Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In PACS Group To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 in PACS Group between (a) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) issued in connection with the Company’s April 11, 2024 initial public offering (“IPO” or the “Offering”); and/or (b) all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired PACS common stock pursuant, or traceable, or both, to the SPO Materials (as defined herein) issued in connection with PACS’ September 2024 secondary public offering (the “SPO”); and/or (c) securities between April 11, 2024 and November 5, 2024 inclusive (the “Class Period”) and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310) . [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP , a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against PACS Group, Inc. (“PACS Group” or the “Company”) (NYSE: PACS) and reminds investors of the January 13, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com . As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) that the Company engaged in a “scheme” to submit false Medicare claims which “drove more than 100% of PACS’ operating and net income from 2020 – 2023”; (2) that the Company engaged in a “scheme” to “bill thousands of unnecessary respiratory and sensory integration therapies to Medicare”; (3) that the Company engaged in a scheme to falsify documentation related to licensure and staffing; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On April 11, 2024, PACS Group conducted its IPO, selling 21,428,572 shares of common stock at a price of $21.00 per share, received net proceeds of approximately $450 million. On September 3, 2024, PACS filed with the SEC a registration statement for a secondary offering on Form S-1 (the “SPO Registration Statement”). On September 6, 2024, PACS filed with the SEC a prospectus for the SPO on Form 424B4, which formed part of the SPO Registration Statement (the “SPO Prospectus” and together with the SPO Registration Statement and attendant materials filed or published with these forms, the “SPO Materials.” PACS issued 2,777,778 shares of common stock at $36.25 per share for proceeds of $100.7 million to the Company. Through the SPO, PACS insiders also sold 16,256,704 shares of common stock at $36.25 per share for proceeds of $589.3 million. On November 4, 2024, Hindenburg Research published a report based on a 5-month investigation that included interviews with 18 former PACS Group employees, competitors, and an analysis of more than 900 PACS facility cost reports. The report alleged the Company had “abused a COVID-era waiver” in a “scheme” that involved falsely submitting false Medicare claims which “drove more than 100% of PACS’ operating and net income from 2020 – 2023, enabling PACS to IPO in early 2024 with the illusion of legitimate growth and profitability.” The report further alleged the Company engaged in a scheme to maintain revenue by “bill[ing] thousands of unnecessary respiratory and sensory integration therapies to Medicare Part B regardless of clinical need or outcomes.” The report also alleged a widespread practice of falsifying documentation, including by engaging in a “scheme whereby PACS attempts to fool regulators by ‘renting’ licenses from third parties to ‘hang’ on buildings” and then “either employs unlicensed administrators or has administrators manage multiple buildings in excess of state mandated limits.” Similarly, the report alleges the Company engaged in a scheme related to licensure and staffing of nurses, whereby “PACS secretly lists uncertified nurse aides (NAs) as certified in the system, in an apparent scheme to cheat staffing ratios” and “retroactively add fake RN hours” in order “to meet minimum staffing requirements, boost star ratings, and avoid costly penalties.” On this news, the Company’s share price fell $11.93 or 27.78%, to close at $31.01 per share on November 4, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. Then, on November 6, 2024, before the market opened, the Company announced that it would postpone its fiscal third quarter 2024 earnings release. The Company further disclosed it had “received civil investigative demands from the federal government regarding the Company’s reimbursement and referral practices that may or may not be related to this week’s third-party report.” On this news, the Company’s share price fell $11.45 or 38.76%, to close at $18.09 per share on November 6, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. By the commencement of this action, PACS Group stock has traded as low as $18.09 per share, a more than 13.9% decline from the $21 per share IPO price. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding PACS Group’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the PACS Group class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/PACS or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310) . Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , on X , or on Facebook . Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP ( www.faruqilaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e848124-9c14-4bab-ba13-256ecec0c433Digital IDs and Financial Services Collaboration Strengthen Proactive Fraud PreventionUnder Voltage Protection: A Modern Solution for Electrical Safetygstar28 。

NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing . But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin , gold and other investments also drove higher. Here’s a look at some of the numbers that defined the year. All are as of Dec. 20. Remember when President Bill Clinton got impeached or when baseball’s Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run against the Montreal Expos? That was the last time the U.S. stock market closed out a second straight year with a leap of at least 20%, something the S&P 500 is on track to do again this year. The index has climbed 24.3% so far this year, not including dividends, following last year’s spurt of 24.2%. The number of all-time highs the S&P 500 has set so far this year. The first came early, on Jan. 19, when the index capped a two-year comeback from the swoon caused by high inflation and worries that high interest rates instituted by the Federal Reserve to combat it would create a recession. But the index was methodical through the rest of the year, setting a record in every month outside of April and August, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The latest came on Dec. 6. The number of times the Federal Reserve has cut its main interest rate this year from a two-decade high, offering some relief to the economy. Expectations for those cuts, along with hopes for more in 2025, were a big reason the U.S. stock market has been so successful this year. The 1 percentage point of cuts, though, is still short of the 1.5 percentage points that many traders were forecasting for 2024 at the start of the year. The Fed disappointed investors in December when it said it may cut rates just two more times in 2025, fewer than it had earlier expected. That’s how many points the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by the day after Election Day, as investors made bets on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world . The more widely followed S&P 500 soared 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. Aside from bitcoin, stocks of banks and smaller winners were also perceived to be big winners. The bump has since diminished amid worries that Trump’s policies could also send inflation higher. The level that bitcoin topped to set a record above $108,000 this past month. It’s been climbing as interest rates come down, and it got a particularly big boost following Trump’s election. He’s turned around and become a fan of crypto, and he’s named a former regulator who’s seen as friendly to digital currencies as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing someone who critics said was overly aggressive in his oversight. Bitcoin was below $17,000 just two years ago following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Gold’s rise for the year, as it also hit records and had as strong a run as U.S. stocks. Wars around the world have helped drive demand for investments seen as safe, such as gold. It’s also benefited from the Fed’s cut to interest rates. When bonds are paying less in interest, they pull away fewer potential buyers from gold, which pays investors nothing. It’s a favorite number of Elon Musk, and it’s also a threshold that Tesla’s stock price passed in December as it set a record. The number has a long history among marijuana devotees, and Musk famously said in 2018 that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Tesla soared this year, up from less than $250 at the start, in part because of expectations that Musk’s close relationship with Trump could benefit the company. That’s how much revenue Nvidia made in the nine months through Oct. 27, showing how the artificial-intelligence frenzy is creating mountains of cash. Nvidia’s chips are driving much of the move into AI, and its revenue through the last nine months catapulted from less than $39 billion the year before. Such growth has boosted Nvidia’s worth to more than $3 trillion in total. GameStop’s gain on May 13 after Keith Gill, better known as “Roaring Kitty,” appeared online for the first time in three years to support the video game retailer’s stock, which he helped rocket to unimaginable heights during the “ meme stock craze ” in 2021. Several other meme stocks also jumped following his post in May on the social platform X, including AMC Entertainment. Gill later disclosed a sizeable stake in the online pet products retailer Chewy, but he sold all of his holdings by late October . That’s how much the U.S. economy grew, at annualized seasonally adjusted rates, in each of the three first quarters of this year. Such growth blew past what many pessimists were expecting when inflation was topping 9% in the summer of 2022. The fear was that the medicine prescribed by the Fed to beat high inflation — high interest rates — would create a recession. Households at the lower end of the income spectrum in particular are feeling pain now, as they contend with still-high prices. But the overall economy has remained remarkably resilient. This is the vacancy rate for U.S. office buildings — an all-time high — through the first three quarters of 2024, according to data from Moody’s. The fact the rate held steady for most of the year was something of a win for office building owners, given that it had marched up steadily from 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Demand for office space weakened as the pandemic led to the popularization of remote work. That’s the total number of previously occupied homes sold nationally through the first 11 months of 2024. Sales would have to surge 20% year-over-year in December for 2024’s home sales to match the 4.09 million existing homes sold in 2023, a nearly 30-year low. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. A shortage of homes for sale and elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many would-be homebuyers.Mayorkas and Wray skip public Senate hearing on threats to nationWhere Will Nvidia Stock Be in 10 Years?

NBA's Christmas Day ratings skyrocket, even going up against NFL gamesSam Darnold sensed the backside pressure as soon as he dropped back with Minnesota trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter in Seattle, so he moved into a safe space in the pocket and did precisely what the Vikings would prefer him to do with the game on the line. He threw the ball down the field to Justin Jefferson. The perfectly placed throw near the sideline beat double coverage for a 39-yard touchdown that put the Vikings back in front with 3:51 remaining in a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday. “It was a great call,” said Jefferson, who had 10 receptions for 144 yards and two scores, all season highs. “I’m not going to say too much about that play, but something went on where me and Sam were on the same page, and he found me and we went up.” The Vikings were understandably coy about the context around the go-ahead touchdown , when Darnold made a difficult on-the-run pass just over cornerback Tariq Woolen that Jefferson deftly twisted to catch next to his backside hip so he could shield the ball from late-breaking safety Julian Love. Darnold saw Love's shoulders initially shaded inside just enough to believe he couldn't retreat fast enough to prevent Jefferson from getting the ball. Jefferson also applied some improvisation to his route that Darnold clearly and properly read during the play. “I want those guys to have some freedom in those moments,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “We do a lot of things with Justin and Sam, seeing the coverage and then with some route opportunities to get to at the line of scrimmage, and I think those guys have just gotten so comfortable with that stuff.” Darnold's long-delayed breakout performance under O'Connell has been one of the stories of the NFL this season, one that wouldn't have unfolded as neatly for the third overall pick in the 2018 draft without such synergy between him and his superstar wide receiver. If the Vikings (13-2) win their last two games, they will not only be NFC North champions for the second time in three years but also get the No. 1 seed and the lone first-round bye in the NFC for the playoffs. “Every single game we’re finding different ways to overcome adversity, overcome the different stuff defenses have thrown towards us," Jefferson said. “Sam has done a great job being a leader.” What's working The pass rush was strong, with Andrew Van Ginkel recording two sacks and pressure leading to both interceptions of Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. The Vikings were credited with eight hits on Smith. What needs help The Vikings converted only three of 12 third downs, their second-worst rate of the season. Stock up Theo Jackson, who saw significant playing time at safety with Harrison Smith out, had the game-sealing interception with 49 seconds left. Stock down Tight end Josh Oliver has played 47% of the snaps the last two games, his two lowest usage rates of the season. He dropped the only pass he was thrown on Sunday. Injury report The defense ought to get a big boost this week with the expected return of the 13-year veteran Smith from his first absence in two years when he was sidelined at Seattle with a foot injury. Linebacker Ivan Pace, who has missed four games on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, is also on track to be back with his return to practice. Backup defensive lineman Jalen Redmond, who didn't play against the Seahawks because of a concussion, has made progress through the protocol, O'Connell said. Backup cornerback Fabian Moreau, who was inactive at Seattle with a hip injury, will continue to be evaluated throughout the week. Key number 13.6% — That's the third-down conversion allowance rate for the Vikings over the last two games, with Chicago and Seattle combining to go just 3 for 22. The Vikings rank second in the NFL in third-down defense at 33.7% for the season and also rank second on fourth down at 36.7%. Up next The Vikings host Green Bay on Sunday, with the kickoff moved to the late afternoon showcase spot on Fox. If Minnesota loses to the Packers, the Lions will clinch the NFC North and the Vikings would open the playoffs on the road as the No. 5 seed at best. Even if the Lions were to lose at San Francisco on Monday night, the Vikings would need to win at Detroit on Jan. 5 to take the division title. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, The Associated Press

Sophomore wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., one of the top skill-position targets in the transfer portal, is headed to Auburn to catch passes from Jackson Arnold. Singleton had a team-high 56 catches for 754 yards and three touchdowns with Georgia Tech in 2024 after posting 48 receptions for 714 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman in 2023. Auburn announced Singleton's signing Monday on social media. Arnold opted to transfer out of Oklahoma and picked Auburn, which has been extremely active since finishing the season 5-7. Along with Singleton and Arnold, the Tigers landed Wake Forest wide receiver Horatio Fields and Maryland tight end Preston Howard. Texas, LSU, Miami and Ole Miss all pushed to land Singleton. A product of Alexander High School in Douglasville (Ga.), Singleton was rated a three-star recruit in 2023 and had offers from Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Troy but not Georgia. Players who enter the transfer portal are permitted to return to their original school. Georgia Tech (7-5) was selected for the Birmingham Bowl and plays Vanderbilt (6-6) on Friday. --Field Level Media

Chris Cenac Jr., the top center in the Class of 2025 according to the ESPN100, has committed to play for the Houston Cougars. The five-star recruit announced his decision Tuesday via the Bleacher Report's B/R App. Cenac previously said he wouldn't make his decision until the spring, but his stock soared over the summer after his impressive play on the Puma Pro 16 circuit with Dallas-based YGC, vaulting him into the national top-10 rankings. The 6-foot-10 New Orleans native was reportedly choosing between LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky, Tennessee and others before making the decision to join Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson's team. "I just like the coaching staff a lot, I like their plan to develop me and I like coming into a winning program," Cenac told 247Sports. "I'm looking forward to producing and just helping them win more. But the main thing was development and them being able to get me better so I can be ready for that next level." Cenac's rating of .9978 by 247Sports Composite makes him the Cougars' highest-rated commit in the modern era, according to multiple outlets. "They see me as a four who can kind of play all over the court and do everything," Cenac told 247Sports. "I can get rebounds, push the ball, shoot and play all over the floor." With Cenac joining other Houston commits like five-star shooting guard Isaiah Harwell, four-star point guard Kingston Flemings and three-star wing Bryce Jackson, Houston's Class of 2025 is ranked No. 2 in the nation by 247Sports and ESPN. --Field Level Media

The year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upwardCheers, jeers and long walk fears: Lottery decides freshman office spotsLetter: Doubts about Trump presidency

