Winners, losers as Lions outlast Packers 34-31 on Thursday Night Football
Wasting grouper stocks with discards In my lifetime of fishing, I could never have considered the challenges we face today because of mismanagement. I completely agree we need to manage our fish stocks. How we do it is my concern. What we currently have is blatant disregard for the business depending upon fishing to pay [...]AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:28 p.m. EST
By SHAWN CHEN NEW YORK (AP) — It’s time for the holidays, which means robust family conversations and seemingly never-ending courses of food. But for the more tech-savvy among us, the journey home could also mean we’ll be called on to provide a backlog of tech support to parents, grandparents and other family members. And with generative AI being used to supercharge some major cyber scams this year, it’s also a good time to teach and not just fix. Here are some tips on how to manage your tech encounters this holiday season : Whether it’s Windows , macOS , iOS or Android , simply keeping your operating system and apps up-to-date will help protect your family’s computers and devices against a surprising number of security threats, such as malware, viruses and exploits. Most operating systems, especially those for mobile devices and their app stores, typically have auto-updates turned on by default. Be sure to double-check the device to make sure it has enough storage space to carry out the update. (More on this below.) Keeping apps updated may also reduce the number of “Why isn’t this app working?” type of questions from your relatives. Chances are someone in your family is going to have a completely full mobile device. So full, in fact, that they can no longer update their phone or tablet without having to purge something first. There are many approaches to freeing up space. Here are a few you can easily take without having to triage data or apps. — Use the cloud to back up media: iPhone users can free up space occupied by songs and pictures by storing them on iCloud . Android users can use the Google Photos app to back up and store their photos on their user space. — Clear browsing data: Each major browser has an option to clear its data cache — cookies, search and download histories, autofill forms, site settings, sign-in data and so on. Over time, these bits take up a significant amount of storage space on mobile devices and home computers. So cleaning caches out periodically helps free up space and, in some cases, improves system performance. According to some admittedly unscientific studies, the average person has hundreds of passwords. That’s a lot to remember. So as you help your relatives reset some of theirs, you may be tempted to recycle some to keep things simple for them. But that’s one of the bad password habits that cybersecurity experts warn against. Instead, try introducing your forgetful family member to a password manager . They’re useful tools for simplifying and keeping track of logins. And if you want to impress a more tech-savvy cousin or auntie, you could suggest switching to a more secure digital authentication method: passkeys . As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, you and your family should be more vigilant about who to trust. Artificial intelligence and other technologies are giving bad actors craftier tools to work with online. Related Articles National News | Jailed Proud Boys leader refuses to answer questions at trial National News | The next census will gather more racial, ethnic information National News | As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows National News | Data centers are booming. So are fights with local communities. National News | NASA’s stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to go A quick way to remember what to do when you think you’re getting scammed is to think about the three S’s, said Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer “Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she said. Simply being aware of typical scams can help, experts say. Robocalls frequently target vulnerable individuals like seniors, people with disabilities, and people with debt. So-called romance scams target lonely and isolated individuals. Quiz scams target those who spend a lot of time on social media. Check our AP guide on the latest scams and what to do when you’re victimized. Home internet speeds are getting faster, so you want to make sure your family members are getting a high-speed connection if they’ve paid for one. Run a broadband speed test on your home network if they’re still rocking an aging modem and router.Numbers of children with complex needs predicted to double in Wales
AP News Summary at 6:26 p.m. EST
