The Fine Gael leader was asked about the controversy in the first question posed during the second and final TV leaders’ debate of Ireland’s General Election campaign. Mr Harris apologised over the weekend for his handling of the discussion with Charlotte Fallon while canvassing in Kanturk in Co Cork on Friday evening. The Taoiseach was accused of dismissing concerns that Ms Fallon raised about Government support for the disability sector during the exchange filmed by RTE in a supermarket. Mr Harris rang Ms Fallon on Saturday and said he unreservedly apologised for the way he treated her, however focus has since shifted to Fine Gael’s interactions with the national broadcaster about the social media video. At the outset of Tuesday’s TV debate, co-host Miriam O’Callaghan directly asked the Fine Gael leader whether a member of his party contacted RTE to ask for the clip to be taken down. “I have no knowledge of that whatsoever, because this clip was entirely appropriate,” said Mr Harris. “It was a very important moment on the campaign. “And RTE and indeed many media outlets have been with me throughout the campaign, covering many interactions that I’ve had with many, many people right across this country.” The Taoiseach said the approach by his team member was part of the “normal contact that happens between party politics and broadcasters on a daily basis”. Mr Harris’s partner-in-government in the last coalition, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, said he was not aware of the approach to RTE by Fine Gael. “I didn’t realise this had happened,” he said. “I think Simon has given his explanation to it. I’m not sure it’s as normal or as usual. I just get on with it every day. But, again, I think, you know, I’m not au fait with the details behind all of this, or the background to it. “The video didn’t come down, and it was seen by many, many people. “And I think it illustrates that out there, there are a lot of people suffering in our society. “Notwithstanding the progress we’ve made as a country, a lot of people are facing a lot of individual challenges, and our job as public representatives and as leaders in travelling the country is to listen to people, hear their cases, to understand the challenges that they are going through in their lives. “And when we go about in election campaigns, we have to open up ourselves to criticism and to people calling us to account.” Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had earlier in the day described reports of the Fine Gael approach to RTE as “chilling”. However, at the start of the debate, she was asked about a media-focused issue related to her own party, namely the controversial manifesto proposal for an independent expert review of RTE’s objectivity in its coverage of the war in Gaza and other international conflicts. Mr Harris previously branded the proposal a “dog whistle to conspiracy theorists” while Mr Martin said it was a “dangerous departure”. Ms McDonald defended the idea during the RTE Prime Time debate on Tuesday. “Politics and politicians should not try to influence editorial decisions or try and have clips taken down because they are inconvenient to them,” she said. “There has to be distance, there has to be objectivity. But I would say I am struck by the very defensive reaction from some to this (the review proposal). “The BBC, for example, a peer review looked at their coverage on migration. Politicians didn’t put their hands on it, and rightly so. “I think in a world where we have to rely on quality information, especially from the national broadcaster, which is in receipt of very substantial public funding, that has to be the gold standard of reliability. I think peer reviews like that are healthy.”
