fish fillet with tartar sauce Significant milestones in life and career of Jimmy CarterFox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Saquon Barkley ’s magical 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles continued Sunday as he became the ninth player to ever rush for 2,000 yards or more in the win over the Dallas Cowboys. Barkley now has 2,005 yards rushing on the season after going for 167 on 31 carries in the 41-7 rout of the Cowboys , which clinched the NFC East title for Philadelphia. Barkley reached the milestone in the fourth quarter after a 23-yard run into Dallas territory gave him his grand total of 167 on the day. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images) Now the question is: Will the Eagles, who clinched their playoff berth already, allow Barkley to go after Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record (2,105) against his former New York Giants in Week 18? It’s quite normal for teams to rest their starters, but there’s all-time history on the line for Barkley and that decision by head coach Nick Sirianni will be heavily watched throughout the week. COWBOYS SHUT DOWN STAR CEEDEE LAMB FOR REST OF SEASON DUE TO SHOULDER INJURY Barkley already rushed for 176 yards earlier this season in his highly anticipated return to MetLife Stadium, the place he called home for the past six seasons before joining Philadelphia this offseason. The choice to head south down I-95 has proven to be a smart one for Barkley, who is one of the frontrunners for Offensive Player of the Year given his grand rushing total that could make even more history. Barkley has 13 rushing touchdowns on the year as well as two through the air to go along with his 276 receiving yards on 31 receptions. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images) The previous career high for Barkley in rushing yards was 1,312 in 2022, the year he helped lead a team back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 campaign. And he did so behind a sub-par Giants offensive line. But he’s thrived behind this Eagles front all season long, and that was certainly needed with Jalen Hurts out in this game against the Cowboys due to a concussion suffered last week. However, Barkley, for all his efforts on Sunday, didn’t find pay dirt. Instead, DeVonta Smith caught two passing touchdowns – one from starter Kenny Pickett and the other from Tanner McKee, who filled in for Pickett after an injury – and A.J. Brown added one himself. Pickett was also tush-pushed into the end zone in the dominant performance by the Eagles. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley walks from the tunnel for a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP At 13-3, the Eagles are ready for another Super Bowl run, but perhaps there’s more history to be had behind No. 26’s brilliant 2024 performance. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

NEW ORLEANS -- The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” _____ Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. _____ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96Apple has stopped selling three iPhone models in Europe -- the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and the iPhone SE 3rd Generation. Here is why. If you’re in Europe and planning to buy an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus or iPhone SE (3rd generation), then know Apple has officially stopped selling these models in certain regions, including the European Union (EU), Northern Ireland, and Switzerland. The reason? A new EU law requires all electronic devices, including smartphones, to use USB-C charging ports by December 28, 2024. Apple, which traditionally used its own Lightning port, started switching to USB-C with the iPhone 15 series. But older models like the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE still use Lightning ports, so they no longer meet the EU’s requirements. Can You Still Buy Them? Yes, but only for the time being the long term. Even though Apple has pulled these units from its official shops in Europe, you may be able to get them through other dealers. For example, even Amazon Spain could have some stock left. However, this is likely to be a short-lived trick as once the existing stock is sold out, these models are not going to be available in the area anymore. However, if you are outside Europe, for instance in the United States, India or China, there won’t be any changes. Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and the iPhone SE in these markets. What Was The EU’s Motivation To Bring This Law? Implementation of new rules has only one goal, to reduce e-waste as well as consumer’s experience. With one single port, you will no longer have to worry about how many cables you have to carry for various devices. As most Android phones use USB-C already, the effect will only be on Apple and its use of the Lightning connection. Apple, on the other hand, was against the idea while claiming that the Lightning port served its purpose well. But the company has adopted USB-C, first on its new iPhones starting iPhone 15 series, then on its iPads and AirPods. What Does This Mean for the Future? For Apple, this move lines up with its broader strategy. The iPhone SE wasn’t selling well anyway, and there are rumours that a new model with USB-C is in the works for early 2025. This gives Apple a chance to refresh its budget lineup while complying with regulations. For users, there’s no need to worry if you already own a Lightning-port device. Accessories and chargers will still be available for years. But if you’re in Europe and want to buy an iPhone 14 or SE, now’s the time to act before stocks run out. As of now, this regulation only affects Europe. But other regions could follow suit. If you’re considering upgrading your phone, it’s a good idea to keep these changes in mind. Click for more latest Mobile Phone news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Divya is a Senior Sub-Editor with about 3 years of experience in journalism and content writing. Before joining News9live, she had contributed to Times Now and Hindustan Times, where she focused on tech reporting and reviewing gadgets. When she's not working, you can find her indulging in Netflix, expressing her creativity through painting, and dancing.

Trump's Ex-Surgeon General Raises Alarms Over Public Health ThreatsORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando citizen’s advisory board is headed toward preserving a portion of the defunct Pulse nightclub — but not the whole structure — to memorialize the 2016 mass killing there. The future of the nightclub building, a safe space for Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community until the massacre, long has sparked disagreement among victims’ families and survivors of the mass shooting that killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. “A significant majority” of family members and survivors who joined the advisory board or shared their opinions want the building to be torn down, though a few want to preserve it, said Larry Schooler, who serves as a facilitator for the advisory group’s discussions. “To me, it’s a sacred place,” said committee member Mayra Alvear Benabel, whose daughter Amanda died at Pulse. Demolishing it would be akin to erasing her daughter, she said. But its presence on South Orange Avenue creates trauma for others. Both feelings are true, said Schooler, who urged the group to strive to understand rather than persuade. The discussion came as three memorial designs were unveiled this week for the Pulse Advisory Committee, which met Wednesday and Thursday to discuss ideas, their preferences and their concerns for a permanent tribute to those killed in the massacre, their lives and those who survived. The group has been taking input and shaping concepts since earlier this year. Schooler said memorial designers will likely return to the group in December with a refined concept that preserves parts of the former nightclub, “but does not assume the building will stay there fully intact as part of the memorial.” He said those in favor of demolition wanted the Pulse sign, a chandelier and other features saved — and they wanted a final walk-through the nightclub. Of the three designs, the first option shows a U-shaped covered walkway, held up by stone pillars with each victim’s name on them. The interior of the property has benches, shrubs, trees and a fountain dedicated to the 49 killed in the center. This option closely resembles a design originally produced for the now-defunct onePulse foundation, which led the memorial efforts before going belly up last year. The second concept is highlighted by a pavilion in the shape of the nightclub building, with a water wall feature dedicated to the victims and a tribute to survivors. It has lawn space and greenery, as well as seating for reflecting. The third is mostly open space with a reflecting pool and fountain, as well as a vertical beacon. Like the others, it has a lawn and trees. Members of the public can weigh in at engage.orlando.gov . Schooler, who worked on mass-shooting memorial efforts in Virginia Beach and San Leandro, Calif., plans to discuss the concepts with families and survivors for the next few weeks until the board meets again Dec. 12. At that meeting, the committee is expected to see refined drawings. It could choose a final design in January. The city took over the memorial effort last year when it purchased the nightclub property for $2 million from the Poma family, who owned the nightclub and founded onePulse. The cost of the memorial remains unclear, though Mayor Buddy Dyer has said he expects it will take a public contribution to construct it. Wayne Dunkelberger, chief creative officer of design for Baker Barrios, said the goal should be to create an homage to the community that made Pulse thrive. He suggested it would be difficult to save the aging nightclub building on South Orange Avenue as a whole, but would be more practical to retain pieces of the structure. The firm’s work includes the HostDime Data Center which is visible from I-4 north of the Lee Road exit; the Kia Center and the Electronic Arts Sports headquarters in Creative Village near the University of Central Florida’s downtown campus. ©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Evonik Industries AG ( OTCMKTS:EVKIF – Get Free Report ) shares were up 7.7% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $17.50 and last traded at $17.50. Approximately 450 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 30% from the average daily volume of 641 shares. The stock had previously closed at $16.25. Evonik Industries Stock Up 7.7 % The company’s fifty day moving average price is $19.38 and its 200-day moving average price is $20.20. About Evonik Industries ( Get Free Report ) Evonik Industries AG produces specialty chemicals in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, and North America. It operates through Specialty Additives, Nutrition & Care, Smart Materials, Performance Materials, and Technology & Infrastructure segments. The Specialty Additives segment provides additives for polyurethane; additives, matting agents, fumed silicas, and specialty resins for paints, coatings, and printing inks; isophorone and epoxy curing agents for coatings, adhesives, and composites; and pour-point depressants, and viscosity index improvers for coatings for oil and other lubricants for construction machinery and automotive sector. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Evonik Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Evonik Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

By Chris Johnston , Pierre LeBrun and Julian McKenzie Team Canada revealed its 23-man roster for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament on Wednesday. Forwards Mitch Marner , Sam Reinhart , Anthony Cirelli , Brandon Hagel , Travis Konecny , Mark Stone and Seth Jarvis were added to Canada’s roster, with Alex Pietrangelo , Shea Theodore , Travis Sanheim , Devon Toews , Colton Parayko and Josh Morrissey joining as defensemen. Advertisement Forwards Connor McDavid , Nathan MacKinnon , Brayden Point , Brad Marchand and Sidney Crosby , along with defenseman Cale Makar had already been named as the first six members of Team Canada in June. Canada’s goaltending has been subject to much debate in anticipation of Wednesday’s roster reveal. The Canadians’ trio consists of Jordan Binnington , Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault . Canada is being led by Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper behind the bench, flanked by assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy, Pete DeBoer, Rick Tocchet, Mishka Donskov and Lightning video coach James Emery. Cooper is also expected to lead Canada at the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The 4 Nations Face-Off will run Feb. 12 to 20 in Montreal and Boston. Full roster (Note: Highlighted players had already been named to the roster.) Snubs Every Team Canada has more qualified forwards than the number of available roster spots, so the most notable omissions can be found there in Zach Hyman , John Tavares , Mark Scheifele and Connor Bedard . Hyman is coming off a 70-goal season (postseason included) spent playing alongside Connor McDavid. Tavares has been in a top form for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season and has a vast international resume that includes serving as Canada’s captain at the IIHF World Hockey Championship in May. Scheifele is scoring at better than a point-per-game pace for the high-flying Winnipeg Jets . And Bedard is a 19-year-old wunderkind who rewrote the record book while representing his country at the world junior championship. The snubs on the back end include Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson , aged 25 and 24, respectively. They’re both high-end puck distributors coming off big seasons. — Chris Johnston Surprises Jarvis jumps off the page as the player least expected to battle his way onto this version of Team Canada. He doesn’t have the resume of many other players left at home. And at 5-foot-10, he doesn’t have the size, either. Advertisement But the 22-year-old Carolina Hurricanes winger does possess slick playmaking ability and a competitive spirit, which makes him a selection with upside. He could become a Team Canada fixture if things go well. On the back end, few saw Parayko securing a spot among Canada’s top seven, but as a big man with Stanley Cup-winning pedigree who is capable of logging tough minutes, he brought more security than some other choices. Montembeault isn’t a surprise, per se, but his save percentage this season is lagging behind Cam Talbot , Logan Thompson , Mackenzie Blackwood , Marc-Andre Fleury and Darcy Kuemper . Each of those other Canadian goalies will be watching the tournament from home. — Johnston Expectations Fair or not, any player that pulls a Canadian national team sweater over their head is expected to win. That’s especially true in best-on-best men’s competition, where Canada has won four of the past five tournaments and nine of 13 overall. Even with the country’s decade of dominance now a long way in the rear-view mirror, the high hopes remain. Canada will try to overwhelm opponents with its depth. Cooper can run out McDavid, Crosby, Point and Cirelli down the middle. If for whatever reason that isn’t working, he’s got MacKinnon and Bennett as ready-made options to slide to center. And for good measure, Cooper’s got Makar to serve as the heartbeat of a blue line that features a nice blend of size, smarts and elite decision-makers. Even with the questions (or doubts) in goal, this is a roster built to execute at a high level that intends to keep opponents at bay in hard-fought games by limiting mistakes. Canada expects three goals to be good enough to win against any team in the tournament. — Johnston Required reading Other rosters (Photo of Mitch Marner scoring on Jordan Binnington: Jeff Curry / USA Today)Earlier this month, Klarna’s chief executive officer, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, admitted that the fintech company had stopped hiring, but still advertises open positions. Dado Ruvic/Reuters Vass Bednar is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail and host of the podcast Lately . She is the executive director of McMaster University’s master of public policy program and co-author of The Big Fix . It is now widely accepted that much of what we see online nowadays is fake: “slop ” from synthetic media, chatter from bots intended to seem like it’s from humans, strange AI-generated clickbait on Facebook and products for sale that are of much lower-quality than depicted. This pervasive fakery, now a hallmark of our digital age, is typically found on social-media sites and a certain online search bar. But now it’s spilling over into the labour market. While there has been an occasional focus on prospective or new hires ghosting employers , far less attention has been paid to positions being advertised that don’t actually exist. These are called “ghost jobs ,” and they are demoralizing and disillusioning job seekers. Earlier this month, Klarna’s chief executive officer, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, admitted that the fintech company had stopped hiring, but still advertises open positions. Posting a mirage of a vacancy allows a company to project success and hint at growth at the expense of people’s time, aspirations and emotional energy. Worse, firms engaged in this kind of tactic can surreptitiously signal to current employees that they are imminently replaceable . Back in February, it was reported that mentions of recruiters “ghosting” job applicants have more than doubled since before the pandemic. Similar to these phantom positions, sometimes companies advertise the same role with different titles as a sort of A/B test for search engine optimization , adding another layer of cynicism to the hiring process. Posting a position when there may be an internally preferred candidate is one thing, and totally pretending that you’ll actually hire someone is another. Duping people into thinking that they have a shot at working somewhere may be a contributor to the complicated concept of the “ vibecession ,” whereby there is a dissonance between the numbers that describe the health of the economy and how people actually feel about it. The reality is that job hunting is getting worse . On top of that, Canada’s unemployment rate is the highest it’s been since January, 2017 (excluding 2020 and 2021, as Statistics Canada does). That is what makes fake job posting a frustrating illusion with broader implications of disillusion and resentment. They waste people’s time, get their hopes up and fuel distrust. Such phantom listings ghost an applicant before they even get to the interview. They are unethical, and at worst, a form of applicant abuse that erodes trust between workers and firms. The digitization of the labour market has been a boon for employees and applicants, as a much wider pool of openings can be accessed around the clock, and hybrid and work-from-home options have dropped the constraint of geography that may have previously moderated applications. This dynamic has put huge pressure on entry-level roles that are flooded with applicants and facilitated the introduction of AI-screening tools that sleuth for keywords as a filtering process. Job seekers, weary of pouring their energy into futile applications, are starting to push back. One example is a crowdsourced document, the Ghost Job Red Flag List , that alphabetically lists firms that are posting roles online “for their own benefit with no intention of hiring.” While this is a somewhat productive and no doubt cathartic expression of the rejection fatigue so many are feeling, it doesn’t seem to have stopped HR departments from perpetuating the charade. Some experts have suggested that companies should label these kinds of ads as being “expressions of interest” for potential jobs, ensuring transparency and honesty in the hiring process. Such an approach could better manage candidate expectations and help to restore trust in the recruitment ecosystem. Just like messaging an avatar on a dating app, applying to a job involves a certain mix of bravery, hope and vulnerability. But there is growing evidence that applicants are being cat-fished in a stupid scam. And in the way that Generation X is breaking up with dating apps , the kayfabe of job searching could be the next scheme they become exhausted with and reject entirely. We should do a little more to make ghost jobs actually disappear.Final Montana legislative race called for Democrat following recount