Town of Monument restricts psychedelic healing centers to limited locations

Databricks nears record $9.5 billion VC raise, eyes extra $4.5 billion debt

Chicago Blackhawks call up Frank Nazar, their top offensive prospectToo early to celebrate – Arne Slot keeps leaders Liverpool focusedJANUARY Dec. 26-5 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship, Ottawa, Quebec. Dec. 27-5 _ Men’s and women’s tennis, United Cup, Sydney. Dec. 27-5 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, United Cup, Sydney. Dec. 28-6 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, 4-Hills Tournament, multiple locations. Dec. 29-5 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Brisbane International, Australia. Dec. 29-5 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Brisbane International, Brisbane, Australia. Dec. 30-11 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, ASB Classic, Auckland, New Zealand. Dec. 30-4 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Canberra 125, Canberra, Australia. Dec. 30-5 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, ASB Classic, Auckland, New Zealand. Dec. 31-1 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Two-Nights-Tour, Germany, multiple locations. 1 _ College football, Rose Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal), Pasadena, Calif. 1 _ College football, Sugar Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal), New Orleans. 1 _ College football, Peach Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal), Atlanta. 2 _ College football, Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Fla. 2-5 _ Men’s Golf, PGA Tour, The Sentry, Kapalua, Hawaii. 3 _ College football, Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Charlotte, N.C. 3 _ College football, First Responders Bowl, Dallas. 3 _ Pro Football, Pro Bowl rosters released. 3-4 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Klagenfurt, Austria. 3-5 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, Winterberg, Germany. 3-5 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Sigulda, Latvia. 4 _ College football, Bahamas Bowl, Nassau, Bahamas. 4-12 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship, Vantaa, Finland. 4-5 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. 5 _ Pro basketball, NBA 10-day contracts may now be signed. 5 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Klagenfurt, Austria. 5-11 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division I, Group A, Budapest, Hungary. 5-6 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Villach, Austria. 6 _ College football, FCS Championship, Frisco, Texas. 6 _ Pro football, NFL Clubs may begin signing free agent players. 6-11 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Adelaide International 1, Adelaide, Australia. 6-11 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Adelaide International 1, Adelaide, Australia. 6-11 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Hobart International, Hobart, Australia. 6-12 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship, Division II, Group A, Zagreb, Croatia. 7-12 _ Figure Skating, Sofia Trophy, Sofia, Bulgaria. 7-12 _ Shooting, ISSF 10m GP, Ruse, Slovenia. 7-13 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division I, Group B, Katowice, Poland. 8 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Madonna, Italy. 8 _ Pro Football, rosters are frozen for clubs participating in the postseason with limited exceptions. 8-19 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF North American Cup, Park City, Utah. 9 _ College football, Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal), Miami. 9 _ Major League Baseball, salary arbitration figures exchanged. 9-10 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Kreischberg, Austria. 9-12 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Sony Open in Hawaii, Honolulu. 10 _ College football, Cotton Bowl (CFP Semifinal), Dallas. 10 _ Pro basketball, NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of season. 10-11 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway. 10-12 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 10-12 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Socal Nationals, City of Industry, Calif. 10-12 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Altenberg, Germany. 10-12 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Team Cup, Dubai, UAE. 10-12 _ Speedskating, ISU European Championship, Heerenveen, Netherlands. 11 _ Cross Country, USATF Cross Country Championship, Lubbock, Texas. 11 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Anaheim, Calif. 11 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Scuol, Switzerland. 11 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Kreischberg, Austria. 11-12 _ Cycling, UCI Indoor Cycling, Dutch Artistic International Cycling Contest, Moergestel/Oisterwijk, Netherlands. 11-12 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Adelboden, Switzerland. 11-12 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, St. Anton, Austria. 11-13 _ Pro Football, NFL wild card playoffs. 11-17 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship, Division I, Group B, Tallinn, Estonia. 12-15 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, Paradise Island, Bahamas. 12-26 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia. 12-26 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia. 12-Feb. 10 _ Men’s soccer, Asian Cup, Qatar. 14 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Flachau, Austria. 14-15 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Bad Gastein, Austria. 14-17 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Laax, Switzerland. 14-17 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Reiteralm, Austria. 14-17 _ NCAA Convention, Phoenix. 15 _ Major League Baseball, International signing period opens, 9 a.m. EST. 15 _ Pro football, Deadline for college underclassmen to apply for special eligibility. 15-16 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway. 15-18 _ Skeleton, IBSF Junior World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 16-18 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii. 16-19 _ Figure Skating, Volvo Open Cup, Riga, Latvia. 16-19 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai, UAE. 16-19 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The American Express, La Quinta, Calif. 16-19 _ Men’s golf, USGA, The Latin America Amateur, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 17-19 _ Auto racing, IMSA SportsCar, Roar Before The Rolex 24 at Daytona, Daytona Beach, Fla. 17-19 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Europe Cup, Patscherkofel, Austria. 17-19 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Sunshine State Nationals, West Palm Beach, Fla. 17-19 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Santos Tour Down Under, Adelaide, Australia. 17-19 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Winterberg, Germany. 17-19 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Wengen, Switzerland. 18 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, San Diego. 18 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Laax, Switzerland. 18-13 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division II, Group B, Istanbul. 18-19 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway. 18-19 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF World Cup, Patscherkofel, Austria. 18-19 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Lake Placid, N.Y. 18-19 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, European Championship, Winterberg, Germany. 18-19 _ Men’s and Women’s skiing, FIS World Cup Nordic Combined, Schonach, Germany. 18-19 _ Pro Football, NFL Divisional playoffs. 18-19 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, Zakopane, Poland. 18-19 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Sapporo, Japan. 18-19 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Bansko, Bulgaria. 18-19 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 19 _ Running, Houston Marathon. 19-22 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, Great Abaco, Bahamas. 19-25 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship Division II, Group B, Belgrade, Serbia. 20 _ College football, National Championship, Atlanta 20 _ College football, National Championship, Atlanta. 20-25 _ Bowling, PBA, Delaware Classic, Middletown, Del. 20-26 _ Figure Skating, Bavarian Open, Oberstdorf, Germany. 20-26 _ Figure Skating, U.S. Figure Skating Championship, Wichita, Kansas. 20-26 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division II, Group A, Riga, Latvia. 21 _ Major League Baseball, Baseball Hall of Fame, BBWAA voting announced, 6 p.m. EST. 21 _ Pro basketball, WNBA teams can begin negotiations with free agents. 21 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kronplatz, Italy. 21-26 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Santos Tour Down Under, Adelaide, Australia. 22-25 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Farmers Insurance Open, San Diego. 22-26 _ Auto racing, IMSA SportsCar, Rolex 24 at Daytona, Daytona Beach, Fla. 22-27 _ Figure Skating, Reykjavik International Games, Reykjavik, Iceland. 23-25 _ Men’s and women’s skiing and snowboarding, X Games, Aspen, Colo. 23-26 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship, Division III, Zagreb, Croatia. 23-26 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Ras Al Khaimah Championship, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. 23-27 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF North American Cup, Lake Placid, N.Y. 24-25 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Waterville Valley, N.H. 24-25 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Dolni Morava, Czech Republic. 24-26 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Oberhof, Germany. 24-26 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuehel, Austria. 24-26 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, Oberstdorf, Germany. 24-26 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Zao, Japan. 24-26 _ Speedskating, ISU World Cup, Calgary, Alberta. 25 _ Figure Skating, Sarajevo Open, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 25 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Anaheim, Calif. 25 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Rogla, Slovenia. 25-26 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF World Cup, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 25-26 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Lac-Beauport, Quebec. 25-26 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. 26 _ Pro football, AFC and NFC Championship Games. 26-Feb. 2 _ Bowling, PBA, U.S. Open, Indianapolis. 27-Feb. 2 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship Division III, Group A, Istanbul. 27-Feb. 2 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Open Occitanie, Montpellier, France. 27-Feb. 2 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Singapore Open, Singapore. 27-Feb. 2 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Upper Austria Ladies Linz, Linz, Austria. 27-Feb. 14 _ Major League Baseball, Salary arbitration hearings. 28-29 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Schladming, Austria. 28-Feb. 2 _ Figure Skating, ISU European Championship, Tallinn, Estonia. 29-30 _ Figure Skating, ISU Edge Cup, Katowice, Poland. 30 _ College football, The East-West Shrine Bowl, Dallas. 30 _ Pro Football, NFL East-West Shrine Bowl. 30 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Courchevel, France. 30-Feb. 1 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Europe Cup, Sigulda, Latvia. 30-Feb. 2 _ Figure Skating, Europa Cup, Belgrade, Serbia. 30-Feb. 2 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Veysonnaz, Switzerland. 30-Feb. 2 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Bahrain Championship, Kingdom of Bahrain, Bahrain. 30-Feb. 2 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Panama Championship, Panama City. 30-Feb. 2 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Pebble Beach, Calif. 30-Feb. 2 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Orlando, Fla. 30-Feb. 6 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Aspen, Colo. 31 _ Men’s soccer, Europa League, knockout phase playoff draw. 31-Feb. 1 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Sigulda, Latvia. 31-Feb. 1 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Lanaudière, Quebec. 31-Feb. 1 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Willingen, Germany. 31-Feb. 2 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Blue Ridge Nationals, Lexington, Va. 31-Feb. 2 _ Men’s and women’s skiing, FIS World Cup Nordic Combined, Seefeld, Austria. 31-Feb. 2 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Davis Cup Qualifiers, First Round, multiple locations. 31-Feb. 2 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, Willingen, Germany. 31-Feb. 2 _ Speedskating, ISU World Cup, Milwaukee. Dec. 26-5 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship, Ottawa, Quebec. Dec. 27-5 _ Men’s and women’s tennis, United Cup, Sydney. Dec. 27-5 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, United Cup, Sydney. Dec. 28-6 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, 4-Hills Tournament, multiple locations. Dec. 29-5 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Brisbane International, Australia. Dec. 29-5 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Brisbane International, Brisbane, Australia. Dec. 30-11 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, ASB Classic, Auckland, New Zealand. Dec. 30-4 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Canberra 125, Canberra, Australia. Dec. 30-5 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, ASB Classic, Auckland, New Zealand. Dec. 31-1 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Two-Nights-Tour, Germany, multiple locations. 1 _ College football, Rose Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal), Pasadena, Calif. 1 _ College football, Sugar Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal), New Orleans. 1 _ College football, Peach Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal), Atlanta. 2 _ College football, Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Fla. 2-5 _ Men’s Golf, PGA Tour, The Sentry, Kapalua, Hawaii. 3 _ College football, Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Charlotte, N.C. 3 _ College football, First Responders Bowl, Dallas. 3 _ Pro Football, Pro Bowl rosters released. 3-4 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Klagenfurt, Austria. 3-5 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, Winterberg, Germany. 3-5 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Sigulda, Latvia. 4 _ College football, Bahamas Bowl, Nassau, Bahamas. 4-12 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship, Vantaa, Finland. 4-5 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. 5 _ Pro basketball, NBA 10-day contracts may now be signed. 5 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Klagenfurt, Austria. 5-11 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division I, Group A, Budapest, Hungary. 5-6 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Villach, Austria. 6 _ College football, FCS Championship, Frisco, Texas. 6 _ Pro football, NFL Clubs may begin signing free agent players. 6-11 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Adelaide International 1, Adelaide, Australia. 6-11 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Adelaide International 1, Adelaide, Australia. 6-11 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Hobart International, Hobart, Australia. 6-12 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship, Division II, Group A, Zagreb, Croatia. 7-12 _ Figure Skating, Sofia Trophy, Sofia, Bulgaria. 7-12 _ Shooting, ISSF 10m GP, Ruse, Slovenia. 7-13 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division I, Group B, Katowice, Poland. 8 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Madonna, Italy. 8 _ Pro Football, rosters are frozen for clubs participating in the postseason with limited exceptions. 8-19 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF North American Cup, Park City, Utah. 9 _ College football, Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal), Miami. 9 _ Major League Baseball, salary arbitration figures exchanged. 9-10 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Kreischberg, Austria. 9-12 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Sony Open in Hawaii, Honolulu. 10 _ College football, Cotton Bowl (CFP Semifinal), Dallas. 10 _ Pro basketball, NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of season. 10-11 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway. 10-12 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 10-12 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Socal Nationals, City of Industry, Calif. 10-12 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Altenberg, Germany. 10-12 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Team Cup, Dubai, UAE. 10-12 _ Speedskating, ISU European Championship, Heerenveen, Netherlands. 11 _ Cross Country, USATF Cross Country Championship, Lubbock, Texas. 11 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Anaheim, Calif. 11 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Scuol, Switzerland. 11 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Kreischberg, Austria. 11-12 _ Cycling, UCI Indoor Cycling, Dutch Artistic International Cycling Contest, Moergestel/Oisterwijk, Netherlands. 11-12 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Adelboden, Switzerland. 11-12 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, St. Anton, Austria. 11-13 _ Pro Football, NFL wild card playoffs. 11-17 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship, Division I, Group B, Tallinn, Estonia. 12-15 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, Paradise Island, Bahamas. 12-26 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia. 12-26 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia. 12-Feb. 10 _ Men’s soccer, Asian Cup, Qatar. 14 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Flachau, Austria. 14-15 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Bad Gastein, Austria. 14-17 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Laax, Switzerland. 14-17 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Reiteralm, Austria. 14-17 _ NCAA Convention, Phoenix. 15 _ Major League Baseball, International signing period opens, 9 a.m. EST. 15 _ Pro football, Deadline for college underclassmen to apply for special eligibility. 15-16 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway. 15-18 _ Skeleton, IBSF Junior World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 16-18 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii. 16-19 _ Figure Skating, Volvo Open Cup, Riga, Latvia. 16-19 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai, UAE. 16-19 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The American Express, La Quinta, Calif. 16-19 _ Men’s golf, USGA, The Latin America Amateur, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 17-19 _ Auto racing, IMSA SportsCar, Roar Before The Rolex 24 at Daytona, Daytona Beach, Fla. 17-19 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Europe Cup, Patscherkofel, Austria. 17-19 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Sunshine State Nationals, West Palm Beach, Fla. 17-19 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Santos Tour Down Under, Adelaide, Australia. 17-19 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Winterberg, Germany. 17-19 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Wengen, Switzerland. 18 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, San Diego. 18 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Laax, Switzerland. 18-13 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division II, Group B, Istanbul. 18-19 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway. 18-19 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF World Cup, Patscherkofel, Austria. 18-19 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Lake Placid, N.Y. 18-19 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, European Championship, Winterberg, Germany. 18-19 _ Men’s and Women’s skiing, FIS World Cup Nordic Combined, Schonach, Germany. 18-19 _ Pro Football, NFL Divisional playoffs. 18-19 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, Zakopane, Poland. 18-19 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Sapporo, Japan. 18-19 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Bansko, Bulgaria. 18-19 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 19 _ Running, Houston Marathon. 19-22 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, Great Abaco, Bahamas. 19-25 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship Division II, Group B, Belgrade, Serbia. 20 _ College football, National Championship, Atlanta 20 _ College football, National Championship, Atlanta. 20-25 _ Bowling, PBA, Delaware Classic, Middletown, Del. 20-26 _ Figure Skating, Bavarian Open, Oberstdorf, Germany. 20-26 _ Figure Skating, U.S. Figure Skating Championship, Wichita, Kansas. 20-26 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division II, Group A, Riga, Latvia. 21 _ Major League Baseball, Baseball Hall of Fame, BBWAA voting announced, 6 p.m. EST. 21 _ Pro basketball, WNBA teams can begin negotiations with free agents. 21 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kronplatz, Italy. 21-26 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Santos Tour Down Under, Adelaide, Australia. 22-25 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Farmers Insurance Open, San Diego. 22-26 _ Auto racing, IMSA SportsCar, Rolex 24 at Daytona, Daytona Beach, Fla. 22-27 _ Figure Skating, Reykjavik International Games, Reykjavik, Iceland. 23-25 _ Men’s and women’s skiing and snowboarding, X Games, Aspen, Colo. 23-26 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship, Division III, Zagreb, Croatia. 23-26 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Ras Al Khaimah Championship, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. 23-27 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF North American Cup, Lake Placid, N.Y. 24-25 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Waterville Valley, N.H. 24-25 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Dolni Morava, Czech Republic. 24-26 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, Oberhof, Germany. 24-26 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuehel, Austria. 24-26 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, Oberstdorf, Germany. 24-26 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Zao, Japan. 24-26 _ Speedskating, ISU World Cup, Calgary, Alberta. 25 _ Figure Skating, Sarajevo Open, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 25 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Anaheim, Calif. 25 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Rogla, Slovenia. 25-26 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF World Cup, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 25-26 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Lac-Beauport, Quebec. 25-26 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. 26 _ Pro football, AFC and NFC Championship Games. 26-Feb. 2 _ Bowling, PBA, U.S. Open, Indianapolis. 27-Feb. 2 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U20 World Championship Division III, Group A, Istanbul. 27-Feb. 2 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Open Occitanie, Montpellier, France. 27-Feb. 2 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Singapore Open, Singapore. 27-Feb. 2 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Upper Austria Ladies Linz, Linz, Austria. 27-Feb. 14 _ Major League Baseball, Salary arbitration hearings. 28-29 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Schladming, Austria. 28-Feb. 2 _ Figure Skating, ISU European Championship, Tallinn, Estonia. 29-30 _ Figure Skating, ISU Edge Cup, Katowice, Poland. 30 _ College football, The East-West Shrine Bowl, Dallas. 30 _ Pro Football, NFL East-West Shrine Bowl. 30 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Courchevel, France. 30-Feb. 1 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Europe Cup, Sigulda, Latvia. 30-Feb. 2 _ Figure Skating, Europa Cup, Belgrade, Serbia. 30-Feb. 2 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Veysonnaz, Switzerland. 30-Feb. 2 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Bahrain Championship, Kingdom of Bahrain, Bahrain. 30-Feb. 2 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Panama Championship, Panama City. 30-Feb. 2 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Pebble Beach, Calif. 30-Feb. 2 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Orlando, Fla. 30-Feb. 6 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Aspen, Colo. 31 _ Men’s soccer, Europa League, knockout phase playoff draw. 31-Feb. 1 _ Bobsleigh, IBSF Para Sport World Cup, Sigulda, Latvia. 31-Feb. 1 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Lanaudière, Quebec. 31-Feb. 1 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Willingen, Germany. 31-Feb. 2 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Blue Ridge Nationals, Lexington, Va. 31-Feb. 2 _ Men’s and women’s skiing, FIS World Cup Nordic Combined, Seefeld, Austria. 31-Feb. 2 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Davis Cup Qualifiers, First Round, multiple locations. 31-Feb. 2 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, Willingen, Germany. 31-Feb. 2 _ Speedskating, ISU World Cup, Milwaukee.

Bill Clinton, the former US president who has faced a series of health issues over the years, was admitted to hospital Monday in Washington after developing a fever, his office said. "President Clinton was admitted to Georgetown University Medical Center this afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever," the 78-year-old's deputy chief of staff Angel Urena said on social media platform X, adding Clinton "remains in good spirits." Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Asus ProArt Display 5K review: An excellent budget-friendly Apple Studio Display alternative [Video]

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron’s office announced a new government Monday, after the previous Cabinet collapsed in a prompted by fighting over the country's budget. The government, put together by newly named , includes members of the outgoing conservative-dominated team and new figures from centrist or left-leaning backgrounds. Coming up with a 2025 budget will be the most urgent order of business. The new government enters office after months of political deadlock and crisis and to reduce France’s colossal debt. Macron has until his term ends in 2027, but has struggled to govern since snap elections in the summer left no single party with a majority in the National Assembly. Since his appointment 10 days ago, Bayrou has held talks with political leaders from various parties in search of the right balance for the new government. Some critics on Monday were angry at Bayrou for consulting with Marine Le Pen’s far-right party, and some argue the government looks too much like the old one to win lawmakers’ trust. Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier prompted by , leaving France without a functioning government. Le Pen played a key role in Barnier’s downfall by joining her National Rally party’s forces with the left to pass the no-confidence motion. Bayrou will need support from moderate legislators on the right and left to keep his government alive. Banker Eric Lombard will be finance minister, a crucial post when France is working to fulfill its promises to European Union partners to reduce its deficit, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. Lombard briefly worked as an adviser to a Socialist finance minister in the 1990s. Bayrou has said he supports tax hikes championed by his predecessor, but it’s not clear how the new government can find the right calculation for a budget that satisfies a majority of lawmakers angry over spending cuts. Hard-right Bruno Retailleau stays on as interior minister, with responsibility for France’s security and migration policy. Sebastien Lecornu, who has been at the forefront of France’s military support for Ukraine, remains defense minister, while Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who has traveled extensively in the Mideast in recent weeks, also retains his post. Among new faces are two former prime ministers. Manuel Valls will be minister for overseas affairs, and Elisabeth Borne takes the education ministry. The Associated PressA s science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that open doors leading to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time-consuming, without it. But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let's consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, researchers used DNA from 30,000-year-old permafrost to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow-leafed campion. People are also reading... Importantly, genetic engineering has facilitated extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia. Thanks to AI, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic exploration. But given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNA-and genome-editing methods to re-create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal's genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, because they are closely related. Then, scientists could use the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon. But based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less effort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed. But the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well-being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource-intensive AI, researchers' time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Hosseini is an assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He wrote this for The Chicago Tribune. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!gstar288 。

As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit Washington

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 10:31 p.m. ESTFox News Politics: Wray Makes WayBitcoin proves the sceptics wrong – for now

As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit Washington

Southern California jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press women's college basketball poll on Monday after edging UConn. South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley drives to the basket against Charleston Southern guard Catherine Alben (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, S.C., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. The Trojans moved up three spots in the AP Top 25 after beating the then-No. 4 Huskies 72-70 on Saturday night in a rematch of last season's Elite Eight game that UConn won. "It feels great to get the dub always," USC star JuJu Watkins said after the victory. "I think it hit a little different knowing the history of last year and how they sent us home." This was the Trojans' first win ever over UConn. "This is a really significant win, and it's a really significant win because of the stature of UConn's program and what Geno Auriemma has done for our sport," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "It doesn't matter to me that they haven't won a championship in a couple years. There's still a way that they prepare, a way that they play, that makes you better, and it made us better." UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame remained the top three teams. The Bruins received 30 of the 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Gamecocks and the Fighting Irish each got one first-place vote. UConn fell to seventh behind Texas and LSU. Maryland, Oklahoma and Ohio State rounded out the top 10 teams. Duke dropped five spots to No. 14 after losing to South Florida on Saturday. The Blue Devils' other two losses this season were to Maryland and South Carolina. The Bulls are 7-6 on the season, with four of those losses coming against ranked opponents (UConn, Louisville, TCU and South Carolina). Alabama jumped back into the poll at No. 20 two weeks after falling out. The Crimson Tide had an impressive 82-67 victory over Michigan State, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season. It was Alabama's first victory over a ranked opponent this year. The Southeastern Conference has eight teams in the poll this week with Alabama's return. The Big Ten is next with seven. The ACC has six while the Big 12 has three and the Big East one. No. 23 Michigan at No. 4 USC, Sunday. The Wolverines start Big Ten play with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Trojans on Sunday and then the Bruins a few days later. Coach Kim Barnes Arico's young team is off to a 10-2 start. 1. UCLA (30) 12-0 798 1 2. South Carolina (1) 11-1 764 2 3. Notre Dame (1) 10-2 727 3 4. Southern Cal 11-1 688 7 5. Texas 12-1 641 6 6. LSU 14-0 636 5 7. UConn 10-2 611 4 8. Maryland 11-0 602 8 9. Oklahoma 11-1 535 10 10. Ohio St. 12-0 505 11 11. TCU 12-1 478 12 12. Kansas St 13-1 457 13 13. Georgia Tech 13-0 382 17 14. Duke 10-3 368 9 15. Tennessee 11-0 323 18 16. Kentucky 10-1 322 16 17. North Carolina 12-2 288 19 18. West Virginia 10-2 224 14 19. Michigan St. 11-1 203 15 20. Alabama 12-1 165 - 21. California 13-1 153 24 22. NC State 9-3 147 21 23. Michigan 10-2 122 20 24. Iowa 10-2 114 22 25. Mississippi 8-3 64 25 Others receiving votes: Nebraska 26, Vanderbilt 19, Utah 18, Illinois 8, Oklahoma St. 7, Harvard 3, Baylor 1, Florida St. 1. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Justin Herbert comes off Chargers' injury report, Ladd McConkey questionable vs. BucsPride, bragging rights and more than $115M at stake when final college playoff rankings come outMore than 10 million people empowered so far through the 34 by 34 initiative ATLANTA , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Enterprises today announced that it has empowered 10.6 million people to live more prosperous lives since 2020, a significant milestone in its 34 by 34 social impact initiative . This achievement represents a wide range of efforts across Cox and its businesses, Cox Communications and Cox Automotive. Cox is committed to solving business problems that also remove obstacles present in communities and society at large, from bridging the digital divide to addressing social equity and environmental sustainability challenges. "Cox is a company of innovators, changemakers and believers of being part of something bigger than ourselves," said Maury Wolfe , vice president of Corporate Responsibility and Social Impact at Cox Enterprises. "To drive our 34 by 34 social impact initiative forward, employees across our businesses have led countless acts of volunteering and community engagement, from cleaning up waterways and building outdoor learning labs to mentoring students. We're humbled to see the ripple effect throughout our communities." 34 by 34 focuses on six key pathways to create positive change: technology access, access to lifelong education, employment skills, social equity, environmental sustainability, and good health. These pathways provide a holistic approach to empowering individuals and communities. Key examples of Cox's business and employee volunteering impact include: Lifelong Education: Since 2020 Cox has helped more than 100,000 elementary school students through its work with Junior Achievement Biztowns, where students run a simulated town for a day. Through activities like managing banks, operating restaurants and electing a mayor, students experience firsthand how their lessons apply to real-world scenarios. Social Equity: Through Techstars Powered by Cox Enterprises, startup companies like Branch are helping drive social impact. For example, Branch partnered with local media in Georgia to create a best-in-class voter guide for the 2024 primaries, boosting political engagement. Branch is just one of over 80 startups supported by Techstars Powered by Cox Enterprises, which has positively impacted more than 12,000 additional people through purpose-driven innovations. Environmental Sustainability: Cox is always mindful in its use of natural resources. To date, more than 1.2 million people have benefited from Cox's work to protect and preserve the environment as part of its 34 by 34 initiative. Cox's commitment to environmental sustainability was recently recognized by Keep America Beautiful and the organization's "Do Beautiful Things" Corporate Volunteer Award, which highlights Cox's dedication to volunteerism and environmental sustainability. Visit Cox34by34.com to see stories of our impact and watch this video to learn more about the 34 by 34 initiative. About Cox Enterprises Cox Enterprises is dedicated to empowering people to build a better future for the next generation. Cox is a leader in the broadband, automotive, and media industries, as well as a leading investment platform with strategic positions in emerging technologies driving the future of agriculture, renewable energy, healthtech, and public sector software. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia , Cox is a global company with $23 billion in annual revenues and a proud history spanning more than 125 years. To learn more about Cox and its commitment to its people, planet and communities, visit coxenterprises.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cox-enterprises-nearing-one-third-of-its-ambitious-goal-to-empower-34-million-people-to-live-more-prosperous-lives-by-2034-302324319.html SOURCE Cox Enterprisesgstar28 login 。