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Michael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. Related Articles Travel | A preview of some stunning hotels and resorts opening in 2025 Travel | Travel scams that can hurt your credit or finances Travel | Travel: Paddle the Loxahatchee River, one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida Travel | 7 family-friendly ski resorts in the US that won’t break the bank Travel | It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Child care and early learning central to debate over how to close WA budget gap
To improve your local-language experience, sometimes we employ an auto-translation plugin. Please note auto-translation may not be accurate, so read article for precise information. In Brief Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the way we live and work. Technology is influencing every field, from marketing and technology to healthcare. AI enthusiasts are scrambling to understand how technology can solve the most complex problems the world grapples with today using machine learning (ML) as its bedrock. ML is the process of feeding data to a system to enable the system to perform tasks. Now, that might not sound like anything new, but what’s fascinating about ML is that a system can use the data it’s given to self-learn the task and even get better at performing the task without needing a human to give it instructions explicitly, which was the norm before AI’s explosion. This is why we’re heading towards things like self-driving cars, which were inconceivable before. Powered by ML, such cars and ‘learn’ to become better ‘drivers’ over time. But, a word of caution. AI is quickly taking over tasks that directly affect human life. Naturally, questions are being asked: Such discourses have become known as AI ethics–the practice of identifying and addressing how we use AI without contradicting human values. In this blog, we will discuss and navigate how to have difficult and frank conversations about aligning AI and ML’s moral compass. Ethical AI closely examines how AI interacts with and affects human society. People involved in ethical AI discuss how to build an AI system fairly–specifically in how AI makes decisions from data in a way that minimizes any risks. To drive home the point, let’s use the example of surgery. An example of could be providers training a system to help doctors prioritize patients on a surgery waiting list. In this instance, AI ethicists would make sure the system uses appropriate metrics to determine priority (like severity of medical condition), not unethical factors (like prioritizing people from richer neighborhoods.) Additionally, ethicists would . If AI is given biased data to learn from, it will only perpetuate hurtful stereotypes. Overall, the core of ethical AI is to create systems that benefit society and minimize harm. It’s important not to get swayed by technological advancements to the extent it can jeopardize certain members of society. Ethical AI protects an individual from harm in the following ways. often work with sensitive data, like a person’s financial or biometric information. If ethical safeguards aren’t implemented, these systems could breach their human rights. For example: In this regard, ethical AI’s role would be to ensure these systems operate transparently. As intelligent as ML is, learning from data filled with human biases can have disastrous consequences. It would be like amplifying racism, sexism, and the like. The outcomes could result in: Ethical systems design comes in to uproot cognitive and unconscious bias. AI misuse in a way that causes existential crises is a real problem. A prime example is deepfakes. Deepfakes are the name given to creating hyper-realistic fake media. A malicious actor could create a deepfake (lookalike) of a celebrity and make it say anything it wants–just think about how damaging that could be to the victim and society at large. Deepfakes can result in: Such consequences can be catastrophic during global events like general elections. It’s good that we’re raising important questions surrounding AI’s use, but how do we implement AI ethics? There are several questions to consider. Who decides what’s right and wrong? After all, unless someone is following a strict code of conduct (like those found in organized religion), morality remains subjective. What is your right could be my wrong. So, who decides? (and who decides who decides?) Should it be: Generally speaking, the best way forward is a diverse steering group that perhaps holds opinions across different ends of the spectrum. The more diverse input we get, the greater the chances of making a sound choice because each group can make up for each other’s respective AI blind spots. And, as subjective as morality can be, there is a large part of it that has 99.99% human consensus, so the moral quagmire isn’t necessarily going to be complex each and every time, but we’d need group decision-making. AI systems must be designed to avoid discrimination against individuals or groups. Biases in training data can lead to unfair outcomes, such as denying loans based on demographic factors. Ensuring fairness requires diverse datasets and rigorous testing to detect and correct biases. People need to understand how AI systems make decisions. A lack of transparency confuses and diminishes trust, especially in critical areas like healthcare or criminal justice. Explainable AI means people can understand the reasoning behind decisions. As an offshoot of transparency, systems