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Cabometyx is under clinical development by and currently in Phase II for Ureter Cancer. According to GlobalData, Phase II drugs for Ureter Cancer does not have sufficient historical data to build an indication benchmark PTSR for Phase II. GlobalData tracks drug-specific phase transition and likelihood of approval scores, in addition to indication benchmarks based off 18 years of historical drug development data. Attributes of the drug, company and its clinical trials play a fundamental role in drug-specific PTSR and likelihood of approval. Cabometyx overview Cabozantinib s-malate (Cabometyx, Aptimetyx) is a s-malate salt form of cabozantinib, acts as an anti-neoplastic agent. It is formulated as film-coated tablets for oral route of administration. Cabometyx is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with locally advanced or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that has progressed following prior VEGFR-targeted therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory or ineligible. Cabometyx is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), refractory or not eligible to radioactive iodine (RAI) who have progressed during or after prior systemic therapy. Cabometxy is indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in treatment-naïve adults with intermediate or poor risk and in adult patients who have received prior therapy. Exelixis overview is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the development and commercialization of small molecule therapies for the treatment of cancer. The company’s marketed products include, Cometriq (cabozantinib), an inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases; Cabometyx (cabozantinib) developed for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The company’s major pipeline product candidates include zanzalintinib, XB002 and XL102 for the treatment of advanced or metastatic solid tumors, and CBX-12 for advanced metastatic refractory solid tumors. The company has collaborative partnerships with biopharmaceutical companies to advance the development of potential therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. is headquartered in Alameda, California, the US. For a complete picture of Cabometyx’s drug-specific PTSR and LoA scores, This content was updated on 12 April 2024 From Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors. , the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article. GlobalData’s Likelihood of Approval analytics tool dynamically assesses and predicts how likely a drug will move to the next stage in clinical development (PTSR), as well as how likely the drug will be approved (LoA). This is based on a combination of machine learning and a proprietary algorithm to process data points from various databases found on GlobalData’s .The UN's marathon climate summit neared the finish line early Sunday, with nations due to approve or reject a hotly-disputed deal for wealthy historic emitters to provide at least $300 billion to poorer countries that had demanded much more. After an exhausting two weeks of negotiations in Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea capital of Baku, COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev declared open the final summit plenary after midnight, two days after the conference was officially scheduled to end. A final text was released following several sleepless nights for negotiators, with tensions boiling over as small islands states and the world's poorest countries walked out of one meeting. "This package is an affront to us. We are the countries that have the most at stake," said Tina Stege, climate envoy of the Marshall Islands, an atoll nation threatened by rising seas. Top German negotiator Jennifer Morgan told AFP that countries would be presented a "take it or leave it" deal. Before the closing session, delegates huddled in small groups on the floor of the main conference room inside Baku's sports stadium to pore over copies of the latest draft deal line by line. "I know that none of us want to leave Baku without a good outcome," Babayev said. A number of countries have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. Small island nations and impoverished African states on Saturday angrily stormed out of a meeting with Azerbaijan, saying their concerns had been ignored. "I think it caught a lot of people by surprise," said Brazil's climate envoy, Ana Toni. "It all happened very quickly." The walkout triggered an emergency meeting between those nations and top negotiators from the European Union, United States and Britain with the COP29 presidency in which new proposals were made. Wealthy countries and small island nations have also been concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. The final text proposes that rich nations raise to at least $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. It is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, called the draft "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". Developing power Brazil pleaded for at least some progress and said it would seek to build on it when it leads COP30 next year in the Amazon gateway of Belem. "After the difficult experience that we're having here in Baku, we need to reach some outcome that is minimally acceptable in line with the emergency we're facing," Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva told delegates. As staff at the cavernous and windowless stadium began packing up, diplomats rushed between meetings, some armed with food and water in anticipation of another late night. Panama's outspoken negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, warned not to repeat the failure of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. "I'm sad, I'm tired, I'm disheartened, I'm hungry, I'm sleep-deprived, but there is a tiny ray of optimism within me because this cannot become a new Copenhagen," he told reporters. Climate activists shouted "shame" as US climate envoy John Podesta walked the halls. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," he said. Wealthy nations say it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. South African Environment Minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final draft encouraged developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already pays climate finance on its own terms. The EU and other countries have also tussled with Saudi Arabia over including strong language on moving away from fossil fuels, which negotiators say the oil-producing country has resisted. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. bur-np-sct-lth/jm

Protesters clashed with police yesterday with at least two people killed in riots sparked by a survey investigating if a 17th-century mosque was built on a temple. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP-led government of orchestrating the unrest to distract from allegations of electoral malpractice in recent bypolls. “Two persons were confirmed dead,” Pawan Kumar, a police officer in Sambhal in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, said, adding that 16 police officers were “seriously injured” during the clashes. The Press Trust of India news agency quoted officials saying three people had died. Street battles broke out when a team of surveyors entered the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal on orders from a local court. Protesters yesterday hurled rocks at police, who fired tear gas canisters to clear the crowd. “The Supreme Court should immediately take cognizance of the conspiracy to spread tension in the name of survey and a case of disturbing peace and harmony should be registered against those who took sloganeers with them with the aim of disturbing social harmony and the Bar Association should also take disciplinary and punitive action against them. There was no hope from the UP government and administration, nor is there any now,” read a rough translation of another of Yadav’s posts on X. SP MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq also criticised the survey, citing the Places of Worship Act, 1991. “The Jama Masjid of Sambhal is a historic site. The Supreme Court had ruled that religious places as they existed in 1947 must remain unchanged,” Barq said. Related Story Qatar’s diabetes prevalence drops 1.35%: STEPwise Survey Qatar launches National Ageing SurveyGaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the Senate WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation. The Florida Republican made the announcement Thursday. Gaetz’s withdrawal is a blow to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party. Trump said in a social media post that Gaetz “did not want to be a distraction for the Administration.” Gaetz said “it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work" of the transition team. He added, “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.” Warrants put Israeli PM and others in a small group of leaders accused of crimes against humanity Arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas leader put them in a small group of leaders to be accused of crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court in the Hague issued the warrants Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Deif, a Hamas leader Israel claims it killed. The court says Hamas committed murder, rape and torture in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that triggered the Israel-Hamas war. The court also says Israel used starvation as a method of warfare and committed murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. Several of Trump's Cabinet picks — and Trump himself — have been accused of sexual misconduct WASHINGTON (AP) — Former congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name as President-elect Donald Trump's choice for attorney general in the face of sexual misconduct allegations. He's not the only member of Trump’s chosen staff and Cabinet accused of some form of misconduct. Others include: Elon Musk, his choice to help lead a new outside panel seeking to boost government efficiency, Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump’s choice for defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Linda McMahon, his choice to lead the Department of Education. They all deny the claims. Elon Musk's budget crusade could cause a constitutional clash in Trump's second term WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has put Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in charge of finding ways to cut government spending and regulations. It's possible that their efforts will lead to a constitutional clash. This week, Musk and Ramaswamy said they would encourage the Republican president-elect to refuse to spend money allocated by Congress, which would conflict with a 1974 law that's intended to prevent presidents from blocking funds. If Trump takes such a step, it would quickly become one of the most closely watched legal battles of his second administration. Musk and Ramaswamy also aim to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce. Death toll in Gaza from Israel-Hamas war passes 44,000, Palestinian officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say the death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year. Putin touts Russia's new missile and delivers a menacing warning to NATO The new ballistic missile fired by Russia struck a military-industrial facility in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, but its real mission was delivering a deadly new message to NATO. Hours after Thursday’s strike touched off a debate over whether the Ukrainian plant was hit by an intercontinental ballistic missile, President Vladimir Putin cleared up the mystery in a rare and surprise appearance on Russian television. He described it as a new, intermediate-range ballistic missile that raced to its target at 10 times the speed of sound and couldn't be stopped by modern anti-missile systems. One Western expert said it was the first time that such a missile was used in the war — and perhaps in any conflict. Brazilian police indict former President Bolsonaro and aides over alleged 2022 coup attempt SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people on charges of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. The findings are to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation. The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then. Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lied to Chicago police. The state’s highest court ruled Thursday on Smollett’s argument that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene after the local state’s attorney initially dropped charges. The 5-0 decision did not address Smollett's claims of innocence. The Black, gay actor claimed two men assaulted him, spouted slurs and tossed a noose around his neck. Smollett was on the television drama “Empire,” which filmed in Chicago. Testimony at his trial indicated Smollett paid $3,500 to two men to carry out the attack. SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler will step down from his post on January 20. Since taking the lead at the SEC, the commission has been aggressive in its oversight of cryptocurrencies and other regulatory issues. President-elect Donald Trump had promised during his campaign that he would remove Gensler, who has led the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry and repeatedly called for more oversight. But Gensler on Thursday announced that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated. Bitcoin has jumped 40% since Trump’s victory. US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water NEW YORK (AP) — Fights are cropping up nationwide over fluoride in drinking water. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months. And several have decided to stop adding it to drinking water. In August, a federal agency for the first time reported that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. And in September, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate it in drinking water. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, but advisers to Donald Trump have suggested he would push to remove it.

Benchmark reissued their buy rating on shares of i3 Verticals ( NASDAQ:IIIV – Free Report ) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $33.00 price target on the stock. Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on shares of i3 Verticals from $23.00 to $21.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $29.00 target price on shares of i3 Verticals in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Raymond James lowered their price target on shares of i3 Verticals from $31.00 to $28.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 12th. KeyCorp lowered their price target on shares of i3 Verticals from $28.00 to $27.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 12th. Finally, DA Davidson restated a “buy” rating and set a $32.00 price target on shares of i3 Verticals in a report on Monday, September 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $27.14. View Our Latest Analysis on i3 Verticals i3 Verticals Price Performance Institutional Investors Weigh In On i3 Verticals A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of IIIV. Comerica Bank boosted its holdings in i3 Verticals by 46.0% in the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 2,133 shares of the company’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 672 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new stake in i3 Verticals in the third quarter worth $109,000. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new stake in i3 Verticals in the second quarter worth $116,000. Atom Investors LP bought a new stake in i3 Verticals in the third quarter worth $218,000. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new stake in i3 Verticals in the second quarter worth $292,000. 84.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About i3 Verticals ( Get Free Report ) i3 Verticals, Inc provides integrated payment and software solutions primarily to the public sector and healthcare markets in the United States. It operates in two segments, Software and Services, and Merchant Services. The company offers payment processing services that enables upper and lower court case management, collections, finance and accounting, motor vehicle and carrier registration, e-filing and taxation, license plate inventory, property tax management, utility billing, professional licensing, document workflow, and law enforcement software; assists public schools in completing payment processing functions, including accepting payments for online or at school lunches, and school activities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for i3 Verticals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for i3 Verticals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Boise State vs. Wyoming FREE LIVE STREAM (11/23/24): Watch college football, Week 13 online | Time, TV, channel

Minnesotans break their own record with $37 million donated to local nonprofits on Give to the Max DayNylander models new Leafs collab with Drake's OVO brandMichigan, Ohio State fight broken up with police pepper spray after Wolverines stun Buckeyes 13-10Saquon Barkley is having the best season of his professional career for more reasons than one. With a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday , the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) clinched the NFC East. That’s also now the first time that Barkley has been a part of a divisional winner as a player after six seasons with the New York Giants, which he himself noted this afternoon. However, there’s also still much more for he and Philly to do. “Yeah, um, it’s cool,” Barkley said postgame . “I’m not going to downplay it. But, like I said, at the end of the day, um, you know, you’re not getting remembered for being the 2024 NFC East division champs.” “I’m happy – my first hat and t-shirt game. I didn’t even know that was a thing to be honest,” smiled Barkley. “So I’m happy to be part of that and we did it as a team. But we all know what the goal is.” That’s a tough thing to hear for the Giants. They have not won that division since 2011 and have been in the top-two in the standings for it just twice since 2013. That’ll continue this year at 3-13 in last place in the NFC East behind Philadelphia, Dallas, and Washington. It’s also even worse considering how well Barkley is playing this year as a candidate for NFL MVP. Following today’s game, Barkley has rushed past 2,000 yards for the eighth-most all-time in a single season. He’s now only 100 yards shy of the 40-year record held by Eric Dickerson . With that, he also leads the league in rushing yards and rushing yards per game at 125.3 a game while being second at 5.9 yard per carry. He has also run for 13 scores on the season. With that, Barkley is one of the leading candidates for Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. He could further make his case if he were to play in the season finale and break the record. Ironically, he’d have the chance to do that against none other than that former team of his in the Giants. Barkley is having a career year with what both he and his team are accomplishing. There’s more to achieve, though, with history in sight for him as well as the playoffs being just ahead now for Philadelphia. This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden's chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump's team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts. “The signing of this agreement is good news, and a positive step toward an effective transfer of power," said Max Stier, the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. "This agreement unlocks direct access to information from federal agencies, which is vital for the incoming administration to be ready to govern on Day One and critical to the transition’s success.” Zeke Miller, The Associated Pressph365 casino app ph365 。

Key Takeaways Startups worldwide want to improve their reputations, meet partners and investors and scale their business. Innovative ideas come from every corner of the globe, which makes entrepreneurship open to anyone — no matter their background, gender, race or experience. However, depending on a startup founder's location, it might be difficult to get the right level of visibility and connections to expand their business successfully. I believe that Silicon Valley , the birthplace of innovation, remains a critical center of entrepreneurship. One way to access Silicon Valley — including stakeholders that can help a startup grow — is to participate in startup competitions. Related: This Low-Cost, Low-Effort Growth Strategy Could Transform Your Company Into an Innovation Powerhouse History of Silicon Valley Silicon Valley, a term originally used by Electronic News in 1971, started with the invention of the semiconductor. It's in the South Bay of California and is now known as the center of technology innovation. San Jose is the region's largest city; the presence of highly regarded universities in the area — such as Stanford University — provides a strong foundation of research and development. Since many famous startups and technology companies started in Silicon Valley, it is also the home to Venture Capital (VC). Investors are critical to a startup's success, and it is important for founders to make connections with VC firms. Major technology companies are based here — including Intel, Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Cisco and Netflix, among others. Silicon Valley is unique due to its culture of innovation, which encourages risk-taking and even failure. Startup founders, corporate executives and investors understand the importance of exploring new ideas, even if they do not all succeed. This culture is perfect for entrepreneurs who want to be innovative in a supportive environment. As a result of the success of such companies, Silicon Valley is a wealthy region. In fact, Silicon Valley Indicators show that in 2022, the region's median household income was over $149,000 — higher than even San Francisco. It's also the home of well-known unicorns, defined as startups valued at over $1 billion. These include Open AI, SpaceX, Zoom, Miro and Anthropic. It's helpful for startups to be well-connected in Silicon Valley since this provides access to potential investors, partners, customers and employees — all of whom can help propel them to success. How startup competitions help entrepreneurs Participating in startup competitions has several benefits for entrepreneurs. At the competitions, startups will pitch their business ideas to investors, which can help them not only strengthen their pitch but also win cash prizes and/or investments. Competitions also provide critical networking opportunities to other ecosystem members. Entrepreneurs typically learn a great deal from fellow entrepreneurs, participating investors and corporate executives who are participating. Startup competitions give entrepreneurs visibility, which is important for their personal reputations and their company's. Pitches are typically done on-stage in front of a large audience; the audience will be even larger if the competition is broadcast virtually. High-profile journalists normally attend startup competitions, which gives founders the opportunity to interview and be part of published articles — spreading their visibility further. Related: How a Seasoned Silicon Valley Veteran Keeps Innovation at the Forefront of Business Startup competitions in Silicon Valley Based on my experience, several competitions in Silicon Valley come to mind that will benefit entrepreneurs. Startup Grind is a well-known conference that gives startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas, gather feedback and set up meetings with investors. The Startup World Cup (SWC), started by Pegasus Tech Ventures — a well-regarded VC firm — hosts about 100 regional competitions around the world. SWC is recognized by Google and ChatGPT as the largest startup competition in the world. It culminates in a Grand Finale during which the grand prize winner receives a $1 million investment. TechCrunch Disrupt is another popular conference that gives entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their ideas and network with startup ecosystem members. Prestigious universities near Silicon Valley provide not only centers of research and development; they also host well-regarded business plan competitions. The Haas School at the University of California Berkeley is home to the BerkeleyHaas Entrepreneurship Program . The program, well-regarded by the academic and technology communities, hosts the University of California Startup Accelerator, the Venture Capital Investment Competition and the Hult Prize Competition. Meanwhile, Stanford University in Palo Alto is home to the Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students ( BASES ), which aims to enable entrepreneurship at the university. Its annual Challenge attracts more than 250 startups from around the globe to compete for cash prizes. Advice for entrepreneurs When speaking to startup founders in all regions of the world, I typically advise them to tap into the strength of Silicon Valley. This region, historically the center of technology innovation , remains critical due to its strong startup ecosystem. Many startups, corporations, VCs and media are based there. Even if a startup is based elsewhere, it's smart to tap into the power and network of Silicon Valley by participating in startup competitions. This enables founders to refine their pitch , gather valuable feedback, increase visibility and network with potential partners, suppliers, customers and investors. This effort is well worth the time and expense, given its potential to expand a startup's presence and scale it rapidly. Doing so will help bring its innovative ideas forward to benefit the world. Related: 5 Ways Startups Can Increase Their Visibility

ESPN announced Thursday that Smith, an ESPN reporter and SEC Network host, will be part of ESPN's three-man broadcast team for the inaugural TGL season. Smith will be the reporter for the telecasts. He will interview the golfers during the matches, and will also interview team owners and celebrity guests. All the matches will be held at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Scott Van Pelt will host for the pre-match, intermission and post-match shows from Washington, D.C., while Matt Barrie be at SoFi Center to handle the play-by-play. A company founded by Woods and Rory McIlroy is behind the new league, whose season will run from January to March. There will be six teams of four PGA Tour players apiece, with matches on Mondays and Tuesdays. The first telecast will be Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. Smith will also be on ABC's Jan. 5 season preview special. Smith will still do his other assignments, including the College Football Playoff and The Masters. VMI promotes Hampton VMI assistant coach and Lord Botetourt graduate A.J. Hampton tweeted Wednesday that he has been promoted to offensive coordinator. Hampton has been on the VMI staff since January 2023. He was the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator his first year, then added the title of passing game coordinator to his duties for the 2024 season. Patrick Ashford was VMI's offensive coordinator the past three seasons, including the 2022 season under then-coach Scott Wachenheim and the past two seasons under coach Danny Rocco. The Keydets won just one game this year. When asked Thursday in a text message if he had opted to let Ashford go, Rocco replied, "No. I am in the process of realignment within our staff." Hampton, a former receiver, was a graduate assistant at Virginia Tech in 2022. He was the passing game coordinator at West Virginia State in the 2021 season. — Mark Berman Ohanian makes UVa donation Virginia's athletic fundraising arm announced Thursday that Reddit co-founder and UVa graduate Alexis Ohanian, the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, has made a "transformational" gift to the women's basketball program to help UVa recruit and retain "championship level talent." The unnamed sum is the largest donation in UVa women's basketball history and the second-largest donation in UVa women's athletics history, according to the announcement. The multiyear donation will address "the financial and competitive demands of this new era of college athletics," according to the news release. “I am proud to support the women’s program at my alma mater with this donation," Ohanian said in the news release. "It’s time to bring the nation’s best hoops talent to Charlottesville and win some championships in the next four years.” Peek joins Brewers' organization Jefferson Forest graduate Zach Peek was plucked from the Baltimore Orioles' Class AA team by Milwaukee in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in Dallas on Wednesday. The former Winthrop standout pitched for two of the Orioles' minor-league teams this year. He pitched in five games for the Orioles' Carolina League affiliate and in three games for the Orioles' Class AA team. Milwaukee took him in the second round of the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft; he was the 45th overall pick. Milwaukee assigned him to Triple-A Nashville. In the third round, the Chicago Cubs drafted former Salem Red Sox pitcher Robert Kwiatkowski from Boston's Double-A team. He was assigned to the Cubs' Triple-A team. In the fourth round, St. Louis drafted former Salem Red Sox outfielder Miguel Ugueto from Boston's South Atlantic League affiliate. He was assigned to the Cardinals' Triple-A team.Onyx Boox Note Air 4C Review

