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NEW YORK , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends - The global mechanical connectors market size is estimated to grow by USD 4.77 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period. Increasing demand for mechanical connectors in automotive industry is driving market growth, with a trend towards product launches. However, fluctuating raw material prices of mechanical connectors poses a challenge.Key market players include 3M Co., ABB Ltd., Axis Electrical Components India Pvt. Ltd., Birkett Electric Ltd., Componect AG, Conex Metals, Connector Subsea Solutions, Conway, Electrofocus Electricals, HellermannTyton GmbH, Hirpara Metal Industries, Hubbell Inc., Nexans SA, NILED, NSI Industries LLC, Panduit Corp., Prysmian Spa, Raychem RPG Pvt. Ltd., STATS Group, TE Connectivity Ltd., and Tempo Communications Inc.. AI-Powered Market Evolution Insights. Our comprehensive market report ready with the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic analysis- View Free Sample Report PDF Forecast period 2024-2028 Base Year 2023 Historic Data 2018 - 2022 Segment Covered Type (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, and Others), Application (Automotive, Industrial, Aerospace and defense, and Others), and Geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa) Region Covered APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Key companies profiled 3M Co., ABB Ltd., Axis Electrical Components India Pvt. Ltd., Birkett Electric Ltd., Componect AG, Conex Metals, Connector Subsea Solutions, Conway, Electrofocus Electricals, HellermannTyton GmbH, Hirpara Metal Industries, Hubbell Inc., Nexans SA, NILED, NSI Industries LLC, Panduit Corp., Prysmian Spa, Raychem RPG Pvt. Ltd., STATS Group, TE Connectivity Ltd., and Tempo Communications Inc. Key Market Trends Fueling Growth The Mechanical Connectors market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for fixed broadband connections with higher bandwidth. Fiber optic connectors and coaxial cables are popular choices for high-speed data transfer in various sectors. Internal cables & connectors are essential for electronic systems integration in industries like Telecom, Defense, and Oil & Gas. External cables & connectors are crucial for power and signal transmission in Infrastructure Development and Data Centre Investments. Miniature connectors find applications in consumer electronics, automotive sector, and automation technology. Factors like urbanization, raw material prices, and governmental policies impact the market. Fiber optic connectors, copper, and high-speed connectors are key products driving the market. Emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, and autonomous vehicles also provide opportunities. Industries like Aerospace and Defense, Energy & Power, and Submarine Communication are significant consumers. The Mechanical Connectors Market is witnessing significant growth as key players are strategically expanding their product portfolios through new product launches. In February 2022 , Nexans introduced a new mechanical power connector to their GPH cable connectors and cable lugs range for medium-voltage cables. Likewise, HellermannTyton launched cast resin cable joints in May 2022 , featuring a cable connector and constant force springs with straight ends for effortless installation. These new offerings enable companies to cater to diverse end-user requirements and boost their market presence. International and local players dominate the market, with new product launches being a popular growth strategy. Insights on how AI is driving innovation, efficiency, and market growth- Request Sample! Market Challenges Insights into how AI is reshaping industries and driving growth- Download a Sample Report Segment Overview This mechanical connectors market report extensively covers market segmentation by 1.1 Aluminum- Aluminum connectors are cylindrical components used for terminating electrical wires in machines and electrical equipment, particularly in applications where vibration is a concern. These connectors are commonly found in military, automotive, industrial, and medical equipment. Military-grade aluminum connectors have metal outer shells for sealing. Commercial-grade aluminum connectors are also widely used in industries and automotive applications. TE Connectivity Ltd. And 3M are notable vendors offering aluminum connectors like the AMPLIMITE Ultra-Lite D-Subminiature connector and the metal D-SUB aluminum lightweight connector, respectively. The increasing demand for lightweight miniature connectors is driving market growth, making aluminum connectors a significant segment in the overall market. Download complimentary Sample Report to gain insights into AI's impact on market dynamics, emerging trends, and future opportunities- including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2018 - 2022) Research Analysis The Mechanical Connectors Market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing demand for Fixed Broadband Connections with higher bandwidth. Fiber Optic Connectors and Coaxial Cables are the primary types of mechanical connectors, finding extensive applications in various industries. Internal Cables & Connectors and External Cables & Connectors are essential components in numerous systems, including those used in Military & Defense, Commercial, Civil, Oil & Gas, Energy & Power, Electronic systems, and Electrical systems. Signal transmission and power transmission are the major applications for mechanical connectors. Urbanization, Consumer electronics, Automation technology, Automotive segment, Advanced safety features, Autonomous vehicles, and the Telecom sector are some key areas driving the market's growth. The market is also influenced by raw material prices and technological advancements such as 5G technology and IoT technology. Market Research Overview The Mechanical Connectors Market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing demand for Fixed Broadband Connections with higher bandwidth. Fiber Optic Connectors and Coaxial Cables are the primary types of mechanical connectors, with the former gaining popularity in telecommunications, data centers, and infrastructure development due to their superior signal transmission capabilities. Internal Cables & Connectors and External Cables & Connectors are essential components in various industries, including Military & Defense, Commercial, Civil, Oil & Gas, Energy & Power, Submarine Communication, Digital Data Storage, Automotive Sector, Electric Vehicles, and Infrastructure Development. The market is also driven by the growing demand for High-Speed Data Transfer, Urbanization, Consumer electronics, Automation technology, Autonomous vehicles, Telecom sector, 5G technology, IoT technology, Miniature connectors, PCB connectors, and Quick connectors. Raw material prices, Electronic systems integration, Copper's electrical conductivity, Industrialization, Governmental policies, High-speed connectors, and applications in Aerospace and defense are other factors influencing the market's growth. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mechanical-connectors-market-to-grow-by-usd-4-77-billion-2024-2028-driven-by-rising-demand-in-automotive-industry-ai-transforming-the-market-landscape---technavio-302313566.html SOURCE TechnavioArkansas WR Andrew Armstrong declares for NFL draft, skipping bowl
Michail Antonio had video call with West Ham team before their win over WolvesNone
Arkansas receiver Andrew Armstrong said Tuesday that he is entering the NFL Draft. Later in the day, a school spokesman told reporters that Armstrong will skip the Razorbacks' bowl game. The destination isn't yet known. Armstrong led the Southeastern Conference in both receptions (78) and receiving yards (1,140) but caught just one touchdown in 11 games this season. His catches and yardage were both second-most in Arkansas history behind Cobi Hamilton, who had 90 receptions for 1,335 yards in 2012. "It's been a journey for the books and I wouldn't trade it for anything because it has made me into the man I am today," Armstrong said of his Razorbacks tenure in a social media post. "... I will never forget all the moments that were shared here in Fayetteville." Armstrong played two seasons at Texas A&M-Commerce before transferring to Arkansas ahead of the 2023 season. In two seasons with the Razorbacks, he caught 134 passes for 1,904 yards and six scores. --Field Level Media
Irish premier praises Dublin woman who won civil case against Conor McGregor
It's four days before 2024 concludes. Let's walk down memory lane and look back at some of the defining moments of the year that will soon pass. Yes, Virginia, a cartload of events came our way—improvements in basic services, particularly in disaster preparedness following a number of natural calamities that visited the country, and the brewing political discord. Notable among these events was the early change in Senate leadership, with independent Senator Miguel Zubiri stepping down as Senate President and being replaced by Francis Escudero. Then, who could forget the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte as Secretary of the Department of Education and vice chairperson of the anti-insurgency body? This effectively ended the already fragmented UniTeam alliance and practically confirmed the long-held observation of a political rift between the two highest elected officials of the land. Another noteworthy development with implications for the coming year, potentially affecting business, was the impeachment case filed against the Vice President, consisting of 24 offenses, including failure to account for her spending of confidential funds. The progress of this impeachment case hangs in the balance due to time constraints, with lawmakers soon to be busy campaigning for the mid-term elections in May 2025. And, of course, the assumption of operations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport by the San Miguel Corporation-led New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. promises to improve the premier gateway and potentially boost the tourism industry. As San Miguel President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang stated in his Christmas message, the upgrading of NAIA to international standards is a work in progress. "We work to provide you with a gateway we can all be proud of... to provide a better airport experience and elevate NAIA to world-class standards.” From a business perspective, 2024 was a year of recovery, recapturing lost opportunities. “It was the year that operations nearly equaled pre-pandemic performance. It’s the year that most companies have equaled their 2019 figures,” enthused Victory Liner Inc. President Marivic del Pilar. Rowena Ruaro, whose events concierge and dermatology clinic businesses virtually slumped during the lockdown, echoed this view. “The year taught me adaptability and patience. But still, I am grateful for the journey. Our business adapted to pre-pandemic era finances.” For finance professional educator and Vice President and Head of Business Development & Market Education Departments at First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation, “momentum” encapsulates 2024. “This year has been marked by resilience and transformation. The banking sector, fueled by technological advancements and a renewed focus on sustainability, continues to redefine customer experiences. The middle-class market has proven to be the cornerstone. For the economy, it’s about seizing opportunities amidst challenges, driven by the collective efforts of businesses, policymakers, and everyday Filipinos.” For millennial Kyla, it was a healing process that made her stronger and more prepared to take on new challenges in both her personal life and business. From my corner of the Business Corridor, as the end of the year approaches, let’s take stock of the experiences and lessons learned to prepare us better for the year ahead. Talkback to me at [email protected]
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) — Elijah Lewis and Josh Pascarelli both scored 14 points as Marist beat New Hampshire 54-49 on Saturday. Lewis added six rebounds for the Red Foxes (4-1). Pascarelli shot 5 of 11 (2 for 4 from 3-point range). Jaden Daughtry finished 4 of 5 from the field to finish with nine points. The Wildcats (2-7) were led in scoring by Davide Poser, who finished with 11 points. Khalil Badru added 10 points and six rebounds for New Hampshire. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics reportNEW YORK – Jason LaCroix felt privileged to work from home, especially as a father to two young children. He needed flexibility when his son, then 6, suffered a brain injury and spent 35 days in intensive care. LaCroix, a senior systems engineer based in Atlanta, took time off and then worked from home while managing his son’s care and appointments. But LaCroix was laid off last February from that job, where he’d been working remotely for five years. His new role requires him to spend four days a week in a company office and commute for three hours a day. “I want to be around for my kids,” LaCroix, 44, said. “It’s very important for me to be around for my son, because we almost lost him.” Heading into 2025, thousands of workers face an unsettling reality: after years of working from the comfort of home, they must return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic or look for new work. Employees at Amazon, AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days per week. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to fire federal workers who don’t show up to do their jobs in-person. “People always want to have flexibility,” said Mark Ma, a University of Pittsburgh associate professor of business administration. “I have never heard anyone telling me that I thank my job because it’s so rigid in its schedule.” Ma researched what happened when technology and finance companies in the S&P 500 stopped allowing employees to work remotely in recent years. He found the companies experienced high turnover rates after implementing return-to-office mandates, especially among female employees – who often have childcare responsibilities – and senior-level executives. “Over the years, people have adjusted their lives. They’ve figured out, ‘Oh wow, I can pick my kids up for school. Wow. I can caretake for my aging parents while I am still working,'” said Shavon Terrell-Camper, a therapist and mental wellness coach. “Once you have tasted work-from-home ... it’s difficult to see your life going back to something that could’ve been unsustainable from the beginning.” Workers and experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office. SEEK FLEXIBILITY Employers can compromise if their goal is to increase how much time staff members spend together. Ma suggests an “employee-choice” approach which gives teams the authority to decide how many days they will work in the office as a group. If that’s not an option, employees also can ask to adjust their hours. LaCroix leaves home at 5 a.m. and works in the office until 2 p.m. to reduce time in traffic and allow him to be home when his kids get off the bus after school. His employer requires eight hours in the workplace but is flexible on which hours. “A lot of people are pushing back, and they are trying to work out scenarios to see what type of flexibility does exist within the mandate,” Terrell-Camper said. Some are coming up with work-arounds that aren’t endorsed by upper management. “Coffee badging” is a technique that involves heading to the office, swiping a company ID, having a coffee and leaving to work from home. Desperate to hold onto valuable employees, supervisors have tried a “hushed hybrid” approach, where they take their subordinates’ ID badges and swipe them “in” and “out” to make it appear they’ve been in the office, Ma said. It’s best to have an honest conversation with a manager about any personal needs and to “ask for forgiveness ahead of time, because your family is the most important thing,” said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute. Many companies have employee assistance programs that do more than most people realize, such as directing employees to resources that can help them care for parents or children, she said. SAY WHAT YOU NEED Medical conditions can make it especially challenging to work on-site. Kyle Ankney, a public relations strategist based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has cerebral palsy and needs a nurse to help him change a catheter three times a day. His health insurance will only send a nurse to one location, so working in an office isn’t an option. “If that weren’t an issue, I could find my way into the office,” he said. Ankney, who ran his own PR firm for years, was seeking director-level roles, but a recruiter told him he should consider less-senior roles because of his need to work remotely. Instead, he applied to director-level jobs that were advertised as on-site or hybrid, and then reached out to explain his circumstances and ask if the hiring companies were open to him working from home. “While I would never normally, especially in a career setting, lead with, ‘I have cerebral palsy and I’m in a wheelchair,’ I’m finding that I’m almost having to make myself vulnerable in that way just to see if the opportunity is even there for me,” Ankney said. WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS Landing a fully remote job can be competitive. “There are going to be many people that don’t have the luxury just to leave” their current jobs if they’re required to return to the office, “especially in a volatile market such as we’re in right now,” Terrell-Camper said. Attorney Holly Keerikatte was recently working on-site five days a week at a hospital, commuting about three hours a day and looking for a role that allowed more time with her family. She received two job offers. One was fully remote. The other paid 50% more but required a long commute. She recalled reading the phrase, “The only people who remember you worked late are your children.” She chose the remote job. “My primary driver is what’s best for my family,” Keerikatte said. “My advice is to be up-front and transparent about what you want, what you’re looking for and why.” FIND BRIGHT SPOTS When faced with the inevitability of returning to an office, look for the positives. Friendships can blossom as colleagues take coffee breaks together or sample new lunch spots. In-person conversations can spark ideas that wouldn’t surface at home. Employers can ease the transition by organizing activities that create camaraderie. For example, managers can put together a series of talks about the transition and have groups share what works for them, Dufrane said. Face-to-face contact allows people to better understand what colleagues are thinking and doing, which helps prevent resentment and can provide helpful feedback. Video director Deborah Ann DeSnoo, who owns Plug-In Inc., a video production company in Chofu, Japan, says she has worked in many countries where the film industry was male-dominated and female directors like her were uncommon. She makes a point to connect with colleagues in person, giving her a chance to bond. “You can read the air in a different way, and you find a solution,” DeSnoo said. “When you’re on a Zoom and they ignore you, there’s nothing you can do.” ___ Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at workingwellap.org. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well.
NEW YORK , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) declared a quarterly dividend of 70 cents per outstanding share of the corporation's common stock. The dividend is payable on January 10, 2025 to Omnicom common shareholders of record at the close of business on December 20, 2024. About Omnicom Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) is a leading provider of data-inspired, creative marketing and sales solutions. Omnicom's iconic agency brands are home to the industry's most innovative communications specialists who are focused on driving intelligent business outcomes for their clients. The company offers a wide range of services in advertising, strategic media planning and buying, precision marketing, retail and digital commerce, branding, experiential, public relations, healthcare marketing and other specialty marketing services to over 5,000 clients in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.omnicomgroup.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/omnicom-declares-dividend-302324450.html SOURCE Omnicom Group Inc.Despite QBs coming off 400-yard games, Steelers don't expect shootout with Browns
Flashback: Bitcoin at $93In the final hours before University of Mississippi student , sexually explicit Snapchat messages were exchanged between his account and the account of the man now on trial in his killing, an investigator testified Thursday. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 24, of Grenada, Mississippi, is in the death of Lee, who vanished July 8, 2022. Lee, 20, of Jackson, Mississippi, was a gay man well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford, where the university is located and is being held. Lee’s body has never been found, but a judge has declared him dead. Herrington maintains his own innocence. “was not openly in the LGBTQ community,” but evidence will show he had a relationship with Lee and is responsible for the death, assistant district attorney Gwen Agho said during opening arguments Tuesday in Oxford. Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors that prosecutors have “zero” proof Lee was killed. University Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Douglas testified Thursday that investigators used search warrants to obtain cellphone records, information from social media accounts belonging to Lee and Herrington and information about Herrington’s internet searches on the day Lee disappeared until Herrington was arrested two weeks later. One of Lee’s friends, Khalid Fears, testified Tuesday that he had a video call with Lee just before 6 a.m. on July 8, 2022. Fears said Lee mentioned a sexual encounter with a man hours earlier, which ended badly. Lee was leaving his own on-campus apartment to go see the same man again, Fears said. Douglas testified Herrington’s Snapchat account sent a message to Lee’s account at about 5:25 a.m. saying: “Come back.” People using the two accounts then argued, and Lee’s account sent a message at 5:54 a.m. saying he was on the way over. Douglas said that at 6:03 a.m., Lee’s account sent its final message: “Open.” Google records obtained through a warrant showed that Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” at 5:56 a.m., Douglas said. An officer from another police agency, the Oxford Police Department, testified that starting on 7:18 a.m. the morning of Lee’s disappearance, a car matching the description of Lee’s black sedan was captured on multiple security cameras driving through Oxford. A camera showed the car entering a parking lot at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex at 7:25 a.m., Lt. Mark Hodges testified. The same camera showed a man jogging out of the parking lot moments later, turning onto Molly Barr Road. A witness, Kizziah Carter, testified Wednesday that he was driving home from work about 7:30 that morning and saw Herrington jogging along Molly Barr Road. Carter said he knew Herrington and honked to greet him, and Herrington flagged him down to ask for a ride. Carter said he drove Herrington to Herrington’s apartment in another complex. Lee’s car was towed from Molly Barr Trails later that day. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping. Emily Wagster Pettus, The Associated Press
Monroe St. Mary, Traverse City St. Francis reach Division 3 volleyball title gameGettman kicks go-ahead FG as Villanova ends Delaware's FCS-era with a 38-28 win in finale
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints quarterback Derek Carr was willing to risk his health to improve New Orleans’ chances of playing meaningful football in mid-December. Now the Saints, who’ve remained mathematically alive in the playoff race by winning three of four, might have to play without Carr again — and it didn’t go well the last time. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi declined on Monday to rule out Carr for any of New Orleans’ final four games because of his injured non-throwing hand or his concussion . Both injuries occurred when he tried to leap for a first down and crashed hard to the turf during the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 14-11 victory over the reeling New York Giants on Sunday. “We’re not going to rule him out just yet,” Rizzi said. “We have to see in the next day or two what the healing process is like and see if he can function. “The good news it’s not his throwing hand,” Rizzi said. “The bad news is we’re obviously dealing with an injury here that we have to kind of play it by ear.” Rizzi noted that Carr must clear the concussion protocol first. After that, he said, the Saints can see how well Carr can operate with his hand injury. RELATED COVERAGE Cowboys set to host Bengals under open roof after falling debris thwarted that plan against Texans Cardinals’ sudden 3-game tailspin has turned their once solid playoff hopes into a long shot The 49ers’ playoff hopes are still teetering even after get-right game against the Bears “It’s been done before,” Rizzi said when asked about the prospect of an NFL QB playing with an injured non-throwing hand. “It appears at moment that it’s non-surgical, which is a big aspect of it. ... That’s why we’re going to discuss the options.” Last season, Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert played with a fractured finger on his non-throwing hand . Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has played part of this season with an injured non-throwing hand . The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . If Carr can’t play, his replacement will be either second-year pro Jake Haener or rookie Spencer Rattler. Rattler started three games earlier this season when Carr had an oblique injury — all losses by New Orleans, which was in the midst of a seven-game skid. “We’ve just got to surround whomever it is and pick him up and get him rolling with the rest of us,” guard Lucas Patrick said. “It’s just another step of adversity in this long season that we’ve had.” What’s working New Orleans’ interior defensive line is coming off one of its better games. Defensive tackles Bryan Bresee and Khalen Saunders accounted for both New Orleans’ sacks in New York. The Saints also held the Giants to 112 yards rushing — a lower opponent rushing total than in seven other games this season. What needs help The Saints’ 92 yards rushing offensively was their fourth-lowest total all season and the lowest in any of their victories. Stock up Running back Kendre Miller’s future is looking a bit brighter now. He has played in just three games this season because of hamstring injuries and his lack of readiness was criticized by since-fired coach Dennis Allen earlier this season. Miller also has yet to rush for more than 36 yards in a game. But against the Giants, he earned praise for the speed, strength and elusiveness he was able to show on a couple of clutch runs, including an 8-yard run for his first and only touchdown this season. Patrick said Miller deserved credit on his scoring run for staying upright and continuing to push forward — with the help of some teammates — after he was met at the 5-yard line by a Giants defender. Patrick said if Miller didn’t give the extra effort and stay on his feet, his teammates would not have had the chance to help push him across the goal line. “Kendre’s definitely a bright, young runner and he’s exciting to block for,” Patrick said. Stock down Blake Grupe was 0 for 2 on field goal attempts, although both were from beyond 50 yards and one was blocked. Those were Grupe’s first two failures from beyond 50 yards this season. Injuries In addition to Carr, reserve linebacker D’Marco Jackson left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury. Key number 0 — The number of games the Saints have won when Carr does not play. They’ve gone 5-5 in his starts this season. Next steps The Saints are back home Sunday against Washington in what could be ex-New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore’s first game with the Commanders. The game also marks the return to Louisiana of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Troply last year at LSU. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflGlobal stocks end mostly up with DAX crossing 20,000 for 1st time