should clearly communicate how user data is collected, stored, and shared–given how . There needs to be a chain of command to follow when things go wrong. Developers, organizations, or regulatory bodies must establish accountability frameworks to and provide redress for errors. The human factor should never be taken out of the AI equation. AI decisions without human oversight can be damaging. AI has the potential to automate tasks, which can displace workers in various industries. Ethical AI includes strategies to address these disruptions, such as retraining programs or creating new job opportunities to mitigate economic effects. As mentioned, AI technologies like deepfakes can spread false information and manipulate public opinion. Ethical frameworks must focus on detecting and preventing the misuse of AI to safeguard the integrity of information and democratic processes. The aforementioned concerns are valid, given how AI has gone wrong in specific instances over the last several years. Amazon’s AI penalized resumes with terms like “women’s,” favoring male candidates due to patterns in historical hiring data. The Dutch childcare benefits scandal is a glaring example of algorithmic bias in government applications. An AI system and those with dual nationality as potential fraudsters, leading to false accusations. revealed how AI-powered analytics can be misused in politics. By exploiting Facebook users’ data, the company influenced the 2016 U.S. presidential election, sparking debates about data privacy and the ethical boundaries of AI in shaping political outcomes. As you can see, AI can be just as destructive as it is a source of good. As a result, there’s a huge need to develop AI ethically. Here’s how. Every organization needs an ethical AI SOP that outlines how they plan to use AI responsibly. These should become mandatory to publish. Good AI ethics prioritizes human rights, privacy, and democratic values. This SOP then acts as an organization’s North Star. A report last year recommended AI companies spend 30% of their funding on R&D in . And it’s not just for-profit companies who need ethical AI. . It’s not enough to simply have a policy in place. Companies need to audit their and usage regularly to identify kinks like privacy violations and discriminatory outputs. Essentially, it’s using good AI (like predictive analytics that can foresee potential risks) to outwit bad AI (whether malicious or innocuous.) sets itself apart in AI and data collection by prioritizing ethical practices. They work with organizations like the World Ethical Data Forum to address the challenges of responsible data use in the tech world. Clear are their approach, supporting transparency and accountability in how data is collected and handled. Their commitment is further demonstrated through initiatives like their Trust Center, which sets standards for ethical web data collection while safeguarding customer and partner interests. By focusing on clear user consent and complying with regulations like GDPR and CCPA, Bright Data shows how responsible practices can go hand in hand with innovation. Their dedication to ethical practices has made it a standout in the AI and data collection space, setting an example of how innovation and responsibility can go hand in hand. The ethical development of AI is essential for navigating the moral challenges ML poses. When we address ethical concerns like privacy, fairness, and societal impact, we can help AI systems align with human values and promote trust. For organizations, integrating ethical AI principles into their development processes goes beyond a moral or legal obligation. It is a prerequisite to responsible innovation. In line with the , please note that the information provided on this page is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of advice. It is important to only invest what you can afford to lose and to seek independent financial advice if you have any doubts. For further information, we suggest referring to the terms and conditions as well as the help and support pages provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Jeremy Moser is the co-founder and CEO of uSERP, a leading digital PR and SEO agency. With a keen focus on driving organic growth and increasing online visibility, Jeremy has built a reputation for delivering impactful results in the digital marketing space. In addition to running uSERP, Jeremy is also an entrepreneur in the SaaS industry, where he buys and builds companies like Wordable.io. His deep expertise in SEO and content marketing is reflected in his work as a writer for notable publications, including Entrepreneur and Search Engine Journal, where he shares expertise on scaling businesses, growth strategies, and digital marketing trends. Jeremy Moser is the co-founder and CEO of uSERP, a leading digital PR and SEO agency. With a keen focus on driving organic growth and increasing online visibility, Jeremy has built a reputation for delivering impactful results in the digital marketing space. In addition to running uSERP, Jeremy is also an entrepreneur in the SaaS industry, where he buys and builds companies like Wordable.io. His deep expertise in SEO and content marketing is reflected in his work as a writer for notable publications, including Entrepreneur and Search Engine Journal, where he shares expertise on scaling businesses, growth strategies, and digital marketing trends.One way to facilitate the adaptation process is by providing language and cultural training to young Chinese players before they move to Europe. By equipping them with basic language skills and cultural knowledge, players will be better prepared to communicate with their teammates, coaches, and local communities, making their transition smoother and more successful. Additionally, having support systems in place, such as mentors, counselors, and translators, can also help players feel more comfortable and empowered to face the challenges of living abroad.UTAH TECH 68, DENVER 54
