and other Indiana Capital Chronicle articles are available at indianacapitalchronicle.com

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Robert Braswell scores 19 to help Charlotte earn 77-63 victory over Georgia StateLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The ball bounced through KaVonte Turpin's legs and stopped at the 1-yard line. He picked it up, made a spin move and was off to the races. Turpin's 99-yard kickoff return touchdown was the highlight of the Dallas Cowboys' 34-26 win at Washington on Sunday that ended their losing streak at five. That came with just under three minutes left, and then Juanyeh Thomas returned an onside kick for a TD to provide a little happiness in the middle of a lost season. "Feels good to win," coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s been a minute.” Chauncey Golston ripping the ball out of Brian Robinson Jr.'s hands for what counted as an interception of Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and Donovan Wilson forcing a fumble of John Bates earlier in the game helped put the Cowboys in position to make it a game, as did the play of Cooper Rush. Turpin's monster return after initially muffing the retrieval had everyone buzzing. "He did that for timing," McCarthy said. “That was part of the plan. He’s a special young man. Obviously a huge play for us.” Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves, the All-Pro special teams selection two seasons ago, was the first one down the field and blamed himself for not tackling Turpin when he had the chance. “I’ve made that play 100 times,” Reaves said. “I didn’t make it today, and it cost us the game.” Turpin's spin move will likely be replayed over and over — and not stopped by many. Receiver CeeDee Lamb called it “his escape move” because Turpin has been showing it off in practice. “I know I can just get them going one way and then spin back the other way,” Turpin said. "That’s just one of my moves when I’m in trouble and I've got nowhere to go: something nobody ever seen before.” In a wacky finish that McCarthy likened to a game of Yahtzee, Thomas' return was almost as unexpected. It came with 14 seconds left after Washington kicker Austin Seibert missed the extra point following Daniels' 86-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin to leave Dallas up 27-26. “I kind of waited a second and I was like: ‘Should I try? Should I try?’” Thomas said. “I said, ‘I think I’m gonna score the ball,’ so just ran and I scored.” The Cowboys' playoff odds are still incredibly long at 4-7, but with the New York Giants coming to town next for the traditional Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas, players are willing to dream after winning for the first time since Oct. 6. “Lot of games left,” said Rush, who threw two TD passes. “Pretty insane. ... I think both sides of the ball and special teams picked each other up all game. I think it was a full team effort. Finally picking each other up like we’re supposed to.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Banks scores 21, UNC Asheville beats Western Carolina 78-61Stocks Poised to Extend Gains - Barron's

Peter Howe Sliding door moments are as true in sport as in everyday life, just ask this month’s Don Deeble nominee, Astin Hewett. He won a scholarship to Maribyrnong Sports Academy for football and he was focused on that dream. After all, his extended family connections had made AFL lists and he was playing in the Coates Talent League with the Western Jets. Life was a dream, his targets had been set. Hewett started Auskick when he was five and played with Point Cook Centrals until under-16s with top five Western Football League best and fairest finishes along the way. He moved to Keilor to play under former AFL star Mick McGuane and made it to the Jets. While at MSA, he was introduced to another sport, gridiron. “I was big for my age and adapted to the skills required to play easily,” he said. “There was no sport played in 2020 or 2021. “Gridiron was a summer sport in Victoria but overlapped with the start of the AFL season.” Hewett joined the Western Crusaders powerhouse gridiron team late in 2021 having found a love for the sport. “I was still invested in AFL but this new sport was intoxicating,” Hewett reflected. “Western Jets season started in 2022 at the same time the gridiron season was entering finals. “I chose the Jets, the Crusaders lost their semi final after having a great season.” While he chose the Jets, Hewett still decided to try out for the Victorian under-19 gridiron team at the end of 2022. He was unsuccessful but it fuelled a fire within him and his focus became, “I must work harder”. “The gridiron season 2022-2023 was the most fun I ever had playing team sport,” he said. “Our under-16 team dominated the season.” Hewett was named in the Gridiron Victorian team in 2023 and then later in 2024. Still not sure which sport was for him, Hewett played three games for the Jets in 2023 as a tall defender and by his own admission they weren’t great. After his best pre-season, it ended quickly when he broke his finger in round three. “Then through a series of mishaps and a further stress fracture of my foot I was unable to get back into training properly and missed the remainder of the season,” he said. The two injuries meant that Hewett couldn’t start running until April the following year. Confined to walking only, he decided to put up his hand for Australian Outback gridiron under-20 selection. “I was full disclosure to my coaches [on my injuries],” he said. “In the two days of tryouts I completed all of the off field coaching but just threw the ball on field. “The coaches had seen enough. I made the Australian team.” Hewett was the second youngest in the team and one of the two quarterbacks chosen. “I was given the all clear to train,” he said of the lead up. “I spent four days a week in the gym undergoing a strength and conditioning program to get into the best physical condition I could. Throwing practice was held every Saturday.” The Australian Outback gridiron team landed in Canada in June to play in the IFAF World Championships. Hewett was named captain and starting quarterback. “It was an amazing experience,” he said. “Unfortunately, we only won one of our three games, but it was the first time an Australian team had won a game in a tournament for many years.” Hewett said he’s a dual threat on the field and describes himself as a leader who leads by example. He tries to set the standards and it’s afraid to hold his teammates to account. Having decided to focus on just gridiron, Hewett is keen for what the future holds. “I have just finished my last year 12 exam and hope to be offered a place in the Deakin University sports science course,” he said. “USA College football would be amazing but let’s see how that all unfolds.” The Don Deeble Sports Star Award is sponsored by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club, Strathmore Community Bank, the Deer Park Club, Ascot Vale Sports and Trophies and Star Weekly Newspapers. If you would like to nominate a monthly winner or attend a dinner, contact at or 0408 556 631.Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The ball bounced through KaVonte Turpin's legs and stopped at the 1-yard line. He picked it up, made a spin move and was off to the races. Turpin's 99-yard kickoff return touchdown was the highlight of the Dallas Cowboys' 34-26 win at Washington on Sunday that ended their losing streak at five. That came with just under three minutes left, and then Juanyeh Thomas returned an onside kick for a TD to provide a little happiness in the middle of a lost season. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekDeep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Snowflake SNOW , and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in SNOW usually suggests something big is about to happen. We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 63 extraordinary options activities for Snowflake. This level of activity is out of the ordinary. The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 46% leaning bullish and 46% bearish. Among these notable options, 20 are puts, totaling $2,084,721, and 43 are calls, amounting to $3,056,613. Expected Price Movements After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $90.0 and $230.0 for Snowflake, spanning the last three months. Volume & Open Interest Development In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Snowflake options trades today is 2009.72 with a total volume of 27,599.00. In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Snowflake's big money trades within a strike price range of $90.0 to $230.0 over the last 30 days. Snowflake Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days Noteworthy Options Activity: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume SNOW PUT TRADE BEARISH 01/16/26 $30.05 $29.75 $30.0 $175.00 $900.0K 680 316 SNOW CALL TRADE BULLISH 03/21/25 $23.85 $23.55 $23.79 $165.00 $475.8K 1.4K 203 SNOW CALL SWEEP BEARISH 11/29/24 $33.95 $33.7 $33.7 $140.00 $316.7K 746 119 SNOW CALL TRADE BULLISH 03/21/25 $21.4 $21.15 $21.3 $170.00 $213.0K 9.6K 669 SNOW PUT SWEEP BEARISH 03/21/25 $26.15 $25.75 $26.05 $190.00 $197.9K 90 313 About Snowflake Founded in 2012, Snowflake is a data lake, warehousing, and sharing company that went public in 2020. To date, the company has over 3,000 customers, including nearly 30% of the Fortune 500. Snowflake's data lake stores unstructured and semistructured data that can then be used in analytics to create insights stored in its data warehouse. Snowflake's data sharing capability allows enterprises to buy and ingest data, while its data solutions can be hosted on various public clouds. After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Snowflake, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance. Snowflake's Current Market Status Currently trading with a volume of 5,432,893, the SNOW's price is up by 1.18%, now at $173.45. RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be overbought. Anticipated earnings release is in 92 days. What The Experts Say On Snowflake In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $167.0. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access .* An analyst from Wedbush has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Snowflake, which currently sits at a price target of $160. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Keybanc keeps a Overweight rating on Snowflake with a target price of $150. * An analyst from Wells Fargo has decided to maintain their Equal-Weight rating on Snowflake, which currently sits at a price target of $150. * An analyst from Oppenheimer has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Snowflake, which currently sits at a price target of $180. * An analyst from Mizuho persists with their Outperform rating on Snowflake, maintaining a target price of $195. Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Snowflake with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Tre Carroll scored 18 points off the bench to lead Florida Atlantic to an 89-80 victory over Texas State on Saturday. Carroll shot 7 of 9 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Owls (7-5). Niccolo Moretti scored 15 points, shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 6 for 7 from the line. Matas Vokietaitis shot 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points. The Bobcats (7-4) were led by Tyler Morgan, who posted 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tylan Pope added 14 points and three blocks. Josh O'Garro finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. Texas State had a five-game win streak end. Florida Atlantic took the lead with 51 seconds to go in the first half and never looked back. The score was 43-40 at halftime, with Vokietaitis racking up 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive.Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors moved Monday to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him and is headed back to the White House. FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) The decision, revealed in court filings, also amounts to a predictable but nonetheless stunning conclusion to criminal cases that had been seen as the most perilous of the multiple legal threats Trump has faced. It reflects the practical consequences of Trump’s victory, ensuring he enters office free from scrutiny over his hoarding of top secret documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. People are also reading... Margaret Atwood OSU event altered over threats Tree farm fiasco has Corvallis homelessness under microscope The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Commentary: Gulbranson shows he should be starter in thrilling win over Cougars Albany's Joel Dahl pleads guilty to sex crime involving minor Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal Philomath woman suspected in Eugene Airport bomb scare Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies Bomb cyclone, flood risk in Benton County this week In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer OSU women's basketball: Ferreira brings versatility to the Beavers' lineup OSU football: Game notes for the Beavers' win over Washington State UPDATED: Feds halt drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir after local cities complain Tensions rise, as Albany strike enters second week Smith’s team emphasized that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Smith's team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated, and had vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. But it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of using “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. ___ 12 political cartoons size up Donald Trump's Cabinet picks Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Pam Bondi, Attorney General Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Pete Hoekstra, Ambassador to Canada A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Additional selections to the incoming White House Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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McDonald's Spends $100 Million After E. Coli Outbreak As 'Trust And Love' Must Be Rebuilt, Says Chief Impact Officer'We are on it': US official seeks to allay drone sighting concerns