Chandigarh: A seminar focused on Punjab’s role in nation-building and its contribution to Indian Army was conducted at Chandimandir military station. The aim was to address contemporary challenges such as drug abuse, socio-economic development, and talent migration in Punjab. The seminar brought together panelists and subject experts from civil administration, Army (serving and veterans), Narcotics Control Bureau and others from civil society. Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, GOC-in-C, Western Command, highlighted the role of Punjab youth in bringing about the rejuvenation of society and the nation. Complimenting panelists for their insights and suggestions, he urged everyone to contribute to society and nation sincerely. Discussions emphasized on economic distress afflicting the state, socio-economic impact of substance abuse including its effects on national security and the role of society in curbing this menace. The panel also discussed the impact of these challenges on recruitment in the Indian Army. tnn We also published the following articles recently Women stepping towards nation-building today: UoM registrar University of Mysore registrar VR Shylaja inaugurated the Bharat Bhagya Vidhata program commemorating Ambedkar's 68th Mahaparinirvan Day. Shylaja highlighted Ambedkar's pivotal role in empowering women through legal rights and emphasized his focus on women's freedom and literacy. She attributed women's current achievements to the foundation laid by Ambedkar, who championed equality for women and the upliftment of the economically disadvantaged. Governance reforms & role of civil servants key to build Viksit Bharat V Srinivas, Secretary to the Government of India, emphasized the need for civil servants to continuously upskill to improve governance. Speaking at ASCI's 68th Foundation Day Lecture, he highlighted the Viksit Bharat initiative's focus on key governance areas, including efficient grievance redressal and competency models. Kerala CM meets Gadkari to discuss National Highway development Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari discussed crucial highway projects in Kerala, including the six-lane NH 66 upgrade. Progress on NH 66 is reviewed weekly, with anticipated completion by December 2025. Kerala's innovative funding for land acquisition was highlighted. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class voters helped Republicans make steady election gains this year and expanded a coalition that increasingly includes rank-and-file union members, a political shift spotlighting one of President-elect Donald Trump’s latest Cabinet picks: a GOP congresswoman, who has drawn labor support, to be his labor secretary. Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members, a key part of the Democratic base but gravitating in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success - Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice Friday night. For decades, labor unions have sided with Democrats and been greeted largely with hostility by Republicans. But with Trump's populist appeal, his working-class base saw a decent share of union rank-and-file voting for Republicans this year, even as major unions, including the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers , endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the White House race. Trump sat down with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union leadership and members this year, and when he emerged from that meeting, he boasted that a significant chunk of union voters were backing him. Of a possible Teamsters endorsement, he said, “Stranger things have happened.” The Teamsters ultimately declined to endorse either Trump, the former president, or Harris, the vice president, though leader Sean O’Brien had a prominent speaking slot at the Republican National Convention. Kara Deniz, a Teamsters spokesperson, told the Associated Press that O’Brien met with more than a dozen House Republicans this past week to lobby on behalf of Chavez-DeRemer. “Chavez-DeRemer would be an excellent choice for labor secretary and has his backing,” Deniz said. The work of the Labor Department affects workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employers' rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. On Election Day, Trump deepened his support among voters without a college degree after running just slightly ahead of Democrat Joe Biden with noncollege voters in 2020. Trump made modest gains, earning a clear majority of this group, while only about 4 in 10 supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. Roughly 18% of voters in this year's election were from union households, with Harris winning a majority of the group. But Trump's performance among union members kept him competitive and helped him win key states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Chavez-DeRemer was one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act, which would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The measure would 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. Trump's first term saw firmly pro-business policies from his appointees across government, including those on the National Labor Relations Board. Trump, a real estate developer and businessman before winning the presidency, generally has backed policies that would make it harder for workers to unionize. During his recent campaign, Trump criticized union bosses, and at one point suggested that UAW members should not pay their dues. His first administration did expand overtime eligibility rules, but not nearly as much as Democrats wanted, and a Trump-appointed judge has since struck down the Biden administration’s more generous overtime rules. He has stacked his incoming administration with officials who worked on the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” blueprint, which includes a sharp swing away from Biden’s pro-union policies. “Chavez-DeRemer’s record suggests she understands the value of policies that strengthen workers’ rights and economic security,” said Rebecca Dixon, president and CEO of National Employment Law Project, which is backed my many of the country’s major labor unions. “But the Trump administration’s agenda is fundamentally at odds with these principles, threatening to roll back workplace protections, undermine collective bargaining, and prioritize corporate profits over the needs of working people. This is where her true commitment to workers will be tested.” Other union leaders also issued praise, but also sounded a note of caution. “Educators and working families across the nation will be watching ... as she moves through the confirmation process,” the president of the National Education Association, Becky Pringle, said in a statement, “and hope to hear a pledge from her to continue to stand up for workers and students as her record suggests, not blind loyalty to the Project 2025 agenda.” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler welcomed the choice while taking care to note Trump's history of opposing polices that support unions. "It remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as secretary of labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda,” Shuler said.Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the Pentagon

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Former US president Jimmy Carter dies aged 100Tech rally boosts indexes to record closing highsGianforte taps Dept. of Ag head to lead MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks

The Gunners took two points out of Liverpool’s lead at the summit of the Premier League after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba struck in the second half – both from corners – to condemn Amorim to his first defeat as United boss. The hosts’ second-half strikes took their goals-from-corners tally to 22 since the start of last season – a statistic that is unmatched by any other team in the division. Asked if Arsenal are one of the best teams he has come up against on corners, Amorim replied: “If you follow the Premier League for a long time you can see that. “They are also big players and you see every occasion when (Gabriel) Martinelli and (Bukayo) Saka have one-on-ones, a lot of times they go outside and they cross, and they know that if the cross goes well, they can score, and if it is a corner they can score, too, so we have to be better on that. “You have seen in all Arsenal games that every team have had problems with that (corners). And the difference today was the set-pieces. “You see a goal and then the momentum changed, and it is really hard for us to take the full control of the game after that.” Timber leaned into Rasmus Hojlund at the front post before diverting Declan Rice’s set-piece into the back of Andre Onana’s net after 54 minutes to send Arsenal into the lead. Thomas Partey’s header from Saka’s corner then deflected in off Saliba’s shoulder with 17 minutes left. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands. The Arsenal supporters cheered raucously every time they won a corner – landing 13 in all without reply. However, Arteta moved to play down the significance of Arsenal’s set-piece threat. “We need that, but we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” said Arteta. “Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham and Sporting. Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club. Arsenal have won four consecutive Premier League matches against Man Utd for the first time ever! 💫 — Premier League (@premierleague) “Not because of only set-pieces, but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too.” Arsenal’s win against United – the first time they have recorded four victories in a row against the Red Devils in the league – was their fourth in succession since the international break. They will head to Fulham on Sunday bidding to keep the momentum going. Arteta continued: “The will to win is there. We try our best to do that. We won four in a row, but it doesn’t matter. We have to go to Fulham now, try to be better than them and try win the game. “It’s every three days that we play. It’s a crazy schedule. We’re going to need everybody and to mentally be very strong.”TikTok's future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January. A panel of three judges on The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously that the law withstood constitutional scrutiny, rebuffing arguments from the two companies that the statute violated their rights and the rights of TikTok users in the U.S. The government has said it wants ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to divest its stakes. But if it doesn't and the platform goes away, it would have a seismic impact on the lives of content creators who rely on the platform for income as well as users who use it for entertainment and connection. Here are some details on the ruling and what could happen next: In their lawsuit, TikTok and ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the case, had challenged the law on various fronts, arguing in part that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and was an unconstitutional bill of attainder that unfairly targeted the two companies. But the court sided with attorneys for the Justice Department who said that the government was attempting to address national security concerns and the way in which it chose to do so did not violate the constitution. The Justice Department has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say that Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok's U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread, or suppress, information. However, the U.S. hasn't publicly provided examples of that happening. The appeals court ruling, written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg, said the law was “carefully crafted to deal only with control by a foreign adversary." The judges also rejected the claim that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Furthermore, Ginsburg wrote the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. TikTok and ByteDance are expected to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but it's unclear whether the court will take up the case. TikTok indicated in a statement on Friday the two companies are preparing to take their case to high court, saying the Supreme Court has “an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech." "We expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” a company spokesperson said. Alan Morrison, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, said he expects the Supreme Court to take up the case because of the novelty of the issues raised in the lawsuit. If that happens, attorneys for the two companies still have to convince the court to grant them an emergency stay that will prevent the government from enforcing the Jan. 19 divestiture deadline stipulated in the law, Morrison said. Such a move could drag out the process until the Justices make a ruling. Tiffany Cianci, a TikTok content creator who has supported the platform, said she was not shocked about the outcome of the court's ruling on Friday because lower courts typically defer to the executive branch on these types of cases. She believes the company will have a stronger case at the Supreme Court. “I believe that the next stages are more likely to produce a victory for TikTokers and for TikTok as a whole,” Cianci said. Another wild card is President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the recent presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The Trump transition team has not offered details on how Trump plans to carry out his pledge to “save TikTok." But spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement last month that he plans to “deliver” on his campaign promises. After Trump takes office on Jan. 20th, it would fall on his Justice Department to enforce the law and punish any potential violators. Penalties would apply to any app stores that would violate a prohibition on TikTok and to internet hosting services which would be barred from supporting it. Some have speculated that Trump could ask his Justice Department to abstain from enforcing the law. But tech companies like Apple and Google, which offer TikTok's app on their app stores, would then have to trust that the administration would not come after them for any violations. Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said enforcement discretion — or executive orders — can not override existing law, leaving Trump with “limited room for unilateral action." There are other things Trump could potentially do. It's possible he could invoke provisions of the law that allow the president to determine whether a sale or a similar transaction frees TikTok from “foreign adversary” control. Another option is to urge Congress to repeal the law. But that too would require support from congressional Republicans who have overwhelmingly supported the prospect of getting TikTok out of the hands of a Chinese company. In a statement issued Friday, Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said he was “optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok” and allow its continued use in the United States. ByteDance has said it won't sell TikTok . And even if it wanted to, a sale of the proprietary algorithm that powers TikTok is likely to get blocked under Chinese export controls that the country issued in 2020. That means if TikTok is sold without the algorithm, its likely that the buyer would only purchase a shell of the platform that doesn't contain the technology that made the app a cultural powerhouse. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in buying it. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital. The spokesperson did not disclose the identity of the participants.

NSW’s new intercity trains look shiny and smell fresh – but speeds remain stuck in the 20th centuryLANDOVER, Md. — The losing streak is done. Feel better? A Dallas team that went into Northwest Field as a 10.5-point underdog to Washington left with a 34-26 victory. The win stopped a five-game losing streak, the franchise’s longest since it lost seven straight in 2015. The Cowboys swept Washington last season, outscoring the Commanders by 63 points in the two games. What Dallas did this gorgeous afternoon wasn’t nearly as dominant, but it got the job done in a wild finish that saw 38 points scored in the final five minutes and 16 seconds. This team now turns around and faces the New York Giants in four days on Thanksgiving. But remember, the Cowboys haven’t won a game at AT&T Stadium this season. So that losing streak is also five games this season. Here are our five takeaways from Cowboys-Commanders: Defense rises to the occasion Dan Quinn molded the Cowboys into one of the league’s best defensive units before leaving to coach the Commanders. The transition to Mike Zimmer has been anything but smooth. But as the Cowboys start to get some players healthy on that side of the ball, this group is making strides. The Cowboys’ defense played one of its best games in a long time in the win over Washington. Defensive end Chauncey Golston intercepted a screen pass. The Cowboys came away with a fumble recovery in the second half and tormented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels throughout the afternoon. Dallas came away with four sacks and allowed the Commanders to convert only 4 of 12 third-down attempts. Nothing special, until the end Brandon Aubrey has stood above his teammates with his performance in this disappointing season. Even he stumbled in this one. Aubrey had a field goal blocked and had a 41-yard attempt hit the right upright before the first quarter was done. Uncharacteristic? Yes. Everywhere but here. Aubrey has missed two field goals in a game only one other time in his brief career in Dallas. That came on this field last season, when he also had a field goal blocked and missed a 32-yarder. But the special teams issues didn’t stop with Aubrey. Bryan Anger had a punt deflected at the line and it traveled only 22 yards. This comes after the Cowboys faked a punt twice in recent weeks and failed to pick up the first down both times. And then? When the Commanders pulled within three points late, KaVontae Turpin fumbled the kickoff, picked it up on the 1-yard line then went 99 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys then allowed the Commanders to score one play later, an 86-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin that closed the gap to one after Washington missed the extra-point attempt. The miss forced the Commanders to try an onside kick, which Juanyeh Thomas scooped up and returned 43 yards for a touchdown to ice the game. Money pit Money isn’t everything. A team can win without its highest-paid player on the field. But its top five? That’s the position the Cowboys found themselves in entering Sunday’s game. None of the top five players on their payroll took the field, leaving the team $105.8 million light in terms of talent. The list: Dak Prescott ($44.6 million), DeMarcus Lawrence ($20.4 million), Zack Martin ($15.5 million), Trevon Diggs ($15.3 million) and Brandin Cooks ($10 million). Line dance The Cowboys traveled to our nation’s capital knowing Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin wouldn’t play. Before they kicked off Sunday they were without left guard Tyler Smith as well. Smith was a limited participant in Friday’s practice and was listed as questionable. The club hoped he was trending toward being able to go in this game. He didn’t. That means T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman were the starting guards. And it didn’t stop there. Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton and Asim Richards were part of a rotation system, with Guyton getting the first two possessions of each half. It appeared to work fairly well. But Guyton, as he has for much of the season, struggled with penalties. He was called for holding in the third quarter, an illegal formation penalty on the next possession and had another illegal formation penalty declined. And then he was hit with a false start, resulting in Richards taking his place. Another corner Injuries have had an undeniable impact on the Cowboys’ fortunes. Corner has been hit particularly bad. When DaRon Bland made his regular season debut on Sunday, he became the sixth different corner to start this season. The list: Diggs, Bland, Caelen Carson, Josh Butler, Andrew Booth and Amani Oruwariye. ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.An Appeals Court Decision to Uphold the TikTok Ban Is a Warning to Entrepreneurs

