nn777 apk download Fox News national correspondent Alexis McAdams has the latest on former President Jimmy Carter's health condition on 'Fox Report.' Jimmy Carter, the nation’s 39th president, has died at the age of 100. He served a single term as president, but he also will be remembered for his decades of humanitarian work . Those who knew him – opponents and supporters alike – described him as a man of integrity, whatever flaws he may have had as president. "When we look at the whole thrust of Jimmy Carter’s life, it’s an amazing American story," Douglas Brinkley, author of The Unfinished Presidency: Jimmy Carter’s Journey Beyond the White House , told Fox News Digital. "He grew up with no electricity, went to work in the... Navy. He became President of the United States at the height of the Cold War and won the Nobel Prize for his post-presidency," Brinkley said. "All the time, his ambitious humanity was aimed at trying to make sure that everybody he came in contact with, had a better, fair shake at life." JIMMY CARTER HAD ONE OF THE ‘GREATEST SECOND ACTS’ IN AMERICAN HISTORY, CONSERVATIVE HISTORIAN SAYS FILE: Former president Jimmy Carter prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) A peanut farmer and former one-term governor of Georgia, Carter beat the odds and was elected president in 1977. "Nobody thought Carter could procure the Democratic nomination. But Carter had a unique amount of bulldog tenacity [and] gumshoe perseverance," Brinkley said. American politician Jimmy Carter smiles and waves to the auditorium at the close of the 1976 Democratic National Convention, where Carter was confirmed as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, 15th July 1976, Later that year, the former Governor of Georgia won the 1976 United States presidential election. (Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) His campaign befuddled Democrats, as Carter was deeply religious and ran to the right of his Republican opponent, Gerald Ford, on some social issues. As a Washington outsider, Carter’s agricultural background and accent endeared him to the deep south. He took office at a time when Watergate, the Vietnam War, and stagflation had left the country in a sour mood. In Washington, his populist campaign inevitably collided with establishment Democrats who never fully accepted Carter. TIM SCOTT'S MASSIVE WAR CHEST COULD GIVE HIM HEAD START IN 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN "He never had a full grip on his own Democratic Party. Ted Kennedy liberals didn’t like Carter, and the Scoop Jackson Cold War hawks didn’t like him," Brinkley said. "So, he was kind of an island unto himself as president." Carter’s foreign policy wins included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for nearly two weeks in 1978. At home, Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad, and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy and the Federal Emergency Manager Agency. Jimmy Carter signs Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1977 ca. 9 November 1977. (Hum Images/Universal Images Group) Carter designated millions of acres in Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges and he appointed a then-record number of women and non-whites to federal posts. He also built on Nixon’s opening with China and pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. Yet, his president was also marked by double-digit inflation, long gasoline lines, and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran . His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat. FILE: Former President Jimmy Carter addresses the crowd gathered for his 28th annual town hall meeting at Emory University on September 16, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images) Carter was also crippled by his – as Brinkley put it – "lack of communication chops." Oratory, Brinkley said, was not his strong suit. In 1979, Carter delivered his famous "Crisis of Confidence" speech in which he lamented that the United States, once a nation "proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God" had descended into "self-indulgence and consumption." SIX DEMOCRATS WHO COULD RETIRE AHEAD OF A POSSIBLY GRUELING 2024 SENATE ELECTION CYCLE "Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we’ve discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning," Carter said. "We’ve learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose." Craig Shirley, a Reagan biographer and historian, recalled watching the speech while working for a senator on Capitol Hill. "I remember watching it that Sunday night and feeling for the first time in my life, I felt scared as an American. The speech was such a downer. It was so depressing," Shirley said. "A president is supposed to tell the truth to the American people, but also appeal to the American people’s hopes and aspirations and not their worst feelings or desires." President Jimmy Carter and his Republican challenger, Ronald Reagan, shake hands as they greet one another before their debate on the stage of the Music Hall in Cleveland, Ohio. (Getty Images) Carter ultimately served a single, tumultuous term and was defeated by Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980. But whatever flaws his presidency may have had, Carter will perhaps be most fondly remembered for the decades he spent post-presidency advocating for democracy, public health, and human rights via The Carter Center. CHRISTIAN GROUP URGES BIDEN TO PREVENT ‘GENOCIDE’ DEVELOPING ON RUSSIA'S DOORSTEP The Center, which Carter opened with his wife, Rosalynn, in 1982, has been a pioneer of election observation, monitoring at least 113 elections in Africa, Latin America, and Asia since 1989. In perhaps its most widely hailed public health effort, the organization recently announced that only 14 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported in all of 2021, the result of years of public health campaigns to improve access to safe drinking water in Africa. Carter's work with the Center garnered a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Haitian President Michel Martelly (2L) and former US President Jimmy Carter (C) visit a housing project on November 8, 2011, in Leogane (33 Km in the south of Port-au-Prince) which built by Carter Foundation for 500 families, victims of the last quake on January 12, 2010, in Port-au-Prince. (THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP via Getty Images) For his humanitarian work, Shirley argued, Carter will be remembered as "one of the best ex-presidents of the 20th century." "Carter really wasn’t for PR stunts. He really threw himself into his charitable works and did so for many years," Shirley said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We’re going to remember him kindly. He was a terrific former president with what he did with the Carter Center and the various initiatives around the country. His book writing stands out [as does] his charitable works. So, he goes down in his history as an extraordinarily good, former president." The Associated Press contributed to this report. This article was written by Fox News staff.Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 — Leicester City (@LCFC) “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.

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ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center simply said in posting about Carter’s death on the social media platform X. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors. He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners. He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian, would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. 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New York Police Department officials found a stash of Monopoly money in a backpack believed to have been dumped by the killer of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The discovery was made hours after the NYPD released two new images of the suspected gunman in the fatal shooting of the executive who was gunned down in Manhattan on Wednesday. The alleged killer was seen on camera in the back of the New York City taxi and later exiting the vehicle the morning Thompson was executed . Chilling map shows which US cities would be destroyed in nuclear strike Dad makes friend dig own grave and kill himself after raping his daughter, six Police officials have called the shooting "targeted" in nature since the CEO was receiving death threats, according to his estranged wife Paulette, over "lack of coverage." However, almost five days after his shooting, no ulterior motive has yet been established. Detectives found a backpack in Central Park on Friday that allegedly belonged to the masked gunman that they took for forensic analysis. It was reportedly found near a merry-go-round in the park. On further inspection, officials have found a stash of Monopoly money inside. This seems to be yet another clue in this elusive killer's arsenal, besides the bullets used to kill the UnitedHealthcare CEO that came with cryptic scrawls resembling the title of a book that criticizes insurance companies and their tactics to deny claims. The shell casings retrieved at the scene of the shooting reportedly have the words 'depose', 'deny' and 'defend' inscribed on them. These words have an uncanny similarity to the title of a 2010 Jay M. Feinman book, "Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims And What You Can Do About It." DON'T MISS: Two new photos of suspected assassin accused of shooting CEO dead in street [LATEST] Assassin lookalike contest sees competitors dress as healthcare CEO's killer [BIZARRE] Cops 'set to reveal identity of CEO's killer' as mayor vows 'net is tightening' [ANTICIPATED] "Your insurer's main objective is not to protect you; in fact, insurers often try to avoid paying justified claims. Today the name of the game is delay, deny, defend: to improve their profits, insurance companies delay payment of justified claims, deny payment altogether, and defend their actions by forcing claimants to enter litigation," the book's website reads. The shooting has been extremely divisive in American society exposing the deep-rooted anguish and frustration toward the healthcare system. Netizens have flooded social media with their own horror stories dealing with insurance companies, particularly UnitedHealthcare. The Monopoly money may be a cryptic nod toward UnitedHealthcare taking up a massive portion of the health insurance industry. With a revenue of over $370 billion in 2023, UnitedHealthcare is making moves to acquire large chunks of the insurance industry. In Feb. 2022, the DOJ moved to block them from acquiring healthcare tech company Change Healthcare Inc. as the $13 billion transaction would give them an "unfair advantage and harm competition in health insurance markets," the DoJ said in a press release. "The proposed transaction also would eliminate United's only major rival for first-pass claims editing technology — a critical product used to efficiently process health insurance claims and save health insurers billions of dollars each year — and give United a monopoly share in the market," they said. In November, the DoJ filed another civil antitrust lawsuit to block their parent company, UnitedHealth Group from acquiring a rival provider Amedisys Inc. "We are challenging this merger because home health and hospice patients and their families experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives deserve affordable, high-quality care options," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in a November 12 press release. "The Justice Department will not hesitate to check unlawful consolidation and monopolization in the healthcare market that threatens to harm vulnerable patients, their families, and healthcare workers," the statement added. Thompson, 50, has been the CEO of UnitedHealthcare since 2021. He was on his way to an investor conference on Wednesday morning when he was fatally shot by a masked gunman outside the New York Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Azmar Abdullah's 21 points off of the bench led Boston University to a 69-62 victory against Howard on Sunday. Abdullah went 7 of 9 from the field (5 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Terriers (3-4). Kyrone Alexander added 10 points while going 2 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line while they also had seven rebounds. Ben Palacios went 3 of 5 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points. Marcus Dockery finished with 17 points and two steals for the Bison (3-3). Blake Harper added 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals for Howard. Anwar Gill had 10 points and two steals. An 11-0 run in the first half gave Boston University a five-point lead. The teams entered the break with Boston University ahead 26-21, while Michael McNair led their club in scoring with eight points. Abdullah's 18-point second half helped Boston University close out the seven-point victory. NEXT UP Boston University takes on Sacred Heart at home on Sunday, and Howard visits UMBC on Monday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Amid the ongoing allegations of crypto scam against Hailey Welch, the 22-year-old woman who rose to fame with the viral 'Hawk Tuah' clip, a bizarre claim has surfaced on social media that Welch is dead. Despite there being no confirmation of the same, several X accounts are posting that Welch has passed away. "Breaking News: Hailey Welch has been found deceased at the age of 22 years old," one user, with over 24,000 followers on X, posted. Other accounts also made similar posts, such as this one: What Is The Basis Of The Rumours? The rumors likely surfaced from the fact that Hailey Welch has not been posting on social media since the alleged scam around her $HAWK cryptocurrency broke out. Her last post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, dates back to December 5. She has since been attacked on social media over the alleged scam, which she has refrained from addressing beyond the initial statement. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US Buzz, World and around the world.In today's digital age, where smartphones are ubiquitous and privacy concerns are at an all-time high, a recent incident on a subway train has sparked a heated debate on the boundaries of personal space and the right to privacy. A woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, has come forward with allegations that she was secretly filmed by a man while riding the subway, prompting a confrontation that quickly escalated into a heated exchange.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arclin, a leading material science company, officially launched its new brand on November 12, 2024 . This modern rebranding reflects the company's evolution as a material science provider with a focus on protective and mission-critical products and its expanded presence as a global leader across key market sectors. To better align its brand with its evolving vision, Arclin embarked on a year-long research, strategy, and creative development process. The initial months focused on gathering insights from internal stakeholders, existing customers, and industry experts to identify key strengths, value propositions, and areas for growth. "The research phase was pivotal in helping us sharpen our focus and align internally so that we could better represent our true value and potential to different internal and external audiences," said Mark Glaspey , Arclin's Chief Operating Officer. A key partner in this transformation has been Matchstic, a brand identity firm based in Atlanta, GA. Collaborating closely with the Arclin team, Matchstic helped transform the company's narrative from a chemical and applications company to that of a global leader in formulated technologies that are essential to meeting worldwide demand. As part of its overall rebranding effort, Arclin also worked with Whiteboard, a Chattanooga, TN , based company, to completely overhaul its website onto a more robust, easier-to-navigate platform that more clearly represents the depth and breadth of the company's offerings. Inspired by the Arclin out-of-the-box approach to thinking and innovating, the new brand symbol is a nod to a deconstructed cube. The shape of the panels implies movement and momentum that speaks to the company's continued innovation and commitment to bringing life-changing products to the world. "The selection of a vibrant orange as our primary color represents a bold departure from our previous brand," said Jana Wright , Arclin's Vice President of Brand & Marketing. "This change signals a confident transition, positioning Arclin as a leading material science company. Our new logo reflects our philosophy of technological precision and innovation." The stenciled wordmark visualizes the relationship between the seen and the unseen with intentional gaps inside the letterforms. This idea highlights the seemingly invisible science that is the backbone of Arclin products—technologies that are vital and found in essential protective products across numerous industries, enhancing our lives in ways that many people do not realize. "We've been around for many years, but never have we been able to fully articulate or capture what we do," stated Bradley Bolduc , Arclin's President and Chief Executive Officer. "It's a complex process, producing polymers and materials that touch so many products and areas of life. We've always taken a back seat in that story. But now is the time to change that, highlighting our transformation over the past five years, by making a bold change in how we present ourselves to our employees, customers and industry as a whole." About Arclin Arclin is a leading materials science company and manufacturer of polymer technologies, engineered products and specialized materials for the construction, agriculture, transportation infrastructure, weather & fire protection, pharmaceutical, nutrition, electronics, design, and other industries. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia , Arclin has offices and manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S., Canada , and U.K. and manufactures for customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.arclin.com . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2222683/Arclin_Logo.jpgnn777 group 。