MINNEAPOLIS – Penn State fans, greetings from Huntington Stadium. James Franklin’s No. 4 Nittany Lions are warming up ahead of their Big Ten matchup with P.J. Fleck’s Minnesota Golden Gophers. The weather is incredible for Minnesota at this time of year: 40 degrees and no wind. You can follow along here at PennLive for updates throughout the game. PSU has won two consecutive games since dropping a narrow 20-13 decision to Ohio State at Beaver Stadium. The Lions scored a total of 84 points in victories over Washington (35-6) and Purdue (49-10). Minnesota was off last week. PSU is 4-0 on the road. Penn State wideout Julian Fleming i s listed as questionable on the Big Ten-mandated availability report and young corner Elliot Washington is out with an undisclosed injury. Here’s the big question: What will Minnesota’s defense do to try and stop Penn State star tight end Tyler Warren? Warren, who leads the Lions in catches (67), yards (808) and receiving touchdowns (five). One more note on Warren: He will double his 2023 output in receptions with his next catch. He had 34 receptions for 422 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023. THIRD QUARTER PENN STATE 23, MINNESOTA 22 3:43: Penn State moved 57 yards in five plays to take its first lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Nick Singleton. Penn State tight end Tyler Warren had three catches for 30 yards on the drive. Ryan Barker’s extra point gave the Lions the lead. PENN STATE 23, MINNESOTA 22. 9:59: Penn State’s defense could not get a stop on Minnesota’s first possession. The Gophers drove 51 yards in nine plays to set up a 42-yard field goal by Dragan Kesich. MINNESOTA 22, PENN STATE 16. HALFTIME MINNESOTA 19, PENN STATE 16 The final couple of minutes got crazy here in Minneapolis. Minnesota had all the momentum late, then Penn State and Drew Allar stole it, only to see a crazy special teams play but the Gophers in front, 19-16. First, Minnesota’s Derik LeCaptain deflected a Riley Thompson punt, giving the Gophers’ possession at the PSU 21 with 1:10 left before half. The Gophers then ran a trick play, with running back Darius Taylor taking a handoff, pitching it to wideout Daniel Jackson, who flipped it back to quarterback Max Brosmer. Tight end Jameson Geers was wide open on the right side for a 21-yard touchdown. Minnesota led 17-10, but PSU answered with a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that Allar capped with a four-yard rush with 19 seconds left before half. However, Ryan Barker’s point-after try was blocked by Minnesota’s Jack Henderson and teammate Ethan Robinson returned it for a two-point score. It could have been 17-17, but it was 19-16, Gophers. 7:50: Penn State’s offense turns an interception by linebacker Dom DeLuca into three points. Allar took another big sack on a drive, but Ryan Barker connected on a 45-yard field goal midway through the second quarter. PENN STATE 10, MINNESOTA 10. 10:48: Well, the Lions’ offense answered the Minnesota field goal with a quick score. Allar connected with wide-open speedy wideout Omari Evans on a 45-yard bomb. Barker with the extra point. MINNESOTA 10, PENN STATE 7. 12:56: Minnesota’s offense moved the Gophers into scoring territory again, and Gophers kicker Dragan Kesich connects from 48 yards on a field goal to give the hosts a 10-0 lead with 12:56 left before halftime. Minnesota only had to drive 25 yards in seven plays after Allar’s sack on fourth down. MINNESOTA 10, PENN STATE 0. FIRST QUARTER MINNESOTA 7, PENN STATE 0 Penn State’s offense has to get its act together as the Lions trail 7-0 after one quarter. The Lions managed just 30 yards total on their first two drives. And on the third drive, Allar, facing a fourth-and-five play from the Minnesota 33, was sacked for a 12-yard loss. 8:57: The game could not have started much worse for Penn State. First, starting right tackle Anthony Donkoh left the game on the Lions’ first offensive series with an apparent leg injury. He was replaced by Nolan Rucci. Then tight end Tyler Warren, aligned as the wildcat QB, got stuffed for no gain on a third-and-one try from the PSU 35. Minnesota took possession on its 30 and drove 70 yards in nine plays, the last one a 20-yard scoring run by backup running back Marcus Major with 8:57 left in the first quarter. Dragan Kasich with the extra point. MINNESOTA 7, PENN STATE 0. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Wemby at The Garden. LeBron vs. Steph. The NBA's Christmas Day lineup, as always, has star power LeBron James made his Christmas debut in 2003. Victor Wembanyama was born 10 days later. That’s right: James has been featured on the NBA’s big day for longer than Wembanyama has been alive. And on Wednesday the league’s oldest player and brightest young star will be big parts of the holiday showcase. It’s another Christmas quintupleheader, with Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visiting the New York Knicks, Minnesota going to Dallas for a Western Conference finals rematch, Philadelphia heading to Boston to renew a storied rivalry, James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and Denver playing at Phoenix. Pro Picks: Chiefs will beat the Steelers and Ravens will edge the Texans on Christmas Day Playoff berths, draft positioning and more are up for grabs in Week 17. There’s going to be plenty of football on television this holiday week with the NFL playing games on five out of six days, starting with a doubleheader on Christmas Day featuring four of the AFC’s top five teams. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs visit Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Then, two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take on C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The Bears host the Seahawks on Thursday night and there are three games on Saturday, making Sunday’s schedule light at nine games. Falcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched Cousins It was the most surprising first-round pick in a long time when the Atlanta Falcons chose Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection in the NFL draft last April. That came just six weeks after the Falcons had signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million in guarantees. But that move is no longer a head-scratcher after Penix's solid starting debut in place of a benched and turnover-prone Cousins. Several teams have fared well with new quarterbacks this season including the Steelers, Broncos, Vikings and Commanders. Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could start a trend in skiing. And pro sports in general ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could be the start of a trend in ski racing. The 40-year-old American standout had replacement surgery in April and returned to the World Cup circuit after nearly six years last weekend. She says her knee feels “amazing" and that "it’s something to seriously consider for athletes that have a lot of knee problems.” Her surgery was the first of its kind in World Cup skiing. Vonn had a robot-assisted surgery in April with part of the bone in her right knee cut off and replaced by two titanium pieces. She was planning her comeback a month later. Story continues below video Boise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship moments No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for its third trip to the Fiesta Bowl. This time it's in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year’s Eve. Boise State's first appearance on the national stage was in a memorable victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2007. But former coach Chris Petersen said the victory in that bowl three years later over TCU was even more meaningful for the program. Players have mixed feelings about being on the road on Christmas as NFL adds more holiday games OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Games on Christmas aren’t new to the NFL. The Miami Dolphins famously beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a playoff game on Dec. 25, 1971 — a double-overtime classic that still holds the record for the NFL’s longest game. In 2020, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with six touchdowns in a game when the Saints beat Minnesota on Christmas. Lately the league has been much more aggressive about scheduling games on Christmas. That's been met with mixed feelings among the players. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley says there is an offensive line Christmas party planned for Friday at center Tyler Linderbaum’s house. Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s plan is to celebrate on Thursday. Embiid ejected after drawing 2 technicals in game against Wembanyama and Spurs PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was ejected in the first half of Monday night’s game against San Antonio after drawing two technical fouls. Referee Jenna Schroeder ejected Embiid with 2 minutes, 59 seconds left in the second quarter. The seven-time All-Star received the first technical for arguing with Schroeder, and received another technical — and ejection — from Schroeder before any more game time elapsed. Embiid was close to Schroeder, but it wasn’t clear from replays whether he made contact with the official. An enraged Embiid charged toward the officials after the ejection and was restrained by teammate Kyle Lowry, head coach Nick Nurse and several assistants. Nikki Glaser uses Prime Video's NFL postgame show appearances to help prepare for Golden Globes INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Nikki Glaser has become a familiar face to football fans this season. Her breakthrough performance at the Tom Brady Roast on May 5 paved the way for five appearances on Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” postgame show. Glaser said before last Thursday’s game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers that doing her “Late Hits” segment was a no-brainer following her success at the Brady roast. Leaving Thunder, Bucks off the NBA's Christmas game list has those teams feeling snubbed Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference and has a MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Milwaukee has the NBA’s leading scorer in Giannis Antetokounmpo. They were the teams that made their way to the NBA Cup final. By any measure, they’re both very good teams. And neither will play on Christmas Day this year. Bah, humbug. The NBA faces the same challenge every summer, figuring out which 10 teams will get the honor of playing on Christmas Day. But the Bucks and Thunder are right to feel snubbed.
