All-time Broncos team: No room for legendary No.7, only one modern player makes cut

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. People are also reading... The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Be the first to knowOnly about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, poll finds

Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn’t install more automated systemsBy JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles National Politics | Massachusetts man who was sentenced for trafficking oxycodone is on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Natick next up to vote on rules similar to other Massachusetts sanctuary cities National Politics | Lies, damned lies, and politics: Republican source for Biden dirt admits he made it up National Politics | Howie Carr: Liz Warren on warped warpath over health CEO slaying National Politics | Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirling The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November’s election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”Investors digest another letdown from tech giants

Percentages: FG .423, FT .615. 3-Point Goals: 15-40, .375 (Abee 9-19, Banks 5-12, Rubio 1-3, K.Taylor 0-3, Marsh 0-3). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: 2. Blocked Shots: 4 (Solomon 3, Rubio). Turnovers: 20 (Gantt 5, Abee 3, Banks 3, K.Taylor 3, Marsh 3, Solomon 3). Steals: 3 (Marsh 2, Gantt). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .485, FT .750. 3-Point Goals: 7-27, .259 (Cato 3-7, Fagbemi 2-5, Fox 1-3, L.Taylor 1-6, McCormick 0-1, Evbagharu 0-2, Seixas 0-3). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: None. Turnovers: 13 (Cato 4, L.Taylor 4, Fagbemi 2, Evbagharu, McCormick, Seixas). Steals: 14 (Fagbemi 5, L.Taylor 5, Cato, Etim, Evbagharu, Seixas). Technical Fouls: None. A_655 (5,320).

BAKU, Nov 25 — Rich countries’ promise of US$300 billion a year in climate finance brought fury at talks in Baku from poor nations that found it too paltry, but it also shows a shift in global political realities. The two-week marathon COP29 climate conference opened days after the decisive victory in the US presidential election of Donald Trump, a sceptic both of climate change and foreign aid. In the new year, Germany, Canada and Australia all hold elections in which conservatives less supportive of green policies stand chances of victory. Britain is an exception, with the new Labour government putting climate high back on the agenda, but in much of the West, concerns about inflation and budgetary shocks from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have dented enthusiasm for aggressive climate measures. At COP29, Germany and the European Union maintained their roles championing climate but also advocated a noticeably practical approach on how much money historical polluters should give poorer countries. “We live in a time of truly challenging geopolitics, and we should simply not have the illusion” otherwise, European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told bleary-eyed delegates at COP29’s pre-dawn closing session Sunday, as activists in the back loudly coughed to drown him out. But he vowed leadership by Europe, hailing COP29 as “the start of a new era for climate finance”. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a Green party member and longtime climate advocate, called for flexibility on ways to provide funding. Europe should “live up to its responsibilities, but in a way that it doesn’t make promises it can’t keep”, she said. Avinash Persaud, special advisor on climate change to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank, called the final deal “the boundary between what is politically achievable today in developed countries and what would make a difference in developing countries”. Activists say that climate funding is a duty, not choice, for wealthy nations whose decades of greenhouse gas emissions most contributed to the crisis that most hits the poorest. This year is again set to be the hottest on record on the planet. Just since COP29, deadly storms have battered the Philippines and Honduras, and Ecuador declared a national emergency due to drought and forest fires. ‘Creative accounting’? Wealthy historic emitters’ promise of US$300 billion a year by 2035 is a step up from an expiring commitment of US$100 billion annually, but all sides acknowledge it is not enough. The COP29 agreement cites the need for US$1.3 trillion per year, meaning a whopping US$1 trillion a year needs to come from elsewhere. Even within the US$300 billion commitment, some activists see too much wiggle room. “It is, to some extent, almost an empty promise,” said Mariana Paoli, the global advocacy lead at London-based development group Christian Aid. She described the target as “creative accounting”, saying there was not enough clarity on how much money would come from public funds and in grants rather than loans. She acknowledged the politics of the moment but said that wealthy nations had options such as taxation on fossil fuel companies. “There is a backlash because there is no political will,” she said. Role for multinational banks In one closely scrutinised part of the Baku deal, countries will be able to count climate finance through international financial institutions toward the US$300 billion goal. The text states that it is “voluntary” — potentially opening the way to include China, which is the world’s largest emitter but refuses to have requirements like long-developed countries. In a joint statement at COP29, multilateral