Former Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres has labelled David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill the most divisive piece of legislation to be put before Parliament. In his submission to Parliament’s select committee, de Bres said: “I served as New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner for two terms (10 and a half years) from 2002-2013. “During that time and since, I have never seen a government bill which is so damaging to our race relations and so comprehensively inimical to the human rights of indigenous people. It is overwhelmingly opposed by members of Parliament, including the vast majority of government members. It has caused an outcry from Māori, the largest ever political protest demonstration at Parliament, and condemnation by past and present leaders from both sides of the political spectrum. “It has proceeded against the advice of the Ministry of Justice and the Waitangi Tribunal. It is in breach of the Treaty itself and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is dead in the water, but while it remains in Parliament it continues to do harm.

Liverpool will target Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong if Trent Alexander-Arnold joins Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez is wanted by two Premier League clubs, Chelsea could move for Ipswich's Liam Delap. Liverpool will target Bayer Leverkusen's 23-year-old Netherlands defender Jeremie Frimpong should England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, move to Real Madrid this summer. (Bild - in German) , external Liverpool and Real held talks over Alexander-Arnold's future before the pair's Champions League game at Anfield on Wednesday. (Marca - in Spanish) , external Bournemouth's 21-year-old Hungary defender Milos Kerkez is drawing attention from Manchester United and Liverpool . (Sky Germany via Florian Plettenberg) , external Manchester United have a shortlist of three more left-backs, including Chelsea's 27-year-old England international Ben Chilwell, Wolves' 23-year-old Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri and 21-year-old Spaniard Alvaro Carreras, who plays for Benfica. (Rudy Galetti) , external Chelsea are keen on Ipswich’s 21-year-old English striker Liam Delap, but could face competition from former club Manchester City. (Football Insider) , external Barcelona’s Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, could join Liverpool next summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish) , external Sevilla are considering ending the loan deal of Brighton’s 20-year-old Argentine defender Valentin Barco in January. (Fabrizio Romano) , external Aston Villa remain interested in Besiktas' Turkey striker Semih Kilicsoy, but will have to battle PSG for the 19-year-old's signature in January. (Star - in Turkish) , external Arsenal have held talks over the potential signing of England midfielder Adam Wharton, with Crystal Palace valuing the 20-year-old at around 65m euros (£54.1m). (Caught Offside) , external Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has identified Real Sociedad's 25-year-old Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi, Bayer Leverkusen's 21-year-old Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz and Sporting's 24-year-old Uruguay winger Maximiliano Araujo as January transfer targets. ( Fichajes - in Spanish , external ) Aston Villa are interested in Mainz's 28-year-old Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri. (Bild - in German) , external Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool are all keen on Atalanta's Brazil midfielder Ederson, but it will take a monster offer to sign the 25-year-old. (Teamtalk) , external Fiorentina and Napoli are eyeing a loan deal for Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior but it's unlikely manager Mikel Arteta will let the 24-year-old Poland international leave the Gunners in January. (Tuttomercato - in Italian) , externalMILWAUKEE (AP) — Jamichael Stillwell had 22 points in Milwaukee's 69-65 win over St. Thomas on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jamichael Stillwell had 22 points in Milwaukee's 69-65 win over St. Thomas on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jamichael Stillwell had 22 points in Milwaukee’s 69-65 win over St. Thomas on Sunday. Stillwell added eight rebounds for the Panthers (5-2). Aaron Franklin had 15 points and eight rebounds. AJ McKee added nine points. Drake Dobbs led the way for the Tommies (4-4) with 16 points and five assists. Kendall Blue added 11 points and Miles Barnstable scored 10 with two steals. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton point guard Steven Ashworth likely won't play Tuesday in the No. 21 Bluejays' game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday, and coach Greg McDermott said he didn't know how long he would be out. “He stepped on a guy's foot on a 3-point shot and you're defenseless in that situation," McDermott said after the game. "He torqued it pretty good.” An athletic department spokesman said Monday that Ashworth's status was doubtful for the game against the Aztecs. Ashworth is Creighton's second-leading scorer with 16 points per game and leads the team with 6.4 assists per game. He also is 23 of 23 on free throws. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Rodgers says he'll enjoy the rest of the Jets' season and 'let the future take care of itself'

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Lil Wayne, GloRilla, Camila Cabello to perform at College Football National Championship

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

The decision by the New York Giants to replace quarterback Daniel Jones with Tommy DeVito failed to turn around the team's fortune, as the Giants suffered a 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. When asked about the team's issues after New York's losing streak extended to six straight games, star rookie receiver Malik Nabers said the team's play was "soft as f--k." Nabers added the team's struggles weren't due to quarterback play, but he was at a loss for words as to what is actually holding the team back. "I don't know what it is, but I know I'm tired of losing," Nabers told reporters. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .

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Employees of Winnipeg Transit, fed up with the spiral of violence and disorder on city buses and at bus stops, held a rally at City Hall Tuesday morning demanding action, not words, from City Council and Transit management to initiate pro-active protections for bus drivers and users. The rally was called by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 (ATU) to protest ongoing attacks on transit operators and passengers, as well as supervisors. Dozens of ATU members, joined by members of The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500 (CUPE) and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and a few transit riders, heard their leaders call for the enforcement of paying fares and for the development of plastic shields for the driver compartment. “We must fight to secure the safety of transit in this city ... we have the power to drive real change,” said ATU President Chris Scott. He said of elected officials, “their kids, their parents, their loved ones (take transit), what actions are they willing to take to make transit safer for all of them?” ATU executive vice-president Derek Hanley told the crowd that freeloaders are “empowered to act as they wish to act,” and cause mayhem and injuries. “We need everybody here to email your councillors, your MLAs and your MPs to fund public transit and public transit safety.” The union says that currently, 120 members are off work with physical or mental health issues. The rally was timed to coincide with a planned meeting of The Transit Advisory Committee, chaired by deputy mayor Janice Lukes. That meeting was not open to the public and the City web page listed four committee members whose terms had expired last Dec. 31. A member of that committee, Scott mentioned the upcoming meeting and explained to the media that “one particular manufacturer out of Quebec has offered to provide a shield designed for our bus at no cost to the city to test for six months ... that’s the kind of an issue we need to see from anybody that wants to do business with the City (but) unfortunately the wheels of government moves at a snail’s pace.” Fare education and enforcement are a priority for ATU, with Scott referencing the transit officers in Toronto who go on board to scan transfers and TTC payment cards. He suggested that a $17M federal fund could be tapped to underwrite the technology for Winnipeg Transit. Violent incidents in the past few months have included passengers being followed off the bus and beaten up and robbed, an on-board fight after a person pulled a gun and pointed it at another passenger, a mother and daughter stabbed on a bus by a girl gang, a driver being punched in the face, and a female operator crawling out a window to escape a knife attack. Last week a supervisor tackled a “sleeper” who, after being roused and made to exit a bus, aimed a makeshift blowtorch using a lighter and can of hairspray at the official. Scott told the Sun , “We’re coming up on eight years since (bus operator Irvine Jubal Fraser) was murdered. I don’t care what level of government you’re with or your party affiliation. If you choose to be inactive on safety, the next death, whether it’s a member of the riding public or an employee, that blood will be on your hands, not mine.” Council members are welcome to reach out to us, Scott said. “I’ll work with anybody willing to help improve safety on public transit, not only for the operators but for the riding public. The public needs to feel safe when they’re taking the service. Employees and the public who are using the public services that are funded by public tax dollars need to feel safe when they’re using the public services.” City council members have themselves seen the chaotic conditions on transit routes. Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie has told of a “just got out of jail” party that burst out on a bus he was taking, and previously stated, “I need to see some progress” not just with on-bus safety but with incidents at bus stops. North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty has said he saw open liquor and drugs being injected on a Sunday afternoon trip downtown from his ward. Eadie, Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) and Coun. Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-EK) all made appearances during the rally to converse with those in attendance. Schreyer told The Sun , “We know that almost 100% of violence to bus drivers does occur by people who don’t pay the fare. What’s obvious,” he said, is that “safety for the drivers in general means safety for the public too.” “This rally won’t do much until city council decides to get serious about transit,” Tim Solleveld told The Sun . “It’s time to start running transit like a business, and not like a charity, no more free rides and it’s time to hire fare and transit enforcement to help get rid of the trouble on the buses.” Solleveld, a regular user of transit, said, “The way transit runs their business is a mess, too many free rides and the buses aren’t safe, and until they take care of these two issues, the problems will continue, because it’s usually always the people that don’t pay their fare, are the ones who are causing the problems.”Carrick's upbeat verdict on Middlesbrough's Leeds loss & 'loads of good things' claim