WA news LIVE: Cottesloe’s Sculpture by the Sea cancelled after funding cutSir Keir Starmer said he would be looking towards a “better, brighter future for every person” in a Christmas message following a turbulent year for the UK. The Prime Minister said the season was a time to remember the importance of “being there for one another”, including in “the more difficult times”. He also expressed hope for “peace, particularly in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story” amid spiralling conflict across the region. The message comes after a challenging first five months in office for the Labour Government and against the backdrop of a flatlining economy and rising inflation. Sir Keir said: “This Christmas, people will be travelling up and down the country. Heading home, visiting relatives and loved ones to celebrate together the hope and joy of this special season. “It’s a time to remind ourselves what’s really important. Family. Friendship. And fellowship between all people. “Being there for one another – in these celebrations, as well as the more difficult times.” The Prime Minister sought to strike an optimistic note following another year of political upheaval for Britain, which saw Labour win a landslide victory after a surprise election called by Rishi Sunak in the summer. After taking office in July, the new Government made a series of unpopular decisions as ministers confronted the realities of creaking public services and strained national finances. As well as dealing with the economic inheritance, Sir Keir said he needed to fix a “broken society” which manifested itself in summer riots across the country after the Southport knife attack. Sir Keir said: “This Christmas, I will be hoping for peace, particularly in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story. “I’ll be looking towards a better, brighter future for every person and celebrating the joy and wonder that Christmas brings. “So, from my family to yours, I hope you have a very merry Christmas.” The message comes after revised official figures released on Monday indicated that UK gross domestic product (GDP) showed no growth between July and September. Downing Street defended the Government’s record so far when asked about the data, telling reporters: “We had to take those tough decisions to lay the foundations of growth such that we can then deliver the higher living standards over this Parliament that people want to see.” The Prime Minister also used his message to thank those spending Christmas serving others, including in the NHS and emergency services, the armed forces, churches and charities. “I know that this is not an easy time for everyone, and my thoughts are with all those who are lonely this Christmas. “Having a tough time, missing a loved one. You are not alone,” he said. Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch said Christmas was a time to reflect on “all that’s happened in the year” and “support all of those people who need our assistance”. “I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone, not just in the Conservative Party or in my constituency, but across the country,” the Tory leader said. “For all that you have been doing in your communities, supporting each other and helping to keep all our towns, villages and places going. “I think that Christmas is a time for us to reflect on all that’s happened in the year. “Sometimes we have amazing years. “Sometimes, like when I lost my dad, we have difficult years and we’re commiserating, but we do it together. “But it’s a time for us to support all of those people who need our assistance, who need our help, who need our support.” She added: “And I’m looking forward to 2025. “I wish you all the very best for the New Year and all of the exciting things to come.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “This year, I’ve had the chance to spend time with some amazing young carers. “Incredible young people who will spend this Christmas doing what they do all year round; looking after loved ones who are ill or disabled. “Carers embody the Christmas spirit of love, selflessness and generosity. “So I hope we can all take some time to think of them, and keep them in our hearts. “And wish them – and everyone – a Christmas full of peace, joy and love.”Richard Drury My most prominent portfolio position has been short-term government debt for the better part of two years. Although short-term Treasury bills lik e the ones held in the iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF ( NYSEARCA: SGOV ) have not had the same Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BIL,VTIP either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.fish high in mercury 。

BEREA, Ohio — Browns safety Juan Thornhill heard the criticism of his effort against the Saints. “I had no choice but to hear it, if I’m being honest,” Thornhill said on Monday. “If you have social media, you’re going to see it. But I definitely heard it.” Thornhill felt the wrath of Browns Twitter — or Browns X, formerly Browns Twitter — on a 71-yard touchdown pass from Saints quarterback Derek Carr to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling with 12:40 left in the second quarter to put the Saints ahead, 14-6, in Week 11. More Cleveland Browns coverage ‘Let it snow some touchdowns!’ Hear the best moments of Jameis Winston mic’d up during Browns’ win over Steelers Browns safety Juan Thornhill responds to criticism; the latest on George Pickens-Greg Newsome fight: Berea Report (Video) What’s next for the Browns after beating the Steelers? Monday’s Sports 4 CLE Week 12 NFL Preview: Find everything you need to know with our Week 12 NFL preview. Valdes-Scantling caught the ball at the Saints 37 and sprinted down the right sideline . When he caught the ball, Thornhill was at the Saints 43 on the opposite numbers and started chasing the play. Except it didn’t look like he was chasing the play as hard as he could have, especially as Valdes-Scantling maneuvered his way around Browns defenders to sneak into the end zone. MVS! MVS! 71 yards 🔥 📺: #CLEvsNO on FOX 📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/gSFM2nlcCg “I know that one play, it wasn’t me, that’s just not me as a player,” Thornhill said. “I never give up on plays.” Thornhill said playing with Valdes-Scantling in Kansas City made him believe he wouldn’t be able to catch the speedy wideout. “I knew his speed, if I’m being honest,” Thornhill said. “He caught it, broke away, I was like, there’s no way I’m catching this guy. But then he got to the point where he started weaving and I probably could have caught him maybe at the 1- or 2-yard line if I would’ve went all out. But that won’t happen again.” His mistake was amplified, not just because of social media but because the eye in the sky doesn’t lie. Browns coaches noticed and talked to him about it, too. “We talked about it and they were saying I need to give more effort on that play and I know it, they know it, everybody knows that I need to give more effort, so it’s nothing I can hide from,” he said. “It’s obvious I didn’t try as hard as I possibly could.” Stories by Dan Labbe Browns safety Juan Thornhill responds to criticism; the latest on George Pickens-Greg Newsome fight: Berea Report (Video) Why Browns right tackle Jack Conklin deserves to be singled out, even if it costs him some money Is Jameis Winston a real quarterback option for the Browns next year? Postgame podcast He responded against the Steelers, living up to an Instagram story he posted earlier in the week, writing “Me Thursday” over a clip from the movie “Forrest Gump” of Tom Hanks’ character running as fast as he can. Thornhill had seven tackles, his most since the opener against Dallas and, according to data from Pro Football Focus , allowed one catch in coverage for six yards. “I thought all the safeties played well, tackled well, but Juan in particular I thought was good,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday. “I felt like I was a part of a lot of plays, a lot of run plays,” Thornhill said. “Not a whole lot of passing action, but definitely a part of a lot of the run plays.” Thornhill’s role is evolving in the second half of the season. Last year, Thornhill rarely left the field when he was healthy, playing every defensive snap in five games and more than 96% of the defensive snaps in three others. He missed five games while dealing with calf injuries and a sixth when he sat out the finale in Cincinnati. This year, after playing 95% of the defensive snaps against the Cowboys Week 1, he went on injured reserve with a calf injury. He returned and played about half the defensive snaps in Week seven against Cincinnati and then more than three-quarters of the team’s defensive snaps against Baltimore and the Chargers. Coming out of the bye, however, he started splitting time with second-year safety Ronnie Hickman, an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State who started four games as a rookie. Hickman played 28 snaps to Thornhill’s 23 in New Orleans and the two again split time against Pittsburgh, with Thornhill playing 33 snaps and Hickman 22. “Ronnie earned the opportunity to be on the field,” Thornhill said. “He’s a really good player. He makes a lot of plays, so when they came down to me and told me that they wanted to see Ronnie play a little bit more, I mean, I understand. The guy, he’s made plays, so why would you have him sitting on the sideline when you know he can get on the field and make plays?” The Browns signed Thornhill to a 3-year, $21 million deal in 2023, bringing him in from Kansas City to replace John Johnson III, banking on the two-time Super Bowl champion to add experience and play-making on the backend of Jim Schwartz’s scheme. He has become an easy target during the Browns’ struggles this season as he has been unable to replicate the production he had with the Chiefs, where he had eight interceptions and 20 passes defensed in 65 games. In two years with the Browns, he has just two passes defensed and no interceptions. “As a (defensive back), everybody wants to get an interception,” Thornhill said. “All of us want it, but you can’t start doing extra things, like going chasing plays. When you chase plays, that’s when bad things happen. It’s a little frustrating. I can’t even lie to you. I feel like any DB would be frustrated, but I think those opportunities will start coming soon.” As far as fingers pointing at him outside the building whenever there’s a blown coverage or a big play, he’s not fazed by it. “If you’re watching it on TV and you see me chasing the ball down and no one next to the ball carrier, you automatically assume it’s on me,” he said. “But I mean, that’s part of the game. I’m a free safety. I’m the last line of defense, so if something bad goes wrong, I’m there to make it up. If I don’t make the tackle, it’s similar to the quarterback. A lot of people are going to point fingers at you, but it’s fine. I’m able to take the heat and I’m cool with that.” It doesn’t lessen the sting, however, from having his effort called out inside the building. “It definitely hurt,” he said. “When you’re a competitor, a guy that takes pride in his effort, playing hard at all times. and then someone calls you out on the play, meaning you didn’t give enough effort, it hurts. It stings, for sure.” Which is why he repeated three separate times in his media scrum some form of, “it just won’t happen again.” Thursday night against the Steelers was a good start. Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com's Browns reporters.Cajuns hoping to build on positive signs to end frustrating six-game losing streakThe gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.

KSE-100 suffers record single-day drop on political turmoil

The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit WashingtonQB Josh Allen and coach Sean McDermott deserve credit in Bills latest AFC East-clinching season

Arsenal make Mikel Arteta proud after smashing Sporting Lisbon

Arsenal delivered the statement Champions League win Mikel Arteta had demanded as they swept aside Sporting Lisbon 5-1. Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials following some underwhelming displays away from home, and the Gunners manager got exactly what he asked for. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners had failed to win or score in their two away games in the competition so far this season, but they made a blistering start in the Portuguese capital and took the lead after only seven minutes. Declan Rice fed overlapping full-back Jurrien Timber, who curled a low cross in behind the home defence for Martinelli to finish at the far post. Arsenal doubled their lead in the 20th minute thanks to a glorious ball over the top from Thomas Partey. Saka escaped the clutches of his marker Maximiliano Araujo to beat the offside trap and poke the ball past advancing goalkeeper Franco Israel for Havertz to tap home. It was a scintillating first-half display which completely overshadowed the presence of Viktor Gyokeres in Sporting’s attack. The prolific Sweden striker, formerly of Coventry, has been turning the heads of Europe’s top clubs with his 24 goals in 17 games this season – including a hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this month. But the only time he got a sniff of a run at goal after an optimistic long ball, he was marshalled out of harm’s way by Gabriel. David Raya was forced into one save, tipping a fierce Geovany Quenda drive over the crossbar. But Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. Former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards fired over, as did Gyokeres, with Arsenal temporarily on the back foot. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved, and Gyokeres’ miserable night was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. “As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. “Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world.” Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. “The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team,” Michael Andretti posted on social media. “I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!” The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti’s dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA. The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they’ve already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti’s application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1’s current grid. “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. “Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024,” F1 said in a statement. “Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1."Former Red Sox exec weighs in on controversial Aroldis Chapman signing: ‘I guess enough time has passed’

Pardon Jon Stewart for going long on the Hunter Biden pardon

Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the PentagonOur land is speaking, are we listening?

What we can VERIFY about Enron’s return to the internet

A new name has been on the tip of the tongue of those with a keen eye for social media this past week, as the amphitheatre of micro-blogging was introduced to its latest contender. Several Highland-based micro-bloggers, including journalists, activists, artists, authors, historians, sportspeople and politicians, have signed up to the upstart social media platform, Bluesky - which many media experts are calling a viable alternative to X (Twitter). RELATED: YOUR VIEWS: The vital role of local media Journalism Matters campaign finds three-quarters of Brits value trusted journalism more than ever Follow Highland News & Media titles on BlueSky First launched in October 2021, Bluesky today reports a user count of over 21 million, boasting an average of one million new user signups per day in the past week. Highland MSPs Maree Todd, Emma Roddick and Jamie Halcro Johnston are among a long list of Scottish Government ministers to have joined the platform, while author Ian Rankin, singer Julie Fowlis, and football clubs Brora Rangers, Clachnacuddin and Nairn County have also decided to sign up. Micro-blogging, a social medium designed for quick and typically direct audience interactions, first came to the fore with the launch of Twitter in 2006. But despite many alternatives popping up over the years, such as Mastadon and most recently, Meta’s Threads, the platform now known as X has remained largely unchallenged as the world’s number one choice. But the industry-defining social network, which was renamed after Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk acquired the platform for $44 billion in October 2022, has undergone significant change of late. The introduction of an opt-in, paid subscription service, which offers features such as longer posts and enhanced visibility, as well as a paid-for verification mark, attracted criticism from users and advertisers, concerned that the platform could become vulnerable to the sharing of disinformation. This was evidenced soon after its introduction when a spoof account with a paid-for verification mark masqueraded as drinks icon Pepsi, before tweeting the line, “Coke is better.” Many experts now believe that Bluesky - an ‘open source’ alternative - could become a viable competitor to Musk’s X. The app, accessible via bsky.app is currently top of the free section of the US iPhone App Store, above Meta’s alternative Threads and AI assistant ChatGPT, after a surge of new downloads. Bluesky is a PBC (public benefit corporation) with the mission “to develop and drive large-scale adoption of technologies for open and decentralized public conversation.” From the start, our goal has been to build a decentralized social network that is usable by the mainstream. [image or embed] The outcome of the US presidential election, which has since seen Musk named as the man to spearhead President-elect Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency”, has been highlighted as the likely catalyst for Bluesky’s sudden rise in popularity. Yesterday, Forbes.com described the growing app as a “decentralized alternative for those disillusioned by algorithmic favouritism, toxic discourse and privacy concerns.” Among those to join Bluesky this week is Highland MSP Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, who believes that recent changes to the X platform have made it “increasingly more difficult to communicate and connect” with constituents. She said: "As a politician, it's important to me that I am accessible for my constituents, stakeholders, the media and local activists, and X, over the years, has supported me in this. “However, recent changes to the platform have made it increasingly more difficult to communicate and connect with these groups effectively. “I have also noticed a significant rise in the amount of online abuse I have experienced since the platform’s takeover. While scrutiny is part of the role, abuse is never acceptable, and I now find X to be a rather unpleasant online space. “I am also deeply concerned about the changes to the block function and what this means for online safety overall. “I am hopeful that Bluesky will provide a more constructive way of engaging with my constituents, similar to how X functioned prior to its takeover.” Inverness cycling advocate Emily Williams, who also left X to join Bluesky, says that the app’s facility to allow users to bulk-follow accounts using “starter packs” has made her micro-blogging experience less “toxic”. “It is a much more chilled place than Twitter,” she explains. “Most of the UK active travel chat folk have moved over wholesale, and there are follow lists that make things really easy. “Finding people was really easy. There are curated lists, so I just bulk-followed two or three active travel ones. There is less toxicity from the known anti-cycling brigade, so far less blocking and deleting! “It’s just nice having the chronological feed and no adverts, but I do need to do some admin so that I don’t miss stuff.” Photographer Mel Roger, who lives in Caithness, also made the switch, but she says she’s not quite ready to say goodbye to X just yet. She said: “I haven’t left X entirely yet as I still require to interact with and send information to users who have not yet moved platform, or have not yet added an additional platform. “I will run my posts down on X over the next few months though, using Facebook and Bluesky as the main outlets for links. When using X for news at the moment I no longer use the “for you” option, I only use the “following” option. “That’s seems to have reduced the amount of toxic posts that I see.” Fiona Macleod from Invergordon, who works for an adult learning charity, says the joy of finding people with shared interests is a big part of Bluesky’s appeal. “I really love the 'starter packs', making it easier to follow people linked to a topic so you can really tailor your feed to be full of people who are interested in the same thing as you. “I understand some may say that’s creating an ‘echo chamber’, but I personally think that’s the joy of it. “It's what we do in real life, we go to groups or take part in activities that interest us, we hang out with people that share interests with us.” Run by a staff of just 20 full-time employees, Bluesky is currently operated by its CEO, software engineer Jay Graber - but the app was originally conceptualised by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. While Dorsey is no longer on the board of Bluesky, the application’s similarities to X are undeniable. It’s white butterfly on a blue background bears a striking resemble to "Larry the Bird", the iconic logo for Twitter for over a decade. The big difference though? Bluesky has been cultivated as an ‘open ecosystem’. While it might look like a familiar app on the surface, behind the scenes it's CEO says it has been designed to “always put users first.” Using the AP protocol - a system which emphasizes “decentralization, transparency and user autonomy” - users will have more control over their data and the curation of their feed. CEO Graber says it can ‘guarantee’ that the platform will always be open to developers to create new ways for their data and information to be used. One developer has already created a directory of “starter packs” enabling new Bluesky users to hit the ground running by following groups of people they will be most interested in. Another has created an analytics perform which allows Bluesky users to follow the growth of their account in real-time, or over custom date ranges. Bluesky uses AI internally to assist in content moderation, which helps us triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content. We also use AI in the Discover algorithmic feed to serve you posts that we think you’d like.None of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content. Bluesky has also confirmed to users that their posts will not be used to train generative artificial intelligence (AI). In a post on November 15, Bluesky confirmed that it only uses AI to “assist in content moderation, in an effort to “triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content.” It also uses it in its algorithmic Discover feed, but it says “none of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content.” But where Bluesky is not quite at the races yet is in having many of the ease-of-use features the likes of Twitter has come to possess after years as the market leader. On users’ list of “wants” will be tools such as the ability to schedule posts (a handy tool for marketers or content creators) or post longer videos (Bluesky currently limits video to 60 seconds). Bluesky still has a long way to go in matching up to X’s user count, 21 million is a far cry from X’s estimated 300 million active users worldwide, but if the speed of its growth in November is anything to go by, it appears as though it may be here to stay. A starting point as we await a few others signing up to BlueSky. Highland News & Media journalists assemble! Covering news and sport across the Highlands and Moray. Please share around. [image or embed]

fish knife

In conclusion, carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious threat that can be prevented by taking necessary precautions and being aware of the risks associated with certain heating practices. It is essential to install carbon monoxide detectors in your home, ensure proper ventilation in enclosed spaces, and never ignore the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. By staying informed and practicing safety measures, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning during the winter months. Stay safe and stay warm!The deal also includes a clause that entitles Inter Milan to a percentage of any future transfer fee involving Esposito. This means that if Napoli decides to sell the player in the future, Inter will receive a share of the transfer fee as part of the agreement.