The Presidency has disclosed that Nigeria’s crude oil production is set to be increased by 30,000bpd. This was revealed via its X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, stating that Nigeria’s Oriental Energy Resources Limited has unveiled a $315 million Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel to boost Nigeria’s oil production capacity. The FPSO vessel, with a storage capacity of one million barrels, which will kick off with an initial production of 17,000 barrels per day before increasing its production capacity to 30,000 bpd is expected to depart for Nigeria in Q1 2025 and commence production at the Okwok Oil Field in the first half of 2025. Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the commissioning and naming ceremony of the vessel, described the facility as more than just a maritime infrastructure project, saying it is a pointer to the success of President Tinubu’s reforms in the sector as well as Nigeria’s growing global influence. Speaking on Saturday while commissioning the oil facility at the Drydocks World Dubai Shipyard in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Shettima pointed out that what sets Nigerians apart is not merely the audacity of their ambition, but their unique understanding of where the world is headed. Shettima in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said, “This FPSO vessel is more than just a technological achievement; it is a symbol of Nigeria’s ambition and our readiness to meet global energy demands. Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we are witnessing the transformation of the oil and gas sector, which is central to our economic revitalisation efforts.” According to him, the vessel is a critical link in Nigeria’s ambition to optimise productivity, enabling the country to become a central hub for hydrocarbon demand, both domestically and globally. The Vice President lauded Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, the Executive Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources Limited, for his remarkable contributions to the industry. He stated: “Over the decades, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi has stood as a model businessman and symbol of excellence in the oil and gas industry. So, it’s not surprising that his vision has transformed Oriental Energy Resources Limited into a global phenomenon. “This outcome testifies to what is possible when ambition is matched with perseverance and expertise. His journey reminds us that Nigeria is a land of opportunity, and with dedication, there is no limit to what we can achieve.” Shettima explained that as Nigeria’s home-based refineries come alive, vessels like this will be instrumental in maximising the nation’s production capacity and driving economic growth. He said, “Just about two weeks ago, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was in Paris, where he oversaw the expansion of one of Nigeria’s indigenous banks into that sphere of the European financial market. That historic moment reflected our collective aspiration as a nation.” Shettima further pointed out that the UAE demonstrates what can be achieved when natural resources are leveraged effectively, just as he reaffirmed the Nigerian government’s support for transformative initiatives “which align with Nigeria’s vision for expanding hydrocarbon exploration, storage, and refining. “This FPSO vessel symbolises a future where Nigerian ingenuity meets global standards, and we will be here every step of the way to ensure its utility and success,” he added. On his part, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, lauded the vision and tenacity of the Chairman of Oriental Energy Nigeria, saying his investment will stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities for many Nigerians, as well as ensure steady growth and development of the nation’s economy. Zulum said, “Today is one of my happiest moments to stand before this gathering. I make my brief remark because Alhaji Ndimi is from Borno State, and I’m happy to note that the production of this vessel was born 100 percent by his own company, which has never happened in Nigeria. This goes to show how committed Alhaji Mohammed Ndimi is to the growth and development of not only Borno State but the entire country.” Also, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, commended the Chairman of Oriental Energy, Alhaji Indimi, and his technical partners, noting that to truly appreciate the oil mogul, it would be best to know that he wasn’t the only person that was allocated an oil block in the 90s. “There were so many of them. But from what we are witnessing today, he will go down as one who believes in Nigeria, who believes in investing in Nigeria, who believes in the government of Nigeria, who appreciates Nigeria. And that is the reason why he is investing in this baby here that is going to store one million barrels of crude oil,” he noted. Earlier, Chairman/CEO of Oriental Energy Resources Ltd, Alhaji Indimi, revealed that the facility is the first FPSO to be fully funded by a Nigerian indigenous company. The vessel named ENEM FPSO, the chairman added, has heralded an effort for an indigenous Nigerian oil and gas company to independently develop a marginal field, stressing that it is an important milestone for Nigeria and its indigenous oil and gas sector. He said, “When operating at full capacity we expect the Okwok Oil Field to produce up to 30,000 barrels of oil a day, significantly enhancing Nigeria’s oil production and contributing to the government’s ambition to increase oil revenue to fund Nigeria’s development. “The Okwok field is just one step towards our long-term ambition to deliver 100,000 barrels of oil per day of production in Nigeria. We have a strong set of proven assets and a development pipeline that can deliver it. “I want to take this opportunity to thank the Nigerian government; His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; His Excellency Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the dedicated officials and civil servants in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NURPC and the other agencies that have provided the enabling environment for this investment”. In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Drydocks Dubai, Capt. Dr. Antolovic Rado, assured that the vessel, when fully operational, will contribute significantly to the sustainable development of the Okwok oil field region and would support economic growth and energy security. He noted that the success achieved by Oriental Energy’s huge investment in the oil sector, has set a benchmark for operational excellence and safety to Oriental Energy Resources Limited and other partners. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNEBOILING SPRINGS, N.C (AP) — Leo Colimerio scored 27 points and Queens University held off Gardner-Webb 85-83 on Saturday. Colimerio shot 8 for 12 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line for the Royals (6-5). He made two foul shots with 9 seconds left to give the Royals a four-point lead. Malcolm Wilson scored 11 points, finishing 5 of 6 from the floor. Nasir Mann shot 3 for 6, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. Darryl Simmons II finished with 23 points and two steals for the Runnin' Bulldogs (4-7). Jamaine Mann added 18 points and seven rebounds. Pharell Boyogueno had nine points and four assists. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Google is ramping up its push into smart glasses and augmented reality headgear, taking on rivals Apple and Meta with help from its sophisticated Gemini artificial intelligence. The internet titan on Thursday unveiled an Android XR operating system created in a collaboration with Samsung, which will use it in a device being built in what is called internally "Project Moohan," according to Google. The software is designed to power augmented and virtual reality experiences enhanced with artificial intelligence, XR vice president Shahram Izadi said in a blog post. "With headsets, you can effortlessly switch between being fully immersed in a virtual environment and staying present in the real world," Izadi said. "You can fill the space around you with apps and content, and with Gemini, our AI assistant, you can even have conversations about what you're seeing or control your device." Google this week announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to date, as the world's tech giants race to take the lead in the fast-developing technology. CEO Sundar Pichai said the new model would mark what the company calls "a new agentic era" in AI development, with AI models designed to understand and make decisions about the world around you. Android XR infused with Gemini promises to put digital assistants into eyewear, tapping into what users are seeing and hearing. An AI "agent," the latest Silicon Valley trend, is a digital helper that is supposed to sense surroundings, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals. "Gemini can understand your intent, helping you plan, research topics and guide you through tasks," Izadi said. "Android XR will first launch on headsets that transform how you watch, work and explore." The Android XR release was a preview for developers so they can start building games and other apps for headgear, ideally fun or useful enough to get people to buy the hardware. This is not Google's first foray into smart eyewear. Its first offering, Google Glass, debuted in 2013 only to be treated as an unflattering tech status symbol and met with privacy concerns due to camera capabilities. The market has evolved since then, with Meta investing heavily in a Quest virtual reality headgear line priced for mainstream adoption and Apple hitting the market with pricey Vision Pro "spacial reality" gear. Google plans to soon begin testing prototype Android XR-powered glasses with a small group of users. Google will also adapt popular apps such as YouTube, Photos, Maps, and Google TV for immersive experiences using Android XR, according to Izadi. Gemini AI in glasses will enable tasks like directions and language translations, he added. "It's all within your line of sight, or directly in your ear," Izadi said. gc/dw

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Halle Bailey and Ex DDG Reunite to Celebrate Son Halo’s First BirthdayReviews functioning of Info Department: CM For Using Digital Space For Targeted Campaigns Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Information Department at the Civil Secretariat here. The meeting assessed department’s performance and deliberated on matters requiring improvement to enhance efficiency and outreach of the Information department. The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Secretary Information Rehana Batul, Director Information Jatin Kishore, senior officers from the administrative department, all Joint Directors, Deputy Directors, and other concerned officials. During the meeting, the Chief Minister inquired about the functioning of the single-window portal for granting film shooting permissions. He emphasized the need to streamline and expedite the process, ensuring that filmmakers receive approvals without unnecessary delays. A detailed discussion was held on the advertisement policy for newspapers and media houses. The Chief Minister directed the department to ensure fairness and transparency in issuing advertisements based on circulation. He urged the department to avoid any impression of bias and to study Bureau of Outreach, Government of India (DAVP) criteria of advertisement rates and assessing newspaper circulation to evolve a robust mechanism for the purpose. Stressing the importance of social media, the Chief Minister called for enhanced visibility of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir on digital platforms through targeted advertisements and campaigns. Reviewing the accreditation process for journalists, the Chief Minister directed the department to revisit rejected applications. He instructed the concerned officials to communicate discrepancies to applicants, enabling them to rectify errors and secure accreditation. Highlighting the pressing issue of staff shortages, the Chief Minister urged the department to expedite the recruitment process for vacant positions. He stressed that adequate manpower is crucial for the department’s efficiency. The Chief Minister impressed upon the need to procure latest equipment and gadgets to improve coverage of official functions and events. The Chief Minister emphasized the department’s crucial role in shaping public perception and ensuring effective communication of government initiatives. He urged the officials to address challenges with urgency and commitment. Earlier, Secretary Information Rehana Batul gave a detailed presentation on the department’s overview and functioning. The presentation covered aspects such as human resource management, roles and responsibilities of staff, advertisement expenditure, empanelled newspapers, and the accreditation process for journalists. The meeting was informed about several initiatives undertaken by the department, including Beats of J&K, Inspire Gen-Z, Youth Conclave; Successful hosting of J&K Film Conclave-2024 and implementation of J&K Film Policy-2024 The department’s media campaign for coverage of the G-20 Summit in Kashmir was also highlighted. Discussions were held on the department’s budget and expenditure under REVEX and CAPEX heads, along with the proposed CAPEX for the financial year 2024-25.Hayman scores 23 in Incarnate Word's 93-69 win over NAIA-member Our Lady of the LakeSPRINGFIELD — Visitors coming to the Illinois Statehouse to see their lawmakers in action, or just to tour the historic building, may see longer lines to get through security screening during the upcoming legislative sessions. Responding to a significant increase in potential threats to lawmakers and the public in recent years, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’s office recently implemented new emergency rules requiring nearly anyone to pass through security screening upon entering the Statehouse or any building in the Illinois Capitol Complex. “Unfortunately, the world is not getting safer,” Amy Williams, senior legal adviser in the secretary of state’s office, told a legislative oversight committee Tuesday. One of the more serious threats, Williams said, occurred in March when security officials were notified of an active shooter threat, prompting a lockdown of the complex. The lockdown was lifted after investigators determined there was no credible threat, according to reports at the time. People are also reading... In April, police locked down the Capitol for about an hour as the building was cleared following a bomb threat. Illinois State Police arrested a suspect accused of making the threat the following month. So far in 2024, Williams told the committee, the Secretary of State Police Department has responded to 17 threats to the Capitol, nearly twice as many as any other year since 2018. There have also been threats directed at individual lawmakers. In September, a man was arrested for threatening to assassinate Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore. And on Monday, Dec. 9, Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, reported an employee in her district office became ill after opening office mail, according to a social media post. The employee was transported to a local hospital, prompting police to evacuate the building and cordon off a portion of the street while emergency crews responded. In October, Williams said, the secretary of state’s office was advised by a security consultant to increase the number of people required to go through security screening to include everyone other than lawmakers, state government employees and other elected officials. That meant many people who had previously been given unrestricted access to the building — including lobbyists, vendors and members of the news media — now have to go through security screening as well. “Primarily that decision came about because members of the General Assembly, elected officials, are sensibly background checked by their constituents who choose them to go to the Capitol to do the people's work on their behalf,” she said. “And state government employees are background checked by their respective agencies. Lobbyists, vendors and members of the press are not subject to any background check.” To avoid congestion, Williams said the office has set up a “TSA Express-style” screening point at the east entrance of the building for those individuals who previously had unfettered access. The security changes near the tail end of a three-year, $224 million renovation project that will make permanent changes to the way the public enters and exits the Capitol. That project involves restoration and remodeling of the entire north wing of the Capitol. When it’s completed, sometime in 2025, all public access will be through a new entryway on the north side of the building where people will pass through security screening before entering the building itself. Until then, visitors will continue entering through either the east or west doors of the building where metal detectors and baggage x-ray machines are located just inside the building. Lawmakers are tentatively scheduled to return to the Statehouse Jan. 2 for the start of a brief lame duck session. The regular 2025 session begins Wednesday, Jan. 8. The Illinois Flag Commission selected its Top 10 finalists for the state flag redesign contest with public voting slated to begin in January. Members of the commission could select up to 10 of their favorite designs – from the nearly 5,000 submissions – prior to their December 9 meeting where they narrowed their choices to 10 overall. “Having received nearly 5,000 entries, I appreciate the creativity and passion reflected in all the submissions,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose office convened the Flag Commission meetings. Starting in January, the public will have the opportunity to vote online at www.ilsos.gov/stateflag for one of the new designs, or one of three former flag designs, including the current state flag, the 1918 Centennial Flag and the 1968 Sesquicentennial Flag. After the public voting period, the commission will report its findings and recommendations to the Illinois General Assembly by April 1, 2025, whose members will vote on whether to adopt a new flag, return to a previous iteration of the flag or retain the current flag. Senate Bill 1818, sponsored by State Senator Doris Turner (48th District—Springfield) and State Representative Kam Buckner (26th District—Chicago), was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in 2023, creating the commission to gauge public desire for a new flag. The flag designs eligible for public voting in January can be viewed at www.ilsos.gov/stateflag . Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to a Noiseless Lagos through stricter enforcement of noise pollution regulations during and after the Yuletide season. Addressing a press conference on Monday, the Honourable Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, emphasized the need for stakeholders’ compliance to create a safer, peaceful, and healthier environment for residents. Mr. Wahab acknowledged the festive nature of the season, characterized by celebrations, music, and other social activities, but stressed the adverse effects of unregulated noise on health and environmental well-being. “While this season is unique for its festive activities, we must prioritize the quality of life and well-being of all residents. Unchecked noise pollution endangers public health and the environment,” he noted. The Commissioner announced the implementation of key measures to curb noise pollution, including: The Commissioner called on all residents, businesses, and visitors to embrace the Noiseless Lagos policy, emphasizing that the government is committed to creating a quieter, healthier, and more livable city. Mr. Wahab commended Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, for their reform policies under the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda, which prioritize environmental sustainability and a cleaner Lagos. In concluding his address, the Commissioner thanked members of the press for their continued support and urged all stakeholders to join hands with the government in achieving a Noiseless Lagos. “Together, we can build a sustainable, livable, and peaceful Lagos that will remain a pride to us all,” he stated, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Igbega Ipinle Eko, Ajumose Ni O!”

Donald Trump has threatened to seize the Panama Canal, revived calls to buy Greenland and joked about annexing Canada -- leaving the world guessing once again whether he is serious or not. By challenging the sovereignty of some of Washington's closest allies four weeks before he even returns to the Oval Office, the US-president elect has underscored his credentials as global disruptor-in-chief. His comments have renewed fears from his first term that Trump will end up being harsher on US friends than he is on adversaries like Russia and China. But there are also suspicions that billionaire tycoon Trump is looking for leverage as part of the "art of the deal" -- and that the former reality television star is grabbing headlines to look strong at home and abroad. "It's hard to tell how much of this he really wants, and how much is the latest soundbite that will be heard around the world," said Frank Sesno, a professor at George Washington University and former White House correspondent. "He puts other leaders in position of having to figure out what is literal and what is not," he told AFP. The idea of buying Greenland is not a new one for Trump. He also raised the prospect of purchasing the vast strategic island, a Danish territory, during his first term in office. He revived his push over the weekend when naming his ambassador to Copenhagen, saying the "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" for US national security. But he received the same answer this time as he did then, with Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede saying on Monday that the resource-rich island was "not for sale." Yet his most headline-grabbing remarks have been on Panama, as he slammed what he called unfair fees for US ships passing through and threatened to demand control of the Panama Canal be returned to Washington. Trump said on Sunday that if Panama did not agree "then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America -- in full, quickly and without question." He also hinted at China's growing influence around the canal, which was built by the United States in 1914 to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It was returned to Panama under a 1977 deal. Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed Trump's threats, saying that "every square meter" of the canal would remain in Panamanian hands. Trump responded on TruthSocial: "We'll see about that!" Trump also teased neighboring Canada last week that it would be a "great idea" to become the 51st US state -- but against a dark backdrop of threatened tariffs. Sesno said it was hard for other countries to know how to deal with Trump's comments. "Well, it's clearly a joke. Or is it? said Sesno. "Imagine if you're the President of Panama, how do you react to something like that? You can't ignore it and your country will not let you. So the ripple effect of these comments is extraordinary." Trump's harsh treatment of US allies also stands in stark contrast to his repeated praise for the leaders of US foes -- including Russia's Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine in 2022 in a bid for a land-grab. But there is still likely to be method behind Trump's rhetoric. "Maybe the message is for China" when Trump talks about buying Greenland, said Stephanie Pezard, senior political scientist with the Rand Corporation. Just as Trump expressed concern about Beijing's influence in Panama, China's growing presence in the Arctic and its ties with Russia were "something that the US is really worried about," Pezard told AFP. But there could also be a signal to Denmark that 'If you're too friendly with China, you'll find us in your way" -- even though Denmark and Greenland had been "very good NATO allies." And perhaps Trump knows the reality. Any US plan to "buy" Greenland would be unfeasible "not just in international law but more broadly in the global order that the US has been trying to uphold," she said. dk/bgs

NEW YORK (AP) — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. Leavitt said law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted and Trump and his transition team are grateful. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations ; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general ; and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Law enforcement officials are also looking into whether Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz’s replacement, and other incoming administration officials were also victims — as well as how each was targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation continues. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was investigating with its law enforcement partners. The FBI added: "We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma said President Joe Biden had been briefed and the White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and Trump's transition team. Biden “continues to monitor the situation closely," Sharma said, adding the president and his administration “condemn threats of political violence.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. Her office said “New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism.” The New York State Police said a team was dispatched to sweep Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices. The agency directed further questions to the FBI. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X . “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops.” Police in Suffolk County, Long Island, said emergency officers responded to a bomb threat Wednesday morning at an address listed in public records as Zeldin’s home and were checking the property. In Florida, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area" around 9 a.m. Wednesday. While a family member resides at the address, the office said, Gaetz “is NOT a resident.” No threatening devices were found. Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration after allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Trump was also the subject of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot , with a man saying he had been tasked with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect. Also this week, authorities arrested a man they say posted videos on social media threatening to kill Trump, according to court documents. In one video posted on Nov. 13, Manuel Tamayo-Torres threatened to shoot the former president while holding what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle, authorities said Among the other videos he posted was one from an arena in Glendale, Arizona on Aug. 23, the same day Trump held a campaign rally there, according to court papers. An attorney for Tamayo-Torres did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. About a year ago the FBI responded to an uptick in such incidents at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses across the country around the holidays. Many were locked down and evacuated in early January after receiving bomb threats. No explosives were found and no one was hurt. Some of those targeted last year were Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. In Wu’s case, a male caller told police he had shot his own wife and tied another man up. When police and EMT responders arrived at the address given by the caller, they quickly realized it was the Boston mayor’s home. Wu, a Democrat, has also been targeted by many swatting calls since she took office in 2021. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio, received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that anytime a member of Congress is the victim of a swatting' incident, “we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners.” The force declined to provide further details, in part to “minimize the risk of copy-cats.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump," he wrote on X . “Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats.” He added: “It is not who we are in America.” ___ Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.Registration for the "Al Daou" and "Al Talaa" championships, as part of the 16th edition of the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2025), will begin this evening at the headquarters of Al Gannas Qatari Society in Katara – the Cultural Village. The festival, held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani and supported by the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam), is scheduled to take place from January 1 to February 1 at Sabkhat Marmi in the Sealine Area. Registration and inspection for the "Al Daou" and "Al Talaa" championships will continue until December 26. Online registration for these events is open until 11pm on December 25. Meanwhile, registration for the "Haddad Al Tahaddi" championship, which started Monday, continues until December 26. However, registration for the Saluki Race has officially closed. Haddad Al Tahaddi Committee chairman Shawqi al-Kaabi said that the second day of registration saw a high turnout, as expected, following strong participation on the first day. He stressed that registration for Haddad Al Tahaddi will continue until Thursday evening in Katara. “We saw registrations from competitors across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, which is a promising sign of an exciting competition ahead between falcons and homing pigeons on the field,” he said. "The registration witnessed significant and expected turnout for the various races, including the hybrid and Arabian categories,” said Ibrahim Khalil al-Tamimi, a member of the Saluki Race Committee. “We anticipate a thrilling race and wish all participants success,” he added. “The Saluki Race is a vital part of the Marmi Festival, attracting a dedicated audience due to its excitement, challenge, and entertainment." Related Story Marmi 2025 registration opens at Katara