Joe Childs was born in Weston County, Wyoming, in 1915, and his life was a master class in resilience. During the winter months, Wyoming is a place where, if the wind doesn’t freeze your face off, the snow will. I suspect Grandpa Joe considered the weather less a hardship and more of an old friend — one who occasionally tested his patience, but never defeated him. As a young man, he spent most of his life in the state’s most desolate corners, where winters were long enough to make you wonder if spring had taken a wrong turn. Yet he never lost his ability to endure. In fact, the tougher the situation, the more he seemed to thrive. ADVERTISEMENT There was an almost stubborn insistence on doing things the hard way — what I can only describe as Grandpa Joe’s version of "old school." If a task could be simplified by a newfangled tool, you could count on him to reach for something that required more elbow grease. Take tree trimming, for example. I don’t think I ever saw him use a chainsaw when a hand saw would do. And hauling wood? Well, the pickup was nice, but Grandpa Joe believed in hitching the team. At the time, I thought he was just making work harder than it had to be. But looking back, I see it wasn’t about resisting change — it was about appreciating the process, about finding value in the work itself, no matter how grueling it seemed. He didn’t say much, but when he did, his words had weight. He’d simply say, “This is the best way,” and I’d roll my eyes, half-expecting a lecture on character building as we hauled logs toward my grandparent’s house. Now, I realize he wasn’t trying to make things harder — he wanted me to see the work, feel the effort, and understand the satisfaction of doing something from start to finish. Although I’ve since traded in the hand saw for a chainsaw, I find myself reflecting on this lesson every so often. And as my own children have pointed out, I’m regularly still doing things slower and with more elbow grease than necessary — but sometimes, the journey is worth more than the destination. This brings me to something I’ve been reflecting on lately. In fact, I’ve already keyed a bit on the topic in a previous column. That is, how do we adapt to the world today? More specifically, how do we adapt to technology? This week, I visited one of the coffee groups in town and was part of a conversation with a gentleman who expressed his concern about how much time his grandkids spend on their phones. He lamented that they’re missing out on real experiences because they’re too busy staring at screens. It saddened him. We’ve all noticed the shift, haven’t we? We’re more connected than ever before, but somehow, we’ve never felt further apart. This is captured in Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation . Haidt argues that it’s not technology itself that’s the problem, but how we use it — or let it use us. He explains how social media and constant digital interaction are rewiring the brains of younger generations, creating cycles of anxiety and emotional dependence. The issue isn’t the device in our pocket; it’s how we’re allowing it to dominate our lives. Much like Wyoming’s brutal winters, technology is here to stay. We can’t change that. ADVERTISEMENT But, as Grandpa Joe taught me, how we adapt matters. The easy route is to throw up our hands and complain about “kids these days” being glued to their phones. The hard way — the best way — is to reflect on how we can use technology thoughtfully and teach our students to balance it with real-world experiences. At the Mitchell School District, we’re working on a plan to greatly reduce cellphone use in and around school — not because we reject technology, but because we want to teach students how to use it with purpose. The problem with cellphones and social media is with it becoming a replacement for real life, real experiences, and meaningful interaction. We need to teach our students resilience in a world where distractions are everywhere. This brings me back to the lessons Grandpa Joe passed on to me. Resilience isn’t just about surviving; it’s about doing the hard work, even when the road is rough. I imagine that addressing the chronic use of cellphones and social media won’t be easy. There will certainly be plenty of good reasons students “need” their phones. But here’s the thing: creating real change in this area will take more than lip service. It will require a concerted effort, some elbow grease from all of us. Sure, doing nothing is easier, but I don’t believe it’s the best approach—not by a long shot. In fact, it’d be educational malpractice to know the negative impacts of phones and social media and do nothing about it. In this instance we will need to do things the hard way—the better way. We’ve got to be “old school” on the topic of cellphones.Holiday decorations are shown in front of the New York Stock Exchange in New York’s Financial District on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan) New York, United States — Global stocks mostly rose Tuesday, with US and German indices posting records, as markets weighed Chinese stimulus hopes, political tensions in France and the US interest-rate outlook. Germany’s blue-chip DAX stock index jumped above 20,000 points for the first time and Paris rebounded even as France braced for new political turmoil. In New York, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq narrowly rose to finish at records, while the Dow pulled back. Oil prices jumped more than two percent following reports that crude exporters were near an agreement to extend production limits. READ: PSEi turns red as gov’t economic team cuts growth goal A closely-watched labor market report showed an increase in US job openings in October, but also a decline in new job postings during the month, a less upbeat sign. Samuel Tombs, chief US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the data overall provides “good grounds” for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates again this month. Still, the choppiness of Tuesday’s trading session in New York points to reticence among US investors following a series of post-election records that many pundits believe have left stocks overvalued. “There wasn’t a lot of conviction behind the upside moves,” said Briefing.com. “The overall vibe in the market was more negative.” Stocks in Paris edged higher even as France headed into a new political crisis as opposition lawmakers vowed to topple the minority government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier in a no-confidence vote after just three months in office. Germany’s DAX, meanwhile, scored a fresh milestone, defying multiple headwinds battering Europe’s biggest economy. The German economy, hit hard by a manufacturing slowdown and weak demand for its exports, has struggled in 2024. Yet the DAX has advanced in large part because companies in the index do heavy business abroad. In addition, the euro’s recent weakness has boosted Germany’s export-oriented companies, while easing interest rates both in the eurozone and the United States have also helped sentiment. Investors greeted a Bloomberg report that China’s top leaders, including President Xi Jinping, would hold a two-day economic work conference next week to outline their targets and stimulus plans for next year. The report followed manufacturing activity data on Monday that suggested China’s economic struggles may be coming to an end, but investors are looking for Beijing to step up support for the economy. The news helped push Hong Kong and Shanghai stock markets higher despite Washington announcing new export restrictions taking aim at Beijing’s ability to make advanced semiconductors. The moves step up existing US efforts to tighten curbs on exports of state-of-the-art AI chips to China. Beijing hit back by saying it would restrict exports to the United States of some key components in making semiconductors. Oil prices jumped ahead of a meeting Thursday of members of the OPEC oil cartel and its allies “The forecast is that they will announce an extension until the end of the first quarter of 2025, and this should help put a floor under prices,” said Trade Nation analyst David Morrison. New York – Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 44,705.53 (close) New York – S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,049.88 (close) New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 19,480.91 (close) London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,359.41 (close) Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 7,255.42 (close) Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.4 percent at 20,016.75 (close) Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.9 percent at 39,248.86 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.0 percent at 19,746.32 (close) Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 3,378.81 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0511 from $1.0498 on Monday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2673 from $1.2655 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 149.53 yen from 149.60 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.94 from 82.95 pence Brent North Sea Crude: UP 2.5 percent at $73.62 per barrel Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.7 percent at $69.94 per barrel
All the 2025 showbiz dates you need to know from Sabrina Carpenter’s tour to Brit Awards and GlastonburySANTA CLARA — Jake Moody missed another goal attempt in Week 17, setting social media and talk radio ablaze. Time for the 49ers to get a new kicker, or at the very least some competition during training camp in 2025. Not necessarily, even if coach Kyle Shanahan threw his tablet on the sidelines in frustration after Moody missed a 41-yard attempt in a 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. “I believe we’ve got the right guy,” Shanahan said Thursday as the 49ers (6-9) began preparations to host the Detroit Lions (13-2). “He’s showed that at times. I thought he showed that at times in his rookie year. I thought he showed that in being 12 of 13 to start the year and I think he’ll show that in the future.” But rest assured that Moody will be watched closely to see how he performs in the final two weeks of the season, beginning with a spotlight game on Monday night in a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game won 34-31 by the 49ers. Since the game is at Levi’s Stadium, Moody should enter with some confidence. He’s 23-for-30 on field goal attempts a 76.7 rate that’s unacceptable in today’s NFL, let alone for a kicker who was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. But all seven of his misses have been on the road — one in Miami, two in Buffalo in the snow, three in Tampa Bay in the sunshine and one in Los Angeles. Which apparently came as news to Moody. “I actually didn’t know that,” Moody said. “That’s pretty interesting. I don’t think that necessarily has anything to do with it, being home or away. It’s just the misses, I’ve got to hit better kicks. It’s not any specific reason why I miss. I’ve just got to make sure I’m dialed in on my form.” Moody is 15-for-15 in field goal attempts at home, starting off 6-for-6 in the opener against the New York Jets. But Moody sustained a high ankle sprain on his right kicking foot in Week 5 against Arizona, missing three games as the 49ers cycled through Matthew Wright (also injured on a kick return) and Anders Carlson. “Since he’s come back, he hasn’t been as consistent, obviously,” Shanahan said. “I think a lot of it probably has to do with (the injury), just common-sense wise. Hopefully he can get to this offseason, heal up and find a stroke again.” Having a midseason injury was a “learning experience,” according to Moody. “Whether or not that was an issue, I don’t know. I’m still doing the best I can trying to keep everything what it was prior to the injury,” Moody said. “It’s not like you can really blame something.” While tempted to alter his approach and preparation, Moody thought better of it. He considers kicking similar to golf, and said it can take years for golfers to master a swing change. “In this business you don’t have that much time to try and dial something in and do big changes like that,” Moody said. “You’ve got to be consistent and not be changing too many things or you’ll be overwhelmed by everything.” While the 49ers may bring another kicker into camp just for an extra leg, Shanahan didn’t sound as if he was looking to set up a competition for No. 1. “I think you’ve got the wrong guy if you have to,” Shanahan said. “You do that when you don’t think you’re going to have a guy, but when those guys miss too much you go get a new one usually. And that’s what’s tough about the kicker position.” GREENLAW DONE FOR THE YEAR Shanahan hinted strongly Monday that linebacker Dre Greenlaw wouldn’t play in the last two games, saying he’d wait until talking to him before making it official. “He’s not going to play in these two games,” Shanahan said Thursday. “He understood.” Left tackle Spencer Burford (calf) did not practice and Shanahan thought there was a chance he’d be ready to face Detroit with Trent Williams and Jaylon Moore both on injured reserve. Left guard Aaron Banks (knee), who hasn’t yet been placed on IR, did not practice and neither did edge rusher Robert Beal Jr. Those who were limited were safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle), running back Isaac Guerendo (foot/ankle). Nick Bosa (hip/oblique) was off the injury list. Veteran offensive lineman Matt Hennessey was added to the roster with Williams going on injured reserve, with Sebastian Gutierrez joining the practice squad. Shanahan will try to piecemeal an offensive line heading into Detroit, with newcomer Charlie Heck also in the mix. “We’ve got to mix and match a number of guys,” Shanahan said. The 49ers activated the practice clock on rookie linebacker Tatum Bethune, who has been out with a knee injury in hopes of getting him back before the end of the regular season. LIONS EXPECT 49ERS BEST SHOT Detroit Dan Campbell thinks last year’s loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game helped prepare them for taking another run at this season. “I think we’re really more mature,” Campbell told the Detroit media. “Every year you learn something about winning and losing. And when you take an `L’ like we did last year you learn from that . . . I think we’re much more prepared than at that time. You feel like you’re (prepared) but you get into that with a heavyweight that’s been there numerous times, you don’t always know. I think that as an experience has served us well moving into this year.” The Lions have also taken notice of what happened to the 49ers in 2022 when Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his throwing elbow in the NFC title game against Philadelphia and didn’t have a viable quarterback. Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was signed to the roster, giving the Lions three quarterbacks along with starter Jared Goff and backup Hendon Hooker. STAT WATCH — Tight end George Kittle (68 receptions, 967 yards) needs 33 yards receiving to reach 1,000 for the fourth time in his career and second in succession. With eight touchdown receptions, he’s three shy of his career high of 11 set in 2022. — Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (63 receptions, 856 yards) needs 144 yards in his last two games to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career. His six touchdown receptions are a career best. — Bosa has has seven sacks and needs three over the last two games for his fourth consecutive season in double figures. Bosa had 15 1/2 in 2021, 18 1/2 in 2022 (winning NFC Defensive Player of the Year) and 10 1/2 last season. First, Bosa is thinking about his eighth sack. “Just trying to get to the next one,” Bosa said. “But it would be cool.” — Defensive end Leonard Floyd has 8 1/2 sacks and needs 1 1/2 over the last two games to reach double figures for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in his career. — Middle linebacker Fred Warner (117 tackles) needs 21 in his last two games to exceed his career high of 137 in 2021. Warner has exceeded 100 tackles in each of his seven seasons. — Purdy has 31 rushing first downs, three more than Colin Kaepernick had in 2013 and 2014.Joe Burrow got a little off-the-field protection from a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. According to multiple reports on Tuesday, Olivia Ponton is the person who called 911 when Burrow’s Ohio home was being broken into Monday — when the Bengals QB was busy beating the Cowboys on “Monday Night Football” in Dallas. Ponton, 22, called in the burglary at 8:14 p.m. after she pulled up to Burrow’s $7.5 million Cincinnati home and saw a “shattered bedroom window and the room ransacked.” “Someone broke into my house,” The model, who has 8 million TikTok followers, told authorities over the phone. “It’s like completely messed up. ... Can we please send more people?” An investigation into the incident remains ongoing, though it marks at least the third star NFLer to have their house broken into during a game. It comes on the heels of break-ins at Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes’ homes that led the NFL to send a memo to players and teams that they may be targets . A South American crime ring is reportedly believed to be at the center of the Chiefs stars’ incidents . Ponton called her mother, Diane, who called 911, as well. “My daughter is there, this is Joe Burrow’s house. She is staying there, he’s at the football game. She’s wondering what she should do, if she should be hiding or if she should be going outside,” she said. It is unknown if anything was taken from Burrow’s house. The relationship between Ponton and Burrow, 28, is not known, though Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office documents state the influencer is “employed” by the QB. Neither has commented publicly, though it would be an awkward way to announce a romantic entanglement. Burrow was believed to be engaged to longtime girlfriend Olivia Holzmacher, though the college sweethearts never confirmed the news and have not been featured on one another social media since a Jan. 31 Instagram post by Holzmacher.
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter calls the Baltimore star 'the most electric quarterback' in the history of the NFL ahead of Monday night's game
Clorox Co. stock rises Friday, still underperforms market
For 17 years, Hariss Harun has served Singapore football with distinction. He was part of the Lions’ Asean Championship-winning side in 2012, before becoming captain of Johor Darul Takzim, with whom he won the 2015 AFC Cup, adding to his multiple domestic trophies on both sides of the Causeway. He has kept things tidy in midfield, put in crunching tackles and ventured forward to link up with the attack when required. Even when he is played out of position in defence, he carries on with his task with minimal fuss. As years go by, his professionalism and commitment remain unquestionable, but as he doubles in age to 34, he has also lost a yard of pace while recovery takes longer. He is no longer an automatic starter with the Lions and Lion City Sailors. The national skipper remained true to his down-to-earth demeanour when asked if he has been hit by recent criticism, following his blunder which led to a goal in the 3-2 friendly defeat by Chinese Taipei in November. Ahead of Singapore’s Asean Championship Group A opener against Cambodia on Dec 11 at the National Stadium, Hariss told The Straits Times: “What I have achieved doesn’t give me the leeway to give anything less. Singapore counting on golden ‘oldies’ at AFF Championship “Even when I had some niggles, I always trained and gave my best, when probably I should have had more rest. At times, it has come back to bite me and I don’t perform as I should, and I take responsibility for the decision I made. “The criticism hurts the people closest to me, which is what affects me. This is my job hazard, but it’s what I signed up for. Footballers are more in the public eye now, and we have to learn to deal with it. The good thing is we have the opportunity to prove ourselves, and hopefully we will do that.” The Lions, who have been struggling to make progress in recent years, will be looking to hit the ground running as they take on a Cambodia side boosted by seven naturalised players and held Malaysia to a 2-2 draw in Phnom Penh on Dec 8 to end a run of nine straight defeats by the Tigers. Five of Cambodia’s naturalised players – South Africa-born defender Kan Mo, Japan-born midfielder and set-piece specialist Yudai Ogawa and defender Takaki Ose, United States-born winger Nick Taylor, and Ivory Coast-born scorer Abdel Kader Coulibaly – started and impressed with their ability on the ball. They also have Japan-born defender Hikaru Mizuno and Colombia-born forward Andres Nieto to call upon. Mo, formerly known as Faeez Khan, had played in the Cambodian league for five years before he switched nationality in 2024. The 32-year-old said: “We help to push the local players more so we can become stronger as a unit. “We had six days to prepare for this tournament, so it’s a challenge. We know each other from the league... but tactically, it’s a bit difficult coming together. We need more time to perfect our playing style, but at the moment, if our fighting spirit is there, we will be okay.” Meanwhile, Singapore will have a different coach at the helm for a seventh straight Asean Championship. Since winning the 2012 edition, they have made it past the group stage just once, in 2021 when they were beaten by Indonesia in the two-legged semi-finals. Tsutomu Ogura is the latest man to attempt to turn the Lions’ fortunes around, and has injected some positivity that led to come-from-behind results against China (2-2) and Myanmar (3-2). These have been tempered, however, by a 7-0 drubbing by South Korea and a 3-2 defeat by Chinese Taipei. While the likes of goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud, defender Safuwan Baharudin and striker Shawal Anuar will be key to his plans, there will be opportunities for younger players to establish themselves, with notable absences in Song Ui-young (family matters), Jacob Mahler (injury) and Irfan, Ikhsan and Ilhan Fandi (not released by foreign clubs). The 58-year-old Japanese, who has experimented with his line-ups and given opportunities to youngsters such as Jordan Emaviwe, Farhan Zulkifli and Abdul Rasaq Akeem, said he will pick his starting XI only on match-day mornings. He said: “I don’t just look at what happens on the pitch. I respect the experienced players for what they contribute on and off the pitch because that is what we need to help the younger players fit into the team.” He added that while the first game of a tournament is always important, it is also only one game. “There will be pressure, but this is where the experienced players come in,” he said. “Many of the younger players will be playing in their first Asean Championship opening game, but the senior players have gone through this many times and I want them to be able to lead the team and solve problems.” Tickets for Singapore’s home matches are available for purchase via ticketmaster.sg
For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter, with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. People are also reading... Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal. His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, with the help of his agent Scott Boras, left, agreed to a $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets on Sunday. Julio Cortez, AP File Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft. Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Juan Soto's deal comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. David Zalubowski, AP File Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. PHOTOS: The top sports images from 2024 Stiliana Nikolova, of Bulgaria performs in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round, at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Francisco Seco Cincinnati Reds' Jonathan India reacts as he collides with San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Cincinnati. India was safe and Campusano was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Carolyn Kaster Kimberley Woods of Britain competes in the women's kayak cross time trial at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a forehand return to Coco Gauff of the U.S. during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) Louise Delmotte Noah Lyles, of the United States, jumps as he limbers-up ahead of the men's 100-meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Petr David Josek A member of the Seattle Mariners tosses a ball against a wall during drills at spring training baseball workouts, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Lindsey Wasson Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia waits to receive serve during her first round match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth Czech Republic's Jiri Beran, left, competes with France's Yannik Borel in the men's team epee bronze final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Abbie Parr France's Adrien Truffert jumps over Argentina's goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli during a quarterfinal soccer match between France and Argentina, at Bordeaux Stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Bordeaux, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Rebecca Blackwell Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Ashley Landis Italy's Sara Curtis splashes her face with water before a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Natacha Pisarenko Ivory Coast 's Seko Fofana, top, duels for the ball with Nigeria's Victor Osimhen during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) Sunday Alamba Costa Rica midfielder Jefferson Brenes, from left, Alvaro Zamora (21), Francisco Calvo (15) and Joseph Mora (8) are pelted with drinks and trash after celebrating a Brenes goal in the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Play-In soccer match against Honduras, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Gabrielle Thomas, of the United States, celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Ashley Landis Tyrrell Hatton, of England, reacts on the 11th hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Augusta, GA. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Ashley Landis Quincy Hall, of the United States, celebrates after winning the men's 400-meter final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) David J. Phillip Tim Tszyu, of Australia, hits Sebastian Fundora in a super welterweight title bout Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) John Locher Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers takes the field prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Stephanie Scarbrough Workers peep through curtains to watch a match between France's Gael Monfils and Russia's Daniil Medvedev during the China Open tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Ng Han Guan Amy Yang, of South Korea, is doused after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, Sunday, June 23, 2024, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Lindsey Wasson Workers remove snow from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes) Jeffrey T. Barnes United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Gurgl, Austria, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti) Gabriele Facciotti Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, left, scores his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Almeria at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue ) Bernat Armangue Czech Republic's Michal Kempny, right, punches United States' Brady Tkachuk during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Petr David Josek Turkey's Taha Akgul, left, competes with Georgia's Geno Petriashvili in a men's freestyle 125 kg category gold medal wrestling match during the European Wrestling Championships, in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Andreea Alexandru Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith cries after winning the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Eric Gay Carles Coll Marti of Spain competes in the men's 200-meter breaststroke heat at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Lee Jin-man Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots between New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III and guard CJ McCollum in the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New Orleans. The Lakers won 110-106. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Gerald Herbert A man in a monk's robe waves the French flag as the peloton passes during the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 163.5 kilometers (101.6 miles) with start in Macon and finish in Dijon, France, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Daniel Cole Belgium's Jeremy Doku, left, challenges for the ball with Romania's Andrei Ratiu during a Group E match between Belgium and Romania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Alessandra Tarantino A spectator walks through a water mist sprayer on her way to Eiffel Tower Stadium to watch a beach volleyball at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty Gabriel Medina, of Brazil, kicks off of a wave as he warms up prior to the quarterfinals round of the 2024 Summer Olympics surfing competition, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Gregory Bull Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, is reflected on a surface as she performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Charlie Riedel Wyndham Clark waits to hit on the 17th hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Matt Slocum Kolkata Knight Riders' wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz dives to make an unsuccessful attempt to run out Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma during the Indian Premier League cricket final match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024.(AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) Mahesh Kumar A. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) Vincent Thian Serbia's Novak Djokovic embraces his daughter Tara after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Manu Fernandez Spain's Dani Olmo clears the ball from the goal line during the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Andreea Alexandru A fleet of boats compete in the mixed multihull sailing race during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Daniel Cole A horse watches from its stable ahead of the 156th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race at Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Julia Nikhinson Silver medalist Simone Biles, of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles, of the United States, right, bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, during the medal ceremony for the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Abbie Parr Denver celebrates after winning the championship game against Boston College in the Frozen Four NCAA college hockey tournament Saturday, April 13, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Denver won 2-0 to win the national championship. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Abbie Parr Washington safety Kamren Fabiculanan (13) and cornerback Elijah Jackson (25) break up a pass to Eastern Michigan wide receiver Terry Lockett Jr. (3) in the end zone during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Seattle. Washington won 30-9. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Lindsey Wasson Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Johnson, right, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain, center, and Adem Bona during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Matt Slocum Elise Mertens, of Belgium, serves against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Mark J. Terrill Italy's Giovanni Tocci competes in the men's 3m springboard diving preliminary at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Lee Jin-man Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani breaks his bat during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Wearing a device that measures his energy consumption, the Israel Amputee Football Team player, Ben Maman, left, fights for the ball with a young soccer player from a local team during a practice session in Ramat Gan, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Leo Correa A soccer fan dressed as Spiderman watches Brazil play Uruguay in a Copa America quarterfinal match on a screen set up for fans on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Brazil lost in a penalty shootout and Uruguay qualified for the semifinals. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Bruna Prado Men dressed in traditional clothes try to pull the opponent over the table at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Matthias Schrader Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, kicks the ball after double faulting against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Julia Nikhinson Water is sprayed on the pitch as the ball boys and girls walk along the center line before the start of the men's Group A field hockey match between South Africa and Germany at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Aijaz Rahi Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) reaches for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (12) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Sue Ogrocki Morocco's Widad Bertal celebrates after defeating Thailand's Jutamas Jitpong in their women's 54kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher) John Locher Brazil's Priscila eyes the ball during a women's semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Spain at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Marseille Stadium in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Julio Cortez Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Charlie Riedel New Orleans Saints linebacker Willie Gay Jr. signs autographs for a young fan before the start of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Ed Zurga Real Madrid's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth Mozambique's Deizy Nhaquile battles rough seas during a women's dinghy race, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Jacquelyn Martin People watch the cauldron rise at sunset by the Olympic rings during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Natacha Pisarenko Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher) John Locher A light show is projected from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) David J. Phillip Kateryna Tabashnyk, a high jumper, sits for a portrait Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the athletics arena of the "Polytechnic" sports complex, which was destroyed by a Russian rocket attack, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Evgeniy Maloletka Get in the game with our Prep Sports NewsletterInter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer has offered his assessment of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League heartache at Bayer Leverkusen. Speaking to Sky Sport after the match via FCInterNews , the ex-Switzerland international urged his teammates to learn a lesson from tonight’s gut-wrenching result. Despite standing firm for almost 90 minutes, a lapse of concentration saw Inter suffer a late 1-0 defeat at the BayArena. Leverkusen had Inter on the ropes for most of the game. However, Simone Inzaghi’s backline excelled in fending off the Germans’ relentless attempts to break the deadlock. That was until the 90th minute when Nordi Mukiele pounced on a fortune rebound on the edge of the six-yard box. Completely unmarked in front of Sommer, the French defender powered the ball home to end Inter’s purple patch. Indeed, the Nerazzurri entered the field on a 13-game unbeaten streak. But Inzaghi’s overly conservative approach, especially after the break, proved counterproductive at the final whistle. Yann Sommer Encourages Inter Milan to Learn from Champions League Defeat at Bayer Leverkusen Sommer was minutes away from making Champions League history. After five shutouts from as many European games this season, he was on the brink of achieving an unprecedented feat. Inter could’ve become the first team in the Champions League’s rich tradition to kick off a new season with six straight clean sheets. However, Mukiele denied the Nerazzurri a piece of continental history. Though it was a bitter pill, Sommer wants Inter to learn from their mistakes and move forward. “We had many chances and put a lot of pressure on the opponent,” Sommer said. “But Leverkusen is an incredibly strong team. “Even with the ball at our feet, it wasn’t easy. We had spaces to do better and create problems for them. “Today went as it did; we’ll take this experience and move forward.”Why Shopify Stock Skyrocketed 48% Last Month
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Over the last few years, Greaves Cotton has successfully evolved from being a single-business, single-fuel company to a diversified, fuel-agnostic leader. Vice-Chairman Nagesh Basavanhalli shares his thoughts during an interaction with The Hindu . Edited excerpts: Can you share insights into Greaves Cotton’s evolution The transformation of Greaves Cotton was driven by the imperative to future-proof our 160-year-old legacy amidst seismic shifts in market dynamics and consumer expectations. As early as 2016, we recognised the impending disruption from BS-VI regulations, the shift towards clean energy, and the rise of alternative technologies. Our strategy focused on transitioning from a single-product, single-fuel business to a multi-revenue, multi-business, fuel-agnostic company. This approach allowed us to pursue multiple growth areas simultaneously, combining organic innovation with strategic acquisitions. At the core of our journey are three mantras: 1. B2B + B2C – bringing us closer to consumers. 2. Value chain extraction – maximising lifecycle value through an integrated ecosystem. 3. Fuel agnosticism – addressing diverse consumer needs across electric, CNG, diesel, and hybrid solutions. What are the challenges did the company encounter during this transformation? The transition from legacy single-cylinder diesel engines to a fuel-agnostic, multi-business model required bold decisions and strategic agility. Key challenges included developing entirely new capabilities in mechatronics, and software-driven solutions while reimagining our manufacturing processes to align with cleaner technologies like EVs. This required substantial investments in R&D and a strategic shift toward high-growth sectors such as electric mobility, CNG and adjacent areas such as non-auto businesses, off-highway vehicles and trucks, amongst others. Despite these challenges, the transformation opened up vast opportunities. We diversified our revenue streams, built a digitally connected ecosystem and strengthened consumer trust by delivering accessible, future-ready solutions. Can you elaborate on the Greaves Engineering and Greaves Retail expansion? Greaves Engineering addresses industry needs with fuel-agnostic engines, ePowertrains and application-specific solutions, empowering customers across sectors. Our foray into global markets further strengthened our reach and credibility. Greaves Retail bridges the gap between manufacturers and consumers through a robust network of over 250 distributors, over 20,000 retailers and 25,000 mechanics. Our unique value proposition lies in our 3S model delivering comprehensive support to customers across a range of industries. Can you share some key milestones for Greaves Finance? Key milestones include strategic partnerships with leading OEMs, the introduction of innovative schemes such as buyback options and a streamlined loan approval process that sets new benchmarks in efficiency. By integrating bundled insurance services and leveraging co-lending partnerships, Greaves Finance simplifies the ownership journey, ensuring seamless and affordable access to sustainable mobility for millions. What are the new technology and digital initiatives Greaves has adopted to enhance customer experiences?Greaves is building a comprehensive digital ecosystem that provides an end-to-end solution, encompassing product discovery, financing and lifecycle management. The Greaves1 app, focused on genset servicing, simplifies maintenance and enhances service efficiency. The Greaves Upahar Loyalty App improves accessibility and rewards loyalty among mechanics, fostering stronger engagement. The ev.fin platform revolutionises EV financing. Together, these initiatives lay the foundation for a fully integrated digital marketplace, enhancing customer experiences and delivering value across all touchpoints, positioning Greaves as a leader in innovative and inclusive mobility solutions. How does Greaves Cotton envision its role in the future of engineering and mobility? Our vision is to empower lives by driving sustainable innovation in engineering and mobility. We aim to create a digitally integrated ecosystem that delivers tailored, fuel-agnostic solutions, leveraging advancements in mechatronics, electrification and smart connectivity. With a focus on clean energy and innovation, we are shaping the next generation of mobility technologies that address market needs while promoting sustainability. What are the company’s key priorities over the next five years? Our focus is on building a robust, integrated ecosystem that connects products, services and solutions to enhance customer engagement. By expanding across the value chain and scaling digital conversion, we aim to lead in clean technology adoption, foster innovation and deliver end-to-end experiences. Sustainability, customer proximity and talent investment will remain central to our strategy as we accelerate growth and create long-term value for stakeholders. Q: Published - December 28, 2024 07:38 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditXerox Holdings Corp. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors despite daily gains
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Abortion has become slightly more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over. It’s now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade and opened the door for states to implement bans. The policies and their impact have been in flux ever since the ruling in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Here’s a look at data on where things stand: Abortions are slightly more common now than before Dobbs Overturning Roe and enforcing abortion bans has changed how woman obtain abortions in the U.S. But one thing it hasn’t done is put a dent in the number of abortions being obtained. There have been slightly more abortions each month across the country recently than there were in the months leading up to the June 2022 ruling, even as the number in states with bans dropped to near zero. “Abortion bans don’t actually prevent abortions from happening,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at UC San Francisco. But, she said, they do change care. For women in some states, there are major obstacles to getting abortions — and advocates say that low-income, minority and immigrant women are least likely to be able to get them when they want. For those living in states with bans, the ways to access abortion are through travel or abortion pills. Pills become a bigger part of equation — and the legal questions As the bans swept in, abortion pills became a bigger part of the equation. They were involved in about half the abortions before Dobbs. More recently, it’s been closer to two-thirds of them, according to research by the Guttmacher Institute. The uptick of that kind of abortion, usually involving a combination of two drugs, was underway before the ruling. But now, it’s become more common for pill prescriptions to be made by telehealth. By the summer of 2024, about 1 in 10 abortions was via pills prescribed via telehealth to patients in states where abortion is banned. As a result, the pills are now at the center of battles over abortion access. This month, Texas sued a New York doctor for prescribing pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. There’s also an effort by Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to roll back their federal approvals and treat them as “controlled dangerous substances,” and a push for the federal government to start enforcing a 19th century federal law to ban mailing them. Travel for abortion has increased Clinics have closed or halted abortions in states with bans. But a network of efforts to get women seeking abortions to places where they’re legal has strengthened and travel for abortion is now common. The Guttmacher Institute found that more than twice as many Texas residents obtained abortion in 2023 in New Mexico as New Mexico residents did. And as many Texans received them in Kansas as Kansans. Abortion funds, which benefited from “rage giving” in 2022, have helped pay the costs for many abortion-seekers. But some funds have had to cap how much they can give. The abortion map has been in flux Since the downfall of Roe, the actions of lawmakers and courts have kept shifting where abortion is legal and under what conditions. Florida, the nation’s second most-populous state, began enforcing a ban on abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy on May 1. That immediately changed the state from one that was a refuge for other Southerners seeking abortion to an exporter of people looking for them. There were about 30% fewer abortions there in May compared with the average for the first three months of the year. And in June, there were 35% fewer. While the ban is not unique, the impact is especially large. The average driving time from Florida to a facility in North Carolina where abortion is available for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is more than nine hours, according to data maintained by Caitlin Myers, a Middlebury College economics professor. The bans have meant clinics closed or stopped offering abortions in some states. But some states where abortion remains legal until viability — generally considered to be sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy, though there’s no fixed time for it — have seen clinics open and expand. Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico are among the states with new clinics. There were 799 publicly identifiable abortion providers in the U.S. in May 2022, the month before the Supreme Court reversed Roe vs. Wade. And by this November, it was 792, according to a tally by Myers, who is collecting data on abortion providers. But Myers says some hospitals that always provided some abortions have begun advertising it. So they’re now in the count of clinics — even though they might provide few of them. Lack of access to abortions during emergencies is threatening some patients’ lives How hospitals handle pregnancy complications, especially those that threaten the lives of the women, has emerged as a major issue since Roe was overturned. President Biden’s administration says hospitals must offer abortions when they’re needed to prevent organ loss, hemorrhage or deadly infections, even in states with bans. Texas is challenging the administration’s policy and the U.S. Supreme Court this year declined to take it up after the Biden administration sued Idaho. More than 100 pregnant women seeking help in emergency rooms were turned away or left unstable since 2022, the Associated Press found in an analysis of federal hospital investigative records. Among the complaints were a woman who miscarried in the lobby restroom of Texas emergency room after staff refused to see her and a woman who gave birth in a car after a North Carolina hospital couldn’t offer an ultrasound. The baby later died. “It is increasingly less safe to be pregnant and seeking emergency care in an emergency department,” Dara Kass, an emergency medicine doctor and former U.S. Health and Human Services official told the AP earlier this year. Abortion rights are popular with voters Since Roe was overturned, there have been 18 reproductive rights-related statewide ballot questions. Abortion rights advocates have prevailed on 14 of them and lost on four. In the 2024 election, they amended the constitutions in five states to add the right to abortion. Such measures failed in three states: In Florida, where it required 60% support; in Nebraska, which had competing abortion ballot measures; and in South Dakota, where most national abortion rights groups did support the measure. AP VoteCast data found that more than three-fifths of voters in 2024 supported abortion being legal in all or most cases — a slight uptick from 2020. The support came even as voters supported Republicans to control the White House and both houses of Congress. Mulvihill and Vineys write for the Associated Press. AP writers Linley Sanders, Amanda Seitz and Laura Ungar contributed to this report.
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Syrian rebels push into Damascus: Bashar al-Assad 'nowhere to be seen' as his soldiers flee into Iraq and opposition fighters reach capital city's suburbs By MILO POPE Published: 07:19 AEDT, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 07:35 AEDT, 8 December 2024 e-mail View comments Syrian opposition fighters have reached the suburbs of the Damascus capital for the first time since the region was recaptured by government troops in 2018, as president Bashar al-Assad's regime nears collapse. One resident said the city was on edge, with security forces on the streets and many shops running out of staple foods. The Syrian army withdrew from much of the country's south on Saturday but later said it was fortifying positions in the Damascus suburbs and in the south. Syria's state news agency denied reports that Assad had already fled to Russia claiming he continued to govern from Damascus. However, following the statement claiming it was 'false news', a source has told CNN that Assad was 'nowhere to be found' at his usual residences in the capital. Lebanon said it is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria because of the security situation on the Syrian side. The rapidly developing events in Syria have again put the region on edge. Government forces reportedly withdrew as rebel groups amassed in the city's suburbs, wrestling for control after more than a week of intensified fighting. A giant portrait of Syrian president Bashar Assad sets on a building, as empty streets seen in Damascus, Syria A military vehicle belonging to the Syrian regime forces and seized by anti government forces burn after it was hit by regime forces in the Hama governorate A military vehicle belonging to the Syrian regime forces is pictured abandoned on the side of a road in the Hama governorate, on December 7 People ride a tank in the Syrian southern city of Daraa on December 7 A government armoured vehicle burns as rebels ride along the road south of Hama, in the south of Syria Anti-regime armed rebels fire their weapons into the air in victory after capturing Hama The fall of Bashar al-Assad's routine appeals all but assured (pictured: rebels ride past a damaged government vehicle in Hama) Armed groups reached the suburb of Darayya this afternoon, some five miles from the centre, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency . 'Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus,' said rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani today, with the Islamist-led alliance that launched the offensive 10 days ago. 'Damascus awaits you,' HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, said in a statement Saturday addressed to rebel fighters on Telegram. Read More Syria rebels reach edge of Damascus as Russia and Iran abandon Assad Syrians still in the nominally government-controlled territory of Jaramana seized the opportunity to pull down a statue of Assad's father as the regime faces collapse. To the north, rebel troops made a lunge towards the strategic city of Homs, just days after they proclaimed a major victory in the taking of the city of Hama on Thursday. The staggering assault has seen rebels opposed to the regime make the fastest battlefield advance by either side since the civil war began almost 13 years ago. Assad's office said today that the President was staying put in the capital and continuing his duties after his children and British-born wife fled to Russia last week, and his brothers-in-law allegedly travelled to the UAE, per Syrian security officials. Assad's allies in Russia , Iran and Hezbollah, distracted or worn-down by other conflicts, meanwhile showed no signs of intervening . Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told CNN that Turkey wishes that neighboring Syria can 'quickly attain the peace and tranquility it has longed for' during 13 years of civil conflict. He said: 'I want to say this openly: We do not have our eyes on land — not even a pebble — that belongs to another country.' Local residents celebrate after opposition forces led by HTS (Hayyet Tahrir al-Sham) took control of Hama city center and surrounding villages on December 6 Rebel forces pressing a lightning offensive in Syria aim to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's rule, their Islamist leader said in an interview published on December 6 Russian president Vladimir Putin meets with Assad at the Kremlin in Moscow in July Asma al-Assad, wife of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, casts her vote during the country's presidential elections in Douma, Syria, with her husband in this file photo taken in 2021 People in Damascus topple a statue of Hafez al-Assad and wave a Druze flag as rebel forces approach the capital, on December 7 Charles Lister, director of the Syria and countering terrorism and extremism programs at the Middle East Institute, told Bloomberg that Assad's future has 'never looked more fragile' as the opposition encroaches on Homs and allied support withers. While capturing Homs could close the land route between the government and Tartus, home to Russia's only Mediterranean port, Russia appears not to be in a position to help Assad regain ground with focus and resources directed to Ukraine. 'Russia doesn't have a plan to save Assad and doesn't see one emerging as long as the Syrian president's army continues to abandon its positions,' a source 'close to the Kremlin' told Bloomberg. What is HTS? HTS, the group leading the rebel offensive in Syria, is a powerful Islamist organisation that has maintained de facto control of Idlib for several years. The group, led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, solidified in 2017 as a conglomeration of various Islamist factions but traces its roots to al-Qaeda. HTS' core component arose from a group once known as Jabhat al-Nusra - al-Qaeda's Syrian branch - but later sought to reposition itself as a legitimate Syrian nationalist organisation. It officially severed ties with al-Qaeda and created a civilian arm known as the 'Salvation Government' through which it seeks to govern in Syria, insisting it has no ambition to expand beyond the nation's borders. Initial reports from civilians in Aleppo have appeared to suggest that HTS militants have treated inhabitants well after ousting Syrian government forces. But there are suspicions that HTS' jihadist origins remain and it is still designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), US, UK and the EU, among others. Advertisement Iran , likewise, has been hesitant, or unable, to funnel its support to Syria. On Friday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he would would only help Assad 'to the extent necessary', but previously promised to 'consider' sending troops. The capture of Hama has given rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), control of a strategic central city they never managed to seize before. Homs is the next target for the rebels, deemed crucial for Assad's hopes of staying in power. 'Assad now cannot afford to lose anything else. The big battle is the one coming against Homs. If Homs falls, we are talking of a potential change of regime,' Jihad Yazigi, editor of the Syria Report newsletter, told Reuters . It follows a staggering effort to seize Aleppo, the main northern city in Syria, last week as part of a blitz offensive beginning on November 27. The collapse of Syrian government control in the north has sharply illustrated a shift in the balance of power since Lebanon's Hezbollah group, a lynchpin of Assad's forces, suffered catastrophic losses in its war with Israel. While Hezbollah has reportedly sent 2,000 fighters to Syria, per a source close to the Iran-backed proxy group today, Assad's backing from allies continues to wither. Rebel forces were just 12 miles (20km) from Damascus by 11am GMT on Saturday, posing an imminent threat to the capital, according to a war monitor and rebels. The Syrian army reportedly withdrew its forces from all towns about 10km (6.2 miles) from the capital, a monitor reported soon after. The Syrian defence ministry, loyal to Assad, denied the army had fled positions. 'There is no truth to news claiming our armed forces, present in all areas of the Damascus countryside, have withdrawn,' it said. The Syrian government was also forced to evacuate from its positions in Quneitrea, near the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The Syrian Democratic Forces, the main ally of the US against the regime, meanwhile seized key areas in Deir ez Zor and Raqqa on December 6, making it harder for Iran to move forces in to help Assad or resupply Iranian-backed forces like Hezbollah. Reported battlefield advances as of Friday, December 6. Claims are quickly changing In little over a week, the offensive has seen Syria's second city Aleppo and strategically located Hama fall from Assad's control for the first time since the civil war began in 2011 Assad's office said today that the President was staying put in the capital and continuing his duties after his children and British-born wife fled to Russia last week (pictured together 2021) Bashar al-Assad (L) with his wife Asma al-Assad arrive at New Delhi International airport, India, 17 June 2008 NEW - opposition fighters are currently advancing into #Homs city, as the advance into southern #Damascus appears to be triggering a sudden collapse of frontlines. pic.twitter.com/azUiaKPxQs — Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) December 7, 2024 A member of the Syrian opposition stands at an entrance to the Hama governorate on the Damascus-Aleppo International Highway, December 3 Video shared on social media by reporters claimed to show regime forces routing on foot from the town of Zakiah, a mere 16 miles (25.7km) from Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly returned to the capital to continue carrying out duties, officials said today following reports he had left. Read More Syria tinderbox explained: A bloody new offensive that could spark the demise of Assad Meanwhile, Syrians in Jaramana - a suburb of the capital - tore down a statue of Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez, as some waved the flag of the Druze. The suburb is still nominally controlled by the Assad regime at the time of writing, and it did not appear to be militant rebel groups (who are still several miles from Jaramana and Damascus) pulling down the statue, contrary to other reports. Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that local rebel fighters now also controlled all of Daraa province. Rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani, with the Islamist-led alliance that launched the offensive in the country's northwest, said 'we are now less than 20 km from the southern gate of the capital Damascus'. 