Florida State made official on Monday the hiring of Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator, confirming weekend reports that he would resign as UCF head coach to reunite with Seminoles coach Mike Norvell. UCF had confirmed on Sunday reports of Malzahn's exit but not his destination, and FSU had not made an announcement until Monday afternoon. "I am excited to be here at Florida State and to help us win championships," Malzahn said in a statement. "It's exciting to work with Coach Norvell, who is someone I believe in as a coach and leader." Norvell, who served as a graduate assistant under Malzahn at Tulsa in 2007-08, said on Saturday night after the Seminoles' 31-11 loss to Florida that he could not identify the new offensive coordinator until the hiring process was finalized. Florida State, which is 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is ranked No. 132 of 133 FBS programs in total offense (270.2 yards per game). The Seminoles are 130th in the nation in scoring offense (15.4 points per game). Norvell shook up his staff, including firing offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins on Nov. 10 after a 52-3 defeat at Notre Dame. "I'm extremely excited to have Gus Malzahn join our staff at Florida State," Norvell said in the school's statement on Monday. "He has one of the most innovative minds in college football and a proven track record of developing elite offenses everywhere he's been. "His offenses have consistently showcased a tremendous running game combined with explosive plays through the air. I'm thrilled to work side-by-side with Gus again as we elevate the Florida State offense back to one of the elite groups in college football." UCF also endured a tough 2024 season, going 4-8 after losing eight of its last nine games. During Malzahn's four-year tenure, the Knights went 28-24, including 5-13 in the Big 12 Conference the last two seasons. Malzahn, 59, is 105-62 in 13 seasons as a college head coach, highlighted by a 68-35 mark in eight seasons at Auburn -- which included a BCS title game appearance in 2013. He served as offensive coordinator and play caller when the Tigers won the national title in 2010. Malzahn will be tasked with revitalizing a Florida State offense that helped produce a 13-1 campaign in 2023, when the Seminoles were denied a spot in the College Football Playoff. Over the last three seasons at UCF, his rushing attack has been in the Top 10 in the nation. In his 19 seasons as a college head coach or offensive coordinator, Malzahn's teams have averaged 447.7 yards per game, and three of his teams eclipsed 7,000 yards in a season. --Field Level MediaWASHINGTON — Austin Tice’s entire family visited Washington this week in a show of force to the outgoing Biden administration, asserting they have fresh, reliable information that he is alive and pressing top White House and State Department officials to leverage dramatic changes on the battlefield in Syria to secure a breakthrough in the case of the missing journalist. Tice’s parents, Debra and Marc Tice, have frequently visited the capital to advocate for their son, who went missing as a freelance journalist covering Syria’s civil war in 2012. But this visit was the first of its kind from the entire Tice family since he first disappeared over 12 years ago. Little progress has been made on Tice’s case over those years, spanning three presidents and a transformed Middle East. But a resurgence in Syria’s war over the past month after years of frozen frontlines has created new opportunities and perils for the American, a former U.S. Marine and Texas native. “Today is a day full of emotions. The news that we’re hearing from the Middle East – that kind of thing can unsettle a mom,” Debra Tice told reporters at a press conference at the National Press Club on Friday. “There are all kinds of ways this can go.” She told reporters that the family had a new source telling them that Austin Tice remains alive and healthy. The family is working to be able to share more information with the public, she said. “We have from a significant source that has already been vetted all over our government that Austin Tice is alive – Austin Tice is treated well,” Debra Tice said. Debra and Marc Tice both said the Biden administration is declining to make the new information public. U.S. officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the family’s statement. Syria erupted in civil war in 2011 following a brutal crackdown on democratic protesters by the Assad government. Tice traveled to the country to cover the conflict the following year for McClatchy, The Washington Post and other publications. U.S. officials believe he was detained at a Syrian government checkpoint southwest of Damascus on Aug. 14, 2012. A video emerged six weeks after his disappearance purporting to show him in captivity. With assistance from Russia and Iran, the Assad regime was able to push back an array of opposition forces that increasingly fractured throughout the war. The rise of Islamic State in the country also led to an international military offensive in northern Syria that culminated in 2017. Ever since, Assad’s hold on power has appeared stable. But a surprise offensive launched by a united front of rebel forces last month has put Assad’s army on the run for the first time in years. In a span of mere weeks, the Syrian army has retreated from Aleppo, Hama and Homs, cities where Assad spent years fighting to regain control. The offensive is being led by Tahrir al-Sham, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. It is not immediately clear how the resurgence of military action in Syria might affect negotiations over Tice. But U.S. officials are watching the developments closely to monitor for any new opportunities to engage on his case, an official told McClatchy. Tice’s family met with State Department officials on Thursday and with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Friday, a White House official confirmed in a statement. “President Biden and his team have