night fishing The 48-hour onslaught represents one of the most intense and sustained Israeli military operations in Syria in recent years. The rapid succession of airstrikes demonstrates Israel's willingness to take decisive action to protect its security interests and deter potential threats from its neighboring adversaries.

The remarkable life andbrilliant comics of a Hamilton artist who suffered adebilitating disease are being celebrated with thepublication of two volumes of his eclectic graphicstorytelling Dean Ballinger, who died at age 48 in2022 after enduring Motor Neuron Disease, produced manycartoon strips and comic zines over more than two decades,ranging in style from imaginative new mythology and gonzosci-fi, to conceptual art jokes and ‘too much for some’toilet humour. Now a groupof Dean’s friends are publishing two books of his comics,to offer his long-time fans a quality memento of hismemorable drawings, and to introduce his crazy wild art tonew audiences. Mark Servian, editor and projectmanager, says between them, the two volumes present threedistinct artistic genres of Dean’swork. is the never-before-seen graphicnovel written and pencilled by Dean, and then inked andcoloured to completion by Aaron Christiansen. It is a funstory that will appeal to adults and kidsalike. “The other volume is actually ‘two books inone’ - the is twocollections back-to-back, reflecting Dean’s two verydifferent bodies of work, the art and the comedy” saysMark. is a 116-page fully colour illustrated graphic novel aboutthree quirky friends on a quest across a psychedelicWaikato. Think of it as a “Yellow Submarine in theWaikato”, in the format of an Asterix book. Deanbegan working on in 2014, with Aaron Christiansenthen working with him on the art over the last year of hislife. “ blends Dean’s love for nature,history, and deep cultural connections into a unique,surreal and captivating story,” says Aaron. “I gotto know Dean over a few years through us both contributingcomics to Waikato student mag , and zines , and Dean’s groupanthology Then I had the privilege of working with Dean inhis final year to help him complete . “Isee doing this as honouring his vision and ensuring hisfinal work is shared with everyone. Finishing hasn’t been just about completing a project—it has beenabout keeping Dean’s voice alive on thepage. “Dean’s ideas, his humour, and his distinctway of seeing the world are woven into every part of thisstory. Taking what he had roughed out and bringing it tolife has been a great honour, I’m proud to be able toshare Dean’s work in a way that stays true to his originalvision,” says Aaron. isactually ‘two books in one’, some 330 pages all up,including 20 in colour. Editor Mark Servian says DeanBallinger produced two distinct bodies of graphicstorytelling over twenty-five years. “Thiscollection of Dean’s comics and posters is presented astwo books back-to-back in a double-ended volume, with adifferent front cover at each end,” saysMark. , atone end, contains Dean’s ‘serious literature’ pieces,most of which were originally published as wholezines. “It includes Dean’s experimental comics andmost sci-fi outings, stories that delve into daily life andbirth new mythologies, and it closes with the last tales hetold, about his experience of motor neurondisease. at the other end, contains Dean’s short and funny stuff, originallypublished in student mags and anthology zines, or pinned upin flats. “Usually a single page, they employ allmanner of comedic devices along the way, from intellectualsight gags to spectacularly low brow takes on Hamilton’s‘bogan’ reputation. “There is some full-on‘art wank and toilet humour’ in places, unsuitable forchildren and general polite company, but irony and goodintent abound and many will chuckle aloud at these ribaldstrips.” Mark says it has been a privilege tocommission and edit this collection of Dean Ballinger’samazing art and stories. The books areavailable from BooksbyDeanBallinger.nz,and in due course at willing bookshops. See also HurryUp Ow Press on Facebook. The ‘Dean book team’is trading as ‘Hurry Up! Ow! Press’. It is made up ofDean’s wife Kelly Taylor, and includes Aaron Christiansen,Rohan Marx, Mark Servian, Richard Swainson, Wairehu Grantand LaurenKerr-Bell.

Abdullah scores 21 off the bench, Boston University defeats Howard 69-62UN publishes new death toll for massacre of older people and Vodou religious leaders in Haiti

Title: Another "Dad Vibes" Big Shot Crashes and Burns! PUA-Style Remarks Rile up the Crowd

MELBOURNE, Australia — An advocate for major social media platforms told an Australian Senate committee Monday that laws to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed until next year at least instead of being rushed through the Parliament this week. Sunita Bose, managing director of Digital Industry Group Inc., an advocate for the digital industry in Australia including X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, was answering questions at a single-day Senate committee hearing into world-first legislation that was introduced into the Parliament last week. Bose said the Parliament should wait until the government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies is completed in June. “Parliament is asked to pass a bill this week without knowing how it will work,” Bose said. The legislation would impose fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) on platforms for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . It seems likely to be passed by Parliament by Thursday with the support of the major parties. It would take effect a year after the bill becomes law, allowing the platforms time to work out technological solutions that would also protect users’ privacy. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said she looked forward to reading the Senate committee's assessment of the proposed law, which “supports parents to say ‘no’” to children wanting to use social media. “Social media in its current form is not a safe product for them,” Rowland told Parliament. “Access to social media does not have to be the defining feature of growing up. There is more to life than constant notifications, endless scrolling and pressure to conform to the false and unrealistic perfectionism that can be served up by influencers,” she added. Bose received heated questions from several senators and challenges to the accuracy of her answers. Opposition Sen. Ross Cadell asked how his 10-year-old stepson was able to hold Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube accounts from the age of 8, despite the platforms setting a nominal age limit of 13. Bose replied that “this is an area where the industry needs to improve.” She said the proposed social media ban risked isolating some children and driving children to “darker, less safe online spaces” than mainstream platforms. Bose said her concern with the proposed law was that “this could compromise the safety of young people,” prompting a hostile response from opposition Sen. Sarah Henderson. “That’s an outrageous statement. You’re trying to protect the big tech giants,” Henderson said. Unaligned Sen. Jacqui Lambie asked why the platforms didn’t use their algorithms to prevent harmful material being directed to children. The algorithms have been accused of keeping technology-addicted children connected to platforms and of flooding users with harmful material that promotes suicide and eating disorders. “Your platforms have the ability to do that. The only thing that’s stopping them is themselves and their greed,” Lambie said. Bose said algorithms were already in place to protect young people online through functions including filtering out nudity. “We need to see continued investment in algorithms and ensuring that they do a better job at addressing harmful content,” Bose said. Questioned by opposition Sen. Dave Sharma, Bose said she didn’t know how much advertising revenue the platforms she represented made from Australian children. She said she was not familiar with research by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that found X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat made $11 billion in advertising from U.S. users under 18 in 2022. Communications department official Sarah Vandenbroek told the committee the evaluation of age assurance technologies that will report in June would assess not only their accuracy but also their security and privacy settings. Department Deputy Secretary James Chisholm said officials had consulted widely before proposing the age limit. “We think it’s a good idea and it can be done,” Chisholm told the committee.

House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of 'regularly' paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl

(Bloomberg) — The global boom in AI has turned an obscure 139-year-old Japanese company into a stock-market star. Fujikura Ltd., which makes wire cabling for data centers, is the best performer on the Nikkei 225 Stock Average index, with its shares surging more than 400% this year. It will join the MSCI global standard indexes on Nov. 25 as the sole addition from Japan while eight other companies from the country will be removed. The firm is a classic ‘picks and shovels’ investment as tech companies and utilities pour money into building out the necessary infrastructure to support AI. Construction of the data centers, electricity supplies and communications networks needed for AI will require at least $1 trillion of spending, according to an analysis by Bloomberg News. The rapid growth of the industry has surprised Fujikura itself. “The demand for data centers has skyrocketed since around 2022,” said Kazuhito Iijima, Fujikura’s chief financial officer, in an interview. “We didn’t quite understand it that well at that time, but it became clear this year that it was all about AI.” Fujikura, which counts Apple Inc. among its biggest customers, specializes in fiber optic cables. Its products have some of the smallest diameters in the industry, which allows them to be used in narrow spaces without the need for additional tunneling, according to Iijima. The company boosted its operating income guidance earlier this month by 17% to ¥104 billion ($674 million) for the current fiscal year. It gets over 70% of its revenue overseas, with about 38% coming from the US. Global data center capacity is expected to rise at an average rate of 33% annually through 2030, according to McKinsey & Company. “The area is still in the early stages of development,” said Kazuhiro Sasaki, head of research at Phillip Securities Japan. “The amount of data will increase as the scale of the system becomes larger and more data is added, so this field itself should continue to grow.” The company traces its roots to 1885, when founder Zenpachi Fujikura started making wires insulated with silk and cotton. Over the centuries, it grew with the country’s industrialization, supplying cables for the burgeoning automotive industry, utilities and Japan’s bullet trains. The current boom stands in stark contrast to 2020, when the company posted its first loss in more than a decade. The Covid pandemic and trade tensions between the US and China ate into Fujikura’s sales. With Donald Trump returning to the White House next year, the company is determined to avoid the threat of tariffs in its largest market. It has taken measure to comply with the Build America, Buy America Act, which requires that manufactured products and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the US. “We have just completed setting up a production base, which is BABA-compliant, for ultra high-density optical fiber cables in the United States,” said Iijima. This will protect its business “even if new issues arise that are disadvantageous to imported materials,” he said. The massive run-up in the shares has made the stock expensive. Fujikura is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of about 29 while those of its peers such as Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. and Furukawa Electric Co. are trading at 11.8 and 20 respectively. Analysts are bullish on the company with 10 buys, 3 holds and no sells. Still, some think its rivals will offer better returns. “There should be more upside for Furukawa and Sumitomo Electric given the huge out-performance for Fujikura,” said Andrew Jackson, head of Japan equity strategy at Ortus Advisors Ptd Ltd. After being surprised by the AI boom, the company says it has already identified the next big opportunity — nuclear fusion. The prospect of theoretically limitless clean-energy has won the backing of multiple billionaires, including Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. While the technology has not been proven to work for large scale production of electricity, if and when it does, there will be a need for cables and wires. “We hope that this will become a pillar of the industry from 2030 onwards,” Iijima said.

Co-owned by siblings Dennis Dumbleton, of Wyoming, and Sharon West, of Pavilion, Dumbleton Used Auto Parts, Inc. specializes in the sale of used auto parts, which has and is still the main portion of the business. The company opened in 1966 and was owned by the late Charles Dumbleton and the late Dorothy A. Dumbleton, of Pavilion, who married Jan. 10, 1959. Housed at 7223 Morrow Road, Pavilion, Dumbleton Used Auto Parts, Inc. has six employees. Both Dennis and Sharon are involved, daily, in the business. The company works with all makes and models and can help you find what you’re looking for. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. What is Connections? The NYT 's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common. Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends. Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media. Here's a hint for today's Connections categories Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try: Here are today's Connections categories Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories: Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle. Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions. Drumroll, please! The solution to today's Connections #570 is... What is the answer to Connections today Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands . If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

(CNN) — The number of US troops in Syria has regularly surged higher than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed since at least 2020, and in recent months increased to more than double the roughly 900 troops the US has long said are in Syria, multiple defense officials familiar with the matter told CNN. The Pentagon said last week that the additional troops beyond the 900 are “temporary.” But on Monday, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, acknowledged that the numbers of forces in Syria “in general have increased over time as the threat has increased to baseline forces.” Ryder first revealed on Thursday that the number of troops in Syria is around 2,000, “significantly higher than what we’ve been briefing” in recent months and years. He also said that he only found out about the larger footprint there in recent days. The Army’s director of plans, operations, and training distributed the true number internally earlier this month, two officials told CNN. It is not clear when exactly the troop numbers reached their current peak, but the US surged additional assets and personnel to the Middle East following last year’s October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. On Monday, the Pentagon issued a new statement attempting to clarify the long-standing discrepancy about the number of troops in Syria. “In addition to the approximately 900 baseline troops, there are also approximately 1,100 U.S. military personnel in Syria that deploy for shorter durations as temporary enablers in support of force protection, transportation, maintenance, or other emerging operational requirements,” Ryder said. “The numbers of these additional temporary forces have fluctuated over the past several years based on mission needs but in general have increased over time as the threat has increased to baseline forces,” he added. Defense officials have long been reluctant to reveal the true troop numbers in Syria because it could risk angering neighboring partner countries, particularly Iraq, sources told CNN. When the Pentagon first acknowledged the larger troop presence, Ryder said there are “diplomatic and operational security considerations oftentimes with our deployments.” Syria isn’t the only country where the Pentagon has more troops deployed than it has previously said. In its statement Monday, the Pentagon acknowledged there may be more than 2,500 troops in Iraq, the baseline number the military has used for its military footprint in the country. But the Pentagon did not provide any additional details on how many more troops are in Iraq, only saying there are “some additional temporary enablers deployed on a rotational basis.” “However, due to operations security and diplomatic considerations, we do not have any more specifics to provide,” Ryder said in the statement. The vague reference to additional troops in Iraq leaves open the possibility of a significantly larger presence than was previously acknowledged, just as in Syria. The US military presence in Iraq is a sensitive issue for Iraqi officials, who have said publicly they want US troops out of the country. If the Iraqis saw the number of troops increasing in Syria, they’d fear the US was doing so in Iraq as well, officials explained, which it now appears may be the case. It is particularly delicate in the midst of negotiations about the future US military footprint in Iraq. For more than a year, Washington and Baghdad have engaged in a series of talks about the future of the US military presence in the country. In January, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani made the goal of the discussions clear when he said the aim was to “end the presence of the international coalition forces in Iraq permanently.” The US military footprint in Syria relies on support from US troops in Iraq, and a larger presence in the former could necessitate more troops in the latter. Defense officials insist the Pentagon has not misled the public about the core number of troops in Syria, which they have said since 2020 is around 900. Most of those are special operations forces, one defense official said, and the military rarely acknowledges changes to special operations troop levels. Officials say the additional 1,100 or so that have been stationed there in recent months are “temporary enabling” forces, primarily with the Army, that are meant to augment the core presence with logistical and defensive help. But those troops are typically replaced as soon as they finish their rotations, which are frequently three months or less, so the total number has consistently surged above 900 over the years, officials said. Concealing the true number of US troops in Syria dates to Donald Trump’s first administration. In 2020, the outgoing US envoy to Syria, Jim Jeffrey, acknowledged that his team routinely misled senior military leaders about troop levels there, which suggests it was not exclusively military officials keeping the number under wraps. “We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there,” Jeffrey told Defense One at the time . Trump in 2019 had agreed to keep roughly 200 to 400 US troops in Syria, but the actual number was “a lot more,” Jeffrey said. There are even more civilian contractors in the country. A report from the Congressional Research Service said there were more than 5,400 contractors in Iraq and Syria in the second quarter of 2024. The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Romanian leftist PM and hard-right candidate in a tie after initial presidential election round, partial results show

Furthermore, the early delivery of the housing units underscores Liaoning's determination to fulfill its obligations and responsibilities in the realm of urban development. By meeting and exceeding the set targets well ahead of schedule, the province has set a new standard for efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence in the construction industry. This achievement serves as a source of inspiration for other provinces and regions, encouraging them to strive for excellence and excellence in their own development projects.NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Alyssa Ustby and Lexi Donarski scored 14 points apiece, and Ustby added 14 rebounds to lead No. 16 North Carolina to a 53-36 victory over Villanova in a semifinal game at the Women's Battle 4 Atlantis on Sunday. The Tar Heels (5-1) play Indiana in the championship game on Monday. The Hoosiers upset No. 18 Baylor 73-65 in Sunday's first semifinal. Ustby made 6 of 8 shots from the floor with a 3-pointer for North Carolina on the way to her first double-double of the season. Donarski hit 6 of 10 shots with a pair of 3-pointers. Maddie Webber led the Wildcats (4-2) with 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Lara Edmanson pitched in with 11 points and seven rebounds. The Tar Heels held Villonova's leading scorer Jasmine Bascoe to two points after she came in averaging 16.6 per game. Bascoe missed all seven of her shots — three from distance — and made 2 of 4 at the free-throw line. Ustby had seven points and Donarski scored five to guide the Tar Heels to a 17-7 lead after one quarter. Donarski scored five more in the third quarter to help North Carolina turn a 30-18 lead at halftime into a 44-23 advantage heading to the final period. North Carolina shot 40% from the floor, made 5 of 17 from beyond the arc (29.4%) and 4 of 6 at the foul line. Villanova shot 23.5% overall but made 5 of 18 from distance (27.8%) and 7 of 10 free throws. The Tar Heels scored 15 points off of 21 Villanova turnovers. They turned it over 14 times but it led to only three points for the Wildcats. North Carolina outscored Villanova 30-14 in the paint and never trailed. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

None

As discussions continue about the future of the U.S.'s role in NATO, it is clear that the issue of fair payment will be a key factor in shaping the direction of America's involvement in the alliance. President Trump's emphasis on burden-sharing and financial responsibility reflects a broader effort to strengthen NATO and ensure that member countries are meeting their commitments to collective defense.One of the key benefits of a flattened organizational structure is the increased speed of decision-making. With fewer layers of management to navigate, employees are empowered to make decisions more quickly, enabling the company to respond rapidly to changing market conditions and customer needs. This agility has been a crucial factor in the company's ability to stay ahead of the competition and maintain its position as the world's highest market value company.Number of women who are state lawmakers inches up to a record high

Furthermore, by making tough decisions and culling underperforming players, clubs can free up resources to invest in new talent that can make a meaningful impact on the team. Football is a results-driven business, and sentimentality should not stand in the way of progress and success. Manchester United, as one of the biggest clubs in the world, must uphold high standards and make difficult decisions for the greater good of the team.

In addressing these challenges, the former minister stressed the importance of a balanced approach that combines cooperation and competition. He advocated for the EU to establish a clear and unified strategy towards China, taking into account the diverse interests and concerns of member states.

deep sea fishing

Making Winter Heating Eco-Friendly: Top Tips for a Greener Home HVAC SystemSANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL), today announced a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per share of common stock payable on January 30, 2025 to shareholders of record as of January 10, 2025 . About Marvell To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, we're building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world's leading technology companies for over 25 years, we move, store, process and secure the world's data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers' current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, we're ultimately changing the way tomorrow's enterprise, cloud, automotive, and carrier architectures transform—for the better. Marvell® and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. For further information, contact: Ashish Saran Senior Vice President, Investor Relations 408-222-0777 ir@marvell.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marvell-technology-inc-declares-quarterly-dividend-payment-302331636.html SOURCE MarvellCarson Heidecker’s adventurous college football career results in MAC championship at Ohio University