E! may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Learn more . Whether you’re prepping to host for the holidays , looking to give your home a seasonal refresh, or on the hunt for the perfect gift , Wayfair is here to help. And Wayfair’s Black Friday Sale is here to help you do it in style. From now until December 2, 2024 , you can save up to 80% on everything from living room seating to bedding , at price tags you can’t believe. Wayfair’s Black Friday Sale is not playing around. Featuring some of the lowest prices of the year, you can save up to 55% on holiday decor , up to 80% on area rugs , up to 65% on tableware , and more, plus limited-time Deals of the Day . There’s no promo code, and the sale ends on December 2. And even though Black Friday is a few days away, you can (and should) shop these Wayfair Black Friday deals now. Happy holidays and, most importantly, happy shopping . Haute Decor Adjustable Length Wreath Hanger Give any door a festive touch with this wreath hanger . It can hold up to 20 pounds, can be used on doors of nearly any size, and is weatherproof for indoors or outside. The Holiday Aisle Faux Lighted Pine 26'' Wreath Featuring snow-dusted branches trimmed with pampas tips, this wreath is as chic as it is festive. Plus, it's pre-strung with 50 warm white LED lights (that run on AA batteries) for a soft glow anywhere. Becky Cameron Handmade Chunky Knit Throw Blanket With the colder temperatures coming, every living room needs a chunky knit throw blanket like this one. Available in 5 cozy colorways and measuring 47 inches wide and 59 inches long, it's perfect for curling up on the couch. Wayfair Basics 1800 Series Sheet Set Over 86,000 Wayfair shoppers are raving about these easy-care microfiber sheets , now 57% off. With less wrinkling after washing and a variety of colors and sizes available, the queen set includes one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and four pillowcases for a comfy night's sleep. The Holiday Aisle North Valley Spruce Tree with Clear Lights If you have this artificial tree in your space, your holiday is set. It comes with pre-strung clear lights, a metal stand, and branches that look so real you may want to keep it up all year long. Choose from heights of 4.5 to 10 feet. Etta Avenue Marjorie 3 - Light Dimmable Globe Chandelier Create a dreamlike aesthetic with this dimmable globe chandelier . Elegant and glamorous, it's the statement light you've been waiting for -- plus it's 81% off. Joss & Main Wallis Square 4 Piece Coaster Set With Holder (Set of 4) This coaster set gives farmhouse vibes with natural acacia wood and a metal stand. It complements both traditional and contemporary decor and is the chicest place to rest your drink. Topfinel Velvet Pillow Cover (Set of 4) Measuring 18 x 18 inches, these velvet pillow covers are ready to fit into any decor. Soft and vibrant, they're even machine washable for easy cleanup. Kelly Clarkson Home Noelle Upholstered Ottoman Functional and stylish, this ottoman gives you a place to sit, a spot to put up your feet, and plenty of storage. It's made of soft brown velvet and measures 28 x 16 inches, which one reviewer reported is great for small spaces. Prep & Savour 25 Piece Stainless Steel Bar Tool Set Shopping for holiday presents? Then take a look at this highly giftable 25-piece stainless steel bar tool set . It includes spoons, jiggers, shakers, and more, and comes with a stand to keep it all together. Spode Christmas Tree Gold 4-Pc Place Setting Growing up, my family had a holiday setting like this one and it always made the season feel a little more special. This 4-piece set includes a cup, saucer, dinner plate, salad plate, and sauce dish, to serve delicious and festive meals. Alwyn Home All Season Microfiber Duvet Insert Soft, lightweight, and warm, this microfiber duvet insert is just what you need to count those sheep in peace. Plus, its hypoallergenic barrier protects against dust mites, mold, and mildew, keeping you breathing free and clear. Lux Decor Collection Cooking Utensil Set If you're looking to refresh your kitchen utensils or searching for the perfect host gift, this 23-piece set is a solid bet. It includes a spatula, ladle, whisk, and more, made of sleek non-stick nylon and stainless steel. Wayfair Sleep Encased Cooling Shredded Memory Foam Medium Support Pillow Get ready for a steal — this fan-favorite pillow is just $26, nearly 75% off. Filled with shredded ActiveRelief memory foam for ultimate airflow and adjustability, it’s designed to contour perfectly to your head for ultimate comfort. The Holiday Aisle Acacia Pencil Slim Flocked Tree with Clear Lights Available in heights from 4.5 feet to 7.5 feet, this slim artificial tree is perfect for smaller spaces. It's easy to assemble with a foldable base and comes with a frosted aesthetic and clear lights. Farberware Dishwasher Safe Nonstick Cookware Pots and Pans, 15-Piece Set At 58% off, this 15-piece set is a great kitchen deal. Made of sturdy, quick-heating aluminum, it includes a saucepan, frying pan, baking pan, and more (plus lids) that can make any holiday meal (and dessert) delicious. Birch Lane Renata 8 Piece 800 GSM Egyptian-Quality Cotton Towel Set Do your towels need an upgrade? Then treat yourself to this luxe Egyptian-quality cotton set , featuring two bath towels, two hand towels, and four face towels -- before it sells out. Looking for more Black Friday deals? Then check out everything on sale at Old Navy . Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in the United States, traditionally marking the start of the holiday shopping season. The term "Black Friday" originated in the 1960s and refers to the point in the year when retailers begin to turn a profit, moving from being "in the red" (indicating losses) to "in the black" (indicating profits). Retailers offer significant discounts and promotions, attracting millions of shoppers looking for the best deals. Online Black Friday deals can often be just as good, if not better, than in-store deals. Many retailers offer exclusive online discounts and free shipping options. Plus, shopping online allows you to avoid crowds and shop from the comfort of your home. Trust us, we recommend not storming the local Macy’s and instead finding the best deals from us. To prepare for Black Friday, start by making a shopping list of items you want and compare prices in advance to catch the best deals. Be sure to bookmark your favorite retailers and set up accounts for faster checkout. Sign up for our E! Insider Shop newsletter for exclusive access to deals, and follow us on Instagram for real-time updates on flash sales. While Black Friday 2024 will take place on November 29th, many brands start their sales online on Thanksgiving evening or even days prior, allowing shoppers to take advantage of deals before the official day begins. So far, Coach , Lululemon , and Michael Kors have already marked down tons of items. However, these deals won't last forever—most sales will continue through Cyber Monday, while some may end sooner depending on stock availability. Be sure to shop early to avoid missing out on your favorite items! We have already put together a list of the best deals to shop this Black Friday , featuring all of our favorite brands and products. If you’re looking for a specific brand, we've seen incredible discounts from Dyson , Nordstrom Rack , Kate Spade , Lululemon , and many others. Whether you're shopping for stylish activewear , luxury handbags , or classic wardrobe staples , these brands are offering some of the most impressive deals of the season.The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Cavan Reilly’s 18 points helped Delaware defeat Rider 72-66 on Saturday. Reilly went 6 of 12 from the field (4 for 10 from 3-point range) for the Fightin’ Blue Hens (4-3). Izaiah Pasha added 15 points while finishing 7 of 10 from the floor and also had six rebounds. Erik Timko shot 5 for 9, including 3 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. Jay Alvarez led the Broncs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 17 points and six rebounds. TJ Weeks Jr. added 15 points, eight rebounds and two steals for Rider. Tariq Ingraham also put up 12 points and 11 rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Jerusalem: Hezbollah launched approximately 200 rockets into Israel on Sunday as Israel prepared to initiate a new wave of airstrikes on Beirut. The Israeli military said in a statement that the rockets, fired by Hezbollah militants, targeted northern and central Israel and included three drones. It added that the country’s aerial defence systems intercepted only some of the rockets. A launcher from which projectiles were fired toward the Haifa Bay area was struck by the military. At least eight people were injured by the afternoon. In Kfar Blum, close to the Israel-Lebanon border, first responders with the Magen David Adom rescue service said they treated a man who sustained serious wounds. A five-story residential building in Haifa, the largest city on Israel’s northern coast, was evacuated due to fears of collapse after it was struck by a rocket, the Fire and National Rescue Authority reported. Additional damage was reported in the northern cities of Kiryat Shmona and Ma’alot, as well as near Petah Tikvah in central Israel. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on a military target in Tel Aviv, in retaliation for Israel’s recent airstrikes on Beirut, Xinhua news agency reported. The attacks were carried out at 06:30 am local time (0430 GMT) “with a salvo of high-quality missiles and a squadron of attack drones,” and “the operation achieved its goals,” Hezbollah said in a statement, without specifying its target and the precise location. The group said in other separate statements that it also launched for the first time “an air attack with a squadron of suicide drones on the Ashdod naval base, 150 km from the Lebanese-Palestinian border.” The group also claimed launching drone attacks on a newly-established operations room for the Israeli army in the settlement of Metula in northern Israel, and missile attacks on other northern cities including Hatzor Haglilit, Ma’alot, and Kfar Blum. Lebanese military sources, who spoke anonymously, told Xinhua that violent clashes have been ongoing since the early hours of Sunday between Hezbollah members and Israeli forces that had advanced in Lebanon’s southeastern town of Khiam, the village of Yaroun in the central sector, and the village of Chamaa in the western sector of the border area. The Israeli army blew up about 18 houses on the eastern edge of Khiam, including the municipality building, they said. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes carried out seven raids on towns and villages in eastern Lebanon and 10 on those in the south, and the Israeli artillery shelled 11 border towns and villages in southern Lebanon with about 50 shells, they added. The Israeli military also announced plans to renew airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburb, urging residents to evacuate the area in a post on social media platform X. On Saturday, Israel carried out at least three waves of strikes on the Lebanese capital, killing at least 20 individuals and injuring 66 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Since September 23, the Israeli army has intensified its air attack on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel further initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon in early October.

NASA’s industry partners under the second initiative have made progress in developing technologies to advance future low Earth orbit space missions. Table of Contents Space Exploration and In-Orbit Transportation Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin, SpaceX and Outpost Technologies are focused on maturing their spacecraft designed for commercial space transportation, logistics and research, human transportation to the moon and Mars, and cargo delivery. Blue Origin is advancing work on its integrated commercial space transportation capability to ensure safe, affordable and high-frequency U.S. access to orbit for crew and other missions. SpaceX and Outpost Technologies have completed flight tests of the Starship reusable rocket and the Cargo Ferry reusable cargo vehicle, respectively. SpaceX is now preparing to launch new generations of Starship in advance of the under NASA’s Artemis program. Northrop Grumman, meanwhile, cleared a project management review with NASA related to the company’s development of the . Commercial Space Station NASA has partnered with Sierra Space and Vast to build in-orbit space stations as the existing International Space Station nears the . Sierra Space has completed two full-scale ultimate burst pressure tests of its Large Integrated Flexible Environment, a NASA-funded inflatable habitat structure component. The company also tested materials for the habitat’s air barrier to ensure they meet the recommended safety standards. Ahead of the expected 2025 launch of the Haven-1 commercial space station, Vast achieved technical milestones, including fabricating key components such as the primary structure pathfinder, hatch, battery module and control moment gyroscope. It also completed a solar array deployment test and the station’s preliminary design review. In-Space Servicing and Manufacturing NASA partners Special Aerospace Services and ThinkOrbital are focused on in-space servicing and manufacturing capabilities. Special Aerospace Services is developing an for the assembly of commercial LEO space stations, servicing, retrieval and inspection of in-space systems, while ThinkOrbital works on autonomous in-space welding, cutting and X-ray inspection technologies. “Our commercial partners’ growing capabilities in low Earth orbit underscore NASA’s commitment to advance scientific discovery, pioneering space technology and support future deep space exploration,” said Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial LEO Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.Preview: Real Sociedad vs. Dynamo Kiev - prediction, team news, lineups