development banks led by the Washington-based World Bank Group but also including the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank — which has long faced US criticism — expected that they together can provide US$120 billion annually in climate financing and mobilise another US$65 billion from the private sector by 2030. Melanie Robinson, director of the global climate program at the World Resources Institute, said there were good reasons to rely on multinational development banks, including how much capital they can leverage and their tools to advance green policies. “They are the most effective way to turn each dollar of finance into impact on the ground,” she said. She agreed that the US$300 billion was insufficient but added, “It’s a down payment on what we need.” Beyond the debate on dollar figures, she pointed to an initiative within the G20 by Brazil, which holds COP30 next year, to reform financial institutions so as to incorporate debtor nations as well as climate concerns. “There is really a much bigger opportunity for us — which is shifting the whole financial system,” she said. — AFPDALLAS — Willy Adames makes the San Francisco Giants a better baseball team. He fills a position of need. He provides power and defense . In Buster Posey’s estimation, Adames and Matt Chapman, who signed his own lucrative deal , represent baseball’s best left side of the infield. But Adames alone does not elevate the Giants to contention status. Adames alone doesn’t guarantee they’ll be a playoff team. So when Posey was asked if it was fair to say that the team still has multiple holes to fill, the Giants’ president of baseball operations didn’t entirely disagree. “I think baseball is unique in the sense that that’s probably true for any team,” Posey said. Posey has repeated his goal to build a team with strong defense and pitching. Adames, one of baseball’s better defensive shortstops, addresses the former. With Adames in place, Posey and general manager Zack Minasian can turn their attention to addressing the latter. San Francisco’s rotation , as currently constructed, features Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong. (Posey said on Monday that Hicks will be a starter.) Mason Black, Landon Roupp, Keaton Winn and Carson Whisenhunt could contribute innings as well. The Giants have options but after Webb, their rotation features a lot of variance. Ray has only pitched 34 innings over the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. Hicks battled fatigue in his first season as a full-time starter. Harrison experienced a velocity dip as he threw a career-high 124 1/3 innings. Birdsong flashed excellent stuff but struggled with command. The best way for the Giants to reduce that variance is by acquiring external talent. The list of available free agents thinned out a bit during the Winter Meetings as left-hander Max Fried and right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Alex Cobb signed deals, but plenty of arms remain unsigned. That list includes Corbin Burnes, Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea, among others. With Fried receiving an eight-year, $218 million deal from the Yankees, Burnes stands to sign a deal in the $250 million range. “Anytime there’s players available, we’re going to look at them,” Minasian said on Monday. “I think most players who get to free agency have earned it through their career, so usually they’re pretty good. And (we are) just continuing to look at those options and balancing the cost and our internal opportunity that we can offer.” Another one of those options is right-hander Roki Sasaki , whose agent, Joel Wolfe, held court on Tuesday . The Dodgers and Padres are the favorites to land “The Monster of the Reiwa Era,” but Wolfe outlined that the process will be open-ended with Sasaki willing to consider different options. “My advice to Roki is to go in with an open mind,” Wolfe said. Minasian, who has spent time scouting the NPB and KBO, has had Sasaki on his radar dating back to Sasaki’s amateur days, describing the right-hander as a “special arm” with “huge, raw stuff.” When asked what makes San Francisco an alluring destination, Minasian cited Oracle Park’s pitcher-friendly dimensions; direct flights to Tokyo and Osaka; the culture of the city and organization; and a fan base “hungry for the star player.” “With the rules, we haven’t gotten to know him personally, but certainly done a lot of homework,” Minasian said. “We feel like we have a good sense of what makes him tick and we feel like it’s a situation we can make very comfortable for him, just give him the best chance for success as a big-league pitcher.” Along with the rotation, the Giants will continue to explore options in the outfield. San Francisco can currently roll out an outfield of Heliot Ramos in left, Jung Hoo Lee in center and Mike Yastrzemski, who agreed to a one-year, $9.25 million deal to avoid arbitration , in right. Despite having those three in place, San Francisco expressed interest in right fielder Kyle Tucker, a pending free agent, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post . Over the last five seasons, Tucker has earned three All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger Award and a Gold Glove Award, posting an .883 OPS and totaling 121 home runs. The Giants would likely need to package multiple prospects to acquire him, and Minasian is confident in San Francisco’s stable of minor leaguers. “I do believe we have the minor-league talent to entice a team to consider us in a trade,” Minasian said. Circling back to the infield, LaMonte Wade