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Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn’t install more automated systems

Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn’t install more automated systemsMicrosoft works to add non-OpenAI models into 365 Copilot products, sources say

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”

For “Hysteria!” actresses Anna Camp and Julie Bowen, horror is harder than comedy. “Horror is really hard actually because there is a fine line you have to walk; you have to make it feel grounded and you’re put in these extreme circumstances: You’re being possessed or pulled through the air, there’s nothing you can do to relate to that,” explained Camp of “Pitch Perfect” fame. “With comedy, you can have a relatable situation and go, ‘I’ve been in situations like that.’ There’s nothing you can compare (horror) to, so you have to use your imagination. I find it harder. Your imagination goes home with you at the end of the day. You’re still thinking crazy thoughts.” Bowen, best known for playing Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family,” agreed. “Comedy’s pretty binary because it’s like either you can make people laugh or you don’t. I can’t watch horror. I’m terrified, terrified! I am the easiest scare in the world, so as far as doing (horror), I want to make it as real as possible. It was hard because I had to be really, really crazy. There were times when I’d get back to my hotel room at 3 a.m., I didn’t want to be alone in my head,” said Bowen, laughing. Camp, Bowen, Royal Oak native Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead”), showrunner David A. Goodman (“Futurama”), and Ypsilanti native/creator Matthew Scott Kane (“American Horror Story”) were promoting “Hysteria!” at the New York Comic Con in October. The horror series is streaming on Peacock. Set in the fictional Michigan town of Happy Hollow, the first episode of “Hysteria” begins with a popular quarterback’s disappearance and a pentagram is discovered on a garage door. As a result, rumors of the occult and satanic influence run rampant through the town. A trio of outcasts in a heavy metal band called Dethkrunch exploit this by rebranding themselves as a satanic metal band, which leads to them becoming the targets of the town’s witch hunt. “Something on my mind a lot in 2019 was we’re living in this post-factual age with social media. It seemed like decades and decades ago, you could trust the news. Now everything is in question. When lies end up getting disseminated as truth, that starts to warp people’s version of reality. Suddenly, they’re living in a world other people are not. That was going on in the world I was living in and I very quickly connected it to the 1980s satanic panic. It’s not really that different because people were saying Ozzy Osbourne, Jason Voorhees (of ‘Friday the 13th’), and the Smurfs were going to turn your kids into satanists and kill you in your sleep. That didn’t happen. It wasn’t true, but so many people got worked up into such a fervor over it, bad things happened. ... It was smoke without fire,” Kane said. “Disinformation is not new,” Campbell said. “Disinformation will tear a town apart.” Campbell portrays Happy Hollow Police Chief Ben Dandridge. “This guy’s a reasonable cop; he’s a rational person who doesn’t treat the teenagers like they’re idiots. It’s all very refreshing,” he said. “I want to play that guy again. I want cops to be that guy. I’m playing the cop (that) cops need to be. That’s my whole motivation for playing this guy: How would you like cops to be, especially the guy in charge, the chief of police? They’re lucky to have Chief Dandridge.” “It was truly an exciting moment when Bruce signed on,” Goodman said. By the end of the first episode, a supernatural phenomenon happens to Linda Campbell, played by Bowen. “Linda seems like one thing, then you realize she’s bananas. She’s either bananas or she’s possessed. Either way, it’s a complicated thing to play,” Bowen said. “With Julie, you can have your cake and eat it too,” Kane said. “She’s this fun, quirky mom. ... As the episode goes on, she’s pulled deeper into this thing and crazy stuff starts happening. That final act of the first episode was my favorite moment with her because this announced that this is not Claire Dunphy. We’re not doing that again; we’re pushing her as a performer. “Julie was so excited about doing stunts. She told us on many occasions she’s very sturdy and can take it. The same goes for Bruce and for Anna. We didn’t ask anyone to give us a flavor of the thing they did before. We cast people we loved so much (in their famous projects) that we wanted to give them the opportunity to do the exact opposite.” Added Bowen: “I got this script and was like, ‘Oh great. She’s a mom. How fun.’ I love moms. I’m a mom, but I felt this was not worth flying out of town to Georgia and being away from my kids. Then I got to the end of the pilot and was like, ‘She’s crazy!’ Is she possessed? There’s a lot more questions. It’s fun to just stretch again and do things I haven’t done in a while, which I found really exciting.” Kane said he felt lucky Bowen signed on at the beginning. “She was the first adult actor to sign on. That gave us such credibility to have a two-time Emmy-winning actor leading this show. Suddenly, it goes from this script from a relatively unknown writer into the new Julie Bowen show,” he said. It was the quality of the writing that attracted Camp, Bowen and Campbell to “Hysteria!” “I loved the script; it was incredibly well-written. It was immersed in the time period. It was such a good coming-of-age story, too — the feeling of being in high school again, being in the 1980s,” Camp said. “I talked to Matt who said my character (Tracy) was incredibly pivotal to the series and we’ll learn about why she is the way she is. So I was like, ‘I’d love to do this!’” For Campbell, the writing is everything. “A lot of times, I’ll get a script that could make the words interchangeable with every other character because the writing is very bland and just doesn’t have the detail you need. This was different. Every character was pretty distinct and pretty well-drawn,” he said. “It’s quality. It’s not a (expletive) show. It’s a real show that’s playing around with interesting themes. A lot of it is still relevant to this day.” “Hysteria!” has other Michigan connections, including University of Michigan alumnus Jonathan Goldstein (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Dondero High School alumnus Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong: Skull Island”), who both serve as executive producers. Kane explained why he set “Hysteria!” in Michigan. “You write what you know. I grew up in Ypsilanti, so that had a lot to do with it. More importantly, when you’re in a small town in the Midwest — somewhere like Michigan — these things don’t ever happen and word spreads fast and paranoia spreads quickly and (everything’s) blown out of proportion and takes up a lot of people’s minds,” he said. “Whether or not something is real doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if there are people willing to believe it does and willing it into the world. What does it matter if it’s objectively real or living rent-free in someone’s head?”Revolutionizing Buffets: How Technology is Transforming the All-You-Can-Eat Experience

By JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles National Politics | Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirling National Politics | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration even as he threatens massive tariffs on Beijing National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November’s election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”Walter Bibikow/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction What will 2025 look like? I don't know. And, as I've mentioned in prior articles, that uncertainty doesn't concern me much. As silly as that might sound coming from someone who tries to Test Drive iREIT© on Alpha For FREE (for 2 Weeks) Join iREIT on Alpha today to get the most in-depth research that includes REITs, mREITs, Preferreds, BDCs, MLPs, ETFs, and other income alternatives. 438 testimonials and most are 5 stars. Nothing to lose with our FREE 2-week trial . And this offer includes a 2-Week FREE TRIAL plus Brad Thomas' FREE book . Leo Nelissen is an analyst focusing on major economic developments related to supply chains, infrastructure, and commodities. He is a contributing author for iREIT®+HOYA Capital . As a member of the iREIT®+HOYA Capital team, Leo aims to provide insightful analysis and actionable investment ideas, with a particular emphasis on dividend growth opportunities. Learn More . Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of TPL, LB, REXR, CME either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Oak Valley Bancorp Stock Hits All-Time High at $30.81

Five new vessels within a year: Maximar joins the fleetCOLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said Thursday that he is "absolutely" confident that Ryan Day will be back as football coach in 2025. Calls to fire the sixth-year coach rose among Ohio State fans after the Buckeyes lost to Michigan for the fourth straight year. Bjork, in an interview on 97.1 The Fan, said Day is the man for the job, regardless of how the Buckeyes perform in the College Football Playoff. They host Tennessee in a first-round game Dec. 21. "Coach Day is awesome," said Bjork, who came from Texas A&M to replace the retiring Gene Smith last summer. "He's great to work with. He totally gets it. He loves being a Buckeye. So, we're going to support him at the highest level." The 13-10 loss to Michigan followed by an ugly melee between the teams put the coach in a precarious spot. He and his team were booed off the field by the home fans. Bjork ended up releasing a statement expressing his support for the coach. "The reason we had to say something after (the Michigan) game is, we're still breathing, we're still alive," Bjork said. "The season's not over. The book is not closed." Thanks to the playoff, Day has a chance to redeem himself with Ohio State's huge fanbase with a win against the Volunteers — and perhaps more in the 12-team tournament. Regardless of what happens, Day will be back next year, according to Bjork. "Coach Day and I just hit it off so well," Bjork said. "I've been really, really impressed. Every single time I talked to him, I learn something. He's innovative. He recruits at the highest level. He's got a great staff." Day wouldn't directly address his job status last weekend. "When you first come off those types of things, there's a lot of emotion," he said, referring to the Michigan loss. "And then as time goes on, you've got to get refocused because you know what you've done in the past does not affect what's going on moving forward. Everything is out in front of us." Failing to consistently beat Michigan is one of the few flaws in Day's coaching record. Hired as a member of coach Urban Meyer's staff in 2017, Day was the hand-picked successor when Meyer retired after the 2018 season. Compiling an overall 66-10 record, he is widely admired in the coaching community. "Great respect for what he's done in his coaching career, what he's done there at Ohio State and the success that they've had year-in and year-out," Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. Day is in trouble now because losing The Game is considered an unforgiveable sin by Buckeyes fans. "What we have to do is this whole 'championship or bust' mentality, you want that as the goal, but it has to be about the process," Bjork said. "To me, we've got to maybe change some conversations a little bit. I think we need to maybe just approach things a little bit differently." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Daniel Jones is free to sign with any NFL team after clearing waivers on Monday, which also means the team that signs the former New York Giants quarterback won't be on the hook for the nearly $12 million that was remaining on his contract this year or his $23 million injury guarantee. Jones was released at his request by the Giants on Saturday after the former first-round pick was benched last week. He reportedly wants to join a contender, and there are expected to be multiple teams interested. The two teams reported to have the most initial interest in Jones are also being offered as the most likely to sign him by one sportsbook. The Baltimore Ravens currently have journeyman backup Josh Johnson behind starting quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jones would potentially provide a third option, and one whose mobility could make him an intriguing fit in offensive coordinator Todd Monken's system The Ravens were installed as the 2/1 favorites to land Jones ahead of the Minnesota Vikings (5/2), who have veterans Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien behind starter Sam Darnold. They would likely view Jones as an upgrade. "I really can't get into too much about any short-term or long-term," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday when asked about Jones, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I can just say that I've been a big fan of Daniel's for a long time and I hope wherever his next step takes him, it's a good opportunity for him." The Las Vegas Raiders (5/1) don't fall into the category of contenders after falling to 2-9 amid a seven-game losing streak. However, they could provide the most immediate opportunity to play with Gardner Minshew suffering a season-ending broken collarbone on Sunday that is expected to end his season. Second-year quarterback Aidan O'Connell is close to returning from a thumb injury, but coach Antonio Pierce acknowledged after Sunday's game that, "We're going to need somebody, right?" If O'Connell isn't ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Black Friday, Desmond Ridder is expected to get the start. The Dallas Cowboys (7/1) would fall into a similar category, with Dak Prescott out for the season following hamstring surgery and being replaced by Cooper Rush. Another intriguing possibility lies with Detroit, where the 10-1 Lions' offense is rolling with Jared Goff at the helm. However, should he go down to injury the only other quarterback on the roster is rookie Hendon Hooker. That has contributed to the Lions having 7/1 odds to sign Jones. DANIEL JONES NEXT TEAM ODDS* Baltimore Ravens (2/1) Minnesota Vikings (5/2) Las Vegas Raiders (5/1) Dallas Cowboys (7/1) Detroit Lions (7/1) Miami Dolphins (7/1) San Francisco 49ers (8/1) Carolina Panthers (10/1) Seattle Seahawks (16/1) Indianapolis Colts (20/1) New England Patriots (25/1) New Orleans Saints (25/1) New York Jets (25/1) Tennessee Titans (25/1) Atlanta Falcons (28/1) Arizona Cardinals (33/1) Chicago Bears (33/1) Cleveland Browns (33/1) Denver Broncos (33/1) Jacksonville Jaguars (40/1) Los Angeles Chargers (50/1) Los Angeles Rams (50/1) Pittsburgh Steelers (50/1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (50/1) Washington Commanders (50/1) Cincinnati Bengals (66/1) Green Bay Packers (66/1) Houston Texans (66/1) Philadelphia Eagles (66/1) Buffalo Bills (75/1) Kansas City Chiefs (75/1) Any CFL Team (80/1) Any XFL Team (80/1) *Odds provided by SportsBetting.ag are for entertainment purposes only. --Field Level Media

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said Thursday that he is "absolutely" confident that Ryan Day will be back as football coach in 2025. Calls to fire the sixth-year coach rose among Ohio State fans after the Buckeyes lost to Michigan for the fourth straight year. Bjork, in an interview on 97.1 The Fan, said Day is the man for the job, regardless of how the Buckeyes perform in the College Football Playoff. They host Tennessee in a first-round game Dec. 21. "Coach Day is awesome," said Bjork, who came from Texas A&M to replace the retiring Gene Smith last summer. "He's great to work with. He totally gets it. He loves being a Buckeye. So, we're going to support him at the highest level." The 13-10 loss to Michigan followed by an ugly melee between the teams put the coach in a precarious spot. He and his team were booed off the field by the home fans. Bjork ended up releasing a statement expressing his support for the coach. People are also reading... "The reason we had to say something after (the Michigan) game is, we're still breathing, we're still alive," Bjork said. "The season's not over. The book is not closed." Thanks to the playoff, Day has a chance to redeem himself with Ohio State's huge fanbase with a win against the Volunteers — and perhaps more in the 12-team tournament. Regardless of what happens, Day will be back next year, according to Bjork. "Coach Day and I just hit it off so well," Bjork said. "I've been really, really impressed. Every single time I talked to him, I learn something. He's innovative. He recruits at the highest level. He's got a great staff." Day wouldn't directly address his job status last weekend. "When you first come off those types of things, there's a lot of emotion," he said, referring to the Michigan loss. "And then as time goes on, you've got to get refocused because you know what you've done in the past does not affect what's going on moving forward. Everything is out in front of us." Failing to consistently beat Michigan is one of the few flaws in Day's coaching record. Hired as a member of coach Urban Meyer's staff in 2017, Day was the hand-picked successor when Meyer retired after the 2018 season. Compiling an overall 66-10 record, he is widely admired in the coaching community. "Great respect for what he's done in his coaching career, what he's done there at Ohio State and the success that they've had year-in and year-out," Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. Day is in trouble now because losing The Game is considered an unforgiveable sin by Buckeyes fans. "What we have to do is this whole 'championship or bust' mentality, you want that as the goal, but it has to be about the process," Bjork said. "To me, we've got to maybe change some conversations a little bit. I think we need to maybe just approach things a little bit differently." Be the first to know

0365 microsoft office The "Syrian Democratic Forces," a key ally in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, have long been supported by the United States in their efforts to combat terrorism in the region. The group, which is primarily composed of Kurdish fighters, has been instrumental in reclaiming territory from ISIS and maintaining stability in war-torn areas. However, tensions have risen recently as the Turkish government views the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a designated terrorist organization.

Conte’s last public act as Spurs head coach after a 3-3 draw at St Mary’s in 2023 was to launch a furious tirade against his own “selfish” players who he claimed “don’t want to play under pressure” before he seemed to turn on the board as he questioned the club’s ongoing trophy drought. Eight days later Conte had left Tottenham by mutual consent after a whirlwind 16-month period, with Postecoglou his eventual permanent successor. A post shared by Antonio Conte (@antonioconte) Postecoglou has been in charge of the Premier League club for two months longer than the Italian, but managed 12 fewer matches and is currently in the middle of an injury crisis which has resulted in a drop in form, with Spurs only able to claim one victory from their last eight fixtures. However, when Postecoglou was asked if he would jump ship in the wake of making remarks like Conte did in March, 2023, he said: “Look, I don’t think it’s fair to comment. “Antonio is a world-class manager and has his own way of doing things, his own reasons for doing that. “I am here, I am in for the fight. I am in a fight, for sure. For better or worse I am not going anywhere at the moment because everything is still in my power and my responsibility. “I still have a real desire to get us through this stage so that people see what is on the other side. My resolve and determination hasn’t wavered one little bit. “I love a fight, I love a scrap, I love being in the middle of a storm when everyone doubts because I know what it is on the other side if you get through it. My job is to get through it.” Postecoglou was Celtic boss when Conte’s extraordinary 10-minute press conference made waves around the world, but acknowledged being aware of his predecessors’ comments and attempted to explain the psyche behind why a manager would make such a move. “I was on Planet Earth at that time, and yes I was well aware of it,” Postecoglou smiled. “I think you know when a manager gets to that point that there’s obviously some underlying issues. “I think most of the time when managers do that they’re trying to get a reaction, trying to get some sort of impact on the team. “In difficult moments, what you want from your leaders is action rather than inaction of just letting things drift along. He did it to try and get a positive impact on the group, one way or another. We’ve all been in that situation as a manager where you feel this is time to send a message.” Postecoglou sent out his own message on Thursday after a 1-1 draw away to Rangers when he insisted Timo Werner’s display “wasn’t acceptable” at Ibrox. Werner was replaced at half-time following an error-strewn performance, but was not alone in being below-par in Glasgow. A day later Postecoglou explained how with Spurs missing several key first-teamers, the onus is on their fit senior players to deliver a level of application and commitment – and admitted Werner will be required at St Mary’s on Sunday. “I’ve got no choice. Who else am I going to play? I’m pulling kids out of school, I literally am,” Postecoglou mentioned in reference to 16-year-old duo Malachi Hardy and Luca Williams-Barnett, who have recently made the bench. “That was the reasoning for me pointing it out last night. We need Timo. We need all of them. “In normal times if you have a poor game, there’s a price to pay. It doesn’t exist right now. We need everybody we’ve got.”

Conte’s last public act as Spurs head coach after a 3-3 draw at St Mary’s in 2023 was to launch a furious tirade against his own “selfish” players who he claimed “don’t want to play under pressure” before he seemed to turn on the board as he questioned the club’s ongoing trophy drought. Eight days later Conte had left Tottenham by mutual consent after a whirlwind 16-month period, with Postecoglou his eventual permanent successor. A post shared by Antonio Conte (@antonioconte) Postecoglou has been in charge of the Premier League club for two months longer than the Italian, but managed 12 fewer matches and is currently in the middle of an injury crisis which has resulted in a drop in form, with Spurs only able to claim one victory from their last eight fixtures. However, when Postecoglou was asked if he would jump ship in the wake of making remarks like Conte did in March, 2023, he said: “Look, I don’t think it’s fair to comment. “Antonio is a world-class manager and has his own way of doing things, his own reasons for doing that. “I am here, I am in for the fight. I am in a fight, for sure. For better or worse I am not going anywhere at the moment because everything is still in my power and my responsibility. “I still have a real desire to get us through this stage so that people see what is on the other side. My resolve and determination hasn’t wavered one little bit. “I love a fight, I love a scrap, I love being in the middle of a storm when everyone doubts because I know what it is on the other side if you get through it. My job is to get through it.” Postecoglou was Celtic boss when Conte’s extraordinary 10-minute press conference made waves around the world, but acknowledged being aware of his predecessors’ comments and attempted to explain the psyche behind why a manager would make such a move. “I was on Planet Earth at that time, and yes I was well aware of it,” Postecoglou smiled. “I think you know when a manager gets to that point that there’s obviously some underlying issues. “I think most of the time when managers do that they’re trying to get a reaction, trying to get some sort of impact on the team. “In difficult moments, what you want from your leaders is action rather than inaction of just letting things drift along. He did it to try and get a positive impact on the group, one way or another. We’ve all been in that situation as a manager where you feel this is time to send a message.” Postecoglou sent out his own message on Thursday after a 1-1 draw away to Rangers when he insisted Timo Werner’s display “wasn’t acceptable” at Ibrox. Werner was replaced at half-time following an error-strewn performance, but was not alone in being below-par in Glasgow. A day later Postecoglou explained how with Spurs missing several key first-teamers, the onus is on their fit senior players to deliver a level of application and commitment – and admitted Werner will be required at St Mary’s on Sunday. “I’ve got no choice. Who else am I going to play? I’m pulling kids out of school, I literally am,” Postecoglou mentioned in reference to 16-year-old duo Malachi Hardy and Luca Williams-Barnett, who have recently made the bench. “That was the reasoning for me pointing it out last night. We need Timo. We need all of them. “In normal times if you have a poor game, there’s a price to pay. It doesn’t exist right now. We need everybody we’ve got.”The interview revealed Dragon Flame's unwavering belief in the power of perseverance and resilience. "Success is not solely determined by talent or skill but by the ability to endure setbacks, overcome obstacles, and emerge stronger from adversity," Dragon Flame emphasized. "Each defeat serves as a stepping stone towards greater achievements, and I am committed to pushing myself beyond my limits to reach new heights."