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Pilot is making every mile merrier with an array of offerings to fuel holiday journeys. In celebration of the season, Pilot’s holiday campaign features a week-long “Hauliday Giveaway,” a curated gift guide for on-the-go shoppers and savings on seasonal coffee. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121848770/en/ Pilot is making every mile merrier with an array of offerings to fuel holiday journeys. (Photo: Business Wire) "Holiday travel is about more than just reaching the destination; it's about creating cheerful moments along the way. Whether it's singing holiday classics, savoring the warmth of a perfect cup of coffee on a frosty morning drive, or sharing stories with a car full of loved ones, these moments are what define the journey," shared Adrienne Ingoldt, Pilot’s chief marketing officer. “Wherever your holiday travels take you, Pilot is out here with road trip essentials and last-minute gifts to bring joy to every mile." Win Big with Pilot’s “Hauliday Giveaway” From December 2 – 8, 2024, holiday travelers can enter Pilot’s "Hauliday Giveaway," for a chance to win premium travel gear, gift cards and exclusive items*. To enter, visit the Pilot Flying J Facebook page and comment on each day’s post for a chance to win. Winners will be notified daily. Explore Pilot’s Holiday Gift Guide For those in need of stocking stuffers or last-minute gifts, Pilot’s Holiday Gift Guide offers convenient on-the-go gifting options. Featuring travel center staples and unexpected roadside treasures, holiday travelers can find something for everyone on their list. Items range from tech gadgets to foodie favorites and more. The gift guide also features new exclusive items such as Pilot’s holiday elf plush and take-home bags of its limited-time Bourbon Pecan Coffee. Save $1 on a Cup of Cheer To keep drivers’ cups full and holiday spirits high, Pilot is offering $1 off any size hot or iced coffee, including its specialty seasonal blends. To redeem, save the offer in the myRewards Plus app and present it at the time of purchase at participating locations** Guests can warm up with returning favorites like Cinnamon Roll cold brew, Bourbon Pecan hot coffee or White Chocolate Candy Cane hot chocolate. For more information about Pilot’s holiday offerings, visit pilotflyingj.com/holiday . Find nearby Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel centers and discover exclusive money saving offers on the myRewards Plus app .** *Terms and Conditions apply. Review the complete list of giveaway rules. **Must use myRewards Plus app to redeem. Data rates may apply. Certain food and beverage exclusions apply. Good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Other terms and conditions apply. Visit pilotflyingj.com/rewards for more details. Offer Period is 10/28/24 12:00 AM EST to 1/5/25 11:59 PM EST. About Pilot Pilot Travel Centers LLC ("Pilot") is committed to showing people they matter at every turn as the leading energy and experience provider people rely on to fuel their journeys. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs approximately 30,000 team members. As the largest network of travel centers, Pilot has nearly 900 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces, serving an average of 1.2 million guests per day. In addition to travel center services, Pilot and its partners offer trucking fleets a variety of solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, maintenance and rewards. The company operates the third largest fuel tanker fleet in North America and supplies approximately 12 billion gallons of fuel per year. Pilot is shaping the future of energy as one of the largest providers of biodiesel and renewable fuels and through the development of its EV charging network and low carbon fueling alternatives. For additional information about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121848770/en/ CONTACT: Krissy Patterson External Marketing Communications Manager 865-617-3454 Krissy.Patterson@pilottravelcenters.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA TENNESSEE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TRAVEL DISCOUNT/VARIETY TRUCKING MARKETING ADVERTISING FOOD/BEVERAGE COMMUNICATIONS TRANSPORT CONVENIENCE STORE RETAIL OTHER TRAVEL SOURCE: Pilot Travel Centers LLC Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 03:37 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 03:36 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121848770/enExperts describe nuclear energy as key to addressing climate change, reforming energy sector Peaceful use of nuclear technology and its optimum utilisation holds the key to resolving energy-related woes of Pakistan besides helping the country achieve a sustainable solution to mitigate the climate change crisis. This was the crux of the deliberations and discourse held during the seminar on ‘Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy’ held here on Tuesday. The seminar was organised by the Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS) in collaboration with DHA Suffa University (DSU) and Millennium Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship (MiTE), at the DSU auditorium. The seminar was divided into plenary and core sessions. Prof. Dr. Huma Baqai, Rector MiTE, chaired and opened the plenary session. She elaborated that according to the Government of Pakistan’s vision, 40,000MW of electricity to be produced through nuclear power plants (NPP) by 2050, fulfilling a quarter of the total energy needs of the country, is an appreciable landmark and needs to be pursued in the best national interest. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Saeed Minhas, Vice Chancellor DSU, delivered the welcome address. He highlighted the importance of collaboration between national departments for achieving sustainable goals for the country. Mr. Junaid Naqi, President, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), closed the session with remarks highlighting the role of NPPs including four in Chashma and two in Karachi providing over 3500MW of clean energy to the national grid. He further shed light on the role of nuclear energy being utilized by PAEC in radiopharmaceuticals, isotope production, non-destructive testing, water desalination and other venues which offer venues for collaboration between industry, academia, public and private sectors. “Energy fuels growth and growth empowers nations and use of Atom for Peace and Development is the out of box solution that the country direly needs and KATI vows to extend its full support in every step taken to this effect,” he added. The keynote address of the session was delivered by Mr. Khaqan Hassan Najeeb, former advisor, Ministry of Finance. He elaborated the energy reset vision. In his presentation, Mr. Khaqan paid a rich tribute to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) which he said is the best example of how a competent workforce equipped with autonomy in making independent decisions can work wonders. The same model of success needs to be replicated in all public sector departments. He stressed that there is nothing like ‘game-changer’ as only hard work and consistent efforts to stabilise the macro economy can help Pakistan come out of the crisis. “Reorganized Energy Architecture is the ultimate destination for Pakistan. A competitive market in the energy retail industry is the need of the hour. Approximately 3,600MW of electricity, fulfilling 10 percent of electricity needs of the country is being produced through nuclear power which is quite encouraging and this clean source of energy which is also baseload needs to be further prioritized,” he added. Mr. Najeeb further said that policy and tax reorganization and reforms is a must and it can be achieved only by hiring the competent human resource, incentivising demand of electricity and managing its cyclicity. Explaining the economics of nuclear power, he said, in 2023 nuclear provided 17% of the total electricity, which is an impressive success story and Pakistan needs more such good stories. “Nuclear power plants (NPPs) keep running for 70 to 80 years, which makes them a better option as compared to oil, gas, and coal powered plants. NPPs run with over 80% of the efficiency and capacity factor. These NPPs keep running for 18 months without a break after every fuel load, which ensures energy security for the country,” Mr. Khaqan said. He closed his speech saying that by introducing a synergistic approach to energy planning, depth and substance in transformation and well-regulated market solutions, Pakistan can succeed in overcoming its energy woes. The core session of the seminar was opened and chaired by Ambassador Qazi M. Khalilullah retd), Executive Director CISSS. He said, “Pakistan embarked upon peaceful uses of the nuclear technology about six decades ago. Pakistan is operating its NPPs under International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguards and have a well-recognized record of safety and security in running its civil nuclear facilities.” Afterwards, Mr. Waqar Ahmed Malik, former MD Fauji Foundation, shared his views on nuclear energy for industrial development in Pakistan.Via American Greatness, A federal initiative that began during the Obama administration with the goal of debanking certain industries disfavored by federal officials has apparently been resurrected and is taking aim at cryptocurrencies. Operation Choke Point was started by the U.S. Dept. of Justice in 2013 as a way to put pressure on banks to sever their ties, without due process, with legal businesses like gun dealers, cannabis dispensaries and payday lenders which the administration found objectionable. That initiative was ended by President Trump in 2017 but under the Biden administration, it appears that Operation Choke Point 2.0 has begun with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) sending letters to U.S. banks in 2022, urging them to “pause all crypto-related activity.” Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) told Fox Business that the regulatory abuse is real and that President-elect Trump will put an end to this type of regulatory abuse. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen recently described the practice of debanking as “a privatized sanctions regime” on The Joe Rogan Experience , saying, “There’s no rules, there’s no court, there’s no decision process, there’s no appeal. Who do you go to to get your bank account back?” And if the tune of Operation Choke Point 2.0 sounds familiar, there are also familiar faces as well. Palmetto State News reports that Michael Eakes is the founder of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) and Self-Help Credit Union, which operates five credit unions in South Carolina and was also an inaugural member of the FDIC’s Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion when it was started in 2006. Another member of the advisory committee is Michael Calhoun who is president of the Center for Responsible Lending and a former employee of Self-Help Credit Union. According to the Washington Free Beacon: “The FDIC’s efforts are part of a larger initiative involving the Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau called Operation Choke Point. The effort seeks to eliminate the ability of businesses that federal regulators deem distasteful, exploitative, or dangerous to obtain financing from major American banks. ” Former FDIC Chairman William Isaac told The Hill that Operation Choke Point, “is one of the most dangerous programs I have experienced in my 45 years of service as a bank regulator, bank attorney and consultant, and bank board member.” A lawsuit filed by Coinbase uncovered letters sent by the FDIC in 2022 and 2023 urging financial institutions to “pause” crypto-related activities has revealed that Operation Choke Point 2.0 is being used to sidestep constitutional limits on the government’s power to exert direct political control over the crypto sector.

Recover, a leading global producer of recycled cotton fiber, has announced the opening of its latest manufacturing facility in Vietnam, set to begin operations in early 2025. This facility, located in Dong Nai province, represents a significant step in the company’s global expansion strategy and aims to enhance sustainability in the Vietnamese textile industry. Key Takeaways Strategic Location and Capacity The new factory spans nearly 14,000 square meters and is strategically located in Dong Nai province, which is pivotal to Vietnam’s textile industry as the third-largest textile exporter globally. This proximity to textile waste sorting and manufacturing operations will help reduce shipping costs and environmental impact. The facility will initially operate with two advanced recycling lines, allowing for a production capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes annually. Additionally, a dedicated laboratory will ensure consistent product quality and ongoing innovation in both product and process. Innovative Recycling Solutions One of the standout features of this facility is its focus on RMix, Recover’s innovative recycling solution for cotton-polyester blends. This process eliminates the need to separate fibers, addressing a long-standing challenge in the industry and providing a sustainable advantage in energy efficiency. Commitment to Sustainability Anders Sjöblom, CEO of Recover, emphasized the importance of this expansion, stating, "Circularity is currently an underutilized tool in the Vietnamese textiles industry. By bringing our advanced technology to a key textile hub, we are not only enhancing how we serve our customers but also creating a positive shift towards circularity in Vietnam." Opportunities in the Textile Sector The opening of Recover’s facility comes at a time when the global textile and apparel sector is experiencing significant opportunities due to increasing demand and shifting economic factors. The political instability in Bangladesh may further accelerate the diversification of textile production, with Vietnam poised to benefit from this shift. Future Prospects Recover’s expansion into Vietnam is part of a broader strategy to meet the growing demand for recycled materials among brands and retailers worldwide. With a commitment to sustainability and technological excellence, Recover is setting new industry standards and paving the way for a more circular economy in textiles. As the company continues to grow, it aims to establish itself as a trusted partner in the global textile market, contributing to a more sustainable future for the industry. Sources

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Anna Nisi , University of Washington (THE CONVERSATION) Imagine you are a blue whale swimming up the California coast, as you do every spring. You are searching for krill in the Santa Barbara Channel , a zone that teems with fish, kelp forests, seagrass beds and other undersea life, but also vibrates with noise from ship traffic . Suddenly, the noise gets louder. You start to make a slow, shallow dive, but without much urgency – after all, your species evolved over millions of years without this mysterious noise, so why would you know what to do when you hear it? A minute later, you are fatally struck by a container ship. Your body slowly sinks to the bottom of the ocean, where it will nourish deep-sea creatures for decades but will never be seen by humans again. Indeed, your death goes unnoticed ; the vessel barely registers the impact of hitting a member of the largest animal species on Earth. Collisions with ships are a critical threat to many large whale species. While these events are difficult to study, scientists estimate that thousands of whales are killed by ships yearly . In some regions, whales die from vessel strikes at rates that exceed what is considered sustainable after decades of whaling. Collisions with vessels threaten some critically endangered species . Research and experience show that simple measures can reduce these collisions – for example, rerouting shipping lanes to avoid important areas for whales, or reducing vessel speeds. But to implement these interventions, scientists and policymakers need to know where whales are most at risk. Mapping risk to whales In a newly published study in Science, colleagues and I mapped global ship-strike risk for four species of Earth’s largest whales: blue, fin, humpback and sperm. Within each species’ range, we found that vessels traveled the equivalent of thousands of times the distance to the moon and back every year. Our maps reveal widespread risk of vessel collisions in areas including the U.S. West Coast, the Mediterranean Sea and the northern Indian Ocean. These zones already have documented high levels of ship strikes . We also found many other regions with similar levels of risk that are less studied and recognized. They include several stretches along the coastlines of South America and southern Africa, and the area around the Azores off the coast of Portugal. Most high-risk areas are unprotected Whales are largely unprotected from vessel collisions around the world. We identified collision-risk hot spots – areas in the top 1% of predicted risk globally that represent the riskiest places for each species. We found that fewer than 7% of collision-risk hot spots had put measures in place to reduce collisions, such as limiting vessel speeds or requiring ships to avoid certain areas. Exceptions include the west and east coasts of North America, as well as the Mediterranean, which have higher levels of ship-strike management. Where such measures exist, they often are voluntary. Mandatory restrictions on speed cover just 0.54% of collision-risk hot spots for blue whales, 0.27% for humpback whales and none of the hot spots for fin or sperm whales. For each species, we found that ship-strike risk was higher within exclusive economic zones – areas up to 200 nautical miles from coastlines, in which each country has exclusive jurisdiction over marine resources – than on the high seas. This can make it easier to implement conservation and management measures in these areas. Within exclusive economic zones, individual countries can either adopt voluntary vessel measures or propose mandatory changes through the International Maritime Organization , which regulates international shipping. There is a lot of opportunity for countries to protect whales in their national waters. However, since political boundaries mean nothing to whales, the most effective approach would be for neighboring countries to coordinate efforts to reduce ship-strike risk across whale migratory routes . We also found high levels of ship-strike risk within existing marine protected areas – zones where countries have adopted various measures to conserve and manage sea life. Most of these marine protected areas were created to protect sea life from fishing, but very few place any restrictions or regulations on shipping. When marine protected areas contain high levels of ship-strike risk, governments could add such measures to the protected areas’ missions. Benefits of protecting whales Protecting whales from ships would benefit other species too. Vessels can strike many marine species , including seals, sea turtles, sharks, fish, penguins and dolphins. Marine shipping is the top source of underwater noise , which is a major threat to marine life . Underwater noise can disrupt feeding, interfere with communication and cause stress for many species. Vessels run more quietly at slower speeds, so speed-reduction measures can reduce noise pollution as well as collision risk. Humans can also benefit from slowing down and rerouting ships. When vessels travel more slowly, their fuel efficiency increases, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions . The marine shipping industry currently produces carbon emissions comparable to those from aviation . Slowing vessels down also reduces emissions of harmful air pollutants that threaten human health in coastal areas and are estimated to contribute to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually. In 2023, for example, vessels cooperating with a voluntary slowdown in California cut 45,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and 1,250 metric tons of nitrogen oxides, and they reduced the risk to whales by more than half. Changing vessel routes can make waters safer for local fishermen. In Sri Lanka, for example, heavy ship traffic hugs the coast, overlapping with local fishermen as well as with foraging blue whales. Collisions with cargo ships have killed several fishermen there in recent years. In response, some shipping companies are voluntarily shifting their lanes farther offshore to reduce the risk of colliding with humans and whales. In our interconnected world, 90% of consumer goods travel by ship before they get to market. Most items that consumers in wealthy nations purchase in their daily lives have traveled across the ocean at some point. Our study shows that ship-strike risk is widespread – but in our view, protecting whales from these collisions is a solvable issue. And by protecting whales, humans can also protect themselves. This article has been updated to add a video showing areas of the ocean that are used by whales, mapped in combination with global ship traffic. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/new-maps-show-high-risk-zones-for-whale-ship-collisions-vessel-speed-limits-and-rerouting-can-reduce-the-toll-242267 .

NoneNATIONAL security adviser Jonathan Powell has flown out for talks with the new Mauritius PM to complete the deal for the Chagos Islands — despite US opposition. The UK agreed to pay Mauritius to run the tiny Indian Ocean but their government was booted out of office days later . The incoming Trump administration has slammed the deal that puts a 99 year lease on a vital US/UK naval base on the island of Diago Garcia amid fears of Chinese influence. However Jonathan Powell, who negotiated the original terms, flew out yesterday to try keep it alive despite deep American opposition. Last night Reform boss Nigel Farage blasted: “They want to surrender the Chagos Islands before Trump’s inauguration. "If we treat the USA like this, can they still regard us as an ally?” READ MORE ON CHAGOS ISLANDS Pressure has been mounting on PM Sir Keir Starmer to tear up his plan to hand over the British Overseas Territory to Mauritius. Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, urged US President-elect Donald Trump to intervene. He told The Sun on Sunday: “The Chagos islands deal is a complete surrender to China by the Starmer Government. “It is my firm hope that the new US administration will strongly oppose this deal. Most read in The Sun "Many US conservatives have been horrified by what Britain has done. “And I do think that this issue will be an important foreign policy priority for the new regime in the US. “My strong recommendation to the US President and his advisers is to sink this deal in the same way my former boss Margaret Thatcher sank the Belgrano.” The Argentine ship, the General Belgrano, was sunk by the Royal Navy in the Falklands War .

Will Trump’s pick to lead the FTC halt privacy rulemaking, AI enforcement?Tabarak Holding invests EGP 60bn in real estate development for 2024

How to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Tuesday, November 26SAN DIEGO, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP reminds investors that a class action was filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired ASP Isotopes Inc. (NASDAQ: ASPI) securities between October 30, 2024 and November 26, 2024. ASP Isotopes is a development stage advanced materials company focused on the production, enrichment, and sale of isotopes. For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that ASP Isotopes Inc. (ASPI) Misled Investors Regarding its Uranium Enrichment Technology and Facility According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose that the Company: (1) overstated the potential effectiveness of its enrichment technology; (2) overstated the development potential of its high assay low-enriched uranium facility; and (3) overstated the Company’s nuclear fuels operating segment results. Plaintiff alleges that on November 26, 2024, market research firm Fuzzy Panda Research published a report that alleged the Company is “using old, disregarded laser enrichment technology to masquerade as a new, cutting-edge Uranium enrichment.” The report revealed a series of experts interviewed stated the Company’s reported cost estimates and timeline for building its HALEU uranium facilities was misleading to the point of being “delusional.” The report further alleged the Company had significantly overstated the significance of its agreement with TerraPower, which was only a “non-binding” memorandum of understanding entered into to “put pressure on [TerraPower’s] real suppliers.” The report quoted a former TerraPower executives as stating that ASP Isotopes was “missing the manufacturing; They are missing the processes as well; They still have to develop the HALEU...the most important part.” On this news, the Company’s stock price fell $1.80 or 23.53%, to close at $5.85 per share on November 26, 2024, and continued to fall on the subsequent trading date, falling $0.83 or 14.19%, to close at $5.02 per share on November 27, 2024. What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against ASP Isotopes Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by February 3, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against ASP Isotopes Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af960bd5-1ae2-4ed3-afe3-591b09ab920b

Updated December 07, 2024 at 18:43 PM ET BEIRUT — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader's base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria's third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture is a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition." Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels "sorry for the Syrian people." In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. "The situation is very strange. We are not used to that," the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. "People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not." It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria's state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine. Lebanon's Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis "that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians." They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the "final stage" of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a "salvation government" to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group's image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest, and the central city of Hama, the country's fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by "terrorists." The army said it was setting up a "strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area," apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country's underlying problems. "Assad didn't seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people," he said. Copyright 2024 NPRFor 36-year-old Farhan Pauzi, who spent time in prison for drug charges, securing a job was tough when he was released. SINGAPORE – More employers are giving former offenders a chance in the workplace, but social stigma remains a hindrance for some in their reintegration journey. The number of employers that have hired former offenders in partnership with Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) rose from 5,603 in 2019 to 6,516 in 2023. Close to 700 employers also benefited from a government scheme that was rolled out in April 2023, to offer firms that hire former offenders wage offsets for their first nine months on the job. Between April and December 2023, about $2 million was disbursed to these employers for hiring more than 1,500 former offenders as part of the Uplifting Employment Credit scheme, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in response to queries from The Straits Times. While there seem to be more opportunities now for former offenders to gain employment after their release, other issues such as social stigma and personal challenges can affect how long they stay on. The career retention rate among former offenders who got a job with the help of YRSG has dropped over the years. The percentage of former offenders who remained employed for three months dropped from 87 per cent in 2020 to 79 per cent in 2023. Those who remained employed for six months also dipped from 70 per cent in 2020 to 60 per cent in 2023. YRSG told ST it does not have sufficient data to accurately identify the specific reasons behind the lower retention rates among employed former offenders. Challenges in gaining and retaining employment YRSG career coach Ashish Ben said former offenders may need more time to relearn old skills, which have become rusty, or learn new skills when returning to work after a long time in prison. Some employers may not have the capacity to give them time to gain proficiency due to operational and industry demands. Ingeus Singapore, an agency that offers career retention support to former offenders, said they may need a longer learning curve than a typical three-month adjustment period. The agency has eight career coaches dedicated to supporting former offenders, each managing an average caseload of 65 people. Mr Ashish said some former offenders may also have difficulty expressing themselves, and employers may mistake that for a lack of commitment or suitability for a role. They are also subject to more scrutiny, which may lead to quick assumptions. In one incident, a former offender was seen taking a white tablet when he arrived at work. During the day, he overheard a senior colleague commenting that he looked “stoned”. The company’s management, which heard about the incident, jumped to the conclusion that he might be using drugs. It was later discovered that the white pill was Panadol, recounted Mr Ashish. The former offender had taken it as he had been dealing with family issues that disrupted his sleep, and he wanted to alleviate a headache when he arrived at work. “A released ex-offender will leave the first physical prison and find himself entering a second social prison,” Mr Ashish said. “The stigma of incarceration might mean they are looked upon with suspicion.” For 36-year-old Farhan Pauzi, who spent time in prison for drug offences, securing a job was tough when he was released, as employers would turn him away when they learnt he was still under a supervision order, which requires former drug abusers to report for regular urine tests. One pest control company also rejected him as it was afraid his criminal record would affect his access to government offices that may hire its services. He managed to land a job months later with a carpark management company. “It gave me its trust and we had mutual respect. I finally felt like I met people who didn’t just judge me for my mistakes,” he said. “Having a stable job helped me to stay on the right track and not go back to prison.” The Industrial and Services Co-operative Society, a group that helps former offenders, said they may feel inherently “flawed” or “unworthy”, which creates a mental barrier when applying for jobs or prevents them from interacting with colleagues. For 35-year-old Hirzi (not his real name), being very careful about what he shares with colleagues is important to him. He was previously jailed for 10 months on drug-related charges, and considered lying about his past to secure a job. He decided to be honest with his managers about his history, but refrained from telling his colleagues. “One day, I asked some of them about what they thought of ex-offenders generally and got a negative response. I immediately knew I couldn’t tell them about my past as I felt some of them were not ready to work with an ex-offender.” Singapore After-Care Association director Prem Kumar said that despite the significant progress made in terms of societal acceptance, many former offenders will always be worried about how they are viewed by colleagues. “The desire to keep as low a profile as possible and hope that no one at work finds out about their past continues to hold true to this day,” he said. Overcoming negative perceptions For John (not his real name), his view of former offenders changed only after he himself was jailed for criminal breach of trust. “Before I went to prison, I was also someone who had a negative opinion of ex-offenders. I doubted that they could really be trusted,” said the 54-year-old. “But when I was inside (prison), you get to see how life is there, what their stories are, and that changed my perception a lot.” For John (not his real name), his view of ex-offenders shifted only after he himself was jailed for criminal breach of trust. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Chia & Thai Food Supplies director Samuel Koh said his company started employing former offenders in 2006 owing to a tight labour market. Hiring from traditional sources had been challenging, so it decided to tap the pool of candidates among former offenders, he said. “We were concerned about theft, violence, poor attitude and performance at work, but we recognised that these issues are not specific to ex-offenders,” he said. The company made efforts to ensure harmony between the former offenders and other employees, which included not mentioning the former offenders’ background at work. After 18 years, the company went from hiring two to three former offenders a year to hiring 12 to 15 now. Sociologist Julia Wong from the Singapore Institute of Technology said it can be challenging for the public to accept that society needs to help former offenders, and this includes taking personal action. “It is common to hear people saying, ‘Yes, we should help ex-offenders’, but when asked whether they would be willing to work or live with an ex-offender, the answer may be less encouraging,” she said. Among the small gestures one can make are treating former offenders like any other new colleague instead of prying into their past, and getting back in touch with them after their incarceration, she noted. “Society needs to recognise that ex-offenders have already paid their dues and served their punishment,” she said. “You’ll be surprised how such small acts can make a difference to another person’s life.” Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy week