Jr. is currently slated as San Francisco’s starting first baseman, but Posey and Minasian both said the Giants will explore their options. Wade has the 11th-best on-base percentage in baseball since 2023 (min. 900 plate appearances), but the soon-to-be 31-year-old has dealt with injuries during his time in San Francisco. “LaMonte’s a special player,” Posey said on Monday, citing his on-base ability. “He plays solid defense. I think we’re just trying as much as anything to keep options on the table.” Bryce Eldrige, the Giants’ top prospect per MLB Pipeline, could also see time at first base next season. The 20-year-old skyrocketed through the Giants’ system, hitting .291/.374/.516 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs across four levels and ending the season with eight games at Triple-A Sacramento. For as well as Eldridge played, he isn’t a lock to make his major-league debut next season. “You never want to say never, but I think it is somewhat fair to temper expectations from my end just because — whether is this is right or wrong — I’m looking at it like he should be entering his sophomore year of college,” Posey said. “We see the upside for this guy being tremendous and (want) to make sure that he gets the experience that he needs before he’s thrown into the fire.” Worth noting

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- AiAdvertising, Inc. (OTC: AIAD), an industry leader in AI-powered digital advertising solutions, has reported its financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. Third Quarter Highlights and Beyond Announced a six-figure targeting campaign for De-dollarize News, a digital news and media platform, a property of GSI Exchange, a leading national coin and precious metals company specializing in wholesale trading, the establishment of a gold IRA or silver IRA for individual buyers, as well as direct sales to the general public. Operationally we continued to focus on improving efficiencies across the organization, including efforts to reduce costs across all expense categories, while managing more clients and increased revenue. To help lead these efforts, we appointed Douglas Beck as our new CFO. Douglas is a senior level finance executive with over 30 years of hands-on experience and an established record with public and private companies for strategic and financial planning, business development, mergers and acquisitions, and public equity markets. Looking ahead, we believe we are positioned for growth as we deliver value to new and existing customers. Strengthened by our new CFO, we are moving to the next phase as a company and executing on the company’s strategic and financial priorities, including a national exchange uplisting. We continue to expect FY 2024 revenue to be in the $9 to $10 million range, driven by high customer retention, increased digital marketing and new customers. Nine Months September 30, 2024 Financial Results Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 were $6.6 million as compared to compared $5.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of $0.7 million or 12% was primarily due to customer growth, increase in on boarding fees, the use by customers of the company’s platform, increase in digital marketing and creative design. Gross profit margin increased by 2.6% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023. This is primarily from higher use of the company’s platform that has a fixed cost associated with it, and higher gross margin associated with on boarding revenues and a reduction in headcount. Net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $4.3 million. Deferred revenues and customer deposits as of September 30, 2024 were $1.1 million compared to $0.5 million, an increase of $0.6 million. Deferred revenue is revenue that has not been earned and represents products or services that are owed to a customer. The table below summarizes the revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023: Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 September 30, 2023 Creative design $ 1,315,929 $ 1,059,863 Development - 28,000 Digital marketing 4,617,169 4,384,918 Platform license fees 630,853 385,548 Total $ 6,563,951 $ 5,858,329 About AiAdvertising AiAdvertising is an AI-powered solutions leader employing the industry’s most scientifically advanced, patent-pending AI targeting process. Transforming marketing and customer experiences, allowing marketers to personify client data and scientifically target their ideal customers with hyper-personalized campaigns. By harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), we empower brands to easily target, predict, create, scale, measure campaign performance and reduce waste. Our clients gain the intelligence they need to prove advertising’s impact on the bottom line. This means more engaging, higher-impact campaigns that drive conversions and results. For more information about the Company, please visit www.AiAdvertising.com or our LinkedIn or X pages. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" section of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law. AIADVERTISING, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 630 $ 110,899 Accounts receivable, net 981,914 517,344 Prepaid and other current Assets 102,711 58,982 Total current assets 1,085,255 687,225 Property and equipment, net 52,792 72,948 Right-of-use asset 116,910 147,480 Other assets Security deposits 10,369 8,939 Goodwill and other intangible asset, net - 20,202 Total other assets 10,369 29,141 TOTAL ASSETS 1,265,326 936,794 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 1,581,094 $ 1,567,751 Accrued expenses 229,964 46,430 Operating lease liability 37,393 33,572 Deferred revenue and customer deposit 1,119,001 533,386 Total current liabilities 2,967,452 2,181,139 Operating lease obligation, net of current portion 85,516 113,907 Total liabilities 3,052,968 2,295,046 Commitment and Contingencies Shareholders’ deficit Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 Authorized shares: Series A Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 10,000 authorized shares; zero shares issued and outstanding - - Series B Preferred stock; $0.001; 25,000 authorized shares; 18,025 shares issued and outstanding 18 18 Series C Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 25,000 authorized; 14,425 shares issued and outstanding 14 14 Series D Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 90,000 authorized shares; 86,021 and 90,000 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, respectively 86 86 Series E Preferred stock; $0.001 par value, 10,000 authorized; 10,000 shares issued and outstanding 10 10 Series F Preferred stock; $0.001 par value, 800,000 authorized shares; zero shares issued and outstanding - - Series G Preferred stock; $0.001 per share; 2,600 authorized shares; 2,597 shares issued and outstanding 3 3 Series H Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 1,000 authorized shares; zero shares issued and outstanding - - Series I Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 3,000,000 authorized shares; 2,272,727 and zero shares issued and outstanding 2,273 2,273 Series J Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 700 authorized shares; zero shares issued and outstanding - - Series K Preferred stock; $0.001 par shar; 1,000 authorized shares; zero shares issued and outstanding - - Common stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000,000 and 2,000,000,000 authorized shares; 1,344,231,504 and 1,134,408,773 shares issued and outstanding, respectively 1,344,238 1,334,415 Additional paid-in capital 58,237,559 56,865,961 Common stock payable, consisting of 5,000,000 shares valued at $0.1128 per share 564,000 564,000 Preferred stock payable, consisting of 892,857 shares of Series I Preferred stock valued at $2.80 per share 2,500,000 - Accumulated deficit (64,435,843 ) (60,125,032 ) Total shareholders’ deficit (1,787,642 ) (1,358,252 ) TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS DEFICIT $ 1,265,326 $ 936,794 AIADVERTISING, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 Revenues $ 6,563,951 $ 5,858,329 Cost of revenues 6,112,604 5,608,404 Gross profit 451,347 249,925 Operating expenses Sales, general, and administrative expenses 4,738,477 4,992,607 Impairment on intangible asset 20,202 Total operating expenses 4,758,679 4,992,607 Loss from operations (4,307,332 ) (4,742,682 ) Other income (expense) Other income (expense) (3,479 ) - Employee retention credit - 435,026 Total other income (expense) (3,479 ) 435,026 Loss from operations before income taxes (4,310,811 ) (4,307,656 ) Provision for income taxes - - Net loss (4,310,811 ) (4,307,656 ) Dividends on preferred stock - - Net loss attributable to common shareholders $ (4,310,811 ) $ (4,307,656 ) Net loss per share, basic and diluted $ (0.00 ) $ (0.00 ) Weighted-average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted 1,345,682,415 1,281,214,213 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212571048/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact: Larry Holub/Chris Tyson 312-261-6412 AIAD@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us KEYWORD: TEXAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE DIGITAL MARKETING MARKETING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ADVERTISING DATA MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SOURCE: AiAdvertising, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 06:48 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 06:48 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212571048/enSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Getting blown out at Green Bay following another squandered late lead the previous week against Seattle has quickly turned the San Francisco 49ers from a Super Bowl contender into a team just fighting to get back to the playoffs. If San Francisco doesn't get healthy and eliminate the errors that led to Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Packers, the focus will turn from playoff permutations to what offseason changes are necessary. “I think everyone understands completely outside and inside what the situation is,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “That’s why the Seattle game was so tough of a loss and that’s why last night was even worse. We know what we got ahead of us. We know exactly what the playoff situation is. That is what it is. But really, all that matters is this week when you do need to go on a run and put a lot of wins to even think of that.” The task doesn't get any easier as the Niners (5-6) get set to play at Buffalo on Sunday night. The 49ers are hoping to get injured stars Brock Purdy , Nick Bosa and Trent Williams back for that game, but their presence alone won't fix everything that went wrong on Sunday . The defense got repeatedly gashed early and put San Francisco in a 17-0 hole before the offense even generated a first down. The running game never got going as Christian McCaffrey has looked nothing like the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year in his three games back from Achilles tendinitis. And whenever the Niners appeared to do something