'The advance towards the capital continues,' he added. A truck pulls the head of another toppled statue of late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad through the streets of the city of Hama on December 6 An aerial picture shows a car driving past Syrian army military equipment and vehicles that were abandoned on the highway to Damascus, near the town of Suran, on December 3, 2024 Syria 's British-born first lady, Asma al-Assad (pictured, file photo), has been diagnosed with leukemia, the Syrian presidency said on Tuesday. The announcement came almost five years after the 48-year-old announced she had fully recovered from breast cancer A short while ago, an attack was carried out by armed individuals at a @UN post in the Hader area in #Syria . The IDF is currently assisting the UN forces in repelling the attack. The IDF is deployed with reinforced forces in the Golan Heights area and will continue to operate... — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 7, 2024 Israel's military now assesses that the rebels pose a direct threat to Assad's rule. While a weakened Assad regime plays to Israel's interests, there remains debate around sending troops in - amid an ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza and clashes with Iran - and anxiety around helping Sunni jihadists once aligned with al-Qaeda. Read More BREAKING NEWS Donald Trump takes swipe at Obama as he warns US should not intervene in Syria The IDF announced on Saturday afternoon that an attack had been carried out by 'armed individuals' at a UN post in the Hader area of Syria. It said it was assisting UN forces in repelling the attack and would continue to operate in the Golan Heights in order to protect Israel and its citizens. Assadist forces have been backed by intense Russian airstrikes, but rebels continue to push through Assad's lines. Since Russia does not share a land border with Syria, it also depends on Turkey's goodwill to allow warships to pass through the Bosporus. While Turkey and Russia were able to work together to broker a truce in May 2020, Turkish forces have backed opposition groups in an effort to displace ISIS. For Russia, Syria represents a strategic stronghold key to its efforts to project power in the Middle East. The loss of influence would be 'devastating' for Russia, Nicole Grajewski, fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the Wall Street Journal . 'To see Russian planes leave Syria as rebel forces move onward towards their air bases, and their assets in Damascus fall, this would be so devastating for the Russian image of itself,' she said. Anti-government fighters patrol the streets of Hama after they captured the central Syrian city, on December 6 Israeli soldiers sit atop an armoured vehicle near the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria Saturday December 7, 2024 National Syrian Army soldiers celebrate in the city after opposition forces led by HTS (Hayyet Tahrir al-Sham) took control of Hama city center and surrounding villages on December 6 'It would be akin to a Saigon moment for them,' she added. Ukrainian intelligence has assessed that Russian forces have 'suffered significant losses, with some units of the aggressor state surrounded'. Read More ANOTHER city falls to Islamist rebels in Syria, with Assad's forces fleeing Hama 'Hundreds of Moscow troops are listed as missing in Syria,' it reported. Rebel groups were rumoured to have received operational training from Ukrainian special forces, learning from tactics developed during the war in Ukraine, the Kyiv Post reported . Assad relied heavily on Russian and Iranian backing during the most intense years of the conflict, helping him to claw back most territory and Syria's biggest cities before front lines froze in 2020. But Russia has been focused on the war in Ukraine since 2022, and many in the top leadership of Hezbollah, the most powerful Iran-aligned force, were killed by Israel over the past two months. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by Israeli airstrikes. And Syrian troops are exhausted and hollowed out by 13 years of war and economic crises, with little will left to fight. 'The coming days and weeks will be critical in determining whether the rebel offensive poses an existential threat to the Assad regime or whether the regime manages to regain its footing and push back on recent rebel gains,' said Mona Yacoubian, an analyst with the United States Institute for Peace, as reported the Associated Press . 'While weakened and distracted, Assad's allies are unlikely to simply cave to the rebels' offensive,' she wrote in an analysis. National Syrian Army soldiers celebrate in the city after opposition forces led by HTS (Hayyet Tahrir al-Sham) took control of Hama city center and surrounding villages on December 6 A view of a military airport seized by anti-regime groups in Hama, on December 6 National Syrian Army soldiers celebrate in the city after opposition forces led by HTS (Hayyet Tahrir al-Sham) took control of Hama city center and surrounding villages on December 6 Abu Mohammed al-Golani (AKA Abu Mohammad al-Julani), the main insurgent commander, has vowed to protect Syria's religious minorities as HTS makes gains. In public remarks clearly intended to soften his image and reassure foreign countries, Golani has also emphasised his split years ago with Al Qaeda and Islamic State, and said he has always opposed attacks outside Syria. HTS and the other rebel groups are trying to consolidate their rule in Aleppo, bringing it under the administration of the so-called Salvation Government they established in their northwestern enclave. The Institute for the Study of War assessed 'support to the Assad regime will almost certainly fail to stop the opposition offensive at this time unless ground forces are deployed rapidly and in larger numbers'. Israel Ukraine Iran Syria Russia Share or comment on this article: Syrian rebels push into Damascus: Bashar al-Assad 'nowhere to be seen' as his soldiers flee into Iraq and opposition fighters reach capital city's suburbs e-mail Add comment
( MENAFN - Newsfile Corp) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 27, 2024) - SILICON METALS CORP. (CSE: SI) (FSE: X6U0) (" Silicon Metals " or the " Company ") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated December 18, 2024 and December 2, 2024, it has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement for gross aggregate proceeds of $147,500 (the " Second Tranche ") through the issuance of 2,269,230 flow-through units of the Company (each, a " Flow-Through Unit ") at a price of $0.065 per Flow-Through Unit. Together with proceeds from the first tranche of the private placement, the Company raised an aggregate of $442,145 and issued an aggregate of 6,802,230 Flow-Through Units. Each Flow-Through Unit consists of one common flow-through share in the capital of the Company (each, a " Flow-Through-Share ") and one-half of one share purchase warrant (each, a " Warrant "), with each whole Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one (non-flow-through) common share in the capital of the Company (each, a " Warrant Share ") at a price of $0.10 per Warrant Share for a period of twenty-four months following issuance. The Company intends to use the aggregate proceeds of the Offering for exploration advancements at its British Columbia exploration properties, and various other exploration costs that the Company may deem necessary. Fees of $10,760 were paid and 165,538 finder's warrants were issued (the " Finder's Warrants ") to certain finders in connection with the Second Tranche. Together with the first tranche of the private placement, the Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $27,312 and issued 420,178 Finder's Warrants. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable into one Share for a period of twenty-four months after the date of issuance at an exercise price of $0.065. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after the date of issuance, as set out in National Instrument 45‐102 - Resale of Securities. None of the securities sold in connection with the Offering will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Silicon Metals Corp. Silicon Metals Corp. is currently focused on exploration in western Canada, namely British Columbia. The Company holds an undivided 100% right, title and interest in the Ptarmigan Silica Project located approximately 130km from Prince George, British Columbia, and the Silica Ridge Silica Project located approximately 70kms southeast from the town of MacKenzie, British Columbia. The Company has also acquired an option to purchase an undivided 100% right, title, and interest in the Longworth Silica Project located approximately 85km East from Prince George, British Columbia. Also, the Company currently has an Option to explore the Hedge Hog Project located 15km north of the town of Wells in the Caribou Mining Division of central British Columbia. The securities of Silicon Melals Corp. trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "SI" and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "X6U0", as well as on the OTC market in the United States under the trading symbol "SLCNF". ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SILICON METALS CORP. "Morgan Good" Morgan Good Chief Executive Officer and Director For more information regarding this news release, please contact: Morgan Good, CEO and Director T: 604-715-4751 E: ... OR ... W: Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release). Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the Company's proposed Offering, and the Company's exploration plans and intended use of proceeds. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied certain material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will use the proceeds from the Offering as currently anticipated, and that the Company will have all the necessary resources, including personnel and capital to carry out its business plans. These forward‐looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that the Company will not use the proceeds from the Offering as disclosed; that the Company will be unable to carry out its business plans as disclosed; changes in applicable legislation impacting the Company's exploration plans; changes in management's expectations regarding its properties; unanticipated costs; loss of key personnel; and failure to raise the capital required to carry out the Company's exploration plans. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS To view the source version of this press release, please visit SOURCE: Silicon Metals Corp. MENAFN27122024004218003983ID1109035927 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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1. A pack of paint markers for the artsy friend who loves to draw on everything from mugs and clothes to shoes and casts. Promising review: "If you like art, drawing, and coloring, these great trendy markers are the perfect addition to your art supplies! Perfect gift for the artist in your life, young and old! Markers make brilliant colors on all types of paper, poster, wood, etc. for all your big and small projects!!" — apc06 Get it from Amazon for $19.97 . 2. A collection of premium Korean teas here to introduce your tea-loving pal to a few new flavors. Promising review: "I received a box of Osulloc tea bags as a gift and fell in love with the taste. This box has 10 different flavors, and I have enjoyed every single one so far. I even got some as an accompanying gift for my pastries (I’m a pastry chef). These tea bags are on the pricier side, but they’re worth it! I would recommend this tea brand to anyone." — audrey n. Get it from Amazon for $39.99 . 3. A variety pack of Awake caffeinated chocolates because it pairs their two favorite things together: caffeine and chocolate. One chocolate is equal to half a cup of coffee, so with a couple of these in their bag, they'll have enough energy to tackle the day. Promising review: "I was worried that the chocolate would be melted by the time it got to my place, but they package the chocolates in a small ice cooler to keep it frozen. They taste really good, and the caffeine gives me some extra energy to finish my work day. Also, I love how they package each bite on its own because it makes it easier for me to take it on the go. I've been using these for my pre-workouts as well as long drives to the office. The price for these is great for the quality, as they are technically only 70 cents per bite. Great deal!" — Adrian Get a bag of 50 from Amazon for $36.99 . 4. A frame-worthy *nap queen* jigsaw puzzle for an activity that your sleepy bestie can relate to. When they're done catching their afternoon ZZZZs, they can put this puzzle together. Jiggy is a woman-founded small biz that supports and highlights the work of female artists to help you unplug and experience art in a new way! Get it from Jiggy for $39 . Browse the rest of the Jiggy puzzles to find one specific to your bestie, or create your own here or on Amazon . 5. A TheraIce migraine relief cap to gift relief to the friend who gets headaches and migraines often. They can use it hot by placing it in the microwave or cold by placing it in the freezer. The compression cap can be worn two ways and is designed to relieve tension and stress, ~help with hangovers,~ and alleviate the pain from headaches and migraines. Promising review: "If you suffer from migraines, you need this, TODAY! I lent my cap to my neighbor when she was experiencing a migraine. She loved it so much that I gifted it to her and bought another for myself. It also makes a great 'ice pack' for kids because of the flexible material." — JG "Headaches?? Migraines?? Meet their worst enemy 😎 and your new best friend!! If you can handle the cool/cold on your head, which you can actually completely control to your liking, you’ll love it!! It’s a no...brainer 😏 cuz it’s for your head heehee. THISSSSS is one of the softest, most comfortable things I’ve everrrrr felt/worn. I’m not kidding. Bury me in it! (Bought with my own big girl monies)" — CourtneyLurae Get it from Amazon for $27.95+ (available in five colors). 6. A unique slim water bottle because they love unique stuff and this slim design bottle is just that. Due to its shape, it can slide into their bag with ease, so they can always squeeze in some hydration. Promising review: "This memo bottle was a gift to a recipient who works in a large department store. They can't carry the regular size water bottles around and can only have with them a very small bag for any necessities. This water bottle just fits into that permissible size bag for having water handy for a busy person. Recipient is very happy, as well as coworkers thought it was pretty ingenious :) A bit expensive but totally worth it." — RJS "I seriously love this water bottle! As soon as I got it, I was raving about it for weeks to the point that my husband was so annoyed with me lol I used it for a Europe trip and love that it is less bulky in the side of a backpack than a traditional water bottle. Make sure you know that this is plastic before you buy it. And then buy it and enjoy :-) — Whitney Armstrong Get it from Amazon for $31+ (available in four sizes). 7. Or, a Brümate insulated tumbler to update their everyday tumbler. It's stainless steel with the power to keep their drink cold for up to 24 hours and is *actually* 100% leak-proof. Plus, it can still fit in their cupholder, which is an absolute must. This reviewer said it's so good that it's become their go-to gift. Promising review: "I LOVE this mug!! I am totally obsessed with sharing how wonderful these are!! I love the quality. Does not drip or leak. The straw is stainless before the lid and has a silicone top above. I love all the colors, but I chose the guava and green ones for myself (two different sizes). I purchased two in the dark aura for gifts. My daughter loves hers and is never without it. I can't wait ’til my daughter-in-law opens her gift!! Great for new moms or anyone who carries a bag and doesn't want to try and hold their mug at the same time. Oh, and did I mention there are absolutely NO spills?!!!! I have purchased two for myself, two as birthday gifts . I'll purchase two more for Christmas gifts!! " — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in two sizes and 13 colors). 8. A peanut butter sampler ideal for friends who believe there's nuttin' better than a spoon of peanut butter. The sampler comes with six flavors that any peanut butter lover would go nutty for. Promising review: "We purchased this for a healthy food eater who loves peanut butter. She was surprised and pleased with the gift. The quality and variety of tastes are wonderful. Her kids have enjoyed sampling the different blends as much as their mom. Great product!" — K Running "No fights broke out, but there was plenty of elbowing as to who was in control of the various flavors. My personal favorite is the peanut butter with cherries and chocolate with the white chocolate and pretzels a very close second. I would highly recommend the sampler for anyone who loves peanut butter." — Christo Get it from Uncommon Goods for $45 . 9. And a platypus spatula — aka a ~splatypus~ — you could pair with the peanut butter sampler or use as a stocking stuffer on its own for a practical yet quirky gift. Promising review: "I bought this as a gift for a friend and the splatypus for myself. They are super cute and help me get every drop of jam and peanut butter from a jar. I highly recommend." — afrilaskan jules Get it from Amazon for $12.95 (also available in a kitty cat). 10. A 2025 Happy Planner because you love them and want every year to be their best year ever. So let's break out the wine and the snacks and get a headstart setting goals and planning vacations. Promising review: "This is the second Happy Planner I've purchased, and once again, I'm extremely satisfied! I prefer the horizontal layout over the vertical one — it’s perfect for a catchall planner and journaling. The spacious horizontal lines make it easy to jot down everything from appointments to thoughts without feeling cramped. The paper quality is excellent — thick enough to prevent ink bleed-through, which is a huge plus for me. The overall durability is great as well, with sturdy discs and covers that hold up over time. The design on the cover is beautiful, with vibrant colors that really stand out and make me excited to use it every day. Overall, it's a great combination of functionality, style, and durability!" — KitKat Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 16 styles). Find some super cool stickers to go with their new planner here . 11. A zodiac perfume from Free People to gift them with a scent that matches their cosmic energy. An ideal stocking stuffer for your astrology enthusiast. Promising review: "I bought this perfume for myself and LOVED my Aries scent (so much I bought the hair serum and the bath bomb ) and also gifted it to my sister, who is Taurus, and she loved her scent as well. This brand ROCKS!!!!" — Anonymous Get it from Free People for $44 (available in every zodiac sign). 12. A pair of handholding socks , too fun to pass up. Finally, something that can display how inseparable you are. They're sure to be a conversation starter if you wear them together in public. These socks come in one size, but reviewers ranging from women's size 5.5 to men's size 11 say they fit! Promising review: "These socks brighten my day every time I wear them. I love that they hold hands and have other sock friends to hold hands with. I gave the second pair to a coworker so we could high-five throughout the workday. Makes our hard days better and our good days even brighter!" — AK Lady Get two pairs from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two styles). 13. A candy dispenser they can add to their desk to reward themselves with treats throughout the day for every ounce of productivity they're able to squeeze out. You checked an email? That deserves a treat. Promising review: "Keep this on my desk to snack on M&Ms. It’s perfect for smaller-sized candy. Love the color. Glad it fits in with my aesthetic." — Dunn Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in six colors). 14. A murder mystery puzzle book just begging to be unwrapped by your true crime-obsessed bestie. It's a whodunit book beautifully illustrated and packed with 20 mysterious cases ready to be solved 🕵🏽. Promising review: "Christmas gift for my BFF. She called when she opened it and her husband was putting it together. They loved it." — Nancy Get it from Amazon for $12.59 . 15. A screaming goat that'll shriek whenever they touch it, which is basically an outward display of their inner frustrations. So now when they feel stressed out and want to scream, Billy (which isn't actually its name but seems like it fits) can scream for them. Promising review: "I saw this on Amazon and it was definitely an impulse purchase. I chuckle every time I hear the scream of the goat. It is just an amusing toy to keep on your desk and let off a little steam , because sometimes you feel like screaming like this goat at work!" — C.C. Get it from Amazon for $8.18 . 16. A scratch-off movies bucket list poster for the film lover who claims they've seen every movie worth seeing. It's a great chance for them to discover a new film or revisit some of their favorites. When every movie is seen, they can frame it and add it to their wall decor. Promising review: "This turned out to be the perfect gift for my brother's 50th birthday. He's always enjoyed music and movies his entire life and this poster was recommended by one of our mutual friends. The movies are from all eras, so it includes a lot of movies he wouldn't think of watching before receiving this poster. He and his family are excited to start scratching off more movies on family nights and any other time they are thinking about what to do for the evening. My niece has already made her list of the first few movies she wants to watch with him. This is a fun, unique, bonding gift for anyone, regardless of age." — Shell Bell Get it from Uncommon Goods for $15 (also available in family movie edition). 17. An original Tamagotchi — a nostalgic toy that'll take their mind off of their adulting day. Remember when we'd have three on a keychain, trying to raise them all at one time? *sigh* Simpler times. Promising review: "I bought this as a sort of nostalgic gift for my wife. And the problem is, she loves it. She spends more time with 'Tommy,' as she has named him, than our actual dog that is dying for her attention. I kind of like Tommy more too, because I don't ever have to clean up Tommy's dookies." — Cupcake Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 30 colors). 18. An Apple Watch stand that'll remind them of the good ol' days aka the '90s. You can insert your apple watch so it can display all of your info when you're not wearing it, and it'll charge it at the same time. Promising review: "Got this as a gift for my fiancé and he was so stoked when he opened it. It’s such good quality for the price and it fits the watch super well!! It really looks like the real thing!" — natuuhhhliee Get it from Amazon for $15.49+ (available in four colors). There's also an awesome AirPods and AirPods Pro case to match. 19. A DIY neon-style sign kit , a completely unnecessary item that'll light up their holiday, literally. It comes with up to 9 feet of bendable light-up wire that can also be a gift for a hard-to-please teen. Promising review: "This wire worked perfectly. I used it to make a neon sign, and it made an AMAZING Christmas gift!! Then I ordered it in orange, and the color was bright and true to the picture. The wire is thin and flexible and very easy to bend (without breaking), so it can be used for many things. I hot glued it to a wireframe that I formed, and it held perfectly. The battery pack was not too big and easy to use. There were three different modes that you could cycle through (continuous light, slow flash, and fast flash) by pressing the button on the pack. The wire does emit a low buzzing noise when you turn it on. If you ask me, it's no real bother. It isn't very loud and is barely noticeable for my purposes. Overall, this wire is totally cool. There are so many projects you could use it for, and nobody will have any clue how you did it!! lol. I'm very happy with my purchase and may buy more for another project in the future." — Rob Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two sizes and in 10 colors). 20. A Boxxle box wine dispenser made to hold that boxed wine they love so much. If you don't have to mess with bottles then don't. This dispenser can hold up to 3 liters of wine and keep it fresh for up to six weeks. Promising review: "This little guy is so worth it! We enjoy a fair amount of boxed wine, so we almost always have a bag in the Boxxle. It really does dispense until the bag is pretty much empty. You have to see it to believe it. It looks nice on the counter and blocks all light from getting to the bag of wine. After struggling with dispensing the last of the wine from the traditional box (seriously, there seemed to always be at least a bottle still left when we had to start the tilt, shake, tilt, shake again antics) ,it's pleasurable to use the Boxxle!" — Andrea W Get it from Amazon for $98.99 . 21. A water bottle crossbody , a minimal crossbody with maximum style and practicality. It has room for all their go-bag essentials — ID, debit and credit cards, lip gloss, scrunchies, hand sanitizer, cash, phone, keys — and is specially designed to hold their water bottle, too. It's a super cool gift, and it comes in an array of fabulous colors. This bag can hold up to a 32oz water bottle. Promising review: "I bought this prior to vacationing in Las Vegas. I wanted my water bottle, phone, money, credit card, and ID all in one carrier, and boy did this deliver. It's very comfortable and very pretty. I bought a silver one. This truly is a very useful, fun, and organized carrier purse. I love mine and use it all the time!" — Nikko Get it from Amazon for $59 (available in 23 colors). 22. An impossibly sweet heart-shaped fake cake box cute enough to eat! Every day will be a celebration with this decorative box sitting out on your dresser. There's no better place to store your precious jewels. You can customize the writing (plus work with the owner for any other customizations you want!) to fit your tastes exactly. Promising review: "Absolutely amazing and beautiful. It's perfect and just as pictured. I am in awe of it. Now I have to buy my mom one. She saw it and hinted not so subtly." — Heather Marie 2FacedCakes is a small business based in Las Vegas that handcrafts gorgeous dessert-themed jewelry storage and decor. Get them from 2FacedCakes on Etsy: the pink '90s box for $46 and the purple with cherries box for $45 (both available with glitter or matte). See their full store page for more adorable options! 23. A stuffed waffle maker to elevate ~breakfast in bed~. Waffles are already a top choice for any time of day and now they can fill 'em with cream cheese, strawberries, chicken, or anything else your heart desires. Promising reviews: " There are not enough words in the English language to describe the happiness this thing brings to me and my family. We’re always thinking of new things to stuff. I’ve had four friends order them as well. I’ll be sending them for Christmas gifts this year. If you like waffles this is a must-have!" — Shannon Hernandez "I bought this after I saw a video on TikTok, so I had an idea about the yummy waffles I could make. First waffles were stuffed with apple pie filling. Second ones scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese . Just amazing!!! The only way you could make this better is to send a chef!! I definitely recommend watching a video on TikTok or YouTube to inspire you before you start!!" — Adirondackdarling Get it from Amazon for $49.99 . 24. Some dreamy LED cloud lights for an *out of this world* aesthetic. These lights set the ultimate mood for relaxation whether you're watching a movie or taking a nap beneath the faux starlit sky. Plus, they're battery-operated so there are no ugly cords you'll need to hide (bless). The clouds have eight light settings (fade, flash, dim, etc.). Promising review: "Absolutely wonderful and just what I was looking for. Fantastic craftsmanship, quick shipping, and just awesome looking decor. Thank you immensely, you're amazing!" — D Gilmore Dream Vibe Creations is a Texas-based small biz that specializes in novelty whimsical cloud lights. The owner, Bobby, began making the cloud lights after his journey of being diagnosed with a rare disease, undergoing a transplant, and spending months recovering at home, in the hopes of bringing smiles to folks' faces and a bit of whimsy and magic to their homes. Get it from Dream Vibe Creations on Etsy for $55+ (available in two color options). 25. A pair of dainty handmade cassette-shaped earrings to rewind the time by wearing a vintage accessory. They long for days of yesterday and wearing these lil babies will remind them of the time when we'd listen to the radio to record our favorite songs. Wearing these will always make them smile. Promising review: "These earrings are a throwback to the '80s, and I absolutely love them. They are lightweight and aren’t too big or too small." — Shellers Get it from Amazon for $6.99 . 26. A fleece Wheel of Fortune blanket because they'd like to solve with the word *cozy*. Promising review: "Bought it for my mother for her anniversary. She loves it. It's really soft and looks like the wheel! What's not to love?" — Dipped Get it from Amazon for $69.99 . 27. A book of random illustrated facts perfect for a friend who loves absorbing knowledge. This book is filled with weird and wondrous facts that'll get them prepared to keep their crown as the reining champ of trivia night. Promising review: "Loved it! Such a cute and beautiful book. I follow the artist's Instagram, and as soon as I found his book in a library, I went ahead and ordered it as a gift for someone who also loves to learn about weird, random facts. The quality is really good too." — Jules Get it from Amazon for $13.56 . 