fishing man Minnesota looks to stop skid vs. Bethune-CookmanRepealing no-fault divorce has so far stalled across the US. Some worry that'll changeSAN DIEGO , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI ) (the "Company", "CV Sciences", "our", "us" or "we"), a preeminent consumer wellness company specializing in hemp extracts and other proven science-backed, natural ingredients and products, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") to acquire Extract Labs, Inc. ("Extract Labs"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of premium cannabinoid products including gummies, topicals and tinctures. Extract Labs branded products are sold through a range of sales channels from B2B to B2C. Extract Labs has operational flexibility allowing low to large minimum order quantity ("MOQ") production runs, allowing for efficient use of capital and the ability to increase speed to market for new product development. Extract Labs is GMP-certified and FDA-registered. The acquisition is expected to create the opportunity to increase our sales to current and new clients. In addition, we intend to in-source production of certain of our key products. "We are thrilled that Extract Labs and its employees are joining CV Sciences as another milestone in our transition to a thriving health and wellness company. The acquisition synergies are expected to increase our revenue and customer base, allow us to leverage our key assets, optimize operations and processes, and drive long-term growth and shareholder value. Extract Labs is a stand-alone profitable business and our plan is to increase its existing revenue base and further leverage its existing capacity," said Joseph Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of CV Sciences. "In addition, we are planning to in-source the manufacturing of select +PlusCBDTM branded products providing an opportunity for meaningful cost savings. Extract Labs manufacturing capability will provide us with greater control over our supply chain and accelerate our new product development cycle." The total consideration for the acquisition of Extract Labs payable at closing, consists of (i) a cash payment of $400,000 (the "Closing Payment"), less the amount of certain holdbacks and adjustments, and (ii) the issuance of shares of CV Sciences' common stock valued at $1,000,000 based on the sixty day volume weighted average price ("VWAP") of CV Sciences' common stock. In addition to the consideration payable at closing, and as further consideration for the acquisition, the Extract Labs sellers will be eligible to receive up to $600,000 of additional shares of CV Sciences' common stock if Extract Labs satisfies certain revenue targets during the two 12-month periods following the closing date. Such shares will be issued based on the thirty day VWAP of CV Sciences' common stock as of the end of each such 12-month period and will be calculated as follows: If Extract Labs' Net Revenue is at least $4,600,000 in the relevant calculation period, then the Extract Labs Earnout Amount for such period will be $300,000 . If Extract Labs' Net Revenue is at least $4,300,000 but less than $4,600,000 in the relevant calculation period, then the Extract Labs Earnout Amount for such period will be $200,000 . If Extract Labs' Net Revenue is at least $4,000,000 but less than $4,300,000 in the relevant calculation period, then the Extract Labs Earnout Amount for such period will be $100,000 . If Extract Labs' Net Revenue is at least $3,500,000 but less than $4,000,000 in the relevant calculation period, then the Extract Labs Earnout Amount for such period will be $50,000 . If Extract Labs' Net Revenue is less than $3,500,000 in the relevant calculation period, then the Extract Labs Earnout Amount for such period will be $0 . The acquisition is expected to close during the first quarter of 2025. Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent. On November 21, 2024 , CV Sciences, Inc. filed a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes a description of the material terms of the transaction. Investors are encouraged to read such filing in its entirety. About CV Sciences, Inc. CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI ) is a consumer wellness company specializing in nutraceuticals and plant-based foods. The Company's hemp extracts and other proven, science-backed, natural ingredients and products are sold through a range of sales channels from B2B to B2C. The Company's +PlusCBDTM branded products are sold at select retail locations throughout the U.S. and are the top-selling brands of hemp extracts in the natural products market, according to SPINS, the leading provider of syndicated data and insights for the natural, organic and specialty products industry. With a commitment to science, +PlusCBDTM product benefits in healthy people are supported by human clinical research data, in addition to three published clinical case studies available on PubMed.gov. +PlusCBDTM was the first hemp extract supplement brand to invest in the scientific evidence necessary to receive self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status. The Company's Cultured FoodsTM brand provides a variety of 100% plant-based food products. Committed to crafting nutritious and flavorful alternatives, Cultured FoodsTM caters to individuals seeking vegan, gluten-free, or flexitarian options for a wholesome and satisfying culinary experience. In addition, the Company owns Elevated Softgels, a manufacturer of encapsulated softgels and tinctures for the supplement and nutrition industry. CV Sciences, Inc. has primary offices and facilities in San Diego, California , Grand Junction, Colorado , and Warsaw, Poland . The Company also operates a drug development program focused on developing and commercializing CBD-based novel therapeutics. Additional information is available from OTCMarkets.com or by visiting www.cvsciences.com . Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risk and uncertainties. CV Sciences does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. As a result, investors should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Contact Information [email protected] SOURCE CV Sciences, Inc.

Preview: Besiktas vs. Goztepe SK - prediction, team news, lineups

For years, the Forza Horizon series has been a crown jewel in Microsoft’s gaming lineup, showcasing the power of Xbox consoles and its PC gaming platforms. Traditionally bound to the Xbox, the idea of it appearing on a PlayStation was unthinkable—until recent technological advances in cross-platform gaming communities began to raise questions about previously inviolable platform exclusives. Imagine a world where cross-platform collaboration thrives, allowing software to transcend hardware boundaries. As subscription services like Xbox Game Pass gain popularity, tech companies are seeking innovative ways to reach broader audiences. With competitors like Sony moving towards more inclusive gaming ecosystems, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility for a future where Forza Horizon’s spectacular open worlds could grace a PlayStation console. While there is no official announcement yet, industry speculation suggests possibilities owing to increasing demand for universal accessibility and more cooperative gaming experiences at the backend of technology. Moving forward, strategic alliances and technological harmonization could define new operational dynamics, challenging current industry standards. A Forza Horizon release on PlayStation would not only mark a significant shift in the gaming industry but would also serve as a testament to the evolving landscape of gaming technology. It posits an exciting future where hardware divides are diminished, and players unite under shared experiences, all fueled by next-generation technology and innovative strategic pivots. As this potential story develops, players worldwide remain on the cusp of a possible groundbreaking development in gaming. Forza Horizon on PlayStation? Exploring the Future of Cross-Platform Gaming In the ever-evolving world of gaming, the boundaries separating different platforms are becoming increasingly blurred. The renowned Forza Horizon series, long a staple of Xbox and PC gaming, may soon join this trend. This shift could herald a new era of cross-platform accessibility, challenging the traditional exclusivity of console gaming. Industry Trends and Predictions The gaming industry is witnessing an unprecedented movement towards cross-platform play, driven by the rise of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. Subscribers enjoy access to a vast library of games on multiple devices, underscoring a growing demand for universal accessibility. As companies like Sony embrace inclusive ecosystems, we may see similar tactics employed by other industry giants to expand their reach and market presence. Technological Innovations Recent technological advancements are empowering developers and hardware manufacturers to break through previously impenetrable platform barriers. Cross-play, enhanced cloud gaming capabilities, and sophisticated streaming technologies create fertile ground for a Forza Horizon debut on PlayStation consoles. These innovations are pivotal in reshaping the way players engage with games, offering seamless transitions between different systems. Comparisons and Market Analysis If Forza Horizon becomes available on PlayStation, it could set a precedent, prompting other exclusive titles to bridge the gap between platforms. This openness could lead to increased competition and collaboration between console makers, ultimately benefiting the consumer. Market analysts predict that such moves could stimulate a surge in new gaming subscriptions and sales, as well as fostering a more robust gaming community across all platforms. Challenges and Limitations While the prospect is exciting, challenges remain. Licensing agreements, brand identity concerns, and technical compatibility are potential hurdles to overcome. The logistics of maintaining performance parity across different systems must be addressed to ensure a consistent gaming experience. These challenges will require innovative solutions and strategic partnerships to navigate successfully. Security and Player Experience Cross-platform gaming brings security challenges, as data and accounts traverse multiple ecosystems. Ensuring robust security measures are in place will be critical in safeguarding player information. Furthermore, maintaining a seamless user experience is paramount, requiring significant backend collaboration. Sustainability and Environmental Impact As gaming becomes more accessible, its environmental footprint grows. The industry will need to consider sustainable practices, from energy-efficient servers to digital distribution methods that reduce physical waste, aligning with global sustainability goals. The Future Awaits The potential of Forza Horizon appearing on PlayStation is more than a shift in platform availability; it represents a transformative milestone in gaming. This evolution could redefine player expectations and dismantle long-standing barriers in the gaming world. As we stand on the brink of this groundbreaking development, gamers can anticipate a future marked by endless possibilities and shared experiences. For more insights into the future of cross-platform gaming, visit the Xbox main page.Arkansas DE Landon Jackson carted off field and taken to hospital with neck injuryU.S. Surgical Staplers Market Set for Exceptional Growth in the Forecast 2024-2032

Percentages: FG .508, FT .727. 3-Point Goals: 11-24, .458 (Camara 5-10, R.Johnson 3-6, Oden 2-4, Berry 1-3, Kelly 0-1). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: None. Turnovers: 12 (Berry 6, R.Johnson 3, Gibson 2, Kelly). Steals: 5 (Jones 3, Berry, R.Johnson). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .475, FT .786. 3-Point Goals: 12-33, .364 (B.Johnson 6-12, Swartz 3-4, Staton-McCray 2-4, Blackmon 1-8, Cleveland 0-1, Djobet 0-1, Ugochukwu 0-1, Bethea 0-2). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 2. Blocked Shots: 4 (Swartz 2, B.Johnson, Kidd). Turnovers: 8 (Blackmon 2, Staton-McCray 2, B.Johnson, Kidd, Swartz, Ugochukwu). Steals: 7 (B.Johnson 2, Cleveland 2, Bethea, Blackmon, Kidd). Technical Fouls: Johnson, 1:49 first; coach Jim Larranaga, 00:38 first. A_3,244 (8,000).NoneTea was due on day two of the Boxing Day Test and the contest was at an absorbing pass. Australia spent the first half of the day making hay while the sun shone from a cloudless sky. On a pitch that had quickened up to a nicety overnight, there was plenty to make. Pat Cummins of Australia celebrates the wicket of KL Rahul of India Credit: Getty Images Steve Smith wound back the years as he wound up his arms, scattering the ball to all parts. He does not so much hook sixes as cast them over fine leg like a fly fisherman. This was his fifth MCG hundred; he loves the place like he loves his mum and his bat in no particular order. Pat Cummins, playing a mix of conventional and Konstas cricket, had matched him blow for robust blow in a century stand that gave Australia the running in this match. Cummins in such a vein divides sentiment, between appreciation for what he can do and mystification about why hasn’t done it more often. But he doesn’t often get this batting conditions as blissful as this. He reaped. Click here to read the story. Australian star Steve Smith has admitted he reflected on critics questioning whether his eyes and reflexes were fading by stepping forward and moving closer to the bowler. He believed batting out of his crease takes the game to the bowler but also makes it harder for him to be trapped lbw. “You’ve got to have faith, I was hitting the ball really nicely and people were saying “Is he too old? Are his eyes going?” So I thought I would go out of my crease and make my impact point closer to the bowler, so it all comes a bit quicker,” Smith told Fox Sports this morning. “I think my eyes are still there which is nice. For me, it is about keeping the faith and knowing that I’m hitting the ball well. There is a difference between being out of form and out of runs - I was just out of runs and I’ve played long enough to know that things can turn around quickly.” There could be a hint of rain later today but, otherwise, looks to be a brilliant day for cricket. Ricky Ponting has had this to say on Seven about Virat Kohli turning back to address hecklers after his dismissal at the MCG on day two. Click here to read more about Kohli’s struggles. Virat Kohli came close to an angry confrontation with the crowd after he was involved in a calamitous run out in which veteran spinner Nathan Lyon later pinned him as the guilty party. Kohli was almost out of sight from the crowd in the players’ race after his dismissal before he returned to glare at hecklers. An ICC official then placed a consolatory arm around his shoulder and shepherded him down the race. It is not clear from the video of the incident that surfaced on social media on Friday night what sparked Kohli’s backturn, and though boos were clearly audible, no racial or personal abuse could be heard. Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club had not received a complaint from the Board of Control for Cricket in India at the time of publication. The BCCI have been contacted for comment. Click here to read the story. G’day everyone. I’m Roy Ward and welcome to our Boxing Day Test live blog. We are at day three of this match and it really feels like both this match and this series are both on the line today as Australia tries to bowl out India and the tourists aim for a mid-innings recovery after falling to 5-164 at stumps yesterday. India trails by 310 runs and have the dangerous Rishbah Pant and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, both are capable of posting big scores. Scott Boland, Pat Cummins and the rest of the Australian attack will aim to break this partnership up early and then power through the tail. Play begins at 10.30am AEDT. Enjoy the hours to come.

President-elect Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban the TikTok social media platform on Jan. 19 if it isn’t sold by its Chinese parent company. Trump said the court should give him time after his Jan. 20 inauguration to “pursue a political resolution” of the dispute. He didn’t take a position on the constitutionality of the disputed law, which Congress enacted on a bipartisan basis earlier this year. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) — Derek Robertson threw for a school-record 536 yards and three touchdowns, and Monmouth wrapped up its season with a wild 55-47 victory over Stony Brook on Saturday. Robertson completed 28 of 45 passes with touchdowns of 3 yards to Marcus Middleton, 51 yards to Tra Neal and 42 yards to Max James. Neal, a wide receiver, threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Jack Neri that gave the Hawks (6-6, 4-4 Coastal Athletic Association) a 55-44 lead in the fourth quarter. The PAT was blocked, keeping Stony Brook within 11 points. FCS No. 20 Stony Brook (8-4, 5-3) trailed 42-30 at halftime but was within 49-44 after Jasiah Williams threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Dez Williams, also on a wide-receiver pass play. Tyler Knoop threw for 408 yards on 37-of-53 passing for Stony Brook. He had three TD passes and was intercepted once. Dez Williams had 134 yards receiving with two touchdowns and Jayce Freeman had 93 yards. TJ Speight had 151 yards receiving for Monmouth. The teams combined for 1,007 passing yards and 1,249 total yards. __ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballTravis Head will play in the Boxing Day Test, proving his fitness in a Christmas morning fitness test at the MCG. Australia’s most important player ran some sprints on the ground and then batted in the nets during an optional training session on Wednesday, a day out from the fourth Test against India. The home side was sweating on Head’s availability because of a quad strain, with the star left-hander hurt on the last day of the third Test at the Gabba. That result left the series tied at one-all. “Travis is good to go, he’ll play. He ticked off some final things today and yesterday, but no stress, no worries about injury for Trav,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said after training. “He’ll go into the game fully fit. I don’t think you’ll see too much management of him throughout the game ... maybe around fielding if he’s a bit uncomfortable.” Had Head been sidelined, it would have been a gigantic blow to Australia’s hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy. The 30-year-old has been in rare form, smashing centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane to certify himself as India’s most in-demand wicket. Head has made 409 runs at an average of 81.80 across the first three Tests of the series, dominating India even as the rest of Australia’s batters have faced significant issues against Jasprit Bumrah. It would be a massive risk to take a proppy player into a crucial Test, with the series squared at 1-1 with two matches to come. The temperature is expected to soar to 40C on day one, possibly factoring into the team winning the toss batting first. “Traditionally it’s been bowl first (at the MCG) but with the heat around ... it looks similar but probably a little bit better than what it has in previous years so decisions for the captains to make at the toss,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said on Tuesday. “I think this wicket might offer the batters a little bit more in terms of the surface as the game draws on.” Sam Konstas has been confirmed to debut, ensuring he will become the fourth-youngest Australian Test player. Head’s fitness means there will be two changes. Victoria seamer Scott Boland will also come in for the injured Josh Hazlewood. Boland returns to his home ground and the venue of his famous Test debut when he tore through England with 6-7. “If we didn’t pick Scotty here – and I know I’m not allowed to declare the team because that’s Pat’s job – but I don’t think I’m coming to the ground Boxing Day if Scotty’s not in the 11,” McDonald had joked.

The secret to making successful financial New Year’s resolutionsMusk Ally Ramaswamy Takes Aim At Biden's $6.6B Loan To Tesla Rival RivianCar Hire Firm unveils transformative marketing concept

None

Andy Murray to coach long-time rival Novak Djokovic at Australian OpenTweet Facebook Mail Australians could make nearly $1 billion selling their unwanted gifts this festive season, new research shows. E-commerce giant eBay said last year, Australians received on average about two unwanted gifts apiece over the holidays. And 52 per cent of Australians have previously sold or plan to sell unwanted gifts this year to make some extra money during the cost-of-living crisis. READ MORE: Bushfire risk soars for Christmas, Boxing Day in multiple states  eBay says Australians can make $1 billion in online sales after Christmas. (iStock) Younger generations are leading the way, with 58 per cent of Generation Z and 57 per cent of millennials embracing the opportunity. eBay's data showed fashion and tech were the most popular unwanted gift categories that went up online post-Christmas of 2023. Four fashion items were listed every minute, and one tech item every two minutes. Boys' clothing saw the greatest surge in listings post-Christmas, up 162 per cent from December 26-31 compared to December 1-25. READ MORE: Surprise wages reveal could hint at early interest rate relief  Bizarre note that accompanied murder of child 'beauty queen' View Gallery This was followed by girls' clothing (up 69 per cent), tablets (50 per cent), smartwatches (45 per cent), controllers (41 per cent), headphones (31 per cent), clothing tops (29 per cent), video game consoles (23 per cent), pants (22 per cent), and dresses (20 per cent). "Not every gift sparks joy for the recipient, but that doesn't mean it can't bring happiness to someone else," eBay Australia's Zannie Abbott said. "The festive season is a great time to declutter, earn extra cash, and connect gifts with those who will truly treasure them." DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

fishing meme 。

What's Going On With Rail Vision Stock On Friday?Oppenheimer star Emma Dumont comes out as trans masculine non-binary and shares new nameBJP cracks caste riddle in Jat belts, beats Cong, RLP

By Keem Abdul. 2027, the year in which the majority of Nigerians will once again go to the polls to elect a new set of leaders, may be three years away, but to the forward-looking political player on a mission, it is already yesterday As far as Lagos State is concerned, and the question of who succeeds the current Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the prize is no less than the leadership of Nigeria’s commercial and industrial hub, and control over the largest subnational economy in Africa. On the political front, too, the stakes are extremely high. On one hand, it is a battle for the soul of the ruling All Progressives’ Congress (APC) – the party which, in its various incarnations, has held power in the state since the advent of the present democratic dispensation in 1999. On the other hand, the party is seeking to keep at bay the challenge of the two main opposition camps, namely, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and especially the Labour Party (LP) whose ‘insurgent’ campaign in the last election cycle, and the tremendous traction it gained among a segment of the electorate, gave the APC an almighty scare. While it may be premature to conclude that the victory of the APC in the 2027 polls is a foregone conclusion (because in politics, as they say, even a week is an eternity – let alone three years), it may be correct, however, to say that greater attention will be paid, in the run-up to 2027, to the contest within the ruling party (i.e., the battle over who emerges the APC’s gubernatorial flagbearer) than the battle between it and the opposition. While it may also be premature to predict the combination of factors and circumstances that will determine the emergence of said candidate (and next Governor), permutations have already begun, and some names are already being bandied about in the public domain. One of those names is that of Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo (Tokunbo) Abiru, who currently represents Lagos East Senatorial District in the upper legislative chambers. Whether or not the ready mention of his name at this stage of the coming race establishes him as the frontrunner, it is certainly an indication of the high regard and goodwill he commands in certain influential quarters within his party and constituency. A banker and financial titan-turned politician, Sen. Abiru is widely respected for his dedication to his constitutional role, and for his impactful interventions in his senatorial zone. Since his time as the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Abiru has distinguished himself in many ways. It was during his tenure, for example, that the state won international accolades for successfully floating an N80 billion bond. In the private sector where he operated before then, his expertise in financial management saw him rescue Skye Bank from the brink of collapse, transforming it into what is now Polaris Bank. At a point during the Tinubu presidential transition in 2023, Abiru was mentioned as a possible nominee for Finance Minister – before the position eventually went to Wale Edun. Abiru’s supporters believe his expertise in financial management and governance makes him the ideal candidate to lead Lagos into a new era of growth and prosperity. Another name also being thrown up is that of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. During his four-year tenure at the helm (from 2015 to 2019), Ambode had a love-hate relationship with the APC leadership, which ultimately led to the truncation of his re-election bid in 2019. But his time in office is fondly remembered for its proactive approach to the challenges confonting Lagos State, and especially his achievements in the area of infrastructure – notably the rejuvenation of the Oshodi transport hub to the construction of new bridges and inner-city roads in virtually all 57 LGs and LCDAs across the state. In recent months, Ambode’s political stock seems to be on a slow but steady rise, and his rehabilitation from the margins (where he had been consigned since his ousting from Government House, Alausa) back to the mainstream seems to be gathering pace by the day. The drumbeat of support for his return to office has been taken up by various groups who describe his previous tenure as transformative, hence their desire to see him “complete the good work he started.” And yet, in spite of the frequency with which these two names, Abiru and Ambode, are being mentioned in the public domain, and the airplay they’re getting as a result, the brewing contest for 2027 is by no means a two-horse race. The hovering presence of a figure who, as we speak, is just a heartbeat away from the Governorship seat – namely, the current Deputy-Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat – cannot be ignored. A former Governorship aspirant himself, he is the subject of speculations and incipient support rom those who do not have to think too hard to imagine him in the role, having seen him perform his duties creditably at the side of Governor Sanwo-Olu. Hamzat’s pedigree as the scion of a political dynasty (his late father, Oba Mufutau Olatunji Hamzat having once been a chieftain of the influential Justice Forum) is a factor that may count to his advantage. Other figures also being mentioned are the current Chief of Staff to the President and immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Speaker of the Lagos State of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa. While Gbajabiamila’s potential candidacy hinges on his national profile and the network he has cultivated, Obasa (who holds the record of being the longest-serving Speaker in the state’s history) commands immense grassroots support within and well beyond his Agege constituency. Last, but certainly not the least, is the proverbial elephant in the room: a young newcomer who combines something of the background and attributes of each of the aforementioned potential aspirants – except for the fact that he has never held political office before now. He is no other than Seyi Tinubu, eldest son of the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu. He has of late been receiving endorsements from influential stakeholders, many of who have highlighted his outstanding achievements as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, asserting that his track record in business speaks volumes about his capacity to deliver in public office. Mr. Tinubu’s hypothetical campaign for the Government House, Ikeja is however, riddled with pros and cons. One major pro is that in a clime where loyalty to the Tinubu Brand is often a ticket to the political equivalent of Eldorado, only the most foolhardy chieftain or operative in the party would risk his/her political fortunes by daring to oppose the son of the President – especially if Asiwaju himself expresses even the slightest inclination towards having his son follow in his gubernatorial footsteps. However, similar to President Tinubu’s neutral stance towards his wife’s endeavour in pursuing her senatorial ambition, it is likely that he will not actively support his son’s ambitions unless the son establishes his own popularity base. The con, apart from Seyi’s relative lack of political experience vis-a-viz the other hopefuls, may come in the form of subtle, covert opposition (from both within and outside the party) to having the acclaimed Centre of Excellence (as Lagos State is often reffered to) become something of a Tinubu family fiefdom. In such a scenario, Seyi’s ambition may be dead in the water – barring a robust, direct intervention on his behalf. So, who will be the Lagos State Governor, come 2027? Although each aspirant’s ability to court critical stakeholders will be crucial to securing the top job, one suspects that the outcome will depend, to a great extent, on the preference of Mr. President – himself a former Lagos State Governor who continues to exert an enormous amount of influence in the affairs of the state. Apart from the President’s possible choice, other factors that might shape the 2007 contest include religion (after eight years of Sanwo-Olu, who is a Christian, there might be a consensus to have a Muslim at the helm – a scenario which benefits every of the aforementioned, except Ambode), as well as the possibility of zoning, and the influence of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, of the APC. As far as the citizens of Lagos State are concerned, though, the only consideration that matters, as far as 2007 is concerned, is the socio-economic progress of the state and who can best deliver it in an effective and timely manner. In that spirit, their wish can only be: May the best man win. • Keem Abdul, publisher and writer, hails from Lagos. He can be reached via +2348038795377 or Akeemabdul2023@gmail.com