Valladolid beats fellow struggler Valencia to move off the bottom of La LigaWhat Snoop wants: Arizona Bowl gives NIL opportunities to players for Colorado State, Miami (Ohio)Mike White: Mike White's high school sports chat transcript: 12.24.24

In conclusion, the woman's experience with onycholysis highlights the negative consequences of improper nail care practices. It is essential for individuals to prioritize the health and well-being of their nails by entrusting trained professionals to handle their manicure needs. By taking proactive steps to protect their nails, individuals can avoid the risk of developing painful and potentially permanent conditions such as onycholysis.In conclusion, the return of Alisson Becker to the Liverpool starting XI after an 11-match absence represents a significant moment in the club's Champions League campaign. With the prospect of advancing to the Round of 16 within reach, the team will be determined to deliver a performance that showcases their quality and ambition on the European stage. As the world watches on, all eyes will be on Anfield as Liverpool seek to secure their place among Europe's elite clubs once again.LONDON - SailGP will launch its fifth season in Dubai this weekend with Rolex as its title partner, reinforcing a relationship with the Swiss luxury watchmaker since the birth of the league in 2019. Rolex, which has been involved in the sport of sailing for nearly 70 years, will also become title partner for the Los Angeles grand prix in mid-March next year and will continue as the official timepiece for SailGP under the 10-year deal. "What they really like about SailGP is it's modern, it's attracting a larger and a younger audience and the fact that this is an annual championship," said SailGP CEO Russell Coutts, adding Rolex had become "inextricably linked with the league". Coutts told Reuters that with SailGP into a fifth season it was able to provide the certainty to sponsors, venues and team owners that had been lacking from sailing events in the past. SailGP, in which teams race state-of-the-art, one-design 50-foot foiling catamarans at high-profile venues around the world, was founded and backed by Oracle's Larry Ellison, who was earlier involved in successful U.S. America's Cup campaigns. Coutts said there were still other areas where SailGP was in talks to sign up partners, highlighting energy and financial services as possible areas of interest. "We think we've got a really unique property in some regards," Coutts said, pointing to the on-site fan experience and hospitality which form part of the SailGP events. "The sport hasn't had a platform like this where they could activate and plan ... a 10-year arrangement, it just hasn't existed before now, not an entity that's professionally televised and marketed in a consistent way," he added. With Brazil and Italy joining the league for season five, there will be a total of 12 teams competing from early 2025, with SailGP offering bonus prize money of $7 million. Alterations to the foils which lift the catamarans out of the water mean that the F50s are expected to "fly" even faster this season than last, with Coutts predicting speeds of 110 kilometres per hour in the right wind conditions. 'MORE VISIBLE' Joël Aeschlimann, International Sponsorship Manager for Rolex, told Reuters that the brand will be "much more visible in and around SailGP in the coming years". Its distinctive logo is prominently on show on the jib sails of the catamarans. "We were really happy to be one of the founding partners and had a strong belief that the vision that Russell and Larry had would work," Aeschlimann said of SailGP. Aeschlimann said this faith had paid off and the package that SailGP has assembled allows for enjoyment whether watched from the shore, on screen or from the water, encompassing all the ingredients that a modern sports event needs. A combination of the best sailors, technological innovation and the mix of human emotions and achievements were among the elements that made SailGP appealing to Rolex, he added. Rolex is title sponsor of 15 major international sailing events, including the Sydney-Hobart and Fastnet races, and partners institutions including the New York Yacht Club and Britain's Royal Yacht Squadron. It also has ties with individuals involved in SailGP such as Ben Ainslie, who owns and runs the British team, Tom Slingsby, who skippers Australia's F50, and double Olympic gold medallist Hannah Mills, who is Britain's team strategist. Rolex had been partner to Formula 1 since 2013 but was replaced this year by French luxury giant LVMH, which agreed to a 10-year sponsorship deal. REUTERS

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Silksworth is set to see a boost in sports facilities, with plans for upgraded football and basketball amenities due to be decided upon by councillors in the new year. Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will consider an application for land at Silksworth Recreation Park in January 2025, which includes proposals for new fencing and floodlighting at the existing multi-use games area (MUGA). The development forms part of the Football Foundation’s PlayZones Programme, aimed at tackling physical activity inequalities and improving access to high-quality facilities in targeted areas. The scheme also seeks to benefit lower socio-economic groups, women and girls, disabled people and ethnically diverse communities by providing safe, inclusive and welcoming facilities. Plans for a PlayZone in Southwick have already been approved, and Sunderland City Council recently revealed proposals to roll out more PlayZones to enhance access to sport. The new plans for Silksworth Recreation Park, submitted earlier this year, are linked to the existing MUGA near Wilson Terrace and adjacent to the park’s bowling green. A design and access statement from Sports Labs Ltd, on behalf of the city council, stated that the application is in partnership with the Youth Almighty Project. The scheme's proponents said upgrades to the MUGA would provide an exciting opportunity. The proposed development is aimed at creating an "attractive and enticing space" for the local community, with a focus on promoting physical activity through football and other sports. The current MUGA is described as "basic and simple in nature", "tired and unused". The planned upgrades, including new benches, goals, basketball hoops and a sports court with anti-slip paint, are expected to bring wider benefits to the local area. These include "increased opportunities for sport", "use during evenings and weekends", and serving as a "valued training facility improving the team sports experience; used for educational, club and community football training and matches". The design and access statement further highlighted that the proposal aligns with the principles of the PlayZone scheme – accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability, engagement and usage – and can positively impact vital social and health priorities. Council planning officers have recommended approval of the PlayZone scheme in a report published ahead of a decision-making meeting on January 6, 2025. The committee report stated that the proposal would "aid the continued use of Silksworth Recreation Park for recreational purposes and improve the facilities at the park". It was also noted that the development would be "acceptable in principle at this location and would have no unacceptable impacts on residential/visual amenity, highway safety, ecology, land contamination or flooding". The council committee report stated: "Due to the potential to impact upon residential neighbours during evening hours, the council’s environmental health team recommended that the floodlights and their hours of use are limited to 08:00-21:00." "As the pitch will be unlikely to be utilised should the lights not be in use, this will reduce the likelihood of noise after 21:00. With regard to lighting a detailed lighting scheme was submitted confirming the flood lighting type which would be installed at the site. "The design access statement notes that the lighting has been selected with flat style optics designed to reduce upward waste light and overspill. "It is stated that there will be no light spill directly impacting on neighbouring dwellings or natural habitat." Planning documents confirmed proposed opening hours for the PlayZone aimed to "satisfy the demands of curriculum activities" and to "allow the wider community access to the pitch". The design and access statement also referenced letters of support from Silksworth ward councillors, local businesses and a community group praising the proposed upgrades to the park’s MUGA. It was noted that "efforts have been made to ensure that any negative impacts of the proposed development are minimised as far as practicable". A decision on the PlayZone rests with councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee, who will next meet on Monday, January 6, 2025. The meeting is scheduled to start at 5.30pm at City Hall and will be open to the public. For further details on the planning application or to follow its progress, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search for reference: 24/02109/LP3. Join our Sunderland WhatsApp community for all the latest news Sunderland news sent direct to your phone. To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community' . No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice . CLICK HERE TO JOIN

So, it’s Christmas Day. You have no leftovers from Christmas Eve dinner, and it’s one of the few days Buenos Aires actually quiets down, and most of its shops are closed for the day. Luckily, there are quite a few savior choices of restaurants and bars that will open on December 25 for either a hangover-extinguishing lunch or a good old Christmas night out. Here are some of our favorites: SHEIKOB’S BAGELS ( Uriarte 1386) — Home of our Herald Nights this year, Sheikob’s Bagels is our friend and favorite. A piece of New York here in the city, Sheikob’s is bringing tradition straight from the Big Apple, where only cinemas and Chinese restaurants open on the 25th. The event is called ‘Jewish-Chinese Christmas’ and will combine Sheikob’s own menu — which includes a vegetarian option — with a Christmas movie, yet to be announced. There will be two shifts, one at 12:30 p.m. and the other at 2:30 p.m. To book a spot, you must contact the restaurant through Instagram direct messages. HIERRO (Boulevard del Mirador 220, Costa Rica 5602) — A step up from your classic Buenos Aires parrilla, Hierro (Spanish for ‘Iron’) honors the national asado tradition, offering 30-day-aged Angus Black beef in the form of classics like ribeye and T-bone steaks. The menu includes barbecued season vegetables — with an innovative twist — an Argentine wine selection, and signature cocktails. Hierro will open both of its Argentine branches: Nordelta from noon to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. until midnight and Palermo all throughout the day, from noon until Christmas Day is officially over. LA PESCADORITA ( Humboldt 1905 ) —- Opened by chef David Ribulgo, La Pescadorita offers a seafood-only menu, an unusual feat in a Buenos Aires ruled by parrillas and pizza places. All of their fish and seafood comes straight from Argentina’s oceans and rivers, like Bariloche trouts and Mar del Plata squid. You can also try Ecuadorian red tuna or Patagonian pink salmon, all served in different, creative ways and with a decent selection of Argentine wines. Don’t forget to say hi to the big bearded merman statue right outside the door. SKY BAR (Maipú 907, 13th floor, Pulitzer Hotel) — Located on the top floor of the Pulitzer Hotel in downtown Buenos Aires, Sky Bar will open on the 25th at 5 p.m. (your Christmas Eve hangover should be gone by then.) Apart from its wide array of cocktails, Sky Bar’s menu includes finger food and a charming view of the city from its outdoor terrace on the 13th floor. MADRE ROJAS ( Rojas 1600, 7 p.m. to 12.30 a.m. ) – Founded by Argentine chef, sommelier, and livestock producer Juan Ignacio Barcos, Madre Rojas offers a classic Argentine experience — beef and wine, that is — with a modern twist. The menu’s highlights is the Argentine wagyu beef, in classic cuts such as ribeye and T-bone steaks. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine cellar, and while one might expect it to be stocked with red wine to pair with red meat, the staff considers that notion to be outdated and encourages guests to try some really good white wines instead. The jury is still out on whether it works (it does for us), but it’s definitely worth finding out for yourself. SIFON SODERIA (Av. Jorge Newbery 3881, y Av. Corrientes 1660) — From 7 p.m. until 1 a.m., Sifón Sodería will offer all the cult classic porteño cocktails: vermouth and siphon soda, tinto de verano (roughly translated as “summer red,” which combines red wine with soda), and some of their own creations. The food menu includes finger food to accompany the drinks. The restaurant is set in an architectural icon of Buenos Aires, the Casa Chorizo , a mid-20th-century house style known for being narrow but elongated. Cover photo: Hierro restaurante

The United Nations Security Council has convened to discuss the situation in Syria and Israel, with member states expressing their deep concern over the escalating conflict and the potential for further destabilization in the region. The international community has been urged to take decisive action to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control and to protect the interests of all parties involved.In a recent interview, former football player and current pundit, Lars Reinekel, expressed his concern over Arsenal's inability to convert set pieces into goals, highlighting the team's limited chances created during matches. Reinekel's observation sheds light on an aspect of Arsenal's gameplay that has raised questions among fans and analysts alike.

After the final whistle blew, Munios players were left feeling a mixture of disappointment and pride. On one hand, they felt that they had done enough to secure all three points against Manchester City, but on the other hand, they knew that a draw against such a strong opponent is still a valuable result.Title: Clear Directive: Stable Housing and Stock Markets

In addition to the safety concerns, Boeing has also faced criticism for its handling of the 737 MAX crisis, with some questioning the company's transparency and accountability. The restart of production is seen as a key step in Boeing's efforts to rebuild trust with its customers, regulators, and the general public.

The cause of the sudden illness among the female bathers remains unclear, with initial speculations ranging from poor ventilation to high heat and humidity levels in the bathing area. The management of the Multiple-Person Fainted Bathing Center has since issued a statement expressing their concern for the well-being of their customers and pledging to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

Capital project: plugging in profits from a big battery

0365.com login Stock futures edged up in overnight trading Sunday as the market gears up for a holiday-shortened trading week. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained about 100 points. S&P 500 futures rose 0.3% and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.4%. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Trading is expected to be relatively muted during the week. The New York Stock Exchange closes early Tuesday for Christmas Eve at 1 p.m. ET, and the market is shut on Christmas Day. Investors are hopeful that a so-called Santa Claus rally may help the market end 2024 on a high note, especially following a tumultuous week. Dating back to 1969, the S&P 500, on average, added 1.3% in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in January, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac. The second half of December is also typically the second-strongest period of the year for U.S. equities, and the S&P 500 has been up 83% of the time in December of presidential election years, according to Bank of America. "With the market's primary uptrends still intact, we are not giving up on the potential for a Santa Claus to come to Broad & Wall this year," Craig Johnson, chief market technician at Piper Sandler, said in a note. The market is coming off a rollercoaster ride that saw the blue-chip Dow suffer a 10-day losing streak, its longest since 1974. The Dow tumbled 1,100 points last Wednesday after the Federal Reserve signaled fewer rate cuts for 2025 than previously projected. A cooler-than-expected inflation reading helped stocks recoup some of the losses. Month-to-date, the 30-stock Dow is down 4.6% in December, while the S&P 500 is off 1.7%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite bucked the downtrend, rising 1.8% this month. On the politics front, President Joe Biden signed a government funding bill on Saturday that averted a government shutdown. The bill funds federal agencies at current levels for the next three months. December is historically the second-best month for stocks December is historically the second-best month in a U.S. presidential election year for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac . On average, the two indexes gain 1.3% and 0.8% on the month, respectively, during such years. For the Nasdaq Composite, presidential election year Decembers are usually the fifth-best of the year, with the tech-heavy index rising an average 0.9%. The bulk of gains in December usually come in the back half of the month, when a Santa Claus rally, and low trading volumes, could give this year's monster run one final push toward the finish line. — Sarah MinNASSAU, Bahamas — Justin Thomas was long off the tee and made a few long putts on the back nine to overtake Scottie Scheffler with a 6-under 66 and build a one-shot lead Saturday over golf's best player going into the final round of the Hero World Challenge. Thomas is trying out a 46-inch driver — a little more than an inch longer than normal — that he previously used for practice at home to gain speed and length. He blasted a 361-yard drive to 8 feet on the par-4 seventh hole and led the field in driving distance. But it was a few long putts that put him ahead of Scheffler, who had a 69. Thomas was on the verge of falling two shots behind when he made an 18-foot par putt on the par-3 12th hole. On the reachable par-4 14th, he was in a nasty spot in a sandy area and could only splash it out to nearly 50 feet. He made that one for a most unlikely birdie, while behind him Scheffler muffed a chip on the 13th hole and made his lone bogey of a windy day. Scheffler never caught up to him, missing birdie chances on the reachable 14th and the par-5 15th. Thomas hit his approach to 3 feet for birdie on the 16th after a 343-yard drive. Scheffler made an 18-foot birdie putt on the 16th to close within one. Scheffler missed birdie chances on the last two holes from the 10-foot and 15-foot range, while Thomas missed an 8-foot birdie attempt at the last. "I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 where I felt like I lost a shot or two there, but outside of that I did a lot of really good things today," Scheffler said. Thomas hasn't won since the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, and a victory at Albany Golf Club wouldn't count as an official win. But the two-time major champion has made steady progress toward getting his game back in order. "I'm driving it great. I've had a lot of confidence with it," Thomas said of his longer driver. "I feel like I've been able to put myself in some pretty good spots going into the green. I'm still not taking advantage of some of them as much as I would like, but that's golf and we're always going to say that." Thomas was at 17-under 199 and will be in the final group Sunday with Scheffler, who is trying to end his spectacular season with a ninth title. Tom Kim put himself in the mix, which he might not have imagined Thursday when he was 3 over through six holes of the holiday tournament. Kim got back in the game with a 65 on Friday, and then followed with 12 birdies for a 62. He had a shot at the course record — Rickie Fowler shot 61 in the final round when he won at Albany in 2017 — until Kim found a bunker and took two shots to reach the green in making a double bogey on the par-3 17th. Even so, he was only two shots behind. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (68) was four back. "Feel like I've been seeing signs of improvement, which is what you want and that's all I can do," Thomas said. "I can't control everybody else or what's going on, I've just got to keep playing as good as I possibly can and hope that it's enough come Sunday." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!" Abang Adik " ( Malaysia ) Takes Home Snow Leopard for Best Film Wu Kang -ren ( " Abang Adik " ) Named Best Actor Diamond Bou Abboud ( "Arze" ) Wins Best Actress Sergei Bodrov Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award HOLLYWOOD, Calif. , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 10th annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) announced its winners at a star-studded Closing Night Gala Awards Ceremony Thursday, November 21 , at the Culver Theater. Over 60 films and special screenings, including 24 Academy Award submissions for Best International Feature Film, were presented over the nine days of the AWFF, held November 13 - 21. The ceremony was hosted by Kyrgyz director and actress Elnura Osmanalieva and TV host, Golden Globe member, filmmaker and actor Mico Saad . FOR PHOTOS: CLICK HERE The Main Competition presented a series of exclusive Snow Leopard Awards with the assistance of Iris Wang , Jury President, producer ("Kung Fu Yoga," "The Composer"). Crime/drama " Abang Adik " ( Malaysia ), directed by Jin Ong , won the Snow Leopard Award for Best Film . The film also won the Snow Leopard Best Actor Award for Wu Kang -ren . The Snow Leopard for Best Actress went to Diamond Bou Abboud for the social dramedy "Arze" ( Lebanon ), directed by Mira Shaib . The Snow Leopard Special Jury Prize went to family drama " In the Arms of the Tree" ( Iran ) directed by Babak Khajeh Pasha . The Snow Leopard Panavision Award for Best Cinematography , along with a $45,000 Panavision Camera Package Grant, was awarded to cinematographer Zhanrbek Yeleubek for Kazakhstan's coming of age drama " Bauryna Salu, " and accepted by the film's director Askhat Kuchinchirekov and producer Dias Feld. The Snow Leopard Audience Award went to " The Glassworker " ( Pakistan ), directed by Usman Riaz . Writer, director and producer Sergei Bodrov ("Mongol," "Prisoner of the Mountains") received the AWFF Lifetime Achievement Award . The award was presented by Kazakhstan actress Ayanat Ksenbai ("About Mannequin"). Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Ho-Sun Chan ("Warlords," "Comrades: Almost a Love Story ") was presented with the Outstanding Cinematic Achievement Award by producer Andre Morgan ("The Cannonball Run," "The Warlords"). The Rising Star Award went to Filipino actress Kathryn Bernardo ("The Hows of Us," "Hello, Love, Goodbye") presented by actress Kieu Chinh ("The Joy Luck Club," "Hamburger Hill"). Executive Director Georges N. Chamchoum said, "There is always a beginning and end to everything—except at the Asian World Film Festival. This 10 th Anniversary year was filled with inspiring milestones, discovery, joy, and thrills! The myriads of movies we screened, the special country spotlights and the dedicated filmmaker panels, have brought the richness of our heritage to the forefront. Asia is a wellspring of incredibly talented filmmakers, offering valuable lessons, especially in this age of technology. The AWFF continues to showcase exceptional movies filled with heart, soul, and captivating storytelling. Onward to November 2025!" The Bruce Lee Award , in partnership with the Bruce Lee Foundation, was presented to martial artist and actor Mark Dacascos ("Brotherhood of the Wolf," " John Wick : Chapter 3 – Parabellum") by Lee's daughter Shannon Lee , CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation. The Asian Vision Best Film Award was given to "Night Courier" ( Saudi Arabia ), directed by Ali Kalthami. The Short Film Jury composed of filmmakers and industry professionals from the U.S. and abroad, was headed by Jury President, Head of HDR Content Workflow, Barco) Joachim Zell . The Best Short Film , with a prize of a $15,000 Panavision Camera Package grant, went to " Lullaby" (UK/ Vietnam ) directed by Chi Thai . The award was presented by producer Zhu Xufang and accepted by actress Mai Thu Huyen ("A Fragile Flower," "Kieu"). A Special Mention was given to " Mar Mama " (Palestine), directed by Majdi El Omari . The complete awards list is as follows: SNOW LEOPARD COMPETITION AWARDEES SNOW LEOPARD HONORARY AWARDS ASIAN VISION BEST FILM AWARD: "Night Courier" ( Saudi Arabia ) directed by Ali Kalthami AWFF BRUCE LEE AWARD (in partnership with the Bruce Lee Foundation) Mark Dacascos SHORT FILM FINALISTS The AWFF series of Snow Leopard Awards is bestowed in partnership with The Snow Leopard Trust to raise awareness for the endangered snow leopard and their Asian ecosystem. AWFF SPONSORS The Asian World Film Festival is proudly sponsored by Aitysh Film, Pechanga Casino Resort, Panavision, Bruce Lee Foundation, Korean Cultural Center ( Los Angeles ), Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Taiwan Academy ( Los Angeles ), Hollywood Arab Film Association ( Los Angeles ), Vietnam Cinema Association ( Hanoi, Vietnam ), Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Kyrgyz Film, Ministry of Culture & Tourism Republic of Turkiye, Directorate General of Cinema (Turkiye), Republic of Turkiye Los Angeles Consulate General, Beirut Film Association ( Lebanon ), Meihodo ( Japan ), MoRedii, Culver City Arts Foundation, CAPE ( Los Angeles ), AARP ( California ), Blackmagic Design, Emporium Thai ( Los Angeles ), NAMOO ( Marina Del Rey ), Jackson Market & Deli (Culver City, Shin Beijing ( Los Angeles ), H.C. Foods and Asahi Beer , among many others. ABOUT THE ASIAN WORLD FILM FESTIVAL (AWFF) Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, the Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) was founded by Kyrgyz public figure Sadyk Sher-Niyaz to bring the best of Asian cinema to Los Angeles and to strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries. The festival screens feature films from more than 50 countries, spanning from Japan to Turkey and Russia to India and Southeast Asia . As of 2024, AWFF is the only Los Angeles -based festival that showcases most Asian submissions Academy Award ® and Golden Globe ® for Best International Feature Film and Best Motion Picture - Non-English Language respectively. AWFF is a non-profit organization under Aitysh USA . Follow AWFF on: Website: https://www.asianworldfilmfest.org/ X (formally Twitter): https://twitter.com/asianworldff Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsianWorldFilmFest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianworldff/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@asianworldfilmfestival3974 Media Contact: Rick Markovitz 818-421-3334 386812@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/10th-annual-asian-world-film-festival-announces-winners-at-closing-night-gala-302314470.html SOURCE Asian World Film Festival