28. A bewitching LED rainbow lamp that'll brighten up the gloomiest of days. A gift that reminds them that their friendship is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 🥲 Promising review: "Got two of these as a gift and I LOVE them!!! So bright and colorful and fun! It has the option of being battery operated or plugging the USB end into something so it stays on constantly." — Sara Get it from Amazon for $13.98 . 29. A faux-leather coffin-shaped wallet in case your goth-loving bestie loves to display the macabre in everyday accessories. It's got 11 individual card slots, one extra ID slot, and three separate bill pockets. Wanna level up? Slide two tickets to see Nosferatu inside the wallet before you give it to them. Lazy Skull is a spooky small business! Promising review: "This wallet is adorable! I have plenty of room for my cards and I don’t have to fold up my cash like I did with my last wallet. The design on the front and inside is sick! I like the handle it comes with as well since I’m not someone who carries a purse around. Can’t wait to carry this to all the spooky events this year!" — Karen Get it from Lazy Skull on Amazon for $29.95 . 30. A rotating disco ball diffuser that'll bring the party by letting the light dance around their room. Then they can diffuse some citrus or peppermint essential oils. Party on the dancefloor for one! Check out a TikTok of the disco ball in action. Make sure to grab them some essential oils for the full experience! Read more about aromatherapy and stress and tension at Johns Hopkins . Promising reviews: "I absolutely LOVE my disco ball diffuser! It brings me joy. The diffuser works great and has timed options. You can use the disco ball without diffusing it, too. Lots of pretty color-changing options, or you can have it cycle through all of the colors, which is what I choose to do. There are two spinning modes, too...slow and fast, or you can set it to not spin at all. Get one. You WON’T be disappointed!! 🪩🫶🏼😍" — Heather Get it from Amazon for $37.97+ (available in two sizes). 31. A pair of satin pillowcases to treat treat their skin and hair simply by laying on these cases. Hair poppin', skin poppin', and sleep poppin' too. Promising review: "Absolutely LOVE these pillowcases! Likely the best gift I was ever given! My hair and skin have been so much better after switching to these! I wake up to shiny, manageable hair and clean, acne-free skin! The color is vibrant, and the texture is cool and soft. Would definitely recommend!" — Carey Marie Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in five sizes and 39 colors). 32. A heated eye massager for those who live their lives glued to a screen. This eye massage plays music, gently blows air, heats up, and keeps the eyes relaxed after scrolling through hundreds of emails that they end up just marking as spam anyway. Promising review : "This is a great massager! I bought another one as a gift and have shared the massager info with coworkers, and several have bought this item, too. It is very comfortable, with multiple options on heat, sound, massaging, and pressure. I absolutely love this product!" — Cheryl Get it from Amazon for $55.99+ (available in three colors). 33. A wicked witch-themed bookmark because they've been raving about Wicked and now want to dive into the book. Here's a way to keep them on brand while they're *holding space* for their Wicked era. But... was she really a ~wicked~ witch? 🤔 MY BOOKMARK is a small biz based in Kiev, Ukraine, that sells unique bookmarks! Promising review: "This is one of my favorite bookmarks!! Well crafted. I thought I had broken it when I dropped my book. I was so happy to see that the legs could be repositioned. Love it!!" — Ms. E Get it from Amazon for $19.99 . 34. An adorable itty bitty Baby Yoda Bluetooth speaker they can use to blast their favorite tunes right before cuddling up for a Star Wars movie date night. Promising review: "I read the comments where people said this was louder than they expected, but I was still surprised at how DANG LOUD this little thing is!! It gets louder than my parents' big Bluetooth speaker! Definitely cute, definitely worth the money! You won’t regret it!" — Edwards Get it from Amazon for $17.46 . 35. A set of LED light saber chopsticks because you've seen them try to use chopsticks before, and hopefully they'll get better at grabbing their sushi with a little help from the force. Promising review: "I purchased these for a friend's birthday present (he is a sushi waiter) and these are flippin' AMAZING. I ordered two sets by mistake, but I am totally keeping the second pair for another gift (or for myself!). These are sure to be great conversation pieces and attention-getters. Way to go!" — T. Redwood Get two pairs from Amazon for $9.97 . You and your friends after exchanging your gifts: The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Right when the Los Angeles Rams' offense has dropped into a disconcerting slump, their defense has held three straight opponents under 10 points for the first time in decades. Although the Rams (10-6) are closing in on an NFC West title and another playoff berth with a five-game winning streak, the way they're doing it makes their postseason prospects quite unpredictable. The methodology has been strange, but the results are not: After holding off Arizona 13-9 on Saturday night, Los Angeles has won nine of 11 and is very close to claiming its fourth division title and sixth playoff berth in coach Sean McVay's eight seasons. “I’m proud of this group and the way they battled back,” Matthew Stafford said. “A lot of people doubted us, and a lot of people wrote us off at 1-4. To be able to sit here with our record what it is right now, I feel proud of this group.” The Rams hadn't held three straight opponents to single-digit scoring since 1975, but rookie coordinator Chris Shula's defense has done it with a strong front and a little luck on the back end, including the last-minute interception by Ahkello Witherspoon on a pass that deflected off star Arizona tight end Trey McBride's head at the goal line. Kyler Murray threw it before McBride was probably ready because Shula had called a zero blitz on first down at the Los Angeles 5. “I want to make more plays to make sure they don’t have to do as much as they did (against Arizona), but I’m proud of them,” Stafford said of the Rams' defense. "It’s awesome to watch where they were in training camp to where they are now. Shula is doing a hell of a job. We all knew he would. Those guys are playing hard for him.” But the Rams have scored more than 21 points just once during their five-game winning streak, their longest since their Super Bowl championship season in 2021. They’ve managed only three touchdowns in their last three games while scoring fewer than 20 points each time out, although that stretch includes games played in the rain (San Francisco) and in subfreezing temperatures (New York Jets). Against the Cardinals in Inglewood's ideal weather, the Rams’ offense still produced one TD, a season-worst 12 first downs and only 257 total yards — 139 fewer than Arizona. The running game struggled again, as it often does when all five starting offensive linemen aren't healthy, while the entire roster aside from Puka Nacua combined for just seven receptions for 60 yards — a surprising number for a McVay offense. “I don’t think there’s one thing I can point to,” McVay said Sunday. “I could go on and on about some of the things, starting with me, but then also about our execution in terms of getting connected in the run game, targeting the right way, making sure that the ball is going where it should go, and guys that I know are capable of playing the way that we’ve seen. If they do that, then I know that it’s not as far as sometimes it can feel like. But ultimately, we’ve got to do it.” What's working The young front four remains the strength of the defense. Jared Verse had a tremendous game on the edge against Murray and Arizona's running game, while fellow rookie Braden Fiske and second-year pros Kobie Turner and Byron Young all recorded sacks. What needs help The Rams again failed to establish the running game despite never trailing Arizona. Kyren Williams got his second-fewest carries of the season (13, with just five in the second half), while rookie Blake Corum was barely involved. Los Angeles' 3.9 yards per rush is the second-lowest mark in the NFL even though Williams began Sunday third in the league with 1,299 yards. Stock up Witherspoon not only made the game-saving interception, but the eight-year veteran who went unsigned until September also has seized the starting cornerback job from Cobie Durant, who didn't play on defense against the Cards despite being healthy again. McVay said Witherspoon's play during Durant's brief injury absence resulted in the change. Stock down Cooper Kupp had one catch against Arizona, and he has just 12 receptions in the past five games, matching the least productive five-game stretch of his eight-year career. Stafford has said the Rams need to get their Super Bowl 56 MVP more involved, and Kupp says he's healthy — yet it isn't happening. Injuries McVay believes the Rams stayed healthy outside of a stinger for rookie safety Kam Kinchens, but they felt the absence of RT Rob Havenstein, who injured his shoulder last week during an unpadded practice. Backup Joe Noteboom committed three holding penalties and got beaten repeatedly. Key number 4 — Stafford's consecutive games without taking a sack. That's the longest streak of his 16-year career, yet he has only one 200-yard passing game in that stretch. Next steps The Rams began Sunday preparing as if they'll play the Seahawks (9-7) next Saturday, although the game could happen a day later. McVay won't show his cards, but if the Rams have clinched, they seem likely to rest several regulars for the playoffs. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Greg Beacham, The Associated Press
Once the celebrities had tucked into a feast, thanks to Maura Higgins and Reverend Richard Coles winning 12 portions of food in ‘Terrifying Teddy Bears’ Picnic’, the first argument of the series took place between Dean McCullough and Corrie's Alan Halsall. Dean had to be woken up by Alan from his sleep as the campmates needed wood for the fire, which Jane Moore needed help carrying - due to current roles in the camp, Dean was the only person who was allowed to do it. But a hesitant Dean accused Alan of saying he "didn't fancy it" when instead, he just "needed a minute" to sort his contact lenses. Your votes mean Coleen and Dean are about to have a trucking terrifying time when they face Absolute Carnage ⚠️ #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/Q9PcJ3SwF1 In response to this, I'm a Celebrity fans have slammed Dean for being "aggressive" towards Alan. One said on X: "nah but there was no need for Dean to go off at Alan like that #ImACeleb" Another wrote: "Dean and this aggression??? Don’t speak to Alan like that #imaceleb" Someone posted: "Omg is dean serious?! Alan couldn’t of been nicer when trying to wake him up! #imaceleb" This person agreed: "what was actually wrong with what alan said to dean?? he was being so gentle with him like huh ?? #imaceleb" Did you see this argument between Dean and Alan? (Image: ITV) This user noticed: "dean didn’t even go straight down to get the wood he went down to argue with alan?? #imaceleb" "Protect Alan at all costs," hailed an ITV viewer. Elsewhere, Wayne Rooney has encouraged I'm a Celebrity viewers to vote for his wife Coleen to do a trial as he feels she would want to “put herself to the test”. The former England footballer, 39, said he was “proud” of how Coleen was doing in the Australian jungle in a post on social media on Saturday. (function (d, s, n) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; js = d.createElement(s); js.className = n; js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/a5bdf049-8774-4ded-a60a-5688cea4a8f9"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); js.setAttribute('programmatic', 'true'); js.onload = function () { const playerApi237931 = ExCoPlayer.connect('a5bdf049-8774-4ded-a60a-5688cea4a8f9'); playerApi237931.init({ "autoPlay": false, "mute": true, "showAds": true, "playbackMode": "play-in-view", "content": { "playFirst": [ { "title": "How much is Ant and Dec's net worth?", "src": "https://large-cdn.ex.co/transformations/production/3dac3c05-257d-45d2-b760-c1524f8b72f3/720p.mp4" } ], "playlistId": "649d33682e5cf6001258ca95" }, "sticky": { "mode": "persistent", "closeButton": true, "pauseOnClose": true, "desktop": { "enabled": false, "position": "bottom-right" }, "mobile": { "enabled": false, "position": "upper-small" } }}); }; }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); The couple, who first met at school and began dating aged 16, share four sons – Kai Wayne, Klay Anthony, Kit Joseph and Cass Mac. Recommended reading: “Proud of @ColeenRoo on @imacelebrity she’s doing great”, he wrote on X, alongside a collage of photos of her on the show. “Me and the boys would love to see her doing a trial and we know she’d want to put herself to the test. “If you can download the #ImACeleb and let’s get voting!” I'm a Celebrity continues on ITV1 and ITVX from 9pm on Sunday, November 24.
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founder and owner doubled down on his decision to end the practice of endorsing presidential candidates, saying Wednesday that “It was the right decision, I am proud of the decision we made.” Bezos made the comments in a conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin at The Dealbook Summit. The Amazon founder was the closing interview for the event, which was held at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center. He added that when they made the decision, they knew it would cause a political firestorm, and cause some damage to the business, but that the erosion of trust that the media was facing made it a necessary decision. “We knew that this was going to be perceived in a very big way, these things punch above their weight,” he said. “You can’t do the wrong thing because you are worried about bad PR, or whatever you want to call it.” “I am very aware that the Post covers all presidents very aggressively, and will continue to cover all presidents very aggressively,” he added. He also said that he is actively working on a plan to turn around the and position it for the future. “I have a bunch of ideas, and I am working on that right now,” Bezos said, adding that he has a number of ideas. “We saved the once, this will be the second time. It needs to be put back on a good footing again. “ Bezos in 2013 for $250 million, hoping to turn the newspaper around. While the outlet has had some success in recent years, it has still struggled to keep up with the , as well as other competitors like . The presidential endorsements served as a shock to the system of the , with the editorial board having already written an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. In an a few days after the decision was announced, Bezos argued that “Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election.” He added, “what presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence.” Bezos said Wednesday that “I’m a terrible owner for the from the point of view of an appearance of conflict of interest,” noting that executives from Amazon, Blue Origin and his other companies routinely meet with government officials. “The advantage I bring to the is, when they need financial resources, I am available. I am the doting parent in that regard.” But the tech executive also seemed upbeat about a second Donald Trump presidency, despite all the flamethrowing directed at him and the . “I am very optimistic this time around, I am very hopeful, he seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation, and if I can help him do that, I am going to help them,” he said, noting that big economic growth can help solve issues like the national debt. “I am very optimistic that President Trump is serious about this regulatory agenda, and I think he has a good chance at succeeding.” As for the question about whether Elon Musk — who is Blue Origin’s biggest competitor, with SpaceX — would use his relationship with Trump to hurt Blue Origin or Amazon, Bezos seemed unconcerned. “I take at face value what has been said, which is that he is not going to use his political power to advantage his own companies or disadvantage his competitors,” Bezos said. In fact, Bezos said that “I have had a lot of success in life not being cynical,” and hs expressed optimism about the future of AI, of interplanetary travel, robotics, and other big picture items. “We are in multiple golden ages at once. There has never been a more extraordinary moment to be alive,” he said. “We are so lucky.” THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day More from The Hollywood Reporter
Japan's famous sake joins UNESCO's cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiastsEVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Cameron Haffner scored 13 points as Evansville beat Missouri State 57-40 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak. Haffner went 5 of 12 from the field (3 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Purple Aces (4-9, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference). Joshua Hughes added 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Tayshawn Comer scored 11. Dez White finished with 12 points, four assists and six steals for the Bears (7-6, 0-2). Missouri State also got 10 points, 12 rebounds and two steals from Michael Osei-Bonsu. Zaxton King had eight points. Evansville carried a slim three-point lead into halftime, as Haffner led the way with seven points. Evansville took the lead for what would be the final time on Haffner's 3-pointer with 18:44 remaining in the second half. His team would outscore Missouri State by 14 points in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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TCU's TD barrage breaks open tight game vs. ArizonaKENNESAW, Ga. (AP) — Adrian Wooley and Simeon Cottle each scored 32 points and Kennesaw State beat Brewton-Parker 112-77 on Sunday. Wooley added eight rebounds and eight assists for the Owls (8-5). Cottle went 11 of 16 from the field (8 for 13 from 3-point range) to add 32 points. Braedan Lue went 5 of 8 from the field (2 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 14 points. Dre Burroughs finished with 25 points for the Barons. Brewton-Parker got 20 points and seven rebounds from Tommy J Tisdale III. Kennesaw State took the lead with 15:42 left in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 57-31 at halftime, with Cottle racking up 16 points. Kennesaw State extended its lead to 83-38 during the second half, fueled by a 10-0 scoring run. Wooley scored a team-high 19 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 .NRL icon axed from radio show after 15 years - Zero Tackle
HONG KONG: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Saturday that global cooperation in technology will continue even if the incoming US administration imposes stricter export controls on advanced computing products. US President-elect Donald Trump, in his first term in office, imposed restrictions on the sale of US technology to China citing national security - a policy continued under President Joe Biden. The curbs forced Nvidia, the world’s leading maker of chips used for artificial intelligence applications, to change its product lineup in China. “Open science in global collaboration, cooperation across math and science has been around for a very long time. It is the foundation of social advancement and scientific advancement,” Huang told media during a visit to Hong Kong. Cooperation is “going to continue. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the new administration, but whatever happens, we’ll balance simultaneously compliance with laws and policies, continue to advance our technology and support and serve customers all over the world.” The head of the world’s most valuable company was speaking in the financial hub after receiving an honorary doctorate in engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. During the visit, Huang participated in a fireside chat with the university’s Council Chairman Harry Sham in front of an audience of students and academics. Asked about the huge energy requirements of graphics processing units - chips behind artificial intelligence - Huang said, “If the world uses more energy to power the AI factories of the world, we are a better world when that happens”. Huang said “the goal of AI is not for training, the goal of AI is for inference”. He said AI can discover, for instance, new ways to store carbon dioxide in reservoirs, new wind turbine designs and new materials for storing electricity. He said people should start thinking about placing AI supercomputers slightly off the power grid and let them use sustainable energy and in places away from populations. “My hopes and dreams is that in the end, what we all see is that using energy for intelligence is the best use of energy we can imagine,” Huang said. Earlier on Saturday, Huang told graduates that “the age of AI has started” in a speech after receiving the honorary degree. “A new computing era that will impact every industry and every field of science.” Huang, 61, also told graduates that he wished he had started his career at this time. “The whole world is reset. You’re at the starting lines with everybody else. An industry is being reinvented. You now have the instruments, the instruments necessary to advance science in so many different fields,” Huang said. “The greatest challenges of our time, unimaginable challenges to overcome in the past, all of a sudden seem possible to tackle.” — Reuters
BOGOTA: Colombia coffee crop will likely yield 13.6 million 60-kg bags in 2024, the head of the country's coffee federation said on Wednesday, up 20% compared to production last year due largely to improved pest controls and adaptations to climate change . Colombia is the world's top producer of arabica beans, well-known for their high-quality and aromatic properties. Last year's national crop yielded 11.3 million 60-kg bags. The crop's value should total more than 14 trillion pesos, or about $3.14 billion, German Bahamon , head of the national coffee farmer federation, told reporters at the start of an annual coffee conference. Last year's coffee crop brought in $11.1 trillion pesos, while output rose just 2% in 2023, following three consecutive seasons of falling output. 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"We've seen that there's a copious flow of coffee beans from our farms," said Bahamon on Wednesday, stressing that the harvest will not exceed 13.6 million bags. He also dismissed any negative impact from the next U.S. government led by President-elect Donald Trump, despite the leader's embrace of tariffs and a more protectionist approach. "We're not expecting any change right now in export policies to the United States," Bahamon said. The U.S. and Canadian markets account for about 45% of Colombia's foreign coffee shipments. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 15, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award.
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E-Learning Market in the US to Grow by USD 56.44 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Evolved Learning Landscape, AI Driving Market Transformation - TechnavioBaltimore Ravens leading receiver Zay Flowers is questionable for Wednesday's game against the host Houston Texans because of a shoulder issue. Flowers was listed on the team's injury report after missing practice on Sunday and Monday and being limited on Tuesday. Cornerback Tre'Davious White (shoulder) has followed the same pattern in practice participation and also is questionable. The Ravens ruled out wide receiver Nelson Agholor and running back Justice Hill due to concussions, and neither practiced Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) also missed practice this week and is out. Flowers, 24, leads the Ravens with 71 receptions, 109 targets and 1,016 receiving yards in 15 games (13 starts). He has four touchdowns. Baltimore selected him 22nd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Boston College. He has 148 career receptions for 1,874 yards and nine TDs in 31 games (29 starts). Flowers has not missed a game because of injury in his brief NFL career. White, 29, has appeared in five games and has seven tackles. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2019 and 2020 and first-team All-Pro in 2019 during his first seven NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Hill, 27, has 47 carries for 228 yards and one touchdown this season in 15 games as a reserve. He also has 42 receptions for 383 yards and three TDs. The Ravens selected Hill in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. He has 250 rushing attempts for 1,162 yards and six TDs, and 95 receptions for 737 yards and four scores. Agholor, 31, will miss his second consecutive game. He has 14 receptions on 29 targets for 231 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games (seven starts). He has 389 career receptions for 3,858 yards and 37 TDs in 149 games (105 starts) for the Philadelphia Eagles (2015-19), Las Vegas Raiders (2020), New England Patriots (2021-22) and Ravens (2023-present). Armour-Davis, 25, has played in seven games (two starts) this season and has eight tackles. The Ravens picked him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of Alabama. The Ravens (10-5) elevated wide receiver Anthony Miller from the practice squad to the active roster for the game against the Texans (9-6). --Field Level Media
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Imcivree Label Expanded; Weight Loss With Weekly Injection; Kidney Donation ChainCanada 'Freedom Convoy' leader found guilty over trucker protest roleThe holiday season took a turn for the worse for some Nintendo Switch owners as they discovered a number of beloved Cartoon Network games had vanished from the eShop. Titles like Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, OK K.O.! Let’s Play Heroes, and both Steven Universe RPGs (Save the Light and Unleash the Light) were suddenly unavailable for purchase as of December 23rd, 2024. This digital disappearance follows a similar incident from July 2024 where Adult Swim titles were also delisted. While no official statement has been released by Warner Bros. Discovery, Cartoon Network Games, or Adult Swim Games, speculation abounds. Some theories point to licensing issues, while others suggest it may be related to the recent wave of layoffs and cost-cutting measures at Warner Bros. Discovery. Whatever the reason, the sudden removal has left many fans disappointed and wondering about the future of these games on the platform. The Missing Titles Here’s a rundown of the Cartoon Network games that have been confirmed as removed from the Nintendo Switch eShop: A Growing Trend? This isn’t the first time digital games have suddenly disappeared from online stores. Earlier this month, Sega pulled several of its own titles from various platforms. The increasing frequency of these removals raises concerns about the long-term availability and preservation of digital games. Unlike physical media, digital purchases can be rendered inaccessible due to licensing agreements, server closures, or company decisions, as seen in this instance. What This Means for Players If you already purchased any of these Cartoon Network games, you should still be able to redownload and play them. However, those who were hoping to add them to their collection are now out of luck. The delisting not only limits access for new players but also potentially impacts the games’ communities and future updates. The Future of Digital Ownership The delisting of these Cartoon Network games highlights the ongoing debate surrounding digital ownership in the gaming industry. While digital storefronts offer convenience and a vast library of titles, events like this remind us that our access to these games can be precarious. Many gamers are now advocating for greater transparency and consumer rights when it comes to digital purchases. They argue that companies should provide clearer information about the potential for game removals and offer options for offline play or alternative access in such situations. My Personal Take As an avid gamer and someone who writes about gaming trends, this news is both disappointing and concerning. I’ve always been a fan of Cartoon Network shows, and I enjoyed playing some of these titles on the Switch. It’s frustrating to see them disappear without any clear explanation, especially during the holidays. This situation emphasizes the need for better communication between publishers and consumers. While I understand that licensing and business decisions can be complex, a simple heads-up about upcoming delistings would go a long way in maintaining trust and goodwill with players. Moreover, it raises questions about the longevity of our digital game libraries . Will we still have access to our favorite titles years down the line? Or will they vanish without a trace? These are issues that the gaming industry needs to address as digital distribution becomes the dominant model. Looking Ahead It remains to be seen whether these Cartoon Network games will ever return to the Switch eShop. Perhaps Warner Bros. Discovery will reconsider their decision or offer an alternative way to access them. In the meantime, fans can only hope for more transparency and a greater focus on preserving digital games for future generations.BHU research scholar wins She Inspires!