In the end, the broken necklace served as a powerful reminder of the consequences of greed and selfishness. It had traveled a tumultuous journey, from being snatched in a moment of impulse to being discarded in a fit of panic, only to be rediscovered by a curious child who saw beauty where others saw only brokenness.BEIJING , Dec. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baijiayun Group Ltd ("Baijiayun" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: RTC), a one-stop AI video solution provider, today announced that it has entered into a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement (the "SEPA"), with YA II PN, Ltd. ("YA"), a fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the the SEPA, YA is committed to purchase up to $50 million (the "Commitment Amount") of the Company's Class A Ordinary Shares (the "Shares") at any time during the two-year period following the execution date of the SEPA, by delivering written notice to YA (an "Advance Notice"). Pursuant to the SEPA, YA will advance to the Company, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions as set forth therein, the principal amount of up to $15 million (the "Pre-Paid Advance"), which will be evidenced by convertible promissory notes (the "Promissory Notes", together with the "SEPA", the "Offering") in four tranches. The first Pre-Advance, in the principal amount of $3,000,000 , was advanced December 6, 2024 in connection with the execution of the SEPA, and is subject to a 10% discount to the principal amount of such Promissory Note. If there is no balance outstanding under the Promissory Notes, the Company will have sole discretion to sell the Shares to YA from time to time by issuing Advance Notices to YA following the effectiveness of a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registering the Shares issuable pursuant to the SEPA and the satisfaction of other customary conditions. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to the SEPA for working capital and other general corporate purposes. The Company and the Investor have entered into a registration rights agreement on the date hereof (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company shall register the resale of the Shares issuable pursuant to the SEPA. The foregoing does not purport to be a complete description of the rights and obligations of the parties to the SEPA, the Promissory Notes, the Registration Rights Agreement, or of the transactions contemplated thereby and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such documents, the copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the Company's Current Report on Form 6-K on December 6, 2024 . D. Boral Capital LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent for the Offering. About Baijiayun Group Ltd Baijiayun is a one-stop AI video solution provider with core expertise in SaaS/PaaS solutions. Baijiayun is committed to delivering reliable, high-quality video experiences across devices and localities and has grown rapidly since its inception in 2017. Premised on its industry-leading video-centric technologies, Baijiayun offers a wealth of video-centric technology solutions, including Video SaaS/PaaS, Video Cloud and Software, and Video AI and System Solutions. Baijiayun caters to the evolving communications and collaboration needs of enterprises of all sizes and industries. For more information, please visit ir.baijiayun.com. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," and "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of this press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the documents the Company has filed or furnished or may file or furnish with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation. For investor and media enquiries, please contact: Company Contact: Ms. Fangfei Liu Chief Financial Officer, Baijiayun Group Ltd Phone: +86 25 8222 1596 Email: [email protected]TikTok is inching closer to a potential ban in the US. So what’s next?

New York City is another major metropolitan area where rent prices have been on the decline. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an exodus of residents from the city, resulting in a surplus of rental units and a decrease in demand. Landlords have had to offer incentives such as rent discounts and waived fees to attract and retain tenants, leading to a drop in overall rent prices.As Alibaba Games continues to grow and expand, the company is poised to make a significant impact on the gaming industry. With a strong focus on original content, strategic partnerships, and innovation, Alibaba Games is setting itself up for success in the competitive world of gaming. Whether you're a casual player or a hardcore gamer, Alibaba Games has something for everyone, and is ready to captivate audiences around the world with its exciting and innovative games. Keep an eye on Alibaba Games, because this is one company that is sure to make waves in the gaming world.

The Texas House speaker race isn’t over. Here’s where it stands.

The United States is expected to announce that it will send US$1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. Download the CTV News App for breaking news alerts and video on all the top stories The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won't provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. Complete coverage of the war in Ukraine One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

AI Competition Heats Up! Nvidia’s Dominance Under Threat?

Many believe US healthcare industry was to blame in CEO killing, poll revealsThe second transplant was a success, and Lily's health improved dramatically. She was able to resume her studies, pursue her passion for art, and enjoy life to the fullest. But the challenges did not end there. A few years later, Lily's body began to reject the second transplanted kidney, putting her life in jeopardy once again.is on the rise when it comes to accessing public services in New Jersey — part of an effort that state officials hope will gain traction in other areas of the country. The state’s new AI translation services for applicants seeking unemployment assistance is showing good results, according to Gillian Gutierrez, senior adviser and director of New Jersey’s unemployment insurance modernization. Before officials deployed that tool, one of every 120 applications were made in Spanish. That figure has increased to an estimated one of every 44, she told . The work is part of a broader effort to bring more “ ” into the state’s — a larger trend in government technology that focuses on platform improvements centered around how people really use websites. More than one-third of New Jersey residents speak Spanish at home, , so focusing on that language was a no-brainer. But there are older ways of achieving that goal and newer ways. “We decided that the experience should be naturally bilingual, and not dependent on automated translation services,” Gutierrez said, adding that better translation for state services advances the goal of . The state, which has a relatively active , and a chief AI strategist, used support from Google and the nonprofit to produce materials and tools to create cutting-edge AI “translation assistants,” according to a describing the effort. The materials rely on large language models for training and “off-the-shelf generative AI models” to help widen access to services for people more comfortable with Spanish than English. New Jersey has now made those training materials available to officials in other states. “With these training materials, government agencies across our state and the nation can begin leveraging the transformative potential of generative AI to make services more efficient, accessible, and responsive to the needs of all residents — regardless of what language they speak,” said New Jersey Chief AI Strategist Beth Simone Noveck in the statement. This way of combining and translation can “teach” websites to grasp the difference between, say, “laid off” and “fired,” according to Gutierrez — vital distinctions for those seeking unemployment pay and associated benefits. The tool also can help the state — and, presumably, other agencies — deal with a dearth of human translators, who are often called upon for more tasks than they can reasonably complete during a normal work day. “There are only so many people who can speak Spanish in our call centers,” she said, and that goes even more for the other . “There are only so many people who can speak Haitian Creole.” The training materials from New Jersey can reduce costs when compared to similar services offered by software vendors, state officials boast in the statement. Those materials also can save other public agencies from signing “long-term contracts that lack flexibility and adaptability over time,” according to the statement. Backers of this effort have big hopes for what it could lead to — hopes that come as other states are leaning on AI to . “These training materials will enable any government to easily create their own AI translation assistant for unemployment insurance and other benefit programs,” said Marcie Chin, product delivery manager for U.S. Digital Response, in the statement. “It’s a prime example of how we can democratize generative AI for the public good by inviting people with lived experience navigating public benefits to participate in the design process."

fish logo Trump steps into skilled-work visa clash, saying they’re ‘great’Underage prostitution, rules violations and more: Key takeaways from the Matt Gaetz report

Subscribe Search Search Sort by Relevance Title Date Subscribe ALBAWABA - Russia's minister of natural resources said Monday that the Black Sea shoreline has been severely harmed by a disastrous oil leak in the Kerch Strait that was brought on by a weather storm hitting two Russian tankers, according to AFP. Also Read Two Russian oil tankers sink cause spill in Kerch Strait The incident involved the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers and happened during a storm on December 15. Approximately 40% of the 9,200 tons of gasoline oil that the ships together carried leaked into the ocean. Up to 200,000 tons of dirt might be polluted, according to Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov, although 14,000 tons have reportedly already been gathered. Major oil spill on Russia's Black Sea coast – along tens of kilometres – after two old tankers were badly damaged in a storm over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/eH7ctwusDN — Brian McDonald (@27khv) December 18, 2024 The ecosystem of the area has been severely damaged by the spill, which has affected around 130 kilometers of shoreline, especially in the Temryuksky district and the area close to Anapa. Oil that has accumulated on beaches has washed back into the sea due to storms, making cleaning operations more difficult. The harm to the environment is significant. At least 11 dolphins, including eight endangered Azov species, and 125 birds impacted by the oil have perished. Rescue crews are rushing to treat the impacted animals, and more fatalities are expected. 875 birds have been saved by local volunteers, but they are running out of time and resources to make a meaningful difference, according to Novaya Gazeta. The continuing cleanup efforts, which employ more than 5,000 people and 200 pieces of equipment, are riddled with difficulties. Volunteers operating in dangerous environments have blasted the government's reaction, pointing to delays in extracting gathered oil and a lack of resources. After the corrupt oil shipping accidents: Russian volunteers used days collecting fuel oil from the shores of the Black Sea in bags and placing them on the beach for the government to remove them, they didn't, and now they're all washing out to sea again. pic.twitter.com/D2c7z39Zc3 — Kvist (@kvistp) December 22, 2024 Images of contaminated beaches and animals drenched in oil went viral, prompting President Vladimir Putin to refer to the leak as a “ecological disaster.” Two of the hardest-hit cities in seized Crimea are the port city of Kerch and the resort town of Anapa. According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, just 10.7 kilometers of the contaminated shoreline have been cleaned so far. A passionate about the Gaming Industry with a career of over 5 years in the field, I write about current trends and news in the Game Development business and how it impact the industry and players. Laith has recently started a new position at Al Bawaba as a freelance business writer. Subscribe Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content Subscribe Now Subscribe Sign up to get Al Bawaba's exclusive celeb scoops and entertainment news Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content SubscribeTrump steps into skilled-work visa clash, saying they’re ‘great’

The number of Black first-year students attending Harvard Law School in the fall dropped by over half compared to last year, data shows. Harvard only admitted 19 Black first-year students into their school in 2024, a dramatic fall from last year when 43 Black students were admitted, according to data from the American Bar Association . The data comes after a Supreme Court ruling struck down affirmative action in higher education. “This obviously has a lot to do with the chilling effect created by that decision,” David B. Wilkins, a Harvard law professor, told the the New York Times . “This is the lowest number of Black entering first-year students since 1965.” In a case sparked by challenges to admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the court’s conservative majority last year barred colleges from considering race, leaving many searching for new ways to promote student diversity . The Harvard Black Law Student Association said in a statement the “rollback” of affirmative action narrows the number of universities future law students can come from. “This would be a crushing loss,” the group said. Several Black Harvard Law alumni such as Robert L. Wilkins, a D.C. circuit judge, and Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, graduated from smaller liberal arts colleges and made strides in the legal field. “By making access to legal education more difficult for those of marginalized demographics, society will lose out on changemakers with novel approaches to complex, pressing problems,” the Harvard Black Law Student Association said. In Harvard’s undergraduate population, there were also decreases. Fourteen percent of incoming students identified as Black, a drop of 4% from the class before it. Latino students made up 16% of the freshman class, an increase of 2% while Asian-American numbers remained the same at 37%. Other institutions also saw drops in diversity in undergraduate populations. Some include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Amherst, Tufts and Wellesley. Meanwhile, nearly all public universities and community colleges that provided student demographic data to MassLive either held steady or showed increases in diversity. More higher ed

DAVIDSON, N.C. (AP) — Connor Kochera scored 34 points as Davidson beat Eastern Michigan 86-64 on Saturday. Kochera added five rebounds for the Wildcats (10-3). Bobby Durkin added 17 points while going 5 of 11 from the floor, including 3 for 7 from 3-point range, and 4 for 5 from the line while they also had five rebounds. Mike Loughnane shot 4 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points. The Eagles (6-6) were led by Da'Sean Nelson, who recorded 16 points. Jalin Billingsley added 12 points and two steals for Eastern Michigan. Arne Osojnik also had 10 points. Davidson took the lead with 19:36 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 41-21 at halftime, with Kochera racking up 16 points. Kochera scored 18 points in the second half to help lead the way as Davidson went on to secure a victory, outscoring Eastern Michigan by two points in the second half. Davidson plays Tuesday against George Mason on the road, and Eastern Michigan hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Spot the difference: A $185m surrealist masterpiece and its sister displayed herefish oil side effects 。