As Amazon use of warehouse robots expands, what will it mean for workers?Is Outlook down? Thousands of Microsoft 365 users report outage issuesPSG beats Toulouse 3-0 and Akliouche double gives Monaco home win over BrestOTTAWA — Canada got back in the win column at the world junior hockey championship. It wasn't pretty. Oliver Bonk, Caden Price and Mathieu Cataford, into the empty net, scored as the wobbly host country picked up an unconvincing 3-0 victory over Germany on Sunday. Carter George made 25 saves to register the goaltender's second straight shutout for the Canadians, who were coming off Friday's stunning 3-2 upset loss to Latvia in a shootout. Nico Pertuch stopped 33 shots for Germany, which dropped its Group A opener at the men's under-20 tournament to the United States 10-4 before falling 3-1 to Finland. Canada entered with a 17-0 record all-time and a combined 107-26 score against Germany at the world juniors, including last year's 6-3 victory in Gothenburg, Sweden, and an 11-2 drubbing at the 2023 event in Halifax. Despite another sub-par performance, the victory sets up a New Year's Eve matchup against the U.S. for first place in the pool after the Americans fell 4-3 to the Finns in overtime earlier Sunday. Canada suffered one of the powerhouse nation's worst defeats in tournament history Friday when Latvia — outscored 41-4 in four previous meetings at the event — shocked the hockey world. And while the plucky Latvians were full marks for their victory, the Canadians were largely disjointed and surrendered the middle of the ice for long stretches despite firing 57 shots on goal. There was more of the same Sunday. Head coach Dave Cameron made a couple of changes to Canada's lineup — one out of necessity and another for tactical reasons. With star defenceman Matthew Schaefer, who could go No. 1 at the 2025 NHL draft, out of the world juniors after suffering an upper-body injury against Latvia, Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio drew in. Cameron also sat forward Porter Martone in favour of Carson Rehkopf. Canada opened the scoring on the power play, which also had a new look after going 1-for-7 through the first two games, when Bonk scored from his normal bumper position in the slot off an Easton Cowan feed at 9:40 of the first period. Sam Dickinson then chimed a one-timer off the post on another man advantage before George, who was in goal for Canada's 4-0 opener against the Finns, made a couple of stops on the penalty kill inside a red-clad Canadian Tire Centre. Petruch made a big stop off Tanner Howe in the second before also denying Calum Ritchie from the slot on a power play, but the Canadians again looked completely out of sorts against what was a decidedly inferior opponent on paper. Berkly Catton hit another post for Canada early in the third. Tanner Molendyk also found iron. Unable to register a 5-on-5 goal against either Latvia or Germany through more than 120 minutes of action, Price scored on a shot that caromed off the end boards and went in off Pertuch with 4:58 left in regulation to make it 2-0 before Cataford iced it into the empty net on another nervy night for the 20-time gold medallists. LATVIAN REACTION The U.S. beat Latvia 5-1 on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the Europeans' upset of Canada. American captain Ryan Leonard said the Latvians were impressive — even on short rest. "That team's no joke," said the Washington Capitals prospect. "You can't really treat anyone different, especially in this short of a tournament." UP NEXT Germany will meet Latvia on Monday in a crucial game at the bottom of the Group A standings. Canada now turns its attention to Tuesday's clash against the U.S. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

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After starting 2-0 in its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, SMU looks to make the month even more special on Sunday, hosting Longwood in Dallas, Texas. The Mustangs seek a seven-game win streak in their final nonconference test before welcoming No. 4 Duke to Dallas on Jan. 4. In recent victories over Alabama State, Virginia, LSU, and Boston College, SMU (10-2) averaged 85.3 points per game, allowed just 66.0 ppg, and climbed to No. 30 in the NET rankings. "We're a different team right now than we were earlier in the season," SMU head coach Andy Enfield said at the beginning of December, his words ringing even truer as the season progresses. "They'd never been under pressure together until recently, so they're starting to learn and figure things out." Longwood (11-3) enters its third consecutive road game, having won five of its last six overall. That includes a major 82-67 win at North Carolina Central on Dec. 20. It was only the sixth nonconference home loss for NCC since 2016, and Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich saw it as a result of his team's growing cohesiveness. "We got great contributions from so many players," Aldrich said. "We have been working to play more and more connected, and this team has really taken positive steps this week." The Mustangs' Matt Cross is among the biggest threats to Longwood's defense, which allows just 66.6 points per game. A 6-foot-7 forward, Cross had 36 points over SMU's last two wins, including a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double against LSU. What Cross does with the ball in his hands is impressive -- he is averaging 13.5 ppg in December -- but it is also what he does off the ball that increases his value. "He's extremely tough," Enfield said after Cross' performance against LSU. "His wall up in transition, where (Corey) Chest came down, was going to dunk the ball, and he stood there and took the contact. ...That's a big-time basketball play." Longwood is paced by Michael Christmas, a veteran forward in his fourth year in the program. A hard-nosed wing who can score at all three levels, Christmas is Longwood's only returner who started at least 30 games on last year's NCAA Tournament team. He is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. "(He) loves this university, loves this town and community," Aldrich said of Christmas. "He opted to come back here to really invest in the program." --Field Level Media

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2 rescued after California wharf partially collapses due to heavy surf from major Pacific stormA DUP minister rebuffed a suggestion that there could be an extension of pub opening hours in Northern Ireland to celebrate the golden jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, declassified files show. Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”

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David Pollack Predicts Winner of Ohio State-Oregon Playoff GamePresident-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a "political resolution" to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. "President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act's deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case," said Trump's amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump's choice for solicitor general. The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table. He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it. The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and "seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office." In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on "alleged 'risks' that China could exercise control" over TikTok's U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates. The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok's U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information. But the government "concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so," TikTok's legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks. In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok "is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China," its corporate structure carries with it risk.

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide reported having issues with services like Outlook and Teams on Monday. In social media posts and comments on platforms like outage tracker Downdetector, some impacted said that they were having trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint. Microsoft acknowledged “an issue impacting users attempting to access Exchange Online or functionality within Microsoft Teams calendar” earlier in the day. In updates posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the company’s status page said it identified a “recent change” that it believed to be behind the problem — and was working to revert it. Microsoft shared that it was deploying a fix — which, as of shortly before noon E.T., it said had reached about 98% of “affected environments.” Still, the company’s status page later added , targeted restarts were “progressing slower than anticipated for the majority of affected users.” As of midday Monday, Downdetector showed thousands of outage reports from users of Microsoft 365 , particularly Outlook .IPL 2025 Mega Auction The TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More Ethnic Statement Styles Inspired by Keerthy Suresh Stunning pictures of Nazriya Nazim Famous tea-tourism destinations in India 8 simple techniques to sharpen your eyesight Hansika Motwani's Indo-Western look sets the perfect bridesmaid style goals 8 South Indian delicacies that make for a light meal Sanya Malhotra radiates ethnic elegance in golden splendor Best boss Lady looks of Nita Ambani for your next boardroom meeting Radiant snaps of Helly Shah

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The crash happened at 10.45am in crowded downtown Delray Beach, multiple news outlets reported. The Brightline train was stopped on the tracks, its front destroyed, about a block away from the Delray Beach fire rescue truck, its ladder ripped off and strewn in the grass several yards away, The Sun-Sentinel newspaper reported. The Delray Beach Fire Rescue said in a social media post that three Delray Beach firefighters were in stable condition at a hospital. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue took 12 people from the train to the hospital with minor injuries. Emmanuel Amaral rushed to the scene on his golf cart after hearing a loud crash and screeching train brakes from where he was having breakfast a couple of blocks away. He saw firefighters climbing out of the window of their damaged truck and pulling injured colleagues away from the tracks. One of their helmets came to rest several hundred feet away from the crash. “The front of that train is completely smashed, and there was even some of the parts to the fire truck stuck in the front of the train, but it split the car right in half. It split the fire truck right in half, and the debris was everywhere,” Mr Amaral said. Brightline officials did not immediately comment on the crash. A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said it was still gathering information about the crash and had not decided yet whether it will investigate. The NTSB is already investigating two crashes involving Brightline’s high-speed trains that killed three people early this year at the same crossing along the railroad’s route between Miami and Orlando. More than 100 people have died after being hit by trains since Brightline began operations in July 2017 – giving the railroad the worst death rate in the United States. But most of those deaths have been either suicides, pedestrians who tried to run across the tracks ahead of a train or drivers who went around crossing gates instead of waiting for a train to pass. Brightline has not been found to be at fault in those previous deaths.

OTTAWA — Peter Anholt tried to keep things light as he emerged from one of the elevators at Canada's hotel. The temperature had been turned way up on the veteran hockey executive and the country's under-20 program after a stunning upset some 12 hours earlier. "You only want to talk to me when things are bad, eh?" Anholt joked to reporters Saturday morning. "Is that how this works?" That is indeed what happens when a powerhouse with a record 20 gold medals expected to roll over an opponent suffers one of its worst all-time defeats at the tournament. Canada was embarrassed on home soil 3-2 by Latvia — a country it had thumped by a combined 41-4 score across four previous meetings — in a shocking shootout Friday. Coming off a disastrous fifth-place finish last year in Sweden and having talked a lot about upping their compete level and preparation, the Canadians looked disjointed for long stretches against the plucky, hard-working Latvians. The power play finally clicked late in the third period, but stands at 1-for-7 through two games, while the top line of Easton Cowan, Calum Ritchie and Bradly Nadeau has yet to translate its pre-tournament chemistry into success in the spotlight. "We're certainly trying to problem solve, but not throw the baby out with the bath water," said Anholt, who heads the world junior setup. "We've got to be really careful." Canada, which picked up a solid 4-0 victory over Finland to open its tournament Thursday, had plenty of offensive zone time and directed 57 shots at Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs. Included in that total, however, were far too many one-and-done efforts from the perimeter with little traffic in front. There were, of course, desperate spurts — especially late in regulation and in 3-on-3 overtime — but not nearly enough for a roster peppered with first-round NHL draft picks and top prospects. "We played really, really hard," Anholt said in defending his players. "We controlled the puck lots. We created some chances. Their goalie was really good and they defended really good ... 99 times out of 100 we win that game." Hoping for a big response Sunday against Germany before meeting the United States on New Year's Eve to tie a bow on round-robin action in Group A, Canada will have to push ahead minus one of its best players. Star defenceman Matthew Schaefer was injured Friday and is done for the tournament after he slammed into Latvia's net and skated off favouring his left shoulder area. "Tough blow for the kid," Anholt said. "The way he plays the game, he plays it at such a high speed." Cowan, a Toronto Maple Leafs first-round selection, said Canada remains confident despite Friday's ugly result in the nation's capital. "We're good," said the 19-year-old from Mount Brydges, Ont. "Everyone's lost a hockey game before." But not like that — or to that opponent on that stage. "Bit of a (crappy) feeling," said Nadeau, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect from St-Francois-de-Madawaska, N.B. "We all know what this group is capable of. Losing that game is not our standard. "We'll bounce back." Some corners of social media exploded following the Latvian debacle, with heavy criticism directed at head coach Dave Cameron and the team's overall roster construction. "We're not really worried about it," defenceman and Ottawa native Oliver Book, who like Cowan is back from last year's team, said of the outside noise. "We know we didn't play well." Canada appears poised to mix things up against the Germans. Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio of Kamloops, B.C., is set draw in for Schaefer, while Anholt indicated there's a good chance forward Carson Rehkopf will get his first crack at the 2025 tournament as a returnee. The 19-year-old Seattle Kraken second-round pick from Vaughan, Ont., has scored a combined 78 goals over his last 97 regular-season and playoff games in the Ontario Hockey League. "Great player," Cowan said. "He finds ways." Anholt said taking a big-picture approach is key in challenging moments. "Let's not panic," he said. "The world hasn't fallen in. It's hard, but we'll learn from it." It's something Canada will have to do under intense scrutiny. "People are gonna love you and people are gonna hate you," said Cowan, who has a goal an assist through two games. "Gotta keep doing you." Anholt, who was also at the helm 12 months ago when Canada never got in gear, isn't getting 2024 vibes from this year's group. "Not even in any way, shape or form," he said. "We've just got to take care of business." They get a first shot at redemption Sunday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian PressGov Nwifuru will complete eight years in office — UmahiNational League club confirm appointment of new manager