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to Northampton Chronicle and Echo, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. It's inevitable that as battery technology progresses, portable power stations will become more, well, portable. And the latest developments have seen a raft of new, compact power stations arriving in 2024 that can keep gadgets topped up without adding too much bulk to your backpack. The Anker brand Solix has been one of the latest companies to throw its hat into this particular ring, and it's doing things a bit differently. Unlike some small portable power stations, the new Solix C300 is tall, narrow and designed to be carried with a strap. That makes it more versatile, and the fact it's 15% smaller than its rivals really helps. There are two versions of the C300, one has a pair of AC sockets with a small inverter built in, the other has just a 12v selection of outputs. I've been testing the AC version for a while, using it to power and charge all sorts of devices, and it hasn't missed a beat. The inverter can cope with constant loads of up to 300 watts , or a surge of up to 600 watts, so it'll comfortably run any laptop, or even some power tools, or a projector. The USB sockets, of which there are four, can pump out 140 watts , which is impressive, and the battery has a 288Wh capacity , which is effectively the same as around 90,000mAh. So it has plenty of power for most of the devices you could plausibly take with you on an outdoor excursion, or a camping trip. And it weighs just 4kg. The DC version , without the two three-pin sockets, is even lighter, and that one comes with a clever pop-out lamp on the top . The AC version makes do with a light bar, but it's pretty bright. They both have Anker's LCD display on the front, which makes monitoring inputs and outputs really easy, with a clear indicator of how much charge is left in percentage terms. Recharging can be done through the USB sockets , more slowly through the car charging socket, through a solar input up to 100 watts or, in the case of the AC version , at 330 watts through an AC input. The DC version, however, can accept two charging loads through its USB-C sockets , instead of just one on the AC version. This means you can potentially hose in 280 watts. It won't charge quite as quickly as the AC version, then, but it's very impressive. In fact, I do think the DC version is the more versatile device , overall. It's a bit lighter and smaller, it has that neat pop-up lamp, and unless you really need an AC socket , it's just as useful. In fact, using an inverter is quite inefficient, and you'll have to cope with a phantom load just by turning it on. If you can, you should always use the 12V supply. And then there's the price. This is where it gets interesting. At the time of publication, the DC version costs £149.99, down from its usual £199.99. Meanwhile the AC version, usually priced at £269.99, costs £189.99. It makes it something of a dilemma for buyers, because there's only a £40 difference between the two. And that £40 gets you a robust inverter and two AC sockets. But, like I say, if you don't need AC power , if you can cope with some very powerful USB sockets and you'd prefer the lightness and smaller size, go for the DC version . You won't be disappointed. They're both really good bits of kit.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Google, already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine , is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct, this time over technology that puts online advertising in front of consumers. The Justice Department and Google made closing arguments Monday in a trial alleging Google's advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, will decide the case and is expected to issue a written ruling by the end of the year. If Brinkema finds Google has engaged in illegal, monopolistic conduct, she will then hold further hearings to explore what remedies should be imposed. The Justice Department, along with a coalition of states, has already said it believes Google should be forced to sell off parts of its ad tech business, which generates tens of billions of dollars annually for the Mountain View, California-based company. After roughly a month of trial testimony earlier this year, the arguments in the case remain the same. During three hours of arguments Monday, Brinkema, who sometimes tips her hand during legal arguments, did little to indicate how she might rule. She did, though, question the applicability of a key antitrust case Google cites in its defense. The Justice Department contends Google built and maintained a monopoly in “open-web display advertising,” essentially the rectangular ads that appear on the top and right-hand side of the page when one browses websites. Google dominates all facets of the market. A technology called DoubleClick is used pervasively by news sites and other online publishers, while Google Ads maintains a cache of advertisers large and small looking to place their ads on the right webpage in front of the right consumer. In between is another Google product, AdExchange, that conducts nearly instantaneous auctions matching advertisers to publishers. In court papers, Justice Department lawyers say Google “is more concerned with acquiring and preserving its trifecta of monopolies than serving its own publisher and advertiser customers or winning on the merits.” As a result, content providers and news organizations have never been able to generate the online revenue they should due to Google’s excessive fees for brokering transactions between advertisers and publishers, the government says. Google argues the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow niche of online advertising. If one looks more broadly at online advertising to include social media, streaming TV services, and app-based advertising, Google says it controls as little as 10% of the market, a share that is dwindling as it faces increased and evolving competition. Google alleges in court papers that the government’s lawsuit “boil(s) down to the persistent complaints of a handful of Google’s rivals and several mammoth publishers.” Google also says it has invested billions in technology that facilitates the efficient match of advertisers to interested consumers and it should not be forced to share its technology and success with competitors. “Requiring a company to do further engineering work to make its technology and customers accessible by all of its competitors on their preferred terms has never been compelled by U.S. antitrust law,” the company wrote. Brinkema, during Monday's arguments, also sought clarity on Google’s market share, a number the two sides dispute, depending on how broadly the market is defined. Historically, courts have been unwilling to declare an illegal monopoly in markets in which a company holds less than a 70% market share. Google says that when online display advertising is viewed as a whole, it holds only a 10% market share, and dwindling. The Justice Department contends, though, that when focusing on open-web display advertising, Google controls 91% of the market for publisher ad servers and 87% of the market for advertiser ad networks. Google says that the “open web display advertising” market is gerrymandered by the Justice Department to make Google look bad, and that nobody in the industry looks at that category of ads without considering the ability of advertisers to switch to other forms of advertising, like in mobile apps. The Justice Department also contends that the public is harmed by the excessive rates Google charges to facilitate ad purchases, saying the company takes 36 cents on the dollar when it facilitates the transaction end to end. Google says its “take rate” has dropped to 31% and continues to decrease, and it says that rate is lower than that of its competitors. “When you have an integrated system, one of the benefits is lower prices," Google lawyer Karen Dunn said Monday. The Virginia case is separate from an ongoing lawsuit brought against Google in the District of Columbia over its namesake search engine. In that case, the judge determined it constitutes an illegal monopoly but has not decided what remedy to impose. The Justice Department said last week it will seek to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser , among a host of other penalties. Google has said the department's request is overkill and unhinged from legitimate regulation. In Monday's arguments, Justice Department lawyer Aaron Teitelbaum cited the search engine case when he highlighted an email from a Google executive, David Rosenblatt, who said in a 2009 email that Google’s goal was to “do to display what Google did to search," which Teitelbaum said showed the company's intent to achieve market dominance. “Google did not achieve its trifecta of monopolies by accident,” Teitelbaum said. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

4 easy, comforting bean dishes for fallOrigin’s Biomaterials Alchemy: Converting Wood Chips Into Real PlasticSlusncoin Exchange Reaches 6 Million Core Customers, Nominated As A Leading Candidate For The “Most Valuable Financial Entity”

One huge hurdle down in the fight to get justice for the wrongfully convicted. One enormous hurdle still to go. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * One huge hurdle down in the fight to get justice for the wrongfully convicted. One enormous hurdle still to go. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion One huge hurdle down in the fight to get justice for the wrongfully convicted. One enormous hurdle still to go. David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law would create a fully independent commission to review claims of wrongful conviction and decide which cases should be returned to the justice system. The bill is named for the Winnipeg-born man who spent 23 years in prison for a rape and murder he did not commit and his mother, who spent decades fighting for his freedom. The act passed third reading in the Senate on Wednesday and is slated for royal assent within the next week or so. SPENCER COLBY / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani said he will move as quickly as possible to make the commission functional in “a matter of months.” However, assent does not guarantee the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission will become a reality. Although the act passed both chambers of a minority Parliament, it was opposed at every turn by the Conservatives. Given the fact the Tories have already tried several times to defeat the Liberal government and trigger an election, Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani finds himself under enormous pressure to get the commission up and running quickly. In an interview with the , Virani said he will move as quickly as possible to make the commission functional in “a matter of months.” Virani said his office will start accepting applications for commissioners in January, with an eye toward ensuring a diversity of perspectives and cultures. Once the commissioners are hired, they will begin the process of developing the commission’s policies and practices, he added. The Liberals have set aside $83.9 million in funding for the first five years of operations. With an election scheduled no later than Oct. 20, urgency is the order of the day, Virani said. “It’s a very historic day for Canada because there’s few times when you are able to legislate something that has the prospect of being transformational change,” Virani said. “And this is really transformational when you’re able to go out into the communities and provide assistance to people in a language they understand, and provide more funding and resources to potentially correct wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice. That’s a bit of a game changer.” Notwithstanding Virani’s commitment to urgency, the future of the commission is far from certain. “It’s a very historic day for Canada because there’s few times when you are able to legislate something that has the prospect of being transformational change.” The Liberal government is, by all accounts, on its last legs. The Conservative party leads all public opinion polls with enough support that, if an election were held today, it would almost certainly win a majority mandate. Would a Tory government support the commission if and when it forms the next government? The initial signals are mixed. Throughout its long and winding road from the House of Commons to the Senate, Conservative MPs and senators, while expressing support for the general concept, opposed the finer details of Bill C-40 at every turn. At third reading in the Commons, the last stage before it went before the Senate, 118 of 119 Tory MPs voted against the bill. The ‘nay’ votes would have been unanimous if not for a Tory absence. Efforts were made to stop progress of the bill in the Senate and return it to the House by introducing a significant number of amendments. The leading critic for the Tories was Sen. Denise Batters, who used her final speech in the Red Chamber to correctly identify a number of shortcomings in the bill. Critics outside government have raised concerns about the need to appoint a larger number of commissioners to handle what is expected to be an initial flood of applications, and to ensure a diversity of perspectives. There have also been issues raised regarding the power and scope of the commission. Although Batters’ analysis was thoughtful and detailed, it contained a number of red flags that might suggest the commission would be ideologically incongruent with the Conservative political brand, which leans heavily on being tougher on crime and criminals. For example, Batters suggested the victims of the crimes at issue be involved in the process. Right now, the commission only has a mandate to keep victims and their families apprised of its work. Although a wrongful conviction has profound implications for the families of the original victims, it would be inappropriate to allow them to influence the final decisions of the commission. “...As a dedication to the legacy of David and Joyce Milgaard, I think I need to work with pace, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” 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. Initially, and for obvious reasons, the families of victims are among the most skeptical when it comes to claims of innocence. Forcing victims into the commission process as little more than a symbolic gesture could undermine the need to be as objective as possible. Batters also raised concerns about whether the commission would serve to create a new burden for an overburdened court system. Although the need to hold new trials for those wrongfully convicted does add to the court docket, it is hard to see how the numbers of cases flowing through the commission would be enough to have a sizeable impact on the administration of justice. Although there might be changes to the commission from a future government, Virani said he will work diligently to see it is up and running, with the knowledge that this kind of institution has been long overdue. “We certainly waited a long time to get to this point, long enough such that the two people whose names are on this bill aren’t alive to see it. That is unfortunate, but as a dedication to the legacy of David and Joyce Milgaard, I think I need to work with pace, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” dan.lett@winnipegfreepress.com Dan Lett is a columnist for the , providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the in 1986. . Dan’s columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The ’ editing team reviews Dan’s columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Dan Lett is a columnist for the , providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the in 1986. . Dan’s columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The ’ editing team reviews Dan’s columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement

[Editorial] Martial law’s impactSANTA ANA, Calif.—Janet Nguyen was sworn in as Orange County’s newest supervisor Wednesday to finish out the term of former Supervisor Andrew Do, who resigned after pleading guilty to a federal bribery charge. Nguyen will fill out the last month of the term of Do, who was scheduled to be termed-out of office before he stepped down. In January, Nguyen will be sworn in for the full term she won in November over Democrat Frances Marquez on a 61.24 percent to 38.76 percent vote. Orange County Board Chairman Don Wagner’s office has been running Do’s office since his resignation Oct. 31. The Orange County Registrar on Tuesday certified the election results, but it wasn’t done in time to have Nguyen sworn in on that day, so the supervisors met Wednesday in special session to approve the certification of the election results, allowing Nguyen to take office. “The only reason to do it early to allow now-Senator Nguyen to be sworn in is so she can take over running the district for balance of Supervisor Do’s term,” Wagner told City News Service. “Then her new term and my new term will start in January. It’s just a way to get that seat filled a little sooner than otherwise.” Nguyen’s swearing-in on Wednesday was private, with a more public one planned in January, Wagner said. At the special meeting Wednesday, dozens of residents, many of whom regularly criticize the elections process to the board, questioned the results in this year’s election. Orange County Registrar Bob Page told the board he was required by law to wait until Dec. 1 to certify the election results. He also made it clear that the board only votes to accept the results and has no other authority beyond that. “The board is merely being asked to receive my certification and to declare the winner of the 1st District Supervisor contest,” Page said. Supervisor Katrina Foley praised Page’s office. “Every different phase of an election is an enormous challenge,” Foley said. “And we appreciate the employees who worked so hard and so diligently with such a commitment to the county’s election integrity.” Foley suggested that some of the complaints were based on not liking the result. “I supported some candidates that lost and I supported some candidates who won,” she said. “I mean, that’s politics, right? So I think that we have to accept the election results.” Wagner asked Page what he would tell the election skeptics. “When I have someone who has doubts or doesn’t trust us, my first place to go is always to invite them to come and observe and we'll answer their questions,” Page said. Wagner repeatedly had to threaten to clear the room or eject some people in the audience who interrupted Page. “We also have a very robust proactive approach to educate the public about what we do,” Page said, pointing to newsletters, social media accounts and public speaking events to community groups. “I see it as my obligation to make sure the public understands everything they can on how elections are conducted in California,” Page said. But Page said some of the changes that some residents desire, such as going back to previous election processes, are up to state lawmakers. Nguyen previously served on the Board of Supervisors from 2007 through 2014 until she was elected to the state Senate. State Sen. Tom Umberg defeated her in 2018, but she returned to Sacramento as an Assemblywoman in 2020 and served in that position until 2022 when she was elected to the state Senate again. Do, who had been Nguyen’s chief of staff until they had a falling out and he ran to succeed her on the board, admitted in his plea deal that, in exchange for more than $550,000 in bribes, he cast votes on the Board of Supervisors beginning in 2020 that directed more than $10 million in COVID relief funds to the Viet America Society, where his daughter Rhiannon worked, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Do is scheduled to be sentenced March 31. On Tuesday, the supervisors agreed to seek bids to hire an outside auditor to comb through all of the county’s contracts starting in January 2019 through August of this year. Wagner voted against the idea. The proposal from Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento triggered a discussion about whether the project was too broad and expensive. Orange County CEO Michelle Aguirre said the review would be “hundreds if not thousands” of contracts. “My intent was to look at all the contracts the supervisor touched,” Sarmiento said. Foley said state officials usually do a sampling of contracts. “They’re not going to be doing some type of audit of every single contract,” Foley said of state lawmakers. “That’s not how it works. They do a sampling. If you’re looking at all the contracts ever entered into in the county of Orange—even if we didn’t vote on it—that is going to be thousands and thousands of contracts. The state, when they do an audit, they don’t do that broad of an approach. ... I’m just trying to help us narrow the focus ... so the staff can get to work getting this important information to us and not take a two-year period of time.” Sarmiento said he was more concerned with accomplishing a “thorough scrubbing” of the contracts. “We’re starting a year and two months before [the pandemic began] even,” Wagner said. Wagner said it was more important to find ways to encourage staffers and whistleblowers to speak up. He also argued that an exhaustive forensic audit would discourage contractors going forward. “We need to empower our staff to say something,” Wagner said. “That’s what really needs to be done, frankly. And I would welcome a state audit. It would be a lot more focused, less expensive and less burdensome. None of our offices have anything to hide.” Internal Auditor Aggie Alonso said, “We’re going to have to develop an inventory of all these contracts. ... These things take a large amount of time.” Alonso suggested doing the work in “phases,” to narrow down the problematic contracts. “We’re looking at a two-year process,” he said. When asked if it would cost $1 million, he said, “I think that’s low. It will be over $1 million.”Sadiq Khan has announced that there will be an almost five per cent rise in London Underground and Transport for London (TfL) rail fares . The Mayor of London said that a 4.6 per cent increase will be made live on March 2. Daily charging caps will increase by between 40p and 70p. This is dependent on the zones customers travel through. Bus fares will remain the same, however. The Standard reports that the Mayor denied that he had been forced by the Department for Transport (DfT) to replicate the 4.6 per cent increase in National Rail fares next year. Although he also said there was the “prospect of a long-term multi-year capital deal” from the Government for TfL in return for complying with the Government's wishes for the Tube fare increase to match the increase in national prices. It comes after Mr Khan said in July that he plans to keep Tube, Overground, DLR, Elizabeth line and bus fares frozen as they are for "as long as possible". The Mayor of London has allocated £123 million in the Greater London Authority's (GLA) budget to freeze fares earlier this year. Mr Khan's office also hinted to our sister site MyLondon in January that this may not be the last time, as "the funds identified for this year's fare freeze have also been allocated in the budget for future years". But, in November, it was reported that fares looked set to increase next year after the Government said it expects Mr Khan to make the change as part of its deal to provide £485 million for TfL's capital budget. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced the cash injection as part of her Budget on October 30. In January, a spokesperson for Mr Khan told MyLondon when asked if fares could be frozen for another year: "The mayor’s track record on fare freezes speaks for itself. This is the fifth time that Sadiq has frozen TfL fares and previous fare freezes were brought in with careful financial management, not passing costs to passengers elsewhere. "The funds identified for this year's fare freeze have also been allocated in the budget for future years. The Mayor will continue to do all he can to support London’s families through the cost-of-living crisis and to support London’s wider economic recovery, building a better and more prosperous city for all Londoners." The former Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, said in a letter to the Mr Khan after the Budget: "HMG expects you to consider the full range of revenue raising powers at your disposal as part of TfL’s business planning and to confirm to HMG your plans to ensure TfL continues to improve its financial sustainability in the medium term. "You should note that HMG’s assessment of TfL funding needs in Phase 2 of the Spending Review will be conducted against a baseline scenario where TfL rail fares rise in line with national rail fares this year."