Gun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Atmospheric river brings weather whiplash to East Coast as bomb cyclone develops PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The East Coast is experiencing a whiplash-inducing stretch of weather. That's due in part to an atmospheric river and developing bomb cyclone. The storm is bringing heavy rain and fierce winds to many areas until Wednesday night, and flooding is possible. Utilities geared up for potential power outages from damage caused by winds that may exceed 60 mph. Forecasters say one of the key factors driving the weather is an atmospheric river, which is a long band of water vapor that can transport moisture from the tropics to more northern areas. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are back in first place in the NFC South and again in control of their playoff hopes. Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed the poise in his first NFL start the Falcons will need to take advantage of their opportunity to end a six-year playoff drought. Powered by a big-play defense that produced two pick-6s, a solid starting debut by Penix and two rushing touchdowns by Bijan Robinson, the Falcons cruised past the hapless New York Giants 34-7 on Sunday. On Sunday night, the Falcons (8-7) received the assist they needed when Tampa Bay lost at Dallas . Because the Falcons swept the Buccaneers, they hold the tiebreaker advantage if they remain tied atop the division. The Falcons have games remaining at Washington on Sunday night and at home against Carolina to close the regular season. If Atlanta wins both games, it would win the division and have a home playoff game. The Falcons are assured of their best record since a 10-6 finish under coach Dan Quinn in 2017, their most recent playoff season. Quinn is in his first season as Washington's coach and has led the Commanders (10-5) to three straight wins, including Sunday's 36-33 victory over Philadelphia. Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, was promoted after coach Raheem Morris benched Kirk Cousins. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards with one interception on a pass that should have been caught by tight end Kyle Pitts. Penix is not a dual-threat quarterback, but he showed the ability to escape pressure in the pocket that Cousins lacks following his 2023 Achilles tendon injury. The left-hander's superior arm strength also was immediately obvious. Robinson's production provided a safety net for the offense which helped make for a smooth transition to Penix. Robinson had scoring runs of 2 and 4 yards. Robinson has rushed for 10 touchdowns this season. He's the first Atlanta player with 10 more more rushing touchdowns since Devonta Freeman during the 2016 Super Bowl season. Robinson ran for 94 yards on 22 carries and had 103 yards from scrimmage. His 11th game this season with at least 100 yards from scrimmage are the most for the Falcons since Warrick Dunn's 11 in 2005. Morris said Robinson deserves to be considered with Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley in discussions regarding the league's top running backs. “Bijan has been outstanding all year in the things that he’s able to do," Morris said. “He’s special. If it wasn’t for this other guy out in Philly, he’d get a lot more recognition across the league. But that guy is having a special year, and Bijan’s not far behind him.” With kicker Younghoe Koo on injured reserve and watching from the sideline, Riley Patterson was wide left on his first field-goal attempt from 43 yards. Patterson rebounded to make attempts from 52 and 37 yards. Jessie Bates III and Matthew Judon each had a pick-6 to highlight a day of big plays for the defense. Arnold Ebiketie had his fifth sack of the season and added a fumble recovery. Kaden Ellis added a strip-sack. He also has five sacks this season, including sacks in four consecutive games. It is the longest streak for Atlanta since Patrick Kerney had sacks in five straight games in 2001. There was some thought that a change at quarterback could be good news for Pitts, who often seemed to be missing in action with Cousins running the offense. After all, a tight end often is a natural target for quick passes from a rookie making his first start. Instead, Pitts had a poor start to the Penix era when he bobbled his first pass from the left-hander, creating an interception by cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Pitts caught a 7-yard pass on his only other target. For the season, Pitts has 41 catches for 543 yards and three touchdowns. There will be much interest in this week's injury report after WR Drake London (hamstring) was hurt in the second half. Morris provided an optimistic postgame outlook on London. CB Antonio Hamilton (quad) did not return after leaving the game in the first half. 8: Bates has four interceptions and four forced fumbles. His combined eight forced turnovers lead the NFL. The game against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders is a reminder Penix was only the fourth of six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Daniels, from LSU, was the No. 2 overall pick behind Caleb Williams by Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Alaska Airlines selected to connect San Diego and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with nonstop serviceScandal-ridden Illinois mayor loses township supervisor nomination in historic caucus

Keeping IDF Soldiers SafeRTE star Sinead Kennedy has opened up on her Christmas plans and revealed the reason she doesn't share her kids on social media. The Today Show star and her husband Conor Kirwan share two kids together, daughter Indie and baby Theo. In a recent interview with RSVP Live , Sinead revealed her family's plans for the festive season. The Cork native said: " We are going to go home to Brussels before Christmas to get a few days at the Christmas markets. My in-laws will be there so it will be a lovely family time. " For actual Christmas Day and week, we will be in Ireland between Cork and Dublin. We used to split our time, so we would spend the morning together and then head to our families, but it is different when you have kids. " The 40-year-old also spoke about her sister's recent wedding and told how it has added to the chaos. She said: "My sister Aisling also got married a few weeks ago which has added to the chaos. I was the only bridesmaid, so there was fierce excitement. We had the most incredible time and she was sensational. "I think this Christmas, it will be nice to chill together as a family and chat about the wedding as she is only back from her honeymoon so we all need to decompress and re-live it." The popular presenter also revealed the reason herself and Conor have decided to keep their kids off social media. The mum-of-two explained: " Conor is so chilled and while we talk about everything, this was not something we discussed prior to having kids , it is just the way it is. Before I was pregnant, I finished a documentary about online child sexual abuse, so I had my mind long made up before I had the kids. "It just wasn’t for me, it was very obvious that I was never going to share them anywhere. I think their image and privacy is theirs. I want to safeguard that, and that’s my job. If they want to be all over social media when they’re of age, that’s completely within their right, and that’s their call. But as their parents, this is the decision we have made for them. I don’t even share them in WhatsApp groups – once it is out there, it is out of your control." For the Christmas week in work, Sinead and her co-host Daithi O Se got all dolled up to go out on air. The RTE stars were presenting special episodes for the festive season all week. On Monday's show, Daithi looked dapper wearing a black t-shirt, grey jeans and a brown suede blazer. While Sinead stunned in a sparkly silver sweater and a pair of metallic jeans. The Cork native took to Instagram after the programme to share her outfit details with fans. Sinead and Daithi posed for smiling selfie on set in the RTE studio with the incredible festive decorations behind them. The mum-of-two captioned her post: "Christmas week in work. The countdown is officially on!!" Sinead's friends and fans all loved her snap as they raced to the comment section with compliments. Michael said: "Sinead you are such fun on the Today show you honestly make it all worthwhile." Mary commented: "You're a little pocket rocket @imsineadkennedy and dah-hay as the other one calls Daithi."NEW YORK (AP) — In an angry outburst in a New York courtroom, Rudy Giuliani accused a judge Tuesday of making wrong assumptions about him as he tries to comply with an order requiring him to turn over most of his assets to two election poll workers who won a libel case against him. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman responded by saying he’s not going to let the former New York City mayor and onetime presidential candidate blurt things out anymore in court unless he’s a sworn witness. The interruption to an otherwise routine pretrial hearing in Manhattan came as the judge questioned Giuliani's lawyer about why Giuliani has not yet provided the title to a car he has relinquished in his effort to satisfy a $148 million defamation judgment won by two former Georgia election workers. “Your client was the U.S. attorney for this district,” the judge said, referring to Giuliani's years in the 1980s as the head of the federal prosecutor's office in the Southern District of New York, as he suggested it was hard to believe that Giuliani was incapable of getting a duplicate title to the car. Giuliani learned forward and began speaking into a microphone, telling the judge he had applied for a duplicate copy of the car's title but that it had not yet arrived. “The implication I’ve been not diligent about it is totally incorrect,” Giuliani said in a scolding tone. “The implication you make is against me and every implication against me is wrong.” Giuliani went on: "I’m not impoverished. Everything I have is tied up. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have cash. I can’t get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do.” Liman responded by warning defense lawyers that the next time Giuliani interrupts a hearing, “he's not going to be permitted to speak and the court will take action.” The judge said Giuliani could either choose to represent himself or let lawyers do so, but “you can't have hybrid representation.” If Giuliani wants to speak in court again, he can be put on the witness stand and be sworn as a witness, Liman added. The exchange came at a hearing in which the judge refused to delay a Jan. 16 trial over the disposition of Giuliani’s Florida residence and World Series rings. Those are two sets of assets that Giuliani is trying to shield from confiscation as part of Liman's order to turn over many prized possessions to the poll workers. Earlier in the proceeding, defense attorney Joseph M. Cammarata asked Liman to delay the trial, which will be heard without a jury, for a month because of Giuliani's “involvement" in inauguration planning for President-elect Donald Trump. “My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as (the) inauguration," Cammarata said. "My client wants to exercise his political right to be there.” The judge turned down the request, saying Giuliani's “social calendar” was not a reason to postpone the trial. Giuliani, who once served as Trump's personal attorney, was found liable last year for defaming two Georgia poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election. The women said they faced death threats after Giuliani falsely claimed they sneaked in ballots in suitcases, counted ballots multiple times and tampered with voting machines.Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike. "By holding residential mail several days in advance of a work stoppage, Service Canada has reduced the risk of having any passports held in Canada Post distribution centres," an Employment and Social Development Canada spokesperson told CTVNews.ca. "Those passports will be mailed out once the labour disruption is over and regular mail service resumes." Employment and Social Development Canada operates Service Canada, which issues Canadian passports. Anticipating a potential labour disruption, Service Canada stopped mailing passport packages after Nov. 8. A week later on Nov. 15, approximately 55,000 Canada Post workers went on strike after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with their employer. Mail and parcels will not be accepted, processed or delivered until the strike is over. The spokesperson said anyone who is in urgent need of a passport should call 1-800-567-6868 or visit a Service Canada location that offers passport pick-up to have their package transferred. Passport applications mailed just prior to the strike may still be with Canada Post, in which case Service Canada will be unable to process them until mail service resumes. With files from CTVNews.ca's Christl Dabu and Luca Caruso-Moro CTVNews.ca Top Stories From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. 'It didn't sound good': Mother shares what her sons went through with walking pneumonia A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide. Putin says Russia attacked Ukraine with a new missile that he claims the West can't stop Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that Moscow has tested a new intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine, and he warned that it could use the weapon against countries that have allowed Kyiv to use their missiles to strike Russia. Manitoba RCMP issue Canada-wide warrant for Ontario semi-driver charged in deadly crash Manitoba RCMP have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for the semi-driver involved in a crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and her mother. Taylor Swift's motorcade spotted along Toronto's Gardiner Expressway Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Tuesday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre. Service Canada holding back 85K passports amid Canada Post mail strike Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike. Here's a list of items that will be GST/HST-free over the holidays Canadians won’t have to pay GST on a selection of items this holiday season, the prime minister vowed on Thursday. Mother charged after infant dies in midtown Toronto: police The mother of an infant who died after being found at an apartment building in midtown Toronto on Wednesday has been charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life. Trudeau says Canada would 'abide' by ICC arrest warrant for Israel PM Netanyahu Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will 'abide' by an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Vancouver B.C. RCMP detachments begin rollout of body worn cameras The B.C. RCMP has begun its rollout of police-worn cameras, and officers with the Mission detachment will be the first to use them next week. B.C. man who sold Porsche to scammers shares cautionary tale A man from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who was scammed while selling his Porsche Cayenne online is sharing his cautionary tale – while calling for increased protections from the government. Major crime investigators reviewing death of Victoria teen, which coroner reclassified as homicide Vancouver Island’s major crime unit is investigating the case of a Victoria teenager whose death was initially ruled an accidental overdose, but has since been reclassified by coroners as a homicide. Toronto Taylor Swift's motorcade spotted along Toronto's Gardiner Expressway Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Tuesday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre. Mother charged after infant dies in midtown Toronto: police The mother of an infant who died after being found at an apartment building in midtown Toronto on Wednesday has been charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life. From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. Calgary Police probe possible connection between Calgary house fire and Bitcoin threats Calgary police are seeking information in relation to a Tuesday fire in Hillhurst that they believe was deliberately set and allegations it could be connected to a frightening Bitcoin scam. Six shots fired after Calgary road rage incident, police seek dash-cam footage Calgary police are looking for dash-cam footage as they investigate a shooting in the community of Cityscape believed to be the result of road rage. Charges laid in Calgary carjacking spree that saw ‘concerning escalation in violence’: police Two people are facing charges in a string of Calgary carjackings that saw thieves steal – and attempt to steal – multiple vehicles in less than an hour. Ottawa uOttawa to reconsider participation in U-Pass if city increases student fares, student union says The student union at the University of Ottawa says it will consider pulling its participation from the U-Pass, which provides discounted transit fares for students, if the city goes forward with hiking student transit fees and violating the program’s contract. McDonald's Canada CEO not ruling out a return to the ByWard Market McDonald's Canada says it has not closed the door on a return to Ottawa's downtown. From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. Montreal Pro-Palestinian protest, counter-protest ongoing at Concordia University The lobby of Concordia University’s Hall Building was flooded with pro-Palestinian protesters Thursday as others gathered and chanted outside the campus as part of Quebec-wide solidarity strikes. Quebec fiscal update: $2.1B in new spending, axes tax credit for older workers Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard tabled an economic update on Thursday with $2.1 billion in new spending over five years amid what he described as a stronger-than-expected recovery from last year's economic slowdown. Northvolt says Quebec battery plant will proceed despite bankruptcy filing Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost. Edmonton LIVE | Edmonton police chief to step down in February Dale McFee will retire as head of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) on Feb. 21, the Edmonton Police Commission said in an email on Wednesday. LIVE at 3:30 | Alberta to announce auto insurance reforms Thursday afternoon The Alberta government will announce new automobile insurance reforms Thursday afternoon. Alberta forecasts $4.6B surplus in budget update, but braces for uncertainty Alberta is forecasting a $4.6-billion surplus for this fiscal year, but Finance Minister Nate Horner says "mounting pressures" threaten to soon put the province in the red. Atlantic From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. 'This is cold': P.E.I. mother upset over decision to remove late daughter's photos from school memorial wall A high school on Prince Edward Island is removing pictures of its late students from a memorial wall – a decision that has upset one mother whose daughter attended the school. Fredericton man facing several charges after five people taken hostage A 36-year-old Fredericton man is facing several charges, including forcible confinement, after police say five people were taken hostage in the city. Winnipeg Manitoba RCMP issue Canada-wide warrant for Ontario semi-driver charged in deadly crash Manitoba RCMP have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for the semi-driver involved in a crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and her mother. 1991-2024 | Winnipeg Sea Bears player Chad Posthumus dies at 33 Sea Bears centre Chad Posthumus has died at age 33. From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. Regina Contractor fatally injured while on the job at Regina's Evraz plant Evraz North America says an investigation is underway after a contractor was fatally injured while on the job in Regina on Nov. 19. 'I'll always be a Pat': Regina Pats trade captain Tanner Howe to Calgary The Regina Pats have announced a blockbuster trade Thursday that sees captain Tanner Howe on his way to Calgary to play for the Hitmen as the team continues rebuilding for the future. Jeremy O'Day speaks on wins, losses and Riders' overall performance in 2024 The Grey Cup Champion has officially been crowned for the 2024 season and once again it did not go to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On Thursday, General Manager, Jeremy O'Day, spoke to media to break down another year. Kitchener Grand River Transit LRT involved in Kitchener crash A busy Kitchener street could be closed for several hours after a crash involving a Grand River Transit vehicle. From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. Members of motorcycle gangs facing more charges following Cambridge robbery Four members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and one member of the Red Devils Motorcycle Club are facing robbery and weapons charges as part of an ongoing investigation. Saskatoon Alberta non-profit Mustard Seed to run Saskatoon's Lighthouse Alberta-based non-profit the Mustard Seed is stepping up to run Saskatoon's Lighthouse. Saskatoon Friendship Centre opens emergency warming shelter As Saskatoon recovers from Monday night’s snowstorm, community organizations are stepping up to provide shelter and support to those experiencing homelessness. Saskatchewan teen still recovering in hospital after being set on fire at school A 15-year-old girl who was set on fire at a Saskatoon high school earlier this fall is still recovering in hospital. Northern Ontario Province pulls funding for North Bay addiction treatment centre After years of delays, the province has pulled the plug on an addiction treatment centre in North Bay. A news release from Canadore College on Thursday confirmed the centre won’t be moving forward. From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. $3M donation to help repair arena in Elliot Lake The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration. London 'Eggs are still $6': living wage continues to climb across Ontario It’s almost as expensive to live in Exeter as it is in downtown Toronto - that’s according to a recent report from the Ontario Living Wage Network. London man arrested after attempting to break into a home, threatening residents Police say that on Thursday, November 21 between the hours of 1:30 a.m., and 4:30 a.m. the suspect came and went from a residence on Conway Drive. Goderich man charged with sex crimes and luring a child: police A 21-year-old Goderich man is facing more than 20 criminal charges related to sex crimes, and police believe there may be more victims. Barrie How to avoid the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to health experts Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in Canada, according to Grey Bruce Public Health Unit. Driver witnesses two early morning collisions along one sideroad It was a busy morning on Sideroad 5 after a driver witnessed two collisions which police say were caused by poor road conditions. One person seriously injured after rollover collision in Oro-Medonte Emergency crews had to rescue one person trapped inside a vehicle after a rollover collision in Oro-Medonte Thursday morning. Windsor Woman sought following serious assault in west Windsor Windsor police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect wanted in connection to an alleged serious assault that happened this past summer. Illegal cannabis storefront shut down in Leamington Essex County OPP have shut down an illegal cannabis storefront in Leamington and seized $13,500 in products. Leamington's Colton Smith leading the path after college hockey eligibility changes A recent ruling by the NCAA allowing major junior hockey players to maintain college eligibility is starting to change the hockey landscape. Vancouver Island Major crime investigators reviewing death of Victoria teen, which coroner reclassified as homicide Vancouver Island’s major crime unit is investigating the case of a Victoria teenager whose death was initially ruled an accidental overdose, but has since been reclassified by coroners as a homicide. 1 dead after Nanaimo house fire, RCMP say One person is dead after a fire that destroyed a home in Nanaimo's south end Wednesday morning. Another windstorm headed to B.C.’s South Coast Friday, Environment Canada says Another fall storm is forecast to bring high winds to B.C.’s South Coast on Friday, Environment Canada says. Kelowna Man in hospital following targeted shooting in Kamloops Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops. Police cleared of fault in fatal 2023 crash in B.C.'s Interior British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year. B.C. woman sentenced for stealing $14K in funds raised for schoolkids A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail. Lethbridge Driver killed in Trans-Canada Highway crash near Salmon Arm, B.C. B.C. RCMP say one person was killed in a head-on crash on the Trans-Canada Highway near Salmon Arm on Wednesday. Giving Machine at Lethbridge's Park Place Mall sells you things that go straight to people in need There’s a new way to give this holiday season. Charges laid in September assault of 16-year-old: Lethbridge police Lethbridge police say four teenagers have been arrested in connection with an autumn attack that saw a 16-year-old badly injured. Sault Ste. Marie $3M donation to help repair arena in Elliot Lake The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration. Sault College accounting students get a head start on their careers Students in Sault College’s business accounting program have a new learning pathway that will ultimately give them a head start to a career. Investigation explains why plane overran runway in the Sault in 2023 The Transport Safety Board of Canada says the crew of a Porter Airlines flight landing in Sault Ste. Marie in April 2023 didn't realize the plane was so far down the runway. N.L. As N.L. firm pivots, scientists say Canada's green hydrogen dreams are far-fetched A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen. Canadian leads group pushing Vatican for zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy. Newfoundland wind-to-hydrogen company eyes data centre as international market lags A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized. Local Spotlight B.C. man reunites with Nova Scotia stranger, 56 years after being saved from drowning After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that. 'It's nice to just talk to people': Toronto podcaster prank calling Nova Scotians Toronto radio and podcast host Jax Irwin has recently gone viral for videos of her cute -- and at times confusing -- phone conversations. 'I'm just tickled pink': Childhood friends from New Brunswick named Rhodes Scholars Two young women from New Brunswick have won one of the most prestigious and sought-after academic honours in the world. B.C. man to cycle length of New Zealand to raise funds for Movember Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart. 'She's a people person': Urban chicken inspires positivity in B.C. neighbourhood When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours. 'A little piece of history': Winnipeg homeowner finds 80-year-old letters hidden in walls When George Arcioni began renovating his kitchen last summer, he didn’t expect to find a stack of letters hidden in the wall behind his oven. Love story: Nova Scotia couple gets engaged at Taylor Swift’s Toronto show A Nova Scotia couple fulfilled their wildest dreams Thursday night when they got engaged at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto. WATCH | 'Fireball' meteor lights up Calgary's sky Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning. 'I get in this workshop and everything disappears': N.B. man creates whimsical birdhouses in spare time Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up 'Phil’s Unique Birdhouses' and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States. Politics Consul general reiterates he had no influence on $9M Manhattan condo purchase Canada's consul general in New York doubled-down Thursday on his past claim that he exerted no influence on the decision of Global Affairs Canada to buy a $9 million condo in Manhattan. Trudeau says Canada would 'abide' by ICC arrest warrant for Israel PM Netanyahu Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will 'abide' by an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. Health 'It didn't sound good': Mother shares what her sons went through with walking pneumonia A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide. Texas doctor gets 190-year sentence for tampering with IV bags used in surgeries A Dallas anesthesiologist was sentenced Wednesday to 190 years in prison for injecting a nerve-blocking agent and other drugs into bags of intravenous fluid at a surgical center where he worked, leading to the death of a coworker and causing cardiac emergencies for several patients. New Brunswick measles outbreak now reporting 44 cases, mostly teens and children A measles outbreak in New Brunswick that began last month with a single travel-related case is growing and today stands at 44 cases. Sci-Tech Canada's space agency invites you to choose the name of its first lunar rover The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is inviting Canadians to choose the name of the first Canadian Lunar Rover. Unprecedented image may reveal impending supernova that could be visible from Earth Astronomers have captured the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy, taken during a dramatic moment near the end of the star’s life. In it, the 'behemoth' star appears to puff out gas and dust, a critical final step before exploding in a supernova. Rare fruit fly caught at Detroit Metro Airport A rare kind of fruit fly has been caught by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Detroit Metro Airport. Entertainment Taylor Swift's motorcade spotted along Toronto's Gardiner Expressway Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Tuesday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre. A decades-old cassette revealed an unreleased Luther Vandross cover of a Beatles classic A musical gem was recently uncovered from the vaults of the Luther Vandross Estate — a soulful, never-before-heard rendition of The Beatles' song 'Michelle.' Pamela Hayden, longtime 'Simpsons' voice actor, including Bart's friend Milhouse, hangs up her mic Pamela Hayden, the longtime voice actor behind Milhouse Van Houten — Bart Simpson's very uncool friend — is stepping away after 35 years of whining. Business Retail industry praises GST holiday but says it may be 'laborious' for some A temporary pause on charging the federal sales tax on many items has retailers excited, even though they say preparing for the relief will mean a lot of extra work in a short period of time. U.S. Department of Justice asks court to force Google to spin off Chrome The US government formally proposed a partial breakup of Google on Wednesday, urging a federal judge to force a sale of the company’s Chrome web browser after a landmark ruling this year found that Google had violated US antitrust law with its search business. Equipment issue pauses sale of some espresso, hot chocolate at McDonald's Canada McDonald's Canada says espresso-based drinks and hot chocolate are temporarily unavailable at some of the chain's restaurants as it copes with a potential equipment issue. Lifestyle World's tallest and shortest women meet for afternoon tea The world's tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman have met for afternoon tea in London to celebrate Guinness World Records Day. 'That sent my imagination wild': B.C. grandma paints 12-foot Star Wars mural with grandson Sandra Kroek and her grandson Remington spent 200 hours painting a massive Star Wars mural together. Are you a digital nomad? Share your journey of remote work and travel CTVNews.ca wants to hear from digital nomads who have taken up location-independent jobs and can work from anywhere with an internet connection. Sports 1991-2024 | Winnipeg Sea Bears player Chad Posthumus dies at 33 Sea Bears centre Chad Posthumus has died at age 33. 'It's a joke': Italian tennis star crowned world champion after winning Olympic gold can hardly believe her own success It’s fair to say 2024 has been quite a year for Italian tennis, especially for Jasmine Paolini who capped the best season of her career by winning the decisive match in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals against Slovakia to secure Italy’s first title in 11 years. MLB will test robot umpires at 13 spring training ballparks hosting 19 teams Major League Baseball will test robot umpires as part of a challenge system during spring training at 13 ballparks hosting 19 teams, which could lead to regular-season use in 2026. Autos Northvolt says Quebec battery plant will proceed despite bankruptcy filing Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost. Tired, lead-footed and distracted: Majority of Canadian drivers admit to bad habits, survey finds Canadian drivers are regularly in a hurry to get to their destination and a majority are willing to take unnecessary risks on the road, according to the results of a new survey. B.C. man who sold Porsche to scammers shares cautionary tale A man from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who was scammed while selling his Porsche Cayenne online is sharing his cautionary tale – while calling for increased protections from the government. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks The Ultimate 2024 Holiday Gift Guide For Nature Lovers And Outdoor Adventurers 27 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Men 19 Of The Absolute Best Gift Exchange Ideas For 2024 Home Our Guide to the Best Jewellery Boxes You Can Find Online Right Now 16 Home Gadgets That'll Make Your Life Easier The 5 Best Drip Coffee Makers In Canada In 2024, Tested and Reviewed Gifts 23 Great Secret Santa Gifts Under $15 From Amazon Canada All The Best Beauty Stocking Stuffers That Ring In Under $25 24 Of The Best Host And Hostess Gifts You Can Find Online Right Now Beauty 20 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Reviewers Can’t Stop Talking About 12 Budget-Friendly Makeup Brushes And Tools Worth Adding To Your Kit If You Suffer From Dry Skin, You'll Want To Add At Least One Of These Hydrating Moisturizers To Your Cart Deals These 2024 Advent Calendars Are All On Sale Right Now For Black Friday Week Run, Don't Walk — These Reviewer-Favourite Loop Earplugs Are Majorly On Sale For Amazon's Black Friday Week Sale Amazon Canada's Black Friday Week Is On: This Smart Thermometer Will Make Holiday Cooking So Much Easier (And It’s 20% Off Right Now) Stay Connected

