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, /PRNewswire/ -- Gravity Oilfield Services Inc. ("Gravity" or the "company"), a growth-oriented water and power infrastructure company backed by affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. ("Clearlake"), announced today that it has agreed to sell its Gravity Water Midstream division to (NYSE: DKL) ("Delek Logistics"). Gravity Water Midstream provides gathering, transportation, recycling, storage, and disposal solutions for produced water in the Midland Basin in and the Basin in . "The acquisition of Gravity Water Midstream by Delek Logistics creates a path to continue to build incredible scale in our water midstream platform in the Midland Basin," said , CEO of Gravity. "I am thankful to the employees of Gravity for their focus on service and dedication to building one of the largest commercial water management platforms in the Midland and Williston Basins. Building this water midstream platform would not be possible without the incredible support and partnership of Clearlake. I am excited to welcome in this new era for water management in the Midland and Williston Basins under the capable leadership of Delek Logistics." While Gravity is divesting its water midstream assets, the company will retain ownership and operation of its power infrastructure assets, continuing its commitment to providing critical power generation offerings. Clearlake and Gravity partnered in 2017 to pursue produced water midstream opportunities. Over the last several years, Gravity has focused on organically growing its water infrastructure business to support producers in the Midland and basins, and its water business segment has quickly grown into one of the largest commercial operators of disposal wells in the Midland Basin. Gravity Water Midstream developed a system comprised of 200+ miles of permanent pipeline, 46 SWD facilities, and 14 fresh water facilities with over six million barrels of storage capacity, all of which form an extensive and interconnected network. "We valued the opportunity to partner with the Gravity team as they executed a vision to build a leading water midstream platform in the Midland and Williston Basins," said José E. Feliciano, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Colin Leonard, Partner and Managing Director, of Clearlake. "We'd like to thank Rob and the entire Gravity Water Midstream team for their hard work and commitment to growing the business organically over the last several years." & Co served as exclusive financial advisor and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to Gravity in connection with the transaction. Gravity is a growth-oriented provider of energy infrastructure services to U.S. onshore oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, providing water midstream solutions, critical power generation offerings and other production focused services. Gravity has significant coverage density in the Permian Basin and benefits from a national footprint supported by facilities, operations and management personnel in several other key domestic resource plays including the Bakken, Eagle Ford, SCOOP/STACK, DJ Basin, Haynesville and Marcellus, among others. More information is available at . Founded in 2006, Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm founded operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to businesses that can benefit from Clearlake's operational improvement approach, The firm's core target sectors are industrials, technology, and consumer. Clearlake has over $85 billion of assets under management, and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 400 investments. The firm is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA with affiliates in Dallas, TX, London, UK, , , and , UAE. More information is available at and on X . For Gravity , (281) 640-3043 Marketing Communication Manager For Clearlake , (845) 507-0571 Lambert View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Gravity Oilfield Services Inc.; Clearlake Capital GroupFurious Crocodile Dundee fans rage and switch off after Channel 5 flooded with complaints
A landscape gardener charged with possession of almost €500,000 of cocaine played a “significant role” in transporting drugs for the “Keane” organised crime gang in Limerick, a court heard on Monday. Stephen McNamara, (43), with an address at Woodcock Hill, Meelick, Co Clare, appeared before Limerick District Court, charged with one count of possession of cocaine for sale or supply. Advertisement The drugs were valued at €490,000, gardaí told the court. Detective Garda Brendan McSweeney, Henry Street Garda Station, told the court he arrested Mr McNamara at 5:53pm last Friday, after searching the accused’s car, a black BMW, and discovering seven parcels of suspected cocaine inside the vehicle. Detective Garda McSweeney alleged that Mr McNamara admitted to gardaí, following his arrest, that he had known that he was transporting what he believed to be cocaine. Objecting to bail, Det Gda McSweeney alleged that Mr McNamara had played a “significant role for the Keane organised crime group” and that the accused had been in contact with “leading members” of the gang. Advertisement The court heard Mr McNamara has ongoing drug addiction issues. Detective Garda McSweeney alleged the accused was “caught red-handed” with a suspected “large volume” of cocaine. The garda witness said he believed Mr McNamara would continue to allegedly play a “significant role in the logistics and transportation of cocaine in the city” if he was granted bail. Under questioning from Mr McNamara’s solicitor Sarah Ryan, Det