BGC Group (NASDAQ:BGCP) Coverage Initiated by Analysts at StockNews.comThe retired NFL star stopped by the North Carolina college's homecoming weekend to belt out the '80s power ballad Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Fans shouldn't miss out on "Total Eclipse of the Heart ( 's Version)." In a now-viral shared by user @mad.is.onnn, Jason, 37, can be seen belting out during a tailgate at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. "Nothing like a snowy Homecoming at App State, especially when Jason Kelce brings the house down with a live rendition of 'Total Eclipse of the Heart’ at the tailgate!!!" the TikTok user captioned the video shared on Nov. 23. The Philadelphia Eagles alum sported a pair of gold and black striped overalls over a black hoodie and a winter hat. Amid flurries in the air, students gathered around Jason at a microphone as he sang the '80s power ballad. The former center went for it, hitting the high notes and embracing the song's passionate words. At one point, he forgot the lyrics, but finished strong. Kevin Sabitus/Getty Related: Fans were quick to comment on the TikTok, praising Jason's skills. "I’m [losing] count of all of Jason's side quests since lol," one user said. "I’ll never skip a Jason video," another wrote, while a third person chimed in, "He’s a national treasure." Others commented on his multitasking, pointing out his grip on two beers in one hand and a cup in the other. "Man does not need to say Hold my Beer. He just does the thing holding 3 beers!!" someone joked. The TikTok account for Jason's podcast which he cohosts with brother — also commented on the clip, writing, "He WENT for it 😂." Kevin Sabitus/Getty Related: The broadcaster's singing skills go beyond this impromptu tailgate performance. Jason is part of the with Eagles players and . The group released their third holiday album, , on Nov. 22, with profits benefitting local charities in Philadelphia. The album features Jason called and "Santa Drives an Astrovan," performed with . , 35, and Jason's wife are also featured.