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Microsoft Corporation intends to lessen its reliance on OpenAI , the company that created ChatGPT after investing nearly $14 billion in OpenAI. ET Year-end Special Reads Corporate Kalesh: Top family disputes of India Inc in 2024 The world of business lost these eminent people in 2024 Fast, faster, fastest: How 2024 put more speed into your shopping What exactly happened? According to Reuters, which cited people familiar with the endeavour, Microsoft has been working on incorporating both internal and external artificial intelligence models into its AI product, Microsoft 365 Copilot . This is a calculated move to cut expenses and diversify from OpenAI's current foundational technology. According to the report, which cited sources, the Satya Nadella-led company is also reducing 365 Copilot's reliance on OpenAI because of worries about cost and speed for enterprise users. According to a Microsoft representative cited in the report, the company is still working with OpenAI on frontier models. Depending on the product and experience, we use different OpenAI and Microsoft models. Microsoft 365 Copilot has not yet demonstrated its value to businesses. The tech behemoth has not disclosed precise sales figures regarding the quantity of licenses sold, as quoted in a report by Benzinga. 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Company says GPT-5 running behind schedule, with results that don’t justify the enormous costs Why is it important? Other Microsoft business units have changed how they use OpenAI models, and this move is similar to theirs. For instance, GitHub, acquired by Microsoft in 2018, added models from Anthropic and Alphabet Inc.'s Google in October as alternatives to OpenAI's GPT-4. Previously, it was reported that company insiders were concerned about Microsoft’s AI strategy being heavily reliant on its partnership with OpenAI. The two businesses held discussions in October to determine how Microsoft's $14 billion investment in OpenAI would be turned into stock in the AI company. According to a report released in December, OpenAI intends to eliminate a provision that limits Microsoft's access to its most sophisticated AI models once artificial general intelligence is achieved. FAQs Why is Microsoft reducing its reliance on OpenAI? Microsoft intends to address concerns about cost, speed, and flexibility by incorporating internal and third-party AI models into products such as Microsoft 365 Copilot. How does this change impact Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI ? No, OpenAI is still a key partner. Microsoft continues to integrate OpenAI models alongside its own and others to ensure diverse AI capabilities. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Attorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusual
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SYM Stock News: Shareholder Rights Law Firm Robbins LLP Urges Symbotic Inc. Stockholders with Large Losses to Seek Legal Counsel in Connection with the Class Action LawsuitA mom on TikTok is facing criticism after she admitted she lied about making a ‘Brrr Basket’ worth over $500. Similar to the ‘Boo Basket,’ which went viral over the October holiday season, TikTokers started to make ‘Brrr Baskets’ in preparation for Christmas. A Brrr Basket consists of gifts that are put inside of a stylish holiday-themed basket. Often, people include candles, cozy socks, and candy for the basket’s recipient. However, TikTok mom Lindsey went completely viral, garnering over 23M views for the extravagant and expensive gifts she put in her son’s girlfriend’s ‘Brrr Basket.’ During her video, Lindsey added AirPods, a Stanley tumbler, an Apple Watch, top-tier moisturizers, Starbucks and Target gift cards, cash, and more to the Basket. “Just want to make sure she gets enough,” the TikTok mom said. Viewers grew suspicious, though, after seeing how much Lindsey was willing to gift her son’s girlfriend. That’s when she decided to come clean about faking the Brrr Basket for “views and money.” TikTok mom admits to “fake” Brrr Basket worth over $500 “I was just kind of fabricating a little bit for social media. But yes, she did get a cute little Brrr Basket. Was it $500 worth of stuff? No,” the TikTok mom said. “Is my life completely fake? No. These are things we do [to make money].” “Yes, I made the video. Yes, it was fake. Was it for views? Was it for money? That’s what social media is. I’m just a regular mom,” she added. After her admittance, some viewers were shocked that she went into such detail about how much her son’s girlfriend would love the Brrr Basket she put together in her TikTok. “Right... but the way you explained each item in detail like you got it for her?” wrote one. Related: “No but you gaslit us with the, ‘She loved it,’” added another. “Girl, you’re not smart admitting this, then expecting people to believe and trust anything you say anymore. Like, you lie for views and money and you expect people to trust anything you say? How can they?” quipped a third. Baskets aren’t the only trend to go viral on TikTok recently. Earlier this month, the “I like my suitcase” trend made waves on the platform , in large part thanks to a resurfaced clip featuring Donald Trump’s son, Barron.None
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In the latest quarter, 6 analysts provided ratings for Expand Energy EXE , showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives. In the table below, you'll find a summary of their recent ratings, revealing the shifting sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the previous months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 1 2 3 0 0 Last 30D 0 1 0 0 0 1M Ago 0 1 1 0 0 2M Ago 1 0 2 0 0 3M Ago 0 0 0 0 0 Analysts have recently evaluated Expand Energy and provided 12-month price targets. The average target is $97.17, accompanied by a high estimate of $116.00 and a low estimate of $85.00. Surpassing the previous average price target of $91.83, the current average has increased by 5.82%. Deciphering Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Analysis A comprehensive examination of how financial experts perceive Expand Energy is derived from recent analyst actions. The following is a detailed summary of key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets. Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target Scott Hanold RBC Capital Raises Outperform $116.00 $102.00 Nitin Kumar Mizuho Raises Outperform $110.00 $105.00 Mike Scialla Stephens & Co. Raises Equal-Weight $86.00 $85.00 Mike Scialla Stephens & Co. Raises Equal-Weight $85.00 $84.00 Paul Diamond Citigroup Raises Buy $97.00 $90.00 Josh Silverstein UBS Raises Neutral $89.00 $85.00 Key Insights: Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Expand Energy. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company. Rating: Delving into assessments, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings communicate expectations for the relative performance of Expand Energy compared to the broader market. Price Targets: Understanding forecasts, analysts offer estimates for Expand Energy's future value. Examining the current and prior targets provides insight into analysts' changing expectations. To gain a panoramic view of Expand Energy's market performance, explore these analyst evaluations alongside essential financial indicators. Stay informed and make judicious decisions using our Ratings Table. Stay up to date on Expand Energy analyst ratings. Unveiling the Story Behind Expand Energy Expand Energy Corp independent natural gas producer in the United States. It is fueling a more affordable, reliable, and lower-carbon future. The group focused on developing abundant natural gas, oil, and gas liquids to expand energy access. Expand Energy: Delving into Financials Market Capitalization: Positioned above industry average, the company's market capitalization underscores its superiority in size, indicative of a strong market presence. Revenue Challenges: Expand Energy's revenue growth over 3 months faced difficulties. As of 30 September, 2024, the company experienced a decline of approximately -57.28% . This indicates a decrease in top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Energy sector. Net Margin: Expand Energy's net margin falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in achieving strong profitability. With a net margin of -17.65%, the company may face hurdles in effective cost management. Return on Equity (ROE): Expand Energy's ROE lags behind industry averages, suggesting challenges in maximizing returns on equity capital. With an ROE of -1.11%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial performance. Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of -0.84%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns from its assets. Debt Management: Expand Energy's debt-to-equity ratio is below industry norms, indicating a sound financial structure with a ratio of 0.2 . Understanding the Relevance of Analyst Ratings Experts in banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their comprehensive research involves attending company conference calls and meetings, analyzing financial statements, and engaging with insiders to generate what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts assess and rate each stock once per quarter. Some analysts will also offer forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide further guidance on stocks. Investors who use analyst ratings should note that this specialized advice comes from humans and may be subject to error. Breaking: Wall Street's Next Big Mover Benzinga's #1 analyst just identified a stock poised for explosive growth. This under-the-radar company could surge 200%+ as major market shifts unfold. Click here for urgent details . This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Dr Manmohan Singh (1932-2024): The economist who would be PM
Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) has launched a new minor in artificial intelligence (AI) and media, a statement said Monday. The new minor allows students to conduct scientific data analyses, apply data science skills to communication and media studies, and critically evaluate the ethical and social implications of AI in the media landscape. Combining both scientific and humanistic approaches, the programme addresses critical skills required in media-related fields, including AI tools for media design, data journalism, digital ethics, automated journalism, and strategic communication. All courses for the minor will be offered by NU-Q, with potential courses available at other Education City universities for cross-registration. "With AI transforming the media landscape, our new minor empowers students to critically engage with these technological developments while maintaining a robust ethical foundation,” said dean Marwan M Kraidy. Designed by a multidisciplinary team of faculty with expertise in AI and media, the minor features courses such as 'AI and Machine Learning', 'AI Tools for Digital Media Design,' 'Digital Media Ethics,' 'Automated Journalism,' 'AI and Cyberpolitics,' 'GenAI and Natural Language Processing in Media Innovation,' and 'Datafication and Society.' The curriculum is structured to support students with understanding AI’s technical aspects alongside its social, cultural, and ethical dimensions. The programme leverages faculty expertise in areas such as AI deepfakes and disinformation, and digital media ethics. Associate dean for education S Venus Jin, said: “The AI and Media minor equips students with essential skills and also encourages them to think critically about the broader social impact of AI in media,” said Jin. A unique feature of the minor is its interdisciplinary nature, allowing students to choose from courses across multiple disciplines, such as communication, journalism, strategic communication, and liberal arts. Alongside the AI and Media minor, students at NU-Q can choose from a range of other minors, including Film and Design, Strategic Communication, Middle East Studies, Africana Studies, and Media and Politics, the statement added. Related Story Qatar Foundation edutainment show to host special event celebrating Qatar National Day Three days of world-class racing and entertainmentIsrael strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. Israeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and witnesses in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday., saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. Earlier Thursday, Netanyahu blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies aged 92 NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. The hospital said Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to “sudden loss of consciousness at home." He was “being treated for age-related medical conditions,” the statement added. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and earned a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose.ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Google, already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine , is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct, this time over technology that puts online advertising in front of consumers. The Justice Department and Google made closing arguments Monday in a trial alleging Google's advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, will decide the case and is expected to issue a written ruling by the end of the year. If Brinkema finds Google has engaged in illegal, monopolistic conduct, she will then hold further hearings to explore what remedies should be imposed. The Justice Department, along with a coalition of states, has already said it believes Google should be forced to sell off parts of its ad tech business, which generates tens of billions of dollars annually for the Mountain View, California-based company. After roughly a month of trial testimony earlier this year, the arguments in the case remain the same. During three hours of arguments Monday, Brinkema, who sometimes tips her hand during legal arguments, did little to indicate how she might rule. She did, though, question the applicability of a key antitrust case Google cites in its defense. The Justice Department contends Google built and maintained a monopoly in “open-web display advertising,” essentially the rectangular ads that appear on the top and right-hand side of the page when one browses websites. Google dominates all facets of the market. A technology called DoubleClick is used pervasively by news sites and other online publishers, while Google Ads maintains a cache of advertisers large and small looking to place their ads on the right webpage in front of the right consumer. In between is another Google product, AdExchange, that conducts nearly instantaneous auctions matching advertisers to publishers. In court papers, Justice Department lawyers say Google “is more concerned with acquiring and preserving its trifecta of monopolies than serving its own publisher and advertiser customers or winning on the merits.” As a result, content providers and news organizations have never been able to generate the online revenue they should due to Google’s excessive fees for brokering transactions between advertisers and publishers, the government says. Google argues the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow niche of online advertising. If one looks more broadly at online advertising to include social media, streaming TV services, and app-based advertising, Google says it controls as little as 10% of the market, a share that is dwindling as it faces increased and evolving competition. Google alleges in court papers that the government’s lawsuit “boil(s) down to the persistent complaints of a handful of Google’s rivals and several mammoth publishers.” Google also says it has invested billions in technology that facilitates the efficient match of advertisers to interested consumers and it should not be forced to share its technology and success with competitors. “Requiring a company to do further engineering work to make its technology and customers accessible by all of its competitors on their preferred terms has never been compelled by U.S. antitrust law,” the company wrote. Brinkema, during Monday's arguments, also sought clarity on Google’s market share, a number the two sides dispute, depending on how broadly the market is defined. Historically, courts have been unwilling to declare an illegal monopoly in markets in which a company holds less than a 70% market share. Google says that when online display advertising is viewed as a whole, it holds only a 10% market share, and dwindling. The Justice Department contends, though, that when focusing on open-web display advertising, Google controls 91% of the market for publisher ad servers and 87% of the market for advertiser ad networks. Google says that the “open web display advertising” market is gerrymandered by the Justice Department to make Google look bad, and that nobody in the industry looks at that category of ads without considering the ability of advertisers to switch to other forms of advertising, like in mobile apps. The Justice Department also contends that the public is harmed by the excessive rates Google charges to facilitate ad purchases, saying the company takes 36 cents on the dollar when it facilitates the transaction end to end. Google says its “take rate” has dropped to 31% and continues to decrease, and it says that rate is lower than that of its competitors. “When you have an integrated system, one of the benefits is lower prices," Google lawyer Karen Dunn said Monday. The Virginia case is separate from an ongoing lawsuit brought against Google in the District of Columbia over its namesake search engine. In that case, the judge determined it constitutes an illegal monopoly but has not decided what remedy to impose. The Justice Department said last week it will seek to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser , among a host of other penalties. Google has said the department's request is overkill and unhinged from legitimate regulation. In Monday's arguments, Justice Department lawyer Aaron Teitelbaum cited the search engine case when he highlighted an email from a Google executive, David Rosenblatt, who said in a 2009 email that Google’s goal was to “do to display what Google did to search," which Teitelbaum said showed the company's intent to achieve market dominance. “Google did not achieve its trifecta of monopolies by accident,” Teitelbaum said.
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Cleburne News: County officials express gratitude following missing hiker searchPolice Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake said an internal investigation had commence, in relation to reports that an off duty policeman assaulted a man and woman at a party on the weekend. Blake told the STAR said he learned about the incident today whilst at a meeting. “The matter has since been handed over to INDECOM”, Blake said in addition to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) internal investigation. Popular TikToker TJ and his girlfriend, Moya, were allegedly assaulted by a policeman at dancer and social media influencer Dancing Rebel's birthday party, held at the National Stadium parking lot in St Andrew. Producer and artiste manager Romeich Major, co-promoter of the event, in a TikTok live apologised for the actions of the policeman who was reportedly hired by him. The incident has been a talking point online and in entertainment circles, many commentators condemning the incident. A press release has also been sent on the issue that has garnered international attention and widespread condemnation. “The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) High Command is aware of a video circulating on social media that shows an alleged incident involving off-duty personnel purported to be members of the JCF,” the release said. “Upon learning of the incident, the High Command immediately launched an internal investigation through its Inspectorate Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB) to determine the facts, including whether any policies were breached,” the JCF said. The JCF commits to fully cooperate with the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), which is responsible for investigating allegations of police misconduct. “In keeping with established procedures, the JCF has handed over all relevant information to INDECOM,” The JCF said in a release. The High Command said it takes the allegations seriously and reiterates its commitment to transparency and accountability. “We categorically state that there have been no delays in our response; action was taken immediately upon the matter being brought to our attention. As the investigation is ongoing, and now under the jurisdiction of INDECOM, the JCF will not comment further on this specific case at this time,” the release said. The JCF said it is important to clarify that the organisation permits members to engage in private service, commonly referred to as "extra work," under strict guidelines outlined in the Force Orders of March 8, 2018. These guidelines regulate how officers may engage in private service while ensuring their primary responsibilities to the Force and the public are not compromised. Private Service arrangements must adhere to established rules regarding eligibility, prohibited activities, and operational standards the JCF says. “The policy ensures that such engagements are conducted transparently, ethically, and without conflict of interest. While extra work is allowed, all officers are required to uphold the highest professional standards at all times, whether on-duty or off-duty. Any misconduct or breach of policy is treated with the utmost seriousness. We assure the public that any member found in breach of JCF policies or the law will be held accountable. The integrity of the JCF and the trust of the Jamaican people remain our highest priorities,” JCF said in the release this afternoon. We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on X @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar
Looking to the future of generative AI. Generative AI represents one of the most transformative innovations of our time, offering unprecedented capabilities advancing our culture in terms of creativity, automation, and problem-solving. However, its rapid evolution presents challenges that necessitate robust corporate cultural frameworks (aka “guardrails”) to harness its potential responsibly. Generative AI refers to a class of artificial intelligence systems designed to create new content by learning patterns, structures, and features from existing data. Unlike traditional AI systems that primarily classify or analyze data, generative AI models actively produce content such as text, images, audio, video, and even code. These capabilities are driven by sophisticated machine learning architectures, like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and large language models (LLMs). Examples of such architectures include OpenAI's GPT or Google’s Mariner , plus creative output engines as ubiquitous as Canva, Grammarly or Pixlr. Generative AI is adding to the creative power of organizations - augmenting skills in some industries while directly threatening jobs in others. Without a clear culture around how an organization uses new tech, generative AI risks becoming a double-edged sword - and executive leaders are taking notice. Creating a Culture of Performance for Generative AI Generative AI systems are susceptible to generating misinformation, perpetuating biases, and even being exploited for malicious purposes like deepfakes or cyber attacks. Cultural initiatives must include human intervention, at least for now, in order to address potential errors - a sort of QA (quality assurance) for generative AI. The challenge lies not just in cultural guidelines, but inside the way that Generative AI works . A panel of 75 experts recently concluded in a landmark scientific report commissioned by the UK government that AI developers "understand little about how their systems operate" and that scientific knowledge is "very limited." “We certainly have not solved interpretability,” says Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, when asked about how to trace his AI model’s missteps and inaccurate responses. Generative AI Requires a Culture of Understanding Within a performance-focused corporate culture, generative AI holds immense promise across sectors, according to the World Economic Forum. In healthcare, AI-driven tools can revolutionize diagnostics and treatment personalization. In education, it can democratize access to resources and provide tailored learning experiences. Industries from agriculture to finance stand to benefit from enhanced decision-making capabilities. In the U.S., predictions about how governance might unfold under the Trump administration highlight a focus on market-driven solutions rather than stringent regulations. While this lack of oversight could accelerate innovation, it risks leaving critical gaps in addressing AI’s ethical, economic and societal implications. These gaps are where corporate leaders can create a culture of human interaction and collaboration, where generative AI is a tool (not a threat). Mystery Drones Over New Jersey And Nearby States: Trump Claims The Military Knows What The Sightings Are (Updated) The Fed’s ‘Biggest Nightmare’ Is Suddenly Coming True As Bitcoin Price Surges Gmail Account Deletion Warning—Act Now To Save Your Email In 2025 Generative AI governance is not merely a regulatory challenge; it is an opportunity to shape a transformative technology for the greater good. As the world grapples with the implications of near-sentient generative AI, multi-stakeholder approaches—incorporating voices from governments, civil society, and the private sector—will be crucial. The key to the culture of the future is built on collaboration, so that the promise of generative AI is allowed to flourish.A recent article highlighted the challenges faced by , once considered Europe’s flagship battery manufacturing startup, and underscores broader concerns about the green industrial transition in Europe. However, those same lessons are applicable for the U.S. as it seeks to compete in a space dominated by China. Northvolt’s bankruptcy serves as a cautionary tale about Europe’s struggle to compete in the electric vehicle (EV) and clean tech sectors against better-established Asian companies. While Northvolt secured substantial orders and funding ($15 billion raised and $50 billion in orders), it was hampered by production delays, operational mismanagement, and an inability to scale effectively. This reflects broader systemic challenges such as high costs, regulatory hurdles, and fragmented policymaking across Europe. Northvolt’s bankruptcy also reflects the challenges posed by political shifts and economic uncertainty. In the U.S., bipartisan support for clean energy is critical to ensure that initiatives survive changes in administration or economic downturns. Policymakers must build resilience into programs to ensure they can withstand external shocks, such as fluctuating energy prices or global market competition. The article criticizes Europe’s inconsistent support for clean technologies. Unlike China’s coordinated industrial policies, European policymakers have been hesitant to act decisively, even as green initiatives face growing political resistance. Comparisons to bailouts for financial institutions highlight a reluctance to treat green tech failures as critical to economic and strategic interests. This hesitance could jeopardize the continent’s climate goals and its automotive sector, which is heavily reliant on transitioning to EVs. Similar to Europe, the U.S. needs a unified, long-term industrial policy for green technology. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided significant incentives for domestic clean energy development, but ensuring these funds are effectively deployed requires strong coordination between federal, state, and local governments. Northvolt’s struggles highlight the risks of fragmented policies and hesitation, which could undermine investor confidence and the timely rollout of critical infrastructure. Northvolt’s collapse can be attributed to a combination of internal missteps and external pressures. According to , excessive spending, subpar safety standards, and an over-reliance on Chinese machinery significantly hampered the company’s ability to scale effectively. Externally, slower-than-anticipated adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and high operational costs placed additional strain on the business. These challenges underscore the need for greater operational discipline, diversified supply chains, and a robust domestic manufacturing base to avoid such pitfalls. The United States can take valuable cues from its semiconductor initiatives, like the CHIPS and Science Act, to support clean technologies such as battery manufacturing. Prioritizing diversified supply chains and fostering advanced domestic production capabilities can mitigate risks and bolster competitiveness, especially against established players like China. One potential takeaway from Northvolt’s struggles is the need to integrate the second-life battery market into business strategies. By focusing on repurposing surplus batteries for secondary applications, manufacturers can reduce inefficiencies and strengthen supply chains. This approach not only addresses sustainability concerns but also enhances competitiveness in a market increasingly shaped by Chinese dominance. Currently, a significant gap exists between battery manufacturers like Northvolt and recyclers such as . Companies like are working to bridge this divide by redistributing functional surplus batteries for second-life applications rather than recycling them prematurely. This strategy taps into a lucrative market opportunity and highlights the potential of “reverse logistics” to transform the industry. Innovative approaches to battery reuse might have dramatically improved both operational efficiency and market viability. Ben Firestone, CEO of Bluewater Battery Logistics, has emphasized that prioritizing the second-life battery market enables battery integrators to streamline supply chains and maintain a competitive edge. Despite its collapse, Northvolt’s Chapter 11 filing aims to secure short-term financing and attract new investors to reorganize. This restructuring underscores the high capital intensity and risk associated with battery production but also reveals potential opportunities for those willing to bet on long-term clean energy growth. Policymakers and investors must balance the risks with the strategic necessity of developing domestic clean tech capabilities. The U.S. can draw from the coordinated public-private partnerships that have worked in other sectors, such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals. Encouraging collaboration between government agencies, established corporations, and startups can de-risk large-scale projects and ensure that new technologies like (EGS) or advanced batteries succeed. Northvolt’s bankruptcy is not just the failure of a company but a wake-up call for Europe’s clean tech ambitions. To compete globally, the continent needs cohesive policies, streamlined regulations, and unwavering support for critical green technologies. As the push for decarbonization accelerates, addressing these issues will be vital to ensuring that Europe can sustain and grow its green economy. Northvolt’s challenges offer a roadmap for avoiding similar pitfalls in the U.S. The focus should be on strategic planning, operational discipline, supply chain resilience, and clear, long-term policies that support innovation and competitiveness. If these lessons are heeded, the U.S. can strengthen its leadership in the global clean energy transition. By
By Will Graves, The Associated Press PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen can sense the end of his baseball career coming. It’s not quite here yet. The five-time All-Star agreed to a $5 million, one-year deal on Monday to stay in Pittsburgh for the 2025 season, confident he can still be a difference-maker for a team trying to get back toward postseason contention. “I think the biggest thing for me is knowing I can still compete and can still be able to produce,” the 38-year-old said. “I still feel like there’s a way that I can be better and I know that it’s still in there.” When that hard-to-define “it” disappears, McCutchen will know it’s time to move on. The 2013 National League MVP realizes that day will come soon enough. It’s not here yet. For now, he’s eager for a 17th season in the big leagues, including 12 in his adopted hometown. McCutchen has made no secret of his desire to finish his career in Pittsburgh, which drafted him in 2005 and where he spent the first nine seasons of his career before returning in 2023. General manager Ben Cherington repeatedly said toward the end of last season the team wanted to find a way to keep the outfielder-turned-designated hitter who hit .232 with 20 home runs and 53 RBIs in 120 games last season. FILE - Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen watches his three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File) AP The man who signs the checks felt the same way. “It was important for me and for everyone within our organization that Andrew remain in a Pirates uniform. It is where he belongs,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. “In my conversations with Andrew, he made clear his strong desire to help the team in every way he can, both on the field and in the clubhouse. I am glad he is back.” So is McCutchen, building a resume that could merit Hall of Fame consideration whenever he retires. He will enter 2025 with 2,127 hits and 319 home runs. He’s also in the top 10 in most major offensive categories for a franchise that’s been around for over 137 years and counting. While McCutchen allowed there are certain aspects of getting ready for the season he doesn’t quite enjoy — like finding a rental home for his wife Maria and their four children during a two-month stay in Bradenton, Florida, Pittsburgh’s spring-training home — the drive that made him one of the biggest stars in the game while leading the club to three straight playoff berths from 20013-15 remains vibrant. “I always wanted to be in a position to where I would be able to ... play for as long as I want or as long as my body would let me,” he said. McCutchen was shut down in September 2023 due to an Achilles injury and had dealt with hamstring issues last season, though that didn’t stop him from reaching the 20-homer plateau for the 10th time. He’s spent some of the offseason trying to get down to 190 pounds, about 10 pounds lighter than in 2024. “I do think that’s going to help me a lot and help my legs out a lot,” he said. “And learning when I need to turn it off and turn it on. If I can do that I do think it can keep me on the field and I can be in the lineup for 120-plus games, because I do feel like I can produce.” The Pirates are coming off a second straight 76-86 season and have a starting rotation that features NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. McCutchen remains bullish on the near future, though Pittsburgh has been relatively quiet in terms of acquiring talent to supplement a lineup that finished near the bottom of the NL in runs, batting average and homers. The only significant acquisition so far has been trading for first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Yet McCutchen isn’t necessarily married to the idea that the Pirates need to splurge to contend. He was the centerpiece of Pittsburgh teams with modest payrolls a decade ago that reached the playoffs for three straight seasons from 2013-15. “There are things you can’t look on paper and see it,” he said. “You just go out there and do it. We got to do those small things, a lot of small things. It’s what I’m here for.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB More sports news ‘You couldn’t stop’ Rickey Henderson — but Tony La Russa remembers Hall of Famer more for his intangibles Pittsburgh Steelers miss on potential reunion with Pro Bowl wide receiver Penn State volleyball captures 8th national title behind ‘inspiration’ Katie Schumacher-Cawley Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report: Five key players return to practice, star cornerback sits outRADNOR, PA — Hidden River Strategic Capital has announced a significant investment in Seedbox Solution, a company specializing in reusable packaging and fleet management for the seed industry. The funding, carried out in partnership with Granite Creek Capital Partners and Everside Capital Partners, enabled a management-led buyout of Seedbox’s previous majority owner and provided resources for the company’s future growth. Seedbox Solution focuses on making bulk, reusable seed boxes more accessible and cost-effective. The company operates globally but maintains a strong local presence with service hubs in the Midwest, including major facilities in Good Hope, Illinois, and Shenandoah, Iowa. By integrating deeply into customers’ supply chains, Seedbox delivers tailored logistics that meet the needs of seed producers. Following the investment, Seedbox’s leadership team, including Co-Founder and CEO Matt Dannenfeldt, will remain at the helm. Dannenfeldt expressed optimism about what the partnership will bring for the business. “The investment from Hidden River positions us to invest in a variety of growth initiatives to better serve our customers, including expanding our seed box wash and repair business and growing our unified box rental/service,” he said. “We will also be able to expedite the introduction of cutting-edge ‘smart box’ technology, allowing our customers to monitor seed product location, health, and status in real-time through the supply chain.” Hidden River’s investment aligns with its strategy of providing flexible capital to strong, innovative businesses. Todd Morrissey, Co-Founder and Partner at Hidden River, praised Seedbox’s leadership and vision. “We are thrilled to support the Seedbox management team as they continue to drive efficiency and innovation throughout the seed industry supply chain,” Morrissey said. “This transaction aligns perfectly with our investment strategy of providing flexible structured capital to strong businesses led by exceptional management teams. We see significant potential in Seedbox’s capacity to innovate and streamline supply chain logistics within the agricultural sector.” Seedbox Solution is poised to leverage this new phase of investment, focusing on technology innovation and service expansion to strengthen its position in the agricultural market. With ongoing support from Hidden River and its partners, the company aims to enhance its offerings while advancing supply chain efficiency for seed producers worldwide. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN .
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Princess Cruises Unveils Come Aboard Sale with Up to 40% Off, Free Upgrades, $99 Deposits, and Free Sailings for KidsMetairie, La., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magnolia Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”), a newly formed Louisiana corporation which will be the holding company for Mutual Savings and Loan Association (the “Association”), announced today that the Association’s members approved the plan of conversion pursuant to which the Association will convert from a federally chartered mutual savings and loan association to a federally chartered stock savings association and the transactions provided for in such plan of conversion, including the adoption of a new federal stock Charter and new Bylaws for Mutual Savings and loan association. The Company also announced that the subscription and community offering closed on December 17, 2024 at 1:00 p.m., Central Time. The Company is currently processing the orders and will provide additional information as soon as it is available. The number of shares to be sold in connection with the conversion and stock offering will be based on a final appraisal and receipt of final regulatory approvals. The stock offering and the simultaneous mutual-to-stock conversion of the Association are expected to close in early to mid-January 2025, subject to final regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company will provide more information as soon as it is available. The Company’s common stock is expected to be quoted on the OTCQB Market. The Stock Information Center will be confirming order fulfillment information after all final approvals are received. Other information regarding the subscription and community offerings may be obtained by contacting the Stock Information Center at 1-877-643-8217. Generally, the Stock Information Center is open Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Central Time; however, with the upcoming holidays the Stock Information Center hours will vary. Normal hours of operation will resume on January 2, 2025. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, acted as selling agent in the subscription and community offerings, and served as financial advisor to the Company and the Association in connection with the conversion. Silver, Freedman, Taff & Tiernan LLP acted as legal counsel to the Company and the Association. About Mutual Savings and Loan Association The Association was founded in 1885 and serves the banking needs of customers in its market area, which primarily consists of Jefferson and St. Tammany Parishes in Louisiana. The Association operates from its headquarters and main banking office in Metairie, Louisiana, as well as one additional full service branch office located in St. Tammany Parish on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, Louisiana. Its primary business activity is attracting deposits from the general public and using those funds primarily to originate one- to four-family residential loans, residential construction loans and home equity lines of credit. At September 30, 2024, the Association had total assets of $35.1 million, total deposits of $20.4 million and equity of $14.0 million. Magnolia Bancorp, Inc. will become the holding company for the Association upon completion of the conversion and stock offering. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and the Company’s prospectus for the offering contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “seek,” “expect,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may,” and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include statements of the Company’s goals, intentions and expectations; statements regarding the Company’s business plans, prospects, growth and operating strategies; statements regarding the quality of the Company’s loan portfolio; and estimates of the Company’s risks and future costs and benefits. These forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors. Factors that could cause such differences to exist include, but are not limited to: the failure to obtain the final approval of the OCC for the proposed conversion and related stock offering, delays in obtaining such approval, or adverse conditions imposed in connection with such approval; those related to the real estate and economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the Association operates; fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government; changes in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including regulatory compliance costs and capital requirements; fluctuations in the adequacy of loan loss reserves; decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans; operational risks including, but not limited to, cybersecurity, fraud and natural disasters; the risk that the Company and the Association may not be successful in the implementation of their business strategy; changes in prevailing interest rates; credit risk management; asset-liability management; and other risks described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov . The Company cautions undue reliance on any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly release any revision made to any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor an offer to buy shares of common stock of the Company. The Company has filed with the SEC a registration statement for the offering to which this press release relates as well as the final prospectus, dated November 8, 2024, for the subscription and community offerings. Before you invest, you should read that prospectus and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the stock offering. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at www.sec.gov . The shares of common stock of the Company are not deposits or savings accounts and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Michael L. Hurley President and Chief Executive Officer (504) 455-2444Enron 2.0 — So Bad It’s Good?NASA delays Artemis moon missions once again
Oracle Q2 Earnings: Revenue Miss, EPS Miss, AI Growth, Ellison Says 'Opportunity Is Unimaginable'Trump names billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens as his envoy to Britain
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens as his envoy to Britain, a prestigious posting for the Republican donor whose contributions this year included $2 million to a Trump-backing super PAC. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site Monday evening, announced he was selecting Stephens to be the U.S. ambassador to the Court of Saint James. The Senate is required to confirm the choice. “Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top Diplomat, representing the U.S.A. to one of America’s most cherished and beloved Allies,” Trump said in in his post. Stephens is the chairman, president and CEO of Little Rock, Arkansas-based financial services firm Stephens Inc., having taken over the firm from his father. Trump has already named many of his nominees for his Cabinet and high-profile diplomatic posts, assembling a roster of staunch loyalists. Over the weekend, Trump announced he intends to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. During his first term, Trump selected Robert “Woody” Johnson, a contributor to his campaign and the owner of the New York Jets football team, as his representative to the United Kingdom.
2024’s top 10 climate disasters cost more than 200 billion dollars, charity saysBen Davies is the latest to fall into that category, with the Welsh international initially primed to return for Sunday’s visit of Wolves but no longer available. Davies suffered a setback in training this week, which means Spurs could be without a fit centre-back after Radu Dragusin was forced off in the latter stages of Thursday’s 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest with an ankle issue. Postecoglou is already without first-choice central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven after both failed to make it through their comeback fixture against Chelsea on December 7. “Yeah, that’s been our major problem this year. Guys who are coming back from injury rather than us losing players as such,” Postecoglou said. “We’re looking at those things and why they’re happening. It’s certainly happened too often this year where guys have come back and they’re the ones who are missing. “I think just about all of them, apart from Vic (Guglielmo Vicario), are recurrences of an injury. “Even with Romero, it was a different injury but it’s still a guy coming back, so it’s something we’re looking at.” There could be good news on the horizon with attackers Mikey Moore and Richarlison expected to return to training next week. Richarlison suffered his own setback in November when his short-lived return after a calf issue was cut short when he injured the same area against Aston Villa. Moore, meanwhile, has been sidelined by a virus for the best part of two months but the 17-year-old could provide a much-needed spark in the new year when Newcastle visit on January 4. Postecoglou said: “Him and Richy are in the final phases. Next week they can start training. We’ve got a bit of a gap before the Newcastle game. “The plan is Mikey and Richy come back into first-team training next week.” Anticipated returns for Moore and Richarlison will fail to help Postecoglou against Wolves, with makeshift centre-back Archie Gray potentially set to partner up with fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma if Dragusin cannot recover. Pressed on the issue of fixture scheduling, with Spurs definitely missing eight players for Sunday’s fixture, Postecoglou said: “It is challenging. “All clubs are going to have to get their heads around it and authorities are going to have to get their heads around it. “One of two things need to happen: either you somehow change the fixture schedule, which doesn’t seem feasible, or you allow clubs bigger squads. Then you have other issues with that, as well. “The attrition rate you’re seeing and it’s not just us. We’re going through a particularly badly moment. Newcastle went through it last year and it affected them pretty badly. They were obviously in the Champions League as well and probably didn’t have the squad to cope with it. “It hits certain clubs at different times and is probably becoming more prevalent, and for all of us it’s a challenge as to how we navigate this process to keep our players healthy. “It’s not just a physical thing, it’s a mental thing. For us it’s been constant since August and we’re not even halfway through the year. And they’re not going to get a break now, so these things we’re constantly assessing.”SANTA CLARA — When Isaac Guerendo trots onto the field with the first team Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, he will equal the same number of starts he had in five years of college football. Hard to believe, but Guerendo started exactly one time, and it came in his final college game at Louisville. Against USC in the Holiday Bowl, Guerendo carried 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and added five receptions in a 42-28 loss. In 40 other games at Wisconsin and Louisville, Guerendo played in a shared backfield –something he’s done with the 49ers this season behind Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey . With McCaffrey on injured reserve with a PCL strain and Mason to follow soon with a high ankle sprain, Guerendo should get his biggest workload since his last college game. “I’m excited, but really it’s whatever it takes to win,” Guerendo said Wednesday as the 49ers (5-7) began preparations to host the Bears (4-8). “Whatever the plan looks like is what we’ll bring.” Guerendo will be backed up by Patrick Taylor Jr., who was on the roster earlier this season when McCaffrey was dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, then re-signed to the practice squad. Taylor was promoted Tuesday, and the 49ers also made a waiver claim on former Jets running back Israel Abanikanda. “I think he’s ready to go,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He had some ups and downs but got better through everything. I think he’s ready for this.” Guerendo, 6-foot and 219 pounds, has 42 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a gaudy 5.9 yards per carry. His 15-yard run in the third quarter was the 49ers’ lone touchdown in a 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The 49ers traded up to get Guerendo in the fourth round, only to see him sidelined with a hamstring strain in his first training camp practice. A speedy wide receiver at Avon High School in Indiana who also ran track and played basketball, Guerendo carried 10 times for 99 yards with a long run of 76 against Seattle and 14 times for 85 yards against Dallas. At Wisconsin, Guerendo played behind Jonathan Taylor, now a star running back for the Indianapolis Colts. He split time as a graduate student at Louisville with Jawhar Jordan, who rushed for 1,128 yards while Guerendo had 810 yards on 132 carries and a 6.1-yard average. The good news is Guerendo’s body hasn’t taken on the normal amount of abuse for a running back. And Guerendo feels he’s up to the challenge after playing 12 games with old-school running backs coach Bobby Turner. “I always give credit to Coach T for preparing everybody like they’re going to be the starter, so that when moments do come, you’re ready for it,” Guerendo said. McCaffrey appeared to have finally gotten untracked against the Bills, gaining 53 yards on seven carries before getting tripped up on a 19-yard burst in the second quarter. But the tackle injured his knee, Mason injured his ankle, and Guerendo became the lead runner for a team that is sixth in the NFL in rushing. Over time, Guerendo has become accustomed to the speed of the NFL game. “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it, if you’ve got the right stuff, you get more reps and the more you adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how you have to hit it full speed and can’t hesitate. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” McCaffrey, meanwhile, took to social media in the form of a lengthy Instagram post to explain how he was feeling after his latest injury. He wrote of his love for football, how humbling it is and his desire to return. “This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours,” McCaffrey wrote. “You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder to come back better from this.” For those who dream big, Shanahan said with a six-week time frame, McCaffrey could conceivably return if the 49ers reach the postseason. THE INJURY LIST Those who didn’t practice Wednesday included edge rusher Nick Bosa (hips, obliques), left tackle Trent Williams (ankle), left guard Aaron Banks (concussion), Mason (ankle) and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (ankle). Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (knee), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) were limited. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott has cleared concussion protocol after missing the Buffalo game. Hufanga joined Greenlaw as practicing during a 21-day window. Shanahan said it’s more likely Greenlaw would be activated before a Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 12 than against Chicago. HUFANGA AND THE CLUB After recovering from an ACL tear last season, Hufanga has played in just two games this season. First, he was felled by an ankle injury, and then a wrist injury that needed surgery. When activated, he’ll play with a protective club on his right hand. “I was still dealing with the ankle. I was about to get it re-wrapped and for some reason my hand wouldn’t open,” Hufanga said. Hufanga said he’ll try to use the protective device as a benefit rather than a detriment. “I had a good friend back in the day who played with a club who had three picks in one game, so you never know,” Hufanga said. MOORE FARES WELL Left tackle Jaylon Moore acquitted himself well for the second straight game in starting in place of Williams. “It was OK, but you can always get better and that’s what I’m focusing on — the things I can get better at,” Moore said. Tight end George Kittle noted last week that Moore was at left tackle all through training camp during Williams’ holdout, so it’s not like he hasn’t been with the first team. “It definitely did help, especially being comfortable with the group,” Moore said. “The quarterback’s cadence, the guy you’re next to, all the small stuff comes into play.”
The Government will block new incinerators if they do not help meet environmental objectives under rules unveiled on Monday. Developers will have to show that their project either helps reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste going to landfill, or replaces an older, less efficient incinerator. The move forms part of the Government’s drive to increase recycling rates, which have held at about 45% of household waste since 2015. Environment minister Mary Creagh said: “For far too long, the nation has seen its recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning household waste, rather than supporting communities to keep resources in use for longer. “That ends today, with clear conditions for new energy from waste plants – they must be efficient and support net zero and our economic growth mission, before they can get the backing needed to be built.” Developers will also have to ensure their incinerators are ready for carbon capture technology, and demonstrate how the heat they produce can be used to help cut heating bills for households. The Government expects that its “crackdown” on new incinerators will mean only a limited number are built, while still reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and enabling the country to process the waste it produces. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the country was almost at the point where it had enough waste facilities to handle non-recyclable rubbish, and so had limited need for new incinerators. But the proposals stop short of the plans included in the Conservatives’ 2024 manifesto, which committed to a complete ban on new incinerators due to their “impact on local communities” and declining demand as recycling increased.Jimmy Carter: A brief bio
Croatia’s incumbent president wins most votes at polls but still faces runoffIf you just found out about Generation Alpha, brace yourself for a new crop of kids set to debut on Jan. 1. Generation Beta will start arriving in 2025 — and some experts predict they will be immersed in artificial intelligence and technology even more than the generations before them. Start and end dates of generations can be murky, but Generation Beta will keep being born until around 2039. Before them, Gen Alpha stretched from 2010 to 2024 , Gen Z from around 1996 to 2010, and millennials from 1981 to 1996. The upcoming generation “will inherit a world grappling with major societal challenges,” wrote demographer and futurist Mark McCrindle in a blog post . “With climate change, global population shifts, and rapid urbanisation at the forefront, sustainability will not just be a preference but an expectation.” If you’re getting whiplash, you’re not alone. “It wasn’t that long ago that we were talking about millennials as kids,” said Jason Dorsey, a generational researcher and the author of “Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business — and What to Do About It.” Dorsey says Generation Beta will be starting their lives much differently than their Gen Alpha counterparts. The children of younger millennials and older Gen Zers, they will be born into a completely post-pandemic world. Many of them will live to see the 22nd century. Much like the youngest of Gen Alpha, they may not experience the school shutdowns and social isolation of Covid, but their families and their siblings will have been irrevocably shaped by it. “It’ll be something that maybe older siblings went through, certainly something they learn about in history, but not something that is necessarily a contemporary event,” he said. Generation Beta will probably be entrenched in smart devices and artificial intelligence in a way that previous generations haven’t been, according to Dorsey. Like Gen Alpha, they will rely on them to solve problems. They will also likely grow up with climate change as a dire reality with more direct consequences on their lives. As they mature, they will see Gen X and boomer leaders dealing with these problems slowly replaced by millennials and Gen Z. “We will likely have Gen Z as elected officials when Gen Beta is old enough to vote,” Dorsey said. “Climate change will continue to be a really big deal for them.” Gen Alpha’s chronically online reputation Just like Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Gen Beta will grow up with social media, though it’s still unknown how those mediums will evolve in the next decade-plus. But other experts predict that Gen Z parents might choose to shield their kids from being chronically online, a stereotype that has come to define Gen Alpha. While older millennial parents tend to integrate technology into their Gen Alpha kids’ lives, McCrindle wrote that Gen Z parents might take a different approach with their future Gen Beta children. “Generation Z know more about both the positives and challenges that come with social media use from a young age,” McCrindle wrote. “As the most technologically savvy generation of parents, Gen Z see the benefits of technology and screen time, but equally they see the downsides of it and are pushing back on technology and the age at which their children access and engage with it.” In the last couple of years, Gen Alpha has developed a reputation of being “iPad kids,” consuming nonsensical content on social media and popularizing a lexicon of confusing phrases like “skibidi toilet” and “what the sigma.” “It’s meant to create this in-group which alienates older people,” content creator and linguist Adam Aleksic told NBC News in August . “And it can be hard for older people to catch up, because you’ve got to be very current with the fads. It evolves so quickly online.” Are generational labels useful? With how fast the world seems to be evolving, categorizing a 15-year age range under one label is becoming a challenge, Dorsey said. He sees the value in generational names when it comes to identifying a group of people all affected by a standout moment in time, Dorsey said. For millennials, that defining event was 9/11, he said, and for Gen Z, the pandemic. It’s too early to predict what those will be for Gen Alpha and Gen Beta, he said. “These are clues to help us get context for what a group of people likely or may have experienced as they came of age,” he said. But there are drawbacks to generational labels, some researchers have noted. The Pew Research Center said in 2023 that it would mostly stop using generational labels in its research, writing in part that demographic differences like race and class are bigger factors in dictating a group’s commonalities. “By choosing not to use the standard generational labels when they’re not appropriate, we can avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes or oversimplifying people’s complex lived experiences,” Pew researchers wrote . Dorsey agrees, saying that we can look back at millennials and boomers, or look forward to Gen Alpha and Gen Beta, for overarching trends. But maintaining perspective is important. “Generational labels are helpful as long as you understand their limitations,” he said. “We think they’re really helpful to get a head start, to create more of a shared understanding. ... We’re all still individuals.”