Gda McSweeney agreed the accused was “cooperative” “courteous” and “respectful” to gardaí following his arrest. Advertisement Ms Ryan put it to the garda witness that Mr McNamara was running a “landscaping business” and was “not doing well financially”. Detective Garda McSweeney said he was not aware of any landscaping business and said Mr McNamara “had €2,000 in cash in his possession in his socks” and that he was driving a €35,000 vehicle” when he was arrested. “He (Mr McNamara) sold an Audi for €18,000 last year is is paying €400pm on finance for his (current) vehicle,” the garda added. Ms Ryan said the accused had previously attended at a drug-treatment facility and that he was impacted by two recent bereavements. Advertisement Sergeant Sean Murray, prosecuting, alleged that the accused would, in the opinion of the gardaí, “continue to commit scheduled offences to feed a (drug) habit and assist a known organised crime gang that we know he associates with”. Judge Patricia Harney said she was granting Mr McNamara bail on a number of conditions, including that he lodge €500 with the court, that he be of good behaviour while on bail, that he reside at his home address only, and notify Gardai of any change in his address, and that he sign on daily at Henry Street Garda Station. The judge also ordered that Mr McNamara have “no contact whatsoever, with Christy Keane” as requested by gardaí. “No contact means - no contact - including by means of third party contact, by mobile phone, or on social media,” the judge said. Advertisement The judge also ordered Mr McNamara “stay out of the Singland area of Limerick" as requested by gardaí. The accused was also ordered to “surrender his passport”, provide gardaí with a contact number that is to be charged and in credit at all times, “and to remain alcohol and drug-free while in public”. Ireland Best man escapes jail after causing groom’s death... Read More Sergeant Murray said gardaí were awaiting further directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr McNamara, who was supported in court by family members lodged the €500 bail bond that was brought to the court by a relative. He was remanded on bail to appear before Limerick District Court again on March 12th, 2025. A second man, Christy Keane, 63, a native of St Mary’s Park, who was also arrested last Friday as part of the drugs probe, was “released without charge pending further investigations”, a garda spokeswoman said.
Poulin has game winner as Montreal Victoire tops Minnesota Frost 3-2 for 3rd straight win
ArenaPlus, the country’s 24/7 digital sports entertainment gateway, gifted Filipino fans with a special experience on December 23, 2024. Lucky fans got to video call with Reaves and even more got to chat and ask their favorite basketball star questions on life in the league, his experience in the Philippines, and his partnership with ArenaPlus. Reaves gave out lots of prizes, including the one everyone wanted the most: Meet Austin Reaves in LA with an all-expenses paid trip. Fans joined by visiting ArenaPlus.ph This special Christmas event was made possible by the Philippines’ premiere sportsbook, ArenaPlus. Austin Reaves is ArenaPlus’ newest endorser, joining Jordan Clarkson and Scottie Thompson. Astig conversations with Austin Reaves Behind-the-scene livestream set-up for ArenaPlus “Meet Austin Reaves in Los Angeles”. Live on ArenaPlus’ social media pages, Reaves was game to answer questions from fans about his experiences as a professional basketball player, his career, and his partnership with ArenaPlus. Reaves shared his rookie story, saying he was given small tasks but was overall treated kindly. Occasionally, he had to run errands for essentials or carry bags, but for the most part, he was given a lot of leniency and wasn’t held to many responsibilities. “I’m doing little things here and there, but for the most part, they were very kind to me. Every now and then, I had to run to the store to get essentials needed on the road or just for little things. But overall, they let me off the hook. I definitely had to carry a couple of bags every now and then, but like I said, they let me off the hook pretty well.” Reaves also shared his usual game day routine, starting with waking up early, followed by pre-game workouts, treatment, and strategy sessions. “We all wake up at 8, go to the practice facility around 8:30 or 8:45 to eat breakfast. After treatment, we shoot around 10, then walk through what they’re going to do, what we can do to stop them, and what we can do to be successful, followed by some shots. After that, I go home, take a good shower, and nap. When I wake up, if the game is around 7 o’clock, I get to the arena by about 4:30 for more treatment, lifting, and pre-game shooting to get ready for the game. After pre-game shooting, there are probably 50 minutes before the game starts. I go back, eat a little, and then the coach comes in to talk. After that, it’s basically game time.” In addition, Reaves shared how he prepared for the upcoming season, mentioning that he’s working on getting stronger, faster, and improving as a basketball player, believing there’s always room for growth and improvement. “The main thing was really getting into the weight room, getting a lot stronger, faster, and becoming a better athlete. On top of that, I try to become a better player in all aspects. I feel like I do everything well and continue to grow in those areas. You can never perfect the game of basketball, and that’s the beautiful thing about it. You can always continue working to get better, and that’s what I do every summer.” Reaves expressed his gratitude