right, a penalty came back to haunt them. It added up to the most lopsided loss for San Francisco since the 2018 season, before Shanahan had turned the Niners into perennial contenders. “It’s probably one of the worst ones I’ve been a part of,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “It is embarrassing. You’ve got to take it on the chin, take it like a man and move on.” Despite the doom and gloom, the 49ers are only one game behind Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West standings with six games to go. But San Francisco already has three division losses and a difficult schedule featuring games against the Bills this week and Detroit in Week 17. “My optimism is not broken by any means,” tight end George Kittle said. “We still have a lot of very talented players. We will get some guys back and I still have full trust in the coaching staff to put our guys in position to make plays. I have no worry about that. But definitely an uphill grind. We'll see what we’re made of, which I’m looking forward to.” Red-zone passes to Kittle. Backup QB Brandon Allen connected on a 3-yard TD pass to Kittle late in the second quarter for San Francisco's only TD. Kittle leads the NFL with eight touchdown catches in the red zone, which is tied with Vernon Davis (2013) for the most in a season for a Niners player since 2000. Kittle was the only consistent part of the San Francisco offense with six catches for 82 yards. Avoiding penalties. San Francisco had nine penalties for 77 yards and they were costly and sloppy. The Niners had 12 men on the field on defense on back-to-back plays, three false starts, a pass interference in the end zone and three penalties on special teams, including a holding on Eric Saubert that negated an 87-yard kickoff return by Deebo Samuel to open the second half. Rookie Dominick Puni had three penalties after being penalized just once in the first 10 games. DE Leonard Floyd. There were few positive performances on defense, but Floyd had both of the team's sacks. Run defense. San Francisco allowed 169 yards rushing, including 87 in the first quarter for the team's second-worst performance in the opening quarter since 1991. The Niners missed 19 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, as Josh Jacobs gained 83 of his 106 yards rushing after contact. Purdy took part in a light throwing session without pain on Monday and Shanahan is hopeful he can return to practice Wednesday after missing the Green Bay game with a shoulder injury. ... Bosa (hip, oblique) and Williams (ankle) also could return this week after sitting out Sunday. ... LG Aaron Banks, DT Jordan Elliott and WR Jacob Cowing all in the concussion protocol. ... RG Dominick Puni (shoulder) and CB Deommodore Lenoir (knee) underwent MRIs on Monday and the team is waiting for results. ... CB Renardo Green (neck) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) are day to day. 11 — The Niners generated only 11 first downs, tied for the fewest in any game in eight seasons under Shanahan. They also had 11 in the 2022 NFC title game loss at Philadelphia when Purdy hurt his elbow and in Week 2 against Seattle in Shanahan's first season in 2017. The 49ers visit Buffalo on Sunday night. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Prosecutors play undercover recordings of Madigan at former speaker’s corruption trialBy JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles National Politics | Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirling National Politics | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration even as he threatens massive tariffs on Beijing National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November’s election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”

The Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) continued its bullish trend on Wednesday, gaining N183 billion. Accordingly, the market capitalisation, which opened at N59.532 trillion, gained N184 billion or 0.31 per cent to close at N59.715 trillion. The All-Share Index also added 0.31 per cent or 303 points, to settle at 98,509.68, against 98,206.97 recorded on Tuesday. Consequently, the Year-To-Date (YTD) return increased to 31.74 per cent. Gains in Aradel Holdings, Zenith Bank, United Bank For Africa (UBA), Oando Plc, and Nigerian Breweries among other advanced equities drove the market performance up. Market breadth closed positive with 34 gainers and 17 losers. On the gainers’ chart, Africa Prudential, Conoil and RT Briscoe led by 10 per cent each to close at N14.30, N352 and N2.42 per share, respectively. Golden Guinea Breweries followed by 9.95 per cent to close at N7.18, while NEM Insurance rose by 9.74 per cent to close at N10.70 per share. On the other hand, Julius Berger led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent to close at N155.25, Secure Electronic Technology Plc trailed by 9.52 per cent to close at 57k per share. Multiverse lost 7.63 per cent to close at N5.45, Haldane McCall dropped 6.07 per cent to close at N4.95 and Honeywell Flour shed 5.62 per cent to close at N4.70 per share. Analysis of the market activities showed trade turnover settled lower relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions down by 49.44 per cent. A total of 320.10 million shares valued at N6.48 billion were exchanged in 7,943 deals, compared with 939.41 million shares valued at N12.81 billion traded in 9,098 deals posted in the previous session. Meanwhile, ETranzact led the activity chart in volume with 70.27 million shares, while Aradel led in value of deals worth N1.22 billion.