Parades, fireworks and visits with Santa are on the agenda for cities across Johnson County in December. The Cleburne Railroaders will host Breakfast with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 14 at La Moderna Field, 1906 Brazzle Blvd. Tickets are $5 each and include breakfast. Drinks are available for purchase. Get photos with Santa and pick your seats for the 2025 season. Experience the magic of a hometown holiday until Jan. 5 at Hulen Park and throughout historic Downtown Cleburne during Whistle Stop Christmas. One of Cleburne’s most beloved holiday traditions is Saturday’s lighted parade and festivities at Hulen Park. There will be food and gift vendors, children’s train rides ($3 per rider) and a Live Nativity Scene presented by First Baptist Church from 5-9 p.m. The parade staging is between Hillsboro and Main Street south of Westhill Drive and north of Country Club Road. The parade will begin at South Main and First streets, proceed to Third and Caddo, then head north to North Caddo and Brown. It will turn left and travel behind the Layland Museum, then head south on North Main to South Main and Westhill. Entries will then return to the start. Prizes will be presented for Best Mounted Entry, Best Illuminated, Best Christmas Theme and Favorite Vehicle. Before and after the parade, enjoy the festivities at Hulen Park from 5-9 p.m. featuring food and gift vendors, a Live Nativity Scene presented by First Baptist Church of Cleburne, Children’s Train Rides for $3 per rider and after the parade pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus for $3 with your personal device. The train rides, sponsored by Grandview Bank, will also be offered from 6-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 21, and the million-light display will remain up in Hulen Park and downtown Cleburne through Jan. 5. The schedule of events are subject to change or cancel for inclement weather. Bring your family to celebrate the magic and share a memorable Christmas experience at #WhistleStopCleburne. For information, visit visitcleburne.com/wschristmas or call the Cleburne Chamber office at 817-645-2455. Other Cleburne festivities The Cleburne Kiwanis Club and Camp Fire Heart of Texas are teaming up again for the Pancake Breakfast with Santa and Santa House. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at Cleburne High School. The breakfast includes pancakes, bacon and sausage. There will be a Christmas market and other vendors. Also stop by for a picture with Santa Claus. The cost is $7 for ages 12 and up, $3 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased at the door. At Santa House, Camp Fire members and volunteers will help children shop for Christmas for their family and friends. The gifts are homemade and affordable. Cowboy Christmas on the Trail returns for the fourth year running Dec. 14-15 to the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum. Performances are scheduled for 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. each of those days. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for children, seniors and military. CTOM invites you to experience a ride on a covered wagon through different scenes and listen to the Legends of Texas re-enact life’s during Christmas on the Trail. Food trucks, vendors, shopping, Cowboy Claus and more. Following the tour, which takes about an hour, participants gather at Winter Wonderland in CTOM’s Star Pavilion. In addition to a fireplace serenade from Cowboy Claus, food trucks will be on hand as will hand-selected vendors selling a variety of items including ornaments and other Christmas decorations. From Dec. 18-21, the Chisholm Trail Museum invites visitors to walk or drive through and look at lights and decorations at the museum. The museum is open from 4-10 p.m. daily. Enjoy free hot chocolate, cider, giveaways, a s’mores station and more. For more information, visit chisholmtrailoutdoormuseum.com . The Hearts of Gold Circle with King’s Daughters and Sons will host its annual Christmas House from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at a new location, Bird’s Nest on the Square, 214 E. Chambers St. The circle uses the funds to provide shoes, coats, medication, eye glasses and school supplies, to name a few items, for the children in the Cleburne schools. The circle also helps with electric bills, water bills and groceries when necessary. The needs are determined with the help of school counselors. The circle will personalize ornaments and other purchases with names, years, etc. The event features a bake sale, raffle, silent auction and pictures with Santa. Also new this year is the Candy Cane Lane. Christmas House brings people from all over the county together for a good cause. For more information, visit the Kings Daughters Hearts of Gold Circle Facebook page. Come have Donuts with Santa and make crafts together on Dec. 14 at Cleburne State Park, 5800 Park Road 21. The event, which is hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6872, begins at 9 a.m. at Cedar Lodge. Attendees will also make crafts and more. This event is free with park admission of $6 per person 13 and older. It is a good idea to make reservations online ahead of time because of capacity limits. For information, visit tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/cleburne . There are numerous opportunities to celebrate the holidays with your family, whether it be Christmas caroling at a church or shopping at a Holiday Market. Here’s a look at some of the other events happening in Cleburne during Whistle Stop Christmas. Buffalo Creek Fellowship hosts the eighth annual Trail of Campfires on from 5-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds, 1315 S. Main St. in Cleburne. The free community event is a guided tour of the life of Jesus along a trail of campfires. Activities include refreshments, live Christmas music, Christmas hay rides, animal petting zoo and Christmas photo opportunities. Take a guided tour by Mary of the life of Jesus Christ. The event is held indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. Dress warmly. For information, call 817-357-9843 or visit buffalocreekfellowship.faith. Cleburne Bible Church hosts “Follow the Star: A Live Christmas Experience” from 6-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 930 N. Nolan River Road. It will take you on a journey back through the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in a live outdoor presentation. Follow the journey of Christ through nine stops, finishing with a Christmas carol sing-a-long with coffee, hot chocolate and cookies. For information, visit cleburnebible.org . Save Old Cleburne is hosting a Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at JN Long Cultural Arts Center, 408 W. Heard St. in Cleburne. Vendor booths of 8-foot by 8-foot are available for $40 each. The Grinch will be there as well. Enjoy Sip N Shop Wine with holiday shopping from 4-8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Songbird Live, 210 E. Henderson St. The City of Cleburne presents “Holiday Hoopla” at 5 p.m. Dec. 14 at Hulen Park, 337 W. Westhill Drive in Cleburne. Activities include Yuletide Ride (a children’s bike parade), holiday activities with the Cleburne Parks and Recreation Department, crafts, reindeer, story time with the Cleburne Public Library, holiday photo opportunities, cookies and more. Downtown Cleburne presents “Shop the Block” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 21. Sip, Shop & Stroll downtown Cleburne shops for some Christmas shopping offering special promotions, refreshments and more. Grab your mom, daughters, girlfriends and come down and shop Historic Downtown. Alvarado An enchanting evening is promised when the city of Alvarado presents its “Magical Old Town Christmas” event on Friday. The extravaganza is from 6-9 p.m. in the festive Town Square in Old Town Alvarado. Horse-drawn carriage rides, delicious foods and hot cocoa to keep participants warm are just a few of the delights. “And the highlight of the night will be Alvarado Projects and Event Committee’s annual Christmas parade,” Events Manager Jules Vincent-Rosen said. “It’s always just brimming with festive floats as our joyful carolers fill the night with holiday cheer.” Alvarado’s 2024 Citizen of the Year will serve as the grand marshal for the parade. “We will be doing something different this year by kicking off the parade from Reunion Drive and proceeding to the historic Town Square,” APEC Treasurer Jameye Jones said. Santa’s elves will be on hand for crafts and treats, a Christmas market will feature local artisans, and a petting zoo will showcase the North Pole’s finest furry friends. Kids (and the young-at-heart) will be able to send letters to Santa — just before getting to meet him in person. For information, email communications@cityofalvaarado.org . Burleson Burleson has numerous opportunities to celebrate this holiday season. The first event is Breakfast with Santa from 7-11 a.m. Saturday at Russell Farm Art Center, 405 W. CR 714. Guests will enjoy a pancake breakfast, making holiday crafts, and of course, visiting Santa himself. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture all the fun. Space is limited and you will need to choose your start time. Each time slot is 30 minutes and the earliest available is 7 a.m. Cost is $5 or children ages 3-12, $7 for ages 13 and up and free for children under 2. Families are also invited to get into the Christmas spirit at Russell Farm Art Center with Christmas lights, hot beverages and music from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 11-14. Celebrate a country Christmas with from 3-6 p.m. Dec. 14 at the farm. The festivities include pictures with a donkey wearing antlers, Christmas craft stations, a Children’s Entrepreneur Market, and additional Christmas-related activities. Make sure to bring your camera to capture all the holiday fun! Christmas at the Library is from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Burleson Public Library, 248 S.W. Johnson Ave. Enjoy refreshments, a holiday scavenger hunt, gift and craft stations and more. Santa needs helpers everywhere, and the Burleson Recreation Center is happy to help. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, parents can drop off their children, ages 6-12, for the afternoon while they get some shopping done. Games, activities and crafts are planned. Lunch is not provided. Cost is $20 for BRiCk members and $25 for nonmembers. The Burleson Rotary Club hosts the annual lighted Christmas parade on Saturday, followed by the city’s tree lighting and drone show. The parade begins at 6 p.m., followed by the tree lighting and drone show at 8 p.m. Singers and dancers entertain the crowd while Santa breaks away from the parade and makes his way to the city stage. The Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza will dazzle with Christmas splendor when the 34-foot-tall Christmas tree, covered with more than 20,000 lights, is turned on by Santa and his helpers. The tree features an interactive Santa’s cabin at the base, creating a perfect backdrop for festive photos. Make sure to stay and watch the spectacular drone show, featuring magical Christmas displays set to holiday music. Come to Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza for a special Holiday Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 14 at Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza, 141 W. Renfro St. There will be strolling characters in the Plaza, horse carriage rides, pictures with Santa, a holiday bounce house and over 80 vendors to shop. You can also fill Santa’s cabin with Toys for Tots: Bring a new, unwrapped toy to drop off with U.S. Marines on-site. Catch the Grinch strolling around to take free photos with him. Thanks to the Old Town Business Association, you can take free horse-drawn carriage rides during the day and enjoy the festive atmosphere in Old Town this December. Rides are provided by T&T Ranch & Carriages. Join the Burleson Senior Center for their holiday craft fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at 216 S.W. Johnson Ave. Local vendors will be showcasing their sewn creations, art, jewelry and other handmade items. Buy one-of-a-kind handmade Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. Local vendors will be showcasing their sewn creations, art, jewelry and other handmade items. Be sure to bring some cash, as not all vendors take cards. Godley The city of Godley and Godley Chamber of Commerce hosts Holiday in the Park from 5-9 p.m. Friday. The evening begins with the lighted parade at 5 p.m. To enter, email michelle.clore@godleytx.gov . Enjoy holiday vendors, ornament decorating, cookie decorating, a trackless train with station and conductor, the Sugar Rush Slide, tree lighting, photos with Santa, music, food and fun to get the holiday season started in Godley. Grandview Grandview’s Christmas festivities will be held Dec. 14. The Grandview Christmas Parade of Lights begins at 6 p.m. in conjunction with other activities and celebrations sponsored by the Greater Grandview Chamber of Commerce and the City of Grandview (and EDC Type B Board). All groups, clubs, organizations, businesses, churches, neighborhoods and more are invited to light up the night with a parade entry. Prizes will be given for best theme ideas, best use of lights and best creative ideas. Parade judges will be hidden in plain sight along the parade route looking for winners. Parade entry is $10 and is due by Monday to ensure placement in the route and judging. Every entry must have a Christmas theme of some type and be lighted in some way. There will be one Santa as provided by the Grandview chamber (more than one Santa is confusing for children). No other parade entries may have a Santa. Parade Prizes for the following categories: • Best Christmas Theme • Best Lighting • Most Creative After the parade, festivities will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. at Firefly Stage, 301 E. Criner St. Enjoy live music, pictures with Santa, a hot chocolate bar, games and crafts. For information, visit gvtxchamber.com Joshua Joshua’s Christmas on Main returns from 3-7:30 p.m. Saturday. Enjoy local vendors, a parade and fre pictures with Santa in downtown Joshua. The Guys provide live entertainment. The theme for the parade is “Christmas Movies Come to Life.” Staging begins at 5 p.m. at Joshua Methodist Church and the parade kicks off at 6 p.m. Entry is $10 or an unwrapped toy valued at $10. Donations go to Kaleigh’s Sleigh, which returns to NorthPointe Church on Dec. 14. Volunteers will unload toys from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 12 and set up from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 13. Shopping day is Dec. 14, which morning and afternoon shifts available. Keene A longtime Keene ISD school board president is the grand marshal and another resident who does multiple good deeds is parade marshal for the 28th annual Keene Christmas Light Parade at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Keene. The parade will be followed by a fireworks show. The parade and fireworks are presented by the Keene Business Development Corporation Type B board, the Keene Economic Development Corporation Type B board and Oliver Technologies, Pinnacle Bank, and many community partners. Anything with wheels, feet, or hooves, adorned with Christmas lights and is consistent with the theme, “The Reason We Celebrate This Season,” is welcome to participate. Parade staging is at the Leiske-Pultar Gymnasium parking lot at Old Betsy Road and Magnolia Street on the campus of Southwestern Adventist University. Clem Hobbs, who served on the Keene ISD school board for 20 years, including eight as president during construction of the high school, is Grand Marshal. Hobbs received the Pioneer Award in October presented by the Keene Chamber of Commerce as a resident who has contributed positively to Keene. Nathalie “Nathy” Regmund is Parade Marshal. As a volunteer, she is manager of the food pantry located outside the Keene Adventist Church. Daily she keeps the pantry stocked with food supplies that are free to area residents. Parade entry fee is $10 per float and can be paid on site at the registration booth. The fireworks show will immediately follow the parade. The show will be presented west of the Duck Pond at Callicott Student Park. According to organizers, the best place to watch the fireworks is from the Leiske-Pultar parking lot or the embankment along Old Betsy Road between Magnolia and Campus Drive. Parade entrants who want to be judged and be eligible for prizes should be in position at 5 p.m. in the Leiske-Pultar parking lot. Judging begins at 5:15 p.m. All entrants should enter the gymnasium parking lot on Magnolia Street. The parade starts at the Leiske-Pultar parking lot and goes west on Magnolia to Old Betsy Road, south on Old Betsy to Hillcrest, east on Hillcrest to Mockingbird, south on Mockingbird to Fourth, west on Fourth to Old Betsy, and north on Old Betsy back to the Leiske-Pultar parking lot. First-place trophies will be awarded in the following categories: • Best lighted vehicle • Best lighted float • Best animal entry • Best business entry • Best children’s entry • Best Pathfinder club • Best Adventurer club • Best antique entry • Most unique entry One entry will be awarded Best Overall and will receive a trophy. The parade is organized by the Keene Chamber of Commerce. Other sponsors are KTH Transportation, Texas Health Huguley Hospital, Texas Adventist Conference, Southwestern Adventist University, Cleburne Ford, Hopps Automotive, United Cooperative Services, Bob’s Rural Garbage Service, Crest Water, Edward Jones Office of David Sykes, Gillin Realty, Hewlett Office Systems, Keene Pharmacy, Town Hall Estates, and Putnam Service/Lennox. In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, the parade will be at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15. For parade entry information, call the chamber office at 817-556-2995. (c)2024 the Clinton Herald (Clinton, Iowa) Visit the Clinton Herald (Clinton, Iowa) at clintonherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Evolution of Quality Management Systems: A Modern Entrepreneur’s GuideI wanted to go into the New Year debt-free. So much for that. Setback after setback has hit me like a relentless blitz, knocking me flat every time I think I’m about to take flight. And just like Myles Garrett pummeling a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, my money problems don’t stop coming. No matter how carefully I plan, something always pops up to throw me off course. A surprise bill here, an unexpected car repair there, and suddenly the progress I’ve made feels like it’s wiped out in an instant. But it’s not just about the money. The real problem is the mental and emotional toll. Financial stress doesn’t just sit in your bank statement; it invades your mind, drains your energy and messes with your sense of control. Over time, money problems start to feel like a constant hum in the background, always there, always noticeable. It’s the compounding nature of money woes that turns manageable challenges into an unrelenting weight. You don’t just face the next bill. You start stressing over what will come next, and it’s exhausting. Every time you think you’re on track, it seems like the finish line moves further away. You begin questioning your choices, second-guessing your financial strategy and wondering if you’ll ever truly get ahead. That uncertainty can chip away at you, no matter how hard you fight to pull yourself up. Emotionally, it chips away at your sense of security. Money problems don’t just affect your wallet — they affect your peace of mind. The non-stop worry becomes a big, invisible bully that influences everything from how you sleep to how you interact with others. You find yourself holding your breath when you check the mail or dread checking your bank account, afraid that there’s another setback waiting for you at every turn. That’s been the hardest part to shake along my financial journey: the never-ending feeling of being on edge, never really sure if I’m truly stable or simply holding things together by sheer will. Closing out 2024 debt-free was my goal, my benchmark. Falling short has the potential to conjure up all those dreaded feelings. Because just when I thought I was on track, I learned I must pay more than $4,000 in vehicle repairs and legal fees. The costs have threatened to financially wreck my holiday season. Even though I’d planned for this — with an emergency savings account set aside specifically for such unexpected expenses — it never feels good to tap into your reserves when you feel like you’re just throwing money away. Now, I will almost certainly carry debt into 2025. What stings even more is that I did everything right to tidy up my finances before January. I curbed my spending, paid back every penny to anyone I owed a dime and scaled back on my stock purchases. I spent the past six months getting in position to buy a home. And here came a major, four-figure headache in the final two months, trying to hijack my foundation. Subtract the initial $1,000 in legal fees and my credit card statement would show I spent only $1,280 in November. Deduct another $200 for reimbursable travel expenses for work and the number shrinks more. My consistency, not just in November but since the summer, is a reflection of my desire to be done renting. Rather than paying it, we want to start collecting. With every setback, that chief goal grows more challenging. But regardless of how many times life’s hiccups throw me off balance, I’ll keep showing up. I’ll adjust my strategy, cut costs, find new income streams — whatever it takes. Setbacks don’t define me. They never have and never will. And I won’t let money problems define you. Financial struggles can feel isolating, but you don’t have to carry the burden alone. Reach out to a financial advisor, a counselor or a trusted friend to get advice and support. Sometimes, just talking through your worries can lift some weight off your shoulders. And when things feel overwhelming, take a moment to pause and breathe. Remember, you don’t have to solve everything all at once. Break things down into manageable pieces, and tackle one thing at a time. Don’t allow financial pressure to blind you to the progress you’re already making. This journey isn’t about getting everything perfect. It’s about persistence — showing up, adjusting and pushing forward, even when the path gets tough. Darnell Mayberry is a sportswriter based in Chicago and is the author of “100 Things Thunder Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He loves his daughter Parker, money and the Minnesota Vikings. You will find his column, Money Talks, each Saturday on cleveland.com and Sundays in The Plain Dealer. More 'Money Talks' by Darnell Mayberry How much is your coffee habit costing you?: Money Talks How life in Africa taught me the true meaning of gratitude: Money Talks My journey into the world of stock options: Money Talks How a $1,000, one-day getaway inspired better money management: Money Talks

