jff super ace ultimate EDMONTON — The latest checkup on famed Edmonton elephant Lucy finds her in good shape ahead of her 50th birthday -- but not healthy enough to be relocated to join a herd. Gary Dewar, the director of Edmonton Valley Zoo, says experts have determined the 49-year-old elephant's respiratory issues won't allow her to travel short or long distances. He says the gentle giant's overall health is good considering her age and says she continues to enjoy her retirement. The Asian elephant arrived at the zoo when she was two years old. In recent years, Lucy has made international headlines as protesters have been calling for her to be moved so she could spend the final years of her life with other elephants. Among the advocates for Lucy's freedom was famous U.S. television game show host Bob Barker, who said before his death in 2023 that elephants were not meant to brave Canada's harsh winter climate. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian PressConcerns have also been raised about the “renormalisation” of smoking. Dr Rachel O’Donnell, senior research fellow at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Health, said restrictions on smoking in outdoor places can “reinforce” a message that smoking “isn’t a socially acceptable thing to do” and could also help smokers to kick the habit. In November, it emerged that the UK Government is to scrap plans to ban smoking in the gardens of pubs and restaurants in England. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the hospitality industry has “taken a real battering in recent years” and it is not “the right time” to ban smoking outside pubs. But smoking and vaping could be banned in other public places in England – such as in playgrounds or outside of schools – under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. According to the World Health Organisation, there is no safe level of second-hand smoke exposure. In a briefing for journalists, Dr O’Donnell said decision-making “should be on the basis of all the evidence that’s available”. She added: “Any debate about legislation on smoking in outdoor settings shouldn’t only focus on air quality and second-hand smoke exposure levels, because the impacts of restrictions in outdoor settings are also evident on our social norms.” Smoke-free outdoor environments “reinforce smoke-free as the acceptable norm”, she said. “This, I think, is a critically important point at a time where in the media, over the last year, we’ve seen various reports and questions as to whether we might be on the cusp of renormalisation of smoking for various reasons, and so smoke-free public environments still have a critically important role to play. “If you reduce opportunities to smoke, it can also help individuals who smoke themselves to reduce the amount they smoke or to make a quit attempt.” Dr O’Donnell said visibility of tobacco products and smoking is a “form of marketing for tobacco companies” as she pointed to studies highlighting the increasing number of tobacco depictions on screen. She went on: “The more often young adults observe smoking around them, the more likely they are to believe that smoking is socially acceptable, which feeds back into this idea of renormalisation of smoking. “So, restrictions on smoking in outdoor public places have other positive knock-on effects, potentially for young people as well, just sending out that clear message that this isn’t a socially acceptable thing to do and see, and this could help to discourage smoking initiation among young people at quite a critical time.” On being exposed to second-hand smoke at work, she added: “I think sometimes when we think about exposure to second-hand smoke in outdoor settings, in pubs, in restaurants, we think about that sort of occasional customer exposure, the nuisance element of it when people are out enjoying a meal with friends, but we also need to be reminded that this is a repeated occupational exposure for those who are working in hospitality and serving drinks and food. “Now, as we’ve already seen, concentrations of second-hand smoke in these settings are generally low, and they’re likely to present a low risk to health for most healthy people. “But ... there’s no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, and so any individual with pre-existing heart, lung or respiratory conditions may be particularly vulnerable even to low levels of exposure. “We know that second-hand smoke is its known carcinogen, and on that basis those exposed in the hospitality sector have a right to be protected. “On that basis, there’s a need to protect them, as there is anybody in any workplace setting from second-hand smoke exposure in all areas of workplaces and spaces.” Sean Semple, professor of exposure science at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Health, said: “I think that if I were a policy-maker, which I am not, then I would be looking at those occupational exposures as well. “I have asthma, if I was being occupationally exposed to SHS (second-hand smoke), and knowing that I was one of a very small number of workers now being legally exposed to SHS in the workplace, then I might not be very happy about that.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “As part of our 10 Year Health Plan we are shifting focus from sickness to prevention, including tackling the harms of smoking and passive smoking. “The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill is the biggest public health intervention in a generation and will put us on track towards a smoke-free UK.”