None

NEW DELHI: Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s feverish push to expand his global energy and infrastructure empire has been knocked by US bribery charges, but analysts believe the tycoon will bounce back. The bombshell indictment in New York on Wednesday accusing Adani and his associates of paying more than $250 million in bribes to secure lucrative government contracts sparked a frenzied sale of stocks. Within hours, India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi demanded Adani’s arrest and Kenyan President William Ruto scrapped airport and electricity deals worth about $2.5 billion. The Adani Group dismissed the bribery charge as “baseless” but Shriram Subramanian, founder of corporate governance advisory firm, InGovern Research Services, said it has “huge” implications. “They will defend themselves by appealing, or go for a settlement,” Subramanian told AFP from Bengaluru. “It is a big blow to their reputation and corporate governance practices,” he added. The meteoric rise of Adani, once the world’s second-richest man, has been dogged with controversies — and allegations he benefited from his close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conglomerate weathered previous allegations of impropriety that wiped $150 billion from its market value in 2023, after a report by US short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of “brazen” corporate fraud. “Given Adani’s clout, his resources, and his access, he has the capacity to bounce back, (and) we saw that the last time around,” Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute Director at The Wilson Center told AFP. Adani’s empire spanning coal, airports, cement, and media has interests in countries ranging from Australia to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Israel, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Nepal. But Kugelman warned that this time the challenge is “unprecedented”. “If you’re indicted by the US justice system, the seriousness and the scale is altogether different”, Kugelman said. “Hindenburg pales in comparison to what he is facing right now”. The bribery charges are a huge hurdle for key investors, and sparking grassroots demands for greater scrutiny of major projects. In neighboring Sri Lanka, activists opposing a $442 million wind power project by Adani Green Energy have demanded the deal be stalled. “The tolerance for risk among the investors who stuck with him during Hindenburg would be much lower,” Kugelman said. Adani is India’s largest private port operator, and operates key airports including in the financial capital Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the biggest city in Modi’s home state of Gujarat. The group is also involved in vast coal and renewable energy projects across the world’s fifth-largest economy. In October, Gautam’s nephew and board member Sagar Adani—also named in the indictment—told AFP there was “no political connection” between Adani Group and Modi’s government. Hemindra Hazari, a Mumbai-based markets research analyst, said that the conglomerate, a relatively new player in key infrastructure sectors, was backed by large investors who would otherwise have been cautious because it “was considered to be close to the ruling dispensation”. “Most of them invested despite the group’s limited managerial bandwidth and experience... precisely because... it was seen to be getting highly remunerative terms... which, in any normal market-based economy, would not have been possible,” he told AFP. A “significant component” of Adani debt was raised from foreign sources, including banks and institutional investors, he said, and “everything will slow down for them for now”. India’s government is yet to comment. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi however was swift to demand Adani be arrested—but telling reporters he knew that would not happen, alleging that “Modi is protecting him”. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back saying the alleged bribery was linked to Indian states led by opposition parties. Subramanian believes it is just “a dent” to Adani’s reputation and that they will “continue to seek out and win projects across India and rest of the world”. But Kugelman warned the “reputational blows”, not only to the Adani Group but to India, were “severe”. As for the future, how the charges will influence incoming US president Donald Trump remains an “unknown”, Kugelman said. “I don’t think it’d really affect the broader India-US relationship”, he said. But he noted that Trump may eye a wily businessman like Adani “favourably”, or “leverage it for more favorable policies on tariffs”. — AFP

Daily Horoscope for Tuesday, December 03, 2024, for all zodiac signs by astrologer Vinayak Vishwas KarandikarPRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is eyeing "future tie-ups" with Chile on agriculture, specifically cacao cultivation and processing, Malacañang said on Saturday. The President expressed hope to strengthen the cooperation with Chile during his meeting with Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren in Malacañang on Friday. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Review

ChatGPT opened the floodgates. But many people don’t realize there’s a whole world of generative AI tools and applications out there, just waiting to be explored. Whether you’re struggling to overcome a case of writer’s block, lack the artistic aptitude to do your imagination justice, or just need a hand crafting efficient computer code, generative AI can help augment and streamline both your professional and creative endeavors. Yet, amid the seemingly endless variety of AI assistants currently on offer, finding the right one for your needs can prove a daunting task. So, let’s delve into some of the most impressive AI tools that are pushing the boundaries of innovation, including the best AI chatbots , the best AI image generators , and much more. The best AI tools for image generation One of the first AI image generators to be released back in 2022, Midjourney has proven immensely popular with users and art critics alike . It can output high-definition, photorealistic images in countless artistic styles based on natural language text prompts. Originally only available through the company’s Discord server, Midjourney can now be accessed through a streamlined web portal . While the website’s gallery of generated art is free to browse, you will need to subscribe to a monthly service plan (which range from $10 to $120) in order to generate images of your own. While not as creatively robust as Midjourney — only able to generate images in one of five preset artistic styles — Ideogram does offer a generous free tier that allows users to generate up to 40 images per day. Paid tiers range from $7 to $48 per month and offer a host of benefits, from additional compute resources and priority access to full-quality image downloads. The company also boasts an iOS app and an API that it claims will “offer superior image quality at a lower cost compared to other models.” This is OpenAI’s in-house text-to-image generator and runs atop the company’s GPT-4 model. Originally released in September 2023, it was initially only available to paid tier subscribers. OpenAI expanded its availability to free tier users this past August, though you’ll only be able to generate two images per day at that subscription level. Dall-E 3 is also available through Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot. If you’re looking to create high-quality images without the strict production limits that ChatGPT enforces, Google’s Imagen 3 is a solid option. It’s available through the Gemini chatbot , including the free tier, and offers higher-quality outputs with fewer artifacts than its previous versions. Note, however, that the system will not generate images of people, famous or not, unless you subscribe to Gemini Advanced (which costs $20 per month). Grok 2 is the text-to-image generator for people uninterested in adhering to copyright law. Developed for Elon Musk’s xAI company, and available on X, Grok 2 isn’t restricted by minor inconveniences like safety and legal guardrails, as other image generators are. Want to see Mickey Mouse fighting Darth Vader atop a 747 as it flies into the World Trade Center? Grok will generate it, no questions asked. You will, however, need to pony up $8 for a premium subscription to X in order to access it. Runway’s Gen 3 Alpha is a relatively new model, having been released in June of 2024, and is capable of creating both still images and video clips with nearly photorealistic quality based on the user’s natural language prompts. The company recently announced that it will begin integrating a new foundational model, dubbed Frames , into the Gen 3 platform that will offer unprecedented control over the image creation process, enabling users to generate multiple image variants while maintaining a specific aesthetic style, whether that’s mimicking 35mm disposable camera shots or retro anime motifs. Subscription prices run from $12 to $76 per month, though the company does offer a limited free tier as well. The best AI tools for image editing Skylum’s Luminar Neo is a photo editing suite designed with professional photographers in mind. It offers many of the same powerful tools as Adobe Photoshop, but outsources much of their functionality to AI. This enables users to accomplish numerous common tasks, from adjusting color balance and lighting levels to tweaking the look of the sky, water, and skin tones, with a single click. Luminar Neo might be a bit pricey for casual users, costing $421 for a yearly subscription or as a lifetime subscription for $577. It’s available on both Windows and Mac, as well as a plugin for Photoshop, Photos, and Lightroom. Canva is a multifunction creative platform that offers everything from digital whiteboarding, data visualization, and marketing material templates to photo, video, and YouTube editing features. While you can easily make minor adjustments like cropping, adding filters and adjusting aspect ratios using the site’s free editor, Canva Pro offers a number of additional AI-empowered tools. Select, move, resize, and even erase individual objects within an image; extract and modify text on flattened images; and even generatively expand the image’s background, all with a few simple clicks. Canva Pro costs $120 per year for a single user license. This online photo editing suite has served as a free and user-friendly alternative to Photoshop since it was released in 2008. Last November, the company debuted a number of AI features including image generation, a generative fill tool, AI background removal, AI face swap, and image expansion to help round out the tool set’s functionality. While the interface is geared more for casual users and may not be as precise and granular as what Photoshop offers, you can’t beat free. If you only need to do some light retouching work on your images, the Topaz Photo AI suite offers eight enhancement tools: Denoise, Sharpen, Upscale, Recover Faces, Remove Objects, Preserve Text, Adjust Lighting, and Balance Color. It’s not a true replacement for full-function photo editors like Photoshop, but it is available without an annual subscription, for a flat rate of just $199 with version upgrades costing $99. Adobe’s Firefly AI doesn’t just generate images and video from text prompts, it also empowers a number of AI features throughout the Adobe product ecosystem. That includes the Generative Fill tool in Photoshop, text effects in Adobe Express, vector and pattern generation in Illustrator, and Generative Extend in Premiere Pro. You will need to subscribe to Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite in order to access these features, though they can either be purchased individually (the image generator, for example, costs $5/month while Photoshop costs $23) or you can pick up all 20-plus Adobe apps for $60 per month. Best AI for video generation While Luma Dream Machine may be designed with fashion, marketing and filmmaking professionals in mind, it’s built as a subscription-based service with both casual and professional users in mind. Unlike conventional AI tools, Dream Machine does not require precise and exhaustive prompting to generate the desired effect, but rather, interprets the user’s natural language request intuitively. It also accepts multi-image prompting and single-image character references so users can show the AI what they have in mind. Luma does not offer a free tier, though a “hobbyist” subscription costs just $10 per month. Kling AI video-generation system from China’s Kuaishou Technology offers photorealistic outputs on par with what we’ve seen from OpenAI’s Sora and is already available to users around the world. It can generate high-definition videos up to two minutes in length (double what Sora can) at up to 30 frames per second and 720p resolutions (slightly less than Sora’s 1080p output). Each clip starts out at just five seconds in length but can be extended in 4.5-second increments by purchasing additional credits. Just be warned that the system is blocked from generating politically-sensitive subjects. Synthesia is a bit more niche than the other video generators we’ve discussed so far. It’s designed specifically to generate video avatars from the user’s text prompts making it ideal for business applications like onboarding and training videos, sales presentations, and internal communications. Users can choose from one of more than 130 avatar models speaking 140 different languages and over 60 video templates. The free tier allows you to generate a single three-minute video per month and your choice of nine avatars, while the $30/month Starter tier and $90/month creator tier offer significantly more benefits. Vyond offers similar functionality to Synthesia in that it generates AI avatars for training videos based on the user’s text prompts, however, this service relies on animated characters rather than live actors. You also have the option to record yourself performing specific actions or movements and Vyond will motion match its animation to them. Plans start at $49 per month, which also includes access to an added video editor, though anything you produce at that tier will be watermarked with Vyond’s logo. The best AI for text generation ChatGPT , the chatbot that launched the AI boom in 2022, remains at the forefront of the industry with an estimated 200 million active weekly users. Trained on huge quantities of written content including websites, books, social media posts, and news articles, ChatGPT is equally adept at answering general knowledge queries and compiling computer code as it is at generating creative prose . It was also the first chatbot to offer a conversational feature in Advanced Voice Mode that allows users to interact with the chatbot as if it were a person, doing away with the need for text-based prompts. ChatGPT is available on the web as well as on iOS and Android. It’s free to use, though subscribing to the $20/month ChatGPT-Plus plan will give you increased access to the company’s latest AI models and features. Copilot answers the question “what if ChatGPT worked natively within Microsoft’s 365 app ecosystem?” Which is exactly what it does. Microsoft has invested billions in OpenAI’s business and, as such, its Copilot AI runs atop the startup’s GPT-4o LLM. However, Copilot is more than just a reskinned ChatGPT. For one, Copilot does not restrict users from generating images without paying for a subscription to its premium plan as ChatGPT does. For another, its functionality can be integrated across Microsoft’s products, helping users generate text in Word , create graphs and tables in Excel , and draft emails in Outlook . Google’s Gemini chatbot may have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start upon its official debut in February but the AI assistant has quickly grown into a potent rival to ChatGPT, offering much of the same functions and features. Those include the ability to generate text, images, video, audio, and code, converse with users verbally with Gemini Live, and integrate with Google’s Workspace app suite. It can gin up email responses in Gmail, search for files in Drive, create content for Slides, and draft text in Docs, all through the user’s natural language prompts. Gemini is free to use and is available on the web as well as through its iOS and Android apps, but if you want to access the AI’s more advanced features (and Workspace integrations), you’ll need to subscribe to the company’s $20/month Google One AI Premium service. Perplexity’s AI assistant offers a unique alternative to traditional search engines. Rather than simply return a list of websites in response to a user’s query as Google search does, this chatbot scours the internet for relevant information, then synthesizes an answer to the user’s question directly in the chat window. It essentially eliminates the need to click through to individual websites to find the information you’re looking for. Built atop the GPT-4 model and available on Android, iOS, as well as on the web, Perplexity is free to use. The company also offers a Pro subscription plan for $20/month (or $200/year) that grants you access to additional AI models including GPT-4 Omni and Claude 3 Sonnet and Haiku , as well as a host of additional benefits. Unlike generalized chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini, Jasper AI is all business. It is designed to generate text for emails, blogs, social media posts, and marketing materials, all while maintaining your company’s distinctive tone, voice, and brand style. The platform includes Jasper Chat, which assists with research tasks and offers writing advice, as well as can help maximize the SEO score of your marketing content. Jasper is only available on a subscription basis, with plans starting at $40 per month per user, though the company does offer a seven-day trial. The best AI for audio and voice generation ElevenLabs knows how to make a machine talk. The company is a leader in generative speech technology, offering a variety of audio-centric services from automatic voice dubbing and cloning to text-to-speech and text-to-SFX. Users can select from thousands of unique voices (including those of famous celebrities ), all trained on public domain and licensed data, in any of 32 languages. Ideal for podcasting, audio book narration, and conversational AI applications, the company’s products are available at a variety of pricing tiers ranging from free up to $99 per month. Why read a document when you can have Speechify read it to you four and a half times faster? The company’s voiceover technology can recite nearly any document you present to it in one of 200 voices (including your own through its voice cloning feature) in more than 60 languages. Speechify is available as a Chrome extension, a Mac app, a web app, iOS or Android app. The mobile apps can also read physical documents using your phone’s camera to scan the page. Speechify’s free tier limits you to simple text-to-speech in just 10 voices, while the $12/month premium tier unlocks the service’s full functionality. Respeecher specializes in voice cloning for celebrities, content creators, voice actors, game designers, and other professional applications. The company’s AI model essentially enables one person to speak in the voice of another. “We take recordings of the ‘target voice’ (the voice that is being replicated), train our system, and apply it to a ‘source speaker’ (the actor reading the lines),” the Respeecher’s FAQ explains. “It features all the emotions, intonations, and nuances of a real human voice.” The company offers a wide range of celebrity voices including Chris Farley and Richard Nixon, the latter of which earned Speechify an Emmy in 2019. Subscription plans start at $18 per month for basic text-to-speech (up to 100,000 characters per month and range up to $500 per month for the Power tier, which offers 900 minutes of speech-to-speech and 3 million characters of text-to-speech generation in more than 100 voices and 13 accents. If you fancy yourself a musician but can’t carry a tune, Controlla Voice can help. Its generative model can train an “AI Singing Voice” that sounds like you, based on 15-30 minutes of sample audio, then apply it to songs from the company’s extensive catalog, or blend your voice with others from their licensed stable of voice actors to generate unique vocals. You can even convert the vocals in existing songs from other artists into your voice for low-effort covers. Subscription prices run from $12 to $30 per month. The best AI for coding Anthropic’s Claude chatbot may not be able to generate images or speak to you conversationally, but it utterly excels at coding applications. Its latest iteration, Claude 3.5 Sonnet , drastically outperforms the likes of Gemini 1.5 Pro and ChatGPT-4o across a broad swath of leading industry benchmarks. Claude was also the first chatbot to offer a collaborative window (dubbed Artifacts ) that previews what the AI is generating outside of the chat stream. The chatbot is available free to all users on the web, iOS, and Android, though subscribing to the $20/month Pro or $30/month Teams tiers will grant you priority access to the latest and greatest models that Anthropic has to offer. Developed through a partnership between Github and OpenAI, GitHub Copilot acts as an AI autocomplete, to help users in the Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Neovim, and JetBrains IDEs generate code faster than they can on their own. Users can present Copilot with a coding problem, phrased in natural language, and the assistant will automatically generate a solution code. Conversely, it can also explain what a given snippet of code does as well as convert snippets between various coding languages. You can use Github Copilot for free, though upgrading to either the $4/month Pro or $21/month Enterprise tiers will, of course, give you additional resources and features. Similar to Copilot, Amazon’s CodeWhisperer is a general use coding assistant that will automatically generate suggestions and code recommendations based on your existing inputs, in real time. It’s available for the JetBrains and Visual Studio IDEs and also supports natural language-to-bash translation in the Mac command line. The free tier only offers limited access to the system’s more advanced features, so you’ll have to pony up $20/month if you want to unlock its full capabilities. Cursor AI is a coding assistant in the same vein as Codewhisperer but can offer autocomplete suggestions across multiple lines of code, based on your previous inputs. It also offers a smart rewrite function that automatically corrects your typos and syntax errors so you spend less time tracking down errant quotation marks and parentheses while debugging, as well as cursor prediction that guesses where your cursor needs to be next, enabling you to navigate through your project faster and more efficiently. It even offers a chatbot assistant (leveraging GPT-4, GPT-4o, and Claude 3.5 Sonnet) that can answer questions about either the entire active file or specific selected code blocks. The chatbot can even edit that highlighted code based on your natural language instructions. Cursor AI is available for the Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. You can try it out free for two weeks before a $20/month Pro or $40/user/month Business subscription is required. The best AI to integrate with the rest of your app ecosystem Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has been investing heavily in AI over the past few years and has recently begun incorporating the smart features found in rivals like Gemini and Copilot to its own product portfolio. “More than 400 million people are using Meta AI monthly, with 185 million people using it across our products each week,” the company boasted in a September blog post . The company now offers a conversational AI similar to Advanced Voice Mode in Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram DM. It can answer questions about photos shared in your group chats, generate custom backgrounds for images you reshare from your feed to Instagram Stories, and automatically translate the audio of your Instagram Reels. It can also generate images to share on your feed, Stories, and set as your Facebook profile picture. So when you find yourself wondering why there’s so much AI slop clogging up Facebook and Insta, understand that it is a feature Meta has spent billions developing, not a bug. Microsoft has dumped north of $10 billion into its partnership with OpenAI, so of course it’s going to shoehorn ChatGPT’s generative capabilities into every single product it possibly can. In addition to the Copilot chatbot itself, Microsoft has developed and released Copilot Pages, which function much like Claude’s Artifacts or ChatGPT’s Canvas. The company has also integrated it into Outlook to help you manage your inbox by prioritizing which messages to respond to first and quickly draft email replies. 365 Copilot can also help you rapidly establish a cohesive narrative in your PowerPoint presentations by generating pitch decks whole cloth from your natural language prompt that maintain a consistent tone and brand voice. In Excel, Copilot does the heavy lifting of generating formulas, graphs, and charts based, again, on the user’s prompt. And in Teams, Copilot can monitor your video meetings and provide summaries of what happened as well as generate actionable item lists based on what was discussed. Gemini does for Google’s Workspace app suite what Copilot does for Microsoft’s. The AI assistant can help draft emails in Gmail , write documents in Docs, generate graphs and charts in Sheets, create and modify slides in Slides, find files in Drive, and provide live-translated captions and take notes in Meet. If you don’t already have a personal Google One AI Premium subscription, you’ll have to ask your Workspace admin to grant you access. Apple Intelligence may be the new kid on the AI block, but it is promising to be more deeply integrated within its product ecosystem than any other currently on the market. Designed to serve as an overarching agent acting on the user’s behalf, it promises to streamline monotonous everyday tasks, make Siri a better conversationalist, automate proofreading and text summarization across the company’s myriad apps, and offer lightning-fast image generation. It is currently available to all devices running iOS 18 , iPadOS 18 , and MacOS Sequoia — basically, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (and newer), as well as iPads and Macs with M1 or newer chips.US markets ended mixed at the start of December with big tech companies taking S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to record high levels. The Dow Jones underperformed. NSE The S&P 500 ended 0.2% higher, while the Nasdaq Composite gained close to 1%. All seven shares of the so-called 'magnificent seven' ended with gains of up to 3% on Monday. The Dow Jones ended 130 points lower after briefly trading above the mark of 45,000 intraday. Apple shares ended at a record high Tesla gained over 3.5% after an upgrade to "buy" at Roth MKM Super Micro Computer gained 29% after probe found no evidence of misconduct Amazon gained over 1% ahead of the start of the holiday shopping season on Cyber Monday Treasuries pared losses after Fed Governor Christopher Waller said he’s inclined to vote for a rate cut in December, with swaps pricing in more than 70% of a quarter-point reduction this month. Even after the strongest rally since the early days of the dot-com boom, the S&P 500 still has room to push higher, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Andrew Tyler. He says the most popular options trades are wagering the benchmark will hit 6,200 to 6,300 this month. The gauge ended Monday just shy of 6,050. The highlight this week will be Friday’s payrolls report, which is expected to show US hiring jumped in November after hurricanes and a major strike undercut job growth a month earlier. On Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell participates in a moderated discussion, and investors will await any assessment of the job market and inflation as well as clues to whether the central bank will lower rates in December. Seasonal trends in December favor equities in general, but heading into year-end / 2025, it’s worth noting that positioning and sentiment are pushing toward extremes, while charts remain overbought against negative divergences in momentum, said Dan Wantrobski at Janney Montgomery Scott. “The markets are priced to near-perfection, in our opinion, and this still renders them vulnerable to pullbacks as we move toward the first quarter of the new year,” he said. “Our outlook is for a correction within the magnitude of 10% to 15% to strike at some point during the first half of next year.” Ed Clissold at Ned Davis Research says that when the S&P 500 has notched at least 50 record highs in a year, the next year the index has risen only two out of seven times, with a median loss of 6.2%. “The fact that there have not been any breadth thrusts, or an extremely high percentage of stocks rallying together, since the election” suggests that the rally is not as broad as it was earlier in the year, he said. “Continued narrowing would set the stock market up for a tougher 2025.” Following a significant surge in volatility over the summer, Wall Street’s “fear gauge” — the VIX — has dropped below 14. The previous regime shift in expected volatility from above 20 to below 14 occurred in the fall of 2023 — leading to a 10% gain in the S&P 500 over the subsequent three months, according to Dean Christians at SentimenTrader. (With Inputs From Agencies.)