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Morehead State defeats Tennessee State 74-68OTTAWA — Peter Anholt tried to keep things light as he emerged from one of the elevators at Canada's hotel. The temperature had been turned way up on the veteran hockey executive and the country's under-20 program after a stunning upset some 12 hours earlier. "You only want to talk to me when things are bad, eh?" Anholt joked to reporters Saturday morning. "Is that how this works?" That is indeed what happens when a powerhouse with a record 20 gold medals expected to roll over an opponent suffers one of its worst all-time defeats at the tournament. Canada was embarrassed on home soil 3-2 by Latvia — a country it had thumped by a combined 41-4 score across four previous meetings — in a shocking shootout Friday. Coming off a disastrous fifth-place finish last year in Sweden and having talked a lot about upping their compete level and preparation, the Canadians looked disjointed for long stretches against the plucky, hard-working Latvians. The power play finally clicked late in the third period, but stands at 1-for-7 through two games, while the top line of Easton Cowan, Calum Ritchie and Bradly Nadeau has yet to translate its pre-tournament chemistry into success in the spotlight. "We're certainly trying to problem solve, but not throw the baby out with the bath water," said Anholt, who heads the world junior setup. "We've got to be really careful." Canada, which picked up a solid 4-0 victory over Finland to open its tournament Thursday, had plenty of offensive zone time and directed 57 shots at Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs. Included in that total, however, were far too many one-and-done efforts from the perimeter with little traffic in front. There were, of course, desperate spurts — especially late in regulation and in 3-on-3 overtime — but not nearly enough for a roster peppered with first-round NHL draft picks and top prospects. "We played really, really hard," Anholt said in defending his players. "We controlled the puck lots. We created some chances. Their goalie was really good and they defended really good ... 99 times out of 100 we win that game." Hoping for a big response Sunday against Germany before meeting the United States on New Year's Eve to tie a bow on round-robin action in Group A, Canada will have to push ahead minus one of its best players. Star defenceman Matthew Schaefer was injured Friday and is done for the tournament after he slammed into Latvia's net and skated off favouring his left shoulder area. "Tough blow for the kid," Anholt said. "The way he plays the game, he plays it at such a high speed." Cowan, a Toronto Maple Leafs first-round selection, said Canada remains confident despite Friday's ugly result in the nation's capital. "We're good," said the 19-year-old from Mount Brydges, Ont. "Everyone's lost a hockey game before." But not like that — or to that opponent on that stage. "Bit of a (crappy) feeling," said Nadeau, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect from St-Francois-de-Madawaska, N.B. "We all know what this group is capable of. Losing that game is not our standard. "We'll bounce back." Some corners of social media exploded following the Latvian debacle, with heavy criticism directed at head coach Dave Cameron and the team's overall roster construction. "We're not really worried about it," defenceman and Ottawa native Oliver Book, who like Cowan is back from last year's team, said of the outside noise. "We know we didn't play well." Canada appears poised to mix things up against the Germans. Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio of Kamloops, B.C., is set draw in for Schaefer, while Anholt indicated there's a good chance forward Carson Rehkopf will get his first crack at the 2025 tournament as a returnee. The 19-year-old Seattle Kraken second-round pick from Vaughan, Ont., has scored a combined 78 goals over his last 97 regular-season and playoff games in the Ontario Hockey League. "Great player," Cowan said. "He finds ways." Anholt said taking a big-picture approach is key in challenging moments. "Let's not panic," he said. "The world hasn't fallen in. It's hard, but we'll learn from it." It's something Canada will have to do under intense scrutiny. "People are gonna love you and people are gonna hate you," said Cowan, who has a goal an assist through two games. "Gotta keep doing you." Anholt, who was also at the helm 12 months ago when Canada never got in gear, isn't getting 2024 vibes from this year's group. "Not even in any way, shape or form," he said. "We've just got to take care of business." They get a first shot at redemption Sunday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

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Marc Byrnes remembers the day he opened his property tax bill this summer to find it had quadrupled from the previous installment. “I think a fair number of people would have damned near had a heart attack when they read what I received,” Byrnes said. The bill had gone from $1,162.32 due in March to $4,706.75 due in August. Byrnes had a sense his property tax bill would likely be increasing after chatting in June with a neighbor whose bill had gone up several thousand dollars. He just wasn’t expecting the increase to be so dramatic. Byrnes lives in his late mother’s house in south suburban Park Forest. He has five siblings, and they all pitch in to keep up the property. They’re not sure what will happen with it long term. Some options include his sister moving in as its main resident or Byrnes buying out the place from his siblings. He’s saved money over the years from various jobs, such as professional driver and laboratory assistant, which has helped him respond to unexpected financial demands like the tax bill increase. Having to make pivots throughout his career taught Byrnes to always save more than he spends in case of an emergency. “Because I’ve had a few lean times in my, I guess, working career, I’ve become very careful with my financial resources,” he said. Although Byrnes lives frugally and considers himself fortunate to be able to make the payments, he feels angry that his tax bill has shot up while his property’s value hasn’t. He’s trying to understand how these two realities can coexist. “There comes a point when it’s like, this is so incredibly unfair to the people that are living in this area. This is a kick to the most sensitive part of the body,” Byrnes said. “Our houses have not gone up a million dollars in value. I want to know. I want to ask [Cook County Treasurer] Maria Pappas, right to her face, what’s your explanation for this?” Byrnes is one of many south suburban residents who experienced a record tax increase this year. Property tax bills rose nearly 20% this year for the median homeowner in south suburban Cook County — the highest increase in three decades, according to the Cook County Treasurer’s Office . Black residents in the south suburbs have been impacted the most. Of the 15 suburbs with the largest tax hikes, 13 are home to mostly Black people. In those suburbs, residents saw their property taxes go up 30% or more. A multitude of long-term issues — continual disinvestment, decreased commercial activity, stagnant population growth and increasing assessments — have contributed to the spike. But the problems extend far beyond this year’s record increase. Experts warn that a bleak economic future awaits many south suburban communities, if there’s no intervention. Some are reimagining what changes can be made to ignite the south suburban economic landscape. In the meantime, Byrnes and other frustrated south suburban property owners are grappling with how to move forward. Some south suburban residents are paying just as much in property taxes as their counterparts in well-to-do north suburban communities whose homes are worth two to three times more. How did we end up here? Pappas says “a lot” of people ask her why their property taxes increased. In her more than two decades as Cook County treasurer, she says it’s the No. 1 question people ask her, regardless of whether she’s picking up her dry cleaning or shopping for groceries. “I have spent a huge amount of time trying to make it understandable,” Pappas said. She cited a recent addition to county property tax bills, “Where Your Money Goes,” as an example of her efforts. The section, which appears near the top of the tax bills, breaks down how much money each taxing body is requesting line by line. It also lists what each taxing body charged the previous year and the difference in charges between the two years. Pappas said she had this section added to the bills because “people don’t know that they paid to 14 different governments. They have no idea.” A levy is the amount of money a taxing body requests every year from homeowners and businesses within its jurisdiction. Taxing bodies also take in revenue through additional taxes, fees and other sources. Often, municipalities and school districts are requesting more funds through levies. Matteson School District 162, responsible for the second-highest increase on Byrnes’ bill, posted an FAQ on its website for residents regarding the tax levy. Assistant Superintendent for Business Craig Englert said the levy increase was standard, just 3.1%. But levies aren’t the only factor contributing to an increase in property taxes. People leaving the region, depressed commercial investment and increased assessments can all lead to rising property taxes, even when tax levies and property values are not. At a public meeting last week, Englert explained to residents that increases in their tax bills were due to a shift in tax burden from commercial properties to residential properties. He also cited the loss of COVID adjustments for residential property assessments and the fact that commercial property assessments didn’t increase as much as residential ones. Englert demonstrated this point by breaking down the difference in assessments between 2022 and 2023 in Rich Township. Residential property assessments increased by 52% between those two years, whereas nonresidential property assessments only increased 7%. Byrnes’ home also serves as an example. The assessed value of his home grew from about $8,170 to $15,000. Officials with Matteson School District 162 are taking the significant tax bill changes into account as they plan the 2024 levy. Their goal is that, on average, taxpayers will see a 0% change in the amount of taxes paid to the district next year. “I have to qualify that, because if someone’s house value changes relative to their neighbor’s, they could see a slight tax increase,” Englert said. “But on average, it should be 0%.” Sluggish population growth can also result in higher property tax bills. As more people move out of an area, there are fewer people to help pay that levy, and each person left ends up having to pay a little bit more of it. Chris Berry, the director of the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute, researches the ways cities are shaped and sustained. He said the current tax situation in Cook County’s Southland is not sustainable. “We can’t have a situation in which the government continuously, and in the long run, grows faster than the private economy,” Berry said. “I do think that’s essentially the concern in a lot of the southern suburbs ... that the tax base is shrinking, the spending is going up, and those two things cannot continue to happen simultaneously for very long before a jurisdiction goes bankrupt or people move out.” But the Southland’s economic troubles compound both the shrinking tax base and the increased government spending. Growing disinvestment and the lack of commercial activity mean fewer property tax dollars from businesses. On top of that, the region’s struggling economy also limits the range of viable revenue sources for school districts, municipalities and other local governments to provide services. For many government agencies in the Southland, property taxes are one of the few revenue sources upon which they can faithfully rely. Berry said it’s an economic picture in stark contrast to other municipalities with a wider tax base and more robust economic activity. “Think of Chicago, obviously, and we’ve got all these properties in the Loop (downtown), and that’s a really important part of our tax base,” Berry said. “A lot of the southern suburbs that we’re talking about don’t have nearly so much commercial activity, and so the commercial share of the tax base is much lower, which just means residents have to bear all that much more.” Holding the line on property taxes Residents like Glynis James-Watson are debating what to do with this larger slice of the levy pie. She moved to the south suburb of Harvey in August 2021 after receiving her calling from God to preach — a spiritual awakening that she thought might lead to a pastor position. She graduated from seminary just a few months before her home purchase. “I kind of followed what I felt I was being directed to do, and the pastor position didn’t open up. So I’m like, ‘Okay, Lord, what’s going on?’” James-Watson said. “So that’s how I ended up in Harvey. The way I got the house was kind of a miracle. And you know, everything was going well. The payments were well within my means.” However, James-Watson said she was “flabbergasted” when she opened her 2023 second installment property tax bill, which was $8,170.39 — an amount more than seven times the price tag of the first installment bill of $1,066.97. “I feel like I’m fortunate in the sense that I can afford to pay it, but that just obliterates any other items on my budget,” she said. On her latest bill, the city of Harvey charged James-Watson $3,470.76, nearly five times the $717.29 the municipality charged her a year ago. Back in July, in response to the dramatic property tax increases, Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark announced an effort to “ Hold the Tax .” He pledged not to unnecessarily raise property taxes in fiscal year 2025 and called on other mayors to do the same. Clark said he’d look for alternative sources of revenue, like collecting tax money that is already owed to the city but going unpaid. “We have a 52% collection rate, property tax collection rate, so we still have 48% worth of dollars that we can actually go out there and try to capture,” Clark said. Some taxes must be raised due to court orders and settlement agreements, but Clark said the pledge is a crucial step toward righting the taxing issues that the state and county need to address. “It should benefit [our residents], because once we start having the real conversations about what we’re going to do about the tax system in the state of Illinois, that should help them long-term,” Clark said. “Also, just for instance, if a bill has gone up, and the city of Harvey portion of it was $500, we just saved them $500. If no one else commits to holding the tax and we just do it ourselves, we’ve already benefited our residents.” A struggling economy in need of a boost Berry with the University of Chicago says these financial woes make it crucial to boost the private economy in the south suburbs. Since 2019, the nonprofit Southland Development Authority has been trying to provide that lift by investing in opportunities for economic change. The organization partners with local governments and small businesses to find and provide capital for projects to help boost the area. Bo Kemp, the group’s CEO, said there is a major opportunity to build robust neighborhoods through capitalizing on existing investments that could impact the south suburbs — for example, transportation investment. He cites the Metra Electric Community Initiative, which aims to modernize 13 stations across the South Side and south suburbs, and the CTA Red Line extensions, both reaching far south. “The ability for us to leverage that transportation means that a future world where there will still be cars, but not as many cars, and people are going to be much more reliant on public transportation, allows for enough property density around those nodes here in the Southland to create places where people live, shop and work out in the Southland and are still connected to the city of Chicago,” Kemp said. The Southland’s economy has endured a couple of rocky decades. According to data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the southernmost parts of Cook County — including Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Orland, Rich and Thornton townships — collectively lost more than 35,000 jobs from March 2001 to March 2021. The heaviest losses were in the manufacturing, retail trade and construction industries. The area’s economy has rebounded some in the last few years. Data show an increase of more than 6,000 jobs from March 2021 to March 2023. The strongest growth has occurred in the transportation and warehousing industry, thanks in large part to the opening of two massive Amazon warehouse facilities in Markham and Matteson. Even with all the complex issues facing the area, Kemp argues that people are sleeping on the Southland as an area primed for growth. “The western suburbs, the northern suburbs, are already built,” Kemp said. “So, we present ourselves as the best opportunity for that kind of growth — and growth that can be done in a way that maintains the legacy residents who’ve been here for 10, 20, 30, 40 years, while also incorporating new residents.” The future of the south suburbs may depend on the capacity to bring in that kind of vitality. But it’s not clear how long residents will hold out and wait for that growth — and the satisfaction of paying a property tax bill justified by the value of their homes and the public services and amenities they receive in exchange. Resources If you’ve experienced an outsized increase in your property taxes, here are some courses of action you can take: Appeal your property assessment with the Cook County Assessor . Use Cook County’s Payment Plan Calculator to make partial payments on delinquent property taxes. Adora Namigadde is a metro reporter and host of The Rundown (morning episodes) for WBEZ. You can follow her at @adorakn .Jonah Goldberg: What if most Americans aren't bitterly divided?Aston Villa have failed in their attempt to have Jhon Duran ’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. The 21-year-old Colombia international was sent off 32 minutes into a 3-0 Boxing Day defeat at St James’ Park by referee Anthony Taylor after appearing to stamp on defender Fabian Schar, prompting a furious reaction from head coach Unai Emery , who later indicated that the club would appeal. However, their bid has proved unsuccessful and Duran will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct. A statement on Villa’s official X account read: “Aston Villa can confirm that our decision to appeal Jhon Duran’s red card in our match with Newcastle United has been rejected. The player will now miss our next three matches.” Emery insisted after the game that it was not a red card offence, adding: “I think he didn’t kick him on purpose. Of course we are going to appeal and hopefully it’s not three matches because it’s a very big punishment for this action.” The frontman will sit out Premier League fixtures against Brighton and Leicester around the turn of the year as well as the FA Cup third round clash with West Ham on January 10. PAm nn777 com 。