Concerns raised over hospitality staff after smoking curbs ditchedShares of Nvidia fell Monday after China said it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. In a brief news release with few details, Chinese regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia's $6.9 billion acquisition of network and data transmission company Mellanox in 2019. Nvidia shares about 3% Monday. They are still up 179% so far this year. Considered a bellwether for artificial intelligence demand, Nvidia has led the AI sector to become one of the stock market’s biggest companies , as tech giants spend heavily on the company’s chips and data centers needed to train and operate their AI systems. Nvidia's shares have surged this year along with the California company's revenue and profit due to AI demand. According to data firm FactSet, about 16% of Nvidia's revenue comes from China, second only to its U.S.-generated revenue. A spokesperson for the company based in Santa Clara, California, said in an emailed statement that Nvidia is “happy to answer any questions regulators may have about our business.” In its most recent earnings release, Nvidia posted revenue of $35.08 billion, up 94% from $18.12 billion a year ago. Nvidia earned $19.31 billion in the quarter, more than double the $9.24 billion it posted in last year’s third quarter. The earnings release did not break out revenue from China. The company's market value rocketed to $3.5 trillion recently, passing Microsoft and briefly overtaking Apple as the world's most valuable company. China’s antitrust investigation follows a report this summer by technology news site The Information that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating complaints from rivals that Nvidia was abusing its market dominance in the chip sector. The allegations reported include Nvidia threatening to punish those who buy products from both itself and its competitors at the same time. David Bieri, an international finance expert at Virginia Tech, said that China’s investigation is “not about what Nvidia is doing in China, per se” but rather a signal to the incoming Trump administration. China, Bieri said, is looking to set the tone of future relations. The Chinese government, he said, is telling the U.S. “don’t mess with us, because all of your darling corporations that your version of capitalism needs to prosper have entanglements” with China. Nvidia will have to revise its strategy in China or come up with provisions in their budgets for the type of uncertainty business with China will bring, Bieri said. “I don’t think this is something that they can shake off,” he said. “I also have a tremendous amount of faith in the brilliance of the management strategy of a corporation like Nvidia to not only pay attention to credit risk, market risk and operational risk, but also to political risk.” Nvidia’s invention of graphics processor chips, or GPUs, in 1999 helped spark the growth of the PC gaming market and redefined computer graphics. Last month, it replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ending the pioneering semiconductor company's 25-year run on the index. Unlike Intel, Nvidia designs but doesn’t manufacture its own chips, relying heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an Intel rival. Associated Press Technology Writer Sarah Parvini in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Landlords are using AI to raise rents; California cities are leading the pushbackPep Guardiola suggested he could continue with Jack Grealish in the middle after an encouraging display against Nottingham Forest. Grealish went into midfield when he came off the bench at Anfield on Sunday and started there at the Etihad on Wednesday, just a few days after former City keeper Shay Given had slammed Guardiola for ' turning Grealish into a mannequin' by 'playing him out of position' on the wing. While he wasn't directly involved in any of the goals or assists on the night, it was a promising performance from the former Villa man as he looks to rediscover the form that made him undroppable two years ago as City won the Treble. City's midfield has struggled this season with Rodri out for the whole campaign and Mateo Kovacic and Kevin De Bruyne also missing significant chunks of the campaign. De Bruyne stole the show against Forest on his first start in over two months, but Guardiola was happy for Grealish. READ MORE: Man City player ratings vs Nottingham Forest READ MORE: Man City players give Pep Guardiola instant response with 7% swing "Really good," said Guardiola. "He played in the middle, was involved in many things and if I decide to use him in that position in the next games hopefully he can be involved in the final third being decisive with goals and assists. "Our football was always built in the midfield, the quality that makes our tempo and the control of the game and Jack gives us that pace - when to accelerate, how to make more control - and he did it brilliantly. He played really good, I'm so happy for him. "I know his quality, he even has the attributes to play as a holding midfielder. He can keep the ball and break the lines. He played really good.."