Arcutis Biotherapeutics exec buys $7,766 in stockBERLIN Over 50 civil society groups in Germany on Monday urged lawmakers to back a motion in the Federal Parliament to initiate proceedings that could lead to banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Gathering under the campaign "Protect human dignity – ban AfD now," the organizations held a news conference outside the Federal Parliament building in Berlin, highlighting their concerns over the AfD's threats to Germany’s constitutional order. Lukas Theune of the Republican Lawyers’ Association stressed the urgency of the matter, asserting that the AfD undermines human dignity, democracy, and the rule of law, while inciting public discord. "The facts are on the table. From a legal standpoint, the time for this application has come," he stated, urging lawmakers to push for an investigation by the Constitutional Court into the AfD's constitutionality. Wendelin Haag, president of the German Federal Youth Council, echoed the call, emphasizing that state mechanisms must be used to safeguard democratic principles. "The Constitutional Court must now fulfill its duty and examine whether the AfD is unconstitutional," he said, accusing the party of using democratic tools to erode democracy from within. The civil society organizations also issued a joint statement urging lawmakers to support the motion, which was submitted last month by 113 members of parliament from various parties. They demanded that the process to ban the AfD be initiated before early general elections are held on Feb. 23. In mid-November, the group of lawmakers formally requested the Constitutional Court to determine if the AfD violates Germany’s Basic Law. However, the Federal Parliament has not yet scheduled a discussion on the motion. Under German law, only the Federal Parliament, the Federal Council, or the Federal Government can submit an application to the Constitutional Court to ban a political party.Philadelphia defense, Tucker's misses help the Eagles to a 24-19 win in their showdown with Ravens

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to bring down prices on groceries, rent and other basic necessities of life. U.S. presidents don’t typically have direct control over how much any of those things cost, but their policies can have an effect. In Trump’s case, the proposals that economists think could have significant influence are tariffs, or taxes on imports. On Monday, Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China — the United States’ three biggest trading partners — as soon as he takes office, on Jan. 20. The Republican said the new rate for goods from Canada and Mexico would be 25% as a pressure campaign to curb the illegal drug trade and immigration. Trump proposed an additional 10% on China after previously pledging a 60% tariff on products from there. He has also proposed anywhere from 10 to 20% tariffs on other imports. Trump says his plans would bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. But economic experts say Trump’s proposals will hurt American families’ wallets with more expensive cars, appliances and technology. Wayne Winegarden, senior fellow in economics at the right-leaning Pacific Research Institute, said additional tariffs will raise the price of not only foreign goods, but those produced domestically as well. “We import steel that goes into production of cars, so cars will be more expensive,” Winegarden said. “You may see prices going up.” Winegarden said he sees the tariffs as a broad-based consumption tax that will be bad for the economy. “How bad just depends on how high the rates are and there will be secondary effects in terms of how other countries respond as well,” he said. “Even if they don’t respond — I think that’s important for people to know, even if nobody raises their tariff in response to us — we’re still making U.S. families worse off.” Under a scenario with a broad 10% tariff and a 60% China tariff, the effect on households, even if there is no tariff retaliation, would be an additional $2,421 per household in 2023 dollars according to the Budget Lab at Yale University, a nonpartisan research center. The economy was a major concern for many voters in the presidential election, although inflation has generally slowed from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. In October, 62% of registered voters said the economy is in poor condition. Economists say, though, it’s unlikely that prices will broadly come down to where they were during Trump’s first term. If prices came down that much, it would likely be the result of a weak economy. Lauren Saidel-Baker, an economist at ITR economics, a nonpartisan economic research and consulting firm based in New Hampshire, said her forecast is that inflation will continue to slow through the end of the year and will pick back up early next year. Saidel-Baker said she had this expectation before considering Trump policies because the money supply is increasing, leading to a faster pace of transactions. But tariffs are one of her main concerns about how Trump’s policies will affect inflation next year. She said goods inflation is under control at the moment while the services sector is harder hit by inflation as the result of a tighter labor market. Under the Trump administration, goods inflation could start picking up again. “Tariffs could cause goods to catch back up. But we have long-term demographic problems that are going to keep the labor market tight. I don’t see service inflation getting materially better, especially if we do things like these mass deportations that’s going to cut from the working-age population,” Saidel-Baker said. During his first term, Trump imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, solar panels and washing machines, to name a few. Several countries responded with retaliatory tariffs, including China. Although Trump’s tariffs boosted jobs in the steel and washing machine industries, the effect was a fall in the long run GDP by 0.2% and a loss in employment of 142,000 full-time jobs, the Tax Foundation, a tax policy think tank, estimated . “We already have evidence of what his tariffs are going to do from his first term. And those aren’t positive. It did not achieve what he says they’re going to achieve,” Winegarden said. Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group, a market research company, said a lot of companies have already moved their production away from China as a result of Trump’s first term tariffs. Steve Madden CEO Edward Rosenfeld explained in an earnings call that the company is implementing a plan to reduce its reliance on China, where more than 70% of its imports are from. Cohen said that despite this shift, certain goods could be more affected by tariffs, such as technology, cars, appliances, and the toy business that are based in or have many ties to China. Companies such as Columbia Sportswear, AutoZone, Stanley Black & Decker have said that they will raise prices in anticipation of tariffs. “If we get tariffs, we will pass those tariff costs back to the consumer,” Philip Daniele, CEO of AutoZone, said in an earnings call. Isabella Weber, associate professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, who recently co-authored a paper on companies’ pricing strategies, said how much companies are comfortable raising prices depends on how much sales fall. “We have seen that companies were willing to increase prices even when it came at reductions in the volume sold. So, demand falling is not necessarily a reason for companies to not raise prices,” she said. “However, there comes a point of course at which further price increases no longer improve the bottom line if sales fall too much. In some segments, especially the ones where low-income households are important buyers like for example fast food, that point could have been reached.”WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes. Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press

Brad Pitt shocked fans on Saturday as he collapsed to the ground while filming a scene for his upcoming Formula One movie . The veteran actor was on the track at the Las Vegas Grand Prix , when he was pictured stumbling away from a car crash; Brad looked unsteady on his feet before he fainted, but luckily, a crew member was there with a crash mat to avoid injuries. The father of six was filming a scene for F1 , which drops in June 2025, where his character, Sonny Hayes, escapes a car crash. To build hype for the film, which is helmed by Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, Sonny's fictional racing team, APX GP, released a statement on social media about the event. "During Qualifying, Sonny sustained a significant impact requiring immediate medical evaluation," the statement read. "Incidents of this magnitude are always taken seriously, and Sonny's health remains our top priority." "While Sonny is otherwise stable, he will not participate in tomorrow's face as he focuses on recovery. " " The entire team stands behind him, and we'll provide updates when available. Joshua will race solo tomorrow, carrying the team forward, " it finished. F1 will follow Sonny Hayes, a washed-up race car driver, who was sidelined by a tragic crash. He returns to the sport years later after being recruited by the APX GP owner, played by Javier Bardem . "I would be a guy who raced in the '90s, " Brad told Sky Sports in a 2023 interview. "He has a horrible crash and kind of [expletive] out and disappears and then is racing in other disciplines. " The cast and crew have frequented race days for the past year to film scenes and make the movie as close to real life as possible. "We're shooting at the actual Grands Prix; there are certain aspects of this film where we're working in very, very tight windows, shooting on the track, between practice and qualifying sessions, in front of hundreds of thousands of people, " the director told Deadline in July. " Last year, at Silverstone, we had a scene we shot on the grid. I think we had something like nine minutes to shoot, " he said. " It really brings an intensity, and everyone's leaning forward in a way that maybe you wouldn't on a normal shoot day...you can just see the adrenaline going beforehand, and you feel that in the performances. " F1 is being produced by real-life racing star Lewis Hamilton , who explained what the film means to him as an F1 driver in a press conference at the 2023 British Grand Prix. "We want everyone to love it and to really feel that we encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about – that's our goal, and I hope we can do you proud, " he said, adding that he was "excited to see it all coming together. " The director also spilled that many F1 stars, like Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon , have made it into the film to lend authenticity to the project. "They're all playing themselves, " he told Deadline . "We're just embedding into this world, so the drivers are who they are in these races [in the movie]. " "We're the eleventh team; we're the back of the pack in an incredible field of teams. We see the drivers on the track, and we're hoping to see all of them off track as well. "Why Keira Knightley is looking forward to turning 40

SOSG Commences Cash Transfers To 9,700 Beneficiaries To Reduce PovertyIn a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office.

Search the Stow n' Go or the Cup Holder! Chrysler Pacifica and The Elf on the Shelf Create Holiday Magic This SeasonShould the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?Olive’s Singles PJ Party 2024 – Fostering Sisterhood & Connection

fishing pond Population Health Management Market is Expected to Exhibit a CAGR Of 12.8% During the Forecast Period (2024-2031) | Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc., Cerner Corporation, Conifer Health Solutions, Epic Systems Corporation(The Center Square) — A quarter of the homeless shelter beds in the City of Los Angeles are empty each night, causing a loss of $218 million from 2019 to 2023, according to a new report from the city controller. The report also notes the city has tripled its homeless shelter capacity since 2019, which led to a reduction in the city’s unsheltered homeless population at the start of 2024. The report also said the number of individuals placed into “permanent” housing, including permanently “free” supportive housing paid for by taxpayers that the report supports, has only increased by 21% since 2019. “Until a person is permanently housed, that person’s homelessness is not successfully ended,” said City Controller Kenneth Mejia in the first line of the report. “That is the guiding principle for the City and nation’s homelessness strategy.” The report says city-funded shelter capacity stands at 6,929 beds, which make up 53% of the area’s total 13,000 beds. At an average 25% occupancy, that means 3,250 beds are empty each night, enough to house more than one in ten of the city’s 29,275 unsheltered homeless individuals. Occupancy rates — and thus losses — vary significantly by type of homeless shelter. Congregate shelters, in which individuals are housed in large rooms together, are 70% of city-funded interim shelter beds and had a 65% occupancy rate with an annual cost of $29,000 per bed. More from this section Tiny-homes, which are typically single-occupancy but can be double-occupancy, and hotel-based interim shelters, which are only single occupancy, are 30% of city beds and had a 86% occupancy rate with an annual cost of $57,000 per bed. These costs include many of the social services included at shelters, such as case management and food. Once accounting for the cost of vacancies, the cost per congregate bed rises $15,615 per individual, to $44,615 per bed, while the cost per private bed rises to $66,300, reducing the difference in cost between the two shelters by about $6,300. Mejia says vacancies arise from city councilmembers reserving shelter beds “based on geographic zones (“catchments”) and prior to encampment cleanups or 41.18 enforcement operations.” Now that Los Angeles has a larger shelter capacity, empty beds cost the city about $68 million per year. Mejia has previously said the city is “ broke ” and must borrow $80 million to make court-ordered liability payments, spending on vacant shelters could have paid for most of the shortfall. Over the summer Mejia also reported the city’s hotel homeless shelter program has spent $341 million, serving 2,728 individuals since December 2022. Other city reports have found 45% of the city’s homeless individuals are “service resistant,” or unwilling to make use of offered city services. Between July and December of 2023, the city attempted contacting 22,019 verified separate homeless individuals, 12,043 of whom engaged with city personnel and enrolled in city programs. Of those 12,043, 2,962 took offers of city shelter, 428 exited to permanent housing, which for that report included the city’s hotel program), and 328 exited to “temporary destinations.” The city says it funds 29,554 vouchers for permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and families paid for by taxpayers; vouchers for one-bedroom apartments are $2,407 per month.

In the aftermath of the defeat, Setien faced heavy criticism from fans and pundits alike, with many questioning his tactics and team selection. The loss served as a wake-up call for Barcelona, prompting significant changes in the coaching staff and squad in the following seasons.Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals? - The Associated Press

In conclusion, NVIDIA's growing presence in China has brought both opportunities and challenges for the company. While the Chinese market offers significant growth potential for NVIDIA, regulatory risks and compliance issues pose a threat to its operations. As the company navigates the complex regulatory landscape in China, it will be essential for NVIDIA to engage with local authorities, address concerns proactively, and uphold its commitment to ethical business practices. Only by navigating these challenges successfully can NVIDIA sustain its growth and continue to thrive in the competitive tech industry.97/iStock via Getty Images Colgate-Palmolive Company's ( NYSE: CL ) stock is usually associated with low volatility and slow and steady shareholder returns. This year, however, would go down in history as a rather unusual one as far as share price returns are considered. Until Looking for similarly well-positioned high quality businesses in the consumer staples space? You can gain access to my highest conviction ideas in the sector by subscribing to The Roundabout Investor , where I uncover conservatively priced businesses with superior competitive positioning and high dividend yields. As part of the service I also offer in-depth market analysis , through the lens of factor investing and a watchlist of higher risk-reward investment opportunities . To learn more and gain access to the service, follow the link provided. Vladimir Dimitrov, CFA is a former strategy consultant within the field of brand and intangible assets valuation. During his career in the City of London he has been working with some of the largest global brands within the technology, telecom and banking sectors. He graduated from the London School of Economics and is interested in finding reasonably priced businesses with sustainable long-term competitive advantages. The Roundabout Investor Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Please do your own due diligence and consult with your financial advisor, if you have one, before making any investment decisions. The author is not acting in an investment adviser capacity. The author's opinions expressed herein address only select aspects of potential investment in securities of the companies mentioned and cannot be a substitute for comprehensive investment analysis. The author recommends that potential and existing investors conduct thorough investment research of their own, including a detailed review of the companies' SEC filings. Any opinions or estimates constitute the author's best judgment as of the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

By Conor Ryan We’re on to Chapel Hill. Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach at the University of North Carolina, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Wednesday’s report marks the end of more than a week of speculation regarding the future Hall-of-Fame head coach’s future in football. Talks between the eight-time Super Bowl champion reportedly intensified on Wednesday afternoon, with ESPN reporting that “the ball [was] in Belichick’s court” when it came to joining the Tar Heels. Among the final sticking points for Belichick were reportedly his salary at the university, a potential role for his son, Steve Belichick, and the school’s commitment to the proper resources for NIL deals and Belichick’s staffing requests. According to The Athletic’s Ralph D. Russo , Belichick’s contract with UNC is for three years and $30 million. Belichick, 72, is heading into uncharted waters when it comes to his new role at Chapel Hill. While his resume speaks for itself, this will mark the first collegiate coaching position he’s ever taken over a career in football spanning nearly 50 years. Belichick served in some sort of coaching capacity in the NFL from 1975 until the 2023 NFL season, after which New England moved on from Belichick following 24 years with the organization. Belichick has taken on several media obligations during his season away from football in 2024, with the former Patriots coach recently mapping out his vision for a collegiate program on Monday during his weekly appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show.” "IF I was in a College program it would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL.. It would be a professional program at the College level.. I don't have any doubt that the players would be ready for the NFL" ~ Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/JyMDtzs2yR “If, and let me put it in capital letters: I-F. If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” Belichick said Monday. “It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching techniques — that would transfer to the NFL. “It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career. But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure, and all that.” Belichick has some ties to the Tar Heels. Beyond it being the alma mater to his most-beloved football player in Lawrence Taylor, Belichick’s father, Steve, served as an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1953 to 55. Choosing UNC as his next move after an illustrious career in the NFL still comes as a surprise. Beyond his track record at football’s highest level, Belichick sits just 15 wins behind Don Shula for the most in NFL history. North Carolina is also not exactly a powerhouse in the college football landscape, with their last ACC football title coming in the 1980s. However, things reportedly progressed in short order after Belichick first expressed interest in the Tar Heels’ head-coaching vacancy, a result of the team firing Mack Brown last month amid a 6-6 record. “The initial conversation with Bill Belichick and UNC was just to see what both sides thought of the idea,” Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported on X . “It went so well that it resulted in several more conversations, proposals back and forth, and now a stunner no one could’ve seen a few weeks ago: Belichick in the college game.” Schultz added: “Belichick made it clear as talks progressed that he was serious about coming to UNC if they were willing to put his vision into place. There were many back channel conversations that happened shortly after and UNC eventually went all-in.” Surpassing Shula’s wins record was once a “driving force” for Belichick, The Athletic reported on Wednesday . But citing sources, that same report noted that Belichick “was turned off by the NFL’s hiring cycle last winter,” especially after only the Atlanta Falcons opted to interview him despite eight head-coaching jobs being available. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler , the sentiment from the NFL owners meeting was that Belichick “simply hadn’t garnered much NFL interest if at all this cycle.” The level of control offered to a head coach of a collegiate football program served as an appealing pitch for Belichick in his new role with the Tar Heels. “At UNC, Belichick can run the program without answering to anyone about football decisions. There will be other challenges — like NIL, the transfer portal and navigating boosters — that are more complicated than reporting to one owner, but football decisions in college go through the head coach, and now Belichick can yield that kind of power again,” The Athletic noted . Conor Ryan Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023. Boston.com Today Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning. Be civil. Be kind.

AI Play Vaults 108% To Buy Point As Profits Surge, Demand Stacking Up

According to the study conducted by researchers at the Sleep Health Foundation, women on average sleep approximately 20-30 minutes less per night than men. This discrepancy in sleep duration can be attributed to various factors, including hormonal changes, societal expectations, and differences in sleep architecture between men and women.Foushee’s priorities of civil rights, civil liberties in House report

By bolstering the left winger position, Arsenal could potentially unlock new dimensions in their attacking play and increase their goal-scoring threat in open play situations. A dynamic and skillful left winger could stretch the opposition defense, create space for teammates, and deliver dangerous crosses and through balls into the box, thereby enhancing the team's overall attacking potency.Title: Son Heung-min Rumored to Transfer to Turkish Super Lig, Barcelona Agent Clarifies Misinformation: Still in Talks with Tottenham Hotspur

Sending parents home with their healthy infants sooner, LHSC establishes permanent early discharge programInter Milan, one of the most renowned football clubs in Italy and Europe, has found itself in a deep crisis under the leadership of head coach Luciano Spalletti. The once-dominant club, known for its history of success and impressive performances, has suffered a dramatic decline in form, as evidenced by their disappointing record of just one win in 15 rounds of Serie A matches. This unimaginable slump has left Inter in a precarious position, languishing near the bottom of the league table, only managing to stay one point above the dreaded relegation zone.The precious metal players seem to have taken a few backward steps following Donald Trump’s presidential win. Undoubtedly, the stock market is in a strong spot after the election, with the risker, higher-reward plays surging while the risk-off and hedging plays run out of steam, at least on a relative basis. While gold prices have moved higher in recent sessions, there’s really no telling where the shiny yellow metal will settle as we close out the year. Either way, I think any recent weakness in gold is more of a buying opportunity than a sign that it’s time to ditch risk-off assets in favour of high-multiple growth stocks, most notably the disruptive innovators at the front of the pack on generative artificial intelligence (AI). A golden opportunity in the gold miners? The way I see it, it’s far better to start looking to risk-off assets, like gold, when most others are more than willing to extend themselves a bit on the risk front. Though I have no idea if there’s more near-term pain in the cards for the price of gold, I still think several risks could sustain a bounce back to new highs over the next few years. Whether we’re talking about geopolitical risks or an untimely return of high inflation, a number of factors could pave the way for even higher gold. And though I’m not against going for physical bullion or the exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the price of gold, I see more value in some of the well-run miners out there. In this piece, we’ll check in on two solid precious metal miners, which also have pretty solid dividends that will pay you to wait for gold prices to trend higher again. So, if you’re looking for a cheaper way to play another golden run, the following seem worth following right now. Agnico Eagle Mines ( ) is an interesting gold mining play that investors have been starting to pile into so far this year. With shares of AEM flirting with new all-time highs, questions linger as to whether there’s still value to be had in the top-tier miner. Now up close to 59% year to date, it seems like a golden opportunity (please pardon the pun) has come and gone. Still, I believe it makes sense to pick up shares if you believe gold prices will trend higher in the new year. If you’re at all worried about a potential inflationary return, I’d argue allocating a portion of your (Tax-Free Savings Account) to this gold miner makes a lot of sense. The stock boasts a 1.84% dividend yield and trades at 16.9 times forward price to earnings (P/E). That’s a low price of admission to one of the best miners in the scene. Barrick Gold If you seek deeper , perhaps ( ) stock is worth a look while it’s fresh off a nearly 16% correction off its 52-week highs close to $29 per share. Though ABX stock is still down almost 36% from its 2020 highs, I still see a path to new heights, especially if the price of gold continues inching higher in 2025. With a 9.7 times forward P/E multiple and a bountiful 2.17% dividend yield, perhaps ABX is a top value play to consider buying. While it’s a world-class producer, the miner has been subject to analyst downgrades of late. Hefty costs and modest production at some of its mines (like its one in Nevada) are part of the reason why. I think such negativity is now overblown.