Senate Passes Social Security Fairness Act, Connecticut Educators Celebrate
ELMONT, N.Y. — And just like that, the Blues had become a team that jumps to the lead. After they went seven straight games allowing the first goal of the game, the Blues had scored first in five of their last six games entering Saturday night’s contest against the Islanders at UBS Arena. But New York tallied first in that one, late in the first period en route to a 3-1 victory. Before that, since Nov. 12 no NHL team had scored first more often than the Blues, even if that hadn’t translated to wins (St. Louis was 2-2-1 in those five games). “We’re on our toes more,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “I think we’re just more direct early. At the same time, when you get that feeling a little bit, you have to sustain it. When we score one early last game, 10 seconds in, that’s when you have to go in and try and get that next one right away. That’s kind of the mentality you have to have. I think our starts have been better. Just everyone in general, a little bit more ready to play.” On Thursday night against the Sharks, the Blues scored the fastest goal of the NHL season so far when Nathan Walker scored just 11 seconds into the game. Like in the previous four games in which the Blues scored first, they allowed a game-tying goal (Alexander Wennberg tied it at both 1 and 2) before winning in a shootout. “The first five minutes have been good for us, and we’ve been able to build our game from there,” Blues coach Drew Bannister said. “We want to continue to do that, play on our toes and be aggressive.” The Blues will need to continue their strong starts as they opened a stretch of seven road games of their next eight on Saturday night. They will play all three New York-area teams before Thanksgiving, then have one game at home vs. the Flyers before embarking on a four-game trip through western Canada in early December. The Blues entered the trip as a slightly below-average road team, carrying a 4-5-1 record into UBS Arena. Their minus-9 goal differential on the road was among the bottom third of the league, but that’s also weighed down by a 8-1 thumping in Ottawa in late October. What does the Blues’ road game look like? “A hard, simple game,” Schenn said. “Building your game right from puck drop and taking care of pucks and doing the little details that ultimately win you hockey games. Obviously, we don’t play a flashy style of game. The harder and simpler we are, it’s suiting us better this way.” Sundqvist back in After two games as a healthy scratch, Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist re-entered the lineup on Saturday night as Zack Bolduc was a healthy scratch. Sundqvist entered Saturday with two goals in 12 games, and was instrumental on the penalty-killing unit while Robert Thomas was injured. Asked what his message was to Sundqvist, Bannister said: “I want to leave that between me and the players. I think that’s the best way it’s kept.” Sundqvist was to play on a line with Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker, as Radek Faksa was promoted to skate with Dylan Holloway and Mathieu Joseph. “For us, we trust him on the PK,” Bannister said on Sundqvist. “He’s a responsible player in the d-zone, he’s good on faceoffs. Just want him to be a solid veteran out on the ice for us that does the right things.” The Blues made one other change, this one on defense as Corey Schueneman exited as Matthew Kessel was back in for St. Louis.NORMAN, Okla. — Xavier Robinson ran for career highs of 107 yards and two touchdowns, and Oklahoma stunned No. 7 Alabama 24-3 on Saturday night to become bowl eligible and deal a severe blow to the Crimson Tide's chances of receiving a College Football Playoff berth. Jackson Arnold ran for 131 yards on 25 carries and completed 9 of 11 passes for the Sooners (6-5, 2-5 SEC), who got coach Brent Venables off the hot seat on Senior Night. It was Oklahoma's first Southeastern Conference home win after leaving the Big 12 this summer. Sooners fans rushed the field with 28 seconds remaining, knocking down both goalposts. After the field was cleared, Oklahoma took a knee, and the fans returned to the field to celebrate. Alabama's Jalen Milroe, who had been one of the nation's best players, had his worst game of the season. He completed 11 of 26 passes for 164 yards with three interceptions and gained