As science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that open doors leading to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time-consuming, without it. Mohammad Hosseini But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let’s consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, researchers used DNA from 30,000-year-old permafrost to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow-leafed campion. Importantly, genetic engineering has facilitated extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia. Thanks to AI, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic exploration. But given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNA and genome editing methods to re-create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal’s genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, because they are closely related. Then, scientists could use the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon. But based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less effort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed. But the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well-being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource-intensive AI, researchers’ time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Hosseini is an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He wrote this for The Chicago Tribune . Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!gstar28 legit 。

Drones for commercial and recreational use have grown rapidly in popularity, despite restrictions on who can operate them and where they can be flown. No-fly zones are enforced around airports, military installations, nuclear plants, certain landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, and sports stadiums during games. Not everybody follows the rules. Sightings at airports have shut down flights in a few instances. Reported sightings of what appear to be drones flying over New Jersey at night in recent weeks have created anxiety among some residents, in part because it is not clear who is operating them or why. Some state and local officials have called for stricter rules to govern drones. After receiving reports of drone activity last month near Morris County, New Jersey, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary bans on drone flights over a golf course in Bedminster , New Jersey, that is owned by President-elect Donald Trump, and over Picatinny Arsenal Military Base . The FAA says the bans are in response to requests from “federal security partners.” The FAA is responsible for the regulations governing their use , and Congress has written some requirements into law. With a 2018 law, the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, Congress gave certain agencies in the Homeland Security and Justice departments authority to counter threats from unmanned aircraft to protect the safety of certain facilities. New drones must be outfitted with equipment allowing law enforcement to identify the operator, and Congress gave the agencies the power to detect and take down unmanned aircraft that they consider dangerous. The law spells out where the counter-drone measures can be used, including “national special security events” such as presidential inaugurations and other large gatherings of people. To get a “remote pilot certificate,” you must be at least 16 years old, be proficient in English, pass an aeronautics exam, and not suffer from a ”mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small unmanned aircraft system.” Yes, but the FAA imposes restrictions on nighttime operations. Most drones are not allowed to fly at night unless they are equipped with anti-collision lights that are visible for at least 3 miles (4.8 kilometers). Over the past decade, pilots have reported hundreds of close calls between drones and airplanes including airline jets. In some cases, airplane pilots have had to take evasive action to avoid collisions. Drones buzzing over a runway caused flights to be stopped at London’s Gatwick Airport during the Christmas travel rush in 2018 and again in May 2023 . Police dismissed the idea of shooting down the drones, fearing that stray bullets could kill someone. Advances in drone technology have made it harder for law enforcement to find rogue drone operators — bigger drones in particular have more range and power. Some state and local officials in New Jersey are calling for stronger restrictions because of the recent sightings, and that has the drone industry worried. Scott Shtofman, director of government affairs at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, said putting more limits on drones could have a “chilling effect” on “a growing economic engine for the United States.” “We would definitely oppose anything that is blindly pushing for new regulation of what are right now legal drone operations,” he said. AirSight, a company that sells software against “drone threats,” says more than 20 states have enacted laws against privacy invasion by drones, including Peeping Toms. Will Austin, president of Warren County Community College in New Jersey, and founder of its drone program, says it's up to users to reduce public concern about the machines. He said operators must explain why they are flying when confronted by people worried about privacy or safety. “It's a brand new technology that's not really understood real well, so it will raise fear and anxiety in a lot of people,” Austin said. “We want to be good professional aviators and alleviate that.” Associated Press reporter Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., contributed.Brice Cherry: Texas Bowl may not matter to all of America, but it means something to Baylor

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024-- Leap Financial today announced a $3.5 million seed raise led by Fuel Venture Capital , with investment in the Miami-based fintech startup coming from Ascendo Venture Capital. Leap provides a seamless service that allows financial and non-financial institutions to participate in cross-border money flows, eliminating inefficiencies and helping immigrants send money home. Leap specializes in embedded remittances and embedded payments, offering AI-enhanced engagement, efficient cross-border transactions, and integrated end-to-end payment solutions. Leap Financial combines its proprietary X-Border Payments Platform with a Native AI super agent (Lola) and its existing embedded financial banking and payment services infrastructure. Leap is the leading contender in embedded digital remittances, transforming how traditional cross-border transfers work to remove cash from the equation and leverage more secure, compliant and cost-effective digital remittances. While traditional money transmitters average 6-10% on the total cost of remittance, Leap provides remittances under 1% of the cost, leaving the difference for partners to decide the price. "Many companies attempt to tackle remittance and fintech, but they often excel in technology while lacking the necessary financial expertise,” said Maggie Vo, Managing General Partner and Chief Investment Officer for Fuel Venture Capital. “Leap stands out with their team’s deep understanding of remittance, banking infrastructure, and compliance—knowledge that the founders have built over many years in the industry. We don’t just invest in good tech and AI, we see the future in Leap’s AI-driven approach, supported by experienced professionals who ultimately know this business inside and out." “Leap was founded to help immigrants overcome disparity and change the 100-year-old ways that allow incumbents to take 10% cuts for check cashing services, 5% for simple international money transfers or drain bank accounts with shady fees from hard-working people who barely make a living,” said Lionel Carrasco, CEO and Co-Founder of Leap. “We can do better than that and still be able to make profits. Like Jeff Bezos’s famous quote, ‘Your margin is my opportunity,’ we say, ‘Your inefficiency is our opportunity.’” The capital raised will help Leap respond to the growing demand and new customers generated by its strategic partnership with Mastercard and additional business development activity. Leap will also use new resources to acquire talent to boost its AI component, making it easy for any financial or nonfinancial services organization to employ AI agents to provide personalized services. “As an immigrant myself, Leap’s vision to help immigrants send money back to their loved ones truly resonates with me, and I understand the unique challenges faced in this space and by immigrants from emerging markets who are trying to assist their families," adds Vo. Founded by Lionel Carrasco and Marcela Henao, Leap partnered with federal banks to originate remittances leveraging Mastercard and aggregators to send money to debit cards and wallets globally, removing intermediaries and creating cost efficiencies, all while enhancing anti-money laundering controls for maximum and frictionless compliance. Leap provides a white label solution that allows remitters to pay with digital methods and instantly deliver money to cards and wallets with full regulatory compliance, making the ecosystem more resilient to bad actors. About Fuel Venture Capital Fuel Venture Capital is committed to propelling groundbreaking ideas into world-changing companies and democratizing access to the creative economy to shape the future of society. A core team leads the firm's "founder-focused, investor-driven" approach with over 100 years of combined experience in investment banking, wealth management, executive leadership, and entrepreneurship. The fund boasts a portfolio of 34 companies based around the globe across numerous sectors, bringing positive impact to virtually all corners of our modern economy. To learn more about Fuel VC, visit fuelventurecapital.com . Follow Fuel VC on social media via Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About Leap Financial Leap Financial is at the forefront of fintech innovation, seamlessly integrating generative AI to revolutionize financial service delivery. Specializing in embeddable instant domestic and cross-border payments, conversational AI agents, and comprehensive end-to-end payment and co-branded banking solutions, we empower businesses to elevate their financial interactions and customer experience. Our mission is to drive a new era of inclusive financial technology, enabling companies to “Leap” forward in today’s dynamic landscape. For more information, visit leapfinancial.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219265861/en/ Jared Shapiro, Managing Director - The Tag Experiencejared@thetagexperience.com KEYWORD: FLORIDA LATIN AMERICA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PAYMENTS FINANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH DIGITAL CASH MANAGEMENT/DIGITAL ASSETS SOURCE: Fuel Venture Capital Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/20/2024 01:30 PM/DISC: 12/20/2024 01:28 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219265861/enDrone operators worry that anxiety over mystery sightings will lead to new restrictions

Former US Air Force officer Robert Salas recently stirred conversation during a congressional hearing when he suggested that extraterrestrials are trying to send a clear, three-word message regarding nuclear weapons: “WTF.” Salas, who served as a USAF captain, shared his views in a discussion with Congresswoman Nancy Mace. The exchange was recorded during a special hearing on UFOs and later shared on social media by the Total Disclosure Podcast. Salas’s comments drew attention as he recounted incidents where unidentified flying objects (UFOs) were seen near nuclear facilities around the world. UFO encounter According to Salas, these UFO sightings did not inflict any serious damage on the weapons systems but did disrupt their navigation systems. When asked what he believed the extraterrestrial visitors were trying to communicate, he interpreted it as a critique of nuclear armaments: “To me, that says they were sending us a message about nuclear weapons: ‘WTF, nuclear weapons.'” While he expressed regret for using strong language in front of Congresswoman Mace, she seemed unperturbed by his choice of words. Salas’s remarks came amid ongoing discussions led by experts who argue that alien entities have made multiple visits to significant nuclear missile bases every year. Aliens turned off ten nukes One of the most striking claims from Salas is regarding an incident at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, where he alleged a UFO disabled ten warheads. In this encounter, he described the UFO as having an eerie red glow as it sped through the night sky on March 24, 1967. The then-26-year-old lieutenant reported that the UFO pilots appeared to have an in-depth understanding of the missile systems. At the time of the incident, Malmstrom was in control of Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Today, it operates the more advanced Minuteman III systems. In his exchange with Congresswoman Mace, Salas detailed how, despite the UFO shutting down the missiles, no damage occurred: “No equipment was fried. Nothing was damaged,” he stated. Salas believes the extraterrestrial visitors aren’t hostile but rather a “pacifist species,” implying their intention is peaceful rather than aggressive. He explained that the shutdown was caused by an “intermittent electrical pulse,” which affected a component of the guidance system known as the logic coupler. The missile’s guidance system failed without this part properly functioning properly, resulting in an automatic shutdown. However, he noted that all missiles were restored to alert status within 24 hours. This incident wasn’t isolated; Salas claimed his crew commander had experienced a similar encounter just eight days earlier. He emphasized that in both situations, no significant damage was reported. Salas interprets these events as a clear message from the unknown visitors about the threats posed by nuclear weapons. Furthermore, he revealed that he was bound by a non-disclosure agreement that restricted him from discussing the classified incident for years. Salas’s name is well-known among those who believe in UFOs, also called unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). Many maintain that these entities have visited Earth for decades. As discussions on UFOs and their implications for global security continue to unfold, Salas’s testimony adds a provocative perspective to the ongoing conversation about nuclear weapons and potential extraterrestrial awareness of human activities.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley isn’t on board with several of Trump’s Cabinet picks, she told listeners on her recent podcast episode of Nikki Haley Live. The former 2024 presidential candidate is concerned about some of Trump’s picks, but said she is looking at the policies for these nominations instead of personalities. She said Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida will have “a lot of issues,” getting confirmed as Attorney General. “It’s hard to start a confirmation when you have allegations of illicit drug use and sex parties with minors,” Haley said of Gaetz. “So that’s going to be difficult. The same goes for Pete Hegseth, who was accused of sexual assault.” Gaetz withdrew his name to be Attorney General on Thursday. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General,” he posted on social media platform X. Gaetz has been accused of sexual misconduct allegations including having sex with a minor, which he has long denied. Haley said while the two have a right to defend themselves, they would have to answer to these allegations. Haley said Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also ran as a 2024 presidential candidate as an Independent, is “not a health guy.” “He is not educated, trained or practiced in health at all,” Haley said, after explaining the role HHS has on society and the branches it covers, like the FDA and National Institutes of Health. When Kennedy dropped out of the presidential election, he asked his supporters to back Trump. At the time, Trump signaled he would consider Kennedy for a role in his administration. Haley also detailed some of his strongly Democratic views, including his stance on climate change and abortion. She said Kennedy said his and Trump’s positions could not be “further apart.” “Why are we putting someone that’s so ideologically opposed to Donald Trump’s views and Republican views? Why do we want that? You know, but what else do we know about his views?” Haley asked. Haley served under the Trump administration as U.N. Ambassador during his first term in office. She and Trump had a tumultuous relationship during their time campaigning against one another, often calling each other names and trading insults. Haley, however, said she would be voting for Trump months after she dropped out, and Trump said Haley would be a part of his administration again “in some form,” while he was campaigning. However, once Trump was elected, he made a social media post that said Haley would not be returning to work with him. She also has “major issues” on the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard, who was nominated for Director of National Intelligence, Haley said Wednesday. Haley talked about Gabbard’s history of criticizing and disagreeing with Trump on various national intelligence proposals. She also questioned Gabbard decisions like going to Syria in 2017 for a “photo op” with Bashar al-Assad, the current president of Syria, who was massacring his own people, Haley said. “Now, this to me is disgusting,” Haley said. “You can go back and look at a speech I gave holding up pictures of dead children who had been killed by chemical attacks. Yup, choked to death.” She said the Department of National Intelligence analyzes real threats, and it is not a place for Russian, Iranian, Syrian or Chinese sympathizers. ©2024 The State. Visit thestate.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Stocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Intel was up 0.7% and Apple gained 0.4%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.9%, Amazon was down 0.5%, and Netflix gave up 1.4%. Health care stocks also helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.9% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.9%, Best Buy was up 2.1% and Dollar Tree gained 2.2%. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.

Saudi Commerce Minister Heads Delegation to Discuss Emerging Trends in Digital Trade Law in AustriaSmart bumps up Metro 5G links

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company ( NYSE: HPE ) Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference December 12, 2024 3:45 PM ET Company Participants Antonio Neri - President & CEO Conference Call Participants Unidentified Company Representative Good afternoon, everybody. And it’s terrific to be here with you all to 22nd Barclays Global Technology Conference. This afternoon, we have a very special guest in the CEO and President of HPE, Antonio Neri. Antonio, welcome, thank you for doing this with us. We greatly appreciate it. Antonio Neri Well, thank you, Paul, for having me and good afternoon, everyone. Unidentified Company Representative And again, I know you're very well known to a lot of people in the room, but I might just quickly go through sort of your resume, just sort of because some of it will be relevant to the questions that we'll get into. So you were born in Argentina, you began your military education at 15 as an apprentice -- engineering apprentice in the Argentine Navy. From there, you studied engineering at the National Technology University where I also believe you studied art as well. And very early in your career, you left Argentina and moved to Italy to join a small IT company. You then moved on to join HP or HP as it was at the time, in 1995 in Amsterdam. You work through a number of very, very senior roles ultimately culminating in February of 2018. You are announced as the CEO of HP replacing Meg Whitman, and then you also join the Board of Directors. You have been credited with spearheading some of the key technologies, Apollo HPC portfolio, the Superdome X. And today, beyond being the CEO and President of HPE, you're also on the Board of Directors of Elevance Health and on the Advisory Board of Maserati, which sounds like a very cool responsibility.

Teddy Bridgewater is looking to win two championships this season. After leading Miami Northwestern high school to a Florida state championship as their head coach, the former first-round pick is coming out of retirement to join the Lions for the rest of the season. Bridgewater, who will back up Jared Goff, was with the team last year but did not attempt a pass. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Thursday he had been in contact with Bridgewater “for a while” and that a reunion was always a possibility. “It just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, somebody that’s great for our team, he’s great for the position,” Campbell said. After winning the state title, Bridgewater told NFL Network that he would be looking to return to the NFL to close the season, but his primary focus was on his alma mater. “We’ll see how [the] next week and a half, two weeks play out, might be signing with a team or something,” Bridgewater said on Dec. 18. “And then returning back to coach high school football in February. So, we’ll see.” The Lions posted a congratulatory message on social media to Bridgewater for winning a high school state championship as a first-year head coach, foreshadowing the potential move to bring him back to the Midwest. Still just 32, Bridgewater once looked like he could be on a path to stardom but had dealt with an abundance of injuries throughout his career that eventually limited his mobility and made him less effective than expected as a first-round pick from Louisville. Bridgewater was given some game action for the Dolphins in 2022, filling in for Tua Tagovailoa, but it was mostly an ineffective stint. He’s played for six different teams, including five teams in five years, as a stop-gap and plug-in backup. The Lions have lost star EDGE rusher, Aidan Hutchinson, running back David Montgomery and starting linebackers Alex Anzalone and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, among others. They’ve actively attempted to replace that talent by bringing in ex-Jets safety Jamal Adams from free agency and trading for EDGE rusher Za’Darius Smith.MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024-- Leap Financial today announced a $3.5 million seed raise led by Fuel Venture Capital , with investment in the Miami-based fintech startup coming from Ascendo Venture Capital. Leap provides a seamless service that allows financial and non-financial institutions to participate in cross-border money flows, eliminating inefficiencies and helping immigrants send money home. Leap specializes in embedded remittances and embedded payments, offering AI-enhanced engagement, efficient cross-border transactions, and integrated end-to-end payment solutions. Leap Financial combines its proprietary X-Border Payments Platform with a Native AI super agent (Lola) and its existing embedded financial banking and payment services infrastructure. Leap is the leading contender in embedded digital remittances, transforming how traditional cross-border transfers work to remove cash from the equation and leverage more secure, compliant and cost-effective digital remittances. While traditional money transmitters average 6-10% on the total cost of remittance, Leap provides remittances under 1% of the cost, leaving the difference for partners to decide the price. "Many companies attempt to tackle remittance and fintech, but they often excel in technology while lacking the necessary financial expertise,” said Maggie Vo, Managing General Partner and Chief Investment Officer for Fuel Venture Capital. “Leap stands out with their team’s deep understanding of remittance, banking infrastructure, and compliance—knowledge that the founders have built over many years in the industry. We don’t just invest in good tech and AI, we see the future in Leap’s AI-driven approach, supported by experienced professionals who ultimately know this business inside and out." “Leap was founded to help immigrants overcome disparity and change the 100-year-old ways that allow incumbents to take 10% cuts for check cashing services, 5% for simple international money transfers or drain bank accounts with shady fees from hard-working people who barely make a living,” said Lionel Carrasco, CEO and Co-Founder of Leap. “We can do better than that and still be able to make profits. Like Jeff Bezos’s famous quote, ‘Your margin is my opportunity,’ we say, ‘Your inefficiency is our opportunity.’” The capital raised will help Leap respond to the growing demand and new customers generated by its strategic partnership with Mastercard and additional business development activity. Leap will also use new resources to acquire talent to boost its AI component, making it easy for any financial or nonfinancial services organization to employ AI agents to provide personalized services. “As an immigrant myself, Leap’s vision to help immigrants send money back to their loved ones truly resonates with me, and I understand the unique challenges faced in this space and by immigrants from emerging markets who are trying to assist their families," adds Vo. Founded by Lionel Carrasco and Marcela Henao, Leap partnered with federal banks to originate remittances leveraging Mastercard and aggregators to send money to debit cards and wallets globally, removing intermediaries and creating cost efficiencies, all while enhancing anti-money laundering controls for maximum and frictionless compliance. Leap provides a white label solution that allows remitters to pay with digital methods and instantly deliver money to cards and wallets with full regulatory compliance, making the ecosystem more resilient to bad actors. About Fuel Venture Capital Fuel Venture Capital is committed to propelling groundbreaking ideas into world-changing companies and democratizing access to the creative economy to shape the future of society. A core team leads the firm's "founder-focused, investor-driven" approach with over 100 years of combined experience in investment banking, wealth management, executive leadership, and entrepreneurship. The fund boasts a portfolio of 34 companies based around the globe across numerous sectors, bringing positive impact to virtually all corners of our modern economy. To learn more about Fuel VC, visit fuelventurecapital.com . Follow Fuel VC on social media via Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About Leap Financial Leap Financial is at the forefront of fintech innovation, seamlessly integrating generative AI to revolutionize financial service delivery. Specializing in embeddable instant domestic and cross-border payments, conversational AI agents, and comprehensive end-to-end payment and co-branded banking solutions, we empower businesses to elevate their financial interactions and customer experience. Our mission is to drive a new era of inclusive financial technology, enabling companies to “Leap” forward in today’s dynamic landscape. For more information, visit leapfinancial.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219265861/en/ Jared Shapiro, Managing Director - The Tag Experiencejared@thetagexperience.com KEYWORD: FLORIDA LATIN AMERICA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PAYMENTS FINANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH DIGITAL CASH MANAGEMENT/DIGITAL ASSETS SOURCE: Fuel Venture Capital Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/20/2024 01:30 PM/DISC: 12/20/2024 01:28 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219265861/en

Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pause Stocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. Alex Veiga, The Associated Press Dec 26, 2024 9:40 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FIL:E - People photograph the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File) Stocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Intel was up 0.7% and Apple gained 0.4%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.9%, Amazon was down 0.5%, and Netflix gave up 1.4%. Health care stocks also helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.9% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.9%, Best Buy was up 2.1% and Dollar Tree gained 2.2%. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. ___ AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed. Alex Veiga, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Business Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away Dec 26, 2024 9:49 AM Canada’s women’s pro sports landscape transformed with arrival of PWHL, NSL and WNBA Dec 26, 2024 8:50 AM Unwanted gift card in your stocking? Don't let it go to waste Dec 26, 2024 7:00 AM Featured Flyer