Trump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money convictionDow ends at fresh record as oil prices pull back on ceasefire hopes

Saints hope to ride the Rizzi factor back to relevance after their bye week

The Premier League has released a statement revealing why Joao Pedro managed to avoid a red card after a moment of madness during Brighton 0-0 Brentford. The two sides met in a Premier League clash on Friday night, but neither managed to break the deadlock and the spoils were ultimately shared. Things could have gone differently, though, had the Seagulls been reduced to 10 men and it looked like that could have been the case after Pedro lost his cool and appeared to try and elbow Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk in the head. Fortunately, he missed his opponent, but clearly made an attempt to make contact and VAR took a look at the incident. It seemed certain he would be sent off for the incident, but VAR decided that the incident wasn't grounds for dismissal. It left many confused and now the Premier League has released a statement explaining why he avoided a red card. How the Premier League table would currently look if VAR didn't exist. The Premier League's Statement While it initially seemed certain that the referee's decision to not dismiss Pedro would be overturned after VAR took a look at the incident, the officials decided there was no evidence from the footage that implied the initial decision was clearly and obviously wrong. That's according to the Premier League, anyway, with their statement posted via the Premier League Match Centre account on X (Twitter). The explanation won't satisfy many, but the decision stood and Pedro remained in the game. Throughout his entire career, the Brighton man has been sent off just once. If he'd have actually made contact with Yarmolyuk, that could have changed, though. All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 27/12/2024Technology stocks helped pull stocks lower on Wall Street Wednesday, handing the market its first loss in more than a week. The S&P 500 fell 0.4%, even though more stocks in the index notched gains than ended lower. The loss snapped a seven-day winning streak for the benchmark index. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, its first loss after five gains. The Dow and S&P 500 remain near the all-time highs they set on Tuesday. The Nasdaq composite, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, fell 0.6%. Losses for tech heavyweights like Nvidia, Microsoft and Broadcom were the drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia fell 1.2%. Its huge value gives it outsized influence on market indexes. Microsoft fell 1.2% and Broadcom finished 3.1% lower. Several personal computer makers also helped pull the market lower following their latest earnings reports. HP sank 11.4% after giving investors a weaker-than-expected earnings forecast for its current quarter. Dell slid 12.2% after its latest quarterly revenue fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Gains for financial and health care companies helped temper the market's losses. Berkshire Hathaway rose 0.9% and Merck & Co. added 1.5%. All told, the S&P 500 fell 22.89 points to 5,998.74, while the Dow dropped 138.25 points to 44,722.06. The Nasdaq fell 115.10 points to 19,060.48. Traders also had their eye on new reports on the economy and inflation Wednesday. The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy 2.8% annual pace from July through September, according to the Commerce Department, leaving its original estimate of third-quarter growth unchanged. The growth was driven by strong consumer spending and a surge in exports. The update followed a report on Tuesday from the Conference Board that said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Consumers have been driving economic growth, but the latest round of earnings reports from retailers shows a mixed and more cautious picture. Department store operator Nordstrom fell 8.1% after warning investors about a trend toward weakening sales that started in late October. Clothing retailer Urban Outfitters jumped 18.3% after beating analysts’ third-quarter financial forecasts. Weeks earlier, retail giant Target gave investors a discouraging forecast for the holiday season, while Walmart provided a more encouraging forecast. Consumers, though resilient, are still facing pressure from inflation. The latest update from the U.S. government shows that inflation accelerated last month. The personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE, rose to 2.3% in October from 2.1% in September. Overall, the rate of inflation has been falling broadly since it peaked more than two years ago. The PCE, which is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, was just below 7.3% in June of 2022. Another measure of inflation, the consumer price index, peaked at 9.1% at the same time. The latest inflation data, though, is a sign that the rate of inflation seems to be stalling as it falls to within range of the Fed's target of 2%. The central bank started raising its benchmark interest rate from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023 and held it there in order to tame inflation. The Fed started cutting its benchmark interest rate in September, followed by a second cut in November. Wall Street expects a similar quarter-point cut at the central bank's upcoming meeting in December. “Today’s data shouldn’t change views of the likely path for disinflation, however bumpy," said David Alcaly, lead macroeconomic strategist at Lazard Asset Management. "But a lot of observers, probably including some at the Fed, are looking for reasons to get more hawkish on the outlook given the potential for inflationary policy change like new tariffs.” President-elect Donald Trump has said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China when he takes office in January. That could shock the economy by raising prices on a wide range of goods and accelerating the rate of inflation. Such a shift could prompt the Fed to rethink future cuts to interest rates. Treasury yields slipped in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.30% late Tuesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely follows expected actions by the Fed, fell to 4.22% from 4.25% late Tuesday. U.S. markets will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving, and will reopen for a half day on Friday.

NoneDow ends at fresh record as oil prices pull back on ceasefire hopes

Liverpool star sparks fear he could miss Man City clash after hobbling off pitch against Real Madrid

UW VP for Student Affairs Chestnut submits resignation; Courtney named interim VPUnique among ‘Person of the Year’ designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine

Pornhub is not a pornography website, but a social media platform, legally speaking. That is the company’s view, at least, and the basis on which it says it does not have to meet a January deadline for age verification. Instead of being “providers of pornographic content published or displayed on the service,” the company says the rules that apply to it are those for social media and search engines, since it publishes content provided by users. The Age Verification Provider’s Association ( ) specifically warned Ofcom earlier in the year that this would happen, notes, but the regulator says websites must determine for themselves which section of the applies to the them. What form will take is uncertain, as the company has where it would have been obligated to implement age checks. Facial biometric age estimation and ID document uploads are among the options. Whatever the site chooses is now expected to be introduced in July, along with age checks by other online service providers that fall under “part 3.” A Spain-based pornography site operated by TechPump is the first in the country to implement age verification, according to an announcement from , which is supplying digital identity wallets to perform the verification. Gataca’s digital identity wallet is offered for free to consumers, and enables them to prove their age without sharing their identity or date of birth. The company says this protects minors from access to potentially harmful content, while preserving the anonymity of users. Gataca provides decentralized and self-sovereign identity (SSI) technologies, and launched its age verification solution in September. Users are issued a credential stating that they are 18 or 21 years old, and another that corresponds with a verified identity document. The process is managed by Gataca, and the adult website is not involved until the age assurance check is performed. The company says its digital ID wallet has been approved by the Spanish Data protection Agency (AEPD) for age data processing, and the age assurance method complies with the EU’s . | | | | | | | | |The humble electric hot water system, hidden usually in a corner of the garage, or even sometimes stuck outside the house in Australia, is being repurposed to balance the grid. For years, we have used tariff 33 to switch on our hot water systems at night for lower-cost electricity from nighttime excess coal-powered generation. Now, the grid is becoming more complicated. Renewables are less predictable. Time to change. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has part-funded PLUS ES, AGL, and the University of New South Wales for a two-year trial to “utilise 20,000 existing smart meters to dynamically orchestrate hot water (HW) load.” ARENA is contributing about half the cost of the project, almost AUD$3 million. The trial has taken place in South Australia, the most renewable energy advanced state in Australia. This is the first time that controlled load hot water has been used as a flexible load to “address minimum demand challenges at this scale.” Heating up the water for our daily shower is one of the largest loads on our grid — similar to the electric stove, and charging our Tesla — and it’s very predictable for the NEM (National Electricity Market). According to NEM Watch , at this point in time, South Australia is drawing its energy from the following sources: 1.3 GW small solar, 573 MW large solar, 495 MW wind, and only 80 MW of gas. PLUS ES and AGL have shown that by dynamically managing customers’ hot water systems, they can not only support grid stability, but also reduce costs for the consumer. “This demonstration will tackle the fast-emerging challenge of balancing supply from distributed generation and minimum demand periods, due to the increasing adoption of rooftop solar PV.” CleanTechnica readers may remember AGL from articles detailing its takeover by Atlassian founder Mike Cannon Brookes. Since then, it has taken on a much “greener” stance. PLUS ES plans to allow AGL access to its smart meter technology to control hot water systems for “optimal demand management.” AGL will be enabled to move 48 MW of residential demand across 20,000 customers in South Australia. This is expected to manage spot market pricing, reducing costs. To quote ARENA: “The trial involves development of a technical enabler for retailers to dynamically control hot water load in near real time. This will allow retailers to target periods of low wholesale pricing, high renewable energy generation, and/or shift HW load to access lower wholesale pricing and maintain grid security. This solution will address challenges posed by midday demand and generation imbalance and will drive smart meter adoption in the market.” The trial involves only 20,000 HW systems out of a total of 300,00 in South Australia alone. According to PLUS ES, this equates to “an estimated 1,080 MW of untapped Distributed Energy Resource load that could be utilised should the program be expanded state wide.” AGL Chief Customer Officer Jo Egan expects that the learnings from this project will be able to scale across all states of Australia. I wonder if this means the end of the duck curve for solar? ARENA is funding the development of two software platforms — a Load Management Portal and an Application Programming Interface (API). The LMP will allow AGL as the electricity retailer to view, manage, and execute commands for controlled loads. The API allows the retailer to integrate with a homeowner’s smart meter for “near real time orchestration.” PLUS ES technology will enable planned demand shifting — for example, nighttime to daytime to soak up excess solar — and also real-time demand shifting. Real-time demand shifting may be necessary depending on the NEM. Demand response is a way of balancing supply and demand on the electricity grid. It can be the voluntary reduction or shift of electricity use by customers. For example, my house electricity is supplied by AGL. On very hot evenings, we are asked to reduce our use of electricity during peak hours. For this, we receive a $AU5 or $AU10 credit to our power bill. We achieve this by shifting our use from evening to midday — cooking our main meal in the middle of the day. Much better than the alternative forced restrictions or blackouts that Brisbane endured in the ’70s. Don’t worry, demand response doesn’t mean no power, just minimal. We still watch the TV and use a fan. The fridge is still running. Lights are okay — though, it would be fun to use candles. We avoid using appliances that draw a lot of power, like the stove, the sandwich toaster, and our antique, inefficient, power-sucking air conditioner in the media room. Of course, we don’t charge the car or run the hot water system. We get plenty of warning and it is possible to cool the house down with the air conditioners prior to the time that the power saving event starts. It can be quite fun. We are retired and can work around these things, but with smart appliances that run on timers, there is opportunity for the workers to participate also. It just takes a bit of planning. As we move into summer and daily temperatures in Brisbane are over 30 degrees Celsius with high humidity, I expect these notifications to come more often. Demand response is much cheaper than building larger power plants, and the attendant distribution network. “DR is commonly used in the USA, Japan, New Zealand and the UK. In some American states it is used to meet over ten per cent of peak demand for electricity. New Zealand began using DR in 2007 and now meets over 16 per cent of peak demand through DR programs.” This recent report from the University of New South Wales spells out the learnings from the trial and points the way forward. It points out that 30% of the NEM has access to smart meters and it is expected that this will reach 100% by 2030. “Smart meters provide visibility and control of DEWH loads in near real-time at the household level.” DEWH includes both resistive immersive heaters and heat pumps. So far, heat pump hot water systems only comprise 2% of the fleet. They have lower rated power and longer operating times. These longer daily operating times make them a good candidate for load shifting to solar generation. The report explains that there were some issues with heat pump control, and AGL will be refining the process of control as they roll out this scheme to other regions. There were a negligible number of customer complaints. A followup survey indicated that the majority of customers did not notice changes to their hot water availability. Only 0.3% of customers opted out of the program. As the program is rolled out through the NEM, AGL recognises the need for “better education about controlled load and more detailed explanations on the benefits of hot water orchestration.” Also highlighted was the need for stricter cybersecurity around the transmission and sharing of large amounts of data. The trial ended up dealing with only 14,000 systems which required “robust data management systems and efficient data transfer protocols.” How much more so when it is rolled out to the whole of South Australia’s 300,000 systems and then the rest of Australia? Due to the way hot water systems have been installed in Australia, it proved difficult to pass on cost savings to individual households. However, the trial showed that cost savings are available systemically and can be passed on to the community. There is also the benefit of CO2 emissions savings. “Throughout the trial, it is estimated that around 0.6 Gt-CO2 emissions were saved as a result of shifting DEWH demand into the day. Compared to traditional controlled load with nighttime heating, the trial resulted in 14.3% reduction in associated emissions. Based on the assumption that the studied DEWH control can be successfully rolled out across the NEM, the potential emissions savings are calculated to be 212 Gt-CO2/year representing an 8% of emissions reduction associated with water heating. Considering future electrification scenarios, the emissions savings potential increases to 974 Gt-CO2/year.” The consumer will not be asked to contribute financially to this. The consumer and the retailer will both benefit financially. Not to mention the cost savings from not having to expand the grid. Now that the trial has proven successful, AGL has plans to roll out the process to other regions. The report notes: “It will be interesting to see how this type of smart meter and retailer controlled hot water flexible demand will function in other DNSP regions as some DNSPs may want to retain control of the electric hot water fleet ... there may be significant wholesale cost benefits for the retailer/aggregator when shifting aggregate hot water demand into solar generation window. “To make the controlled load financially more attractive for a wider range of households (including ones with rooftop solar) and maintain the controlled load fleet for the use of flexible demand, AGL is considering new tariff offers to pass on some of these wholesale benefits onto users as the fleet of controlled DEWH systems expands. As a result, even though smart meter based DEWH control won’t allow solar soaking at the site level, households will still be able to benefit from cheaper electricity prices for water heating during the day.” The humble hot water system, combined with IT and some solar panels, may be a cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions. Another weapon in the fight against climate change. The future is bright, electric, and possible. CleanTechnica's Comment Policy LinkedIn WhatsApp Facebook Bluesky Email RedditTrump's threat to impose tariffs could raise prices for consumers, colliding with promise for relief