to ArenaPlus, seeing the partnership with the brand as a great opportunity to return to Manila, revisit good memories, and connect with fans in order to give back and create a memorable experience for them. “Once we got the opportunity to partner with ArenaPlus, we knew it was a great chance to come back to Manila and revisit the many fun times we had. With ArenaPlus, we’ve been given the opportunity to return and have a great time with the fans. We want to give back and do something for the fans.” Meet Austin Reaves in Los Angeles Over 30 prizes were given out during the livestream, including a DJI 3 drone, sports merchandise and sports vouchers. Reaves himself drew the major prize: the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet him in LA with an all-expenses paid trip. Reaves personally invited the winner, a speechless Joseph Marana, via a live call. The once-in-a-lifetime experience is set for February during the NBA All-Star Week in LA. Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.
Iran recruiting children to attack Israeli targets across Europe amid setbacks: reportTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Stroud led South Florida past Webber International on Saturday with 16 points off of the bench in a 106-49 victory. Stroud shot 6 of 7 from the field and 4 for 4 from the line for the Bulls (7-6). Kobe Knox scored 15 points, going 5 of 8 (3 for 6 from 3-point range). Quincy Adekokoya went 5 of 11 from the field (3 for 6 from 3-point range) to finish with 14 points, while adding seven rebounds. Gabriel Sorensen finished with 14 points for the Warriors and Khalyl Simmons added 12 points. South Florida took the lead with 12:25 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 54-26 at halftime, with Stroud racking up 12 points. South Florida extended its lead to 98-43 during the second half, fueled by a 16-2 scoring run. Knox scored a team-high 10 points in the second half as their team closed out the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Broncos hope to continue playoff push when they meet the banged-up Raiders
Stocks shook off a choppy start to finish higher Monday, as Wall Street kicked off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 ended 0.7% higher after having been down 0.5% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also recovered from an early slide to eke out a 0.2% gain. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Gains in technology and communications stocks accounted for much of the gains, outweighing losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.7%. Broadcom climbed 5.5% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2% and PepsiCo slid 1%. Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. U.S.-listed shares in Honda jumped 12.7%, while Nissan ended flat. Eli Lilly rose 3.7% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.5% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. All told, the S&P 500 rose 43.22 points to 5,974.07. The Dow gained 66.69 points to 42,906.95. The Nasdaq rose 192.29 points to 19,764.89. Traders got a look at a new snapshot of U.S. consumer confidence Monday. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a roughly 25% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. “Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025,” said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets closed mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state government agencies will have to conduct reviews and publish reports that detail how they’re using software, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after it was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law requires state agencies to perform assessments of any software that uses algorithms, computational models or AI techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and top legislative leaders along with posting them online. It also bars the use of AI in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone receives unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is being consistently monitored by a human. State workers would also be shielded from having their hours or job duties limited because of AI under the law. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in setting up some guardrails in how the emerging technology is used in state government. The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville has approved a five-year contract extension through June 2030 for athletic director Josh Heird, whose 2 1/2-year tenure has included the hirings of two men’s basketball coaches and football coach Jeff Brohm. The university’s Board of Trustees on Thursday authorized President Kim Schatzel to execute the deal, three days after the University of Louisville Athletic Association board approved the agreement. Heird was named interim AD in December 2021 before being elevated to the full-time job the following June. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Editas to reduce about 65% of its workforce over the next six monthsJensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia and one of the most influential figures in tech, is now facing serious tax evasion allegations. Despite Nvidia’s remarkable success under his leadership, reports claim that Huang may have exploited legal loopholes to avoid paying nearly $8 billion in taxes. Huang’s business acumen has made him a prominent figure in the tech world, with Nvidia rising to new heights in terms of market capitalization and demand. However, amidst this success, allegations of tax evasion have surfaced, pointing to strategies that allegedly allowed him to save billions. The controversy sheds light on how the ultra-wealthy might use legal tactics to avoid paying taxes while ordinary citizens bear the brunt. According to a New York Times report, Huang used multiple tax-saving strategies, including federal estate and gift taxes, to legally sidestep billions in taxes. A major part of his tax avoidance involved an irrevocable trust he and his wife set up in 2012. They transferred Nvidia shares worth $7 million into the trust, which later grew to nearly $3 billion. This growth was not traced back to Huang or his family, thanks to the trust structure. The use of these strategies has sparked a debate about whether the rich are unfairly benefiting from the legal system while evading their fair share of taxes. Despite these allegations, Nvidia’s performance remains strong. In 2024, the company’s stock surged by an impressive 193%, fueled by its pivot to AI-driven GPUs. This has cemented Nvidia as a market leader, with its stock continuing to rise at an extraordinary pace. ALSO READ: Indian Diaspora Group Denounces Racist Attacks On Sriram Krishnan, Trump’s AI AdvisorNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged higher in midday trading on Wall Street Friday, keeping the market on track for its fifth gain in a row. The S&P 500 was up 0.1% and is solidly on track for a weekly gain that will erase most of last week’s loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 226 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% as of 11:32 a.m. Eastern. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 9.3% after handily beating analysts’ third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 3.6% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar, parent company of the Dish satellite television provider, fell 3.3% after DirecTV called off its purchase of the company. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.3%. 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%. 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 4.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 1.3% 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 were 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 fell back a bit after surpassing $99,000 for the first time on Thursday. It has more than doubled this year and was most recently trading around $98,600, according to CoinDesk. 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.
Seattle Seahawks receiver is DK Metcalf is just fine when he doesn't have the the ball because it means he gets to showcase his blocking skills. “I just look at it as a sign of respect that I’ve gained from other defensive coordinators and just continue to do my job with it as blocking or being a decoy,” the two-time Pro Bowler said. While opposing defenses have keyed in on Metcalf, other aspects of Seattle's offense have surfaced during its four-game winning streak. The run has the Seahawks (8-5) sitting atop the NFC West heading into Sunday night's game against the visiting Green Bay Packers (9-4). Geno Smith's new top target is second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who needs 89 receiving yards for his first career 1,000-yard season. Smith-Njigba has 75 catches for 911 yards and five touchdowns, while Metcalf, often dealing with double coverage, has 54 catches for 812 yards and two scores. Metcalf says he feels the pride of a “proud parent or a big brother” when it comes to Smith-Njigba's success. Seattle's offense also got a boost from the ground game in a 30-18 victory over the Arizona Cardinals last weekend . Zach Charbonnet, filling in for the injured Kenneth Walker III, ran for a career-best 134 yards and two touchdowns. The Seahawks face another hot team in the Packers (9-4), who have won seven of nine. Green Bay's two losses over that stretch have come against NFC-best Detroit (12-1), including a 34-31 victory by the Lions on Dec. 5, which means the NFC North title is likely out of reach for the Packers. The Packers are well-positioned for a playoff berth, but that almost certainly won't come this weekend. They would need a win, a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons and a tie between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. Metcalf, who learned to block from his father, former Chicago Bears offensive lineman Terrence Metcalf, says he tries to take blocking seriously to set himself apart from other receivers. His priorities are simple when he's getting double-teamed and the ball goes elsewhere. “Trying to block my (butt) off and trying to get pancakes on defensive backs,” he said. When the Packers surged their way into the playoffs last season, quarterback Jordan Love was a major reason why. He had 18 touchdown passes and one interception during Green Bay's final eight games. During the last four games of this season, Love ranks third in the NFL with a 118.9 passer rating with six touchdowns, one interception and a league-best 10.3 yards per attempt. “I always feel like I can put the ball where I want to — and that’s part of it, too, having that confidence to be able to throw those passes,” Love said. “There’s always like I said a handful of plays that might not come off or be in the exact spot that you wanted it to or the throw might be a little bit off. So, that’s where you’ve just got to try to be at your best every play, be consistent and accurate as possible.” Green Bay’s pass defense has been picked apart the last two weeks. First, it was torched by Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in a Packers win. Next, it allowed Jared Goff to complete his final 13 passes as the Lions rallied to victory. It