U.P. to conduct ‘PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024’ on Dec 4

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Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brinkhe secured a hard-fought 30-27 victory over the on Sunday afternoon, relying on late-game heroics to escape with their 10th win of the season. Young, Hubbard shine for Carolina Coming off a rare loss in Buffalo last week, the Chiefs (10-1) appeared poised to control the game, leading by 11 points at halftime after connected with Noah Gray for two touchdowns. However, the Panthers, led by a resurgent , staged a second-half comeback that nearly stunned the defending Super Bowl champions. Young, who reclaimed the starting role after being benched earlier this season, had his most impressive performance of the year. He threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, leading two crucial touchdown drives in the second half. A pass interference call against Chiefs safety helped set up a late 1-yard touchdown by . Hubbard also converted a two-point attempt that tied the game at 27 with under two minutes to play. Chiefs escape Charlotte with last-second win When it mattered most, delivered. The two-time MVP swiftly guided Kansas City downfield with quick passes and a 33-yard scramble that placed the Chiefs within field goal range. Kicker stepping in for the injured Harrison Butker, nailed a 31-yard field goal as time expired to seal the win. Mahomes finished the day with 269 passing yards and three touchdowns, adding 60 yards on the ground. Tight end emerged as a key target, recording 66 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions. For the Panthers, the close loss showcased Young's potential as a franchise quarterback. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick delivered his second career game surpassing 200 passing yards, providing hope for a team still searching for its footing. The now turn their attention to a divisional matchup against the on Friday, Nov. 29, while the host the in Week 13.Asean is fast positioning itself as a key actor in the global balance of power

NoneTRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Libyan military officials said Monday they apprehended hundreds of migrants traversing the country’s vast desert hoping to ultimately cross the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of a better life in Europe. The 444 Brigade, a powerful militia group that operates under the auspices of the Libyan army, said in a statement that its patrolling commanders detained more than 300 migrants and referred them to authorities. The group in a post on Facebook condemned smuggling and human trafficking and said its patrols would continue efforts to block smuggling routes. It posted satellite images of the desert and pictures of what appeared to be migrants sitting in rows in front of armed and masked militants. The apprehensions come as Libya remains a primary point of departure for men, women and children from the Middle East and Africa aiming to reach Europe. Many are escaping war or poverty and many employ smugglers to help them negotiate treacherous deserts and sea routes. Roughly 38,000 people have arrived in Italy and Malta from Libya this year, according to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. The overcrowded boats used by migrants and smugglers are known to routinely capsize and a key priority for European leaders has been to encourage North African countries to prevent migrants from reaching the sea. But unlike in Morocco and Tunisia — where tens of thousands of migrants also attempt to pass through en route to the southern shores of Europe — fighting between rival governments in Libya has added additional challenges to migration management partnerships. Migrant apprehensions are rarely reported in Libya, though the country’s state news service LANA reported more than 2,000 arrests in July. The oil-rich country plunged into turmoil after a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since then, the country has been divided between dueling governments in the east and west, each backed by militias and foreign powers. Human traffickers have for years benefited from the political chaos. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in July said migrants in the country had been subjected to torture, forced labor and starvation while being detained.TALLAHASSEE — Matt Gaetz’ knack for courting controversy has finally caught up with him. The right-wing firebrand, political prankster, steadfast Trump defender and party animal stepped down as the president-elect’s choice for Attorney General once it was made clear to him he didn’t have the needed support in the U.S. Senate. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest news, sports, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.