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However, Towns' impact extended beyond his scoring. His presence in the paint was felt on the defensive end as well, where he snatched rebounds, altered shots, and came up with timely steals and blocks. His defensive intensity set the tone for his team and frustrated their opponents throughout the game.The news of Chris Evans' return and Emma Dumont's coming out have sparked important conversations about representation and inclusion in the entertainment industry. Evans' decision to reprise his role as Captain America not only brings joy to fans, but also highlights the significance of diverse storytelling and the power of iconic characters in shaping popular culture. Similarly, Dumont's decision to share her gender identity publicly serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of visibility and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community.

Witnesses to the incident described Big Bear's reaction as a clear sign of distress and indignation. The normally docile creature was seen growling and snarling, clearly unhappy with the invasion of its privacy. Many onlookers expressed sympathy for the bear, pointing out that it is unfair to subject animals to constant surveillance without their consent.In addition to the return of Evans and Downey Jr., Avengers 5 is shaping up to be a star-studded affair, with rumors circulating about the involvement of other fan-favorite characters from the MCU. The anticipation for the film is at an all-time high, with fans eagerly awaiting any tidbits of information that may provide clues about what's in store for Earth's mightiest heroes.

As the two teams prepare to face off at the iconic San Siro stadium, the atmosphere is sure to be electric as fans eagerly await the kickoff. Inter Milan will be looking to consolidate their position at the top of the group standings, while Lazio will be determined to pull off an upset and stake their claim as serious contenders in the competition. The tactical battle between Conte and Inzaghi on the sidelines will be just as intriguing as the action on the pitch, as both managers look to outwit each other and secure a vital victory.Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to FranceIt is vital for us as responsible netizens to exercise caution and discernment when consuming information online. Rather than blindly accepting and spreading rumors, we must verify the credibility of sources and refrain from sharing unverified information. By doing so, we can help prevent the further spread of misinformation and maintain the integrity of online discourse.

NEW YORK (AP) — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.How major US stock indexes fared Friday, 12/27/2024

‘Choosing your own adventure’: Winnipeg’s Select Start readies Exchange District for brand new ‘barcade’ experienceChief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday directed all departments to gear up for winter adversity and called for efficient functioning of vital installations, immediate redressal of weather-related challenges. In order to ensure smooth and uninterrupted delivery of essential services and functioning of vital installations across the Kashmir Division, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting here at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar. The meeting reviewed the preparedness of various departments to address challenges posed by harsh winter conditions, particularly in the snow-bound zones of Kashmir Valley and Jammu Division. The Chief Minister conducted a department-wise review of the winter preparedness measures of all line departments. He emphasized the need for a robust mechanism to minimize public inconvenience during severe weather conditions. The Chief Minister also engaged with Deputy Commissioners to assess district-level preparedness and urged them to prioritize timely and effective responses to weather-related challenges. Chief Minister Abdullah stressed the importance of keeping men and machinery in a state of readiness to ensure the routine functioning of essential installations. He directed departments to prioritize uninterrupted trade, transport, and essential supplies while addressing disruptions caused by snow, waterlogging, or power outages. On snow clearance, he was briefed that a sufficient number of hi-tech snow clearance machines have been deployed by the R&B Department, SMC, MED, BRO, and NHAI, with additional machines on standby to handle heavy snowfall. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah instructed the concerned authorities to focus on clearing key routes, including inter-district highways and roads leading to hospitals, power grids, water supply systems, and fire and emergency services. The meeting was informed that adequate stocks of ration, petrol, diesel, and LPG are available to meet the needs of residents for several months. Additional provisions have been made to ensure timely distribution across districts. The Chief Minister directed for establishment of joint control rooms in all districts to handle winter-related complaints promptly. He stressed the importance of a swift response system to minimize public inconvenience and ensure seamless delivery of essential services. Reviewing the health sector’s readiness, the Chief Minister directed the Health Department to ensure adequate stocks of medicines, oxygen cylinders, and emergency supplies across all hospitals. He also emphasized maintaining functional central heating systems in healthcare facilities and ensuring the deployment of medical personnel in snowbound areas. Instructions were given for providing transport service to expecting mothers in remote and far-flung areas. Highlighting the criticality of uninterrupted power supply during winter, the Chief Minister instructed KPDCL engineers to prioritize the restoration of electricity, particularly for essential installations. He called for timely replacement of damaged transformers and urged for protection of field staff with proper safety gear to prevent accidents during repair work. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underscored the importance of maintaining road connectivity and efficient traffic management. He directed agencies to deploy sufficient manpower and equipment for snow clearance on national highways, main roads, and internal routes, ensuring minimal disruption to public movement. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah concluded the meeting by urging all departments to work in coordination and take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of harsh winter conditions. He reiterated his commitment to minimizing public inconvenience and ensuring the effective delivery of essential services throughout the region. He directed the PHE Department to deploy sufficient water tankers in affected areas to prevent water scarcity during the extreme weather conditions. Additionally, he instructed the Forest Department to ensure an adequate supply of firewood in snowbound areas is available. The Chief Minister also underscored the significance of coordination among line departments and directed for round the clock operationalisation of District Control Rooms to maintain and update records of vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women in snow-blocked areas. He emphasized that such cases should be promptly relocated to maternity centers well ahead of their delivery dates. For regions with possibility of road block, the Chief Minister instructed authorities to ensure helicopter services are put in place for such areas which remain cut off. During the meeting, the Chief Minister reiterated that all preparedness plans should be practical and actionable, ensuring their effectiveness when put to the test. He called for seamless interdepartmental coordination and directed Deputy Commissioners to maintain regular communication with field officers to address emerging challenges swiftly. Omar reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the welfare and safety of the people. He assured people that the administration is fully prepared to tackle the challenges of the harsh winter and deliver essential services effectively. Among others, the meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Jal Shakti Shaleen Kabra via video conferencing. Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, Dheeraj Gupta and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir attended the meeting in person.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a $50 million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t flee and doesn’t try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses. Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Lawyers did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the “I'll Be Missing You” singer from fleeing. They say that even in a federal lockup in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties. Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his “power and prestige” to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.”The three major risk factors associated with cancer are smoking, poor diet, and lack of physical activity. Smoking is one of the leading causes of cancer worldwide, with tobacco use being linked to multiple types of cancer, including lung, throat, and bladder cancer. By educating the public about the dangers of smoking and providing support for smoking cessation programs, experts can help reduce the number of cancer cases caused by this harmful habit.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday he intends to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Tucker reported from Newtown, Pennsylvania.KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is heading to the NFL draft after leading the Southeastern Conference in rushing and setting a handful of school records. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year announced on social media his intention Friday to leave after his junior season. He helped the seventh-ranked Vols go 10-3 with a first-round loss in the College Football Playoff where Sampson was limited by an injured hamstring. Sampson thanked his family, Tennessee coaches and fans, saying he learned so much and had the chance to be part of something special. Tennessee went 3-7 in 2020, and he leaves with the Vols having won 30 games over his three seasons. "I poured my heart and soul into this program and this community," Sampson wrote. "With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft." Sampson set a school record running for 1,491 yards. He also set a program record with a league-best 22 rushing touchdowns, breaking a mark that had stood for 95 years. He was part of coach Josh Heupel's first full signing class in December 2021 out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also set school records for total touchdowns scored (22), points scored (132) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11). He led the SEC in nine different categories, including rushing attempts (258), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, 100-yard rushing games with 10, averaging 114.7 yards rushing per game, points scored, points per game (10.2), all-purpose yards (1,638) and all-purpose yards per game (126.0). He finished this season tied for fifth all-time in the SEC ranks for rushing TDs in a single season with Leonard Fournette of LSU.