FC Barcelona is set to face Borussia Dortmund in the upcoming Champions League fixture, a match-up that has historically favored the Catalan giants. In their four previous encounters, Barcelona have managed to remain unbeaten against Dortmund, a remarkable feat that has instilled a sense of confidence and anticipation among the fans.On the other hand, Woodward's lack of experience in a pure footballing role could be a cause for concern for some Arsenal fans. The Gunners have struggled on the pitch in recent seasons, failing to qualify for the Champions League and facing challenges in the competitive Premier League. Bringing in a sporting director with a strong football background and proven track record in player recruitment and development could be seen as a more suitable option for the club.None

fishing simulator EPL: Amorim considers Osimhen transferBauxite Market is Anticipated to Increase at a Stable CAGR over the Forecast Period (2024 to 2031) 12-02-2024 09:17 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Orion Market Research Global bauxite market is anticipated to grow at a moderate CAGR of 2.5% during the forecast period (2024-2031). The increasing construction industry globally has driven demand for bauxite for production of cement. Therefore, major cement factories are providing contracts for its mining and supply. For instance, in September 2023, Adbri has awarded ABx Group a contract to provide 90,000-120,000t of bauxite to its cement factory in Birkenhead, South Australia, starting in early 2024 and continuing for five years. A "conservative" estimates of $5.4 million has been published by Business News regarding the contract's value. Bauxite from ABx Group's DL130 mining operation will be supplied. Three resources totaling 13.7 million Tons of bauxite reserves are under the project's control. In the same month, Ashapura Holdings (UAE) FZE signed 2 contracts for the supply of Bauxite from Guinea and Ashapura Guinea Resources SARL for the supply of iron ore from Guinea. The two contracts for supply of 24 million tons of Bauxite from Guinea were signed with a subsidiary of the Chinese aluminium major, State Power Investment Corp ("SPIC"); the first contract, a 3 million tons per annum supply contract for 3 years and the second contract, a 3 million tons per annum supply contract for 5 years. To Request a Sample of our Report on Bauxite Market: https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/bauxite-market Market Coverage The market number available for - 2023-2031 Base year- 2023 Forecast period- 2024-2031 Segment Covered- By Grade By Application Regions Covered- North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World Competitive Landscape- includes Alcoa Corp., Rio Tinto, Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (CHALCO), Rusal, ALCO India, Hindalco Industries Ltd., Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC, among others. Bauxite Market Report Segment By Grade Metallurgical-grade Refractory-grade Other Grade By Application Alumina Production Refractory Cement Other Applications A full Report of Bauxite Market is Available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/bauxite-market Bauxite Market Report Segment by Region North America United States Canada Europe UK Germany Spain France Italy Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific India China Japan South Korea Rest of APAC Rest of the World Latin America Middle East and Africa Company Profiles Australian Bauxite Ltd. Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) GRAFIT MADENCILIK SAN. TIC. A.S. Iranian Aluminium Co. LKAB Minerals Norsk Hydro ASA Possehl Erzkontor GmbH & Co. KG Queensland Alumina Limited Ltd. Hindalco Industries Ltd. Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC Alcoa Corp. Alumina Ltd. Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd. NALCO India Norsk Hydro ASA Rusal South32 Reasons to buy from us - We cover more than 15 major industries, further segmented into more than 90 sectors. More than 120 countries are for analysis. Over 100+ paid data sources mined for investigation. Our expert research analysts answer all your questions before and after purchasing your report. For More Customized Data, Request for Report Customization @ https://www.omrglobal.com/report-customization/bauxite-market Media Contact: Company Name: Orion Market Research Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari Email: info@omrglobal.com Contact no: +91 7803040404 About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies. This release was published on openPR.

Heath Korvola/DigitalVision via Getty Images Investment Thesis I am bullish on Green Thumb Industries Inc. ( OTCQX:GTBIF ) given its consistent revenue growth, strong balance sheet, and expansion efforts. The company has been growing its revenue YoY for at least seven quarters, and it Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Furthermore, the meeting also discussed the need to deepen supply-side structural reforms to address longstanding issues in the economy. By tackling problems such as overcapacity, high debt levels, and inefficient resource allocation, China aims to improve the overall efficiency and productivity of its economy. These reforms are crucial for promoting sustainable growth and ensuring the long-term stability of the economy.

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG Takes Position in Mobileye Global Inc. (NASDAQ:MBLY)

Report: NFL warns players of burglary rings targeting pro athletesXu Zhengyuan, affectionately known as the "Chief" in the football community, is renowned for his strategic prowess and tactical acumen as a coach. Despite the ongoing holiday period, he decided to utilize this time to further enhance his knowledge and gain insights from some of the best teams in the world. His journey to the English Premier League was not merely for leisure, but a continuation of his relentless pursuit of excellence in the field of football management.Colorado adds record insurance coverage for Sanders and Hunter with both playing in Alamo Bowl

AMGEN ANNOUNCES 2025 FIRST QUARTER DIVIDENDIn a world filled with distractions and busyness, Tang Shangjun's simple yet profound gesture serves as a beacon of light, reminding us of the true essence of family and the enduring power of love. As the new house nears completion and Mrs. Liu prepares to move in, a deep sense of fulfillment and joy fills the hearts of all who have been touched by Tang Shangjun's act of kindness and compassion.

At the age of 33, female director Takeshi has been making headlines for recently coming forward to show her support for fellow director Wu Liufang, who has been the target of online harassment. Wu Liufang, a talented filmmaker known for her groundbreaking work in LGBTQ+ cinema, found herself at the center of a vicious cyberbullying campaign after expressing her views on a controversial social issue.Executive director, CFO and senior leader join president in exodus from turbulent Manitoba teachers’ union

Other than the cute doggy names and animal themes. I think positivity & Trust. We all know blockchain has many uses but many of those uses have not yet come to fruition. Yet inflation is rampant. Many research reports have studied the rampant rise of memecoins. The psychology behind it is quite intriguing. Many of todays youths feel trapped in this endless cycle of inflation. Never being able to own a home due to lack of opportunities. Some may consider it a less risky way of gambling, while others see it as a slightly riskier investment than stocks with a quite possibly way larger return on investment. On that note, I bring you the next best memecoin, which is quite intriguing. It’s a 1st of its kind. A self KYC’d memecoin. There is nothing to hide. The Devs socials are all out there on social media! It has a catchy fun name called Catapult Corgi. The same name on X. @CatapultCorgi. The community is currently small but strong, growing & thriving. The team is doing alot of marketing 24 hours a day. Choose to believe or not, the Dev has no intention of selling until 1b+ Market Cap. Their goal is to destroy the Matrix & get onto Binance! What do you guys think? $CCC @CatapultCorgi on X. This is a revolution! I would not be amiss if this was to become the next Billion Dollar animal Coin like Turbo Toad Token, Pepe, Shiba Inu or Dogecoin. They all have that same special ingredient. Community!!!!! Join their Telegram & follow them on x. They are very active & have great energy. I think they have just enough chutzpah to pull it off... Linktr.ee/CatapultCorgiCoin $CCC 7u3aEdtAfjb33aN58A56RSCYfMxHHUuMkiLsey3YpumpFurthermore, the absence of a prolific goal-scoring midfielder or a creative playmaker in the squad has also hindered Arsenal's effectiveness in breaking down stubborn defenses. While the likes of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka provide stability and control in midfield, they lack the offensive threat and creativity needed to unlock opposing teams.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Colorado secured what it said was record insurance coverage for quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter as the star duo opted to complete their college careers in the Alamo Bowl rather than sit out and prepare for the NFL draft. Colorado would not disclose the amount of insurance coverage each received, citing privacy laws. Coach Deion Sanders and athletic director Rick George both said it was the largest in college football history. “We happen to have two players that are probably going to be the first two picks of the NFL draft,” Sanders said Monday. “We all know who those two are and they have received, I think, the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football. It far exceeds anyone that has ever played this game of college football.” While college programs maintain insurance policies for their athletes in case of injury, Colorado increased disability coverage for its entire roster in the Alamo Bowl. Sanders, the coach of the No. 20 Buffaloes, ensured his QB son and two-way star Hunter received larger policies since both are expected to be among the top 10 selections in the upcoming NFL draft. “It was his idea we should get disability insurance for our athletes for this game to ensure that they played and if there was some kind of injury that they would be well taken care of," George said. “So, we worked together on that. We’re excited about it. We think it’s great that all our players are playing in the game. That’s what all bowl games should be like.” Colorado (9-3, No. 23 CFP) will face the 17th-ranked BYU Cougars (10-2, No. 17 CFP) in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday. While most teams are scrambling with starters opting out of bowl games this year to enter the transfer portal or NFL draft, the Buffaloes did not lose any player on their two-deep roster. Story continues below video “It’s more than what I got (when he played at Kansas State),” Colorado linebackers coach Andre’ Hart said. “They gave us a helmet and said pop this on your leg and get out there and play. For them to get that (increased insurance coverage), I just think it’s beneficial. To talk about where the game is, where it’s going and how leadership is taking care of the players, I thought that’s excellent.” Shedeur Sanders completed 337 of 454 passes for 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. Many scouting services have Sanders rated as the top quarterback in this year's draft. Hunter received the Heisman Trophy as a two-way standout at cornerback and wide receiver. He had 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns and as a cornerback had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and limited the opposition to 22 receptions on 688 defensive snaps. “They’ve taken care of us, everybody,” Colorado running back Micah Welch said. “It really means a lot to have every teammate up here. That's a big thing. What I like about Coach Prime, they’re taking care of us.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

The collaborative effort that went into the creation of the snow-carrier highlighted the strength of unity and teamwork. It exemplified the idea that when individuals come together with a common purpose, they can achieve remarkable feats that transcend the boundaries of individual achievement.The current investigation in China highlights the growing concerns over foreign companies operating in the country and their compliance with local laws and regulations. The Chinese authorities have ramped up efforts to ensure that companies like NVIDIA adhere to fair business practices and do not engage in any activities that may harm consumers or competitors. The potential consequences of this investigation could have significant implications for NVIDIA's operations in one of its key markets.

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Aidan Bouman threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Javion Phelps with 12 seconds left and South Dakota defeated FCS top-ranked North Dakota State 29-28 on Saturday to claim a share of its first Missouri Valley Football Conference championship. The Coyotes (9-2, 7-1) trailed 28-17 when Bouman threw deep to Jack Martens for a 40-yard touchdown with 3:22 remaining. They got the ball back with 1:16 left and six plays later Bouman was sacked. The Coyotes quickly lined up and Bouman found Phelps alone 2 yards shy of the end zone along the left sideline and he easily scored. South Dakota won its first game against the Bison in Vermillion since a four-overtime thriller in 2002. The Bison had won the last five meetings in the DakotaDome. The Coyotes took a 14-0 lead on two Travis Theis rushing touchdowns but the Bison (10-2, 7-1) tied the game with two scores in the final 2:26 of the first half, a 23-yard pass from Cam Miller to Braylon Henderson and a 3-yard TD run by Miller. Miller scored from 2 yards out late in the third quarter and CharMar Brown completed a 20-play, 99-yard drive that took nearly 11 minutes with a 1-yard score for a 28-17 Bison lead with just over four minutes to go. Bouman was 18-of-30 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Miller was 9-of-21 passing with one touchdown and he rushed for 82 yards and another score. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

The deceptive nature of DroidBot lies in its ability to closely mimic the appearance and functionality of legitimate banking apps, making it challenging for users to distinguish between the genuine and fraudulent ones. This poses a significant threat to unsuspecting customers who unknowingly input their confidential information into the malicious app.

In a groundbreaking move towards advancing technology and innovation, Sharp Corporation and KDDI have announced a partnership to launch an AI data center by the year 2025. The collaboration between these two industry giants signifies a significant step towards harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and data analytics to drive business growth and transformation.In the end, it was Shanxi's resilience and composure that proved to be the difference-maker. Their players stepped up in the clutch moments, making key plays on both ends of the floor to secure the hard-fought victory. The final buzzer sounded, and Shanxi emerged triumphant with a 106-101 win, ending Beijing's impressive winning streak and making a statement to the rest of the league.

5. Be Patient and Disciplined: Maintain a long-term perspective, avoid impulsive trading decisions, and stick to a well-defined investment plan to achieve sustainable growth and returns.As we countdown to the launch of the fourth season, let us cherish the time we have left in the world of "Suicide Squad". Let us come together as a community, celebrating the moments we have shared and looking ahead to the adventures that await us in the final chapter of this beloved game. And when the time comes to bid farewell, we can take solace in knowing that the spirit of "Suicide Squad" will always live on in our hearts.

fishing area near me 49ers' Brock Purdy to miss Sunday's game with shoulder injury, Nick Bosa also outTHE NFL revealed their TV ratings entering Week 12 - and the Kansas City Chiefs lead the way. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have passed the Dallas Cowboys as the NFL 's top TV team. After 11 weeks of game action, the NFL is averaging 17.5 million viewers per game, per the league on X . The number excludes international games on NFL Network and exclusive streaming broadcasts on Peacock and ESPN+. The 17.5 million figure is the most through NFL's Week 11 since 2015. After Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills , the Chiefs extended its lead over the Cowboys as the league's No. 1 TV team. Read More on NFL The Chiefs-Bills matchup had the most TV viewers of the season (31.14 million). Before the game, Kansas City was unbeaten with a 9-0 record. The Chiefs have been part of four of the top five most-watched games through 11. The Cowboys have only been involved in one of those games, as their matchup against the Baltimore Ravens drew 27.3 million viewers. Most read in American Football Dallas has still been a popular team, even in the two blowout losses since quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending torn hamstring injury in Week 9. On Monday Night Football , in Week 11, ESPN received 17 million viewers for the Houston Texans ' 34-10 victory over the Cowboys. The game was the most-watched Week 11 MNF broadcast since 2006. And last week, CBS's broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles ' 34-6 win over Dallas drew 24.61 million viewers. Overall, the NFL's TV ratings have increased despite the election season occurring in the first two months of the league campaign. In 2016, NFL ratings dropped eight percent from the previous year. And this season, ratings remained stable after looking at the NFL's major TV windows in the two weeks before and after the November 5 election. The two weeks before Election Day saw primetime games average 18.48 million viewers, per Nielsen data cited weekly by Sports Media Watch. In the two weeks after Election Day, those same windows averaged 18.18 million viewers. Neither Kansas City nor the Cowboys will have a primetime game in Week 12. Read More on The US Sun However, both will have stand-alone games in Week 13. CBS will air the Dallas-Washington Commanders game on Thanksgiving , while the Chiefs will take on the Las Vegas Raiders as part of Amazon Prime's Black Friday Football matchup.

None

UK ready for ‘all eventualities’ if Trump launches trade war, says Reynolds

The British singer-songwriter, 36, launched Weekends With Adele at Caesars Palace in November 2022 and performed her 100th show on Saturday. Her run of sell-out shows at the venue, which seats around 4,000 people, has been a success but has also taken its toll. In July, she announced she would be taking a “big break” from music after her current run of shows. A post shared by Adele (@adele) Videos posted online from her concert on Saturday show the singer getting tearful as she bid farewell to Vegas. “It’s been wonderful and I will miss it terribly and I will miss you terribly”, she said. “I don’t know when I next want to perform again.” She also said she got “closure” when Canadian singer Celine Dion came to watch her perform, admitting that she cried for a “whole week” afterwards. “It was just such a full circle moment for me because that’s the only reason I ever even wanted to be in here”, she added. Adele shared an emotional embrace with Dion after she spotted the singer in the audience during her Las Vegas show last month. A post shared by Adele (@adele) In footage shared online, the British star can be seen breaking down in tears as they hug in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which was built for Dion’s residency. The Rolling In The Deep singer has been vocal about her love for Dion over the years, hailing her as “Queen Celine” after attending one of her performances in an Instagram post in 2018. Dion reciprocated the love at the time, sharing a photo to social media of her posing alongside Adele, who was wearing the singer’s merchandise. She wrote: “Wasn’t able to do all my shows, but was thrilled that @Adele came to one of them.... I love her so much!! – Celine xx”. After their encounter at the venue, Adele said in an Instagram post: “Words will never sum up what you mean to me, or what you coming to my show means, let alone how it felt seeing you back in your palace with your beautiful family.”

The Chicago Cubs need something to energize the fan base this winter. After being foiled once again by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central--despite stealing the Brewers' old manager, Craig Counsell--the Cubs are down in the dumps. But perhaps a blockbuster trade with the crosstown Chicago White Sox could be the pick-me-up the franchise needs. The Cubs and White Sox have partnered up on some big trades in the past, most notably the Jose Quintana deal in 2017 and the Craig Kimbrel swap in 2021. But sending a certain All-Star lefty pitcher across town just might take the cake. White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet is the biggest name on the trade market this winter, coming off an All-Star season where he struck out a ridiculous 12.9 batters per nine innings. Every contending team could use Crochet, but the Cubs might be the single team that could benefit the most from landing him. Recently, Elijah Evans of Just Baseball proposed a trade that would send Crochet to the North Side in exchange for outfielder Owen Caissie, shortstop Jefferson Rojas, and right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins. "Garrett Crochet is another level of a pitcher and the Cubs are seeking a few big pieces to push them into the legit playoff tier in the National League," Evans said. "They’re likely to start with the free agent market but could slide into the Crochet sweepstakes more seriously if they can’t land a top arm available there. In terms of prospect fit, their plethora of hitters lines up well with what the White Sox want to acquire." Caissie is Just Baseball's No. 35 overall prospect and Rojas is No. 53, so losing both would certainly weaken the Cubs' future outlook on the position player side of things. But as great as it is to have prospects, what the Cubs need now is a big-league-ready star. Crochet would change the Cubs' entire perception for the 2025 season. Rolling a trio of dominant lefties out with Crochet, Shota Imanaga, and Justin Steele could be the thing that finally vaults them over the Brewers in the Central, and possibly all the way to title contention. More MLB: Cubs tabbed as unexpected landing spot for $105 million superstar outfielder

S even former education secretaries have urged Sir Keir Starmer to be “bold” in reforming the curriculum and assessment system and seize a once-in-a-generation “golden chance” to create schools that better prepare children for work and life. The powerful cross-party alliance of political grandees, who between them oversaw many of the major changes to schools over the past 40 years, insisted that radical change was needed to reconnect the education system with the job market, generate economic growth and boost social mobility. Their intervention came as a YouGov poll for The Times showed that almost two thirds of the public thought the education system prepared children badly for work and life. • Times Education Commission calls for schooling reset The survey found that only 25 perUruguay's voters choose their next president in a close runoff with low stakes but much suspense

The Winnipeg Jets have placed Dylan Samberg on injured reserve with a broken foot. Samberg suffered the injury in the second period of Winnipeg’s Saturday matchup against Nashville, blocking a Steven Stamkos slapshot with his skate and immediately leaving the ice. Winnipeg has also recalled the oft-injured Ville Heinola from an AHL conditioning stint in a corresponding move, setting him up to make his season debut after starting the year on the season-open non-roster list. Heinola had surgery on his ankle in September. Samberg has served a top role for Winnipeg all season long, recording six points through 21 games while averaging over 20 minutes of ice time. He’s once again serving next to Neal Pionk , the same role that Samberg recorded a career-high 31 points in last season. He’s dug his feet in as yet another evergreen defensive-defenseman in the Jets lineup. That role was stamped this summer when the Jets signed Samberg to a four-year, $19.6M contract extension. He’s recorded 83 points across 316 games with Winnipeg, bringing his career totals to 147 points in 575 games. Heinola will offer a quick substitute for Samberg, returning to the NHL after scoring one assist in two games on his AHL conditioning stint. Heinola spent all of the 2023-24 campaign in the minors, scoring 27 points in 41 games with the Manitoba Moose. He’s yet to vindicate a 20th-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft despite being in North American pros since 2019-20. He jumped into the NHL right away, recording five points in his first eight games with the Jets – but failed to maintain that scoring through injury and moves to the AHL and a return to Finland’s Liiga during the COVID-19 season of 2020-21. Heinola played in five NHL games at the tail-end of that year, going without any scoring — even despite 11 points in 19 AHL games. He’s since bounced between Winnipeg and Manitoba, intercut by routine trips to injured reserve. Heinola has totaled 11 points in 35 career NHL games and a much more productive 103 points in 154 AHL games. This article first appeared on Pro Hockey Rumors and was syndicated with permission.A wild first season of the expanded Big 12 is down to what should be a chaotic final weekend. Through all the upsets, unexpected rises and falls, there are nine teams still in the mix to play in the conference championship game. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State have the best odds, yet a multitude of scenarios could play out — 256 to be exact. There's even the possibility of an eight-team tie. It may take a mathematician to figure out which teams are in the Dec. 7 game in Arlington, Texas — even for the ones who win. Travis Hunter, Colorado. The Buffaloes' two-way star has excelled on both sides of the field, making him one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Cam Skattebo, Arizona State. The senior running back can do a little of everything, but excels at punishing would-be tacklers. He's one of the nation's leaders in yards after contact and the focal point of the Sun Devils' offense. Shadeur Sanders, Colorado. If it weren't for Hunter, Sanders might be the Heisman favorite. The son of coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur is fifth nationally with 3,488 yards passing and has been a big part of the Buffaloes' turnaround. DJ Giddens, Kansas State. The Wildcats' running back is one of the nation's most versatile players. He is ninth nationally with 1,271 rushing yards and has added 21 receptions for 258 yards. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona. The Wildcats have struggled this season, but McMillan has not. He is third nationally with 1,251 receiving yards with seven touchdowns on 78 catches. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders' junior linebacker leads the Big 12 with 68 tackles, averaging 10.2 per game. He also has four sacks. Brendan Mott, Kansas State. He's a menace to opposing quarterbacks, leading the Big 12 with 8 1/2 sacks. The Big 12 has nine teams already bowl eligible and two more a win away. The winner of the Big 12 championship game will be in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot. Arizona State, Iowa State, No. 19 BYU, Colorado, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia have already clinched bowl berths. Kansas and Cincinnati can get into the postseason with wins this weekend. Gus Malzahn, UCF. Despite successes in recruiting, the Knights are 10-14 in two seasons since moving to the Big 12. Maybe not enough to get shown the door this year, but another mediocre season could lead UCF to make a change. Kyle Whittingham, Utah. Whittingham was one of the Pac-12's best coaches, leading the Utes to consecutive conference titles. Utah was expected to contend for the Big 12 title its first year in the league, but enters the final weekend 1-7 in conference play, which could push Whittingham toward retirement since it's doubtful he'd be fired. Neal Brown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers' coach was in a precarious spot at the end of last season and West Virginia hasn't lived up to expectations this season. The Mountaineers are eligible to go to a bowl game for the second straight season, but Brown could be on the hot seat even after signing a contract extension before the season. Josiah Trotter, West Virginia. The redshirt freshman is the latest Trotter to have success at the linebacker position, following the footsteps of his father, former Philadelphia Eagles player Jeremiah Trotter, and brother Jeremiah Trotter Jr., a current Eagles linebacker. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State. The Michigan State transfer has been just what the Sun Devils' needed: an agile quarterback who extends plays with his legs and rarely makes bad decisions. Bryson Washington, Baylor. The Bears' running back has rushed for 812 yards — 196 against TCU — and 10 TDs. TCU has the Big 12's highest rated 2025 recruiting class with six four-star players among 26 commitments, according to the 247 Sports composite. Receiver Terry Shelton of Carrollton, Texas, is the highest-rated recruit at 71st nationally. Baylor is next with five five-star players among its 20 commitments, including running back Michael Turner, rated 13th at his position out of North Richland Hills, Texas. Texas Tech is ranked seventh in the Big 12, but has four four-star recruits. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