In a moving tribute, RSS joint general secretary Alok Kumar praised India's historical heroines, highlighting the extraordinary life of the Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar. Speaking at celebrations of her tricentenary, Kumar lauded her military acumen, opposition to Sati, and role as a social pioneer. Kumar credited Ahilyabai with innovations like establishing the saree industry in Maheshwar and creating employment for widows. Her reforms included starting a pension scheme for war veterans and fostering communal harmony, often dining without caste distinctions. Programs to honor Ahilyabai's legacy, organized by the Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar Trishatabdi Samaroh Samiti, aim to keep her story alive throughout the Avadh region, illustrating her profound impact on societal improvement and national cohesion. (With inputs from agencies.)Markets reversed a two-day slide after the latest reading on consumer inflation all but ensured a quarter-point rate cut from the Federal Reserve later this month. As per usual, a rally in mega-cap tech stocks led the charge. Tech stocks gapped higher at the open, led by the Magnificent 7 , after the November Consumer Price Index (CPI) helped confirm market expectations for short-term monetary policy. Headline CPI increased 0.3% month over month, a slight increase from the 0.2% rise seen in the previous four months. On an annual basis, headline CPI rose 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , up from 2.6% in October. Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Although inflation accelerated on a year-over-year basis, the print essentially matched market forecasts. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs and is considered a better indicator of future prices, also matched estimates. The gauge increased 0.3% in November, or the same rate seen over the previous three months. Annual core CPI advanced 3.3% to match consensus expectations. "This morning's in-line CPI results are flashing a green light to equity investors clapping their hands while yelling Santa Claus," writes José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers . "The enthusiasm is also extending to fixed income as rate watchers cement another quarter-point trim from the Fed in response to the well-received inflation figures." As of December 11, interest rate traders assigned a 95% probability to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cutting the federal funds rate by 25 basis points (bps), or 0.25%, to 4.25% to 4.50%, according to CME Group's FedWatch Tool . That's up from 78% one week ago and 65% a month ago. Although a quarter-point reduction appears locked in for the next Fed meeting , the outlook for easing next year is complicated by the incoming administration's economic policies, including the imposition of sweeping tariffs . These developments are complicating forecasters' calculus for the path of interest rates in 2025. As for Wednesday, however, a December rate cut was mostly good news. It sparked a rally in risk assets – and in tech stocks in particular. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite closed up 1.8% at 20,034, led by heavyweights such as Google parent Alphabet ( GOOGL , +5.5%), Tesla ( TSLA , +5.9%) and Amazon.com ( AMZN , +2.3%). Microsoft ( MSFT , +1.3%) and Nvidia ( NVDA , +3.1) also rallied, but these Buy-rated Dow stocks weren't able to lift the price-weighted Dow Jones Industrial Average , which slipped 0.2% to 44,148. The market-cap weighted S&P 500 added 0.8% to 6,084. Are utilities a cheap AI play? As a highly regulated sector, utilities are known for low growth, low volatility and dividends. In other words, this is a defensive sector – at least traditionally. The emergence of AI appears to be changing the sector's characteristics, however. Electricity demand will grow exponentially with the build out of AI data centers, and that's boosting this sleepy sector's growth prospects. Indeed, it's not clear how much of this potential might already be priced in. The Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLU ) is up 26% on a total return basis (price change plus dividends) so far this year, while the broader market gained 28%. Utilities have always generated relatively stable revenue and profits. They also generate loads of free cash , thanks to all those folks paying their energy bills every month. Utilities then turn right back around and hand much of that cash back to shareholders in the form of dividends. In fact, utilities are almost always among the best-yielding market sectors. Between their steady businesses and substantial dividends, you can see how these stocks can sometimes provide not just some level of safety, but upside potential when most other equities are on the rocks. At the same time, utilities are not tech stocks. For example, while the Nasdaq jumped on Wednesday, the utilities sector actually ended in the red. Investors interested in sussing out cheap utilities that could double as AI plays would do well to study the best utility stocks to buy now . Related content Rising Prices: Which Goods and Services Are Driving Inflation? 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