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) reversed the sentiment in the market and started to infuse funds in the equities market in December. The investors pumped in Rs 24,454 crore in the the month, as of December 6, official depositories data revealed. This infusion came after the investors dumped equities in the last two months, reported PTI. This comeback from the investors was attributed to the stabilising global conditions and anticipations of a possible rate cut from the Federal Reserve. Notably, investors pulled out Rs 21,612 crore from equities in November and a massive Rs 94,017 crore in October, which was the worst monthly outflow seen ever. Elaborating on the fund flows, Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director, Manager Research, Morningstar Investment Research India, noted, “The flow of foreign investments into Indian equity markets will hinge on several key factors. These include the policies implemented under Donald Trump's presidency, the prevailing inflation and interest rate environment, and the evolving geopolitical landscape.” Meanwhile, during the period under review, the investors took out Rs 142 crore in the debt general limit and poured in Rs 355 crore in the debt voluntary retention route (VRR). In 2024 so far, the investors invested Rs 1.07 lakh crore in the debt market. Also Read : Sitharaman Says Economic Activity To Likely Improve In Q3, Backed By Public Expenditure Srivastava further said that the financial performance of Indian firms in the third quarter warnings and how the Indian economy fares will influence the sentiment in the market. V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services, noted, “The shift in FPI strategy is evident in stock price movements, especially in large-cap banking stocks, where FPIs have been selling. This segment still has upside potential as it remains fairly valued and continues to grow at a steady pace, with more domestic institutional and retail investments expected to flow in. Additionally, the IT sector is poised to perform well and attract increased FII interest.”SINGAPORE: Throw out old stereotypes of a game only for nerds or retirees, chess is now firmly mainstream . The 2024 World Chess Championship in Singapore, still ongoing at the time of writing, is livestreamed to millions. The showdown between world champion Ding Liren and 18-year-old challenger Gukesh Dommaraju receives global media coverage. Recent Nobel Laureate Demis Hassabis – a former child chess prodigy himself – was in town to open their first game. Charismatic top players such as Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura – the current World Number 1 and 3 – do not fit the conventional image of chess grandmasters. Chess influencers stream games and analyses, making chess dynamic and entertaining even for casual viewers. Technology – from internet chess platforms to social media – has made it easy for people to learn, play and connect online. The surge of popularity can also be attributed to the chance convergence of factors, like the COVID-19 pandemic – during which lockdowns and movement restrictions drove more people to play chess – and the 2020 Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. The rising global tide has not left Singapore behind. Grassroots chess events have proliferated, with initiatives such as the Aliwal Chess Club gaining attention even on mainstream media. Participation among young children and youth has similarly surged, with year-on-year increments in enrolment for chess courses and tournaments organised by the Singapore Chess Federation and private operators. PARENTS MAY HOPE FOR COGNITIVE BENEFITS Some parents may be wondering if this might be a good time to sign their children up to learn chess . Many who do believe that it can shape young minds in profound and positive ways, or hope it can enhance academic performance. It is easy to understand why. After all, a game of chess is fundamentally about strategic thinking and problem-solving. Players plan multiple moves ahead and anticipate consequences. A typical three- to four-hour game requires concentration and patience, increasingly rare qualities in our digital world of instant gratification and short attention spans. At higher levels of competition, preparation involves knowing and adapting to one’s opponents, taking into account their style of play, strengths and weaknesses, and their possible preparation against oneself. These skills should transcend the chessboard. RESEARCH DOESN’T BACK UP OUR BELIEFS However, a sense of healthy scepticism with regards to these seemingly logical beliefs is important. Just as in chess, one should assess positions objectively and analyse even “obvious” moves and captures. Surprisingly, there are only a handful of rigorous and well-designed research studies on the effects of chess on children. And they suggest no effect when it came to attention, focus or creativity. The most important study was on primary school children in Bangladesh in 2016, conducted by Monash University researchers, led by Associate Professor Lee Wang Sheng, my former Raffles Institution chess teammate and one of the top players of Asia in his youth. The primary positive effect was that the children who learned assessed risks better and were less risk-averse than those who did not. The Monash University study and another large-scale trial conducted on over 4,000 children in England also found no significant evidence that learning chess enhances mathematical abilities, reading nor science. In adults, playing chess (and other games such as mahjong and weiqi) is