Nearly 1,200 older Americans shared with BI their financial regrets about saving for retirement. Many said they wished they'd been better prepared for an emergency. This is part of an ongoing series about boomer regrets. Millions of Americans facing retirement are worried they won't be financially prepared — or fear that they'll have to work forever. Some are already there. Finances and retirement were major themes in the roughly 1,200 responses Business Insider received from Americans between the ages of 48 and 90 who filled out a voluntary survey about their biggest regrets . (This is part two of an ongoing series.) Retirement — how to invest and how much one needs — is a black box for many. Some wish they'd hired a financial advisor, while others regretted expensive purchases. Others said they took Social Security too early or retired without a long-term financial plan. And then there are those who suffered an unexpected setback such as a cancer diagnosis, a job loss, or a divorce and wish they'd been better prepared for an emergency. Gary Lee Hayes, 70, wished he'd been more regimented with his savings and investments . The California resident briefly served in the Navy, got a degree in public administration, and worked in mental health and handyman positions. He had little financial literacy growing up and said he didn't focus on building his career to be more lucrative. Two of Hayes' main money regrets are not investing in Verizon stock early on and not saving at least 10% of his income each month. He also said he was somewhat too liberal with his spending throughout his life, though he said he didn't purchase anything too far beyond his means. He also avoided putting money into his 401(k) and said he should have chosen more stable investments instead of short-term ones. "You can't expect that you're all of a sudden going to win the lottery," said Hayes, who receives $1,846 a month in Social Security and lives in government-subsidized housing. "You can't expect that someone's going to pass and leave you an inheritance that will make your life more comfortable." Some older Americans wish they'd had more investing knowledge A major theme among BI's survey respondents was that they lacked knowledge about investing. For some, this meant not saving enough; for others, it meant falling into some common investing mistakes. New research from Vanguard suggests people changing jobs put less into their 401(k)s, often without realizing it, and can lose out on as much as $300,000 throughout their careers. Another theme among survey respondents was they waited too long to start saving. Two separate surveys from Transamerica Institute and Charles Schwab found that, on average, boomers waited until age 35 to start saving. Nancy Seeger, 64, who lives outside Cleveland, said she made investing mistakes that had long-term repercussions on her finances. Seeger, who has two master's degrees, worked for many years as a teacher and health librarian. She was laid off earlier this year from her $74,000-a-year job and while she's not ready to fully retire and is still looking for work, she worries she won't be able to land another decent-paying job given her age. She told BI she wished she could have saved more when her children were young and started retirement funds earlier. While she had some savings, she began consistently putting more into her investments at age 50. She also didn't realize that because she has a pension in addition to receiving Social Security when she retires, she would be affected by a little-known Social Security provision that would lower her monthly check. Between her pension of $713 monthly and Social Security, which she expects will be between $1,200 and $1,400 monthly, she'll have just enough to cover her rent. "I was fortunate to get a small inheritance from my parents and an aunt, which saved me, but it's unlikely that I will be able to do the same for my children, and that bothers me a lot," Seeger said. "I had hoped to travel, and I wanted to leave money for my kids, but both of those goals are compromised now." Seeger said she has few regrets and "let life come to me," though she's planning to take a part-time job when she retires to supplement her income. She's still digging herself out from bills from undergoing cancer treatment in 2022, and because she has a few months until turning 65, she can't get on Medicare and has to pay her health insurance out of pocket. "I've had a lot of unexpected things happen, but I've also come to understand that the unexpected things impact everybody, and you can't really plan for them," Seeger said. Related stories It's difficult to prepare for the unknown While $1 million for retirement may be sufficient for some Americans, it could be too little for others. Bank of America's Financial Wellness Tracker suggests that Americans ages 61 to 64 should have about 8.5 times their current salary in savings. Someone with $1 million in savings at 65 can safely withdraw $40,000 in their first year of retirement, Bank of America said. For some, saving just 1% more could have significant financial rewards down the line. If someone making $50,000 annually contributes 5% of their salary to retirement, they would save nearly $60,000 less after 30 years than if they'd contributed 6%. Nevenka Vrdoljak, the managing director in the chief investment office for Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank, told BI that calculating how much you need for retirement requires difficult estimations of life expectancy, spending in retirement, and retirement resources. "Changes in government benefits can affect expected income," Vrdoljak said. "Fluctuations in investment returns make it difficult to estimate how much savings you will have in the future." With cancer rates rising and diagnoses coming earlier in life, another difficult calculation is how to prepare for time off work and quickly mounting medical bills. "The need for long-term care can cause more than financial strain in retirement. It can place a burden on loved ones," Vrdoljak said. "Investors with substantial assets may prefer to self-insure against this risk. But for many other investors nearing retirement, long-term-care insurance can help mitigate the risk and cost of care." PJ White, 69, never had aspirations for a high-income career — but she never expected to be homeless. Throughout her career, she worked for a lab supply company, retail companies, and as a secretary at law firms. She married at 21 and bought a house, but she divorced a year later, which set her back financially. While she said she often lived hand to mouth, she wished she had been more cautious about spending on leisure and clothes — what she called "play money" — and set aside time to learn about investing. She said it was rare she had savings left over each month, and her peak income was about $41,000. She left work in 2008 to care for her partner's mother. "The money would come in and out it would go," White said, adding she rarely put money into her 401(k). "I didn't think about the retirement aspect because it was so far down the road, but here I am now wishing that I had." She recently lost her home because she and her partner couldn't afford to pay property taxes. They now live in a camping tent in San Diego. She lives on about $1,500 in Social Security each month as they fight to get their house back, but she said much of her money goes to court fees. She's received some assistance with groceries through her new health insurance company, but she hasn't secured an affordable housing unit yet. "He doesn't make any money at all, so it's all on me, and I'm feeling it," White said of her partner. "I'm showing symptoms of stress, and I don't have anywhere to go, no one to turn to." Are you an older American with any life regrets that you would be comfortable sharing with a reporter? Please fill out this quick form or email nsheidlower@businessinsider.com .Raymond Gerald Gerry Biggsnn777 facebook 。

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting

Three-game skid over, NC State faces winless Coppin StateIt’s 11.30pm. My husband and five children are peacefully in bed. Work finally done for the night, I crawl into bed, limbs and eyelids heavy. But instead of closing my eyes, I grab my phone. “Just one minute,” I tell myself. I end up doom-scrolling on social media for the next hour. By the time I feel the phone slipping out of my hands, consciousness giving way under the sweet pressure of sleep, it’s 1am. The next morning, I drag myself out of bed with a groan, kicking myself for wasting the last precious hour awake on social media – or what could’ve been an extra hour of much-needed sleep. Besides the exhaustion, I feel tense and worried. It’s time for me to face it: My social media habit is making me an anxious mum. IT’S NEVER “JUST ONE MINUTE” By now, I don’t even think before going on social media anymore. In little pockets of downtime throughout the day, it’s practically instinctive – when I’m putting my toddler down for her daytime nap, when I’m in between pieces of work, when putting my kids to bed, and late at night in bed. Muscle memory guides my hands to reach for my phone and my fingers to tap on the Instagram, Facebook and Reddit icons. I tell myself I’m just “popping in” to look for meal ideas for the next week. Or organisation hacks to sort our growing piles of stuff. Or for easy home activities to keep my preschool children off screens. I also follow a lot of mum influencers who share their perfectly curated lives, their photos and videos full of their carefully coordinated outfits and the delicious meals they whip up daily for the family, their homes saturated in soft golden sunlight. They share meaningful, thought-provoking quotes about motherhood, exhorting me to “treasure every moment while they’re little”, or to quit yelling at my kids because “the way we talk to our children will become their inner voice”. Sometimes I feel compelled and inspired to be a better mum: Never mind all the work deadlines and other responsibilities! Soak in every moment with my children! Sometimes I swing to the other end: I should hustle harder! Live up to my true potential as a #mumboss! But most of the time, even though I know everything’s carefully set up for the ’Gram, I just end up feeling inadequate. ASPIRATIONAL OR ANXIETY-INDUCING? Consuming all this mum content initially made me feel like I may aspire to certain goals. A motherhood model, if you will. The content from mumfluencers always seems so wholesome, encouraging and educational. It would only benefit me to take a leaf out of their books, right? But then I found myself looking at my own mum life and, more and more often, wishing it were something else. For instance, as a busy mum, I was always trying to find simple, tasty meals I could make for the family, so I watched cooking videos for hours on end. Overloading myself with ideas and options often left me feeling overwhelmed and unable to make a swift decision on what we should eat that day. Mum content is often also inundated by mumfluencers advocating for certain modern-day parenting philosophies that I find challenging to live out even though I agree with them in principle. Most of them are genuinely great reminders for me to see my children as individuals in their own right, and to do my best to give them the safety and love they deserve in their childhood. But when we have to be somewhere by 3.30pm, and there are still bags to be packed and outfits to change into and no one’s moving in spite of repeated calm reminders to be ready by 3pm, I’ve found it impossible not to raise my voice. And immediately. I'd feel guilty for failing to be a paragon of “gentle” and “respectful” parenting. “Did I cause them irreparable harm when I raised my voice like that?” “Am I ruining their attention span by pawning them off on the TV because I needed 15 minutes of quiet to attend to an urgent work matter?” These questions really do keep me up at night. And I get stuck in an anxiety spiral, a debilitating loop of panic, worry and self-loathing. I find myself obsessing repeatedly about how I can “do better” – and the very next day, I’m back for more mumfluencer content, hoping that maybe this time, I’ll somehow find the secret to being a better mum on my feed. Instead of feeling empowered, educated or enlightened, my late-night social media scrolling often leaves me anxious and worried instead. Like I can’t measure up to the mums whose lives I follow on social media. Compounding that anxiety is the awareness that I’m responsible for modelling “healthy” behaviours for my children. In this day and age, it’s downright impossible to completely cut our children off from technology and, by extension, social media. But if my children getting sucked into this anxiety-inducing rabbit hole is inevitable, I’d also like to ensure that they’re well equipped with the tools they need to navigate it. I want them to be able to separate their self-worth from the "likes" and comments they get. I want them to be purposeful about consuming content online, instead of mindlessly scrolling until something catches their attention. Most importantly, I want them to have self-control – to be able to unplug and spend time living their lives in the real world , instead of just on their devices. FORMING HEALTHY SOCIAL MEDIA HABITS I do think it would be best for my mental health if I completely disconnected from social media. Unfortunately, there’s no escaping it for now. I need it to stay tuned in to trends for work and keep tabs on what’s going on in Gen Alpha land. What my family and I really need are healthy social media habits – clear lines and firm boundaries. My husband and I agree that this begins with us. For a start, we have decided to leave our phones on the coffee counter from 6pm to 8.30pm every day. Every evening, for two-and-a-half hours, we will commit ourselves wholly and fully to focusing on our children and each other as we wind down from the hustle and bustle of the day. On my part, I’ve vowed to eschew mindless scrolling in my precious few pockets of downtime each day. Instead, I’m going to be more intentional about choosing the content I consume, like e-books or podcasts. This may seem like a small step, but it’s crucial for regaining control over my digital habits. By keeping my social media usage deliberate and focused, I hope to be able to keep my own negative feelings and anxieties about it in check. Most importantly, I hope that by watching their parents model healthy relationships with our devices and digital activities, our children will be able to build the same for themselves. Kelly Ang is a mother of five and a freelance writer.

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TROY, N.Y. — The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers (5-5-1) men’s hockey team faced a tall task as they hosted the No. 5 University of Maine Black Bears (9-2-2) at Houston Field House on Saturday afternoon in Troy. In the first of a two-game set, the Black Bears slowly built up a lead and busted it [...]

nn777 login philippines app The South Carolina women's basketball team has been defeated for the first time since March 31, 2023. The No. 1 Gamecocks fell Sunday in Los Angeles as Lauren Betts posted a double-double effort to lead No. 5 UCLA to a 77-62 triumph. The Gamecocks (5-1) suffered their first defeat after 43 consecutive victories, dating back to the loss to Iowa 77-73 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. South Carolina defeated Iowa last season for the national championship. Betts finished with 11 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks to power the Bruins (5-0) to a historic victory. UCLA also got 15 points from Londynn Jones on 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, 13 points from Elina Aarnisalo and 11 each from Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jacquez. It's the first time UCLA has beaten South Carolina since 1981. The Bruins lost twice to the Gamecocks in the 2022-23 season, including in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Te-Hina Paopao had 18 points for South Carolina on 4-of-4 3-point shooting, while Tessa Johnson had 14 points. UCLA won the rebounding battle 41-34, marking the second time this season the Gamecocks have been outrebounded. South Carolina also got outscored in the paint 26-18. It's rare that a Dawn Staley-coached team -- units that typically revolve around dominant centers from A'ja Wilson to Aaliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso -- gets beat in the paint and on the glass, but with 6-foot-7 Betts, UCLA had the recipe to outmuscle the Gamecocks in those areas of the game. South Carolina never led after UCLA began the game with an 18-5 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to nine points in the second quarter, but the Bruins responded with a 17-5 run and entered halftime ahead by 21 points. Aarnisalo scored seven points during that run. From there, the Gamecocks never got within single digits of the lead in the second half. It's the first time in 21 tries that UCLA has beaten an AP-ranked No. 1 team. And it's the first time South Carolina lost a true road game since 2021, a streak of 33 games. The schedule doesn't get any easier for South Carolina. While UCLA faces UT Martin next on Friday, the Gamecocks play No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday. --Field Level Media

Are you looking for creative ways to revamp your home or craft meaningful gifts that your loved ones will cherish? DIY projects are the perfect solution! Not only are they budget-friendly, but they also let you personalize every detail. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just getting started, this guide will walk you through simple, yet stunning DIY projects that elevate your home décor and gifting game. Let’s dive into some step-by-step ideas that are perfect for sprucing up your home and creating thoughtful gifts. Bring a warm, cozy glow to any room with these charming lanterns. Materials Needed: Mason jars Battery-operated fairy lights or tea lights Burlap ribbon Decorative twine or lace Glue gun Steps: Turn old fabric scraps into unique wall art pieces. Materials Needed: Embroidery hoops Colorful fabric scraps Scissors Stapler or glue Steps: Add a pop of color to your plant collection. Materials Needed: Terra cotta pots Acrylic paints Paintbrushes Painter’s tape (optional for patterns) Steps: Turn plain photo frames into heartfelt keepsakes. Materials Needed: Plain wooden frames Acrylic paints or spray paint Stickers, rhinestones, or pressed flowers Glue gun Steps: Create a cozy, aromatic gift that’s always appreciated. Materials Needed: Soy wax Candle wicks Essential oils Glass jars Chopsticks or skewers Steps: Bundle small, thoughtful items into a beautiful presentation. Materials Needed: A small basket or box Tissue paper or shredded paper Small gifts (e.g., snacks, candles, bath products) Ribbon or gift wrap Steps: DIY projects are an excellent way to express your creativity while enhancing your home or gifting something truly special. From glowing mason jar lanterns to heartfelt photo frames, these ideas are guaranteed to make a lasting impression. Ready to get started? Grab your materials and unleash your inner artist! Don’t forget to share your DIY masterpieces on social media to inspire others. What’s your favorite DIY project? Let us know in the comments below!