Special connection as C919 flights to HK take off January 1Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pauseCowboys RB Rico Dowdle could be in line for a big game against Carolina's 32nd-ranked run defense

g star 28 Kansas once required voters to prove citizenship. That didn’t work out so well

Turkish startup ecosystem attracts $4.7B in investments in 4 years

'Youth experiencing unstable housing is growing in our community': Rebound Child and Youth Services

IRVING, Texas (AP) — A rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL's entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show, won’t impact the league's relationship with the music mogul. “We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday after the conclusion of the league's winter meetings. "We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.” A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 when she was 13 years old, amended the lawsuit Sunday to include a new allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, said the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt . The 24-time Grammy Award winner called the allegations “idiotic” and “heinous in nature” in a statement released by Roc Nation, one of his companies. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Kendrick Lamar will perform the Super Bowl halftime show at The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9. Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Beyonce, who is married to Jay-Z, will perform at halftime of the Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game on Christmas. “I think they’re getting incredibly comfortable with not just with the Super Bowl but other events they’ve advised us on and helped us with,” Goodell said. “They’ve been a big help in the social justice area to us on many occasions. They’ve been great partners.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:56 p.m. ESTIsraeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgeryRahul Jagetia's Strategic Approach To Building Robust Risk Management Frameworks

Three Takeaways as Pantoja Snoozes Asakura

Seoul, Dec 30 (IANS): World leaders have expressed condolences and solidarity with South Korea after the tragic airplane crash in Muan claimed more than 170 lives. In a statement released by the White House, US President Joe Biden on Sunday expressed his grief over the accident and pledged support to South Korea. "Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life that occurred as a result of the Jeju Airlines accident in Muan, South Korea. As close allies, the American people share deep bonds of friendship with the South Korean people, and our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by this tragedy. The US stands ready to provide any necessary assistance," the White House statement said. Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru extended his sympathies to the bereaved families on behalf of the government and the people of Japan. "I am deeply saddened by the loss of many precious lives due to the airplane accident that occurred in South Korea. On behalf of the Government and the people of Japan, I wish to express my sincere condolences for the loss of life and send my deepest sympathies to the bereaved families. My thoughts go out to all those who were injured, and I sincerely hope they will make a swift recovery," the statement from the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan said. India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, also expressed deep sorrow over the airplane crash. David Lammy, the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, and Penny Wong, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, offered their condolences on the tragic accident. Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was "shocked" to learn of the crash, in a message to South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok. "I express our deep condolences to the victims, sincere sympathy for the victims' families, and wish those injured a speedy recovery," he said, quoted by China's state broadcaster CCTV. In a statement late on December 29, a spokesperson for Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry said: "The Singapore Government is saddened by the news of the tragic crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 on December 29, 2024. We convey our deepest condolences to the government of South Korea and the families and loved ones of those who have perished. We wish the survivors a full recovery." "We are in contact with the South Korean authorities and there were no reports of Singaporeans on board the flight." EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen said she was "heartbroken to see images of the plane crash in Muan". "As your partner, Europe stands with you in this time of grief," the European Commission President said. Pope Francis, who visited South Korea a decade ago, told worshippers at the Vatican he joins "in prayer for the survivors and the dead". "My thoughts are with the many families in South Korea who are mourning today following the dramatic plane crash," Pope Francis said. France's Foreign Ministry said that Paris learnt "with great emotion the terrible toll" and sends condolences to the affected families. Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the crash is "yet another blow to the nation's heart" after "a difficult period" -- alluding to weeks of political turmoil in Seoul. "This is an incredible loss and pain" for the friends and families of those killed, Steinmeier said. "Profoundly saddened by the tragic incident," Greece's Foreign Affairs Ministry said on X, sending condolences "during this difficult time". Earlier, the South Korean authorities confirmed that 179 people were killed and two people were rescued out of 181 aboard following a plane crash in South Korea's Muan region, Yonhap news agency reported. The incident occurred on Sunday morning when a Jeju Air passenger jet, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, belly-landed and exploded at Muan International Airport, the Yonhap news agency reported. The aircraft veered off the runway while landing, with its landing gear not deployed, skidding across the ground, hitting a concrete wall, and bursting into flames. South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok, also declared Muan County a special disaster zone and visited the crash site to direct search operations. Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae further issued an apology and expressed condolences to the victims' families, taking full responsibility for the incident. The airline has promised full support for the surviving families, including financial assistance, citing its $1 billion insurance plan. "Regardless of the cause, I take full responsibility as the CEO," Kim said.

The large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. The Morris County Republican was among several state and local lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the spate of sightings that range from the New York City area through New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. The devices do not appear to be The dronees wereffffflown by hobbyists, Fantasia wrote. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have. Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones. Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer briefed him on an incident over the weekend in which a dozen drones followed a motorized Coast Guard lifeboat “in close pursuit” near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County. Coast Guard Lt. Luke Pinneo told The Associated Press Wednesday “that multiple low-altitude aircraft were observed in vicinity of one of our vessels near Island Beach State Park.” The aircraft weren't perceived as an immediate threat and didn't disrupt operations, Pinneo said. The Coast Guard is assisting the FBI and state agencies in investigating. In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Smith called for military help dealing with the drones, noting that Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has the capability "to identify and take down unauthorized unmanned aerial systems.” However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday that “our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.” Many municipal lawmakers have called for more restrictions on who is entitled to fly the unmanned devices. At least one state lawmaker proposed a temporary ban on drone flights in the state. “This is something we’re taking deadly seriously. I don’t blame people for being frustrated," Murphy said earlier this week. A spokesman for the Democratic governor said he did not attend Wednesday's meeting. Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson, whose district includes parts of the state where the drones have been reported, said he also attended Wednesday's meeting at a state police facility in West Trenton. The session lasted for about 90 minutes. Peterson said DHS officials were generous with their time, but appeared dismissive of some concerns, saying not all the sightings reported have been confirmed to involve drones. So who or what is behind the flying objects? Where are they coming from? What are they doing? “My understanding is they have no clue,” Peterson said. A message seeking comment was left with the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the drones have been spotted along coastal areas and some were recently reported flying over a large reservoir in Clinton. Sightings also have been reported in neighboring states. James Edwards, of Succasunna, New Jersey, said he has seen a few drones flying over his neighborhood since last month. “It raises concern mainly because there's so much that's unknown,” Edwards said Wednesday. “There are lots of people spouting off about various conspiracies that they believe are in play here, but that only adds fuel to the fire unnecessarily. We need to wait and see what is really happening here, not let fear of the unknown overtake us." —— AP reporters Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; and Wayne Parry in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday. Netanyahu was placed under full anesthesia for the procedure. Doctors said he was awake and recovering Sunday night. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is having his prostate removed on Sunday, his office said, a procedure that comes as he manages multiple crises including the war in Gaza and his trial for alleged corruption. Netanyahu, who has had a series of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a healthy, energetic leader. During his trial this month, he boasted about working 18-hour days, accompanied by a cigar. But as Israel’s longest-serving leader, such a grueling workload over a total of 17 years in power could take a toll on his well-being. Netanyahu, 75, is among older world leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, President-elect Donald Trump, 78, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 79, and Pope Francis, 88, who have come under scrutiny for their age and health issues. Netanyahu’s latest condition is common in older men, but the procedure has had some fallout. The judges overseeing his trial accepted a request from his lawyer on Sunday to call off three days of testimony scheduled this week. The lawyer, Amit Hadad, had argued that Netanyahu would be fully sedated for the procedure and hospitalized for “a number of days.” Netanyahu’s office said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. A turbulent time in the region As Israel’s leader, Netanyahu is at the center of major global events that are shifting the Middle East. With the dizzying pace of the past 14 months, being incapacitated for even a few hours can be risky. Netanyahu will be in the hospital at a time when international mediators are pushing Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and as fighting between Israel and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies. Prostate issues are common and in many cases easily treatable. Still, the procedure puts a dent in Netanyahu’s image of vigor at a time when he would want to project strength more than ever, both to an Israeli audience navigating constant threats as well as to Israel’s enemies looking to expose its weaknesses. Previous health issues, including a heart condition Netanyahu insists he is in excellent health. His office releases footage of him touring war zones in full protective gear flanked by military officers, or meeting with defense officials on windswept hilltops in youthful dark shades and puffer jackets. But that image was shattered last year when Netanyahu’s doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, a problem that he had apparently long known about but concealed from the public. A week after a fainting spell, Netanyahu was fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. Only then did staff at the Sheba Medical Center reveal that Netanyahu has for years experienced a condition that can cause irregular heartbeats. The revelation came as Netanyahu was dealing with massive anti-government protests. The news about a chronic heart problem stoked further anger and distrust during extreme political polarization in Israel. Last year, Netanyahu was rushed to the hospital for what doctors said likely was dehydration. He stayed overnight, prompting his weekly Cabinet meeting to be delayed. Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery, during which he was under full anesthesia and unconscious. Levin served as acting prime minister during the operation. Recovery can be quick According to Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Wednesday stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate. The infection was treated successfully with antibiotics, but Sunday’s procedure will remove his prostate. Complications from prostate enlargement are common in men in their 70s and 80s, Dr. Shay Golan, head of the oncology urology service at Israel’s Rabin Medical Center, told Israeli Army Radio. Golan spoke in general terms and was not involved in Netanyahu’s care or treatment. He said an enlarged prostate can block proper emptying of the bladder, leading to a build-up of urine that can lead to an infection or other complications. After medicinal treatment, doctors can recommend a procedure to remove the prostate to prevent future blockages, Golan said. In Netanyahu’s case, because the prostate is not cancerous, Golan said doctors will likely perform an endoscopic surgery, carried out by inserting small instruments into a body cavity, rather than making surgical cuts in the abdomen to reach the prostate. The procedure lasts about an hour, Golan said, and recovery is quick. He said that aside from catheter use for one to three days after the procedure, patients can return to normal activity without significant limitations. Advertisement Advertisement

Independent candidate for Bradfield Nicolette Boele (Image: Private Media) When Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher gave a speech declaring the teals a “Green left con job”, it was clear he’d made a huge mistake. Fletcher insulted teal voters, suggesting they’d been “duped” by left-wing front groups. According to Bernard Keane , the bizarre conspiracy was the most interesting thing the Bradfield MP had ever said, arguing Fletcher had failed to grasp why traditional liberals were turning away. Letters from locals were equally scathing, with one declaring Fletcher “just signed [his] own dismissal notice”. It seemed like good news for independent Nicolette Boele, the self-styled “shadow member for Bradfield”, who reduced Fletcher’s margin to just 4.2% in 2022 (a redistribution has since cut it to 2.5%). North Sydney MP Kylea Tink, whose neighbouring seat is being abolished , then revealed she wouldn’t contest Bradfield, backing Boele while comparing Fletcher to “a child throwing his toys out of the cot”. Paul Fletcher’s grand conspiracy theory is the most interesting thing he’s ever said Read More On Tuesday, Fletcher announced his retirement — making him the second “moderate” to quit in as many weeks . Colleagues were surprised , telling Crikey he’d been campaigning for reelection. “Time to let somebody else have a go”, Fletcher said, downplaying teal chances by arguing “the local mood is discernibly different from 2022”, when voters were eager to remove Scott Morrison. Boele was already a community candidate to watch in 2025. But the outlook just became even brighter for the clean energy expert, who’s spent the entire term campaigning (an incumbent’s retirement usually costs their party 1-2% of its margin ). Her team has knocked on about 5,000 doors in the wealthy electorate, spending mornings at bus stops and train stations; she even kept her campaign office, from which “ Voices of Bradfield ” helped run Bradfield for Yes , becoming the only Liberal-held seat to vote in favour of the Voice referendum. Donations have increased since Fletcher’s remarks, allowing Boele to hire more people for her campaign, which is mostly powered by volunteers — the “secret sauce” of the movement. She credits Tink for the extra “momentum”, noting the “generous endorsement” saw several members of Team Tink join Team Nic. Did the backlash to the speech contribute to Fletcher throwing in the towel? “I don’t know what was in Mr Fletcher’s mind,” Boele tells me. “If you can see your main opponent, and it’s a two-horse race, has been in the field for that long ... Maybe the 12 letters to The Sydney Morning Herald as soon as he insulted everybody was a feedback loop that he needed.” Boele has been critical of the speech, arguing it showed little respect for Fletcher’s constituents. Her statement about it was titled , “Bradfield voters aren’t dopes, Paul”. When I ask how it made her feel, she gives a very teal answer. “It was disappointing, but it wasn’t a surprise. I get very protective, kind of a mum instinct, with the constituents. Like, hang on a second, what do you mean we’re dim-witted? Obviously there were some overtones about the gendered part of it, too, which I didn’t take very nicely to.” Hard Solo and human rights: Why Kylea Tink won’t go quietly Read More Boele ticks all the teal boxes, and then some (for the purposes of my pieces, “teal” refers to climate-focused independents who contest wealthy, Liberal seats , all of whom have so far been white, professional mothers, many of whom have unique names). Raised on the North Shore by socially conscious Dutch parents, along with a “Howard-voting, Hawaiian shirt-wearing, Barker boy” stepdad, Boele has a perfectly teal resume , having spent 35 years working in climate policy and finance. She previously ran a consultancy with her brother, who is now “chief purpose officer” at KPMG. “He’s human rights guy and I’m climate change gal,” she jokes, arguing he was a big influence on her. When Kevin Rudd was prime minister, Boele “had a moment”. After initially thinking Rudd had “got my back on climate”, Labor dismissed the findings of the Garnaut Review , setting a 15% emissions reduction target rather than the 25% science demanded. “I actually went to bed for three months,” says Boele, suggesting it was an early case of climate anxiety. “More and more people were turning up, feeling so overwhelmed, who were deep in the policy world ... And it wasn’t like we didn’t have the technology either. It was the political will.” Boele got back up again, with the help of some experts in postnatal depression. But it was then that she gave up on the policy work she’d been involved in (including lobbying on behalf of the Climate Institute and the Australian Conservation Foundation), turning to green finance, where she’s spent the past 15 years trying to “move money away from the harmful things, towards the really constructive and productive things for our economy and for society.” Like many teals, Boele originally had to be talked into running by her community, citing her voting-age son as a motivating factor. “As a mum, when you tell your kid, ‘don’t bother voting ’cause it’s such a safe seat, nothing’s going to change’...” But it was a chance encounter with Fletcher that cemented her decision, with the MP giving disappointing responses on climate. “There’s that point where you finish being an advocate, trying to change the mind of the parliamentarians, where you just go, ‘bugger it, I’ll just try to become one’.” Julian Leeser braces for the teals, Abbott meets JD Vance, and Kim Williams to sing at RN Xmas party? Read More For someone who had to be talked into running, Boele is now running hard , saying she’s fed up with the Liberals taking their moderate constituents for granted. She’s not concerned about who the Liberals preselect , noting they’ll still be expected to vote the same as Peter Dutton, who is “extremely divisive” on the North Shore. “I thought they would have learnt some lessons from 2022,” she adds, saying she hasn’t put much thought into what the dwindling number of moderates in the Liberal Party will mean. “I’m busy with our hundreds of volunteers, door knocking and having conversations.” As for Fletcher’s “recycled scare campaign,” suggesting people like her are a threat to a majority government ? “The premise that a majority government is a good thing is kind of crazy, given that he’s part of a minority Liberal National party,” she says. “A constructive crossbench can help push the parties on their ambition, on their integrity, and I think it’s a really healthy part of democracy. You move away from ideology, and you move towards what the people of Australia want. And I think that can only be a good thing.” Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au . Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say . We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.None

DALLAS — According to a Dallas Police Department report obtained and reviewed by WFAA, tens of thousands of dollars worth of items were stolen from Dak Prescott's fiancé Thursday. The report says Sarah Ramos arrived at a Pilates class Thursday morning, and that she "quickly rushed inside due to the rain." "Due to the haste," the report continues, she "forgot to lock her [vehicle] door." When she returned and entered her vehicle after the class, the report says, several pieces of property had been taken. At this time, the report says, she "was notified that her credit cards were being used at [another] location." The report detailed several pieces of property stolen that amounts to close to $40,000 in estimated worth, including designer handbags and wallets from Chanel, YSL, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada, as well as computer software and cash. The incident occurred the day after Christmas. The theft follows a string of burglaries targeting high-profile athletes like Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Luka Dončić . Security expert Doug Deaton said thieves targeting these athletes are professional thieves. "They will often follow [athlete's] family members from stores, from the supermarket, from the mall, follow [the athletes] from the games, follow [them] to and from your work," he explained. "The biggest thing that I would advise [athletes and their families] to do is to assume they are being observed by professionals because they are." Dallas Police Department sources confirmed to WFAA Sunday that Dončić's home was broken into Friday through his back master bedroom, that they rummaged through the bedroom and bathroom, then got away with a necklace worth $4,000 dollars, three earrings worth $14,000 and four rings worth $,5,000. The Dallas Police Department is investigating both cases.

Dylan Hayman, Davion Bailey score 18 apiece to lead Incarnate Word over Texas Lutheran 99-48

gstar28 casino login Aeries Technology, Inc ( NASDAQ:AERT – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 69,200 shares, a decline of 16.4% from the November 30th total of 82,800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 49,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.4 days. Approximately 0.7% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in Aeries Technology stock. Aristeia Capital L.L.C. bought a new stake in Aeries Technology, Inc ( NASDAQ:AERT – Free Report ) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 177,250 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $335,000. Aristeia Capital L.L.C. owned 1.16% of Aeries Technology as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.15% of the company’s stock. Aeries Technology Price Performance Aeries Technology stock opened at $0.88 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $1.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $1.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.01, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.75. The firm has a market cap of $39.02 million, a P/E ratio of 1.87 and a beta of -0.63. Aeries Technology has a 52 week low of $0.59 and a 52 week high of $3.12. About Aeries Technology ( Get Free Report ) Aeries Technology, Inc operates as a professional services and consulting partner in the North America, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company offers management consultancy services for private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, including software solutions, product management, IT infrastructure, information and cyber security, ERP and CRM platform management, business process management, and digital transformation services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Aeries Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Aeries Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Every Fourth Ukrainian Faces Accessibility Challenges Zelenska