associated with better cognitive health, reducing the risk of dementia as well as slowing cognitive decline. However, most of the published research studies are small and not designed to demonstrate a causal relationship. CONSIDER THE EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Where chess can benefit players is in the social platform it provides for children and adults from diverse backgrounds to connect. The sport transcends age, ethnicity, language and cultural barriers, creating a meritocratic and inclusive environment. I remember going to chess clubs as a teenager – then mainly in community centres – after school and over the weekends, playing games for fun or participating in local tournaments. Social status did not matter – one was respected for one’s skills and sportsmanship. I made many acquaintances and friends over chess, many of whom I remain in touch with or work closely with today. Maintaining one’s composure under pressure, and coping with loss and failure – often repeatedly at a young age – are invaluable experiences for building resilience. Such losses are “safe failures” and can teach children to view setbacks as stepping stones for growth rather than reasons to give up. Moreover, being able to objectively track one’s improvement with effort – by achieving better results in tournaments or defeating formerly formidable opponents – boosts self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment that extends beyond the game. These emotional and social development benefits are not unique to chess, of course, but present in many other sports and interactive games. ALL SPORTS AND GAMES HAVE POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS But just like these other sports and games, chess is not without potential drawbacks. The risk of children and youth becoming overly competitive or experiencing undue pressure is always present, especially if parents or coaches emphasise winning too strongly. Excessive focus and time spent on chess can also lead to reduced physical activity, a narrower range of interests, and in some cases, poorer academic performance. I found Basic Military Training during National Service gruelling because of the lack of physical fitness. At various points in junior college and university, my results were subpar, usually after taking time off for overseas chess tournaments. My parents and some of my teachers expressed concern about my academic progress, but (perhaps) wisely chose to support and respect my passion for the sport. It is important to ensure that chess supplements, rather than replaces, a well-rounded lifestyle that includes physical exercise, diverse social interactions and other recreational activities. SO, SHOULD I SIGN MY CHILD UP FOR CHESS? From my admittedly biased perspective, there is little harm and much potential benefit in introducing children to chess. However, it is essential not to have unreasonable expectations about the cognitive or academic benefits of the game, and children should never be pressured to continue if interest wanes. If they develop a passion for the game, providing a supportive environment and offering opportunities – be it enrolling in school chess clubs or participating in local age-group events – can at the minimum enhance their skills and broaden their interests. For some – which include my fellow chess enthusiasts and myself – it can be a transformative experience that positively shapes lives. Professor Hsu Li Yang is the President of the Singapore Chess Federation and Vice Dean of Global Health at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore.Concerns raised over hospitality staff after smoking curbs ditched

Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there?

Gorilla Technology Group Shares Are On The Rise Today: What's Going On?VERIFYING photos claiming to show South Korea protests against martial lawVANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Brayden Point scored twice and added two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning edged the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Sunday. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two helpers for the Lightning, while Jake Guentzel scored on a power play late in the third period. Captain Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood found the back of the net for the Canucks. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced and Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for Vancouver. Lightning: Kucherov, who returned to the lineup Sunday after missing two games with a lower-body injury, added another potent piece to Tampa’s red-hot power play. The Lightning were 2 for 4 with the man advantage and scored a power-play goal for the sixth straight game. Canucks: Hughes took a stick to the face 55 seconds into the game, missed more than 11 minutes, then returned to open the scoring 16:08 into the first period. It was the 50th goal of the defenseman’s career and extended his points streak to seven games with three goals and 10 assists across the stretch. Tampa took the lead 6:29 into the second when Kucherov sliced a pass to Point at the bottom of the faceoff circle and the Lightning winger blasted it in past Lankinen for his 17th of the season. Kucherov put the visitors on the board just a minute and 49 seconds earlier. Point scored his league-leading 10th power-play goal of the season. He’s one away from becoming the third player to score 100 power-play goals for the Lightning. The Canucks continue a six-game homestand Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. The Lightning visit the Oilers on Tuesday. AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