Ripple’s (XRP) $5 Target Back in Sight, But Another Token is Poised to Beat XRP with a 10x Higher ROI

Parades, fireworks and visits with Santa are on the agenda for cities across Johnson County in December. The Cleburne Railroaders will host Breakfast with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 14 at La Moderna Field, 1906 Brazzle Blvd. Tickets are $5 each and include breakfast. Drinks are available for purchase. Get photos with Santa and pick your seats for the 2025 season. Experience the magic of a hometown holiday until Jan. 5 at Hulen Park and throughout historic Downtown Cleburne during Whistle Stop Christmas. One of Cleburne’s most beloved holiday traditions is Saturday’s lighted parade and festivities at Hulen Park. There will be food and gift vendors, children’s train rides ($3 per rider) and a Live Nativity Scene presented by First Baptist Church from 5-9 p.m. The parade staging is between Hillsboro and Main Street south of Westhill Drive and north of Country Club Road. The parade will begin at South Main and First streets, proceed to Third and Caddo, then head north to North Caddo and Brown. It will turn left and travel behind the Layland Museum, then head south on North Main to South Main and Westhill. Entries will then return to the start. Prizes will be presented for Best Mounted Entry, Best Illuminated, Best Christmas Theme and Favorite Vehicle. Before and after the parade, enjoy the festivities at Hulen Park from 5-9 p.m. featuring food and gift vendors, a Live Nativity Scene presented by First Baptist Church of Cleburne, Children’s Train Rides for $3 per rider and after the parade pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus for $3 with your personal device. The train rides, sponsored by Grandview Bank, will also be offered from 6-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 21, and the million-light display will remain up in Hulen Park and downtown Cleburne through Jan. 5. The schedule of events are subject to change or cancel for inclement weather. Bring your family to celebrate the magic and share a memorable Christmas experience at #WhistleStopCleburne. For information, visit visitcleburne.com/wschristmas or call the Cleburne Chamber office at 817-645-2455. Other Cleburne festivities The Cleburne Kiwanis Club and Camp Fire Heart of Texas are teaming up again for the Pancake Breakfast with Santa and Santa House. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at Cleburne High School. The breakfast includes pancakes, bacon and sausage. There will be a Christmas market and other vendors. Also stop by for a picture with Santa Claus. The cost is $7 for ages 12 and up, $3 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased at the door. At Santa House, Camp Fire members and volunteers will help children shop for Christmas for their family and friends. The gifts are homemade and affordable. Cowboy Christmas on the Trail returns for the fourth year running Dec. 14-15 to the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum. Performances are scheduled for 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. each of those days. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for children, seniors and military. CTOM invites you to experience a ride on a covered wagon through different scenes and listen to the Legends of Texas re-enact life’s during Christmas on the Trail. Food trucks, vendors, shopping, Cowboy Claus and more. Following the tour, which takes about an hour, participants gather at Winter Wonderland in CTOM’s Star Pavilion. In addition to a fireplace serenade from Cowboy Claus, food trucks will be on hand as will hand-selected vendors selling a variety of items including ornaments and other Christmas decorations. From Dec. 18-21, the Chisholm Trail Museum invites visitors to walk or drive through and look at lights and decorations at the museum. The museum is open from 4-10 p.m. daily. Enjoy free hot chocolate, cider, giveaways, a s’mores station and more. For more information, visit chisholmtrailoutdoormuseum.com . The Hearts of Gold Circle with King’s Daughters and Sons will host its annual Christmas House from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at a new location, Bird’s Nest on the Square, 214 E. Chambers St. The circle uses the funds to provide shoes, coats, medication, eye glasses and school supplies, to name a few items, for the children in the Cleburne schools. The circle also helps with electric bills, water bills and groceries when necessary. The needs are determined with the help of school counselors. The circle will personalize ornaments and other purchases with names, years, etc. The event features a bake sale, raffle, silent auction and pictures with Santa. Also new this year is the Candy Cane Lane. Christmas House brings people from all over the county together for a good cause. For more information, visit the Kings Daughters Hearts of Gold Circle Facebook page. Come have Donuts with Santa and make crafts together on Dec. 14 at Cleburne State Park, 5800 Park Road 21. The event, which is hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6872, begins at 9 a.m. at Cedar Lodge. Attendees will also make crafts and more. This event is free with park admission of $6 per person 13 and older. It is a good idea to make reservations online ahead of time because of capacity limits. For information, visit tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/cleburne . There are numerous opportunities to celebrate the holidays with your family, whether it be Christmas caroling at a church or shopping at a Holiday Market. Here’s a look at some of the other events happening in Cleburne during Whistle Stop Christmas. Buffalo Creek Fellowship hosts the eighth annual Trail of Campfires on from 5-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds, 1315 S. Main St. in Cleburne. The free community event is a guided tour of the life of Jesus along a trail of campfires. Activities include refreshments, live Christmas music, Christmas hay rides, animal petting zoo and Christmas photo opportunities. Take a guided tour by Mary of the life of Jesus Christ. The event is held indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. Dress warmly. For information, call 817-357-9843 or visit buffalocreekfellowship.faith. Cleburne Bible Church hosts “Follow the Star: A Live Christmas Experience” from 6-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 930 N. Nolan River Road. It will take you on a journey back through the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in a live outdoor presentation. Follow the journey of Christ through nine stops, finishing with a Christmas carol sing-a-long with coffee, hot chocolate and cookies. For information, visit cleburnebible.org . Save Old Cleburne is hosting a Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at JN Long Cultural Arts Center, 408 W. Heard St. in Cleburne. Vendor booths of 8-foot by 8-foot are available for $40 each. The Grinch will be there as well. Enjoy Sip N Shop Wine with holiday shopping from 4-8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Songbird Live, 210 E. Henderson St. The City of Cleburne presents “Holiday Hoopla” at 5 p.m. Dec. 14 at Hulen Park, 337 W. Westhill Drive in Cleburne. Activities include Yuletide Ride (a children’s bike parade), holiday activities with the Cleburne Parks and Recreation Department, crafts, reindeer, story time with the Cleburne Public Library, holiday photo opportunities, cookies and more. Downtown Cleburne presents “Shop the Block” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 21. Sip, Shop & Stroll downtown Cleburne shops for some Christmas shopping offering special promotions, refreshments and more. Grab your mom, daughters, girlfriends and come down and shop Historic Downtown. Alvarado An enchanting evening is promised when the city of Alvarado presents its “Magical Old Town Christmas” event on Friday. The extravaganza is from 6-9 p.m. in the festive Town Square in Old Town Alvarado. Horse-drawn carriage rides, delicious foods and hot cocoa to keep participants warm are just a few of the delights. “And the highlight of the night will be Alvarado Projects and Event Committee’s annual Christmas parade,” Events Manager Jules Vincent-Rosen said. “It’s always just brimming with festive floats as our joyful carolers fill the night with holiday cheer.” Alvarado’s 2024 Citizen of the Year will serve as the grand marshal for the parade. “We will be doing something different this year by kicking off the parade from Reunion Drive and proceeding to the historic Town Square,” APEC Treasurer Jameye Jones said. Santa’s elves will be on hand for crafts and treats, a Christmas market will feature local artisans, and a petting zoo will showcase the North Pole’s finest furry friends. Kids (and the young-at-heart) will be able to send letters to Santa — just before getting to meet him in person. For information, email communications@cityofalvaarado.org . Burleson Burleson has numerous opportunities to celebrate this holiday season. The first event is Breakfast with Santa from 7-11 a.m. Saturday at Russell Farm Art Center, 405 W. CR 714. Guests will enjoy a pancake breakfast, making holiday crafts, and of course, visiting Santa himself. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture all the fun. Space is limited and you will need to choose your start time. Each time slot is 30 minutes and the earliest available is 7 a.m. Cost is $5 or children ages 3-12, $7 for ages 13 and up and free for children under 2. Families are also invited to get into the Christmas spirit at Russell Farm Art Center with Christmas lights, hot beverages and music from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 11-14. Celebrate a country Christmas with from 3-6 p.m. Dec. 14 at the farm. The festivities include pictures with a donkey wearing antlers, Christmas craft stations, a Children’s Entrepreneur Market, and additional Christmas-related activities. Make sure to bring your camera to capture all the holiday fun! Christmas at the Library is from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Burleson Public Library, 248 S.W. Johnson Ave. Enjoy refreshments, a holiday scavenger hunt, gift and craft stations and more. Santa needs helpers everywhere, and the Burleson Recreation Center is happy to help. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, parents can drop off their children, ages 6-12, for the afternoon while they get some shopping done. Games, activities and crafts are planned. Lunch is not provided. Cost is $20 for BRiCk members and $25 for nonmembers. The Burleson Rotary Club hosts the annual lighted Christmas parade on Saturday, followed by the city’s tree lighting and drone show. The parade begins at 6 p.m., followed by the tree lighting and drone show at 8 p.m. Singers and dancers entertain the crowd while Santa breaks away from the parade and makes his way to the city stage. The Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza will dazzle with Christmas splendor when the 34-foot-tall Christmas tree, covered with more than 20,000 lights, is turned on by Santa and his helpers. The tree features an interactive Santa’s cabin at the base, creating a perfect backdrop for festive photos. Make sure to stay and watch the spectacular drone show, featuring magical Christmas displays set to holiday music. Come to Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza for a special Holiday Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 14 at Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza, 141 W. Renfro St. There will be strolling characters in the Plaza, horse carriage rides, pictures with Santa, a holiday bounce house and over 80 vendors to shop. You can also fill Santa’s cabin with Toys for Tots: Bring a new, unwrapped toy to drop off with U.S. Marines on-site. Catch the Grinch strolling around to take free photos with him. Thanks to the Old Town Business Association, you can take free horse-drawn carriage rides during the day and enjoy the festive atmosphere in Old Town this December. Rides are provided by T&T Ranch & Carriages. Join the Burleson Senior Center for their holiday craft fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at 216 S.W. Johnson Ave. Local vendors will be showcasing their sewn creations, art, jewelry and other handmade items. Buy one-of-a-kind handmade Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. Local vendors will be showcasing their sewn creations, art, jewelry and other handmade items. Be sure to bring some cash, as not all vendors take cards. Godley The city of Godley and Godley Chamber of Commerce hosts Holiday in the Park from 5-9 p.m. Friday. The evening begins with the lighted parade at 5 p.m. To enter, email michelle.clore@godleytx.gov . Enjoy holiday vendors, ornament decorating, cookie decorating, a trackless train with station and conductor, the Sugar Rush Slide, tree lighting, photos with Santa, music, food and fun to get the holiday season started in Godley. Grandview Grandview’s Christmas festivities will be held Dec. 14. The Grandview Christmas Parade of Lights begins at 6 p.m. in conjunction with other activities and celebrations sponsored by the Greater Grandview Chamber of Commerce and the City of Grandview (and EDC Type B Board). All groups, clubs, organizations, businesses, churches, neighborhoods and more are invited to light up the night with a parade entry. Prizes will be given for best theme ideas, best use of lights and best creative ideas. Parade judges will be hidden in plain sight along the parade route looking for winners. Parade entry is $10 and is due by Monday to ensure placement in the route and judging. Every entry must have a Christmas theme of some type and be lighted in some way. There will be one Santa as provided by the Grandview chamber (more than one Santa is confusing for children). No other parade entries may have a Santa. Parade Prizes for the following categories: • Best Christmas Theme • Best Lighting • Most Creative After the parade, festivities will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. at Firefly Stage, 301 E. Criner St. Enjoy live music, pictures with Santa, a hot chocolate bar, games and crafts. For information, visit gvtxchamber.com Joshua Joshua’s Christmas on Main returns from 3-7:30 p.m. Saturday. Enjoy local vendors, a parade and fre pictures with Santa in downtown Joshua. The Guys provide live entertainment. The theme for the parade is “Christmas Movies Come to Life.” Staging begins at 5 p.m. at Joshua Methodist Church and the parade kicks off at 6 p.m. Entry is $10 or an unwrapped toy valued at $10. Donations go to Kaleigh’s Sleigh, which returns to NorthPointe Church on Dec. 14. Volunteers will unload toys from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 12 and set up from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 13. Shopping day is Dec. 14, which morning and afternoon shifts available. Keene A longtime Keene ISD school board president is the grand marshal and another resident who does multiple good deeds is parade marshal for the 28th annual Keene Christmas Light Parade at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Keene. The parade will be followed by a fireworks show. The parade and fireworks are presented by the Keene Business Development Corporation Type B board, the Keene Economic Development Corporation Type B board and Oliver Technologies, Pinnacle Bank, and many community partners. Anything with wheels, feet, or hooves, adorned with Christmas lights and is consistent with the theme, “The Reason We Celebrate This Season,” is welcome to participate. Parade staging is at the Leiske-Pultar Gymnasium parking lot at Old Betsy Road and Magnolia Street on the campus of Southwestern Adventist University. Clem Hobbs, who served on the Keene ISD school board for 20 years, including eight as president during construction of the high school, is Grand Marshal. Hobbs received the Pioneer Award in October presented by the Keene Chamber of Commerce as a resident who has contributed positively to Keene. Nathalie “Nathy” Regmund is Parade Marshal. As a volunteer, she is manager of the food pantry located outside the Keene Adventist Church. Daily she keeps the pantry stocked with food supplies that are free to area residents. Parade entry fee is $10 per float and can be paid on site at the registration booth. The fireworks show will immediately follow the parade. The show will be presented west of the Duck Pond at Callicott Student Park. According to organizers, the best place to watch the fireworks is from the Leiske-Pultar parking lot or the embankment along Old Betsy Road between Magnolia and Campus Drive. Parade entrants who want to be judged and be eligible for prizes should be in position at 5 p.m. in the Leiske-Pultar parking lot. Judging begins at 5:15 p.m. All entrants should enter the gymnasium parking lot on Magnolia Street. The parade starts at the Leiske-Pultar parking lot and goes west on Magnolia to Old Betsy Road, south on Old Betsy to Hillcrest, east on Hillcrest to Mockingbird, south on Mockingbird to Fourth, west on Fourth to Old Betsy, and north on Old Betsy back to the Leiske-Pultar parking lot. First-place trophies will be awarded in the following categories: • Best lighted vehicle • Best lighted float • Best animal entry • Best business entry • Best children’s entry • Best Pathfinder club • Best Adventurer club • Best antique entry • Most unique entry One entry will be awarded Best Overall and will receive a trophy. The parade is organized by the Keene Chamber of Commerce. Other sponsors are KTH Transportation, Texas Health Huguley Hospital, Texas Adventist Conference, Southwestern Adventist University, Cleburne Ford, Hopps Automotive, United Cooperative Services, Bob’s Rural Garbage Service, Crest Water, Edward Jones Office of David Sykes, Gillin Realty, Hewlett Office Systems, Keene Pharmacy, Town Hall Estates, and Putnam Service/Lennox. In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, the parade will be at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15. For parade entry information, call the chamber office at 817-556-2995. (c)2024 the Clinton Herald (Clinton, Iowa) Visit the Clinton Herald (Clinton, Iowa) at clintonherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Siemens Healthineers Egypt has finalized an agreement with IEC Medical Systems (Industry and Engineering Consultants for Medical Systems) to acquire the sales and service business of Varian equipment in Egypt. This acquisition, supported by Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Healthineers International AG, marks a significant expansion of Siemens Healthineers’ offerings in the Egyptian healthcare market. The integration will broaden the company’s portfolio to include advanced diagnostic imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and cutting-edge oncology treatments, further strengthening its presence in precision medicine. IEC Medical Systems, a key player in cancer treatment technology since 2005, has specialized in the sales and service of Varian’s radiotherapy devices and software solutions. With this acquisition, Siemens Healthineers continues to enhance its capabilities in oncology, following its 2021 acquisition of Varian, a U.S.-based leader in radiotherapy and cancer care. Amro Kandil, Managing Director of Siemens Healthineers Egypt, stated: “This acquisition is a transformative step for Siemens Healthineers Egypt, reinforcing our commitment to advancing healthcare in the country. By integrating Varian’s state-of-the-art oncology solutions into our portfolio, we not only expand our capabilities but also ensure greater access to world-class cancer care for patients in Egypt.” This acquisition underscores Siemens Healthineers’ ongoing strategy to expand its global distribution network and deliver integrated healthcare solutions, with a particular focus on oncology and precision medicine in Egypt. It further strengthens the company’s ability to provide innovative, comprehensive healthcare solutions to meet the growing needs of the Egyptian healthcare sector.To rinse or not to rinse dishes: Debate over dishwasher habits settled by cleaning expertsPHOENIX — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest on Sunday in Phoenix. Panama's conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in April on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected that notion as an affront to his country's sovereignty. The Republican president-elect's comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. He also used his comments to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along. It was a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly defied their leader's demands. Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that his “dream team Cabinet” would deliver a booming economy, seal U.S. borders and quickly settle wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. “I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said. “There’s a spirit that we have now that we didn’t have just a short while ago.” His appearance capped a four-day pep rally that drew more than 20,000 activists and projected an image of Republican cohesion despite the past week's turbulence in Washington with Trump pulling strings from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as Congress worked to avoid a government shutdown heading into the Christmas holiday. House Republicans spiked a bipartisan deal after Trump and Elon Musk, his billionaire ally, expressed their opposition on social media. Budget hawks flouted Trump's request to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, which would have spared some new rounds of the same fight after he takes office Jan. 20, 2025, with Republicans holding narrow control of the House and Senate. The final agreement did not address the issue and there was no shutdown. Trump, in his remarks in Phoenix, did not mention the congressional drama, though he did reference Musk's growing power. To suggestions that "President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon,” Trump made clear, “No, no. That’s not happening.” “He’s not gonna be president,” Trump said. The president-elect opened the speech by saying that "we want to try to bring everybody together. We’re going to try. We’re going to really give it a shot." Then he suggested Democrats have “lost their confidence” and are “befuddled” after the election but eventually will ”come over to our side because we want to have them.” A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal on Sept. 2 in Colon, Panama. Atop a list of grievances — some old, some new — was the Panama Canal. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal,” he said, bemoaning that his country ”foolishly gave it away.” The United States built the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs to operate its locks and was heavily affected by 2023 Central American droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships using the canal each day, administrators also increased the fees that are charged all shippers for reserving a slot. With weather returning to normal in the later months of this year, transit on the canal has normalized. But price increases are still expected for next year. Mulino, Panama's president, has been described as a conservative populist who aligns with Trump on many issues. Panama is a strong U.S. ally and the canal is crucial for its economy, generating about one-fifth of that government’s annual revenue. Still, Trump said, that, once his second term is underway, "If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” “I’m not going to stand for it," Trump said. "So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.” He did not explain how that would be possible. A short time after Trump's speech, Mulino released a video declaring that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. Without mentioning Trump by name, Mulino addressed the president-elect's complaints over rising fees for ships crossing the canal, saying that they are set by experts who take into account operational costs, and supply and demand factors. “The tariffs are not set on a whim” Mulino said. He noted that Panama has expanded the canal over the years to increase ship traffic “on its own initiative,” and added that shipping fee increases help pay for improvements. “Panamanians may have different views on many issues” Mulino said. “But when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” The canal aside, Trump’s appearance at Turning Point’s annual gathering affirmed the growing influence the group and its founder, Charlie Kirk, have had in the conservative movement. Kirk’s organization hired thousands of field organizers across presidential battlegrounds, helping Trump make key gains among infrequent voters and other groups of people that have trended more Democratic in recent decades, including younger voters, Black men and Latino men. ”You had Turning Point’s grassroots armies,” Trump said. “It’s not my victory, it’s your victory.” Earlier Sunday, Trump said that Stephen Miran, who worked at the Treasury Department in Trump's first term, was his choice to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter hit five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and LSU never trailed Sunday night in a 110-45 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Tigers' 21st consecutive victory when scoring at least 100 points. LSU's 65-point margin of victory was its largest since the Tigers beat Grambling by 75 (112-37) on Nov. 20, 1999 and is the third biggest against a Division-I opponent in program history. The 110 points were the most by LSU since a 119-108 win over North Florida on Dec. 12, 2015. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