SANTA CLARA — When Isaac Guerendo trots onto the field with the first team Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, he will equal the same number of starts he had in five years of college football. Hard to believe, but Guerendo started exactly one time, and it came in his final college game at Louisville. Against USC in the Holiday Bowl, Guerendo carried 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and added five receptions in a 42-28 loss. In 40 other games at Wisconsin and Louisville, Guerendo played in a shared backfield –something he’s done with the 49ers this season behind Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey . With McCaffrey on injured reserve with a PCL strain and Mason to follow soon with a high ankle sprain, Guerendo should get his biggest workload since his last college game. “I’m excited, but really it’s whatever it takes to win,” Guerendo said Wednesday as the 49ers (5-7) began preparations to host the Bears (4-8). “Whatever the plan looks like is what we’ll bring.” Guerendo will be backed up by Patrick Taylor Jr., who was on the roster earlier this season when McCaffrey was dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, then re-signed to the practice squad. Taylor was promoted Tuesday, and the 49ers also made a waiver claim on former Jets running back Israel Abanikanda. “I think he’s ready to go,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He had some ups and downs but got better through everything. I think he’s ready for this.” Guerendo, 6-foot and 219 pounds, has 42 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a gaudy 5.9 yards per carry. His 15-yard run in the third quarter was the 49ers’ lone touchdown in a 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The 49ers traded up to get Guerendo in the fourth round, only to see him sidelined with a hamstring strain in his first training camp practice. A speedy wide receiver at Avon High School in Indiana who also ran track and played basketball, Guerendo carried 10 times for 99 yards with a long run of 76 against Seattle and 14 times for 85 yards against Dallas. At Wisconsin, Guerendo played behind Jonathan Taylor, now a star running back for the Indianapolis Colts. He split time as a graduate student at Louisville with Jawhar Jordan, who rushed for 1,128 yards while Guerendo had 810 yards on 132 carries and a 6.1-yard average. The good news is Guerendo’s body hasn’t taken on the normal amount of abuse for a running back. And Guerendo feels he’s up to the challenge after playing 12 games with old-school running backs coach Bobby Turner. “I always give credit to Coach T for preparing everybody like they’re going to be the starter, so that when moments do come, you’re ready for it,” Guerendo said. McCaffrey appeared to have finally gotten untracked against the Bills, gaining 53 yards on seven carries before getting tripped up on a 19-yard burst in the second quarter. But the tackle injured his knee, Mason injured his ankle, and Guerendo became the lead runner for a team that is sixth in the NFL in rushing. Over time, Guerendo has become accustomed to the speed of the NFL game. “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it, if you’ve got the right stuff, you get more reps and the more you adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how you have to hit it full speed and can’t hesitate. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” McCaffrey, meanwhile, took to social media in the form of a lengthy Instagram post to explain how he was feeling after his latest injury. He wrote of his love for football, how humbling it is and his desire to return. “This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours,” McCaffrey wrote. “You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder to come back better from this.” For those who dream big, Shanahan said with a six-week time frame, McCaffrey could conceivably return if the 49ers reach the postseason. THE INJURY LIST Those who didn’t practice Wednesday included edge rusher Nick Bosa (hips, obliques), left tackle Trent Williams (ankle), left guard Aaron Banks (concussion), Mason (ankle) and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (ankle). Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (knee), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) were limited. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott has cleared concussion protocol after missing the Buffalo game. Hufanga joined Greenlaw as practicing during a 21-day window. Shanahan said it’s more likely Greenlaw would be activated before a Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 12 than against Chicago. HUFANGA AND THE CLUB After recovering from an ACL tear last season, Hufanga has played in just two games this season. First, he was felled by an ankle injury, and then a wrist injury that needed surgery. When activated, he’ll play with a protective club on his right hand. “I was still dealing with the ankle. I was about to get it re-wrapped and for some reason my hand wouldn’t open,” Hufanga said. Hufanga said he’ll try to use the protective device as a benefit rather than a detriment. “I had a good friend back in the day who played with a club who had three picks in one game, so you never know,” Hufanga said. MOORE FARES WELL Left tackle Jaylon Moore acquitted himself well for the second straight game in starting in place of Williams. “It was OK, but you can always get better and that’s what I’m focusing on — the things I can get better at,” Moore said. Tight end George Kittle noted last week that Moore was at left tackle all through training camp during Williams’ holdout, so it’s not like he hasn’t been with the first team. “It definitely did help, especially being comfortable with the group,” Moore said. “The quarterback’s cadence, the guy you’re next to, all the small stuff comes into play.”SANTA CLARA — Brandon Allen prepared as if he was the 49ers’ starting quarterback all week, but the reality didn’t hit home until Friday, when Brock Purdy again missed practice. “I know he had a plan for his shoulder all week, rest it a little bit on Wednesday and we’d split reps,” Allen said of Purdy. “I think the plan Thursday was to come out and practice. I guess in warmups it just wasn’t feeling right. I found out (Friday).” Allen, a 32-year-old veteran in his ninth season, will start Sunday when the 49ers (5-5) visit the Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Lambeau Field. Purdy was ruled out with a shoulder injury sustained in a 20-17 loss to Seattle , the first time he has missed a start because of injury after 31 regular-season and six postseason starts. Here are five things to know about Allen: 1. Arkansas roots The Fayetteville, Arkansas native’s father Bobby spent more than 20 years as an Arkansas assistant coach. After a redshirt season in 2011, Allen played in 42 games with 38 starts for the Razorbacks. As a senior, Allen completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions as Arkansas went 8-5. His brother Austin took over as the Arkansas quarterback. In his ninth season, only Joe Ferguson (11 seasons) of the Buffalo Bills has more time in the NFL among Arkansas quarterbacks. 2. Professional route Drafted in the sixth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen spent his rookie season behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne as a third-string quarterback and did not play. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and played behind Jared Goff and Sean Mannion before being signed by the Denver Broncos in 2019. Allen won his first start against Cleveland 24-19 in Week 9 of that season, passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Allen signed with Cincinnati in 2020, spent time on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in November. Subbing for Joe Burrow, Allen had his career-best game, passing for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-31 win. Allen is 2-7 as an NFL starter with 1,611 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 78.0 passer rating. 3. Signing with the 49ers Allen became a 49er on May 8, 2023, signing as a free agent. The 49ers, who up to that point seldom kept a third quarterback on the 53-man roster, kept Allen as a No. 3 all season behind Purdy and Sam Darnold after the previous year’s injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and finally Purdy in the NFC Championship Game. Allen did not take a snap. 4. Installed as No. 2 QB Allen signed another one-year contract with the 49ers for one year and $1.21 million (which is more than the $985,000 that Purdy makes on his rookie deal). The 49ers also signed Joshua Dobbs to a one-year, guaranteed $2.35 million contract. Allen and Dobbs competed throughout training camp, with Allen earning the nod from coach Kyle Shanahan. “You’ve got to make a decision. Usually I don’t want to have to make it,” Shanahan said. “I want it to be that obvious, let it play out. Brandon had the head start just being here. I thought he did some better things in practice.” 5. Familiarity with the system While in Denver, Allen’s offensive coordinator was Rich Scangarello, who was the quarterbacks coach under Shanahan in 2017-18. In Los Angeles, the head coach was Sean McVay and the offensive coordinator was Matt LaFleur, both of whom run variations of the Shanahan offense. In 2018, Zac Taylor was his quarterbacks coach with the Rams. Taylor, upon being hired as head coach in Cincinnati, signed Allen to back up Burrow.
without a care in the world is the best way to ring in 2025. or signup to continue reading But if you need something, . Here are the opening hours for major stores, supermarkets and bottleshops in each Australian state and territory so you're well-stocked to greet the new year. Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24-hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All stores will have reduced trading hours on 31 December and 1 January 2025, ALDI said. Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Normal trading hours apply for all First Choice Liquor Market stores on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars stores are open through the end of the year and into 2025 with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24-hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All stores will have reduced trading hours on 31 December and 1 January 2025, ALDI said. Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Normal trading hours apply for all First Choice Liquor Market stores on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars stores are open through the end of the year and into 2025 with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24 hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All stores will have reduced trading hours on 31 December and 1 January 2025, ALDI said. Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Normal trading hours apply for all First Choice Liquor Market stores on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars stores are open through the end of the year and into 2025 with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24 hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24 hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Stores in Firle, Tea Tree, Munno Para, Ingle Farm, Kurralta Park, West Lakes, Port Noarlunga, Marion and Churchill are closed on New Year's Day. Adelaide metro stores are open on New Year's Eve but close on New Year's Day. Adelaide's Rundle Place supermarket is the exception, opening from 11am to 5pm. Supermarkets in Berri, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge Green, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Victor Harbor and Whyalla are open from 8am to 8pm on New Year's Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All regional Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. However the Millicent store and metropolitan stores are closed on January 1. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All stores will have reduced trading hours on 31 December and 1 January 2025, ALDI said. Some stores in SA will close on 1 January 2025. Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24 hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. However the Northam store is closed on January 1. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All stores will have reduced trading hours on 31 December and 1 January 2025, ALDI said. Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Normal trading hours apply for all First Choice Liquor Market stores on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Most Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Stores in Byford, Belmont, Trinity, Raine Square, Erskine, Altone Park, Bunbury, Gosnells and Geraldton Bluff Point are closed on New Year's Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars stores are open through the end of the year and into 2025 with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24 hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and from 8am to 8pm on New Year's Day. However the Gove store opens at 9am and closes at 5pm on January 1. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars stores are open through the end of the year and into 2025 with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores open between 7am and 9am on New Year's Eve and will close, depending on the store, between 6pm and 10pm. Normal trading hours apply for 24 hour stores. Slightly reduced trading hours apply to some stores on New Year's Day and . Coles in Goondiwindi, Mt Isa and Ayr are closed on December 29, the supermarket said. Coles supermarkets are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. All Woolworths supermarkets are open until the end of the year and on New Year's Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . All stores will have reduced trading hours on 31 December and 1 January 2025, ALDI said. Dan Murphy's stores are open on New Year's Eve from 9am to 9pm. On New Year's Day stores are open from 10am to 7pm All BWS stores are open with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve. BWS said some stores may extend their opening hours on December 31. Stores are open on New Year's Day with public holiday trading hours. Normal trading hours apply for all First Choice Liquor Market stores on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Stores in Milton Village and Red Hill are closed on New Year's Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Most Liquorland stores are open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with normal trading hours. The Red Hill and Milton Village shops are closed on New Year's Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars stores are open through the end of the year and into 2025 with normal trading hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement
JT opened up about an unimaginable personal loss, sharing a moving tribute to her younger brother, who recently passed away. On Thursday (Dec. 5), she took to social media to honor her brother’s memory. “Lost my little brother,” she wrote, sharing a poignant note about the challenges of being the eldest sibling. “Being the oldest, I really didn’t get a fair chance to grieve because I have to make sure he goes away nice and my mom is happy. I love you, JR.” She accompanied her words with a touching childhood photo of the two, their bright smiles a testament to their bond. In another post, JT expressed her hopes for his peace in the afterlife, writing, “I pray you’re somewhere so safe and comfortable.” The details surrounding his death remain undisclosed, but the rap star’s heartfelt messages offered a glimpse into her grief and resilience. JT’s raw and emotional tribute serves as a reminder of her strength and authenticity, hallmarks of her artistry. As she grieves this profound loss, her fans and peers continue to offer support, celebrating the resilience she has shown throughout her career and personal life. JT’s vulnerable moment comes as she and Yung Miami, her partner in the City Girls, navigate separate careers. Read more: GloRilla Claims Fans Fueled JT Feud And That The Two Are "Actually Cool" This year, the duo announced a hiatus, allowing them to pursue individual projects. “We were just in two different spaces," JT told Complex . "The rollout of the album was bad, and it didn’t perform well. That motivated me to focus on my solo music.” Yung Miami emphasized their enduring friendship, reflecting on how personal growth shaped their individual journeys. “I had to really get back in my bag. People had been talking crazy, and going through all that pushed me to get back in the studio.” As JT enters a new chapter, it seems he has left past conflicts behind. GloRilla recently revealed that the two rivals are now "actually cool" after briefly feuding earlier this year. JT's solo debut, City Cinderella , received positive reviews and charted higher than any City Girls album on the Billboard charts.Late interceptions help Rams defeat Cardinals, extend win streak
MORGANTOWN – The window to postseason eligibility is quickly closing for both the West Virginia University and UCF football teams. There’s still some room left for the Mountaineers to wiggle into a bowl game, though not much. They need to win one of their last two games to qualify for the postseason. For the Knights, the window is almost shut. UCF must sweep their last two games to earn the six wins necessary to guarantee eligibility. Both teams understand the stakes of today’s 3:30 p.m. matchup at Milan Puskar Stadium (ESPNU). The Mountaineers and Knights are both backed against the wall. If the Mountaineers lose, they enter their regular season finale at Texas Tech with everything on the line. If the Knights lose, they slump into their last game with nothing to play for but pride. “We’re looking forward to two more opportunities that are guaranteed,” WVU tight end Kole Taylor said. “You can’t dwell upon what happened in the past.” Yet it’s past play that put both the Mountaineers (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) and the Knights (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) in their current predicaments. Both teams entered the season with much higher hopes than they have right now, wanting to finish at or near the top of the conference standings with a chance at the Big 12 title game. Inconsistency and poor defense has done WVU in. The Mountaineers have pulled off some good road wins, but have fizzled at home, thanks in large part to a pass defense ranked near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision in several key categories. If WVU falls today in Morgantown, it will be only the second season in program history with five losses. The Knights opened the 2024 campaign strong with three straight wins, but have lost five of their last six, including five in a row midseason. UCF’s pass defense has struggled this year, too. It has allowed 19 passing touchdowns so far, tied for 108th in the FBS, compared to the 21 allowed by WVU which is tied for 120th. The Knights are 96th nationally allowing 239.5 passing yards per game, compared to WVU’s 269.6 passing yards allowed per game, which ranks 127th. As it stands, both teams lean on their running games to carry their respective offenses. WVU ranks 27th at 197.2 rushing yards per game. Only Army gains more on the ground than UCF’s 262.8 yards per game. The Knights are led by running back R.J. Harvey, who is tied for third nationally at 132.8 rushing yards per game. WVU coach Neal Brown sees the strengths in his team, but said the Mountaineers are still searching for a game when all those strengths come together and show out at the same time. “I don’t mean to sound like a broken record but, to me, it’s about playing well – special teams, offense and defense at the same time, and we haven’t done that enough consistently,” he said. “We’ve been an inconsistent football team. That’s why we’re 5-5, because we’ve been inconsistent. And so to me, it’s how do we finish out this month? Playing at our best in those three phases together? All right, if we can do that, then we’ll be a really good football team.” The Mountaineer players agree that they need complete games in their last two contests to make sure they can play in their fourth bowl in five seasons. There is a greater sense of urgency around the locker room, Taylor said, as the players understand what another inconsistent performance can cost them. “We understand that there’s two (games) to win one,” he said, “just to get an extra game and have an opportunity to play in the postseason. We understand that’s where we’re at and that’s the team we are. “Whether we want to be in that situation or not, that’s the situation we’re in,” Taylor continued. “We’ve got to win at least one more to get a bowl game, but we want to win out.”
Intrusion Detection System Market to USD 11.43 Billion by 2032, Owing to Increasing Demand for Enhanced Security Solutions | Research by SNS InsiderKolpack: A major league meltdown for Bison in Vermillion - INFORUMAuthored by Jeff Carlson & Hans Mahncke via Truth Over News , The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hiring a new chief for their virology section . That the federal government should not be hiring anyone, especially not senior staff, during the lame-duck period is self-evident. But what is in many ways even more notable about this appointment is that it reveals that the NIH has a virology section. One certainly could not have guessed this based on the people trotted out by Anthony Fauci during the pandemic , all of whom were from outside the NIH. Curiously, there has been no interest whatsoever from the media as to why that might be, especially since, as we can now all see, the NIH has its own virology branch. This latest revelation aligns perfectly with newly released emails from January 2021 , which gives us an insight into how NIH leadership was not only censoring critical voices in academia, such as that of Jay Bhattacharya, President-elect Trump’s likely pick as new NIH head, but also actively censoring its own experts. In one email, obtained last week by Jimmy Tobias after a years-long Freedom of Information Act battle , Carrie Wolinetz, the senior advisor to the director of the NIH, demanded outright censorship of an in-house NIH expert. The expert, David Resnick, who works in the NIH’s bioethics section, co-authored a paper discussing the merits (or lack thereof) of gain-of-function experiments. This worried Wolinetz because it might have prompted questions about the origin of Covid and the potential role the NIH may have played in the virus's creation: “I have some global concerns with the notion that an NIH employee would be providing what amount to critiques of HHS policy that is implemented by NIH, or suggestions that contradict messaging by NIH leadership.” The “HHS policy” which Wolinetz felt compelled to protect from any criticism, according to her own email, was based on a blog post by her superior, the then head of the NIH, Francis Collins. In his blog post, dated March 26, 2020, Collins expressed his strong opposition to the lab leak theory, which he called “outrageous.” The sole basis for Collins' post was the fraudulent Proximal Origin paper , published just a few days earlier. Collins failed to acknowledge that he, along with Fauci, played a significant role in orchestrating the publication of this fraudulent paper, which explicitly aimed to promote the natural origin theory while discrediting the lab leak theory. Wolinetz's justification for silencing a prominent colleague was so flimsy that the only reasonable conclusion one can draw from her actions is that she was helping Collins and Fauci to cover up their involvement in seeding the pandemic, which included outsourcing gain-of-function experiments on coronaviruses to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Notably, Wolinetz’s email had only one recipient: Lawrence Tabak , the then principal deputy director of the NIH, who would soon become the acting director, a position he held until 2023. In his reply , Tabak agreed to meet Wolinetz to talk about silencing Resnik. Even more notably, it took another three and a half years years for Resnik to finally publish his article in July 2024, by which time the NIH's deceitful natural origin narrative had largely collapsed. In the published article Resnik stated: “the idea that a biosafety lapse at the WIV—or some other laboratory for that matter—could have caused the COVID-19 pandemic is a very real possibility that has significant bioethical and public policy implications.” It is no wonder that NIH leadership was so eager to silence him. The implications of Wolinetz’s actions are significant. She pervasively infringed upon academic freedom, as well as on Resnik’s First Amendment rights. Typically, the media experiences a total meltdown when there is even just a suggestion that a government scientist has been silenced; in this instance, we have airtight evidence that this actually occurred. However, since the scientist in question may have made remarks that could be interpreted as mildly critical of Collins and Fauci, the media has completely overlooked the story. There are additional implications to consider , and this brings us back to the NIH's recruitment of a new chief virologist. The broader issue, which goes directly to the heart of the Covid origin cover-up, is that despite receiving in excess $60 billion annually from taxpayers and employing over 20,000 staff—many of whom are highly compensated scientists—Collins and Fauci completely disregarded their in-house experts regarding the origins of Covid. Instead, they brought in several conflicted scientists whose careers were entirely dependent on funding from Fauci. The scientists were subsequently tasked with writing the fraudulent Proximal Origin paper, along with other actions to further the cover-up, such as promoting the false natural origin narrative in the media. Not coincidentally, two of the scientists brought in by Fauci and Collins, Kristian Andersen and Robert Garry, had previously worked in a lab in Kenema, Sierra Leone, which is suspected to be the origin of the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Their expertise in covering up suspected lab leaks may explain why they were chosen. Notably, Andersen had no prior experience with coronaviruses. These external scientists, employed by Fauci to obscure the true origin of Covid, later collectively received over $50 million in grant allocations from Fauci. Andersen, the lead author of the fraudulent Proximal Origin paper, had an $8.9 million grant awaiting approval on Fauci's desk as he was tasked with leading the cover-up. As a general proposition, we were already aware that NIH’s own scientists had been excluded from the Covid origin issue. This was evident because the only names that consistently appeared in connection with Fauci and Covid’s origin were those of his hand-picked group of conflicted scientists, who relied on his financial support. However, the full extent of this exclusion was not revealed until the latest batch of emails was obtained . As is often the case in matters of government corruption, particularly regarding the cover-up of Covid's origins, the truth is even worse than we initially believed. Rather than merely ignoring or neglecting internal scientists, they were actively silenced by the director's office. It cannot be overstated that, although the silencing of Resnik is a serious issue, it is likely just one of many such cases —for which we happen to have obtained incriminating emails. Who else has been silenced? How toxic must the work culture at the NIH be if no one, including Resnik himself, has spoken up? This entire episode further underscores the urgent need for a total overhaul of the NIH, or perhaps even its complete dissolution. Instead of being dedicated to scientific advancement, the $60 billion organization has become a hub of politics, cover-ups, and corruption. The new Trump administration cannot arrive soon enough.
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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, celebrated for his transformative impact on India's economy and governance, has died. His contributions to rural employment, tribal rights, and major economic reforms marked his illustrious career. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh praised Singh's initiatives that were often attributed to others. Singh was known for his gentlemanly demeanor and commitment to dialogue and consensus. His tenure as PM saw revolutionary legislation and significant international agreements, like the Indo-US nuclear agreement, elevating India's global standing. Ramesh recalled Singh's legacy as both dignified and transformative, leaving a lasting impression on the nation. (With inputs from agencies.)
PM Modi celebrates Indian diaspora in Kuwait, calls it a ‘mini Hindustan’In the rapidly evolving world of gaming, virtual economies are becoming as intricate and unpredictable as real-world financial markets. With the advent of new technologies, these digital universes are beginning to mirror the complexities—and risks—of traditional stock markets, suggesting a potential future where a virtual economic crash could have tangible repercussions. Growing Complexity of In-Game Economies The rise of blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and cryptocurrency has transformed in-game currencies and items into valuable assets. Players can now invest real money into digital goods with the hope of future returns, much like traditional stock investments. While this shift offers exciting opportunities for players and developers, it also introduces the volatility and uncertainty inherent in financial markets. The Risk of Overvaluation As more players and investors pour money into these virtual assets, there is a growing concern about overvaluation. Similar to a stock market bubble, the perceived value of digital items can skyrocket based on hype and speculation. If demand suddenly declines or technological shifts disrupt the market, prices could plummet, impacting the digital wealth of gamers worldwide. A New Frontier for Investors With this potential, regulators and game developers must now consider the implications of a digital market crash. Ensuring stability in these virtual economies is becoming as crucial as in real financial systems. The fusion of gaming and finance represents uncharted territory with immense benefits, but it also poses significant risks that could redefine the future of gaming. Game Investment Insights: Navigating the Virtual Market Boom In the digital landscape, the dynamics of in-game economies are increasingly mirroring those of real-world financial systems, presenting both opportunities and challenges for stakeholders. Innovation in Virtual Economies Recent advancements in blockchain technology are revolutionizing the trading of digital assets within games. This technology ensures transparency and security in transactions, fostering trust among players and investors. The use of smart contracts for managing in-game transactions not only enhances efficiency but also potentially reduces cheating and fraud, providing a more secure environment for gamers to trade their assets. Market Trends and Predictions The integration of cryptocurrency and NFTs into gaming is not just a passing trend. Analysts predict that by 2030, the gaming industry will see an even greater fusion of financial elements, with games potentially becoming platforms for real-life economic activities. This trend could lead to professionalization within virtual economies, where players might earn a living solely through trading and investing in digital assets. Regulatory Considerations As digital assets gain tangible value, the call for regulatory oversight grows louder. Governments and international bodies are beginning to discuss frameworks to govern these burgeoning markets. The aim is to protect users from potential financial risks while supporting innovation in the industry. Developers are encouraged to work alongside regulators to create fair and sustainable economic models within games. Sustainability and Environmental Concerns One of the significant talking points is the environmental impact of blockchain technology, particularly the energy consumption of cryptocurrency mining. As the gaming world becomes more intertwined with such technologies, developers are exploring more sustainable methods, such as transitioning to less energy-intensive consensus mechanisms like Proof of Stake (PoS). Opportunities and Risks for Investors For investors, understanding the nuances of virtual economies can provide lucrative opportunities. However, the market is fraught with risks reminiscent of the traditional markets, including speculation and volatility. Educating investors about the intricacies and potential pitfalls is essential for fostering a stable virtual marketplace. Comparison with Traditional Markets While virtual economies are still nascent compared to traditional financial markets, their rapid growth highlights the need for sophisticated analytical tools and strategies. Investors and developers may benefit from adopting financial modeling techniques used in conventional markets to better predict and manage volatility. Conclusion The fusion of gaming and finance presents a frontier rich with possibilities, yet it demands careful navigation. As this digital realm continues to expand, understanding its complexities and potential impact is critical for players, developers, and investors alike. For more information about the latest trends in gaming and finance, visit Forbes .‘Gladiator II’ review: Are you not moderately entertained?
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(Reuters) - Australian bourse operator ASX said on Tuesday it is targeting to implement the second phase of its clearing and settlement software overhaul by 2029, with projected costs ranging between A$270 million ($175.61 million) and A$320 million. Last year, ASX had hired Tata Consultancy Services to overhaul its aging all-in-one Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS) software, opting for a route that would require less customisation after ditching a much-criticised blockchain-based effort. ASX is set to implement the new product-based platform in two main releases, with the clearing service to be delivered in the first release and the settlement and sub-register services in the second release. The stock exchange operator said the 2029 timeline for the second phase was decided after "extensive industry consultation" and will allow time for readiness activities. It added that it is continuing to work towards the delivery of the first release in 2026, with costs currently expected to be at the upper end of the previously estimated A$105 million to A$125 million range. ($1 = 1.5375 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Himanshi Akhand in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi)Grand Peace Jirga resumes negotiations to bring peace in Kurram
Packham resigns as RSPCA president after animal cruelty claims at approved farms“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.
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