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By MIKE CATALINI, Associated Press TRENTON, N.J. — A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over New Jersey and across the eastern U.S., sparking speculation and concern over where they came from and why. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim have both gone out on drone hunts, hoping for answers. The FBI, Homeland Security, state police and other agencies are investigating. Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft — and to be allowed to shoot them out of the sky. Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones statewide since mid-November, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Murphy, a Democrat, said Monday that equipment supplied by the federal government has yielded little new information. He declined to describe the equipment except to say it was powerful and could even “mitigate” the drones, though he added that’s not currently legal on U.S. soil. The state tallied 12 sightings Saturday and just one on Sunday. Murphy urged Congress to give states more authority to deal with the drones. The growing anxiety among some residents is not lost on the Biden administration, which has faced criticism from Trump for not dealing with the matter more aggressively. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday said the federal government has yet to identify any public safety or national security risks from reported drone sightings in the northeast, saying officials believe they were lawfully flown drones, planes or even stars. “There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.” The federal government has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states, and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens, he said. The FBI received more than 5,000 tips in recent weeks, he added, with only “about 100” deemed credible enough to require additional investigation. Authorities say they do not know. The Department of Homeland Security and FBI said they have no evidence that the aircraft pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” Speculation has nevertheless raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents. Officials stress that ongoing investigations have found no evidence to support such concerns, but U.S. Rep Chris Smith, a Republican, on Saturday echoed such speculation. “The elusive maneuvering of these drones suggests a major military power sophistication that begs the question whether they have been deployed to test our defense capabilities — or worse — by violent dictatorships, perhaps maybe Russia, or China, or Iran, or North Korea,” he said. On Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder cast doubt on the idea that the drones are engaged in intelligence gathering, given how loud and bright they are. He said about 1 million drones are registered drones in the U.S. and about 8,000 flying on any given day. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh has said the aircraft are not U.S. military drones. Drones flying around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, forced base officials to close its airspace for about four hours late Friday into early Saturday, said Robert Purtiman, a base spokesperson. It was the first time drones had been spotted at the base, one of the largest in the world, and no sightings have been reported since, Purtiman said Monday. He said the drones had no impact on any facilities on the base. Trump has said he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on Truth Social. Kim said he’s heard no support for the notion the government is hiding anything. He said a lack of faith in institutions is playing a key part in the saga. “Nothing that I’m seeing, nothing that I’ve engaged in gives me any impression of that nature. But like, I get it, some people won’t believe me, right? Because that’s the level of distrust that we face,” Kim said Monday. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut last week called for the drones to be “shot down.” Rep. Smith urged the Pentagon to authorize the use of force to bring down one or more drones to try to figure out who deployed them. The objects could be downed over the ocean or in an unpopulated area on land, Smith said Saturday. “Why can’t we bag at least one of these drones and get to the bottom of it?” Smith said.Labour launches call for tech experts to help improve performance across Whitehall By HARRIET LINE, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL Published: 23:00, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 23:05, 8 December 2024 e-mail View comments Tech experts will be encouraged to enter government on six to 12 month 'tours of duty' to help crack problems, Pat McFadden will announce on Monday. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will also say the country needs more people with 'front line' public service experience in central government to deliver Labour's 'plan for change'. But it will be seen as another shot across the bows of civil servants, with ministers growing increasingly frustrated in public at poor performance in Whitehall. Last week, Sir Keir Starmer came under fire after he said 'too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline'. And Rachel Reeves will this week launch a crackdown on wasteful departmental spending. In a speech on Monday, Mr McFadden will encourage people from startups and tech companies to enter government as 'innovators' on secondments. They will be asked to put their skills to use to tackle challenges such as criminal justice or healthcare reform and the Government's five missions. It is part of the next stage of the No10 Innovation Fellowship Programme - an initiative for bringing technical talent into government. Mr McFadden will say: 'For the next phase, I can announce that these innovators will spend their Tours of Duty working on our five missions for government.' Pat McFadden will encourage people from startups and tech companies to enter government as 'innovators' on secondments People will be asked to put their skills to use to tackle challenges such as criminal justice or healthcare reform and the Government's five missions In his speech on reforming the state today, the Cabinet Office Minister will pledge to make the state 'more like a start-up'. And he will call for a 'fundamental overhaul' of how recruitment is carried out in the civil service. Blasting the current process as 'mind bogglingly bureaucratic and off-putting' for an outsider, he will warn that 'good external candidates can find it near impossible to jump through the hoops'. 'We need to go further and faster,' he will say. 'And so I will be asking departments across government to roll out simpler processes in their recruitment, using what we know works.' The minister will also launch a £100 million 'innovation fund' to underpin his plans, which will be used to deploy 'test and learn teams' in public services around the country. The test and learn approach is used across the business world, and allows new ideas to be tried out on a small scale to see their impact before being rolled out more widely if they are successful. Last week, Sir Keir Starmer came under fire after he said 'too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline'. And Rachel Reeves will this week launch a crackdown on wasteful departmental spending Read More PM begs Brits to judge him on living standards, NHS waits & police... but NO immigration target Under the plans, the test and learn teams will be set a challenge, and allowed to experiment and try new things to meet it. Mr McFadden will compare these reforms with what he will describe as the 'pointless distractions' and 'headline grabbing gimmicks' of the previous government. Two projects on family support and temporary accommodation will be the first outing for the test and learn approach. These will begin in January 2025, with teams deployed in Manchester, Sheffield, Essex and Liverpool. While Mr McFadden will acknowledge 'each of these projects is small', he will say 'they could rewire the state one test at a time'. Keir Starmer Labour Rachel Reeves Share or comment on this article: Labour launches call for tech experts to help improve performance across Whitehall e-mail Add comment

Donte Tatum We’re refreshing our coverage on HashiCorp, Inc. ( NASDAQ: HCP ) as we see a last play on the horizon; we upgraded HashiCorp to hold in November 2023, since which the stock is up 61.9%, outperforming the S&P 500 ( Tired of losing money? Our Tech Contrarians team of Wall Street analysts sifts through the noise in the tech industry and captures outperformers through a coveted research process. We let the work speak for itself here . Tech Stock Pros is a team of three former technology sector engineers with a long history of investing in the tech sector. Tech Contrarians 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. 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.Gaming consoles have always been a big-ticket item, and with new releases pushing boundaries, they often come with a hefty price tag. Buying one feels like a serious investment, but this holiday season is the perfect time to make it count. If you’re thinking about gifting someone (or yourself), the PlayStation 5 Slim can be currently grabbed at a discount, making it an even smarter choice for the holidays. This sleek yet mighty console, which was launched in October 2023, packs all the power and performance you’d expect from the PS5, but in a slimmer, more space-saving design. You’ll enjoy custom hardware that delivers speed and efficiency, powered by a custom CPU, GPU, and an ultra-fast 1 TB SSD. This means all your favorite games load in moments, letting you jump straight into the action, without delays. The 1 TB SSD provides ample storage for your gaming library. You won’t have to constantly shuffle titles to make room for new releases. PlayStation 5 Slim also makes sure you enjoy your games in a way that feels more interactive. The DualSense Wireless Controller, which comes with the console, works to connect you to the action. Its haptic feedback allows you to feel the details of every move and lets you feel every in-game moment. All of this is made even better with the adaptive triggers. They make actions like pressing a pedal feel more realistic by adding physical resistance that matches what’s happening in the game. Pair this with 3D audio, and you’ll be completely drawn into the game. What’s more, this compact model maintains compatibility with a massive library of PS4 games. Revisit your favorites with an even better performance and visuals. Grab the PlayStation 5 Slim, save 75.99, and pay just $424. Also check out the prices of the digital and disc editions and the bundles. PlayStation 5 Slim Make Tech Easier may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox Zainab is an Actuarial Sciences graduate from Pakistan with a passion for technology. When she's not busy writing insightful pieces on Windows and the latest tech trends, you'll find her with her nose buried in a productivity book, always on the lookout for ways to optimize her workflow and stay ahead of the curve.