's injury crisis meant manager Ange Postecoglou said he was forced to field against on Sunday despite the defender struggling with an ankle knock. Speaking after his side's in the , Postecoglou painted a grim picture of the club's plight with left-back the latest casualty. "Well we had no choice, if Radu doesn't play, I don't know who plays. He wasn't 100%, but he felt he could get through with his ankle," Postecoglou told reporters. Dragusin, who suffered an injury against on Thursday, is currently the only available centre-back at the club with , and all injured and still weeks away from a return. "There's no choice, but it's not a risk. I mean it's a judgment call. It's not like it's a muscle injury, it's a knock on his ankle, but yeah, we're making decisions," said Postecoglou, whose side are down in 11th place. "We've got no choice unless I throw another 18 or 17-year-old out there. That's the only fit players we have." Tottenham are also missing the likes of striker , winger and first-choice keeper and will be without midfielder for next weekend's home clash with after he picked up a fifth booking of the season to trigger a one-game ban. Udogie also went off in the 50th minute with a muscular injury, adding to Postecoglou's woes. "I think it was a hamstring. Again, we've been relying on a core group of players because we just haven't had the ability to rotate so at some point it was going to catch up with us. Unfortunately it caught up with Destiny," Postecoglou said. Tottenham have now won only once in their last seven Premier League games and will finish a year lower than seventh for the first time since the 2008-09 season. They conceded early against Wolves -- the 15th time this year they have fallen behind at home in a Premier League game. But goals by Rodrigo Bentancur and got them ahead by halftime, only for Norwegian substitute 's late effort to deny them a much-needed win. "It's a disappointing outcome. Obviously we went a goal down but after that I felt we controlled the game. It wasn't easy always to get openings but we did look pretty threatening every time we did get forward," Postecoglou said.DALLAS – If you attended a high school dance at any point in the 1980s, you no doubt heard “Chicago” lead singer Peter Cetera croon these words: “Everybody needs a little time away, I heard her say, from each other...” The members of the Minnesota Wild seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and their willingness to work together for the good of the order shows in their 21 wins thus far, and their flirtation with the top spot in the Western Conference standings. But following their 4-3 win over Chicago (the Blackhawks, not the band) on Monday, the NHL mandates that every team take a three-day break for Christmas. At risk of the hefty fine from the league, teams cannot get together for practice, nor may they travel to road games until the morning of Friday, Dec. 27. That means the Wild were gameday arrivals in North Texas for their Friday evening meeting with the Stars. And as much hassle as that may be, most Wild players and coaches were eager for the time off by the time the final horn sounded on Monday. “The way I see it is I think this is a break at a key time for us, and I give the players a lot of credit. We’ve been going at max capacity and really dialed in from training camp till now and there’s been way more success than there has been failure,” coach John Hynes said, after his team snapped a four-game skid with the win over the Blackhawks. “But I also think that guys have really pushed, and I think guys have produced at certain times. I think it’s important for our group now to be able to get away from it for a few days, come off a win in a game that we played well, and then now it’s come back and we just reset and get moving forward.” As has been the case for much of this injury-riddled season to date, the biggest question about moving forward is which players it will involve. For example, top-line center Joel Eriksson Ek, whose big body and noteworthy skill have been missed since a lower-body injury in early December, looked to be inching closer to a return during the team’s last pre-Christmas practice. Getting some rest before facing a tough team like Dallas on the road is one positive factor, the Wild hope. Another pick-me-up was getting the victory by whatever means necessary versus Chicago, to end a season-worst losing streak. “It’s nice to go into the break with a win, but the games before, we’re not happy with,” Wild captain Jared Spurgeon admitted. “It’s tough throughout the year to be at 100 (percent) mentally and physically, so to have three days at this point, it’s big for us to sort of just relax, get away from it, hang with family friends and do something a little different.” And once they get back on the ice in Dallas, they plan to get back to more of the theme of the early season – namely getting contributions from throughout the lineup and competing for the lead in the Central Division. “I’m pretty convinced that after the break we come back then we get set for another while,” Hynes said, noting their next extended time off comes after Minnesota hosts the New York Islanders on Feb. 8. “You got Christmas basically until the 4 Nations break and that’s when we can re-plug in and get guys dialed in, get the team dialed in.”Essentially, the Maple Leafs have the same record after 20 games as they’ve had most of the past five regular seasons. They have 26 points right now. Last year they had 25. The year before they had 25. The year before that, 27. All of it looks basically the same in the standings. But these Leafs have a different look to them and a different feel. They’re better in goal than they’ve been in years. They’re deeper on defence. They’re less prone to individual mistakes. And slowly they’re adapting to Craig Berube’s north-south, old school style of hockey – no longer circling desperately to retain possession of the puck – and it makes them look tougher and harder to play against. It is still a long time until April. Three quarters of a regular season to go. But the win the other against Vegas, a tight 1-0 game that became a 3-0 win, is the kind of maturity general manager Brad Treliving and coach Berube are searching for from the team. Learning to win tight games is important for this group. Learning to win tight games against quality opponents, just as important. With the on-ice leadership of Chris Tanev a clear factor, the superb play of Mitch Marner and William Nylander with out with a mystery injury, has been huge, and former captain John Tavares competing with he kind of verve he’s rarely shown before, there are more reasons for optimism as the first quarter of the NHL season passes than there have been in most of the Brendan Shanahan years. With Matthews still out, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, David Kampf, and Matthew Knies all injured, and Ryan Reaves suspended, the Leafs will play Sunday night against Utah without six 12 regular forwards. That’s a kick few teams can survive. But the 6-1 won-loss record with Matthews missing is a sign of growth that has to be appreciated. Even if the standings, right now, don’t look a whole lot different from other years. Definition of desperate: Team Canada has expanded its search for three goaltenders as the deadline approaches in early December for the Four Nations tournament in Montreal and Boston. The new flavour of the day is Joey Daccord of the Seattle Kraken, who isn’t even a Canadian. He’s from outside Boston. His father was born in Canada. His mother is from Switzerland. But they can manipulate the rules, as the Canadian Olympic Committee has done on numerous occasions, to get him in. So it’s probably Daccord and St.. Louis netminder Jordan Binnington and one of Adin Hill, Sam Montembeault, Cam Talbot, Logan Thompson, and Mackenzie Blackwood as the third goalie. I’m told there’s no interest in Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner. The truth on the third goalie, no matter who it is: It’s a short tournament as will be the Olympics one year later. If you need to play your third goalie, it means you’re not contending ... The GMs for the Four Nations event are not happy about the Dec. 4 deadline to name their roster. They’d like more time, six more weeks maybe, but they’re not going to get it. The date was negotiated by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association, ostensibly to give the majority of players who aren’t involved with the event time to book time to book their vacations ... That wasn’t ’s first trip to Germany to see the mystery doctor about his mystery injury. He previously went in the summer, along with friend and rival Connor McDavid. If I’m guessing on the Matthews injury, I’m guessing back ... When Shanahan took over as Leafs president a decade ago he met with each of the newspapers and television stations individually to talk about his open approach to building a hockey team. The Leafs, he said, would be more available and more accessible than ever before. It was a new era. And right after he said that, the Leafs cut off interviews with assistant coaches, scouts and front office personnel, hid their players more often than any team in hockey, and avoided the truth as often as possible. The Leafs now operate like a political party, attempting to control the media rather than allow it to do its job. That wasn’t the way Shanahan behaved as a player at all. He was open and available. Somehow he’s left all that behind ... There should be an NHL rule. Leafs must play on Saturday night. It throws my weekend off completely when they no Saturday game. Tom Henke had 217 saves with the Blue Jays, the most in team history. No one will ever come close to that number again. Henke should be on the Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre ... There is nothing wrong with the Blue Jays walking away from hometown boy Jordan Romano so long as they find a replacement for him who is better. That’s the challenge. And you’re trusting Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins to do that? ... There was a time when the Raptors didn’t want homegrown players on their roster. They thought it would be a distraction. It was no distraction for Romano in his time pitching for the Jays. He embraced being the hometown guy. He loved talking about it. He welcomed the challenge. Not only will it be difficult to replace Romano the pitcher, third overall in saves in history, it will just as difficult to replace Romano the person from the Blue Jays clubhouse ... By the way, the top Canadian on the Raptors, R.J. Barrett is playing the best basketball of his life right now ... Raptors are caught in an unusual squeeze of sorts. The better they play, the more games they win, the more they damage their draft position. The best thing for the Raptors: Find a way to lose close games and excite the fanbase all at the same time. Players won’t naturally tank. That’s not how athletes work. But management can help push in one direction or the other ... So if you’re Masai Ujiri, what do you do – keep Jakob Poeltl long-term or trade him now when his value is about as high as it will ever be ... And yes, that was Raptors general manager Bobby Webster at the Argos Grey Cup celebration at Maple Leaf Square, wearing an Argos baseball cap. This is all part of the new MLSE: All teams supporting each other ...This Vince Carter celebration has gone just a little too far. There are Carter T-shirts for sale, Carter jerseys, and the tournament court is in Carter’s colours. The Raptors are celebrating mediocrity: Carter played 418 games for the Raptors, winning one playoff series, and never finishing higher than 10th in MVP voting, the team averaged 44 wins a season with Carter. Pretty low bar for all that’s being spent on this ... Kawhi Leonard played 84 games for the Raptors. They won a championship in his only season. He won the Finals MVP. The team won 58 of the games he played in. He was won and done, playing just under .700 basketball here. Now, that’s something worth selling T-shirts and retiring jerseys about ...If you combine the Jets and the Giants, could you make one competent NFL team? Or are they still lacking at quarterback? If the vote for the Hart Trophy was taken today, Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild would win the NHL’s MVP. Which is something completely new. No Minnesota player, not a North Star or a Wild, has won the Hart Trophy or even been close. Bobby Smith did finish 10th in Hart voting 42 years ago. So there is that ... The usual contenders around Kaprizov through the first quarter of the season: The regulars, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Connor Hellebuyck, and Nikita Kucherov. And Connor McDavid, nine points behind the scoring leader, hasn’t really gotten going yet ... I don’t see how you find a place for veterans John Tavares or Steven Stamkos on Team Canada much as you sentimentally want to. Tavares can’t play centre ahead of MacKinnon, McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Brayden Point, Sam Bennett or Mark Scheifele. And Stamkos can’t play wing ahead of Sam Reinhart, Marner, Travis Konecny, Alexis Lafreniere, Anthony Cirelli, or even those who might not get picked like Wyatt Johnston, Matt Barzal or Zach Hyman. Be interesting to see what Canada does with Brad Marchand, who was an early pick for the roster, but hasn’t played to form in this rather disappointing Bruins season ... What a time to need a coach in hockey: Joel Quenneville is available. The recently fired Jim Montgomery is available. The soon to be fired, Mike Sullivan, will likely be available. So those who are waiting for jobs, like Gerard Gallant or Jay Woodcroft or Bruce Boudreau, might be waiting for a while ... Outside of David Pastrnak, do the Bruins have a single dangerous forward? And the coach gets fired because the roster isn’t good enough ... What to do with Tavares in the future: Bring in a $7 million centre. Pay Tavares $4 million a year. That means you’ll be his $11 million on two centres instead of one ... Best athletic performers I’ve ever watched live, in no particular order: Bobby Orr, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Sugar Ray Leonard, Barry Bonds, Usain Bolt, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, John Elway, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steph Curry, Guy Lafleur, Crosby, Barry Sanders, Mario Lemieux. And I’m leaving out way too man. What you don’t see much of in hockey today — pencil thin goaltenders. Dustin Wolf weighs 166 pounds soaking wet. He’s 8-2-1 as a rookie with the , the early runaway leader for the Calder Trophy. The Flames have 25 points after 20 games, way more than expected and the same numbers as the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and defending President’s Trophy-winning New York Rangers ... An NHL coach on why so many teams are great one night, not so great the next: “You can’t do it every night over the season. Almost every team drifts in and out during the season. All of them except Carolina, really. And this year, Winnipeg.” ... Canadian tennis in decline: Felix Auger-Aliassime, once ranked sixth in the world, will finish this year at 29. Denis Shapovalov, once as high as No. 10, is now at 56. The almost always-injured Milos Raonic and Bianca Andreescu, both former Top 10 players, are not in the Top 100 anymore. Leylah Annie Fernandez will end the year at 31st after a high of 13th ... How and when did 50-yard field goals become chip shots? Like when did this happen? ... So Joel Embiid seems more concerned about who leaked the fact the Philadelphia 76ers had a players-only meeting to discuss Joel Embiid than he is with the fact the Sixers are 3-12 to start the season. Nick Nurse might be operating on borrowed time in Philly ... If personnel man John Murphy is leaving the Argos, and that seems apparent, then the club would be smart to avoid having Grey Cup coach Ryan Dinwiddie serve as general manager. Dinwiddie would like the GM job. But most coaches can’t seem to pull off the double anymore – there’s too much work to be done in either one of those jobs to stay on top of everything ... Grey Cup MVP Nick Arbuckle can stay with the Argos next season behind Chad Kelly but the team can’t afford, salary cap wise, to pay him much. Odds are, Arbuckle will play elsewhere in the CFL next season then return to the Argos later to coach with Dinwiddie ... Do you become a legend if you beat a legend in the Grey Cup twice? The championship scorecard in head-to-head matches: Coach Dinwiddie 2, Mike O’Shea 0. O’Shea is far and away and the most successful coach in the CFL ... How hard is it for a Canadian to rush for 1,000 yards in the NFL? Well, it’s only happened once. Ever. Thirty-eight years ago. Rueben Mayes of North Battleford, Sask, ran for 1,353 yards with the New Orleans Saints as a rookie. Since then, nobody has. But here’s Chuba Hubbard, from outside Edmonton, close to becoming the second Canadian to hit the 1,000-yard mark. He’s at 811 yards in Carolina with seven games to play ... Happy birthday to Oscar Robertson (86), Jeremy Swayman (26), Billie Jean King (81), Arland Bruce (47), Justin Turner (40) Jack McKeon (94), Eddie Johnston (89), Saku Koivu (50), Todd Brooker (65), Asafa Powell (42), Keith Primeau (53) and Gabriel Landeskog (32) ... And hey, whatever became of Gregg Zaun?

NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”Jet.AI Inc. JTAI shares rocketed on Tuesday after the company disclosed the launch of “Ava,” an advanced AI model designed to streamline private jet bookings . The AI delivers personalized, efficient service, catering to both seasoned flyers and first-time travelers, enhancing convenience and accessibility in private aviation. Ava offers real-time aircraft availability, transparent pricing, and expert recommendations to help customers choose the ideal jet, the company said. Users can interact with Ava through SMS for a conversational booking experience, receive trip details, and receive a direct link to the CharterGPT app for seamless management. Mike Winston, Founder and Exec Chair of Jet.AI said, “Because of the high dollar price and unique aspects of private travel, we are committed to having a human in the loop. But the later in the booking process that happens, the better our productivity.” ”In all our tests Ava has been a champion, always poised, well informed and on point. The next step for the company is to ask Ava to begin calling charter operators to confirm availability and pricing.” Jet.AI began pre-sales for fractional ownership interests in its upcoming Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 aircraft this month. This follows the company’s initial order with Textron Aviation Inc. for CJ4 aircraft on November 22, 2024 . Price Action : JTAI shares are up 120.18% at $7.53 at the last check Tuesday. Read Next : Tesla Model X, Lucid Gravity Or Rivian R1S: Which Three-Row Electric SUV Is A Better Buy? This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Top Stories Renewable Energy Job Growth Accelerates Worldwide By mayukh - December 3, 2024 Image Credits: Pexels The renewable energy sector is becoming a significant driver of job creation globally, as countries prioritize green technologies to combat climate change and transition to sustainable economies. Solar, wind, and hydropower industries are leading the surge in employment, with substantial contributions from energy storage and electric vehicle-related industries. This trend underscores the dual benefits of renewable energy: environmental sustainability and economic growth. Expanding Opportunities in Renewable Sectors Solar power remains the largest employer in the renewable energy industry. Manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of solar panels have created millions of jobs, especially in regions like Asia, Europe, and North America. In countries like India and China, large-scale solar farms are fueling employment in rural areas, while rooftop solar installations are driving urban job creation. Wind energy is also contributing significantly, particularly offshore wind projects. Countries with extensive coastlines, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, are capitalizing on offshore wind’s potential. These projects require a diverse workforce, ranging from engineers and technicians to logistics and supply chain professionals. Battery production and energy storage systems are emerging as key areas of growth. The rise in electric vehicle adoption has boosted demand for lithium-ion batteries, creating jobs in mining, battery manufacturing, and recycling. Countries investing heavily in gigafactories, such as Germany and the U.S., are at the forefront of this transformation. While renewable energy jobs are growing, challenges such as workforce training and geographic disparities in job availability remain. Governments and companies are addressing these issues through education programs, skills development initiatives, and targeted investments in underserved regions. The renewable energy sector’s job boom highlights its role as a cornerstone of the global economy. As investments in green technologies continue, the industry is set to create millions more jobs while helping nations achieve their sustainability goals. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin ReddIt Email Telegram Previous article Global Wheat Prices Rise Amid Agricultural Challenges mayukh http://digitalmarketnews.comThe stock markets in Bangladesh witnessed a mixed performance yesterday as the key Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) index experienced a fall while the opposite happened in the case of Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE). The DSEX, the broad index of the country's prime bourse, dropped by 1.47 points, or 0.03 percent from that on the previous day before closing at 5,169. This was a fall for a third consecutive day. The other two indices of the DSE saw an opposite trend as the DSES index for the Shariah-based stocks rose by 2.78 points, or 0.24 percent, to 1,158. Meanwhile, the DS30 for the blue chips grew by 0.91 points, or 0.05 percent, to 1,923. Of the issues that changed hands on the DSE trading floor, 150 saw a price hike, 159 closed lower and the remaining 86 did not witness any price fluctuations. Turnover, which is the total value of shares that changed hands and a key indicator of the liquidity flow in the market, decreased 9.07 percent to Tk 276 crore. Orion Infusion Ltd emerged as the most-traded share with a turnover of Tk 18.7 crore. In its daily market update, Shanta Securities said the market movement was driven by negative changes in the market capitalisation of financial institutions, travel and leisure, and paper and printing scrips. Market capitalisation is the total existing market value of a company's existing shares. Meanwhile, there were positive changes in the market capitalisation of food and allied, miscellaneous, and textile scrips. Most of the large-cap sectors, meaning those that account for large amounts in market capitalisation, posted a negative performance, with non-bank financial institutions (NBFI) experiencing the highest loss of 0.92 percent. The NBFI sector was followed by fuel and power (0.87 percent), food and allied (0.19 percent), telecommunication (0.18 percent) and engineering (0.06 percent). However, the pharmaceuticals sector logged a gain of 0.13 percent, and the banking sector recorded a 0.51 percent gain. Companies like Islami Bank Bangladesh, Renata, Eastern Bank, Khan Brothers PP Woven Industries, Taufika Foods and Lovello Ice-cream, Orion Infusion, Fortune Shoes, Heidelberg Materials Bangladesh, Pubali Bank and Olympic Industries drew investors the most, according to LankaBangla Financials. However, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, National Bank, Beacon Pharmaceuticals, BAT Bangladesh, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, Grameenphone, IFIC Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank and ACME Laboratories suffered losses. At the CSE, the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI), the premier index of the port city bourse, posted a gain as the index rose by 34.6 points, or 0.24 percent, to settle the day at 14,489. The stock markets in Bangladesh witnessed a mixed performance yesterday as the key Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) index experienced a fall while the opposite happened in the case of Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE). The DSEX, the broad index of the country's prime bourse, dropped by 1.47 points, or 0.03 percent from that on the previous day before closing at 5,169. This was a fall for a third consecutive day. The other two indices of the DSE saw an opposite trend as the DSES index for the Shariah-based stocks rose by 2.78 points, or 0.24 percent, to 1,158. Meanwhile, the DS30 for the blue chips grew by 0.91 points, or 0.05 percent, to 1,923. Of the issues that changed hands on the DSE trading floor, 150 saw a price hike, 159 closed lower and the remaining 86 did not witness any price fluctuations. Turnover, which is the total value of shares that changed hands and a key indicator of the liquidity flow in the market, decreased 9.07 percent to Tk 276 crore. Orion Infusion Ltd emerged as the most-traded share with a turnover of Tk 18.7 crore. In its daily market update, Shanta Securities said the market movement was driven by negative changes in the market capitalisation of financial institutions, travel and leisure, and paper and printing scrips. Market capitalisation is the total existing market value of a company's existing shares. Meanwhile, there were positive changes in the market capitalisation of food and allied, miscellaneous, and textile scrips. Most of the large-cap sectors, meaning those that account for large amounts in market capitalisation, posted a negative performance, with non-bank financial institutions (NBFI) experiencing the highest loss of 0.92 percent. The NBFI sector was followed by fuel and power (0.87 percent), food and allied (0.19 percent), telecommunication (0.18 percent) and engineering (0.06 percent). However, the pharmaceuticals sector logged a gain of 0.13 percent, and the banking sector recorded a 0.51 percent gain. Companies like Islami Bank Bangladesh, Renata, Eastern Bank, Khan Brothers PP Woven Industries, Taufika Foods and Lovello Ice-cream, Orion Infusion, Fortune Shoes, Heidelberg Materials Bangladesh, Pubali Bank and Olympic Industries drew investors the most, according to LankaBangla Financials. However, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, National Bank, Beacon Pharmaceuticals, BAT Bangladesh, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, Grameenphone, IFIC Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank and ACME Laboratories suffered losses. At the CSE, the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI), the premier index of the port city bourse, posted a gain as the index rose by 34.6 points, or 0.24 percent, to settle the day at 14,489.

Vikings withstand Bears' furious rally, win on field goal in OT

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:58 p.m. ESTthe peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to as one of many health initiatives. the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief” and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America’s dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise” speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter’s diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___

Cytokinetics Announces Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

LDF performed well in bypoll, says Kerala CMBiz activity picks up, purchase stocks hit record high in Nov

Chicago's Korean community reacts to political turmoil in South KoreaATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.

