Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher, TJ Watt was hoping for a much better outing against the Cleveland Browns than he gave in Week 12. The Steelers lost the game 24-19 , and it was a disappointing showing for most of the game. Despite a late rally that gave them a 19-18 lead, Pittsburgh couldn’t stop Cleveland when it mattered most, allowing the Browns to drive down the field for the game-winning score. The loss added to the frustration of a performance that lacked consistency from the Steelers' defense, including Watt. Throughout the game, Browns star defensive player Myles Garrett was dominating. Garrett finished with three sacks and a forced fumble, consistently disrupting Russell Wilson and putting pressure on the Steelers’ offense. It was clear that Garrett was one of the primary reasons for Cleveland's success. Meanwhile, Watt, despite being one of the NFL's top pass rushers, struggled to make those splash plays that typically define his impact. As the game unfolded, former Steelers Super Bowl champion Trai Essex took to social media to share his thoughts on Watt's performance. "TJ has been above reproach for so long.......not today," Essex wrote. "Dude has been non existent. His individual nemesis has made an impact and 90 hasn’t. Simply put." Essex, known for his candid opinions, questioned whether Watt’s lack of impact in such a crucial game was a sign of something bigger. His comments sparked debate among Steelers fans. One fan responded to Essex saying that it was one game and that he was overreacting. Essex added clarity to his comments about Watt. "Not calling for his job my man," Essex said. "Calling a bad game when we see it." The first thing to note is that the impact Watt has had on the Steelers—and continues to have—extends beyond what shows up in the box score. Even when he doesn’t register big stats, his presence on the field is often felt. Essex, a seasoned football mind, understands that great players can still influence the game even when they aren't getting the obvious numbers. In this case, Essex was looking beyond the typical statistics used to measure production. While Watt faced constant double-teams and chips throughout the game, there were moments when he wasn’t being pressured as heavily, yet he still failed to make the key plays that Essex felt were necessary. Great players, especially someone like Watt, are held to the highest standard—making an impact no matter the circumstances. It was a disappointing showing from Watt, but not just him. The entire defense struggled in several areas, and as a unit, they failed to rise to the occasion. Overall, the team didn’t appear prepared for a Browns squad that, while dangerous, has had its struggles this season. From a defensive standpoint, the Steelers seemed unready to deal with Cleveland’s offensive schemes, leaving them exposed when it mattered most. The lack of preparation was glaring, and it cost the Steelers dearly in this crucial matchup. Steelers' TJ Watt Gets Strange Hate From Browns' Myles Garrett Essex knows football well enough to recognize when Watt deserves criticism, and in this case, he felt Watt needed to make a bigger impact. Watt himself would likely be the first to agree. The game was further fueled by some interesting comments from Garrett about Watt, and after the game, Garrett continued to take shots at the Steelers' star. The rivalry between these two pass rushers is sure to intensify, and for now, Garrett holds the upper hand. However, Watt is known for bouncing back and will undoubtedly have a major game soon. No player, no matter how great, is beyond scrutiny—especially when you suffer a loss to a team like the Browns. This article first appeared on SteelerNation.com and was syndicated with permission.Less than 24 hours after being released by the Carolina Panthers, Charles Harris has found a new home with a potential Super Bowl contender. The Philadelphia Eagles claimed the veteran linebacker off waivers on Tuesday, as first reported by PHLY Sports’ Zach Berman.
NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who was 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. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, 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 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 wrongdoing. 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, also would allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and since were selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Merchan could also 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. Prosecutors 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 pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers 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. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.