As Americans are beyond burned out, Tricia Hersey’s Nap Ministry preaches the right to restLPGA, USGA to require players to be assigned female at birth or transition before pubertyThe demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. 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! The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( Antonio Banderas ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1/2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Danish director of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film’s main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The young man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn’t disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who’s eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four. Advertisement Advertisement

Toll Brothers Announces Final Opportunity at Verona Estates Community in Chatsworth, CaliforniaIS it Beyonce? Or could it be Shakira? Or might it even be a rediscovered picture of Jodie Marsh, circa 2003? No. This blonde bombshell, looking markedly more tanned than usual, is Kim Kardashian . You know, the American-Armenian reality star whose signature look is long, raven hair. In the latest promotional for her Skims underwear brand, the 44-year-old wears a teeny-weeny fur bikini from the Winter Heat collection, which goes on sale today. But it seems the sexy picture is getting less attention for the clothes — or lack of — and more for Kim looking unrecognisable. Fans posted on social media that they “thought it was Beyonce”, “It’s giving Shakira” and “Award for the Best Supporting Actor goes to the wig.” One fan wrote: “Why are you dressed up like Beyonce , lol.” The mum-of-four posted several pictures of herself wearing the knitwear-heavy range including a cream cami with cable-knit trousers and a blue bralette. Whether Kim intentionally dressed up as her old pal and pop star Beyonce , 43, for the photoshoot is uncertain. But the age-defying snaps prove Kim is the ultimate chameleon. Most read in Lifestyle Over the past two decades, she has gone from Paris Hilton’s stylist to a billionaire businesswoman, and Kim has reinvented her look more times than we can count. She has experimented with pink and platinum blonde hair and has been accused of cultural appropriation for wearing braids. But her risk-taking paid off as she has been given one of the most coveted spots in the industry — the cover of American Vogue — three times. In 2022, Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia said: “I think for many, many years, there hasn’t been anyone who has redefined the standards of beauty as much as Kim has. “She did something that is very similar to what Marilyn Monroe did back in the day. “She redefined our understanding of what beauty is.” Kim has previously discussed the unnerving lengths to which she would go to remain looking youthful. She said: “I was kind of joking, but now that I think about it, I would probably eat s*** if someone told me, ‘If you eat this bowl of poop every single day, you’ll look younger’.” On the topic of cosmetic surgery, for which her honesty has always been admirable, she said: “I always want to look appropriate. There does come a point when you’ve taken it too far — overfilled, too tight, too much cosmetic work.” She added, without irony: “There’s nothing worse.” In another interview that year, she revealed: “I really genuinely care about looking good. "I probably care more than 90 per cent of the people on this planet. It’s not easy when you’re a mum and you’re exhausted at the end of the day or you’re in school, and I’m all of the above. I do my beauty treatments usually late at night. “After everyone’s in bed, I’m doing laser treatments.” Kim, who has almost had as many careers as she has changing faces, more recently took up acting with a role as a ruthless publicist in the 12th series of American Horror Story. Read More on The US Sun On The Kardashians, she said: “I can do a movie a year. I’ve got about ten years where I still look good. That’s all I’ve got in me then I’ll take some time off.” Maybe then we will get to see the real au naturel Kim . . .Trump Taps Kelly Loeffler to Lead SBANone

Brainerd approves 2% 2025 levy increase on 4-3 vote

MENLO PARK, Calif. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BillionToOne, a next-generation molecular diagnostics company with a mission to create powerful and accurate tests that are accessible to all, today announced that they will be presenting at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, CA , on January 14, 2025 . BillionToOne marks a transformative year of achievements as it looks toward 2025. The company closed an oversubscribed, upsized Series D funding round led by Premji Invest in June, and was recently recognized as the Biotech Breakthrough Awards' Diagnostics Company of the Year. More than 500,000 patients have received BillionToOne tests to date, and the company has grown from $0M to $150M+ in annual recurring revenue over the past five years. This will be BillionToOne's second year in attendance at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, and the company will present on the topic of "Redefining Molecular Diagnostics with Single-Molecule Precision." Presentation details are as follows: Location: Mission Bay (32nd Floor) at The Westin Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Time: 2:30-2:55 pm PT A webcast and presentation materials will be available on BillionToOne's website: https://billiontoone.com/event/jpm-2025-43rd-annual-healthcare-conference/ About BillionToOne Headquartered in Menlo Park, California , BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company on a mission to make molecular diagnostics more accurate, efficient, and accessible for everyone. The company's patented Quantitative Counting TechnologyTM (QCTTM) molecular counting platform is the only multiplex technology that can accurately count DNA molecules at the single-molecule level. For more information, please visit www.billiontoone.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/billiontoone-to-present-at-the-43rd-annual-jp-morgan-healthcare-conference-302338634.html SOURCE BillionToOne

AVANTE ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES & MARKETING

fish vending Japan's famous sake joins UNESCO's cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiasts

The United Kingdom has expressed happiness at a productive collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other Nigerian agencies to track illicit financial flows The other agencies are the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, spoke at a policy conversation on the state of anti-corruption in Nigeria, organised by Agora Policy in Abuja on Tuesday. Montgomery reaffirmed the UK Government’s commitment to working with Nigerian authorities in tackling corruption. He pointed to the partnership between the UK’s National Crime Agency and Nigerian agencies in the efforts to track illicit financial flows and recover corrupt assets, especially where they touch UK jurisdiction. “We have a productive relationship under the present leadership with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit on tracking illicit flows. We try to go up after illicit financial flows and corrupt assets where they touch from UK jurisdiction,” he said. Also speaking at the event, World Bank County Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiamé Diop, noted that inaccurate data at the Federal Government level is a major hurdle in preventing the timely and automatic generation of fiscal data. The World Bank Country director was represented by Deborah Isser, who is a Lead Governance Specialist at the bank. In a keynote address, Prof Adele Jinadu, a Professor of Political Science, said anything short of a holistic approach when addressing corruption in Nigeria would amount to a waste of time. Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate NowHunter Biden gun case terminated after President Joe Biden's sweeping pardon

Stocks closed higher on Wall Street, giving the market its fifth gain in a row and notching another record high for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Friday. The Dow added 1%, and the Nasdaq composite tacked on 0.2%. Retailers had some of the biggest gains. Gap soared after reporting quarterly results that easily beat analysts’ estimates. EchoStar fell after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company’s Dish Network unit. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Crude oil prices gained ground. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Stocks rose on Wall Street in afternoon trading Friday, keeping the market on track for its fifth straight gain. The S&P 500 was up 0.2% and was solidly on track for a weekly gain that will erase most of last week's loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 333 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite was essentially flat with a gain of less than 0.1% as of 3:07 p.m. Eastern. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. “Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 10.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 1.5% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.4% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 were gaining ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.3%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.6%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.8% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, Bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw one short pass in the open portion of practice for the San Francisco 49ers as he remains slowed by an injury to his throwing shoulder that has already forced him to miss a game. Purdy spent the bulk of the session of Wednesday's practice open to reporters as either a spectator or executing handoffs outside of one short pass to Jordan Mason. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