worked around the clock, often in partnership with key allies, to negotiate for the release of Americans held hostage or unjustly detained abroad so that they can be reunited with their families, and the administration will continue to do so throughout the remainder of the term,” the official said. Speaking to the press on Friday, Austin Tice’s father, Marc, said that Sullivan told the family the administration had done everything it could think of to reach a breakthrough in his case. But his family believes the government has exerted more effort to secure the release of wrongfully detained Americans in Russia, Venezuela, Iran and Gaza than they have for their son. Similarly, at the State Department meeting, “there were complaints and finger pointing about who is preventing things from happening, and who’s responsible for doing what,” Marc Tice said. “We think this is a time of opportunity, actually, and there’s no time like now to start doing the right thing.” Last month, as Syrian regime lines were collapsing before the rebel advance, the White House said that Assad’s refusal to participate in a political process with the opposition, and his reliance on Russia and Iran, had “created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria.” “The United States, together with its partners and allies, urge de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and a serious and credible political process that can end this civil war once and for all with a political settlement,” Sean Savett, spokesperson for the National Security Council, said in a statement. “We will also continue to fully defend and protect U.S. personnel and U.S. military positions, which remain essential to ensuring that ISIS can never again resurge in Syria.” Debra Tice was skeptical of the policy, questioning why the administration would support the rebel advance on Assad forces. Biden officials have made clear they are not a part of the offensive. “I don’t really understand what’s happening in Syria,” she said. “I’m upset by the fact that terrorists are tearing up Aleppo, killing people in Aleppo. I don’t understand that. I don’t understand why our government isn’t running in saying we are not going to allow a terrorist entity to take over Syria.” “There are people feeling like it’s possible this could be Austin’s release. I certainly pray that that’s it,” she added.” Long-stalled talks In August, marking 12 years since Tice’s disappearance, President Joe Biden issued a statement that his administration had “repeatedly pressed the government of Syria to work with us so that we can, at last, bring Austin home.” “The freedom of the press is essential, and journalists like Austin play a critical role informing the public and holding those in power accountable,” Biden said. “We stand in solidarity with Austin, his family, and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. I will continue to do everything possible to advocate for and pursue his release and support his loved ones until he is safely returned home.” In 2022, Biden met with Tice’s parents at the White House and vowed to engage the Syrians directly over Tice. In a statement at that time, the president expressed “certainty” that Assad had held him in Syrian custody, without specifying when, where or in what condition. During the Obama administration, the CIA obtained Syrian government records indicating Tice had at one point been processed through the Syrian court system. Biden’s team had been hopeful the following year that quiet talks with Damascus could produce a breakthrough. But Hamas’ attack on Israel, and the war that followed in Gaza and Lebanon, disrupted the discussions. Officials in the first Trump administration also attempted to directly engage with the Syrians to secure Tice’s release, traveling to Damascus in an effort to do so. But Assad aides refused to acknowledge Tice’s case during that meeting, insisting the U.S. government renew its recognition of Assad as the leader of Syria – and a full withdrawal of U.S. troops in the country there to combat Islamic State – before even uttering his name, U.S. officials told McClatchy. In August, marking the anniversary, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Tice had been held in “unknown conditions” and issued a plea to Syria to open an honest dialogue on his case. “For more than a quarter of his life, Austin has been separated from his family and kept in unknown conditions,” Blinken said. “We know the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home.” “This has gone on for far too long,” Blinken added. “We call on the Syrian government to work with the United States to end Austin’s captivity.” U.S. officials told McClatchy this week that the government’s knowledge of Tice’s condition and whereabouts remain unchanged. ©2024 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visit mcclatchydc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Peggy Keener: Magazine evokes American nostalgiaAUSTIN, TX - JULY 08: Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, gavels in the 87th Legislature's special session in the House chamber at the State Capitol on July 8, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called the legislature Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan decided against running for a third term amid a challenge from others inside the Beaumont Republican's own party. Phelan's