NEW YORK: Watching another chaotic United Nations climate confab end in disappointment brings to mind that old saw, incorrectly ascribed to Winston Churchill, about America always doing the right thing, but only after it has exhausted every alternative. Except in this case, the world’s polluting nations are stuck in the “exhausting alternatives” phase and are quickly running out of time to do the right thing. We can at least be glad that COP29 – this year’s conference for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Baku, Azerbaijan – didn’t end in complete disaster like 2009’s gathering in Copenhagen. After days of bare-knuckle brawling and the near-collapse of negotiations, the bloodied parties staggered away with a commitment from developed nations to triple the amount of money they spend to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to global heating, to US$300 billion from US$100 billion per year, by 2035. They also vowed to put together a decade-long “road map” for hitting the US$1.3 trillion in annual financing that poorer countries had demanded. And they established a global carbon credits market and paid vague homage to a pledge made last year to transition the global economy away from fossil fuels. This outcome is, to put it mildly, insufficient. To put it not so mildly, it’s pathetic. PILING ON MORE DEBT Even the US$1.3 trillion developing nations wanted would have fallen far short of the US$2.4 trillion truly needed, according to an estimate by the UN’s Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance. The clean energy transition alone could cost US$215 trillion by 2050, according to BloombergNEF. So countries that have emitted almost none of the greenhouse gases heating up the planet but will suffer the brunt of the consequences will end up at least US$2 trillion per year short and a decade away from relief. Compared to the US$7 trillion in estimated explicit and implicit subsidies the world pays fossil fuel producers every year, that US$300 billion looks even more insulting . “The US$300 billion so-called ‘deal’ that poorer countries have been bullied into accepting is unserious and dangerous – a soulless triumph for the rich, but a genuine disaster for our planet and communities who are being flooded, starved, and displaced today by climate breakdown,” Oxfam International’s climate change policy lead, Nafkote Dabi, said in a statement. “The destruction of our planet is avoidable, but not with this shabby and dishonourable deal.” Almost as infuriating as the deal’s inadequate sums is its composition. Too much of that US$300 billion will come in the form of loans, which will further burden countries already staggering under too much debt. Together, the poorest pay about US$70 billion per year in debt servicing costs to richer countries, including the backers of multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, according to the Brookings Institution. That cancels out the bulk of the US$100 billion climate finance commitment that rich countries made in 2009 but have only belatedly begun to fulfil. Instead of piling on more debt, rich countries should be cancelling it. And much of what’s purchased with that US$300 billion might be the equivalent of chicken wire and wet newspaper. The World Bank has failed to account for the real climate impact of between US$24 billion and US$41 billion of its financing over the past seven years, according to Oxfam. The bank registers projects at the time of approval rather than at the time of completion, meaning many works of dubious climate benefit – think gelato shops and coal plants – go on the books as “climate finance”. "NO LONGER FIT FOR PURPOSE" Haggling over such relatively petty sums while the world burns is short-sighted and self-defeating. It betrays upside-down priorities that often favour the fossil fuel producers and rich petrostates that increasingly dominate COP negotiations. The president of COP29’s host country called oil and gas “a gift of God”, and Saudi Arabia was described as a “wrecking ball” in negotiations. It’s enough to make you wonder why we should keep holding COPs at all. Several climate leaders, including former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, published an open letter at the start of COP29 calling to overhaul the process. “It is now clear that the COP is no longer fit for purpose,” they wrote. “Its current structure simply cannot deliver the change at exponential speed and scale, which is essential to ensure a safe climate landing for humanity.” Major polluters such as the US, China and the European Commission didn’t bother to send leaders to Baku. COP30, in Brazil, will take place during the first year of the second term of once-and-future president Donald Trump, a climate change denier who plans to pull the US out of the Paris accords (again). At a time when the goal of holding global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial averages is essentially dead, the political mood around the world seems to have soured on aggressive climate action. And yet COPs, even in their present unfit state, are still essential. Requiring buy-in from everybody from the Marshall Islands to Exxon Mobil is a recipe for agonisingly slow progress, but it at least keeps the conversation going. And as my Bloomberg Opinion colleague David Fickling has written, the commitments made in these talks still produce benchmarks that governments take seriously. Otherwise, why would there be so much ferocious haggling over them? Everybody could simply pledge to spend eleventy gazillion dollars and hit Net Zero by next Tuesday and call it a day. That they don’t is actually a cause for hope, if you look at it the right – or naive – way. But being hopeful isn’t the same as ignoring that COP29 makes clear the world is still not taking the climate threat seriously enough.Erwin backtracks on Sierra 55, apologizes to and thanks groupSs&c technologies CEO William Stone sells $18.9 million in stockPercentages: FG 39.726, FT .588. 3-Point Goals: 9-21, .429 (Lacey 3-6, McMiller 3-5, Petticord 2-6, Thompson 1-3, Perkins 0-1) Blocked Shots: 3 (Adams 1, McMiller 1, Perkins 1) Turnovers: 9 (McMiller 4, Thompson 2, Lacey 1, Perkins 1, Walker 1) Steals: 8 (Adams 6, Lacey 1, McMiller 1) Technical Fouls: None Percentages: FG 39.394, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 4-21, .190 (Mays-Prince 3-5, Jackson 1-6, Gaines 0-1, Gwynn 0-3, Akinsola 0-1, Eddings 0-5) Blocked Shots: 5 (Johnson 2, Jackson 1, Green 1, Akinsola 1) Turnovers: 16 (Gaines 4, Gwynn 4, Mays-Prince 3, Jackson 2, Johnson 1, Green 1, Akinsola 1) Steals: 5 (Gwynn 2, Eddings 2, Green 1) Technical Fouls: None A_0 Officials_Erika Herriman, Kenya Kirkland, Angelica Suffren1-365 numbers 。

31 Wacky Products That'll Make Your Guests Say "Why Do You Own This And Where Can I Get It?"Nations strive for climate funding consensus as COP29 deadline nears

BBC Strictly Come Dancing pro halts show to 'speak the truth' as fans slam 'disgraceful' moveTonight, Dean McCullough had the prospect of a sixth trial of the series so far, much to a few people's annoyance, but it was Jane Moore who got people talking. Last night, Barry and Danny decided on the new chores each campmate would be doing from now on, Loose Women's Jane Moore accused Barry of being "sexist" and "ageist". Barry explained: "We were looking at you for possible water duty and I thought 'well, you're 62 years old, you're a year younger than me'." As Jane shook her head, she exclaimed: "Ageist and sexist!" Tonight, Jane Moore was slammed on social media. On X, one fan posted: "Jane comes across a bit of a martyr. She isn't the only one on dishes duty. Why is she acting like it is her sole responsibility #imaceleb". Another simply said: "We need to vote for Jane to do a trial next". Someone else commented: "GK said it, vote Jane (more important because she had a strop at Danny and Barry and ruined their night!)". On Sunday (24 November), Coleen Rooney and Dean McCullough faced a gruesome Bushtucker Trial, winning nine stars for the camp. However, McCullough was again voted to face Monday’s trial “Jack the Screamstalk,” much to the frustrations of Ant and Dec (and the public). Elsewhere, Jane Moore and Barry McGuigan argued over chores. McGuigan and Danny Jones were voted by the public to become the new camp leaders. The pair set about upsetting the jungle apple cart by selecting Moore and Tulisa to wash up, and Coleen Rooney and Maura Higgins to act out the duties of camp maintenance. Despite Jones’s initial worry that women were being asked to do less physical tasks and that it could be taken negatively, McGuigan brushed it off. Moore accused McGuigan of “misogyny” and later “ageism” when he used her age as a justification for his and Jones’s decisions.

(The Center Square) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom said if President-elect Donald Trump ends the $7,500 electric vehicle rebate program, he’ll get Californians to pay for new credits. However, the credits would not include Tesla, which is the most popular EV company and the only EV manufacturer in the state. This comes weeks after Newsom and his administration passed new refinery and carbon credit regulations that will add up to $1.15 per gallon of gasoline and require Californians with gasoline-powered cars to earn up to another $1,000 per year in pretax income to afford. “We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California,” said Newsom in a statement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose rocket launches were recently blocked by a California regulatory board that cited his personal politics, shared his disapproval on his social media platform, X, after Newsom staff told Bloomberg that Tesla models would not qualify for California rebates. “Even though Tesla is the only company who manufactures their EVs in California,” said Musk. “This is insane.” Musk recently moved SpaceX and X out of California, citing a new law signed by Newsom banning parental notification for gender change requests from K-12 students. The credits would be paid for through California’s cap-and-trade program, which requires carbon emitters to purchase credits from the state — costs which are generally passed on to consumers in the form of more expensive gasoline, energy, and even concrete. Emitters buy a few billion dollars worth of credits from California each year, with the state’s $135 billion high speed rail project getting the lion’s share of the revenue. The California Resources Board — all but two of whose voting members are appointed by the governor — recently approved $105 billion in EV charging credits and $8 billion in hydrogen charging credits to be largely paid for by drivers of gas cars and diesel trucks. An investigation by The Center Square found the change was pushed by EV makers and the builders of EV charging systems. Buyers of EV chargers, who pay for the energy and own the charger, sign installation contracts that permanently give away their rights to government or other EV charging credits generated from fueling a vehicle with electrons instead of gasoline. These chargers are often bundled with the purchase of an EV, or covered entirely by utility or government rebates, meaning they are permanent, zero-or-low-cost revenue streams for the company collecting the credits. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.

365/7 ph1 Matvei Michkov did it again in overtime. The prized rookie winger scored his third OT winner, lifting the Flyers to a 3-2 decision Saturday night over the Blues at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Travis Konecny made an outstanding play to spring the 19-year-old for a breakaway goal. Last season, the Flyers won only four games in overtime. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster also scored for the Flyers (12-10-3), who are 8-2-2 in their last 12 games. They've gone to OT in eight of those 12 games. The Flyers are also 11-5-2 since Oct. 26. In that span, only two teams have more points than their 24: the Hurricanes and Capitals, each with 25. John Tortorella's club picked up its first win when playing on the second night of a back-to-back set. The Flyers were 0-3-0 in such situations and had been outscored 16-9 before beating St. Louis. They were able to build off their 3-1 Black Friday win over the Rangers . Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Flyers and their rivals in the NHL from NBC Sports Philadelphia. In this busy stretch of three games through four days, the Flyers won all three and allowed just five goals. The Flyers swept the two-game regular-season series from the Blues (11-12-2). They beat St. Louis, 2-1, on Halloween . This time, they handed Jim Montgomery his first loss as the Blues' head coach. Montgomery, now 2-0-1 with St. Louis, was fired by the Bruins last week. • Michkov's former development coach called him a "spotlight player" and we're seeing why. The youngster from Russia just seems to have a flair for the dramatic. And the Flyers have needed that type of talent. Michkov also had an assist on Tippett's marker. He leads all rookies in goals (nine), points (19), power play goals (four), power play assists (five) and overtime goals (three). "When the game's on the line, when something needs to happen, some players sort of like to hide in those situations," Daniel Bochner said in July 2023 . "Where he sort of likes to be the guy that says, 'Hey, give me the puck, I'm going to do something here.'" • Aleksei Kolosov was huge for the Flyers, converting 25 saves on 27 shots. He couldn't have done much more on Jake Neighbours' game-tying goal with 20 seconds left in regulation. The Blues had a 6-on-4 as they emptied their net on a power play. Kolosov made back-to-back saves right before Neighbours scored. St. Louis cracked Kolosov with 8:49 minutes remaining to draw even at 1-1. Prior to that, Kolosov twice upheld the Flyers' 1-0 lead with excellent saves on breakaways. The first came on Jordan Kyrou in the final three minutes of the first period and the second on Mathieu Joseph in the opening five minutes of the second period. Foerster regained the Flyers their lead 51 seconds after Dylan Holloway tied things up. Over his last three starts, the 22-year-old Kolosov has gone 3-0-0 with 69 saves on 75 shots. Samuel Ersson, recovering from a lower-body injury, missed a ninth straight game. Could he be nearing a return? More on that here . Blues netminder Jordan Binnington was spectacular, stopping 28 of the Flyers' 31 shots. He absolutely robbed Sean Couturier with just under a minute left in the second period on a sprawling glove save. A post shared by St. Louis Blues (@stlouisblues) • How about Konecny? Since Oct. 23, he's among the top five scorers in the NHL with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) over 19 games. More: Konecny has quietly been 'terrific' while also helping Michkov • Jamie Drysdale was out for a 10th straight game with an upper-body injury. After sitting the last four games as a healthy scratch, Egor Zamula drew back into the lineup for Helge Grans. He finished as a minus-1 in 14:39 minutes. • The Flyers go the next four days without a game before hosting the Panthers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP). Subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | Youtube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Simplecast | RSS | Watch on YouTubeStock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow record

Country Christmas traditions from back in the dayIrish premier Simon Harris has said Fine Gael will gain seats in the General Election despite a further fragmentation of Irish politics. Fine Gael won 35 seats in the 2020 election, but 18 of those TDs did not seek re-election in Friday’s poll. An exit poll puts the party’s support at 21%, a fraction of a percentage behind the main opposition party Sinn Fein. Mr Harris, the outgoing Taoiseach, was elected with 16,869 first preference votes, well above the quota. He celebrated with his wife Caoimhe, his parents Bart and Mary, his sister Gemma and his political team at the count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Ahead of his re-election, Mr Harris told reporters he was “cautiously optimistic” about the election result and said it was “clear that my party will gain seats”. “It’s also clear that Fine Gael will top the poll in at least 10 constituencies, many more than we did the last time, that we will gain seats in constituencies where we haven’t had seats in many years, like Tipperary South and Waterford, and that we will add second seats in other constituencies as well,” he said. “I think the people of Ireland have now spoken. We now have to work out exactly what they have said, and that is going to take a little bit of time.” In one of the five consecutive broadcast media rounds he did from the Greystones count centre, he said there were a lot of areas where there were “straight shoot-outs” between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for final seats. He described the Sinn Fein vote as “pretty significantly down”, the Fianna Fail vote as “marginally down” and the Fine Gael vote as “static” compared with its 2020 vote. He said it was “a very close, a very competitive election” and that “we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it”. He said: “It was predicted by many that I would become the Taoiseach for a brief period of time, take over from Leo Varadkar, and then have to rebuild my party from the opposition benches as Sinn Fein led a government. “We don’t know what’s going to happen on government formation yet, but that is now looking less likely than it was.” He acknowledged that it was “a very difficult day” for the Green Party and paid tribute to their work in the coalition government, alongside his party and Fianna Fail. “Definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented,” he said. Fine Gael minister Helen McEntee said that her party’s campaign had been “positive”. “The feeling on the doors was very much that people were relatively happy with the government,” she said on RTE Radio. “It will come down to the last seats and it will come down to transfers,” she said of the final result, adding that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were performing better than the exit poll estimated.

David Bonderman, co-founder of private equity firm TPG and co-owner of Seattle Kraken, dies at 82By RONALD BLUM DALLAS (AP) — Nolan Arenado is open to a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, at age 33 wanting to be on a World Series contender. “It’s like his biological clock is ticking,” agent Joel Wolfe said Tuesday at the winter meetings. “And if the team’s not winning it’s driving him crazy every day, every night all through the offseason. And he takes it so personal, like it’s all on him.” An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove third baseman, Arenado is open to a switch to first base. He hit .272 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs this year, his poorest season in a decade. St. Louis acquired Arenado from Colorado ahead of the 2021 season, lost at the wild-card round in his first two years, then failed to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons. “The Cardinals are changing direction, which is fine. All teams do that,” Wolfe said. “So if that’s the way it is and they’ve said it might be beneficial to move you and they were open and communicated about it, he’s like: ‘I get it. Let’s just try and find a place where they’re in a different place,’ where he could just jump in and help the team go to the next level.” Arenado has played 1,629 games in the field during his big league career, all at third base. He won Gold Gloves from 2013-22, matching Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki for winning the award in his first 10 seasons. Arenado told Cardinals president baseball operations John Mozeliak he is open to a position switch. “If it would make Mo’s job easier to get to the right team, Nolan is more than willing to move around,” Wolfe said, quoting his client as saying, “’I’m not insulted to go play first and I can win a Gold Glove over there if that’s what it takes.’” “He wanted to be just the first to offer that so that Mo could tell other teams that,” Wolfe said. Arenado has a .285 career average with 341 homers and 1,132 RBIs for the Cardinals and Colorado Rockies. He is owed $74 million for the final three seasons of a contract paying him $275 million over nine years. He has a full no-trade provision, giving him the ability to decide his destination. “It’s more of just an ongoing discussion of: Would you be OK with this team? Would you be OK with that team?” Wolfe said. “We don’t want to waste Mo’s time and there some hard nos of where he would prefer not to go and things like that. It’s been somewhat dynamic in the discussion about how that works.” ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Article content BUDAPEST, Hungary — Summer McIntosh ’s sensational swimming season is ending with a bang. Recommended Videos The 18-year-old from Toronto started the season-ending short-course world championships, and kicked off the quadrennial leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with a world-record setting victory in the women’s 400-metre freestyle. She later helped Canada to bronze in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay, and upon leaving the pool was informed that she won the Northern Star Award as Canada’s athlete of the year. “I still don’t think stuff like this ever fully sets in, but we’ve just got to keep it rolling,” McIntosh said. “There’s been so many other amazing swims tonight for Team Canada and this is just Day 1. The next couple days of racing should be awesome and we’ll just try to keep the momentum going.” McIntosh had already put together a spectacular 2024 campaign heading into the short-course championships. She won three gold medals at this year’s Paris Olympics, becoming the first Canadian athlete to accomplish that feat at an Olympic Games, summer or winter. McIntosh set Olympic records in both the 200-metre medley and 200 butterfly and also won gold in the 400 medley. She added a silver in the 400 freestyle. And she has several more chances to add to her 2024 accomplishments. McIntosh is also set to compete in the 400-metre individual medley, 200-metre butterfly, 200 backstroke and three more relays in Budapest, where she won two gold, a silver and a bronze in a breakout performance at the 2022 long-course championships. On Tuesday, McIntosh swam to victory in three minutes 50.25 seconds, well ahead of Australia’s Lani Pallister (3:53.73), for her first career individual short-course gold. Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivieres, Que., was third in 3:54.88 to pick up her first international medal. “I absolutely love this pool. It holds so many memories for me back in 2022 so to be back here after a lot has changed since then is kind of cool and it’s definitely a very fast pool as well,” McIntosh said. “To set the tone it’s always amazing to get Day 1 started off right.” Later, McIntosh and Harvey teamed with Toronto’s Penny Oleksiak and Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm to claim bronze in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay in a time of 3:28.44. The Americans won in a world-record time of 3:25.01, 3.24 seconds ahead of Australia. Harvey just missed out on a third medal with a fourth-place finish in the women’s 200 medley. “It feels a little surreal. It’s always been a dream of mine,” Harvey said. “For years I was like, ‘the relay swimmer,’ and it feels really great to finally step on that podium individually.” In men’s competition, Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., took bronze in the men’s 200 medley in 1:50.90. Shaine Casas of the United States (1:49.51) won gold and Italy’s Alberto Razzetti took silver (1:50.88). “Going into this competition, I wasn’t maybe as fit as I should be, but the overarching thing with all competitions is if you’re there mentally,” said Knox, who won the long-course world title in the discipline earlier this year. “I made sure to go in there mentally as tough as I could be, and put down the best performance I could on the night. It was a little long on the touch, two one-hundredths off silver, but to get back on the podium at the first major competition since the Olympics, I’m pretty happy.” The short-course championship takes place in a 25-metre pool, as opposed to the Olympic-standard 50-metre pool. McIntosh said before the event that competing in the shorter pool would give her a chance to work on her turns. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus holds the women’s 400 freestyle long-course world record, which was previously held by McIntosh. In other action Tuesday, Ilya Kharun advanced through his semifinal in the 50 butterfly with a time of 21.93. It was the Montreal native’s second time under 22 seconds for the day, as he lowered his Canadian record to 21.84 in his morning heat. Wilm (55.83) and Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ont., (56.06) advanced through the 100 backstroke semis in third and fifth spots. Masse won the long-course world championship in the distance here in 2022. Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis.Trump seeks to have Georgia election case dismissed, citing presidential immunityAnaerobic Digesters Global Market Report 2024: Unveiling Trends, Opportunities, and Strategic Outlook