just seven yards on 15 carries for Alabama (8-3, 4-3, No. 7 CFP). The Sooners held Alabama to 234 yards. Robinson's 18-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left in the second quarter put the Sooners up 10-3, a score that held up until halftime. Oklahoma outgained the Crimson Tide 242 yards to 97 before the break. Milroe completed 2 of 7 passes for 62 yards and ran nine times for minus-2 yards before the break. Oklahoma outgained Alabama 118 yards to 15 in the second quarter and kept the ball for just over 11 of the 15 minutes. Oklahoma's Eli Bowen intercepted Milroe on the third play of the second half and returned it 25 yards to the Alabama 14. Robinson's 1-yard touchdown run increased Oklahoma's lead to 17-3. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) is tackled by Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman (28) during the second quarter of a NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Norman, Okla. Credit: AP/Alonzo Adams On the next possession, Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis intercepted Milroe and ran it back 49 yards for a touchdown to put the Sooners up 24-3 with 8:05 left in the third quarter. The Takeaway Alabama: The Crimson Tide have been up and down this season, and they picked the wrong night to be down. Alabama lost this game in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Oklahoma: The Sooners found out what happens when they don't hurt themselves. They started to find their identity as a run-heavy offense that complements its defense two weeks ago against Maine and stayed true to it against Alabama. Poll Implications Alabama will take a steep drop for losing to an unranked team it was heavily favored to beat. Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) gestures to his team before a play against Alabama during the second quarter of a NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Norman, Okla. Credit: AP/Alonzo Adams Up Next Alabama: Visits Auburn on Saturday. Oklahoma: Visits LSU on Saturday.
Kanpur: A Provincial Police Services officer, accused of sexually exploiting an IIT Kanpur student, now faces more charges. A fresh FIR against him accused him of criminal intimidation and defamation, said police on Thursday. The survivor alleged the official had threatened her of serious consequences and of circulating defamatory material against her. ACP Abhishek Pandey confirmed the new FIR lodged on Tuesday against the PPS officer and his legal representative were under specific sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita and Information Technology Act . Pandey said questioning of the police officer and his lawyer was likely if necessary as they had allegedly shared objectionable content on social media platforms to damage the complainant's image. The student approached senior officials, including police commissioner Akhil Kumar, who authorised additional FIR against the officer and his advocate. The student reiterated her accusations of sexual exploitation by the PPS officer under false promise of marriage. A five-member special investigation team, headed by additional DCP (traffic) Archana Singh, has been set up to probe the matter. The complainant provided the SIT with conversation records allegedly showing the accused's communication. The PPS officer was reassigned to DGP headquarters on Dec 12 following the initial accusations. Official records show he recently began PhD studies at IIT Kanpur. Reports indicate he allegedly developed a relationship with the woman at the institute, promising to marry her after divorcing his wife. The complainant sought police intervention after he reportedly declined to fulfil his commitment. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Smith Collection/Gado // Getty Images Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Death Records Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Canva Be the first to know
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There is a tendency to generalize and homogenize the support base of "Trump 2.0" as a uniform entity. However, Professor Ouyang Hui highlights the diversity within political constituencies and emphasizes that support for such movements can stem from a variety of motivations and perspectives. By recognizing the heterogeneous nature of political affiliations, a more nuanced understanding of "Trump 2.0" emerges.