US President-elect Donald Trump's proposals to impose sweeping tariffs on imports could counter earlier efforts to cool inflation, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Tuesday, warning that consumer prices could rise. Her comments at the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Summit come as Trump has vowed broad tariffs of at least 10 percent on all imports, and higher rates on goods from China, Canada and Mexico. Imposing broad-based tariffs could "raise prices significantly for American consumers and create cost pressures on firms" which rely on imported goods, Yellen said when asked about Trump's plans. She cautioned that this could weigh on the competitiveness of certain sectors and increase costs to households. "This is a strategy I worry could derail the progress that we've made on inflation, and have adverse consequences on growth," she said. But she defended efforts by President Joe Biden's administration to impose targeted tariffs on Chinese goods to counter unfair trade practices by Beijing. She has previously raised concern over China's industrial overcapacity -- which risks a flood of underpriced goods into global markets and could undermine the development of key US industries. On Tuesday, Yellen also expressed regret that the United States has not made more progress on the country's deficit, saying she believes it "needs to be brought down, especially now that we're in an environment of higher interest rates." She stressed the importance of an independent Federal Reserve too, saying that countries perform better economically when central banks are allowed to exercise their best judgment without political influence. Trump has said that he would like "at least" a say over setting the Fed's interest rate. "I think it's a mistake to become involved in commenting on the Fed and certainly taking steps to compromise its independence," said Yellen. "I believe it tends to undermine the confidence of financial markets and, ultimately, of Americans in an important institution," she added. Yellen noted that she has spoken with Trump's Treasury chief nominee, billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, congratulating him on his nomination. bys/bjt Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.Shohei Ohtani wins third MVP award, first in NL. Aaron Judge earns second AL honor in 3 seasons

Auto industry leaders say U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs on Canadian goods would have devastating effects for the sector, forcing both Canadian and U.S. consumers to pay higher vehicle prices. Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, said it’s unreasonable to apply such a tax to vehicle parts, which may cross the border up to eight times before ending up in a finished vehicle. He noted the auto industry works with single-digit profit margins. “A tariff of 25 per cent is like talking about purple unicorns,” said Volpe in an interview. “I think we need to ignore the number, because cars would cease to be made by American companies if that came into effect.” Trump sparked backlash among Canadian business and political leaders after posting to Truth Social on Monday that he will sign an executive order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all products coming to the United States from Canada and Mexico. The incoming president said such a tariff would remain in place until Canada and Mexico stop drugs and people from illegally crossing the borders. Global Automakers of Canada president and CEO David Adams said his organization had “obvious concerns” about the announcement. “A 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada — the largest trading partner of the United States — will negatively impact jobs and livelihoods on both sides of the border across a number of key sectors of our economies. This would also be the case for the automotive industry,” said Adams in a statement. “In our view, Canada must act swiftly and firmly to make the case that the U.S. and Canada are stronger and more competitive when we face the global challenges together, not apart.” Volpe said any cross-border tax would increase the cost of components and raw materials that go back and forth between the neighbouring countries. That would lead to a slowdown in production and a supply shortage, prompting higher prices for customers at dealerships. “Everybody would feel it,” he said. “First, the American consumer would feel it. But it wouldn’t take too long before it would be shared by everybody, meaning everybody in Canada and Mexico as well.” During the U.S. election campaign, Trump had promised to introduce a universal 10 per cent tariff on all American imports — a pledge that would reduce the size of the Canadian economy by around one per cent, resulting in $30 billion per year in economic costs, according to previous modelling by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. But asked if he would consider any tariff level digestible for the Canadian auto sector, Volpe replied, “Zero is the maximum.” “It’s simply because we’ve built this auto sector together,” said Volpe. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024.David Sacks seen bringing ‘on the ground’ experience to AI’s global challenges

Analysis: After Juan Soto’s megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soonLike a football off McBride's helmet, the Cardinals aren't getting many lucky bounces these days

Colman Domingo Details Why ‘The Madness’ Is a Drama for Today’s Era of Media Feeding Frenzies

Meet the creator behind 'life-changing' autism app bridging the communication gapUnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed in ‘brazen, targeted attack’ in NYC; manhunt underwayChess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved

NoneOn Jimmy Carter’s Deep and Historic Connection With Musicians: Why He Is Remembered as the ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll President’

BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against a backer of Karen Read who admitted placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and fake $100 bills around town in support of Read. Richard Schiffer Jr. had argued in Stoughton District Court that he had a First Amendment right to support the defense theory that Read — accused of ramming into her boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving the Boston police officer to die in a snowstorm — has been framed in the polarizing murder case. Schiffer's attorney Timothy Bradl said Monday that the judge made the right call by quickly tossing the felony witness intimidation and criminal harassment charges against Schiffer. The ruling comes as another judge decided Monday to push back Read's retrial to April after a mistrial was declared in July when jurors couldn’t reach an agreement. Read was facing second-degree murder charges and two other charges. Her attorneys have argued that other law enforcement officers were responsible for O’Keefe’s death. Regarding Schiffer's charges, Bradl said, “There wasn't a leg to stand on.” “Hats off to the judge. He didn’t make everyone wait and ruled from the bench. Everything was completely protected by the First Amendment. This was political speech," Bradl said. The Norfolk District Attorney’s office declined to comment. Schiffer has said he got the ducks idea after thinking about a defense lawyer’s closing argument that Read was framed . Alan Jackson told jurors that “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck.” Schiffer's actions did not rise to the level of witness intimidation and criminal harassment "nor does his speech, or in this case his written word on fake currency and use of rubber toys, which are afforded the protections of the First Amendment," Judge Brian Walsh wrote. “It is the view of this Court that the defendant's conduct and speech, though a rather sophomoric expression of his opinion, is nonetheless protected speech,” he wrote. Walsh concluded the two-page ruling with quotes from Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley, believed to have coined the “walks like a duck” phrase, and Robert McCloskey, author of the children's book “Make Way For Ducklings.” The defense alleged that O’Keefe was actually killed inside the home of his fellow Boston officer Brian Albert and then dragged outside. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects. Schiffer has been among the dozens of Read supporters who accuse state and local law enforcement of a widespread cover-up. Their demonstrations have led to confrontations, especially in the town of Canton where the murder happened, between those who support Read and others who believe she is guilty. Schiffer, who owns Canton Fence and has said that he knows practically everyone in town through his contracting work, was accused of placing some of the ducks outside a pizza shop run by Brian Albert’s brother, Canton Selectman Chris Albert. Other ducks appeared in O’Keefe’s neighborhood.

As the opening scenes of Gints Zilbalodis’ gorgeous, wordless Latvian animated movie Flow started unfolding on the screen, I had a moment of déjà vu. The image of a little black cat with huge wide eyes, frantically navigating a verdant green forest during a shocking disaster — I’d seen it before. The panicked animals, the sense of a nightmare closing in on them all, the contrast between the cat’s cartoony style and its believable feline reactions to danger — they all seemed so familiar. Eventually, I realized why: I was recalling the opening scenes of China’s absorbing 2019 animated fantasy The Legend of Hei . The Legend of Hei starts in a simple place, with Hei the black cat peacefully (and adorably) at rest in his forest home, communing with the little nature spirits that live there. Once things start going wrong, though, events escalate quickly — so quickly that it’s easy to get left behind if you don’t already know about the world he lives in. Related: Chinese animation is a vibrant, distinctive industry — so why do so many people still call it ‘anime’? The voyage of discovery will be an enjoyable experience for viewers who prefer to see movies completely unspoiled — if that’s you, I’d suggest not reading any further (or watching the trailer below) until you’ve watched the movie, because it’s impossible to discuss even the basic setup without touching on things the movie doesn’t initially reveal. Just know that what initially looks like a cutesy animal story turns into an epic adventure, packed with over-the-top badass supernatural battles and a sense of melancholy about the state of the environment that meshes well with Flow ’s gentle elegiac tone. And while those opening scenes may look visually simple, The Legend of Hei mirrors Flow in putting a visually streamlined, cartoony character in the middle of much richer backdrops, contrasting his stripped-down look with the vastness and richness of the world around him. The Legend of Hei has a complicated backstory as a movie. Hei first showed up in a 2011 animated Chinese web series called The Legend of Luo Xiaohei , which expanded into comics in 2015, and eventually became a mobile game called Luo Xiaohei Wars: The Demon Spirit Book . Different sites have transliterated the movie’s title differently or confused it with the series, which makes online searching a little clumsy and confusing — for instance, Prime Video streamed it for a while under the title The Legend of Luoxiaohei . But the movie itself stands alone reasonably well without a background in the story’s other forms. It’s a prequel to the web series, so viewers aren’t expected to know Hei’s history or background. But a grounding in the world of the film can be helpful, because the little black cat from that opening forest scene is a lot more than he appears to be. (Spoilers about that ahead, though it’s also right there in this trailer.) Hei, as it turns out, isn’t just a cat — he’s a young cat spirit, displaced by construction in his forest. He’s a capable fighter compared to humans his age, but he isn’t particularly disciplined or experienced, and much like the black cat at the center of Flow , he follows his instincts when he’s in danger, vacillating between fighting and fleeing. But he’s also a belligerent, proud little kid-cat who leans more toward the “fighting” end of that balancing beam. And that gets him in trouble time and time again. It’s particularly a problem when he runs afoul of an old war going on between spirit factions. Some spirits deeply resent humanity’s encroachment on the wilds and want to take back the lands that spawned them, driving people away and breaking down the cities they’ve built. Other spirits have different agendas. Hei is trapped between them, initially sympathizing with whoever shows him kindness (and feeds him — one of the many particularly catlike things about him is his appetite and how easily but temporarily food can overcome his distrust). One of the biggest pleasures of The Legend of Hei is that it doesn’t entirely tip its hand in any direction for most of its run time, in terms of which side Hei should pick and which side is best intentioned. This isn’t an easy good-versus-evil story. But it is a story about extremely powerful supernatural forces. When they clash, the movie takes on a thrilling, nervy tone that’s leagues away from the opening forest sequences. It echoes ideas that Studio Ghibli co-founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata would certainly identify with. Some of the themes in The Legend of Hei feel familiar from Takahata’s Pom Poko , also about displaced forest spirits figuring out how they want to address humanity’s expansion and despoiling of green spaces. That movie is far more comedic than The Legend of Hei , but they share a sense of righteous anger, and a sense of unpredictability. Still, The Legend of Hei winds up looking more like Suzume by the end, or any other anime or donghua movie where great magical powers clash in a city setting. Once The Legend of Hei moves into action mode, it has a lot less in common with Flow — the contrast between a wordless movie and a movie where characters start every battle with manifestos (including — maybe especially — the battle for hearts and minds) can be pretty stark. But the core sense of a world out of balance, and a small, vulnerable cat caught up by forces far beyond his control or understanding, holds steady in both. Flow winds up feeling like an alternate path for The Legend of Hei , starting in the same place and exploring some of the same themes, but examining what those ideas would look like if the protagonist really was just a cat. They’re radically different experiences, delivered in radically different animation styles. But they’re both heartfelt and sweet, alternating frantic action with moments of mournful, quiet emotion. They’re both about unlikely bonds and found family, about the difficulty of dealing with other individuals with their own needs and desires (for people and animals alike). And they’re both visually daring and stylized in ways that set them apart from more familiar Western or Japanese animation. They make the best kind of double feature: two movies approaching similar ideas from radically different directions, but with just enough in common to feel like an intentional conversation between two works of art. Flow is in limited release in New York and Los Angeles now, expanding to wide release on Dec. 6. The Legend of Hei is streaming on Crunchyroll , Tubi , and Plex , and is available for digital rental or purchase on online platforms. Animation Entertainment Movies Polygon Picks What to Watch