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As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.

Romania's pro-European Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was leading in the first round of presidential elections Sunday according to exit polls, with the far right not yet assured of a place in the second round, despite a breakthrough in support. With 25 percent of the vote according to two exit polls, Ciolacu appeared to be well ahead of far-right challengers looking to capitalise on this EU member's concerns about inflation and the war in neighbouring Ukraine. The same exit polls gave second place to centre-right former journalist turned small-town mayor Elena Lasconi at 18 percent, with two far-right candidates scoring 15 and 16 percent. In the absence of an outright winner in the first round -- scoring more than 50 percent -- the top two candidates go through to a second-round run-off in the poor NATO member on December 8. Ciolacu, a Social Democrat, is leading a field of 13 contenders in the race to take over from President Klaus Iohannis in the largely ceremonial post. He welcomed the exit polls putting him in the lead, but said all the votes would have to be counted before he knew who he would face in the second round. Lasconi too, was cautious. "The scores are very tight, it's not yet time to celebrate," said the 52-year-old politician. Far-right leader George Simion, 38, who some had forecast might take second place, is for the moment in fourth. Exit polls put him just behind the 62-year-old pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu. But Simion said Sunday evening: "We'll see the results of the ballot boxes at 11:00 pm (2100 GMT)." Ciolacu's party has shaped Romania's politics for more than three decades, and as he voted Sunday he promised stability and a "decent" standard of living. But political analyst Cristian Parvulescu told AFP: "The far right is by far the big winner of this election." Simion saw his popularity surge by tapping into voter anger over record inflation while promising more affordable housing. Looking for a new election breakthrough for European far-right parties, Simion warned of possible "fraud" and "foreign interference" when voting. But he added: "I am happy that we are giving Romanians hope and the prospect of a better future." The stakes are high for Romania, which has a 650-kilometre (400-mile) border with Ukraine and has become more important since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022. More from this section The Black Sea nation now plays a "vital strategic role" for NATO -- as it is a base for more than 5,000 soldiers -- and the transit of Ukrainian grain, the New Strategy Center think tank said. Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election has further "complicated" Romania's choice, political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu told AFP. Known for his fiery speeches, Simion is a Trump fan who sometimes dons a red cap in appreciation of his idol. Simion opposes sending military aid to Ukraine, wants a "more patriotic Romania" and frequently lashes out against what he calls the "greedy corrupt bubble" running the European Union. Having campaigned hard to win over Romania's large diaspora working abroad, he said the country had only "minions and cowards as leaders". Pirvulescu predicted that if Simion reached the second round his AUR party would get a boost in the December parliamentary election. "Romanian democracy is in danger for the first time since the fall of communism in 1989," he said. "I'm really afraid we'll end up with Simion in the second round," 36-year-old IT worker Oana Diaconu told AFP, expressing concern about the far-right leader's unpredictable nature and attacks on the European Union. The campaign was marked by controversy and personal attacks, with Simion facing accusations of meeting with Russian spies -- a claim he has denied. Ciolacu has been criticised for his use of private jets. Some observers had tipped Lasconi, now mayor of the small town of Campulung and head of a centre-right opposition party, as a surprise package. Sunday's exit polls appeared to suggest they were right. During campaigning, she had said she wanted a future "where no one has to pack their suitcases and leave" the country and for "institutions that work". bur/js-jj/nn777 xyz 。

Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein leaves game with left leg injury against Louisville

McNealy picks up first PGA Tour win at RSM ClassicNEW ORLEANS (AP) — A lopsided, shutout loss has left the beat-up New Orleans Saints limping into the final two games of a lost season — and into a rather cloudy future beyond that. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi figured that a visit to playoff-bound Green Bay would be a tall order for his injury-riddled squad, whose prominent missing players included starters at quarterback, running back and receiver. And when New Orleans' mostly healthy defensive front struggled against a Packers ground game led by running back Josh Jacobs, the rout was on. Nothing "stuck out on film other than a lack of execution and lack of playmaking,” Rizzi said Tuesday after reviewing video of Monday night's 34-0 loss at Green Bay . “We played against a playoff team, at their place, that has very few holes on their team,” Rizzi added. “It was a little bit of a perfect storm." Rizzi, a special teams coordinator who has made no secret that he sees his eight-game interim stint as an opportunity to further his head-coaching ambitions, has two more games left in what has been an up-and-down audition. The Saints are 3-3 on his watch, which includes one of New Orleans' most lopsided losses since the turn of the century. With the playoffs unattainable, and with a lot of reserves pressed into service, the final two weeks will serve primarily as a player-evaluation period heading into the offseason, when there are bound to be myriad changes on the roster and perhaps the coaching staff. Rizzi said the Saints, realistically, have been in evaluation mode “for the last month or so,” but added that there maybe be additional young or practice-squad players getting longer looks in the final two games. “My big thing this week is to see how we can respond,” Rizzi said. “We’re going to find out a lot about a lot of people.” What’s working Of the Saints' four punts, three were inside the Green Bay 20 and New Orleans did not allow a single punt return yard. The punt team might have been the only unit that executed its job (even the kickoff unit allowed a 38-yard return). What needs help The Saints had trouble protecting the quarterback (three sacks) and protecting the football (two turnovers). They couldn't run the ball (67 yards). They couldn't stop the run (188 yards allowed). They couldn't pass the ball consistently (129 yards) or stop the pass when they needed to. As former Saints coach Jim Mora once said, they couldn't do “ diddly poo .” Although rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler largely struggled and was responsible for both New Orleans turnovers, he had enough highlights — including a jumping, first-down pass on third-and-long — to keep him penciled in as the starter if the injured Derek Carr remains unable to play, Rizzi said. “It was definitely a performance where we got to take the good with the bad,” Rizzi said. “We've got to get rid of those negative plays.” Stock up New Orleans native Foster Moreau has emerged as one of the Saints' most reliable offensive players. The sixth-year NFL tight end made two catches for a team-high 33 yards on Monday night, giving him 25 catches for 335 yards this season. His four TDs receiving entering the game remain tied for the team lead. Stock down Rizzi was riding high after two wins to start his interim term as head coach, but Monday night's ugly loss is the club's third in four games and took a lot of luster off his candidacy for a longer-term appointment. Injury report Center Erik McCoy left the game with an elbow injury, while guard Lucas Patrick hurt his knee in the closing minutes. Rizzi said McCoy won't need surgery but could miss the rest of the season. The coach said Patrick needs more tests but is not expected to play again this season. While the chances of Carr (non-throwing, left hand) or top running back Alvin Kamara (groin) playing again this season appear slim, the Saints have declined to rule that out. Rizzi said Carr is getting closer to being able to play and wants the opportunity to go against his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders. Meanwhile, Rizzi said Kamara “is working his tail off to try to come back” this season. “Alvin told me this morning, in my office, that he really would like to play again,” Rizzi said. Key number 24 — The number of years since the Saints suffered a more lopsided shutout loss, 38-0 against San Francisco in 2002. Up next The Saints' home finale against lowly Las Vegas will be an anticlimactic affair bound to generate a level of fan interest similar to, if not less than, a preseason game. But the game will be important to the current regime, which needs victories in each of the club's final two games to avoid the franchise's worst record since it was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and went 3-13. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Brett Martel, The Associated Press

Miss Manners: I only want some of the people in my walking group to attend my party ... this is a problemIt would be tempting for the Los Angeles Angels to contemplate a rebuild after the team hit its lowest point in franchise history — on paper, at least — by losing 99 games in 2024. Dealing outfielder Taylor Ward, who logged career-highs in home runs and RBIs in 2024, and is one year away from free agency, might be a good way to reset the roster for the future if general manager Perry Minasian can fill multiple needs with one trade. More news: Cubs Make Trade, Acquire Former First-Round Draft Pick From Angels For now at least, it appears the Angels are likely to hold onto Ward for 2025 and try to win with their current core intact, even as other teams inquire about the 30-year-old veteran. "Two other players the Royals have checked in on are Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm and Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, according to sources, but nothing has progressed deeply yet," reports Anne Rogers of MLB.com . Ward slashed .246/.323/.426 in 2024 with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs. He posted an above-average OPS+ (111) for the fourth consecutive season while playing 156 games in left field. Kansas City broke an eight-year playoff drought in 2024, advancing to the American League Division Series after engineering an 86-win regular season — a massive turnaround from their 56-106 season in 2023. In the postseason, however, the Royals' relative lack of lineup depth was exposed by the New York Yankees, who eventually advanced to the World Series. More news: Former Angels, Tigers, Phillies Pitcher Passes Away Ward would represent an upgrade over the Royals' incumbent left fielder, M.J. Melendez, who accrued -0.9 WAR last season. Rogers notes that "that the teams weren't close to a deal and that discussions were happening with multiple teams." Kansas City has also checked in on Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm. More news: Angels Linked to Japanese Free Agent Pitcher in New Report If Royals general manager J.J. Picollo is looking to strike a bargain, he better not hold his breath. Robert Murray of FanSided noted on the most recent " Baseball Insiders " podcast that the Angels' asking price for Ward at the July trade deadline was high. "They're trying to win," Murray said of the Angels. "Last deadline, it was clear talking to teams that their asking prices for guys like Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo, especially Ward, were pretty unrealistic. There was never really a good chance they were traded. Unless those prices come down, I would be pretty surprised if either one gets traded." The Royals have also been linked to the Reds in talks for infielder Jonathan India in a deal that would send pitcher Brady Singer to Cincinnati. While neither deal is necessarily close — or even likely to happen — the Royals are clearly interested in upgrading their offense at multiple positions via trades, a logical next step for a team on the rise. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports .

LAS VEGAS , 24 décembre 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AIMA Technology Group présentera sept nouveaux produits de mobilité électrique au salon CES 2025, répondant aux divers besoins des consommateurs, des navetteurs urbains aux amateurs d'aventure. Chaque produit présentera le mélange caractéristique d'AIMA Technology Group de design futuriste, de technologie intelligente et d'ingénierie respectueuse de l'environnement, ce qui permettra de faire progresser la mobilité électrique durable. AIMA Technology Group dévoilera également au cours de CES 2025 son partenariat stratégique avec une marque italienne de premier plan, qui associe une esthétique luxueuse à des performances supérieures pour établir une nouvelle norme dans l'industrie de la mobilité électrique. Cette collaboration redéfinira le luxe et la praticité de la mobilité électrique, établissant une nouvelle référence pour l'industrie. L'expansion mondiale d'AIMA Technology Group s'accélère, avec déjà plus de 50 pays couverts et un volume de ventes cumulé dépassant les 80 millions d'unités d'ici 2023. À travers sa présence au salon CES 2025, AIMA Technology Group renforcera encore plus son leadership sur le marché mondial de la mobilité électrique. Au cours de CES 2025, AIMA Technology Group organisera une réception pour les médias le mardi 7 janvier à 10h30 (heure du Pacifique) afin de présenter sa nouvelle gamme de produits. Le 8 janvier à 11h00, AIMA dévoilera sur le stand du CES le mystérieux produit conceptuel en édition limitée qui redéfinira l'avenir de la mobilité. Nous vous invitons à découvrir avec nous cette innovation révolutionnaire. Emplacement du stand : Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, Stand n° 10947, présentant nos dernières réalisations innovantes. Stand d'AIMA Technology : Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, stand n° 10947. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2449955/AIMA_Technology_Logo.jpg