Ludhiana: Residents have started to feel the chill, especially in the morning, as night temperature has dipped over the past week and is being recorded below normal. According to the meteorological department, night temperature will remain around the present value in the days to come. As per the met department, minimum (night) temperature in Ludhiana on Tuesday was 7.6 degrees Celsius, 0.1 degree less than normal but 0.6 degrees more than a day before. Night temperature in the city on Dec 1 was 11.6 degrees Celsius. Later, it started dropping and was recorded at 7.1 degrees on Dec 6, before falling to 6.4 degrees Celsius on Dec 7. While night temperature increased to 7.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, it remained below normal. The met department forecast indicates that cold conditions will prevail, especially at night. Minimum temperature is expected to fall to seven degrees Celsius on Wednesday, increase to 8 degrees the next day and remain the same on Friday. However, night temperature is expected to fall to seven degrees on Dec 14 and remain the same for the next two days. Maximum (day) temperature in Ludhiana was recorded at 21 degrees Celsius, which is 1.7 degrees less than normal and 0.2 degrees more than a day before. The met department said that day temperature would increase to 21 degrees on Dec 11, remain the same for the next two days before rising to 22 degrees on Dec 14. We also published the following articles recently Winter chill is back; day temperature dips by 4 degrees Celsius Bhopal experienced its likely coldest day this season, with temperatures dipping to 23.4C, 4.5C below normal. Sunday night's low was a chilly 9.2C. Further drops are anticipated, with Bhopal's minimum potentially reaching 8.5C. Statewide, temperatures decreased by 2-3C. Khandwa recorded the highest temperature at 30.5C, while Shivpuri shivered at 6.8C. Isolated rainfall occurred in Jabalpur and Shahdol divisions. Delhi records season's coldest morning at 7.1 degrees Celsius Delhi shivered at a season-low 7.1C on Saturday, three degrees below normal, according to the IMD. The city's air quality dipped to 'poor' with an AQI of 222 after a brief respite. Humidity reached 89% in the morning. Clear skies are predicted for the remainder of the day, with the maximum temperature expected around 25C. Night temp rises six degrees in 48 hours, winter chill likely after Dec 15 Indore experienced a significant temperature jump, with the minimum temperature rising six degrees in 48 hours to 18.4 degrees Celsius. Cloudy weather prevailed, and wind speeds varied. Experts predict continued warmth until the third week of December when a weather system shift may bring colder temperatures. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, poll finds

( ) stock notched a record high on Wednesday after the consumer electronics giant released its second batch of artificial intelligence features for the iPhone and other devices. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said its builds on the released in late October. Apple describes Apple Intelligence as an "easy-to-use personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence." It also promises data privacy for users. The new AI features are included in free operating system updates for newer iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. The software releases are iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2. The second wave of Apple Intelligence tools includes Image Playground for creating images and Genmoji for creating custom emoji. It also has new Writing Tools for users to enhance their writing. There are AI enhancements to the Notes app as well, such as the ability to transform a rough sketch into a polished image simply by circling it. Plus, ChatGPT is integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, so users can access ChatGPT's expertise without having to switch between apps. In addition, users with an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro can instantly learn more about their surroundings with a visual intelligence tool in Camera Control. Apple Stock Is A Tech Leader In afternoon trades on the , Apple stock was flat, last down a fraction at 247.17. Earlier in the session, it reached an all-time high of 250.80. On Nov. 29, Apple stock hit a of 237.49 out of a , according to charts. With the second batch of Apple Intelligence, Apple has begun to expand the service to more languages, starting with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.K. Additional languages are coming next year, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese. Apple stock is on the list.

Trump seeks to have Georgia election case dismissed, citing presidential immunityNonePolice became convinced they were investigating a crime in the disappearance of University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee when they interviewed the man now on trial in his death, a top officer testified Tuesday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Police became convinced they were investigating a crime in the disappearance of University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee when they interviewed the man now on trial in his death, a top officer testified Tuesday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Police became convinced they were investigating a crime in the disappearance of University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee when they interviewed the man now on trial in his death, a top officer testified Tuesday. Lee had been missing for two weeks when officers arrested Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr. on July 22, 2022, said Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen. Authorities interviewed Herington twice that day, and he gave conflicting information about the hours before Lee vanished, the chief said. “From the moment that we gave Tim Herrington the opportunity to tell the truth and he couldn’t and he lied and we backed that up, we knew then,” McCutchen said. Herrington, 24, is being tried on a capital murder charge in the death of Lee, 20, a gay man who was well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford. Lee disappeared in Oxford, where Herrington’s trial is in its second week. Prosecutors and the defense both called their final witnesses Tuesday, and Herrington did not testify. Closing arguments are set for Wednesday. Lee’s body has never been found, but a judge has declared him dead. Herrington maintains his innocence and his attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors last week that prosecutors have “zero” proof Lee was killed. Lee has not contacted friends or family, and his financial transactions and once-prolific social media posts have stopped since the day he went missing, investigators testified. Before officers interviewed Herrington, they had already obtained sexually explicit text messages exchanged between social media accounts belonging to Herrington and Lee in the early hours of July 8, 2022, when Herrington disappeared in Oxford, McCutchen said. Lee communicated with his mother daily, and sent his last message to her hours before he vanished to wish her happy birthday, according to earlier testimony. Google records obtained through a warrant showed that Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” at 5:56 a.m., University Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Douglas testified last week. The final text message from Lee’s phone was sent to a social media account belonging to Herrington at 6:03 a.m. from a spot near Herrington’s apartment, and cellphone tower in another part of Oxford last located any signal from Lee’s phone at 7:28 a.m., McCutchen said Tuesday. A security camera showed Herrington jogging at about 7:30 a.m. out of a parking lot where Lee’s car was abandoned, investigators testified earlier. “We’ve been looking for Jay Lee’s body for two years, and we’re not going to stop ’til we find it,” McCutchen said in court Tuesday. On the day Lee vanished, Herrington was also seen on security cameras buying duct tape in Oxford and driving to his own hometown of about an hour away, police have testified. Herrington is from an affluent family in Grenada, Mississippi, about 52 miles (83.7 kilometers) southwest of Oxford, testified Ryan Baker, an Oxford Police Department intelligence officer who was a detective when he helped investigated the case. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Herrington’s grandfather is bishop of a church in Grenada, other family members work at the church and Herrington himself taught youth Sunday school classes there, Baker said. Herrington “was not portraying himself as gay” to family or friends, Baker said. During testimony Tuesday, Herrington’s father and grandfather both said Herrington had never spoken about having boyfriends. Herrington operated a furniture moving business with another man while they were students at the University of Mississippi, and they had a white box truck that Herrington drove to Grenada, Baker said. Security cameras at several businesses and a neighbor’s house showed Herrington and the truck in Grenada hours after Lee disappeared, Baker said. During McCutchen’s testimony Tuesday, Horan asked whether DNA tests on items taken from Herrington’s apartment and the truck showed “any trace evidence at all implicating my client.” McCutchen said they did not, but police first searched Herrington’s apartment two weeks after Lee vanished and they searched the box truck a few days after the apartment. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping. Advertisement Advertisement

SILICON SLOPES, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 10, 2024-- Today Domo (Nasdaq: DOMO) announced its partnership with advisory and accounting firm Richey May , providing customized data-driven insights for its mortgage banking consulting practice. To date, more than 80 mortgage bankers in Richey May’s client base have tapped Domo’s data and AI platform to gain actionable insights about their business. With more than 40 years of expertise in the mortgage industry, Richey May provides full-service advisory and technology consulting to clients across the mortgage and financial services sectors. Thanks to Domo’s wide range of integrations, low and no-code offerings and secure AI models, Richey May is able to tailor its strategies to meet each client’s unique needs and deliver custom reports that map back to their business goals. “One of the superpowers we deliver to our customers is pairing our mortgage industry expertise with technical savvy,” said Olivia Reese, data and business intelligence architect at Richey May. “No longer are mortgage companies constrained to one specialty or the other – the unique language of mortgage or data-driven reporting. With Domo as our data foundation since 2018, we’ve been able to offer clients a modern analytics approach, and a single place to gain insights to drive decision-making.” In addition to setting its clients up with Domo, Richey May uses the platform as an analytics engine, which allows the firm to expand its offerings, including the recent addition of industry benchmarking. Then, using Domo’s built-in features like Domo Everywhere and Domo Publish , Richey May can easily aggregate and securely distribute industry reports to its clients, offering an additional layer of value and insights. “The mortgage industry is steeped in history and complexities, and the Richey May team are experts at helping clients navigate through it all,” said RJ Tracy, chief revenue officer at Domo. “It’s exciting to see how they’ve paired this industry know-how with data-driven insights in Domo, finding new and creative ways to offer clients value through data each year we’ve worked together.” To learn more about how innovative organizations like Richey May are partnering with Domo to put data to work for everyone, visit www.domo.com/partners . About Richey May Based in Denver, Colorado and founded in 1985, Richey May provides full-service advisory and technology consulting, along with assurance and tax services to clients nationwide. The firm specializes in mortgage banking, financial services, and other regulated industries, offering a wide range of tailored solutions to meet the needs of many different organizations, from Fortune 1000 companies to successful privately held companies and their owners. For more information, visit www.richeymay.com . About Domo Domo puts data to work for everyone so they can multiply their impact on the business. Our cloud-native data experience platform goes beyond traditional business intelligence and analytics, making data visible and actionable with user-friendly dashboards and apps. Underpinned by AI, data science and a secure data foundation that connects with existing cloud and legacy systems, Domo helps companies optimize critical business processes at scale and in record time to spark the bold curiosity that powers exponential business results. For more information, visit www.domo.com . You can also follow Domo on LinkedIn , X and Facebook . Domo is a registered trademark of Domo, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210461101/en/ CONTACT: Domo Contact Cynthia Cowen PR@domo.com KEYWORD: UTAH COLORADO UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY FINANCE BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SOFTWARE INTERNET DATA ANALYTICS DATA MANAGEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Domo, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/10/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/10/2024 04:06 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210461101/en

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Ryan Clark tears up in emotional tribute to 'superhuman' Randy Moss amid major health scare READ MORE: Tom Brady's heartfelt message to Randy Moss amid health scare By LEOCCIANO CALLAO Published: 20:30, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 20:58, 13 December 2024 e-mail 11 shares View comments ESPN's Ryan Clark had watery eyes as he extended his thoughts to Randy Moss and his family amid the legendary wide receiver's health scare. Earlier in December, Moss rallied fans in prayer on social media after revealing he had been 'battling something internally'. The remarks came as he explained why he wore sunglasses during Sunday NFL Countdown. Viewers also noticed Moss' eyes appearing yellow during an airing of the program, leading to him making a public statement without revealing what he is dealing with. Speaking on The Pivot podcast, Clark paid a heartfelt tribute to his fellow football analyst and revealed that he had reached out to Moss following the news. 'My prayers are with them. I reached out to Randy... I mean, just to check in,' Clark said. 'Not so he replies or to be in his business. 'But I would hope if I'm going through something, that I have at least made public that I'm going through something, that people who cared about me would reach out to say they care,' he added. Randy Moss is a hero to many. He was a tall, lean, ultimately talented, speed receiver from Rand, West Virginia with Super Human skill! He was no bigger hero to anyone than his son Thaddeus & his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as he takes time to get his health... pic.twitter.com/ZU4sJfvvW0 — Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 13, 2024 Ryan Clark paid a heartfelt tribute to Randy Moss following news of his ongoing health scare Read More ESPN analysts pay emotional tribute to Randy Moss at start of NFL Countdown 'Would reach out to say that 'I heard your call for prayers and as a prayer warrior myself, I'm joining you in reaching out to God for help.'' Clark then cited how much he looked up to his father and the strength he found in him, despite not being 'superhuman' like Moss. 'I can only think about my dad,' Clark shared. 'I remember being a little kid and I was about to fight this kid down the street. His dad was outside egging me on, teasing me. Because my mom was down there and she didn't want me to fight. ' 'And I remember saying 'You wouldn't say that to my dad.' I remember being so brave because my pops would whip him,' he continued. 'I didn't know if he could but he was my dad. And my dad wasn't one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.' 'I couldn't imagine having Randy Moss as my dad and believing that he is superhuman, and being blessed with all of these traits that mere mortals aren't blessed with... then having to be faced with his mortality. That would be very hard for me.' Clark also addressed how Larry Fitzgerald Sr. and Brett Favre disclosed Moss' supposed condition. 'Whether I knew what was wrong with him or we knew what's wrong with him or not, I would be so protective of him, I would want that to be his to disclose,' Clark said. In a video posted on Instagram, Moss said: 'Throughout the week of the holidays, your boy has been battling something internal. Last week, fans were concerned for Moss as they saw his eyes appearing yellow on TV Moss was wearing sunglasses on NFL Countdown due to an 'internal' health issue 'I just ask for all the prayer warriors to put their blessings on me and my family in these hard times. 'People were asking about my eyes last week. If you see these on in Sunday NFL Countdown (puts on glasses) Adam Schefter calls them the Michigan turnover glasses that they sent from Ohio last night. 'Your boy is going to get through it. I got a great team of doctors, and I got a great family around me. On December 6, ESPN announced that Moss stepped away from his duties with the network to deal with his condition. 'So many times, we were just taught to go through everything and be strong and be tough,' Clark said. 'But we can't beat it all. And time waits on no man. And Father Time is undefeated.' 'From my family to my Pivot family, Randy, we love you. You are, to many of us, superhuman and a superhero - I know for your family, for sure. Our prayers are definitely with y'all.' Across his career, Moss led the NFL in receiving touchdowns five times - including in 2007 when he set the all-time record for touchdown catches in a season. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame in 2018, and was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team and the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Share or comment on this article: Ryan Clark tears up in emotional tribute to 'superhuman' Randy Moss amid major health scare e-mail 11 shares Add commentBELLVILLE — DJ Sanders doesn’t like attention. But as the Bellville senior stood in front of a packed gym on Wednesday morning to sign to play college football during the early signing period, all eyes were on the 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive lineman. Interview after interview, phone call and texts after another, Sanders maintained himself. He’s been that way through the entire recruiting process, Bellville head coach Grady Rowe told the crowd. “If you know DJ Sanders, you know what I mean,” Rowe said to a student body of 741 in a town with a population of 4,200. Ultimately, Sanders signed with Texas A&M on Wednesday. The four-star prospect has been committed to the Aggies since August. He’s A&M’s highest-rated defensive lineman in the Aggies’ 24-member 2025 class, which is ranked eighth nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings. A late push to flip his pledge came from rival Texas, though. The Longhorns stayed on him all the way up until Wednesday morning when he got a call from a staff member in Austin. Sanders told the Texas coach he was going to stick with A&M because he’s a man of his word. Sanders admits it was hard to keep, but he stayed strong. A&M announced he had signed at 8:30 a.m. “My family, they always say be true to your word,” Sanders said, “so I had to stand by that.” A&M head coach Mike Elko said Wednesday that Sanders was a player who was heavily sought after during the recruiting process as Sanders held more than 20 offers. Elko and his staff were excited when Sanders put pen to paper on Wednesday. “We had a lot of kids in this class who committed to us early that we set out to get early, DJ certainly is one of them, that a lot of schools never stopped [recruiting],” Elko said. “I think as the process goes on, it becomes a money grab. You see people throwing more and more and more to try to get kids to try and change their mind. We want kids that are about value. We want kids that are about a little bit more than that. “I think it validates when all of those kids sign with us that we picked the right character kids, the right character families. You have a group of kids that are committed to coming here to play at Texas A&M to win championships, to go to the NFL. I think finding kids that that is the main focus in this day-and-age with all of this is really critical and I think we were able to do that.” The biggest kid in the room Sanders has always been a big kid. After all, he was born 10 pounds, 8 ounces. Howard Bryan, Sanders’ maternal grandfather, coached DJ and his younger brother, DD Murray, who signed to play running back at Arkansas State on Wednesday, for youth football and basketball. “If it’s a dream, we don’t want to wake up,” Bryant said. “It’s been wonderful. It means a lot, something we talked about with the boys when they were like 8 years old.” Rowe first noticed Sanders had special talent when he watched him dribble a basketball in elementary school. Sanders hit a growth spurt in middle school. His mother, Connie Sanders-Franklin, said she was surprised how big and tall Sanders got. When Sanders reached high school, Rowe spoke with his family and had a simple message: Get ready. It’s going to get crazy. Soon after in a scrimmage, Bellville was missing a defensive end. Rowe called up Sanders. When Sanders beat a Navasota offensive tackle like there was nobody there, Rowe turned to his coaches and told them, “Boys, we got one.” Bellville’s field is nicknamed “The Pasture of Pain.” Sanders made it painful place for his opponents to play. As a four-year letter winner, he had over 300 tackles, 42.5 tackles for loss and 36.5 sacks. Bellville won four straight district titles and made a Class 4A Division II state championship game appearance in 2023. It was during Sanders’ sophomore year of high school that Bryant realized his grandson was becoming a special talent. He noticed the way Sanders loved the game. “He loved being around it and that’s what he wanted to do," Bryant said. A hectic process Although Rowe anticipated Sanders’ recruitment would get crazy, he said nobody in Sanders’ circle was aware how crazy it would actually get, right down to the wire. Rowe recalled how from the beginning though, Sanders was clear on one thing: When he committed, that was the school he was going to attend. When A&M hired Elko last November, the Aggies’ new head coach showed up to Bellville during his first week on the job and made it clear that Sanders was a priority target. Over the coming months, Sanders built relationships with A&M’s defensive line coaches — Tony Jerod-Eddie and Sean Spencer — that were different from other coaches. Sanders-Franklin said A&M was the school her son visited the most throughout the process. Bryant was there for every one of them. Sanders took an official visit to A&M in June. Mom shared advice along the way. “Don’t go where the money takes you,” Sanders-Franklin said. “Go where you’re happy, where you’ll have fun and enjoy college years. That’s what I really instilled in him." When Sanders announced his commitment on Aug. 7, he texted Sanders-Franklin early in the day that he had made a decision. She immediately went home and asked him if he was sure he wanted to do this. He did. A simple announcement came via social media at around 10 p.m. that night. “A guy that didn’t want to be live-streamed when he committed and just didn’t want all the attention on him is rare,” Rowe said. “It’s special. He had college coaches not knowing what was going on, and then you throw in the media that goes along with it, at times it was kind of fun because they couldn’t figure anything out and I would tell them, ‘Hey, there’s nothing to figure out. This is DJ.’” The battle was far from over, though. Schools sought Sanders for the next four months up until Wednesday. “They didn’t back off until the very end,” Sanders-Franklin. “They kept it going. They didn’t give up.” But Sanders never wavered. “Up until the last minute,” Rowe said, “he stuck to his guns when there were reasons possibly not to.” A hard-working family man During A&M’s in-house signing day show, Jerod-Eddie said Sanders is built like a brahma bull, but is light on his feet like a ballerina. He added that Sanders moves with grace and has versatility. “This guy’s got tremendous upside,” Spencer added. “Humble kid, great family. Mrs. Connie, Mr. Howard, it’s just a great family and really built for the Aggies.” Sanders projects to play defensive tackle at A&M. He said he likes the way Elko and the Aggie defensive coaches move players around the line. “He’s going to be a guy that’s going to line up, next play, go, then go to the next play and he’s going to give them all he has, but you’re not going to see a whole bunch of me, me, me stuff,” Rowe said. Nothing comes before family to Sanders’ kin. Sanders-Franklin was born and raised in Bellville. Her family lives all over the place, but she stayed in Bellville because of her boys. They wanted to grow up and play football there. More than a dozen of them gathered inside the Bellville High School gym on Wednesday to not only celebrate Sanders, but Murray as well. After dozens of pictures were taken with family, friends, coaches and classmates, Sanders shared he was excited to be done with the process. Sanders-Franklin said she thought her son made the right decision for himself. Sanders described himself as a leader and faithful. He stayed faithful to the Aggies on Wednesday. Not doing so would have brought attention upon himself. And that’s not DJ Sanders. “Let his word be his word,” Bryant said. “That’s what he promised and that’s what he did.”