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By TravelPulse (TNS) While 2024 was a year that brought about significant, continued post-pandemic recovery for the travel industry, it was also a period of time marked by instability in some locations around the world. From attacks on the rail lines during the Paris Olympics to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, not to mention the war in Ukraine, the global travel realm in 2024 was fraught with challenges. It is against this backdrop that the international security and medical services provider Global Guardian recently released its 2025 Global Risk Map. Published annually, the map is meant to help travelers better understand the current global risk landscape. In order to develop its guidance, experts at Global Guardian assess a long list of country-specific security risk factors and indicators, including crime, health, natural disasters, infrastructure, political stability, civil unrest and terrorism. For 2025, Global Guardian’s assessment results underscore the reality that disruption globally and domestically continues to increase, and now more than ever travelers need to be prepared when exploring the world. As part of the latest assessment, Global Guardian highlighted a handful of specific global regions that are at particular risk of destabilization over the next year and beyond. Here’s a closer look at those regions, along with insights from Global Guardian CEO Dale Buckner, who recently spoke with TravelPulse at length about the risks travelers may face in 2025. Here are the regions at risk of destabilization in 2025: Israel’s existential battle against Iran is set to continue into 2025, says the Global Guardian report. “In July 2024, Israel assassinated Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) safehouse in Tehran, and Iran has pledged revenge,” the report explains. “This comes as Iran and its web of regional proxies took their war on Israel out of the shadows and into the open following October 7, 2023, with seven live fronts.” Global Guardian also predicts that Israel’s regional war will shift from Gaza to the West Bank and Lebanon in the year ahead, heightening tensions with Hezbollah, while Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean will persist. The report adds that as “we enter 2025, Israel may assess that its strategic window to prevent a nuclear Iran is rapidly closing and choose to act.” The ongoing civil war in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is also of concern, according to Global Guardian’s risk analysis. The conflict “has created a dire humanitarian situation with ethnically motivated violence on the rise,” says the report. Some of the areas of concern in the Latin American region include Venezuela and Mexico, according to Global Guardian. The risk in Venezuela is tied to the country’s long-standing territorial dispute with neighboring Guyana, says the report. “Since 2019, the U.S. Department of State withdrew all diplomatic personnel from U.S. Embassy Caracas and suspended all operations,” explains Buckner. “Violent crimes, such as homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking, are common in Venezuela. Shortages of gasoline, electricity, water, medicine, and medical supplies continue throughout much of Venezuela. Simply put, Venezuela is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Western travelers and should be avoided.” In Mexico, meanwhile, the problems include drug cartel-related violence and theft, among other issues, says the report. Mexico recently inaugurated its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and like her predecessors she will face challenges “reining in cartel violence, corruption, extortion, theft and kidnapping,” says the report. “As such, security continues to be a top concern in Mexico’ ” says the report, which categorizes Mexico as “high risk” when it comes to travel for 2025. Countries classified as high risk experience regular conflict, criminal activity or civil unrest — and have not effectively managed those risks. The Global Guardian report also suggests there may be heightened risks in Mexico now that Donald Trump has been reelected U.S. president. “Bilateral relations between the U.S. and Mexico could dramatically deteriorate. Trump has promised a mass deportation operation, which could sour relations between the U.S. and Mexico, increasing risks to businesses operating in Mexico,” the report adds. Asked to comment on Mexico’s high-risk designation, Buckner stressed that the situation in the country is extremely nuanced, adding that it’s a vast oversimplification to call the entire country high risk. “There are pockets of Mexico that are wildly safe and wonderful to visit and people shouldn’t hesitate to go,” Buckner told TravelPulse. “And there are also pockets that are unsafe and dangerous.” The good news, added Buckner, is that Mexico’s new president is focusing a great deal of effort and energy on addressing the problems surrounding drug cartels, which are the source of a great deal of the risk. Buckner was quick to add however, that as long as there’s demand for drugs, the drug cartel situation is likely to remain problematic. “The U.S. is driving the drug demand — we consume more drugs then the rest of the world,” explained Buckner. “It’s really overly simplified to paint Mexico as the bad guy, because if there wasn’t demand, we wouldn’t need the supply. But the demand is real and violence comes with that.” Representatives for Global Nexus, a government and public affairs consultancy that advises travel and tourism companies and interests in Southern Mexico, told TravelPulse that while drug-related violence has been known to occur, it involves members of the drug cartel targeting each other, they’re not targeting tourists. “There is an ongoing battle between small drug vendors who use the beach to sell product to tourists hanging out on the beach,” explained Ruben Olmos, Global Nexus president and CEO, in reference to the Quintana Roo region, which is popular with tourists. “There have been cases where gunfire has been exchanged between these groups. They are targeting themselves. They are fighting over ‘This is my beach’ and they initiate a shootout.” However, added Olmos, that the U.S. State Department’s risk categorization for Quintana Roo (which is separate from the Global Guardian risk assessment) has not changed. Located on the State Department’s Mexico page, the risk assessment for Quintana Roo remains in the “Exercise Increased Caution” category, which is below the top risk categories of “Do Not Travel” and “Reconsider Travel.” The Exercise Increased Caution designation means “Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security,” explains the State Department’s website. Olmos also pointed out that Mexico is the only country that has a map on the U.S. State Department website that covers every single state in the country, providing details for travelers about which states are safest. In June 2024, thousands of young people took to the streets in Kenya to protest a controversial tax bill. The protesters were met with heavy-handed policing, including the use of live fire and mass arrests, says the Global Guardian risk report. Despite the local security response, protests continued. The success and tenacity of the Kenyan movement has triggered similar protests or dissent in other countries including Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and Nigeria, says Global Guardian. That is just a portion of the risk Global Guardian sees for Sub-Saharan Africa over the course of 2025. “With multiple conflicts escalating across the continent, aging leaders leaving behind unclear successions, and entrenched regimes with dissipating legitimacy, Sub-Saharan Africa now looks much like the North African and Arab world in the early 2010s,” says the report. “While the dynamic unfolding in Africa might not yet merit the label of “African Spring,” a significant change to the continent’s political status quo is coming.” Several countries received an extreme or high-risk designation on the new Global Guardian risk map for 2025, including more than a few that are popular with leisure travelers or tourists. Extreme risk countries are those that Global Guardian says are “actively engaged in conflict, while also experiencing severe criminal activity and civil unrest.These countries are insecure; state institutions are too weak to manage militant groups or large-scale disasters.” They include Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, Somalia, Ukraine, West Bank, Gaza and Yemen. The current list of high-risk countries, which are countries that experience regular conflict, criminal activity or civil unrest and have not effectively managed those risks, includes Bangladesh, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Libya, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Uganda, Venezuela Officials from the Jamaica Tourist Board provided a statement to TravelPulse in response to Global Guardian’s designation of the country. “Last month, Global Guardian, a private security provider, released its 2025 Global Risk Map, which included Jamaica, amongst other destinations,” said the Tourist Board. “It is important to note that the crime rate against visitors is notably low at 0.01% and the majority of Jamaica’s tourism product remains unaffected.” The country’s tourism officials added that Jamaica has welcomed 3 million visitors this year and boasts a high repeat visitor rate of 42%. “The island is consistently ranked among the top destinations for international travel and visitors continue to come with confidence to enjoy all that Jamaica has to offer,” the statement adds. When it comes to Jamaica, Buckner offered similar comments to those of Mexico, noting that the situation is impacted by drug-related violence and the experience on the ground is nuanced and cannot be painted with a broad brush. “In the same vein as Mexico — Jamaica can be a wonderful place to visit,” says Buckner. “There are pockets of beauty and low crime and as long as you are careful, it’s a very low threat.” Buckner, a retired Army colonel, maintains that the world is indeed a more risky place heading into 2025. The challenges in the Middle East and Ukraine are at the forefront of the instability, but are hardly the only cause for concern. “Israel has now gone to Gaza and cleaned out Hamas, they’re now moving north into Lebanon, and we are convinced Israel will strike Iran,” Buckner said during an interview that took place prior to Israel’s strike on Iran. “If that occurs you are going to see violence across the Middle East.” “But there are over 100 conflicts across the globe,” continues Buckner. When you combine that reality with other challenges the world is currently grappling with, including the destabilizing influences of climate change, there are plenty of risks for travelers to bear in mind when planning a journey for the coming year. He wraps up by offering a few tips for travelers, a check-list of sorts, to work through when planning or considering travel to a specific country in 2025: — If you don’t know who to call or how you are going to negotiate if someone is kidnapped, you shouldn’t go there. — Consumers need to read the fine print on travel insurance because it does not cover war zones, terrorism or natural disasters, says Buckner. And travelers are often surprised and find out too late that these types of events are not covered. — If you get stuck or stranded, if you don’t know who you are going to call to get you out of that situation, know what organizations locally or internationally are available to help you. ©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trump nominates Jared Kushner’s father as French ambassadorWith the end of 2024 around the corner, you might be reflecting on financial goals for 2025. Whether you're saving to move out of your parents' house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate for Credit Karma. “Entering a new year doesn’t erase all our financial challenges from the prior year," Alev said. “But it can really help to bring a fresh-start mentality to how you’re managing your finances.” If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they're attainable for your lifestyle. Here are some tips from experts: Change your relationship with money Think about how you currently deal with finances — what's good, what's bad, and what can improve. “Let this be the year you change your relationship with money,” said Ashley Lapato, personal finance educator for YNAB, a budgeting app. If you feel like money is a chore, that there's shame surrounding the topic of money, or like you were born being “bad at money,” it's time to change that mentality, Lapato said. To adjust your approach, Lapato recommends viewing money goals as an opportunity to imagine your desired lifestyle in the future. She recommends asking questions like, “What do my 30s look like? What do my 40s look like?” and using money as a means to get there. Liz Young Thomas, head of SoFi Investment Strategy, added that it’s key you forgive yourself for past mistakes in order to move into the new year with motivation. Know your “why” When setting your financial resolutions for 2025, it's important to establish the “why” of each, said Matt Watson, CEO of Origin, a financial tracking app. “If you can attach the financial goal to a bigger life goal, it’s much more motivating and more likely you’ll continue on that path,” Watson said. Whether you're saving to buy a house, pay off credit card debt or take a summer vacation, being clear about the goal can keep you motivated. Watson also recommends using a tool to help you keep track of your finances, such as an app, spreadsheet, or website. Budget , budget, budget “After three years of inflation, your pay increases are likely still playing catch up to your monthly expenses, leaving you wondering where all the money is going," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. "Make that monthly budget for 2025 and resolve to track your spending against it throughout the year." McBride said that you may need to make adjustments during the year as certain expenses increase, which would require cutting back in other areas. “Calibrate your spending with your income, and any month you spend less than budgeted, transfer the difference into your savings account, ideally a high-yield savings account,” he said. Pay down outstanding debt “Interest rates aren’t likely to come down very fast, so you’re still going to have to put in the hard work of paying down debt, especially high-cost credit card debt, and do so with urgency,” McBride said. Start by taking stock of how much debt you have now relative to the beginning of the year. Hopefully you’ve made steady progress on paying it down, but, if you’ve gone in the other direction, McBride encourages making a game plan. That includes looking into 0% balance transfer offers. Take control of your credit card interest rate “You have more power over credit card interest rates than you think you do," said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. “Wielding that power is one of the best moves you can make in 2025.” A 0% balance transfer credit card is “a good weapon” in the fight against high card APRs , or annual percentage rates, he said. A low-interest personal loan is an option as well. You may simply be able to pick up the phone and ask for a lower interest rate. LendingTree found that a majority of people who did that in 2024 were successful, and the average reduction was more than 6 points. Set realistic, practical goals When planning for your financial resolutions, it’s important to consider how you’re going to make your goals sustainable for your lifestyle, said Credit Karma's Alev. “It really is a marathon, not a sprint,” Alev said. Alev recommends setting realistic, practical goals to make it easier to stick with them. For example, instead of planning to save thousands of dollars by the end of the year, start by saving $20 a paycheck. Even when your plans are achievable, there are times you'll get derailed. Maybe it’s an unexpected medical bill or an extraordinary life event. When these situations happen, Alev recommends trying not to feel defeated and working to get back on track without feeling guilty. Don't ‘flamingo' or bury your head in the sand “You can't manage what you can't see, so set a New Year’s resolution to check your credit score monthly in 2025," said Rikard Bandebo, chief economist at VantageScore. “Be sure to pay more than the minimum on your credit accounts, as that's one of the best ways to boost your credit score.” Bandebo also advises student loan borrowers to make all payments on time, as servicers will begin to report late payments starting in January, and missed payments will affect borrowers' credit scores. Automate savings, where possible Automated changes, like increasing workplace 401(k) plan contributions, setting up direct deposits from paychecks into dedicated savings accounts, and arranging for monthly transfers into an IRA and/or 529 college savings accounts all add up quickly, McBride said. Slow down Your financial goals can encompass more than just managing your money better — they can also be about keeping your money safe from scams. A golden rule to protect yourself from scams is to “slow down,” said Johan Gerber, vice president of security solutions at Mastercard. “You have to slow down and talk to other people if you’re not sure (whether or not) it’s scam,” said Gerber, who recommends building an accountability system with family to keep yourself and your loved ones secure. Scammers use urgency to make people fall for their tricks, so taking your time to make any financial decision can keep you from losing money. Focus on financial wellness Your financial goals don’t always have to be rooted in a dollar amount — they can also be about well-being. Finances are deeply connected with our mental health, and, to take care of our money, we also need to take care of ourselves. “I think that now more than any other year, your financial wellness should be a resolution," said Alejandra Rojas, personal finance expert and founder of The Money Mindset Hub, a mentoring platform for women entrepreneurs. "Your mental health with money should be a resolution.” To focus on your financial wellness, you can set one or two goals focusing on your relationship with money. For example, you could find ways to address and resolve financial trauma, or you could set a goal to talk more openly with loved ones about money, Rojas said. —— The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.