In a letter to the Prime Minister, shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick claimed the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) had “no proper basis in international law”. They said the UK’s refusal to explicitly say whether or not the Israeli premier would be detained if he arrived in the country “opens the farcical spectre of your Government trying to sanction the arrest” of an ally to Britain. Criticising the ICC warrant, the shadow ministers said: “It is hard to escape the conclusion this is an activist decision, motivated by politics and not the law.” They argued the court was established to pursue cases in instances where countries do not have robust and independent judiciaries, which could not be said of Israel. “The UK Government’s response to the decision has been nonsensical,” they said. “On Friday, the Home Secretary refused to say whether Mr Netanyahu would be detained if he travelled to the UK. “This opens the farcical spectre of your Government trying to sanction the arrest on UK soil of the leader of an ally of the UK, while you continue a diplomatic charm offensive with the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. “It falls to you to clarify the Government’s position – now. The Government must make clear that it does not support an arrest warrant being issued which has no proper basis in international law.” Downing Street on Friday indicated that Mr Netanyahu could face arrest if he entered the UK, refusing to comment on “hypotheticals” but saying Britain would always follow its “legal obligations”. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 states that a Secretary of State must, on receipt of a request for arrest from the ICC, “transmit the request and the documents accompanying it to an appropriate judicial officer”. Asked whether the UK would comply with requirements under the Act, Sir Keir’s spokesman said: “Yes, the Government would fulfil its obligations under the Act and indeed its legal obligations.” The ICC has issued a warrant for Mr Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Number 10 previously said the domestic process linked to ICC arrest warrants has never been used to date by the UK because no-one wanted by the international court had visited the country. It added that Israel remained a “key partner across a range of areas”. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It is important that we have a dialogue with Israel at all levels to reach the ceasefire that we all want to see, to bring an end to the violence, to protect civilians and ensure the release of hostages.” The ICC also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’s armed wing, over the October 7 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza. A domestic court process would be required before Mr Netanyahu faced arrest if he set foot in the UK. The ICC said there are “reasonable grounds to believe” Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant were responsible for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts”. The court’s pre-trial chamber also found “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population”. The impact of the warrants is likely to be limited since Israel and its major ally, the US, are not members of the ICC.SANTA CLARA — Brandon Allen prepared as if he was the 49ers’ starting quarterback all week, but the reality didn’t hit home until Friday, when Brock Purdy again missed practice. “I know he had a plan for his shoulder all week, rest it a little bit on Wednesday and we’d split reps,” Allen said of Purdy. “I think the plan Thursday was to come out and practice. I guess in warmups it just wasn’t feeling right. I found out (Friday).” Allen, a 32-year-old veteran in his ninth season, will start Sunday when the 49ers (5-5) visit the Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Lambeau Field. Purdy was ruled out with a shoulder injury sustained in a 20-17 loss to Seattle , the first time he has missed a start because of injury after 31 regular-season and six postseason starts. Here are five things to know about Allen: 1. Arkansas roots The Fayetteville, Arkansas native’s father Bobby spent more than 20 years as an Arkansas assistant coach. After a redshirt season in 2011, Allen played in 42 games with 38 starts for the Razorbacks. As a senior, Allen completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions as Arkansas went 8-5. His brother Austin took over as the Arkansas quarterback. In his ninth season, only Joe Ferguson (11 seasons) of the Buffalo Bills has more time in the NFL among Arkansas quarterbacks. 2. Professional route Drafted in the sixth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen spent his rookie season behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne as a third-string quarterback and did not play. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and played behind Jared Goff and Sean Mannion before being signed by the Denver Broncos in 2019. Allen won his first start against Cleveland 24-19 in Week 9 of that season, passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Allen signed with Cincinnati in 2020, spent time on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in November. Subbing for Joe Burrow, Allen had his career-best game, passing for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-31 win. Allen is 2-7 as an NFL starter with 1,611 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 78.0 passer rating. 3. Signing with the 49ers Allen became a 49er on May 8, 2023, signing as a free agent. The 49ers, who up to that point seldom kept a third quarterback on the 53-man roster, kept Allen as a No. 3 all season behind Purdy and Sam Darnold after the previous year’s injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and finally Purdy in the NFC Championship Game. Allen did not take a snap. 4. Installed as No. 2 QB Allen signed another one-year contract with the 49ers for one year and $1.21 million (which is more than the $985,000 that Purdy makes on his rookie deal). The 49ers also signed Joshua Dobbs to a one-year, guaranteed $2.35 million contract. Allen and Dobbs competed throughout training camp, with Allen earning the nod from coach Kyle Shanahan. “You’ve got to make a decision. Usually I don’t want to have to make it,” Shanahan said. “I want it to be that obvious, let it play out. Brandon had the head start just being here. I thought he did some better things in practice.” 5. Familiarity with the system While in Denver, Allen’s offensive coordinator was Rich Scangarello, who was the quarterbacks coach under Shanahan in 2017-18. In Los Angeles, the head coach was Sean McVay and the offensive coordinator was Matt LaFleur, both of whom run variations of the Shanahan offense. In 2018, Zac Taylor was his quarterbacks coach with the Rams. Taylor, upon being hired as head coach in Cincinnati, signed Allen to back up Burrow.Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Dollar Tree DLTR . And retail traders should know. We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga. Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with DLTR, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen. So how do we know what these investors just did? Today, Benzinga 's options scanner spotted 8 uncommon options trades for Dollar Tree. This isn't normal. The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 75% bullish and 25%, bearish. Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $189,850, and 4 are calls, for a total amount of $149,310. Expected Price Movements Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $55.0 to $105.0 for Dollar Tree during the past quarter. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Dollar Tree options trades today is 1512.12 with a total volume of 601.00. In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Dollar Tree's big money trades within a strike price range of $55.0 to $105.0 over the last 30 days. Dollar Tree Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview Largest Options Trades Observed: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume DLTR PUT SWEEP BULLISH 06/20/25 $8.95 $8.85 $8.85 $75.00 $90.2K 681 114 DLTR CALL TRADE BULLISH 02/21/25 $12.2 $12.05 $12.2 $65.00 $58.5K 1.2K 171 DLTR PUT SWEEP BULLISH 09/19/25 $3.35 $3.2 $3.2 $55.00 $35.5K 508 114 DLTR CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/16/26 $6.55 $6.3 $6.55 $105.00 $34.7K 805 53 DLTR PUT SWEEP BULLISH 03/21/25 $4.2 $4.15 $4.15 $70.00 $34.0K 7.9K 96 About Dollar Tree Dollar Tree operates discount stores across the United States and Canada, with over 8,800 shops under its namesake banner and 7,700 under Family Dollar. About 47% of Dollar Tree's sales in fiscal 2023 were composed of consumables (including food, health and beauty, and cleaning products), around 45% from variety items (including toys and homewares), and over 5% from seasonal items. Dollar Tree sells most of its merchandise at the $1.25 price point and positions its stores in well-populated suburban markets. Conversely, Family Dollar primarily sells consumable merchandise (80% of the banner's sales) at prices below $10. About two thirds of Family Dollar's stores are in urban and suburban markets, with the remaining one third located in rural areas. Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Dollar Tree, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance. Present Market Standing of Dollar Tree Currently trading with a volume of 1,242,256, the DLTR's price is up by 0.39%, now at $76.49. RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought. Anticipated earnings release is in 75 days. Expert Opinions on Dollar Tree 5 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $78.4. Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access .* An analyst from BMO Capital has decided to maintain their Market Perform rating on Dollar Tree, which currently sits at a price target of $70. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Guggenheim continues to hold a Buy rating for Dollar Tree, targeting a price of $100. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Telsey Advisory Group continues to hold a Market Perform rating for Dollar Tree, targeting a price of $75. * An analyst from Telsey Advisory Group persists with their Market Perform rating on Dollar Tree, maintaining a target price of $75. * In a cautious move, an analyst from Piper Sandler downgraded its rating to Neutral, setting a price target of $72. 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 Dollar Tree with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

The Los Angeles Clippers are 17-13 this season and in 7th place in the Western Conference team standings despite not playing a single game this campaign. Well, good news might be coming soon for the Clippers' faithful, as a Kawhi return could be on the horizon. Many people have been talking about this and Kawhi's comeback. But in a video posted in Leonard's official 'X' account, The Klaw himself is ramping up his return. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.By Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. The start of a new year can bring a surge of motivation around setting new goals, including financial resolutions. One way to help those goals become reality, financial experts say, is to make them as specific as possible. Then, track your progress, while allowing flexibility for unexpected challenges. “It’s easier to track progress when we know where we are going,” says Sylvie Scowcroft, a certified financial planner and founder of The Financial Grove in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That’s why she encourages her clients to set clearly defined goals, often related to paying off a specific debt, saving a certain amount per month or improving their credit score. Here are more tips from financial experts about crafting 2025 financial goals : Trying to accomplish too much can feel overwhelming. Instead, pick your priorities, says Cathleen Tobin, CFP and owner of Moonbridge Financial Design in Rhinebeck, New York. She suggests focusing on those big, often emotionally-driven goals to find motivation. “It’s more compelling than just a number,” she says. For example, do you want to make sure you’re on track for retirement or save money for a house? “Start there.” Scowcroft says she sees clients get tripped up by selecting overly broad goals, such as “get better with money.” Instead, she encourages people to select specific action items, such as “sign up for a budgeting tool and set aside time each month to learn where my money is going.” That level of specificity provides direction so you know what steps to take next, she adds. For example, if your top priority is to become debt-free, then your specific goal might be to pay off an extra $200 of your debt balance each month. Tobin says labeling savings accounts so they correspond with goals can also help. An emergency fund could be named something like “Peace of mind in 2025,” so you remember why you’re saving every time you make a transfer. “It’s more motivating than just ‘emergency fund,’” Tobin says. Measuring your progress as the year unfolds is also a critical component of successful goal setting, Tobin says. She compares it to weight loss. If you want to lose 20 pounds by June, then you need to lose about a pound a week for the first six months of the year. Similarly, she says it helps to break savings goals into microsteps that specify what you need to do each week. Schedule a weekly or monthly check-in with yourself to make sure you are meeting those smaller goals along the way. You might want to review your debt payoff progress or check your credit score , for example. “Being able to break it down into steps that can be done each week or twice a month really helps,” Tobin says. If your goal is to save more money , then setting up an automatic transfer each month can help turn that goal into reality, as long as you know you have the money in your checking account to spare. “It reduces the mental load,” says Mike Hunsberger, CFP and owner of Next Mission Financial Planning in St. Charles, Missouri, where he primarily supports veterans and current members of the military. He recommends starting small to ease into the change. “I wouldn’t jump to double what you’re currently saving,” he says. For example, when it comes to saving in a retirement account, if you’re starting with a 3% contribution, you might want to bump it up to 4%, then slowly increase it from there. “My number one piece of advice is to start small, but make sure you scale over time,” Hunsberger adds. “Because it’s gradual, you probably won’t notice it impacting your lifestyle.” “Stay flexible,” Scowcroft says. “Part of it is just being kind to yourself and not being too rigid.” When unexpected challenges come up, such as a big unplanned expense, you might have to pause making progress on your goal and reset. You might even need to change your goal. Scowcroft says that doesn’t mean you “failed,” just that life changed your plans. Dwelling on any negativity won’t help your forward progress. Sharing your goals with a friend can also make it easier to reach them, Scowcroft says. “It really helps to have an accountability buddy,” she says. She suggests putting a regular “money date” with your friend on the calendar so you can ask each other how you’re doing, brainstorm any challenges or even budget together side-by-side . “It’s a fun excuse to meet up with a friend.” More From NerdWallet Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer. The article The Secret to Making Successful Financial New Year’s Resolutions originally appeared on NerdWallet .(Reuters) : Amazon pumped another $4 billion into OpenAI competitor Anthropic, as the e-commerce giant goes up against Big Tech rivals in a race to capitalize on generative artificial intelligence technology. This doubles Amazon’s investment in the firm known for its GenAI chatbot Claude, but it remains a minority investor, the startup said on Friday. Similar to Amazon’s previous $4 billion investment, it comes in the form of convertible notes and comes in phases, first at $1.3 billion. Anthropic is also in talks with additional investors to raise more capital on the back of Amazon backing, sources added, who requested anonymity for discussing private matters. Anthropic declined to comment. Amazon, which has gradually established itself as Anthropic’s primary cloud partner, is fiercely competing with Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google to offer AI-powered tools for its cloud customers. AWS is bringing significant revenue to Anthropic as a major distributor of its latest models. “The investment in Anthropic is essential for Amazon to stay in a leadership position in AI,” said D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria. The e-commerce company’s increased investment in Anthropic underscores the billions of dollars funneled into AI startups over the past year, as investors look to cash in on a boom in the technology, which became popular with the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022. Microsoft-backed OpenAI raised $6.6 billion from investors last month, which could value the company at $157 billion and cement its position as one of the most valuable private companies in the world. Anthropic plans to train and deploy its foundational models on Amazon’s Trainium and Inferentia chips. The intensive process of training AI models requires powerful processors, making securing pricey AI chips a top priority for startups. “It (partnership) also allows Amazon to promote its AI services such as leveraging its AI chips for training and inferencing, which Anthropic is using,” Luria said. Nvidia currently dominates the market for AI processors and counts Amazon among its long list of so-called hyperscaler customers. Still, Amazon has been working to develop its own chips through its Annapurna Labs division, which Anthropic said it was “working closely with” to aid in developing processors. Amazon has also been trying to build its own AI model code-named “Olympus,” which it hasn’t released. Anthropic, co-founded by former OpenAI executives and siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, said last year it had secured a $500 million investment from Alphabet, which promised to invest another $1.5 billion over time. The startup also uses Alphabet’s Google Cloud services as part of its operations.