tenure as speaker was often criticized by members of his own party, who said he was too moderate for the position. Phelan was getting ready to face a challenge from the more conservative side of the party from Rep. David Cook. Phelan has often been at odds with Texas Republican leaders for his actions during recent sessions, including not pushing through Gov. Abbott's school voucher plan, pushing a different tax cut plan in the House from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the House impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, which ended in an acquittal in the Texas Senate. Questions swirled about Phelan's chances of even holding onto the speakership even before the decision to drop out, though he appeared ready to fight to keep the position. The speaker presides over the Texas House of Representatives much like the speaker in the U.S. House of Representatives. The speaker is tasked with maintaining order on the House floor during debates, recognizing members who want to speak and ruling on procedural matters . Under the Texas Constitution, the speaker signs all bills and joint resolutions passed by the legislature. Speakers still maintain their status as a member of the Texas House and are allowed to vote on questions presented in the House. The speaker still represents the people in his or her district. Once a speaker has been decided, they are responsible for appointing members to committees and designating the chair and vice chair of those committees. The speaker directs all legislation to the proper committees and can appoint conference committees, establish select committees and direct committees to conduct interim studies when the House is not in session. Becoming speaker requires a majority vote from House members. Currently, the Texas House consists of 150 members. In January, the House will be made up of 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats. The new speaker will need at least 76 votes. At the beginning of each legislative session, the current Secretary of State calls the House to order and gives the oath of office to its members. Representatives then nominate speaker candidates and vote. Once the vote is finished, the new speaker takes another oath, and addresses the House floor. Letters are then sent to the Senate and the Governor that state the House is ready to begin. Traditionally, the vote for Texas House speaker has been mostly a formality. Despite recent events suggesting otherwise, Phelan won both of his speaker terms with overwhelming support. In 2023, Phelan received 145 votes to Tony Tinderhold's three. The 89th Legislative Session begins Jan. 14, 2025. Information in this article comes from the Texas House of Representatives.
Florida State made official on Monday the hiring of Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator, confirming weekend reports that he would resign as UCF head coach to reunite with Seminoles coach Mike Norvell. UCF had confirmed on Sunday reports of Malzahn's exit but not his destination, and FSU had not made an announcement until Monday afternoon. "I am excited to be here at Florida State and to help us win championships," Malzahn said in a statement. "It's exciting to work with Coach Norvell, who is someone I believe in as a coach and leader." Norvell, who served as a graduate assistant under Malzahn at Tulsa in 2007-08, said on Saturday night after the Seminoles' 31-11 loss to Florida that he could not identify the new offensive coordinator until the hiring process was finalized. Florida State, which is 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is ranked No. 132 of 133 FBS programs in total offense (270.2 yards per game). The Seminoles are 130th in the nation in scoring offense (15.4 points per game). Norvell shook up his staff, including firing offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins on Nov. 10 after a 52-3 defeat at Notre Dame. "I'm extremely excited to have Gus Malzahn join our staff at Florida State," Norvell said in the school's statement on Monday. "He has one of the most innovative minds in college football and a proven track record of developing elite offenses everywhere he's been. "His offenses have consistently showcased a tremendous running game combined with explosive plays through the air. I'm thrilled to work side-by-side with Gus again as we elevate the Florida State offense back to one of the elite groups in college football." UCF also endured a tough 2024 season, going 4-8 after losing eight of its last nine games. During Malzahn's four-year tenure, the Knights went 28-24, including 5-13 in the Big 12 Conference the last two seasons. Malzahn, 59, is 105-62 in 13 seasons as a college head coach, highlighted by a 68-35 mark in eight seasons at Auburn -- which included a BCS title game appearance in 2013. He served as offensive coordinator and play caller when the Tigers won the national title in 2010. Malzahn will be tasked with revitalizing a Florida State offense that helped produce a 13-1 campaign in 2023, when the Seminoles were denied a spot in the College Football Playoff. Over the last three seasons at UCF, his rushing attack has been in the Top 10 in the nation. In his 19 seasons as a college head coach or offensive coordinator, Malzahn's teams have averaged 447.7 yards per game, and three of his teams eclipsed 7,000 yards in a season. --Field Level Media