‘We came prepared’ declares Aontu general election candidate as she passes time at count centre with popular hobbyGreater Sudbury marks HIV Awareness Week, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against WomenCHICAGO (AP) — Aidan Laughery rushed for three touchdowns and No. 22 Illinois topped Northwestern 38-28 on Saturday to reach nine victories for the first time since its 2007 Rose Bowl season. Pat Bryant dashed in to score off Luke Altmyer’s 43-yard pass early in the third quarter as Illinois (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) struck for touchdowns just over 4 minutes apart early in the third quarter to open a 28-10 lead in what had been a tight game. Bryant's 10th receiving touchdown tied a school record. Altmyer, who threw for 170 yards, had a TD himself on a keeper from the 1-yard line early in the second quarter. David Olano added a field goal in the fourth to cap Illinois' scoring. Laughery, a sophomore running back, rushed for a career-best 172 yards and topped 100 for the first time. He entered with only one TD this season and two for his career. He had a career-long 64-yard run for a score early in the second half. Coach Bret Bielema said he wasn't surprised by Laughery's explosive performance as the Gibson City, Illinois product rounded back into form after being hampered by a hamstring injury earlier this season. “I thought today would be a day that could happen,” Bielema said. “Today some of those turned into big home run hits we've kind of been waiting on all year.” Laughery said he's been prepping for this kind of game, when he carried the ball 12 times for an average of 14.3 yards. “Finally, the opportunity was there,” said Laughery, who got the game ball. “You know you gotta' hit one and it came together today.” He credited the Illini offensive line with opening space for his breakout performance. “Those guys were covering them (Northwestern's defense) all day long,” Laughery said. “It was awesome running behind the looks we were getting” Northwestern’s Devin Turner intercepted Altmyer twice, including for a 13-yard touchdown return late in the first quarter. Thomas Gordon caught Jack Lausch's 15-yard TD pass with a minute left, then the Wildcats added a two-point conversion to complete the scoring. Northwestern (4-8, 2-7 Big Ten) didn’t pack it in as hosted its second game this season at Wrigley Field, this time on a breezy sunny day with game-time temperature of 20 degrees. It looked like the Illini might run away after Bryant’s 10th receiving touchdown 4:52 into the third. He entered tied for the Big Ten lead. But Luke Akers kicked his second field goal of the game, a 34-yarder, with 5:35 left in the third quarter to cut it to 28-13. Lausch led the Wildcats on their next possession and finished it with an 11-yard touchdown toss to A.J. Henning to narrow the Illini lead to 28-20. Then Mac Resetich intercepted Lausch’s pass 50 seconds into the fourth quarter. Laughery powered up the middle for 31 yards and his third TD about two minutes later to quell the Wildcats' momentum. Northwestern dominated in possession time — 34:32 to 25:28 —and plays — 90 to 53. The margin was even more pronounced in the first half, but the Wildcats settled for a 13-yard touchdown return on Turner’s second pick of the game with 2:14 left in the first quarter and Akers’ 21-yard field goal that opened the scoring 6:29 in. Illinois led 14-10 at the half on Laughery’s 30-yard TD run midway through the first quarter and Altmyer’s keeper 1:39 into the second. Akers missed wide to the right on a 44-yard attempt as time ran out in the half. Both teams’ leading pass receivers were injured. Northwestern’s Bryce Kirtz was knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a lower-body injury after two receptions that upped his total yards to 598. Illinois’ Bryant went to the locker room with about 5 minutes left in the first half after Turner collided with him as he plucked his second interception. Bryant returned, however, for the second half. Illinois: Is in line for a prestigious bowl game appearance and a chance to tie the school record of 10 wins, most recently set during their 2001 Sugar Bowl season. “We wanted to put ourselves in a good position on this day to get to nine wins and see where it can go,” Bielema said. “Just a fun day overall. I don't know what the future holds. It think we're a team that can play with anybody in the country.” Northwestern: Finished its second season under coach David Braun at 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats dropped their final three and five of the last six. Illinois is headed to a bowl game. Northwestern opens its 2025 season at Tulane on Aug. 30. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

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RADFORD, Va. (AP) — Jarvis Moss scored 15 points and Jonas Sirtautas had a go-ahead three-point play in overtime to help Radford hold off Bucknell 74-70 on Sunday night. Sirtautas gave the Highlanders the lead for good with 2:38 left in the extra period. Moss shot 4 of 13 from the field, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 6 from the line for the Highlanders (9-2). Josiah Harris scored 12 points and added five rebounds. Achile Spadone led the Bison (4-7) in scoring, finishing with 22 points and two steals. Bucknell also got 19 points and four assists from Josh Bascoe. Noah Williamson had nine points. Bascoe's layup with 12 seconds left forced overtime tied at 59. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Is the world more dangerous than ever for travelers? A global risk expert weighs in