Article content Windsor police are asking for help in identifying a man spotted peering into a home on the city’s west end on Christmas Day. Police were called to the 400 block of Rankin Avenue shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25, for a report of a prowler in progress. Officers learned that the suspect had been seen peering into the window of a residence where the complainant was changing. Police said the suspect fled the area after being confronted by the complainant’s father. The suspect was last seen in the 600 block of Rankin Avenue, according to authorities. Police said the suspect is described as a white male, between 20-30 years old, about six feet tall with a shaved head and a brown moustache. He was wearing a black T-shirt, blue skinny jeans and black running shoes with white soles at the time of the incident. is available on the Windsor Police Service’s social media accounts. The suspect is wanted for ‘harassment by watching’ and mischief interfering with lawful enjoyment.

Former US president Jimmy Carter dies, aged 100The Mahayuti alliance, despite their poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, executed a strategic comeback in north Maharashtra assembly elections, capturing 44 of 47 seats. Their success was bolstered by Prime Minister Modi's slogan, key developmental initiatives, and targeted support for farmers. The completion of the Nilwande dam and new river linking projects played crucial roles in garnering greater support in Nashik, Dhule, and nearby districts. Adapting policy measures to aid onion farmers also paid off, especially in Nashik and Ahilyanagar, according to BJP sources. In efforts to rejuvenate grassroots connections, key Mahayuti leaders such as Girish Mahajan and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil engaged closely with local units. Strategic policy changes, including adjustments in onion export pricing, further solidified farmer support, resulting in a sweeping victory for the alliance. (With inputs from agencies.)CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 17 points, Marchelus Avery had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Oklahoma State beat Miami 80-74 on Friday in the consolation bracket of the Charleston Classic. Oklahoma State (4-1) will play in the fifth-place game on Sunday, while Miami (3-2) will try to avoid going winless in the tournament. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Clintons urge voters agitated by today's politics to remain involved in public serviceBynum scores 19 as UTEP beats Seattle U 88-72gstar288 login 。

Louisville will aim to end a three-game losing streak when it hosts UTEP on Wednesday, but beating the Miners may not be an easy feat. UTEP (6-2) comes to the Derby City winners of three straight, most recently beating Seattle 88-72 on Saturday. The Miners shot 56.1 percent (32 of 57) and used a 24-2 first-half run to essentially put the game away. Coach Joe Golding said that first-half performance may have been UTEP's best in his four years leading the school. "I thought offensively and defensively the first 20 minutes we were really locked in and ready to go. (The game) never got close," he said. "We kept it at 20-plus points for the majority of the game. Our ball movement was terrific." Ahamad Bynum led the Miners with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench, while Otis Frazier III added 18 points and five assists. Frazier (13.6 points per game) and Bynum (12.1 ppg) are among four UTEP players averaging in double figures. Bynum leads the country shooting 63.3 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, though he has attempted just 30 threes, making 19. Louisville (5-4) also started hot in its last game but could not sustain its momentum in a 76-65 home loss to then-No. 9 Duke on Sunday. Coach Pat Kelsey's team, which had just seven players healthy, made 10 of its first 14 shots to build a 30-16 lead before the Cardinals' lack of depth caught up to them. Louisville shot just 9-of-37 (24.3 percent) after its hot start and was outscored 43-28 after halftime. Terrence Edwards Jr. paced the Cardinals with 21 points in his first game as a reserve this season. Edwards (11.9 ppg) is one of four Louisville scorers averaging double figures, led by Chucky Hepburn leads the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and is second in the country with 3.2 steals per game. The Cardinals entered the season with expectations of rotating 10 or more players to utilize Kelsey's up-tempo attack. However, swingman Kasean Pryor (knee) and guard Koren Johnson (shoulder) will both miss the rest of the season, while forward Aboubacar Traore (arm) is out indefinitely. After Sunday's loss, Kelsey did not rule out adding players to the roster during the season. "Everything's on the table," he said. "I don't sleep, figuring out what buttons to push to get this team to be the best that they can be. We'll scour every inch of the Earth to figure out how we can improve our team. And whether that happens or not, I have no idea, but I'm willing to try anything." --Field Level Media

Cyclone Fengal makes landfall in India’s south Police says that road is heavily covered with sand and motorists are advised to proceed with caution BENGALURU, India: Heavy rains lashed India ́s south and a major airport shut operations as cyclone Fengal made landfall late Saturday. Cyclones — the equivalent of hurricanes in the North Atlantic or typhoons in the northwestern Pacific -- are a regular and deadly menace in the northern Indian Ocean. India ́s weather bureau said “the forward sector of spiral bands associated with the cyclone has entered into the land” with a forecast of sustained winds of 70-80 kilometres an hour. Authorities also said there was a “moderate to high flash flood risk” over a few areas. Several areas in the state of Tamil Nadu were flooded while authorities extended closure of the main airport in capital city Chennai till Sunday. “Due to stormy winds, the road is heavily covered with sand and motorists are advised to proceed with caution,” traffic police in Chennai posted on social media platform X. Schools and colleges in numerous districts in the state were shut and at least 471 people had been moved to relief camps, local media reported. Fengal skirted the coast of Sri Lanka earlier this week, killing at least 12 people including six children. Scientists have warned that storms are becoming more powerful as the world heats up due to climate change driven by burning fossil fuels. Warmer ocean surfaces release more water vapour, which provides additional energy for storms, strengthening winds. A warming atmosphere also allows them to hold more water, boosting heavy rainfall. But better forecasting and more effective evacuation planning have dramatically reduced death tolls.EVENTS Santa Paws is Coming to Town — Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus at 9 a.m., family and dog friendly events, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 7, Under the Sun Dog Training & Daycare, 6540 Vincent Drive. Breakfast is $10, free for dogs and children younger than 2. Reservations required by Tuesday for breakfast: utsdog.com/index.php/santa-paws-2024 . Santa Paws Photos and Holiday Boutique — Get your pet's photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus and shop for gifts for pets and people, to benefit Harley's Hope Foundation, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 7, Hanks K9 Social Club, 815 S. Sierra Madre St., $15 donation for digital photos; harleys-hopefoundation.org . ADOPTION Comfort & Joy Cat Café — Tasty and healthy food and adoptable cats, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays-Mondays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 615 S. Nevada Ave., $12 and up. Book a session: comfortandjoycatcafe.com . NEED HELP? Harley’s Hope Foundation — Provides financial assistance for major veterinary care and behavior-modification services, access to a list of Colorado pet care resources, and educational information on preventive pet care and safety: 719-495-6083, harleys-hopefoundation.org . AVAILABLE Adopt a Shelter Pet license plates — $80 one-time fee for new or replacement plates in addition to other taxes and fees, $25 renewal fee. Part of funds benefit the Pet Overpopulation Fund; dmv.colorado.gov/group-special-license-plates . Pet Licensing — Offered by the Humane Society of the Pikes Region in partnership with DocuPet. Go online for fees: hsppr.org/law/license-your-pet . Safe Place for Pets — Finding homes for pets of terminally ill owners. For information on rehoming pets or to find available pets for adoption, call 719-359-0201 or go to safeplacepets.org . LOOKING TO HELP? 9 Lives Rescue — Foster homes needed. Supplies and medical care provided; 719-591-4640; colorado9lives.com . Happy Cats Haven — Volunteer cleaners and adoption help needed as well as donations of Costco, grocery and office supply gift cards; gently used cat equipment accepted; 719-362-4600, happycatshaven.org . Rescued Hearts Unique Boutique — Proceeds benefit local animal rescues, 3314 Austin Bluffs Parkway; 719-466-9797, rescued-hearts.org . SLV Animal Welfare Society — Volunteers needed for dog adoptions and events in Colorado Springs; 719-588-5560; facebook.com/slvaws . WHAT TO DO IF? If an animal bites you, your pet runs away or you find a stray, call the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region , 719-473-1741. To list a lost or found pet, go to hsppr.org . — Email adoption fairs and pet events at least two weeks in advance: listings@gazette.com .Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastily arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors have returned to the Hawaii military base for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.Gus Malzahn shocked the world on November 30 by resigning as UCF’s head football coach to take the offensive coordinator job at FSU under Mike Norvell. “Sources: UCF head coach Gus Malzahn is resigning to become the new offensive coordinator at Florida State, sources told ESPN. His UCF tenure will end after four years at 28-24. Malzahn will be FSU’s primary play caller, a role held by Mike Norvell. So this marks a distinct shift for Norvell, who has shaken up his staff in the wake of a 2-9 season that concludes tonight against Florida. The move comes in the wake of two uneven seasons for Malzahn at UCF, as they went 6-7 last year and struggled this season in going 4-8,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel tweeted in a genuine shocker a day after the Knights lost 28-14 to Utah as a multi-score favorite. Social media responded to the news by pitching a return to the Knights for national championship-winning coach Scott Frost. “Hey I know it’s a long shot but let’s bring in frosty baby,” said former Frost recruit and current Birmingham Stallions receiver Marlon Williams . “Does history repeat itself at UCF?” asked Rivals’ National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney with a GIF of Frost on UCF’s sidelines. “Gus Malzahn resigns at UCF. Knights should make this easy and call Scott Frost,” said 247 Sports’ Brad Crawford . “Names that immediately come to mind for the UCF head coaching gig: Scott Frost , Jon Sumrall, Jamey Chadwell, Dan Mullen,” said WESH 2 News’s Daren Stoltzfus . “Want a real wild card? Jon Gruden.” Frost is currently an analyst with the Los Angeles Rams after five disastrous years at Nebraska. He’s taken a path that one usually does on his way back to a more significant job. Stay tuned. A reunion is very possible here.

A Fort Worth company that produces a line of lighter-than-air unmanned airships has earned a key certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, paving the way for widespread adoption of the technology. Galaxy Unmanned Systems LLC , a TechFW client, earned FAA certification for the first set of its line of unmanned airships weighing more than 55 pounds, marking a groundbreaking achievement in Advanced Air Mobility, according to the company. Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM, is a new sector of the aerospace industry which aims to safely and efficiently integrate highly automated aircraft into the current airspace infrastructure, according to the FAA. The FAA decision is important to Galaxy, but it also means other companies can begin development with similar technologies. “This certification isn’t just a win for Galaxy—it’s a breakthrough for the aviation industry,” Galaxy CEO Jason White said in a statement. “Our lighter-than-air technology airships represent the future of unmanned systems, combining autonomy, sustainability and unmatched operational flexibility.” The FAA approval covers Galaxy’s GC35-E2, GC35-E4 and GC50-E4 models – airships designed for extended operations, heavy payloads and integration into national airspace. The platforms open opportunities across commercial and defense applications, including: Surveillance: elevated, wide-area monitoring for security operations. Broadcasting: improved coverage for large-scale events. Event security: safeguarding festivals, rallies and high-profile venues. Counter-unmanned aircraft system operations: cost-effective detection and mitigation of rogue drones. Disaster relief: delivery of communication and situational tools to areas hit by natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or fires. Search and rescue: enhanced aerial support for locating individuals. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. Galaxy Unmanned Systems is led by brothers Tony and Jason White, who grew up flying remote-controlled aircraft, worked their way up through the commercial side of the unmanned aircraft systems industry, and then headed to the U.S. Department of Defense. Their combined more than 40 years of work includes concept, design, manufacturing, certification, testing, payload configuration, subsystem integration, documentation, training and operations. Galaxy’s certified airships are designed for industries requiring cost-effective solutions, and are uniquely suited for missions that traditional aircraft cannot fulfill, according to Jason White. “With this certification, we’re excited to continue our conversations and move forward as a partner with commercial and government leaders to explore their needs and our possibilities,” he said. Galaxy’s certification was a long process, going back over 17 years. In 2007, the FAA suspended commercial drone operations in the National Airspace System, halting Galaxy’s early advancements in unmanned airship technology, according to Jason White. That decision left hundreds of pioneering companies, including Galaxy, in limbo. “Momentum resumed in 2018 with regulatory updates, allowing exemptions for unmanned aircraft exceeding 55 pounds,” said Tony White, Galaxy’s COO. Galaxy has worked with research partners from the University of Texas at Arlington in developing its technology. Galaxy submitted its certification request in May 2024. “The FAA’s approval is the result of a lot of employee efforts, diligence and patience,” Tony White said in a statement. “We hope to push the boundaries of air mobility, pave the way for innovative operations in restricted airspace, delivering solutions that are safer, smarter, and more sustainable.” Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Related Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism . Republish This Story Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). Do not copy stories straight from the front-end of our web-site. You are required to follow the guidelines and use the republication tool when you share our content. The republication tool generates the appropriate html code. You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you use our stories in any other medium — for example, newsletters or other email campaigns — you must make it clear that the stories are from the Fort Worth Report. In all emails, link directly to the story at fortworthreport.org and not to your website. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. You have to credit Fort Worth Report. Please use “Author Name, Fort Worth Report” in the byline. If you’re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: “This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report” and include our website, fortworthreport.org . You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Bob Francis, Fort Worth Report December 19, 2024

Winners of 3 straight, UTEP takes aim at short-handed LouisvilleHusband’s excessive manners leave wife feeling left behind

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has delayed its board meeting scheduled to discuss the hosting of the 2025 Champions Trophy, with India requesting more time to resolve the issue. This delay comes amid Pakistan’s firm stance on hosting the tournament, which has put pressure on India to reconsider its position. Pakistan has reiterated its position that if India refuses to send its team to Pakistan for the event, Pakistan will not play in any ICC tournaments hosted by India. The two cricket boards, PCB and BCCI, are still in discussions, and no concrete solution has yet been reached. Pakistan continues to oppose the hybrid model proposed by the ICC, which would involve some matches being played at neutral venues. The meeting was originally scheduled for November 29, but was postponed after no agreement was reached during preliminary discussions. ICC has urged both boards to present solutions within 24 to 48 hours. Separately, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stressed on Saturday that politics and cricket needed to be kept separate, adding that preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy tournament were “finalised”. The tournament, scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, has become embroiled in a dispute, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refusing to send its team to Pakistan, citing political and security concerns, despite assurances from all member boards regarding the security arrangements and the tentative match schedule. An online meeting convened by the ICC on Friday aimed at resolving the issue and announcing the match schedule lasted just 15 minutes due to the uncompromising stance of both the PCB and the BCCI. The PCB has made it clear that it will not accept a hybrid model for the event, under which all of India’s matc­hes would be played outside Pakistan. On the other hand, the BCCI is lobbying for the hybrid model, and if the PCB refuses, its next step is to push for shifting the Champions Tro­p­hy to another country. In a post on X, the PCB said that Naqvi met with former UAE cricket board secretary Mubashshir Usmani in Dubai today and he discussed “important issues regarding the organisation of the Champions Trophy tournament”. “We have to keep cricket and politics separate,” the PCB chairman said. Naqvi, who also serves as the interior minister, said, “Pakistan is a peaceful country and Pakistani people love the game of cricket. Cricket fans are eager for the big competition of [the] Champions Trophy.” “Pakistan is all set to host the Champions Trophy tournament,” he said, adding that stadiums were upgraded and security arrangements were finalised. “All countries will be given state guest protocol and security.” Naqvi said it was an honour to host the Champions Trophy tournament and that Pakstan would “welcome every team with open heart”.Tahj Brooks Leads Texas Tech to 52-15 Rout of West Virginia in Final Home Game

The Government of Nunavut has launched a new text-to-speech tool that reads webpages in the native language of Inuktitut. It can also be used in Bing Translate and other Microsoft tools later this year. Right now, people living in Nunavut or other parts of Canada can use Microsoft’s Edge browser to access the tool to read webpages out loud in the Inuktitut language. This is part of the Preservation and Promotion of Inuktitut Through Technology Project, led by the Department of Culture and Heritage. The goal of this project is to make the language more accessible and integrated into daily life across Nunavut. This follows another tool from 2021 when Microsoft added Inuktitut to the Microsoft Translator app. To make the new tool, Microsoft recorded natural Inuktitut language speakers and then used AI tech to create two neural voices called Siqiniq (female) and Taqqiq (male). Following this language, Microsoft and Nunavut are hoping to launch Inuinnaqtun in 2025. Microsoft isn’t the only tech giant working to support Indigenous languages in Canada. Google launched Inuktut on Google Translate earlier this year. Header image credit: Shutterstock Source: Government of NunavutNone

Navy pledges support for Calabar Table Tennis TourneyASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Fletcher Abee's 25 points helped UNC Asheville defeat Saint Andrews 120-64 on Saturday. Abee shot 8 for 12 (6 for 10 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Bulldogs (4-4). Connor Dubsky scored 20 points while going 6 of 12 from the floor, including 5 for 11 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Jordan Marsh had 14 points and finished 6 of 10 from the field. The Knights were led by Escamilla Mateu, who posted 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Ma'Nas Drummond added 14 points for Saint Andrews (NC). Caleb Brown finished with 13 points and two steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

NEW YORK (AP) — An early rebound for U.S. stocks petered out by the end of the day, leaving indexes close to flat. The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1% Thursday, coming off one of its worst days of the year after the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates in 2025 than earlier thought. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up by less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%. Treasury yields were mixed in the bond market following reports showing the U.S. economy may be stronger than expected, but manufacturing may be contracting again. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are stabilizing Thursday following one of their worst days of the year . The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in late trading, a day after tumbling 2.9% when the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than earlier thought. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 136 points, or 0.3%, with less than an hour remaining in trading, following Wednesday’s drop of more than 1,100 points. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Wednesday’s drop took some of the enthusiasm out of the market, which critics had already been warning was overly buoyant and would need everything to go correctly for it to justify its high prices. But indexes remain near their records , and the S&P 500 is still on track for one of its best years of the millennium . Traders are now expecting the Federal Reserve to deliver just one or maybe two cuts to interest rates next year, according to data from CME Group. Some are even betting on none. A month ago, the majority saw at least two cuts in 2025 as a safe bet. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they give the economy a boost and goose prices for investments, but they can also provide fuel for inflation. Darden Restaurants, the company behind Olive Garden and other chains, helped lift the market after leaping 15.1%. It delivered profit for the latest quarter that edged past analysts’ expectations. The operator of LongHorn Steakhouses also gave a forecast for revenue for this fiscal year that topped analysts’. Accenture rose 6.7% after the professional services company likewise topped expectations for profit in the latest quarter. CEO Julie Sweet said it saw growth around the world, and the company raised its forecast for revenue this fiscal year. Amazon shares added 1.8%, even as workers at seven of its facilities went on strike Thursday in the middle of the online retail giant’s busiest time of the year. Amazon says it doesn’t expect an impact on its operations during what the workers’ union calls the largest strike against the company in U.S. history. They helped offset a tumble for Micron Technology, which fell 16.7% despite reporting stronger profit than expected. The computer memory company’s revenue fell short of Wall Street’s forecasts, and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said it expects demand from consumers to remain weaker in the near term. It gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that fell well short of what analysts were thinking. Lamb Weston, which makes French fries and other potato products, dropped 22.6% after falling short of analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter. It also cut its financial targets for the fiscal year, saying demand for frozen potatoes is continuing to soften, particularly outside North America. The company replaced its chief executive. In the bond market, yields were mixed a day after shooting higher on expectations that the Fed would deliver fewer cuts to rates in 2025. Reports on the U.S. economy came in mixed. One showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The economy has remained remarkably resilient even though the Fed held its main interest rate at a two-decade high for a while before beginning to cut them in September. A separate report showed fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, an indication that the job market also remains solid. But a third report said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region is unexpectedly contracting again despite economists’ expectations for growth. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.57% from 4.52% late Wednesday and from less than 4.20% earlier this month. But the two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for action by the Fed in the near term, eased back to 4.31% from 4.35%. The rise in longer-term yields has put pressure on the housing market by keeping mortgage rates higher. Homebuilder Lennar fell 4.8% after it reported weaker profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Stuart Miller said that “the housing market that appeared to be improving as the Fed cut short-term interest rates, proved to be far more challenging as mortgage rates rose” through the quarter. “Even while demand remained strong, and the chronic supply shortage continued to drive the market, our results were driven by affordability limitations from higher interest rates,” he said. A report on Thursday may have offered some encouragement for the housing industry. It showed a pickup in sales of previously occupied homes. In stock markets abroad, London’s FTSE 100 fell 1.1% after the Bank of England paused its cuts to rates and kept its main interest rate unchanged on Thursday. The move comes as inflation there moved further above the central bank’s 2% target rate, while the British economy is flatlining at best. The Bank of Japan also kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged, and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.7%. Indexes likewise sank across much of the rest of Asia and Europe. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule . Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire and waved the revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. The swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," President Joe Biden said , crediting action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria’s backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He called the fall of Assad a “fundamental act of justice” but also a “moment of risk and uncertainty,” and said rebel groups are “saying the right things now” but the U.S. would assess their actions. Russia requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council to discuss Syria, according to Dmitry Polyansky, its deputy ambassador to the U.N., in a post on Telegram. The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow was reported by Russian agencies Tass and RIA, citing an unidentified source at the Kremlin. A spokesman there didn't immediately respond to questions. RIA also said Syrian insurgents had guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Earlier, Russia said Assad left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups and that he had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. The leader of Syria's biggest rebel faction, Abu Mohammed al-Golani , is poised to chart the country’s future. The former al-Qaida commander cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance. His Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the U.N. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the Umayyad Mosque and described Assad's fall as “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he said Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They urged people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state,” and announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. An online video purported to show rebels freeing dozens of women at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi appeared on state TV and sought to reassure religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Soldiers and police fled their posts and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Families wandered the presidential palace, walking by damaged portraits of Assad. Other parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” Rebels stood guard at the Justice Ministry, where Judge Khitam Haddad said he and colleagues were protecting documents. Outside, residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s historically pro-government newspaper al-Watan called it “a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements ordered from above. A statement from the Alawite sect that formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. The road to Damascus from the Lebanese border was littered with military uniforms and charred armored vehicles. Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, which provided crucial support to Assad, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its proxies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Hossein Akbari, Iran’s ambassador to Syria, said it was “effectively impossible” to help the Syrian government after it admitted the insurgents' military superiority. Speaking on Iranian state media from an undisclosed location, he said Syria's government decided Saturday night to hand over power peacefully. “When the army and the people could not resist, it was a good decision to let go to prevent bloodshed and destruction,” Akbari said, adding that some of his colleagues left Syria before sunrise. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on state TV, said there were concerns about the “possibility of civil war, disintegration of Syria, total collapse and turning Syria into a shelter for terrorists.” Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali has said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office to a hotel. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel’s military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the U.S., views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall to occupy more territory. Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed.