fish vendor NonePHWOAR! What about that hot assassin, eh? I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on his massive weapon. Know what I mean, girls? Wink wink. Urgh. So, according to some women — and no, Gregg, this time they do not appear to be of a certain age, more in their 20s and 30s — that bloke accused of gunning down US healthcare boss Brian Thompson was pretty bloody sexy. As such he’s not a deranged psychopath who took another man’s life just because he was angry at capitalism and couldn’t get a shag. READ MORE FROM COLIN ROBERTSON No, he’s the hot assassin with a rippling six-pack, a tasty bit of alpha male crumpet who just needs a mucky cuddle from a random stranger. And he’s only accused of shooting a middle-aged MAN fercrissakes! At one point, online marketplace Etsy had more than 100 bits of “merch” drooling over Luigi Mangione . They included such charming tat as a mug with his picture on and the slogan “Mama I’m in love with a criminal” and a “#freeluigi” Christmas tree bauble. Most read in The Sun GoFundMe pages were set up to help with his legal costs, presumably so he doesn’t go to jail and is therefore free to date all these weird women, currently all hot and bothered on the internet. Oh please. Can you imagine if it was a “hot” female assassin being publicly fawned over by men? If I was to objectify a cold-blooded lady killer here — no matter how much I wrapped up my obsession in ifs and buts — I’d be set upon by a furious army of feminists. I’d be cancelled by the end of the week and become more of a pariah than, I dunno, a man who killed a father of two he’d never met. But the creepy idolisation doesn’t end there. It gets worse. Some woke-drenched morons have embraced this ghost gun-toting maniac as a freedom fighter, doing his bit for all those people whose lives have been blighted by the likes of Thompson and his “parasitic” health firm. Jameela Jamil , a tedious British celebrity who’s never met a left-wing bandwagon she didn’t want to jump on, was quick out the blocks, posting on Instagram about Mangione’s arrest declaring: “A star is born.” So far so cretinous from the notoriously attention-seeking Jamil (who incidentally is another of these me-me-me celebs who has announced she is “queer” despite being in a relationship with a bloke since 2015). Self-righteous mob Jamil’s anointment of Mangione as the people’s hero was met with much approval by her like-minded army of idiots. Meanwhile, other Mangione sympathisers came thick and fast, from leftie no marks on social media to, worryingly, writers on supposedly serious newspapers. Former Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz confessed she felt “joy” at Thompson’s demise before being forced to backtrack. Meanwhile, one New York Times reader posted underneath an article about the killing: “Luigi Mangione’s lawyer should put the entire health insurance industry on trial and argue that Mangione was defending the public from a predatory CEO who profited off killing and bankrupting people.” You see, Mangione’s supporters — the #freeluigi brigade and all those who ponied up for those short-lived GoFundMe pages — think they have an argument to justify their actions. They would like you to realise how dreadful healthcare opportunities are for people in America and how “greedy” companies like Thompson’s exploit the sick and the needy for commercial gain. Their argument is just ugly provocation masquerading as debate On this they may have a point. Healthcare in America can be horrendously unfair and big business is generally never to be trusted. Yet in the context of what has just happened, their argument is just ugly provocation masquerading as debate. Notwithstanding the spectacular irony of caring so much about people’s health that you are happy to condone actual MURDER, are the Left now suggesting that an acceptable way to settle arguments is by shooting dead your opponent? So much for the #BeKind movement. But anyway, for this self-righteous mob there’s a catch. The more we learn about the oddball Mangione, the more his status as a swashbuckling woke warrior starts to unravel. Apparently this Ivy League brainbox was against “wokeism”, was an avid listener to the Joe Rogan podcast and had even posted clips from right-wing weirdo Tucker Carlson . Is a MAGA cap soon to be found among his possessions? What if he turns out to be a — shudder — Republican? Will this lethal lunatic’s fans still think his actions are worth celebrating? I think we know the answer. Bob Dylan... tangled up in who? GOOD luck to the producers of the new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. I’ve seen the film and Timothee Chalamet is superb as the young Bob, deftly capturing his infamous truculence – and, yes, that voice. But depicting a much-loved icon like Dylan is never going to end well for any filmmaker as die-hard fans pick it apart, like is happening now, well ahead of its January 17 release. Dylan is a towering musical figure who means many things to many people and given the complexity of the man, I daresay no one will ever be able to define exactly who he is. Which is just the way Dylan likes it. As the great man said, the answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind. Footie not so pure I CAN’T believe they’re trying to corrupt the beautiful game by handing the 2034 World Cup to those head-chopping b * ds in Saudi Arabia . I was just saying to my mate Cootesy over a fat line of chang how outrageous it all is. He gave me a firm nod and said: “Buy the next bag and I’ll give their national team a red card!” Oof, cheeky! Then my man Ivan chips in: “Let me know which game it is and I’ll whack a monkey on them to lose.” What is he like? Nutter! I could see Pep wanted to chime in and then suddenly he’s in full flow: “Sounds like the Saudis have bought the World Cup. Now that’s what I call financial unfair play . . . see what I did there?” Yes mate. Classic. Kyle was laughing now, itching to pile in: “Hope Big Sam lets me go. I could take BOTH my families – they let you have FOUR wives over there. “Sam’s still the gaffer right?” “Not sure,” Glenn chuckled. “But I know it’s definitely not me.” Absolute weapons-grade banter. But we’re all agreed, Saudia Arabia is just too morally bankrupt to have any place in the whiter-than-white world of football . THOUGHTS with Oasis fans this week. Not only have they had to endure paying through the nose for tickets to see their 50-something heroes, now they may have to watch them without putting anything UP their nose. Dealers are panicking after £200million of cocaine was blown up after cops in the Dominican Republic found it in a shipment of bananas destined for Europe. That’s one hell of a wonder-haul! Greta on ego wars GRETA THUNBERG , the permanently peeved pipsqueak, has been out and about with her naughty words again. This time the now 21-year-old has been laying into Germany and Israel at a pro-Palestine rally in Mannheim, Germany. “F * Germany,” she thundered, cackling at her own outrageousness, before adding for good measure “and f * Israel”. Jewish leaders were understandably aghast at what they suggested was bordering on anti-Semitism. That may be correct. But one thing is certain – her outburst had everything to do with her ego. Because like a stage school brat, excitable Greta now seems more interested in the applause from woke Gen Zers than whatever leftie cause she has hitched her pushchair to. A FRIEND is cooking a pre-Christmas meal and facing that most irritating of conundrums – what to serve those who don’t eat meat? The sensible answer is of course: Nothing. She is a far more generous soul than me, and has caved in to the “pescatarian” demands and has plumped for a whole side of salmon. But another culinary quandary has been thrown in the works: “Lactose intolerance”. So no dairy products – aka the heartbeat of a proper Christmas feast. Eating etiquette is becoming a minefield with fussy eaters. It’s time to bring in a law that prohibits more than ONE dietary requirement per person. I SEE the “Hawk Tuah” girl could be facing jail time for fronting a dodgy Bitcoin. Haliey Welch shot to global fame after a clip of her saying how she likes to, ahem, apply saliva when pleasuring a gentleman went viral. Evidently well qualified to embark on a career in cryptocurrency , the school dropout then agreed to be the face of a new bitcoin called Hawk. READ MORE SUN STORIES It rocketed in value at launch then lost 95 per cent of its worth, leading to claims it was a scam. I will never understand bitcoin but I do think she missed a trick here. Surely she should have called it... Spitcoin.

(CNN) — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether religious affiliated entities like Catholic Charities should be exempt from state unemployment taxes, taking up its first major religion case in more than a year. The Catholic Charities Bureau in Wisconsin told the high court that the state’s labor department violated the First Amendment when it declined its request for an exemption from the unemployment taxes. A decision from the conservative Supreme Court could have widespread implications if it sweeps in other types of taxes and religiously affiliated entities, such as hospitals and universities. Forty-seven states and the federal government include exemptions from unemployment taxes for organizations operated for religious purposes, according to Catholic Charities. “If the petitioners get their way, there’s going to potentially be a fallout in these other areas,” said Patrick Elliott, legal director of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which filed a brief opposing Catholic Charities in state court. Wisconsin’s highest court sided with the state in March, ruling that because Catholic Charities didn’t proselytize or participate in traditional religious activities, it didn’t qualify for the religious exemption from the taxes. “Wisconsin’s rule is both absurd and harmful,” the organization, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, told the Supreme Court in its appeal. “The rule takes away resources that would otherwise be used to help the poor and the needy.” Catholic Charities is the social ministry arm of the Diocese of Superior, a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. The case also involves four “sub-entities” that mainly provide services to the disabled. Wisconsin officials countered that Catholic Charities has participated in the state’s unemployment insurance program since 1972. People who benefit from the programs, the state said, “receive no religious training or orientation.” Employees need not ascribe to any faith. The Supreme Court confronted similar questions in the early 1980s , but it resolved a pair of cases without reaching the underlying First Amendment questions. Since then, the court’s conservatives have expanded protections for religious groups in a series of cases. In 2022, the court struck down a Maine prohibition against using public money for some students to attend schools that offer religious instruction. Two years earlier, a 5-4 majority ruled that a Montana scholarship program could not exclude religious schools . The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.NBA superstar Lebron James quits social media as he vents over 'hate and negativity'

NoneMatt Gaetz Now Selling 'Pep Talks' On Cameo App For $250 After Exit From CongressTikToker arrested after filming herself getting ready to steal from Target, police saySeahawks have taken a bumpy path to first place in the NFC West

fish with high mercury content Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for BoeingAnthony Bradshaw December 2nd was a very interesting day for the gold market ( XAUUSD:CUR ). Before the market opened, news broke that gold mining business Northern Star Resources Limited ( OTCPK:NESRF ) had agreed to acquire a Crude Value Insights offers you an investing service and community focused on oil and natural gas. We focus on cash flow and the companies that generate it, leading to value and growth prospects with real potential. Subscribers get to use a 50+ stock model account, in-depth cash flow analyses of E&P firms, and live chat discussion of the sector. Sign up today for your two-week free tria l and get a new lease on oil & gas! Daniel is an avid and active professional investor. Crude Value Insights Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.CHARLOTTE — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points, Jalen Williams added 20 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Charlotte Hornets 106-94 on Saturday night for their 10th straight regular-season win. Aaron Wiggins added 17 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Thunder, who never trailed. Miles Bridges had 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Vasa Micic added 16 points for the Hornets, who have lost 15 of their last 16 games. Both teams were missing multiple starters with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller sitting out for Charlotte and Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace out for the Thunder. Oklahoma City bolted to a 61-46 halftime lead with Gilgeous-Alexander and Wiggins combining for 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting. The Thunder extended the lead to 20 in the third quarter and were never truly challenged again. Thunder: It wasn't the best game of the season by the Thunder, but they avoided playing down to the level of competition, holding a double-digit lead for most of the game. Hornets: With Ball, Miller and Tre Mann out of the lineup, Charlotte simply didn't have the firepower to keep up with the Thunder. On most offensive sets, Micic and Miles Bridges were the focal point of the offense. Charlotte had some chances to get it under 10 late in the game, but couldn't sink enough shots. The Hornets cut the lead to 11 with 10 minutes to play, but Kenrich Williams scored on a layup off a feed from Ajay Mitchell to squash any comeback hopes. Playing without Ball and Miller, the Hornets needed Bridges to step up, but he was just 1 of 8 from beyond the arc. The Thunder hosted the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night in the second night of a back-to-back. The Hornets hosted the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sports Editor {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. 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!

Michigan fires coach despite win over Ohio State

Canadian freestyle skier star Mikael Kingsbury is juggling both moguls and fatherhood. The 32-year-old Olympic and world champion from Deux-Montagnes, Que., opens his World Cup season Saturday in Ruka, Finland, with partner Laurence Mongeon and their infant son Henrik in tow. Henrik was born Aug. 25. "It changes your life, that's for sure," Kingsbury said Tuesday from Ruka in a media conference call. "Get used to waking up in the middle of the night, but at the same time, it is the most beautiful thing in the world. "It brings a beautiful balance to my career." While Kingsbury acknowledges there are great hockey players named Henrik, he says the inspiration for the name was his niece liking a boy named Henrik in her kindergarten class. "I always liked the name anyway," Kingsbury said. "Laurence and I agree it fits his face. "I didn't ski as much this summer because I wanted to be home and I wanted to be present. We're five weeks on the road for the start of this season, so I couldn't see myself doing five weeks without seeing my kid. "I would have missed my family too much, so I brought them on the road for three weeks." Regarded as the most dominant moguls skier of all time, the Canadian achieved another significant milestone last season when he surpassed Swedish alpine skier Ingemar Stenmark for the most all-time World Cup victories by a male athlete in any ski discipline. Kingsbury embarks on his 16th World Cup season with a career 90 victories. He's finished in the medals in 129 of 151 career World Cup starts. But while Kingsbury claimed last season's dual moguls crown, Japan's Ikuma Horishima challenged Kingsbury's reign by claiming his first crystal globe in moguls. "The mindset is still the same. The goals are still the same," Kingsbury said. "Coming into the season, I want to focus on one race at a time. That's how you get to a crystal globe. "The main focus is being consistent, staying healthy to start the season, try to get the momentum of the start and stay healthy until the end of this season. "I usually start strong, and I can finish very strong, and that's how you win crystal globes." Kingsbury won an Olympic moguls gold medal in 2018 and silver in both 2014 and 2022. Dual moguls makes its Olympic debut in 2026 in Milan-Cortina, Italy. Kingsbury has swept both moguls and dual moguls gold medals in three straight world championships. He'll attempt the double a fourth time March 18-21 in Engadin, Switzerland. "Henrik and my family now are my priority and skiing comes second, but I know I can still win," Kingsbury said. "It's going to be different. My family is going to be home and it might be a bit more difficult, but at the same time I see a lot of positive in being a dad. I feel way more relaxed on the mountain." One secret to Kingsbury's success has been his durability. His only major injury hiccup so far was fracturing two vertebrae in his back training in Ruka ahead of the 2020-21 season. Kingsbury sat out the first three World Cups and won the fourth upon return to action. He's closer to the end of his career than the beginning, so quality training, not quantity, is important to him. "As I get older, I cannot do too much, but I've got to do the right amount and make sure I can peak in 2026," he explained. "The challenge is going to be the best dad I can and the best skier I can and try to manage in the middle. It's never going to be perfect, but I'm to do as best as I can and make sure I'm ready in 2026. "I feel fortunate for all the team (members) that I have around me, teammates, and all the coaches and staff that are working with me. They're going to make my life easy when it's going to be difficult." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

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A former Regina high school teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student was acquitted on Tuesday of all five charges he faced, Regina’s Court of King’s Bench confirmed to CTV News. Jeffery G. Dumba, now 52, faced charges including luring, sexual exploitation and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 years of age. The alleged offences were said to have occurred in the summer of 2021 after Dumba and the female student, who attended the school where he was employed, began communicating on the social media platform Snapchat. Their communications allegedly evolved to sexual images being exchanged on the app as well as through iPhone messages. Dumba’s trial had been ongoing since June of this year. He was initially arrested in 2021 after police were made aware of the alleged relationship. Digital evidence found on a laptop, Apple Watch, and two cell phones included explicit images which were exchanged between two distinct Snapchat user IDs, which were believed to belong to the student and accused. Over the course of the trial, the court heard testimony from police officers, the victim, the victim’s mother and Dumba himself. Closing arguments were heard in October, where Dumba testified he was not aware of the student’s age and claimed she told him she was 20-years-old. Dumba’s defence also argued that the 15-year-old “sought out the [then] 49-year-old teacher," something the girl's mother said in June she believed had occurred. The student was said to have had two Snapchat accounts and usernames, with one later being her actual first and last name. Dumba had a username that was different from his given names because he said it helped keep his students from finding him on social media. During closing arguments, the defence argued that the student was lying about not knowing who the teacher was prior to them communicating on Snapchat. "She portrayed herself as a victim after the fact, but that's not what's going on ... I think its pretty clear that she felt good about what she had done and was sort of bragging about this sort of relationship she had with Mr. Dumba." the defence said in October, adding the student was a “very convincing liar.” The crown argued Dumba did not take enough steps to verify the student’s age. "She's not concealing her identity from him if she's interacting with him on Snapchat using the username [first and last name of the alleged victim] and if she's sending him pictures that include pictures of her face ... he knows that people lie about their age on social media, because he lied about his age on social media," the crown said during closing arguments. In June court heard a recording of a preliminary police interview from September 2021 that included a conversation between the student and her mother. The following dialogue was exchanged between the two: Mother: “You do understand how wrong this is, right?” Victim: “Ya, but it’s my fault.” Mother: “Can I ask why you think it’s your fault?” Victim: “I added him [on Snapchat].” Mother: “Did you know who he was when you added him?” Victim: “No, but I added him.” The student's mother went on to testify that she had "guilt" in feeling as though her daughter held a portion of responsibility for the situation. Dumba maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and pleaded "not-guilty" to all five charges he faced. -- With files from Hallee MandrykLEICESTER, England (Reuters) -Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy got off to a winning start in his first game in charge as they beat West Ham United 3-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday. Veteran striker Jamie Vardy, 20-year-old Bilal El Khannouss and substitute Patson Daka scored as Leicester took their chances while a dominant West Ham were guilty of spurning several good opportunities, only getting a late consolation goal from Niclas Fuellkrug. Van Nistelrooy was appointed on Friday to replace Steve Cooper after the Foxes made a poor start to the season and although he did not have much time with his new charges, his arrival injected some much-needed good fortune into the club. The win moved Leicester, who last won six weeks ago, from a point above the relegation places to 15th, while West Ham are one place above them in the standings. The 37-year-old Vardy beat the offside trap to score after 98 seconds although it took more than two minutes for a VAR check to confirm his run had been perfectly timed. Leicester’s second came on the hour mark as El Khannouss steered home a perfectly weighted pass inside from Kasey McAteer after a long ball to the left from Facundo Buonanotte stretched the West Ham defence. Bobby De Cordova-Reid found the net in the 81st minute but his effort was chalked off for offside after a VAR check but in the 90th minute Daka was released on the left and finished with a powerful strike. For the rest it was a match that the Hammers dominated, spurning several clear-cut chances before they bagged a late consolation goal, with the result piling the pressure on under fire manager Julen Lopetegui. Danny Ings, making his first start of the season, saw his 13th minute header deflect off Leicester fullback James Justin and onto the base of the post. In the 69th minute, Leicester's Conor Coady cleared off the line as he was falling back into his own net, keeping out substitute Crysencio Summerville’s effort with the tip of his toe. There was also a let off for Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen in the 58th minute when he came out to punch the ball but missed, allowing it to trickle into the net only for the referee to award a free kick for a push by Tomas Soucek. West Ham finally found the net four minutes into stoppage time with Fuellkrug's header on his return from injury. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)

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