AP Business SummaryBrief at 11:27 a.m. ESTRADFORD, Va. (AP) — Jarvis Moss scored 15 points and Jonas Sirtautas had a go-ahead three-point play in overtime to help Radford hold off Bucknell 74-70 on Sunday night. Sirtautas gave the Highlanders the lead for good with 2:38 left in the extra period. Moss shot 4 of 13 from the field, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 6 from the line for the Highlanders (9-2). Josiah Harris scored 12 points and added five rebounds. Achile Spadone led the Bison (4-7) in scoring, finishing with 22 points and two steals. Bucknell also got 19 points and four assists from Josh Bascoe. Noah Williamson had nine points. Bascoe's layup with 12 seconds left forced overtime tied at 59. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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World number one Luke Humphries continued his bid for back-to-back World Championship titles after easing through to the last 16. While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE KICKS ON! Luke Humphries comfortably books his spot in the Last 16 with a 4-0 whitewash victory over Nick Kenny, averaging 98.59! 📺 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. HEROIC HETA HITS THE NINE! 🔥 UNBELIEVABLE SCENES! 🤯 Damon Heta lands the second nine-darter of the tournament to raise the roof at Alexandra Palace! — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. PRICE WINS A THRILLER! That might just be the game of the tournament so far! 💥 Gerwyn Price manages to break the Rockstars throw in the final leg of the game, and beats Joe Cullen 4-3 and books his place in the Last 16! 📺 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.By Dwayne Mahimkar* Apia, Samoa – 26 November 2024 – Part of the visit by the staff and students of Monash University GIG Initiative, explored the socio-cultural aspects of Samoa achieving certain Sustainable Development Goals. The students visited the Samoa Recycling and Waste Management Association (SRWMA) site at Tafaigata to study waste management and recycling of non-renewable resources and how they are handled. The discussions of their visit were held at the USP Samoa lecture room, where they reflected and shared what they had learnt or discovered at the site. Jack Scott, one of the students of the visiting delegation, took a video of what appeared to be mounds of plastic and other rubbish at the site they visited. He shared how the authority handles the huge amounts of waste that are from across the country, and they are from rubbish compartments from families; manufacturing companies; restaurants etc. Some of the waste separated and packaged for recycling. Students discussed issues occurring in these sites such as staff turnover, lack of funding and resources to work with the wastes, and most would end in landfills. The students had to split up into their working groups and got to experience what it is like to study on a campus such as USP Samoa, with its pristine environment, and breathtaking views. After a lunch break, it was then time for the local insight session of the day. The session focused on ‘Youth Activism in SDGs’, and comprised three presentations and a Q&A panel. The first speaker was Samantha Kwan of Conservation International. Her presentation focused on the Guardians Programme. It is a grassroots initiative where Indigenous learning, environmental conservation and its connection to ‘Fa’asamoa’ (Samoan way of life). A video was presented to the audience of USP and Monash students combined, showcasing the activities undertaken by the programme. Pauli Uitualagi Fetu Saili, owner of Lele Homestead, did a presentation on gender equality, and socio-economic issues in local business. She is a part of the Samoa Women’s Association of Growers (SWAG), a non-profit organisation that promotes primary productions led by Samoan women, from rural areas. Fetu Saili started her business as a dream from her mother, to help her sisters (Fetu’s aunties) secure food resources. She shared her successes and struggles with running a business, such as employment and financing, whilst providing for her family and adapting to climate change. The final presentation was by Doris Tulifau, the founder of Brown Girl Woke (BGW), a feminist organisation that addresses social injustices and human rights issues. Doris’ presentation was a reality check on achieving the 17 SDGs of the United Nations (UN), particularly Goal #5 (Gender Equality). She stated that by 2030 (the expected deadline when all countries meet the SDGs), most countries still have yet to achieve at least one or most of the goals. According to Doris, it will take more time for all countries to practically achieve all the SDGs. The presenters: Fetu Saili (SWAG), Doris Tulifau (BGW) & Samantha Kwan (Conservation International Samoa). In her presentation, she gave a socio-cultural outlook of Samoa and she discussed the importance of addressing social issues such as gender-based violence, mental health, suicide and others, while also respecting traditional concepts. Doris has been very outspoken on these issues and is never afraid to address the flaws within society, hence, the NGO was rarely invited to community-level events. The questions from the students ranged from Indigenous learning to youth engagement to colonial influence and hangover. Questions and Answers session. On the fifth day of the Monash University GIG initiative in Samoa, the students learn about the culture by visiting some major cultural sites in Samoa. The day started with a visit to the National University of Samoa (NUS) where Ta’iao Dr Matiu Matavai Tautunu, director of the Center of Samoan Studies, gave a briefing on what the centre does. He covered the connection between culture and climate change in Samoa and shared the NUS Centre of Samoan Studies and the disciplines they cover; from history to culture and archaeology. Ta’iao Dr. Matiu Matavai Tautunu, giving a lecture to the students of Monash University. (Photo by: Kerinina Leaupepe). The director also gave some insight into the significance of the Ava ceremony, village and hierarchical structures, and more details about Samoan history and the people who have studied it.

( MENAFN - ABN Newswire) The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is pleased to announce that registration for the PDAC 2025 Convention, taking place March 2-5, 2025, at the Metro Toronto convention Centre, is now open. The 93rd annual PDAC Convention will feature cutting-edge programming and a worldclass trade show with over 1,100 exhibitors. Building on the success of PDAC 2024, which attracted nearly 27,000 attendees from 138 countries, this year's convention offers unmatched opportunities for collaboration, learning, and innovation in the sector. "With more than 600,000 square feet of exhibits, groundbreaking programming, and exceptional networking opportunities, PDAC 2025 will bring together the world's most influential industry leaders," said Raymond Goldie, PDAC President. "This year's convention emphasizes advancements in mineral exploration and mining technology, sustainability, and shaping the future of mining by strengthening partnerships with students and Indigenous communities." Highlights of PDAC 2025 Engaging exhibits: Discover over 1,100 exhibitors at the Trade Show and Investors Exchange, showcasing the leading companies, technologies, and investment opportunities in the industry. Thought-provoking programming: Engage in technical sessions, short courses and keynotes covering topics such as commodities, geoscience, capital markets, and advancements in exploration and mining. Fostering Indigenous collaboration: The critical role of Indigenous partnerships is showcased through programs focused on land stewardship, economic empowerment, and meaningful engagement with key stakeholders. Inspiring students and early-career professionals: Expand your horizons and connect with industry leaders through educational opportunities, networking events, and mentorship programs designed to support the next generation of industry professionals. Unmatched networking events: Celebrate excellence at the Awards Gala & Nite Cap - the Convention's signature event honouring the 2025 PDAC Award recipients. Enjoy a variety of social events throughout the week, including daily happy hours, coffee connections and the Canada Night Finale. Register now Be part of the PDAC 2025: World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention in Toronto. Register and plan your experience today at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community, an industry that employs more than 664,000 individuals, and contributed $132 billion to Canada's GDP in 2021. Currently representing over 7,800 members around the world, PDAC's work centers on supporting a competitive, responsible, and sustainable mineral sector. PDAC 2025, our 93rd annual convention, will take place in person in Toronto, Canada from March 2-5. Please visit pdac for more information. MENAFN08122024000111011020ID1108969504 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.In Pictures: Politics frames the debate as Ireland holds five ballots in 2024

Wade Taylor IV racked up 19 points that included eight in the final 3:22 of the game as No. 22 Texas A&M outlasted Texas Tech 72-67 on Sunday afternoon in the USLBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Texas A&M (8-2) led by as many as 11 points in the first half and by three at halftime before the Red Raiders surged to the front early in the second half. Down 52-49, the Aggies produced an 11-0 surge capped by a jumper by Zhuric Phelps to take a 60-52 advantage with 5:02 to play The Aggies' margin was just two points when Taylor went hard to the hole on back-to-back possessions for layups that pushed the lead to 64-58. A 3-pointer by Tech's Chance McMillian cut lead to three but Taylor, Henry Coleman III and Solomon Washington converted free throws over the final 27 seconds to provide the deciding points for A&M. Jace Carter added 16 points and Phelps had 12 for the Aggies, who have won four straight games. McMillian's 23 points were a game high, while Kevin Overton added 17 and Darrion Williams had 11 for Texas Tech (7-2), which had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Aggies ruled the game's first five minutes, blitzing to a 13-2 lead thanks to eight early points from Taylor and a stifling defense that forced Tech into four turnovers. The Red Raiders responded with an 8-2 run capped by a jumper by Federiko Federiko to close the gap to five points at the 10:57 mark. Texas Tech continued to battle back, clawing to within 26-24 with 5:16 left in the first half thanks to a 9-0 run. Texas A&M boosted the margin to as many as six points after Manny Obaseki hit a layup with 2:23 remaining before McMillian canned a pair of free throws with 41 seconds to play to pull to within 34-31 at the break. Overton led all scorers with 14 points before halftime while Carter paced the Aggies with 13. The Red Raiders pulled even on Federiko's jumper 46 seconds into the second half, went in front on a jumper by Elijah Hawkins with 18:22 to play and pushed their advantage to five points on another Hawkins jumper at the 16:30 mark of the half. The Aggies swung back, tying the contest at 49 when Washington sank a 3-pointer with 10:48 left, setting the stage for the furious finish. --Field Level MediaPablo Rodriguez gains new supporters in Quebec Liberal leadership race

10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025

Toy Story 5 star teases “brilliant” sequel after first recording sessionRUSK — Tyler fire officials confirmed there were no injuries following the ignition of a detonating cord while confiscating grenades from a building. Chief Joey Hooton with the Tyler Fire Department said crews responded to a call about a box of grenades in a building in downtown Rusk. The caller allegedly did not know if the grenades were live at the time of the call. A bomb squad was deployed to confiscate the grenades. Hooton said a robot with an arm attachment was deployed to inspect the devices, which were found to be inert. A grenade is considered inert when the technology within the device has been gutted from the grenade and is no longer explosive. During the incident, Hooton reported a detonation cord (or “detcord”) was ignited, which was allowed to burn out at the scene. No injuries or property damage was reported. The Tyler Fire Department’s bomb squad serves 16 counties across East Texas.US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people

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