House Republican Leadership Blocking Fix to Limit Controversial Spy Powers

New shape-changing polymer developedKings need to get right quickly against Winnipeg

Bill O'Reilly Criticizes 'Woke Movement' as Election Discourse Intensifies; MSNBC Faces Post-Election Challenges

fishing knife Blake Snell reportedly has joined his former team's biggest rival. After opting out of his Giants contract and entering MLB free agency this offseason, Snell has agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers pending a physical, ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jorge Castillo reported Tuesday, citing sources. Snell seemingly confirmed the news with a post on his Instagram account. It's no surprise Los Angeles was able to land the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The Dodgers have shattered free-agency expectations in recent offseasons, inflating their payroll and even deferring millions of dollars to future years so they can sign stars including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman -- the list goes on. It paid off for San Francisco's NL West rivals in 2024, as Los Angeles won its eighth World Series title last month when it defeated the New York Yankees in five games. And they appear to be taking the deferred money route with Snell, as they did when they signed Ohtani last winter. Snell's lone Giants campaign started off rocky after the ace endured an offseason without spring training while searching for a home in free agency. But after a rough first half to the 2024 MLB season, Snell quickly rounded into Cy Young form, even pitching a no-hitter for San Francisco on Aug. 2 against the Cincinnati Reds. His hot second half led Snell to opt out of the remaining year on his Giants contract, making him the best available pitcher on the open market. This time, negotiations with MLB teams didn't last as long. Because the Dodgers, as usual, swooped in. Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roadzen Inc. RDZN , ("Roadzen" or the "Company"), a global leader in AI at the convergence of insurance and mobility, today announced the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 2,300,000 ordinary shares (or pre-funded warrants (("Pre-funded Warrants")) in lieu thereof), including 300,000 shares sold upon full exercise of the underwriter's option to purchase additional shares (the "Offering") at a public offering price of $1.25 per share (inclusive of the Pre-Funded Warrant exercise price), for gross proceeds of $2,875,000, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and Offering expenses. All of the ordinary shares (and/or Pre-funded Warrants) were sold by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering primarily for costs directly related to sales and marketing, for research and development, working capital and general corporate purposes, including personnel costs, capital expenditure and the costs of operating as a public company. The Company may also use a portion of the net proceeds to repay indebtedness outstanding. ThinkEquity acted as sole book-running manager for the offering. The Offering was made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282966), including a base prospectus, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on November 1, 2024 and declared effective on November 12, 2024. The final prospectus supplement relating to the Offering was filed with the SEC on December 16, 2024 and is available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov . Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained from ThinkEquity, 17 State Street, 41 st Floor, New York, New York 10004. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Roadzen Inc. Roadzen Inc. RDZN is a global technology company transforming auto insurance using advanced artificial intelligence (AI). Thousands of clients, from the world's leading insurers, carmakers, and fleets to dealerships and auto insurance agents, use Roadzen's technology to build new products, sell insurance, process claims, and improve road safety. Roadzen's pioneering work in telematics, generative AI, and computer vision has earned recognition as a top AI innovator by publications such as Forbes, Fortune, and Financial Express. Roadzen's mission is to continue advancing AI research at the intersection of mobility and insurance, ushering in a world where accidents are prevented, premiums are fair, and claims are processed within minutes, not weeks. Headquartered in Burlingame, California, the Company has 360 employees across its global offices in the U.S., India, U.K. and France. To learn more, please visit www.roadzen.ai . Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "should," "could," "would," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," and "continue," or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the intended use of proceeds of the offering described above. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in "Risk Factors" in our SEC filings, including the annual report on Form 10-K we filed with the SEC on July 1, 2024, any subsequently filed quarterly reports and other documents we subsequently file with the SEC. We urge you to consider these factors, risks and uncertainties carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to our company or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information, please contact: Investor Contacts: IR@roadzen.ai Media Contacts: Roadzen: Sanya Soni sanya@roadzen.ai or media@roadzen.ai Gutenberg: roadzen@thegutenberg.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.At Yahoo, we're on a mission to help you find the best products out there, and that includes everything in your closet. This year, we spent hours testing everything from hiking boots and luggage to jeans and heels (the perks of our job!), so we know all products are created equal. Below, you'll find the absolute best clothing and accessories of 2024. Whether you're searching for a warm , a luxuriously soft or a toasty pair of , we've got you covered with these tested, vetted picks. Keep scrolling to check out all our editors' style recommendations — we think you're going to love them as much as we do! Best leggings with pockets Lululemon Align High-Rise Pants With Pockets Best white T-shirt Madewell Northside Vintage Tee Best jeans Levi's Women's Premium Ribcage Straight Ankle Jeans Best cashmere sweater Naadam The Original Cashmere Sweater Best opaque tights Hue Super Opaque Tights Most comfortable black turtleneck Splendid Women's Classic Turtleneck Best swimsuit for women over 50 Cupshe High-Neck Tummy Control Swimsuit Best women's winter coat Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket Best hiking boots Merrell Moab 3 Hiking Shoe Best water shoes for women Zhuanglin Quick-Drying Aqua Water Shoes Best winter boots L.L.Bean 10" Shearling-Lined Bean Boots Best gym shoes for women Brooks Levitate Stealthfit 6 Neutral Running Shoe Best sandals for women Birkenstock Arizona Sandals Best flip-flops Olukai Ohana Sandals Best boots with heels Aerosoles Micah Tall Shaft Boot in Black Faux Leather Best shoes for nurses Brooks Women's Ghost 15 Neutral Running Shoes Best walking shoes for women Hoka Clifton 9 Most comfortable women's running shoes New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v13 Sneakers Best women's slippers Ugg Tasman Slippers Most comfortable heels Cole Haan Josie Block Heel Sandal Best slip-on sneakers Hoka Ora Recovery Shoe 2 Best women's loafers Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafer Best travel purse Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Crossbody Best toiletry bag Away the Large Toiletry Bag Best checked luggage Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable Luggage Best compression packing cubes Monos Compressible Packing Cubes Best hardside suitcase Delsey Paris Helium Aero Hardside Expandable Luggage Best bra Natori Feathers Underwire Contour Bra Best strapless bra Wacoal Red Carpet Convertible Strapless Bra Best minimizer bra Vanity Fair Back Smoothing Minimizer Bra Best bra for large breasts Freya Idol Underwire Molded T-Shirt Bra Best push-up bra Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Bombshell Push-Up Bra Best sports bra Nike Swoosh Sports Bra Best touchscreen gloves Glider Gloves Touch Screen Gloves Best heated socks Savior Heat Heated Socks In addition to four full-length inseams — 23, 25, 28 and 31 inches — Lululemon Align leggings range in size from 0 to 20, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding your fit. They're among our picks for (and who doesn't love pockets?) but our testers say there are more reasons to splurge. "I didn't get the whole Lululemon obsession until I actually tried a pair, but now I understand — and actually feel confident leaving the house in leggings," said Laura Kenney, Yahoo's commerce editor-in-chief. Fitness trainer Tammy Foxx is also a fan because of their "exceptional material quality, shape-retaining pockets, and just the right amount of compression for various activities." Read our Gifting Editor Amanda Garrity loves this bestselling tee by Madwell — so much so that we crowned it over competitors from Gap, Hanes, Uniqlo, J.Crew and others. "I have a hard time finding T-shirts that aren't too loose and boxy for my petite frame, and this one has a shrunken fit that hits right at my hip, making it easy to tuck in," she said. She has owned the shirt for over a year and raves about how durable it is. "I've worn it more times than I can count and thrown it into the wash a million times, and it looks like new." Garrity gave it a 4.5 out of 5 on the opacity scale, so you don't have to worry about your bra showing through it, and she hasn't noticed any unwanted stretching or shrinking. Bonus: You can monogram the top to give it a personal touch! It doesn't get much more classic than these high-rise, straight-leg jeans by Levi's, which we named the year's . There are 15 washes to choose from, so you'll find a pair that suits your style, and they hit just above the ankle so your shoe collection can take center stage. Senior Home and Garden Editor Jessica Dodell-Feder calls them the "perfect wide (but not too wide) jeans. They feel timeless and also trendy, which is pretty impressive!" And while she would love to get them in another color, she notes that she would need to try them on because "the fit of Levi's jeans varies wildly by wash, in my experience." Dodell-Feder also says they're surprisingly comfortable despite having a structured silhouette. "They have a very high waist and button fly, so they are not sweatpants-comfy. But for no-stretch denim, I find them very comfortable, probably because of the wide-legged fit." Commerce Manager Julia Webb really knows her stuff when it comes to — she even directly compared . During testing, she found that this softie from Naadam reigned supreme, calling it flattering, cozy and affordable. While it might not be the softest cashmere she's ever tried, she says it "still feels luxe and it's also not too fragile — it's durable enough I can wear it multiple times a week." What really makes this piece a standout is how long-lasting and easy to care for it is. It's also under $100 — a steal for cashmere — and comes in an impressive 34 colors. Garrity has owned these Hues for about a year and wore them consistently last winter without suffering a single snag. "They're incredibly soft, not scratchy at all," she says. Our pick for , they fit true to size and have a high-rise waistband that "helps smooth things out a bit." She raves about how comfortable they are, saying she's worn them all day with no issues and never feels restricted in them. She loves that "they suck you in a tad and don't roll down," which means no awkward mid-day tugging. Senior Beauty Editor Jennifer Romolini loves this Splendid top so much that she deemed it "a perfect turtleneck" — and deemed it one of the year's . Why? "It's comfortable, layerable, versatile and well-fitting. This is my third time purchasing this same shirt over the past eight years. I it," she says. While the shirt itself is fitted, the fold-over turtleneck is a little saggy, which Romolini says she prefers because it's less constricting than closer-fitting styles. It's so versatile that she wears it with practically everything, she says, including "jeans, button-downs, skirts, and even dresses." This affordable number is expert- and shopper-approved. Dana Marie listed Cupshe as one of her favorite brands in our report on thanks to its stylish designs and supportive details. It has ruching around the midsection to smooth out any lumps and bumps and removable padded cups for extra shaping. It's also fully adjustable at the back. , "After three children and some weight gain, I am self-conscious in a swimsuit, so my friend recommended this one. I have to say that it gives me a confidence boost. It runs true to size and provides a flattering fit on both mine and my friend's body frames (that are very different)." A viral sensation better known as "the Amazon Coat," this down coat is cute and cozy — but the reason it's such a hit may be that it features side zippers, which allow you to expand its dimensions and make room for more layers. With six roomy pockets, it can store more than just essentials (translation: you can leave your bag at home). Our pick for , the Orolay is so good that even Oprah is a fan — it made her Favorite Things List in 2019. There are 11 styles to choose from, and impressed shoppers note that this coat looks way more expensive than it is. Moabs have been ruling forever, so is it any wonder they've wowed us too? The editors and experts we talked to rely on these sporty kicks to keep their puppies from barking, whether they're trekking hiking trails or city sidewalks. Famous for their out-of-the-box comfort, the Amazon bestsellers are super-supportive and extra cushioned to keep your feet happy all day long. A doctor recommended these to Executive Editor Nicole Sforza to alleviate some foot issues, and she’s been wearing Merrells ever since. Cris Hazzard of also gave these his stamp of approval, noting that "they're tough, grippy and very comfortable." These kicks may look like your average sneaker, but they're made with a quick-drying mesh upper and a grippy outsole that provides ample traction in wet and slippery conditions — and they're our pick for the year's . Deputy Commerce Editor Izabella Zaydenberg owns a pair and says they're "comfortable for several hours of wear," adding that they have never caused irritating rubbing or blisters. And she's not the only one who is a fan — over 15,000 Amazon shoppers have given them their seal of approval too. Three staff members listed these L.L.Beans as their , and it's easy to see why. Not only are the boots (which come in both and ) incredibly warm thanks to their ​​cozy shearling lining, but they're waterproof, so you can walk through snow and puddles without wet toes. Each pair is hand-sewn in Maine, so they're durable and built to last. Home Editor Lisa Schweitzer and I have both had a pair for several years, and they still look good as new. The boots aren't overly bulky, weighing less than 4 pounds, and they have a rugged rubber sole that prevents you from slipping and sliding. While most of the are designed for a particular activity, if you're looking for a well-rounded pair that can handle everything from running to weightlifting, take a look at these Brooks. The knit upper is stretchy and breathable, while the arrow-point pattern in the rubber outsole provides ample traction for wet gym surfaces and outdoor terrains alike. women's fitness expert, IFBB fitness pro athlete and certified personal trainer, calls them "my absolute go-to all-around favorite shoes because they strike the perfect balance between support and responsiveness. They give me a stable base for heavy lifting and enough cushioning for cardio sessions, making them incredibly versatile. The fit is snug and comfortable, which makes me feel secure no matter the workout." These classics are so popular that four of our staff members sang their praises (myself included) as the . And we're not the only ones who are fans: Dr. Melissa Lockwood, a podiatrist at , gives Birkenstocks her thumbs-up for their support, as do thousands of shoppers. The classic slides boast a deep heel cup that keeps the natural padding of your foot in place and helps disperse your body weight evenly. The suede-lined, supportive footbed molds to your feet over the break-in period for added comfort, while the raised toe bed gives you enough grip so your feet aren't sliding around. Olukai flip-flops are among the most popular sandals on Amazon, and we can see why. Along with a nonslip EVA insole that's cushioned for added comfort, they feature a water-resistant upper strap and a durable rubber sole, making them our pick for overall. The footbed has a molded foot cup, which is one element , a podiatrist, says to look for as a "heel cup allows for the heel to nestle in the shoe to avoid walking out of the shoe quite as easily." One happy shopper calls them "the best flip-flop the world has to offer," this: "Once I tried them, I couldn't believe how comfortable they were. They conform to your actual feet to provide support and relief from foot pain." What's better than a sleek pair of high-heel boots? A pair that's actually comfortable to walk in, of course. Webb is a fan of these classic Aerosoles, among our picks for the , because they're "the most comfortable heeled boots I've ever owned, and I have recommended them to all my friends. The heel is almost 3 inches high, but I always feel comfortable and confident in them." She's owned them for over three years and says they still look as good as new. Despite the chunky heels, she says these boots are surprisingly lightweight and have solid traction. They have a memory foam insole to provide extra cushioning, and the faux leather looks and feels real. "I usually wear these boots with dresses or skirts, but I can also tuck the right jeans in comfortably," Webb says. When we polled healthcare pros, they overwhelmingly cited Brooks as because they "offer comfortable and durable shoes in styles that are fun and functional," according to Sarah K. Wells, founder of . And the Ghost 15 is the shoe most for healthcare workers. Along with , these comfortable kicks boast ultra-lightweight cushioning, a breathable upper and a system of shock absorbers to prevent foot pain. They come in a variety of color combos and widths. The No. 1 Amazon bestsellers have racked up over 7,000 five-star ratings, with many from nurses. "I'm on my feet all day. Every other tennis shoe I have tried ended up with my feet aching at the end of a shift or my toes going numb. These are so comfortable and light, and my feet haven't hurt at all,” . Perhaps best of all, Brooks offers a ! If you've seen a pair of Hokas in the wild, there's a good chance they were Cliftons. These are among the brand's most popular picks, and it's for good reason. "They're absolutely cloud-like," raves Zaydenberg. "They were the only shoes that didn't exacerbate my plantar fasciitis (especially when )." I also own a pair of Cliftons, and I wear them every time I go for a long walk, whether I'm on a treadmill, a trail or around town. The cushioned sneakers are undoubtedly the most I've ever tried, and I loved that there was no break-in time. They come in a wide range of colors, so it's easy to find a favorite style (or two). They've even earned an APMA seal of approval. Check out our other recommendations for . When we polled experts for their , both running coaches we spoke with, and , listed these as their top picks. "This is the most comfortable shoe on the market, ideal for daily training and long runs that don't involve intense workouts," says Keys. Clark agrees: "The cushioning is so plush and soft. It seriously is the most comfortable cushioning underfoot for easy runs!" The sporty kicks have a breathable mesh upper to prevent your feet from overheating and a durable rubber outsole that offers great traction for everyday runs. There are 14 styles, and they come in narrow, medium, wide and extra-wide options so you can find your ideal fit. Ugg slippers have been in demand since the early 2000s, but this pair is probably the most popular right now. The Tasmans, our picks for , are lined with the same cozy sheepskin as your favorite Ugg boots, but their backless design makes them easier to slip on and off. The rubber soles are also the same as the brand's signature boots, which I love because it means I can wear them indoors and out with ease. These look just as good with pajamas as with athleisure and are my go-tos for when I need to quickly let my dog outside to do his business. The grippy soles mean you won't be slipping and sliding around, and they're cozy enough for hunkering down at home on chilly days. Dr. Dana Canuso, podiatrist and founder of , tells us one of her go-to brands for is Cole Haan. It turns out that our Commerce Director, Jeanine Edwards, is obsessed with this sleek pair. The insanely comfy heels are made with the brand's signature Grand.ØS technology, which supplies arch support and responsive cushioning. Edwards tells us: "I've worn these heels for a full eight-hour workday and at no point was I praying to take them off. I've also worn them to a reception that included lots of dancing, and my feet were comfortable the entire time." Along with the cushioned footbed, the cute heels feature a rubber sole that offers ample traction and an adjustable ankle strap. Hundreds of shoppers and podiatrists are fans of this ultra-cushioned pair of sneakers. , a podiatric surgeon, said this pair of "is hands down my favorite. They meet all the criteria of a supportive shoe, and I especially like that they make their shoes with the EVA material for shock absorption." Not only do the sneakers have the signature Hoka cushioning, but they boast a memory foam heel for added comfort and an elastic band at the ankle that cradles the foot and keeps it from sliding around. They're made from 100% vegan materials and have a mesh upper, making them super-breathable. Plus, they weigh less than 6 ounces. Two of our staff members say these Sam Edelmans are . "I have the Loraine loafers in three colors — that's how much I love them! I bought them after a near-identical pair (that's roughly six times more expensive) gave me the worst blisters of my life," says Zaydenberg. Garrity raves that "I can wear them all day — and I live in New York City, which means I'm on my feet for most of the day. It helps that the leather is incredibly soft, so it molds to the foot." Both said the loafers were comfortable straight out of the box with no break-in time. Travelon is known for making high-quality anti-theft travel bags that are durable and functional, so it makes sense that our team of experts recommended several from the brand. This crossbody was by far the most popular choice. "This bag features slash-proof construction, locking compartments and RFID-blocking pockets, making it ideal for preventing theft. Its compact size and multiple pockets keep essentials organized," says Emily Dreilich. Ann Acker, owner of , agreed, telling us, "This bag meets all my needs, it has anti-slash straps, a section for credit cards with RFID-blocking technology, locking zippers, large pockets to carry my essentials for the day and a water bottle holder on the side." You've likely seen Away's suitcases and carry-ons every time you hit the airport, but the brand also makes smaller accessories. This pick made the lists of several of our travel experts, including , who recommends it as the because "it is cleanly designed and really tough." Along with three roomy interior compartments, this water-resistant bag has an outer zippered pocket for things you need easy access to. It has a wide opening, so you can either stand it up or lay it flat, which makes it easy to organize and retrieve items. It comes in seven colors, so you can follow Ioana Moga's lead and match it to your Away luggage. (After all, nothing says you have your life together quite like a matching travel set.) This crowd-pleaser, our overall , sports 360-degree spinner wheels and side-mounted TSA locks, and it comes in a variety of snazzy colors (Burnt Orange! Caribbean Blue!) that'll make it stand out on the luggage carousel ... which will save you time. And don't fret about your gorgeous new suitcase getting dinged up — shoppers confirm that it'll endure even the most rough-and-tumble international treks. "It holds a lot and rolls very well. I've taken it on six flights so far (filled it up to 48 pounds!) and it has held up great ... no damage, no issues," . These were the sleekest and most well-made of all that we tested. They have a breathable mesh panel that helps with air circulation and lets you see what's inside each cube without unpacking. And the anti-catch zippers ensure that packing is always snag-free. It was easy to fit a lot into these cubes. The cubes come in well-proportioned sizes and nested together easily to fit into my carry-on suitcase. The exterior of each Monos cube is made from a tear-resistant nylon twill that feels sturdy and durable (no matter how much I stuffed into each cube) and the interior is lined with a soft anti-microbial fabric that keeps items looking and smelling fresh. If you're looking for that has it all, this is the one to buy. It's expandable and extremely lightweight. The interior is as roomy as it gets for a checked suitcase. However, you won't be able to tell unless you expand it with the hidden zipper. It's also fully lined and features two compartments with multiple pockets for easy access and organization. There's a TSA-compliant lock and multidirectional spinner wheels. Commerce Writer Moriba Cummings has owned this suitcase for over six years and says he has used it more times than he can count. After all these years, it still looks brand new, he reports. When I first saw this Natori bra, I was skeptical that the pretty lace option would provide the all-day comfort and support I expect from a T-shirt bra, let alone become our pick for the . I was shocked by just how comfy it was. It is the epitome of fashion meets function. The partially lined bra has a feminine lace trim that gives it a more fashion-forward feel, contoured plunge cups that give my bust a flattering shape and boost, and elastic-lined edges that keep it securely in place without digging. While I typically try to avoid underwires, I barely noticed it in this style. I love the plunging neckline, and while I was worried the lace would show underneath my clothes, it was unnoticeable. The adjustable straps were thin yet sturdy, and while I thought the lace and mesh might get itchy or uncomfortable, they were soft and comfortable even after hours of wear. The width of the straps increases as the sizes go up to give larger busts the support they need. This sleek pick is our thanks to the raves of more than 2,000 Nordstrom customers. I also own this smoothing bra, which uses molded cups and light foam padding to provide a nice natural shape. I love that the back and sides have boning and gripper strips to help keep it in place. I've been able to comfortably wear it for hours without having to adjust it. Even better, it comes with straps, so you can add them when you need extra support. The bra can be worn conventionally, halter style or criss-crossed in the back. If you’re aiming to downplay your cup size, this affordable option from Vanity Fair may be just what you’re looking for, and it's our of the year. (This full-coverage bra is also a pick on our overall !) It can minimize your bustline by up to 1.5 inches. Along with a built-in underwire, it has non-padded cups that comfortably cover and support your breasts. "Depending on the bra style and if you need a larger cup size, you might look for side panels or a wide back band and straps," said Elisabeth Dale, author of and founder of . "These details are more critical in bras for people with fuller busts (anything over a DD)." This bra delivers, with extra side and back bands made from a four-way stretch material that smooths any bumps and bulges. can't stop raving about this pretty option. Sleek and stylish, it smooths out lumps and bumps up to an HH cup. This full-coverage balcony bra has molded cups and adjustable straps that make it great for bigger chests, and Freya is a go-to brand for bra expert Dale. "Full-cup bras are super-comfy for that eight-hour everyday bra," she says. This one is also among our picks for and . , "If you're slim in the rib cage, but have larger cups, then this bra is a must-try! I ordered my true size, 28F, and haven't worn anything else since. If you're on the fence, just go for it. Can be worn comfortably all day. The girls stay facing forward, high and proud, and stay put all day. There's no spillage." Victoria's Secret bras are known to add a little extra va-va-voom to your bustline, and held true to the brand’s reputation during testing. Not only did it make cups appear two sizes bigger, but I loved how smoothing and supportive it was during my tests. The plunging neckline allowed me to wear a variety of different silhouettes, and the straps and band are fully adjustable. There are also a ton of different styles ranging from classic nudes for every day to lacy designs for special occasions. Over 2,000 other shoppers are also fans of this bra's bust-boosting abilities: "Love love this bra!" one said. "Never stop making these. They give me the confidence I need without getting breast implants." This Nike pull-on bra offers medium support and light compression to get you through low and high-impact activities, so it’s no wonder thousands of Amazon shoppers and our own Deals Writer, Britt Ross, are fans. Featuring Nike's signature Dri-Fit technology, it comes in a range of colors. Even better, you can choose from three support types: high, medium and light. Says Ross: "I hate wearing . Nikes are the only ones that don't feel like they're digging into my skin. I appreciate that they come with different levels of support (I like light support, since I hate feeling too constricted, but even this one makes me feel like everything is held in place). I also like the clean design and the fact that they come in some pretty colors and neutrals. I mainly wear them while riding my Peloton bike, and nothing's ever felt like it's popping out." While no are going to give you 100% accuracy, the capabilities of this pair were, by far, the best of the bunch. Thanks to their thin, snug fit and copper conductor threads, I could type and scroll seamlessly. Unlike most gloves that only let your thumbs and pointer fingers do the work, these have conductive threads throughout to mimic human touch on your entire hand. Not only did they feel ultra-soft and cozy thanks to thermal insulated layers, I loved their snug fit and anti-slip palm grip, which kept my phone firmly in my hand. The gloves have a knitted cuff that prevents cold air from entering, and they are breathable and lightweight. These are soft, warm and easy to put on — just a few of the reasons we named them the of the year. I was able to slip these on with ease, and they fit seamlessly into bulky snow boots and sneakers. In addition to a comfy cushioned heel, they have incredibly thin, flexible infrared fiber heating elements that didn't cause discomfort. The socks were warm even without the heat on, and while they did go up very high on my calves, they didn't dig in like others I tested. They warmed up quickly, and I loved that they heat the top and bottom of your foot and your toes — other socks I tested heat just the top or bottom. I could switch between three heating levels by pushing the button built in at the top of the sock. Plus, these socks came with a wall plug that made charging the battery easy.It was a fine first win for Ruud van Nistelrooy , and perhaps one final defeat for Julen Lopetegui. Leicester marked Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of the team by surging to a 3-1 win over Lopetegui's West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, is back in English soccer this time as a manager, with Leicester taking something of a gamble on the Dutchman after his brief and impressive spell as interim coach at United this season following Erik ten Hag's departure. He faces the tough task of keeping Leicester, one of the top candidates for relegation, in the top division. For that to happen, he’s likely to need goals from Jamie Vardy — and the 37-year-old former England international delivered immediately. Nine years after breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in consecutive games, Vardy scored the first goal of the Dutchman’s tenure at Leicester by beating the offside trap and slotting home a finish with less than two minutes gone. Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss supplied the pass for Vardy’s goal and scored himself with a low shot in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Patson Daka added a third for Leicester in the 90th minute, before a stoppage-time consolation by West Ham substitute Niclas Füllkrug. “We are very happy with the new manager," El Khannouss said of Van Nistelrooy. “He arrived two days ago, and there’s a new dynamic in the group.” Van Nistelrooy praised the “spirit and energy” in his team. “The foundation for us going forward is everyone working their socks off, fighting for every inch and defending together,” he said. “We can look further then, and they did that in an unbelievable way.” This dismal result for West Ham came three days after its 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal , which piled more pressure of Lopetegui early in the former Spain and Real Madrid coach's first season with the London club. West Ham's disgruntled traveling fans chanted "You’re getting sacked in the morning” toward Lopetegui during the second half — even if his team dominated large parts of the game but only had one goal to show from 31 shots on goal. “We're very frustrated but in the same way I can say nothing about the players — they fight until the end,” Lopetegui said. "It’s not easy to explain football some days.” West Ham has lost seven of its 14 games so far and is in 14th place in the 20-team league, one spot above Leicester. Guehi defies FA Crystal Palace won for just the second time in the league this season, beating relegation rival Ipswich 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the goal in the 59th minute. Palace’s only other league victory was against Tottenham in October. While Ipswich stayed in next-to-last place, Palace moved three points above the relegation zone. Much of the focus ahead of the game was on the teams’ captains , Sam Morsy of Ipswich and Marc Guehi of Palace, during another round when the Premier League was celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity. For the second straight game, Morsy chose against wearing a rainbow armband issued to the captain of each of the 20 teams in the league. He has made the decision “due to his religious beliefs,” Ipswich says. Guehi did wear the rainbow armband but defied Football Association rules by writing a religious message on the item. The message read “Jesus loves you” — using a heart sign instead of the word “loves.” During the match against Newcastle on Saturday, Guehi wrote “I love Jesus” — and was later contacted by the FA for acting in contravention of its regulations. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Steve Douglas, The Associated Press

ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) — Michael Christmas scored 15 points as Longwood beat UAB 89-81 on Friday for its sixth straight victory. Christmas shot 4 of 6 from the field and 6 for 6 from the line for the Lancers (6-0). Kyrell Luc scored 14 points and added five rebounds. Colby Garland had 12 points and shot 5 of 10 from the field and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line. The Blazers (3-3) were led in scoring by Yaxel Lendeborg, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Ja'Borri McGhee added 16 points and four assists for UAB. Christian Coleman also had 14 points. Longwood was tied with UAB at the half, 43-43, with Luc (eight points) its high scorer before the break. Longwood took the lead for good with 1:55 remaining on a jump shot from Luc to make it 80-78. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from .

25 Cute, Cheap Stocking Stuffers From Walmart That May Be Small But Will Bring Major JoyLINCOLN — What was once a major event of the college football season has, in the first week of December, just become one of the subplots. Early signing day is here for Nebraska and every other program, many of which, including NU, have their attention split several ways. Conference title games haven’t even been played yet. The transfer portal — not officially open until Dec. 9 — has nevertheless been whirling with at least seven Husker departures since Monday. NU has lost one coordinator, locked another up for two years, and set its sights on Kentucky assistant Daikiel Shorts to coach receivers. Matt Rhule’s early afternoon press conference may focus just as much — perhaps more — on topics as the 2025 recruiting class, which stood Tuesday evening at 19 members. By the time Rhule talks about the class, it could grow by a few or in theory shrink, were commits inclined to balk at the departure of Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White. People are also reading... Blue Springs family to host 2025 Cattleman's Ball At the courthouse, Nov. 30, 2024 They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. Shoplifting investigation leads to arrest for possession of controlled substance Search warrants lead to arrest of man in narcotics investigation Hospice foundation helps with extra support Board of Supervisors denies permit for Filley telecom tower At the courthouse, Nov. 23, 2024 'The Message' religious sect sprouts destructive groups across globe Dale G. Lunsford La Segoviana finds new home in Court Street Plaza Shatel: Emotions are still simmering, but Nebraska delivered the bottom line for 2024 — a bowl game Black Friday starts a busy weekend of serving customers Beatrice company seeks to break China's stranglehold on rare-earth minerals Fall Farmers Market and Brunch planned for Saturday That hasn’t been the case so far, as some of the highest-rated prospects in the class — four-star linebackers Dawson Merritt and Christian Jones — had reaffirmed their commitment to Nebraska through social media statements. Nebraska awaits final answers from at least three prospects, though Dalkiel’s imminent hiring could, in theory, bring more options into play. »San Antonio Alamo Heights High School five-star athlete Michael Terry, a prospect of few interviews who has narrowed his list to home-state Texas, Nebraska and Oregon, the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder’s top three schools for months. He’ll announce a choice at his 8:15 a.m. signing ceremony on Wednesday. At NU, Terry projects to wideout. »Homestead (Florida) High School four-star receiver Cortez Mills has long been committed to Oklahoma, but recruiting site reporters have him trending to flip to Nebraska. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Mills caught 79 passes for 1,640 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, breaking Miami-Dade County single-season marks. Mills’ signing ceremony takes place between 8:05-9:30 a.m. in the school’s auditorium. »Kahuka (Hawaii) High School three-star safety Aidan Manutai remains a Husker target, though he’s currently committed to California. The 6-foot, 170-pound Manutai would be part of a defensive backs group that could vie for early playing time. »Another potential prospect to watch is Kentucky receiver commit Dejerrian Miller, who verbally pledged to Shorts and the Wildcats last week and plays prep football at St. Louis Cardinal Ritter, the same school as Husker running back commit Jamarion Parker. Miller did not previously have Nebraska among his top group of suitors and may stick in the SEC. In total, NU plans to sign six in-state commitments — headlined by Jones, an Omaha Westside linebacker — to financial aid papers, as the NCAA in October eliminated the national letter of intent, which binds prospects to school. The group of six — Jones, Omaha North defensive tackle Tyson Terry, Millard North athletes Pierce Mooberry and Caden VerMaas, Wahoo Neumann running back Conor Booth and Lincoln Southwest receiver Jackson Carpenter — are part of one of the strongest corps of in-state recruits in years. Fifteen prospects are poised to sign with FBS programs, with 12 of those headed to power conferences. Unless Terry or Mills flips to NU, Merritt, out of Overland Park (Kansas) Blue Valley High School, is NU’s highest-ranked player in the 2025 class. Thirteen of the 19 prospects in the class have a four-star according to at least one of the four major recruiting services — 247 Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals. And all but 247 Sports, as of Tuesday evening ranked NU’s class as No. 20 in the nation. 247 Sports had the Huskers 22nd. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Chris Cenac Jr., the top center in the Class of 2025 according to the ESPN100, has committed to play for the Houston Cougars. The five-star recruit announced his decision Tuesday via the Bleacher Report's B/R App. Cenac previously said he wouldn't make his decision until the spring, but his stock soared over the summer after his impressive play on the Puma Pro 16 circuit with Dallas-based YGC, vaulting him into the national top-10 rankings. The 6-foot-10 New Orleans native was reportedly choosing between LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky, Tennessee and others before making the decision to join Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson's team. "I just like the coaching staff a lot, I like their plan to develop me and I like coming into a winning program," Cenac told 247Sports. "I'm looking forward to producing and just helping them win more. But the main thing was development and them being able to get me better so I can be ready for that next level." Cenac's rating of .9978 by 247Sports Composite makes him the Cougars' highest-rated commit in the modern era, according to multiple outlets. "They see me as a four who can kind of play all over the court and do everything," Cenac told 247Sports. "I can get rebounds, push the ball, shoot and play all over the floor." With Cenac joining other Houston commits like five-star shooting guard Isaiah Harwell, four-star point guard Kingston Flemings and three-star wing Bryce Jackson, Houston's Class of 2025 is ranked No. 2 in the nation by 247Sports and ESPN. --Field Level Media

At least one Israeli airstrike shook the Lebanese capital of Beirut late Tuesday, moments after U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to ceasefire deal . At least 24 people have been killed in strikes across Lebanon, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across the country’s north. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, in support of the Palestinian militant group. More than a year of fighting in Lebanon escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across the country and an Israeli ground invasion of the south. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the nearly 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Here's the Latest: JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. The late-night vote came shortly before President Joe Biden was expected to announced details of the deal in Washington. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the ceasefire, saying Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and could now focus its efforts on Hamas militants in Gaza and his top security concern, Iran. Netanyahu vowed to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal. WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s designate to be national security adviser, credited Trump’s victory with helping bring the parties together toward a ceasefire in Lebanon. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.” He added: “But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.” BEIRUT — Israeli jets targeted a building in a bustling commercial area of Beirut for the first time since the start of the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The strike on Hamra is around 400 meters (yards) from the country’s central bank. A separate strike hit the Mar Elias neighborhood in the country’s capital Tuesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from either strike, part of the biggest wave of attacks on the capital since the war started. Residents in central Beirut were seen fleeing after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in the city. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on at least 30 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including two strikes in the Jnah neighborhood near the Kuwaiti Embassy. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 13 people were injured in the strikes on the southern suburbs. BEIRUT — Hezbollah has said it accepts the ceasefire proposal with Israel, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Among the issues that may remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his Cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people. The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting. Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)UPDATE – Capital Link Shipping Sectors Webinar Series - December 2024 - Dry Bulk, Container, Product Tanker, Crude Tanker, LPG, LNG Shipping

NEW YORK , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) in connection with Southwest Airlines' information technology infrastructure impacting the Company's business, operations, and stock price. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Top trending stories from the past week. News, Sports, and more throughout the week. The week's obituaries, delivered to your inbox.

NoneNEW YORK , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) in connection with Southwest Airlines' information technology infrastructure impacting the Company's business, operations, and stock price. If you currently own shares of Southwest Airlines stock, please visit the firm's website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=10716 for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@rosenlegal.com . Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40 th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rosen-law-firm-announces-investigation-of-breaches-of-fiduciary-duties-by-the-directors-and-officers-of-southwest-airlines-co--luv-302334153.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.https://arab.news/24awb Riyadh: Speakers from all over the world addressed the fourth Riyadh International Philosophy Conference, which concluded on Saturday. Organized by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, the conference, held at the King Fahd National Library in Riyadh, featured 60 speakers from around the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Subjects discussed included humanity’s progress and the role of philosophy in shaping a better future in a multicultural world. Other talks focused on the quality of life, philosophy’s role in societal well-being, improving urban life in the face of diversity, social solidarity for female athletes with disabilities, and the impact of artificial intelligence on human life. Mohammed Alwan, the commission’s CEO, said that the conference helps philosophy contribute to addressing pressing global challenges through dialogue among thinkers from various countries. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, the conference partnered with international organizations such as “New Philosopher” and The School of Life, the SPA reported. The event emphasized philosophy’s role in tackling contemporary societal challenges, exploring principles of justice, virtue, and happiness essential to prosperous societies. The conference underscored the Kingdom’s commitment to intellectual enrichment and cultural exchange, linking academic thought with real-world applications, the SPA reported.

Maharashtra SSC, HSC Exam Schedules Released; Check DatesMajor Tech Titans Join Forces to Revolutionize AI Training

Shannon and Mike Farrell started what would later become their local farm from one pumpkin. “We started with a small garden and a friend of ours laughed at a pumpkin we grew. So I kinda went... Well, I’ll show you!” Mike said. “Poor Shannon,” Mike chuckled. “We started growing pumpkins en masse.” “To show that friend,” Shannon added. The two are the married team behind Comox Valley’s Shamrock Farm. They agreed to meet up with The Discourse during the farm’s winter market — which took place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 — to share some of what they’ve learned over the last 30 years of running a local farm. The farm has been in operation since 1993. Mike said things began slowly, with the two introducing things little by little over the years to their 20-acre property in Little River, Comox. Since the pumpkin, the family farm has grown into a diversified local business with year-round crops and some goats, pigs and chickens. They are always experimenting, but some crops include pumpkins, garlic, lavender, squash, carrots, radicchio, tomatoes, greens, and one of Shannon’s favourites — kalettes, a cross between brussels sprouts and kale. From 1999 to 2019, the farm also offered field trips to school children. Shannon said this was a good way to spread the word about the farm before social media took off in the 2010s. The two were also busy raising their three boys at this time. One of their biggest focuses over the years has been the importance of not using pesticide or herbicide sprays even while opting not to undergo the cumbersome organic certification process. “Our philosophy was to be able to pull it out of the ground, wipe the dirt off and eat it,” Mike said. The farm scales up a bit every year and they focus on trial and error to grow and diversify their crops. “We have to be able to rotate into different areas all the time,” Mike said. This helps the farm maintain soil health, control pests and weeds, and enable diverse crop production on limited acreage. “It’s kind of a jigsaw puzzle, actually.” Mike said the hardest part about having a farm that doesn’t use pesticides is the weeding, which increases the cost of labour. “We weed everything by hand so that puts our costs up,” Shannon said. “We have a great crew though.” And sometimes the farm does lose crops to bugs. “A few bitten bok choy leaves people will buy but when it gets really bad people won’t buy that vegetable.” Shannon said. Then there is the balance of pricing the vegetables. The Farrells said you can’t have them too expensive because then people won’t buy the vegetables. But if you price them too low, it’s not enough to keep the farm going. When COVID-19 hit, the team started thinking a lot about food scarcity and the supply chain issues that were hitting the Island at the time. “We were like, let’s plant as much as our fields can handle,” Shannon said. The farm did well. Shannon said she noticed a shift in how many people began to value local food. “People were worried about where their food was coming from, and I finally felt like the farm was supporting the family.” Autumn Farrell, Shannon and Mike’s daughter-in-law, has been helping out on the farm since she was in high school. Back then, her now husband Jesse Farrell asked her to help out because his parents needed some help on the farm. Now, a decade later, Autumn is still a lead farmhand weeding and harvesting vegetables, ordering seeds, operating the website and social media and sending out newsletters. “Over the years, I’ve just continued to work here. I also work in a hospital, and this is just a completely different environment for me. I really value being able to work outside and getting your hands dirty,” she said. “It’s so good to be... in nature and connecting with the soil and the earth.” “We focus a lot on diversity too,” Autumn said. Shannon added that their focus on diversity ensures there is something else to fall back on if a crop fails. It’s important for the long-term resilience of the farm. A diverse range of crops is also fun and gives them room to grow and experiment, she added. “I find it really cool, you’ve got these seeds and some of the varieties are really old heirloom varieties that have been passed down from all those generations,” she said. You save that seed, and then you grow it again, and it keeps going. I love that,” Shannon said. Shannon chuckled and added that sometimes this diversity doesn’t succeed because the farm is always experimenting. But that ends up helping them grow in the long-term. “Every year we usually try to find a few new weird varieties that people haven’t heard of before,” Autumn said. This year, it was forced radicchio. Radicchio — a type of chicory from Italy, is known for its white and purple to dark red leaves. They planted different varieties of radicchio for the farm this year, and Shannon experimented with “forcing” the plant. “So in Italy, historically, they would take their radicchio, which is field grown, inside and cover it, shade it from light, and change the water everyday... but because it doesn’t have light, you get these beautiful tender leaves that are dark red and pure white.” The lack of light reduces chlorophyll production, which also softens the bitterness that is often associated with radicchio. Radicchio is a winter vegetable, and Shannon added that she likes being able to grow during all four seasons. “Outside right now, we’ve got all of the brussels sprouts and kale and radicchio and all the winter cabbages and kalettes. Carrots are outside right now, radishes are outside right now. We are lucky that we can grow right through the season.” There are also lots of vegetables in the high tunnel right now, which is like a greenhouse but there is no heat. “We don’t like to waste anything, because obviously that’s money thrown away. So if something doesn’t sell, we pickle it right away, preserve it right away, or put it in the freezer for now in the winter.” The goats, they said, are part of the diversity gamble. The goat’s milk is used for the soap made on the farm, but the goats are a bit of a luxury, and the soap barely covers their cost. But the six pigs were a success. The farm had a forested area that needed some clearing, so they put the pigs in the area to clear it. Having animals for meat was a new experience for them, but the farmers said they see a need for serving people concerned about where their meat comes from. They even had one of the workers on the farm break a mainly vegetarian diet after seeing how well they were raising the pigs. “She could see where they were, they were outside 24/7, getting fed, they had their big wallow. They were getting all our vegetables.” Shannon said it was amazing to see how the pigs were helpful in clearing the land and is looking forward to seeing how things grow there now. They sold most of the pig meat but still have some cuts left. Shamrock Farms can often be found at the Comox Valley Farmer’s Market, and their products are also in many local restaurants. But most of their products are sold straight from the farm at their markets. Now that the winter farm market is complete, locals can look forward to the spring plant sale in May. Come July, the farm will host a lavender and garlic market then In late September and early October a fall harvest market. Shamrock Farm offered some advice for those who may want to get into farming: “Start small and pay as you go. Don’t reach for the moon and borrow a ton of money,” Mike said. Farming is tough, and the farmers said it’s important for the farm to be sustainable for not only the food they grow. “With sustainable farming, it has to be sustainable for the people who work on the farm too,” said Shannon. She said that the job can be exhausting and that breaks are important too. They also added that it’s important to have another form of income before going all-out in farming. In other words, don’t put all your eggs into one basket (pun intended). To learn more about Shamrock Farm, go to https://www.shamrockfarm.ca/ or email info@shamrockfarm.ca . NoneNorwood Financial Corp Announces Launch of Common Stock Offering