Brayden Long hit hit Logan Ramper with a 28-yard touchdown pass, then Slippery Rock scored on a hook-and-lateral on the ensuing 2-point conversion to knock off top-seeded Kutztown, 25-24 in overtime, in an NCAA Division II playoff second-round game Saturday. Kutztown (11-1) scored earlier on its overtime possession on Luke Maxwell’s 2-yard run. Slippery Rock (11-1) trailed by eight with 1:53 left when Kam Kruzelyak caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Long, who then hit Ramper with a successful 2-point pass to tie the game. Long threw for 288 yards and Ramper caught nine passes for 120 yards. Steven Burkhardt rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown for Kutztown. Cal (Pa.) 34, Ashland 33 — Demonte Martin scored on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Davis Black with 3:49 left in the game as Cal (Pa.) (10-2) overcame a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Ashland (9-4) in the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament. Black threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another TD. Trevor Bycznski threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns for Ashland, but he was also picked off three times. The Vulcans will face Slippery Rock in next week’s third-round matchup. Division III Second round Carnegie Mellon 24, Centre College 15 — Brendan McCullough caught 10 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns from Ben Mills as Carnegie Mellon (10-1) beat Centre College (8-3) in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament. Mills threw for 153 yards. Logan Young had two interceptions for the Tartans defense, which forced four Centre turnovers overall and set a team record by limiting Centre to minus-33 rushing yards. Jack Gohmann tossed for 402 yards and a touchdown on a 38-for-63 passing effort for Centre while Blake Busson caught 13 passes for 212 yards and Dant Bowling had 10 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Carnegie Mellon advances to play Mount Union in next Saturday’s third round. Johns Hopkins 17, Grove City 14 — Jase Herrick recovered a punt blocked by Shay Aitken in the end zone with 3:43 left in the game to give Johns Hopkins (10-1) the NCAA Division III second-round win over Grove City (9-2). Grove City hit the left upright with nine seconds left on a 27-yard game-tying field goal attempt. James Rinello threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing TD for Johns Hopkins, which will face DePauw in next week’s third round. Grove City’s Logan Pfeuffer threw for 273 yards and a touchdown to Scott Fraser, who had 19 receptions for 231 yards. Randolph-Macon 38, Washington & Jefferson 22 — In the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament, Mitchell Johnson rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns as Randolph-Macon (10-1) overcame an early 14-point deficit to defeat Washington & Jefferson (9-2). The Presidents went ahead on two first-quarter touchdown runs by quarterback Jacob Pugh before Randolph-Macon scored the next 38 points. Dante Casciola threw for 137 yards and two touchdowns for Randolph-Macon while Jason Moore caught four passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Pugh threw for 271 yards and a touchdown to Jacob Macosko, who had 11 receptions for 140 yards. Randolph-Macon matches up against Salisbury next Saturday in the third round.

NoneWhy Indonesia Needs To Reform Its Oil and Gas Exploration Landscape

Barcelona loses at home for the first time this seasonMINNEAPOLIS — Two prospective marijuana business owners who were barred from participating in a license lottery are suing Minnesota cannabis regulators. The Office of Cannabis Management announced Friday, Nov. 22, that it will hold a drawing on Tuesday to determine who will operate the state’s first legal marijuana businesses. ADVERTISEMENT The OCM turned to a lottery because more than 1,800 applicants had sought 282 licenses. The first to apply are those considered social equity applicants under the law. They include people who live in high-poverty areas, those harmed by the war on drugs, and military veterans. This week, regulators disqualified two-thirds of the applicants for a variety of reasons. In a lawsuit, Jodi Connolly alleges that OCM gave no reason for denying her application. Connolly’s co-plaintiff, Cristina Aranguiz, said she received only a cursory explanation. The two call the rejections “arbitrary and capricious,” and they want a judge to stop the lottery while their lawsuit is pending. In an email to MPR News on Friday, a spokesperson for the Office of Cannabis Management said he cannot comment on the litigation, but OCM and still plans to move ahead with the scheduled lottery. This story was originally published on MPRNews.org ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday, likely ending the Buckeyes ’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game. Late in the game, Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines (7-5, 5-4) at Ohio State’s 17-yard line with two minutes remaining. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Ohio State (10-2, 7-2, No. 2 CFP) got the ball back but couldn’t move it, with Will Howard throwing incomplete on fourth down to seal the Wolverines’ fourth straight win over their bitter rival. This loss might have been the toughest of those four for Ohio State because the Wolverines were unranked and were wrapping up a disappointing season. The Buckeyes were supposed to win, but records rarely mean much when these two teams meet. Ohio State needs No. 4 Penn State and No. 10 Indiana to lose later Saturday in order to make it into the Big Ten title game next week. The Buckeyes were off all afternoon. Howard was 19 for 33 for 175 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and Jayden Fielding missed two field-goal attempts. The run game was hardly there. Mullings was Michigan’s primary weapon. He rushed for 116 yards and the Wolverines only touchdown of the game in the first half as neither team could get much going offensively on the frigid afternoon. Howard was clunky all day. In the first half he threw an interception from deep in his own territory that led to Michigan’s touchdown. After the game, Michigan players attempted to plant their flag at midfield and were confronted by Ohio State players. A skirmish ensued as both teams pushed and shoved before being separated. The Takeaway Michigan: Did just enough and caught Ohio State on an off day. Ohio State: It’s inexplicable how badly the Buckeyes played in their biggest game of the season. Poll implications The Buckeyes will fall. Up next Michigan will wait for a minor bowl game. Ohio State will see how the College Football Playoff rankings shakeout.

Embiid scores 31 in triumphant NBA return for 76ers

Recently, A-shares have been making headlines as they surge to the top of hot search rankings, igniting a frenzy of enthusiasm among investors. The astonishing rally has seen many stocks hitting their daily limit-up levels, signaling a bullish sentiment and indicating the beginning of a potential bull run in the market. Meanwhile, the Chinese currency RMB has also been on the rise, further adding to the positive sentiment in the domestic market.On the other hand, Barcelona have faced challenges and uncertainties in the post-Lionel Messi era, as they seek to rebuild and redefine their identity. The departure of the Argentine legend has left a void in the team that needs to be filled by the likes of Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati, and Pedri. While Barcelona have shown glimpses of their potential in the early stages of the season, they have struggled to find consistency and overcome tough opposition.gstar28 app 。

Major Red Wings HC decision shouldn't be a shocker

As we approach the end of the year, the gaming industry is poised for continued growth and innovation. With a diverse lineup of consoles and services catering to different segments of the market, players large and small are actively shaping the future of gaming. The November sales data provides a snapshot of the industry's current trajectory and sets the stage for an exciting year ahead.NEW YORK , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Celsius Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CELH) between February 29, 2024 and September 4, 2024 , both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 21, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you purchased Celsius common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Celsius class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31677 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 21 , 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Celsius materially oversold inventory to PepsiCo, Inc. ("Pepsi") far in excess of demand, and faced a looming sales cliff during which Pepsi would significantly reduce its purchases of Celsius products; (2) as Pepsi drew down significant amounts of inventory overstock, Celsius' sales would materially decline in future periods, hurting Celsius' financial performance and outlook; (3) Celsius' sales rate to Pepsi was unsustainable and created a misleading impression of Celsius' financial performance and outlook; (4) as a result, Celsius' business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as indicated in defendants' Class Period statements; and (5) consequently, defendants' statements regarding Celsius' outlook and expected financial performance were false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Celsius class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31677 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celh-investors-have-opportunity-to-lead-celsius-holdings-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit-302327947.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

Against this backdrop, President Zelensky's decision to reject Trump's peace talk initiative reflects the deep-seated mistrust and diverging interests that complicate efforts to reach a peaceful resolution. One key point of contention is the issue of ceasefire conditions, with Ukraine and Russia holding starkly different views on what constitutes a fair and sustainable truce. While Ukraine insists on a complete withdrawal of Russian troops and rebel forces from the region, Russia advocates for a more nuanced approach that takes into account its strategic interests in eastern Ukraine.

Latest Champions of Gananoque announcedAs the news of Solskjaer's sacking reverberated across the football world, the atmosphere at Manchester United's training ground became palpably tense. The staff, who had worked closely with Ole for several years, were left reeling from the sudden change in leadership. Many had built strong relationships with the former striker and admired his dedication to the club and his players. The sense of betrayal and uncertainty hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the once vibrant and cohesive team.

The news of the female master's student's safe return and the subsequent arrests have sparked concern and outrage among the community, raising questions about the safety and security of individuals, especially women, in society. The incident has also shed light on the importance of proactive measures to prevent such occurrences and protect vulnerable members of the population.NEW YORK — 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. President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a meeting of the House GOP conference, followed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) “In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action,” Leavitt said. 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. Susie Wiles, Trump's incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida Attorney General whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz's replacement, were also targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity amid the ongoing investigation. 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 "working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” 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. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is seated before President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a meeting of the House GOP conference, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." 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. A spokesman for 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, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said in an advisory posted 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. this morning.” While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.” Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid 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 U.S. 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. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington, D.C. 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. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.” 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. Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats,” he wrote on X. “It is not who we are in America.” Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. 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. 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. 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. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. 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. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” 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. 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. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York contributed to this report. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Additionally, the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of Chinese SMEs have been instrumental in driving their development and success. Despite facing various challenges and uncertainties, SMEs in China have demonstrated remarkable adaptability, creativity, and perseverance in pursuing their business goals. Their ability to innovate, diversify their products and services, and explore new business models has enabled them to stay competitive and sustainable in the ever-evolving market landscape.With this win, Towns and his team solidified their position as a contender in the Eastern Conference. Their consistent play and strong performances, especially from Towns, have propelled them to the upper echelon of the standings and put the rest of the league on notice.

AP News Summary at 12:33 p.m. ESTIn addition to the humanitarian crisis, Syria is also facing economic challenges that threaten to further destabilize the country. The economy has been in freefall since the start of the conflict, with skyrocketing inflation, high unemployment, and a rapidly depreciating currency. The recent power shift has only served to exacerbate these problems, with businesses closing, foreign investment drying up, and basic necessities becoming increasingly scarce.

MERIT — Thirty years ago, Bland basketball coach Bryan Clark started the Tigers’ annual basketball tournament. Bland observed the 30th anniversary on Thursday night by changing the tournament name from the Bland Invitational, to the Bryan Clark Invitational. Clark and his family were present for the ceremony including his wife, Norma, their children Cody and Meghan, plus Cody’s wife, Brionne, and their children Crew, Asher and Ensley, and Meghan’s husband, Rudolph, and their son Rudolph III. “Coach Clark was instrumental in creating this tournament 30 years ago,” said the master of ceremony, Rodney Godwin. “The last nine years Bland ISD and the coaching staff have continued to strive to keep this tournament something we could be proud of and a tournament other schools would want to be a part of.” Godwin said naming the tournament after Clark will “forever keep his legacy.” Clark served 29 years at the Bland ISD as a coach, principal and then superintendent. He coached the Tigers to 302 victory in 15 years as a head coach and served as superintended for 14 years before retiring in 2015. Both of Bland’s teams opened the tournament on Thursday with victories. The Tigers beat Boles 76-44 and the Community junior varsity 49-43. Weston Wigington pumped in 34 points to lead Bland to the win over Boles and Ashton Stepp fired in 15. Wigington led Bland against the Community JV with 22 points and Stepp banked in 15 points. Bland’s Lady Tigers beat Quinlan Ford 52-33 and then Como-Pickton 68-38. Sadie Soto fired in 14 points to lead Bland over Ford and Nicole Spencer added 11. Jaden Smith and Ashley Valderrama both tossed in nine points for Ford. Soto shot in 24 points to lead Bland over Como-Pickton, while Marley Frazier tossed in 12 points Spencer and Makila Watson both added 10. The tournament, which started with pool play on Thursday, is to wrap up on Saturday with the girls championship game at 4:30 p.m. and the boys finals at 5:45 p.m. 30th annual Bryan Clark Invitational Thursday’s results Boys games Bland 76, Boles 44 B: Efren Aguirre 6, Weston Wigington 34, Eli Ferrufino 4, Mateo Alvarez 6, Teagen Hurst 8, Isaac Oleru 6, Ashton Stepp 15. Bland 49, Community JV 43 B: Dakota Blankenship 2, Weston Wigington 22, Mateo Alvarez 5, Teagen Hurst 3, Isaac Oleru 4, Ashton Stepp 15. C: Andre Bragg 17, Chase Williams 10, Alex Kresska 10. Saltillo 67, Ector 40 S: Heston Peeples 13, Mason Stillwagoner 15, Colby Cook 12. E: Jayce Adams 17, Keithlen Miller 12. Yantis 66, Community JV 32 Y: C.J. Madison 19, Anthony Lopez 10. C: Chase Willliams 10 Joshua Summer 8. Yantis 63, Miller Grove 43 Y: C.J. Madison 36.Alex Lopez 11. MG: Ryker Haivala 12, Christian 11. Girls games Bland 68, Como-Pickton 38 B: Cami Fernandez 9, Nicole Spencer 10, Sadie Soto 24, Zoey Lawson 3, Makila Watson 10, Marley Frazier 12. CP: Shyann Wetzel 11, Kati Calvillo 9. Bland 52, Quinlan Ford 33 B: Nicole Spencer 11, Sadie Soto 14, Marley Frazier 8. QF: Jaden Smith 9, Ashley Valderrama 9. Blue Ridge 45, Boles 44 BR: Avery Wood 15, JoJo Liescheski 8, Kenzie Baker 8. B: Avery Gatson 9, Mia Nowlin 10, Olivia Neely 12.DETROIT — In the end, the amount and way the Red Wings were losing lately was simply too much to ignore. And with that, the Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde and replaced him with Todd McLellan on Thursday. In a release just after noon, the Wings announced that Steve Yzerman, the Wings' executive vice-president and general manager, named McLellan the team's 29th head coach in franchise history and signed McLellan to a multi-year contract. The Wings also hired Trent Yawney as an assistant coach, replacing Bob Boughner, who oversaw the defense and penalty-kill. McLellan will be behind the bench Friday, as the Wings return from the three-day NHL holiday break to host Toronto (7 p.m., FSN/97.1). Yzerman and McLellan will address the media on Friday. The Wings have struggled to a 13-17-4 record, good for 30 points, just two points above Buffalo for last place in the Eastern Conference. They trail Ottawa by eight points (38-30) for the final of two Eastern Conference wild-card positions. After just missing the playoffs last spring on the final night of the season on a tiebreaker, the Wings struggled from the start this season. They lost three of their first four games and have struggled mightily to get to, or above, the .500 mark ever since. The Wings have lost their last three games, and the way they did likely pushed Yzerman to replace Lalonde. The Wings let a third-period lead slip away at Little Caesars on Dec. 20 to Montreal and lost, 4-3, then lost the next night in Montreal, 5-1, watching the Canadiens score the last five goals consecutively with not a ton of pushback. Monday, the Wings were shut, 4-0, at LCA, looking listless, at times. The Wings were serenaded with a loud chorus of boos after each period, culminating with a lot of pent-up frustration at the end of the game. Lalonde, 52, ended his Wings career with an 89-86-23 record. This was his first NHL head-coaching job, and he was in his third season guiding the Wings. After last season's exciting finish and near-playoff miss, there was plenty of optimism heading into this Wings season. The team's overall defense needed to improve, and scoring was expected to be an issue because of the personnel losses the Wings had, but the roster appeared to be competitive. But Lalonde wasn't able to appreciably fix any of the problem areas. The Wings rank 25th in goals-against (3.26), only slightly better than last season's final average (3.35). Scoring goals has been a larger-than-expected issue. With the departures of Jake Walman, Shayne Gostisbehere, David Perron, Robby Fabbri and Daniel Sprong, the Wings were hoping for internal improvement, but it hasn't happened. They currently rank 29th, at 2.56 goals scored per game (the Wings were 13th last season, scoring 3.12 goals per game). Add to that, a dismal penalty kill that ranks 31st (68.8%), and it's made for a frustrating season. In steps McLellan, 57, who was an assistant coach under Mike Babcock from 2005-08. Yzerman, incidentally, was the captain in his final playing season and first season for McLellan in Detroit under Babcock. McLellan has 16 seasons of NHL head-coaching experience, posting a 598-412-134 regular-season record and a 42-46 postseason mark with the Los Angeles Kings (2019-24), Edmonton Oilers (2015-19) and San Jose Sharks (2008-15). His 598 regular-season wins are ranked 24th in NHL history and sixth-most among active coaches behind Paul Maurice (891), Lindy Ruff (876), Peter Laviolette (823), John Tortorella (757) and Peter DeBoer (632). Teams coached by McLellan have reached the 50-win mark three times and the 100-point plateau six times. McLellan’s teams have also advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs nine times, including six consecutive postseason appearances with the Sharks. Known as an upbeat coach with strong communication skills, McLellan is regarded as an effective coach of young players dating back to a successful junior hockey coaching career. McLellan, along with Yzerman, will be under increasing pressure to end a Wings' streak of not making the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons. Only Buffalo, at 13 seasons, has a longer current streak. ©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

In the midst of uncertainty and doubt, one thing remains clear - the need for compassion, understanding, and empathy towards the lost woman. Regardless of her background or past experiences, she deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, and given the opportunity to share her story without fear of judgment or prejudice.In conclusion, "Empress Xi Returns to the Palace" is a must-watch drama that showcases the best of Chinese historical storytelling. With its captivating storyline, stunning visuals, and standout performances, it is a feast for the senses that leaves a lasting impression. So, if you're looking for a drama that will keep you hooked from start to finish, look no further than "Empress Xi Returns to the Palace" on Youku.