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Jae Crowder is officially back in the league. The veteran forward officially struck a deal to join the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, the team announced. Terms of that contract are not yet known, though the Kings put him to work right away. Crowder was in the starting lineup for Sacramento in their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Monday night. welcome to the 916, 🤝 — Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) Crowder, 34, spent the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. The 13-year veteran, who was first selected in the second round of the 2012 draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, will join his ninth team in the league once his deal with the Kings is official. He averaged 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season in Milwaukee. Crowder helped lead both the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals in back-to-back years, though he’s yet to win a championship. Crowder became a free agent this past offseason, and he worked out with the Kings over the summer, though he was unable to strike a deal to land with any team. The Kings are dealing with significant injuries, and have lost seven of their last 10 games entering Wednesday’s contest in Minnesota. Forward Trey Lyles is out for at least three weeks with a right calf strain, which he sustained in Monday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. DeMar DeRozan will also miss Wednesday’s game with lower back muscle inflammation, though it’s unknown how long he’ll be sidelined. Third-year coach on Tuesday after he chased down an official in their loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, too. Though it’s unclear what his role will be with the franchise just yet, Crowder should be able to provide some much-needed depth in the frontcourt behind Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis at least in the near future. We’ll see if he’s the missing piece to lift the Kings out of their slump.SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell Technology, Inc. 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 Marvell © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Susan Shelley: We’re all-in to Make America Healthy Again
Soaring insurance premiums, particularly for autos, are fueling rising consumer prices and complicating policymakers’ attempts to beat back inflation. Inflation cooled for much of the year before picking up this fall, with insurance prices for autos, homes and medical care contributing to a 15 percent of the increase in overall consumer prices, economists say. A double-digit spike in auto-insurance prices drove the vast majority of that rise. Indeed, November’s hotter annual inflation gain of 2.73 percent would have been much lower, closer to a 2.37 percent inflation rate, without the outsize increase to auto insurance. “It is punching well above its weight for that contribution,” said Josh Hirt, a senior economist at Vanguard. Insurance premiums are among a handful of stubborn costs that have yet to yield much relief for consumers, in addition to shelter costs and other services like medical care. Car insurance has remained elevated, and it has a bigger influence on overall inflation than other types of insurance because it’s required to drive in most states. And that cost can multiply with more than half of households owning two or more cars, according to census data. Since just before the pandemic in December 2019, consumers have seen a roughly 51 percent jump in auto-insurance prices, Hirt said. Car insurance prices revolve around the supply of cars available for purchase, which has been trending far more expensive as manufacturers funnel resources into souped-up versions of pricey models and cut back on cheaper options. New technologies have made vehicles safer, but the costs are higher to replace these more expensive parts. Labor costs to repair cars have also skyrocketed. Rising accident frequency and severity is another factor, said Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, fueled by distracted and reckless driving. “As a result, we are seeing more fatalities and injuries, leading to increased attorney involvement in claims,” she said. +++ Kyle Morrison, 52, of Seattle, was taken aback by the sharp rise in insurance premiums on his 2017 Kia Forte, which jumped to about $200 per month in December from roughly $130, he said. Initially, Morrison, a transportation contractor with a clean driving record, thought the price hike by his insurer Safeco stemmed from a recent move to a new neighborhood, he said. But his insurance representative told him it largely had to do with price increases “across the board and from all insurance carriers,” Morrison said. Liberty Mutual, which owns Safeco, declined to comment. Overall inflation has eased over the past year, though data released Wednesday showed prices appeared stuck above the Federal Reserve’s goals, which aim to keep inflation at 2 percent. Top Federal Reserve officials have signaled that insurance costs are making it harder to bring down lingering inflation. “It is clear that insurance of various different kinds, housing insurance but also automobile insurance and things like that, that’s been a significant source of inflation over the last few years,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell told senators in March. Going forward, auto insurance prices could ease soon because they’re catching up with big jumps in auto prices in recent years. There is some evidence of that happening with the latest report on consumer prices, as auto insurance inched up just 0.1 percent on a monthly basis. Its roughly 13 percent annual gain was down from a 14 percent increase in October. Some economists warn costs could remain elevated or even rise further, depending on the way President-elect Donald Trump implements promised tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, where many autos are manufactured. Trump has threatened to slap a 25 percent tax on all products from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs. Tariffs on motor vehicles and parts will “lead to another round of auto-insurance inflation, which will then create further stickiness in overall inflation,” said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM. Another wrinkle that could influence prices: whether more motorists simply forgo auto insurance altogether, which could ultimately fuel higher premiums for everyone else. Since 2020, the rate of uninsured motorists has continued to inch up each year, according to the Insurance Research Council, rising from 11.6 percent in 2019 percent to 14 percent in 2022, the last year for which complete data exists. The recent cycle of premium increases for auto insurance “is likely the biggest driver for the increased rate of uninsured motorists,” IRC President Dale Porfilio said in a statement. Sandy Borkovic, 59, is considering going carless. A contract processor at an Arizona-based mortgage broker, Borkovic saw the bundled price to insure her two cars and home in Phoenix shoot up by about $5,000 this year, to nearly $12,000 per year. She’s had no tickets or accidents, nor any claims on the house or the cars -- a 2021 Chevy Tahoe and a 2014 Nissan Altima. Though she tried to shop around for a better deal, her insurance agent said there weren’t better rates elsewhere. “I’ve lived in Arizona for 31 years; I have never seen insurance rates like this, ever,” she said. She’s planning to sell her home and relocate to New York City -- where she won’t need a car.‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Devastated by Botched $75k Bonus Round Despite Big Boost
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JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, 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 , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday 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," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. ___ Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. ___ Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Josef Federman, Kareem Chehayeb And Bassem Mroue, The Associated Press
Haunting landscapes
Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish Friday, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1%, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%, ending just below the record high it set on Wednesday. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Gains in technology stocks helped temper losses in communication services, financials and other sectors of the market. Broadcom surged 24.4% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company’s big gain helped cushion the market’s broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Some tech stocks were a drag on the market. Nvidia fell 2.2%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Google parent Alphabet slid 1.1%. Among the market’s other decliners were Airbnb, which fell 4.7% for the biggest loss in the S&P 500, and Charles Schwab, which closed 4% lower. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 17% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. All told, the S&P 500 lost 0.16 points to close at 6,051.09. The Dow dropped 86.06 points to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq rose 23.88 points to 19,926.72. Wall Street’s rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve’s last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank’s 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed’s policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.
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