won’t get any easier this week. Smith is second in the NFL in attempts, completions and passing yards and is fifth in completion percentage. “It’s been a remarkable turnaround for him in terms of just where he started,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s not always where you start, but where you finish. And it tells me a lot about the person in terms of his resiliency and ability to fight through some adversity. He’s a dangerous quarterback.” The potential return of former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) could help the Packers. Will the Packers break out their head-to-toe white uniforms? The last time Green Bay wore the winter white look was in a 24-22 win over Houston in October. The Packers asked fans to weigh in on social media . As for the Seahawks, they'll be sporting their “Action Green” uniforms. Metcalf is a fan. “I would say this about the Action Green, I love them personally in my opinion, but the big guys hate them. I don’t know why, don’t ask me," he said. “Hopefully, the Packers wear all white, so it’ll be a fun-looking game.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Easter Sunday is four months away, falling on April 20 in 2025 but some supermarkets already have seasonal stock out on their shelves. Chocolate eggs and hot cross buns have already been spotted for sale in shops including Morrisons, Tesco and Asda. As reported by Sky News , Gary Evans, 66, from Margate, shared a picture of Creme Eggs on display at his local Morrisons on Boxing Day. "I just think it's crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial... [there's] something quite frantic about it," he said. Meanwhile, Joseph Robinson, saw themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday evening (December 27). He said: "It's funny as they've not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they're already stocking for Easter. "I wish that supermarkets weren't so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period." 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Jesus hasn’t even been born yet". Another added: "I’m a very liberal person but seeing Morrisons selling #Easter eggs right after #Christmas is where I draw the line". In an alternative view, marketing consultant Andrew Wallis, 54, admitted he was surprised to see Easter eggs in the Co-op in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire. However, he added it also illustrates "forward-thinking" from big businesses. Recommended reading: He explained: "It made me reflect on how big brands are always thinking ahead and planning early. "My message to retailers would be: while planning ahead is important, it's also essential to be mindful of consumer sentiment. "Some might feel it's too early for seasonal products like this but others might see it as a sign of forward-thinking. Striking the right balance is key to keeping customers happy."A massacre of more than 200 people in Haiti this month followed a gang-ordered manhunt that saw victims, many of them elderly, pulled from their homes and shot or killed with machetes, the UN said Monday. The victims were suspected of involvement in voodoo and accused by a gang leader of poisoning his child, with the suspects taken to a "training center" where many were dismembered or burned after being killed. A civil society organization had said at the time that the gang leader was convinced his son's illness was caused by followers of the religion. "On the evening of December 6, (Micanor Altes) ordered the members of his gang -- around 300 -- to carry out a brutal 'manhunt.' They stormed into about ten alleys of the (Port-au-Prince) neighborhood and forcibly dragged the victims out of their homes," said the report, authored jointly by the UN office in Haiti, BINUH, and the UN Human Rights Commissioner (OCHR). In the days that followed, the gang returned to the neighborhood, abducting adherents from a voodoo temple, targeting individuals suspected of tipping off local media and slaughtering people seeking to escape. Some of the bodies "were then burned with gasoline, or dismembered and dumped into the sea," the report concluded. A total of 134 men and 73 women were killed in total over six days, the report said. A mosaic of violent gangs control most of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. The impoverished Caribbean country has been mired for decades by political instability, made worse in recent years by gangs that have grown in strength and organizational sophistication. More from this section Despite a Kenyan-led police support mission, backed by the United States and UN, violence has continued to soar. "According to BINUH and OHCHR, since January 2024, more than 5,358 people have been killed and 2,155 injured," the report said. "This brings the total number of people killed or injured in Haiti to at least 17,248 since the beginning of 2022." The UN Security Council "strongly condemned the continued destabilizing criminal activities of armed gangs and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population." A spokeswoman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "these crimes touched the very foundation of Haitian society, targeting the most vulnerable populations." Voodoo was brought to Haiti by African slaves and is a mainstay of the country's culture. It was banned during French colonial rule and only recognized as an official religion by the Haitian government in 2003. While it incorporates elements of other religious beliefs, including Catholicism, voodoo has been historically attacked by other religions. gw/nro
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