Parsippany, NJ, Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (NASDAQ: LINC), a national leader in specialized technical training for more than 75 years, today announced that it has signed a lease for a new campus in Hicksville, New York, representing the Company’s second campus in New York and 11 th in the tri-state area. The campus demonstrates a commitment to its strategic growth plan, and follows the successful launch of the Company’s newest campus in East Point, Georgia earlier this year. The Hicksville campus is expected to commence operations towards the end of 2026 and will focus on preparing students for hands-on careers in high-demand industries. The 65,000 square-foot training center will offer specialized career training in automotive, welding, HVAC and electrical and electronics fields. This new facility will increase Lincoln’s presence in the tri-state, complementing its closest flagship automotive campus in Queens, New York which has been operating for nearly 20 years. With demand for approximately 54,000 talented automotive technicians by 2030, the State of New York is certainly a region with abundant employment opportunities to meet strong student demand. 1 “Our 11 th campus in the tri-state area is an exciting development and represents significant growth potential for Lincoln as we plan to leverage our brand name in the region where we have successfully operated for over 75 years and have seen thousands of students graduate and start careers in in-demand fields,” commented Scott Shaw, President and CEO. “Our recently launched campus in East Point, Georgia has generated tremendous interest, and its performance has exceeded our expectation as it became profitable within its first year of operations. We plan to deploy and incorporate the same ‘wow’ factor at the Hicksville campus to deliver exceptional training in a state-of-the-art facility, featuring modern classrooms and equipment. The East Point performance is very encouraging and we are optimistic that the Hicksville campus also has great potential.” 1 National Center for O*NET Development. New York Employment Trends: 49-3023.00 - Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/49-3023.00?st=NY&g=Go ### About Lincoln Educational Services Corporation Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is a leading provider of diversified career-oriented post-secondary education. Lincoln offers recent high school graduates and working adults career-oriented programs in five principal areas of study: automotive technology, health sciences, skilled trades, business and information technology, and hospitality services. Lincoln has provided the workforce with skilled technicians since its inception in 1946 and currently operates 22 campuses in 14 states. For more information, go to lincolntech.edu.2 Stocks to Hold Instead of Bitcoin in 2025

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — The sight was a common one for Andrew Kolpacki. For many a Sunday, he would watch NFL games on TV and see quarterbacks putting their hands on their helmets, desperately trying to hear the play call from the sideline or booth as tens of thousands of fans screamed at the tops of their lungs. When the NCAA's playing rules oversight committee this past spring approved the use of coach-to-player helmet communications in games for the 2024 season, Kolpacki, Michigan State's head football equipment manager, knew the Spartans' QBs and linebackers were going to have a problem. "There had to be some sort of solution," he said. As it turns out, there was. And it was right across the street. Kolpacki reached out to Tamara Reid Bush, a mechanical engineering professor who not only heads the school's Biomechanical Design Research Laboratory but also is a football season ticket-holder. Kolpacki "showed me some photos and said that other teams had just put duct tape inside the (earhole), and he asked me, 'Do you think we can do anything better than duct tape,?" Bush said. "And I said, 'Oh, absolutely.'" Bush and Rylie DuBois, a sophomore biosystems engineering major and undergraduate research assistant at the lab, set out to produce earhole inserts made from polylactic acid, a bio-based plastic, using a 3D printer. Part of the challenge was accounting for the earhole sizes and shapes that vary depending on helmet style. Once the season got underway with a Friday night home game against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30, the helmets of starting quarterback Aidan Chiles and linebacker Jordan Turner were outfitted with the inserts, which helped mitigate crowd noise. DuBois attended the game, sitting in the student section. "I felt such a strong sense of accomplishment and pride," DuBois said. "And I told all my friends around me about how I designed what they were wearing on the field." All told, Bush and DuBois have produced around 180 sets of the inserts, a number that grew in part due to the variety of helmet designs and colors that are available to be worn by Spartan players any given Saturday. Plus, the engineering folks have been fine-tuning their design throughout the season. Dozens of Bowl Subdivision programs are doing something similar. In many cases, they're getting 3D-printed earhole covers from XO Armor Technologies, which provides on-site, on-demand 3D printing of athletic wearables. The Auburn, Alabama-based company has donated its version of the earhole covers to the equipment managers of programs ranging from Georgia and Clemson to Boise State and Arizona State in the hope the schools would consider doing business with XO Armor in the future, said Jeff Klosterman, vice president of business development. XO Armor first was approached by the Houston Texans at the end of last season about creating something to assist quarterback C.J. Stroud in better hearing play calls delivered to his helmet during road games. XO Armor worked on a solution and had completed one when it received another inquiry: Ohio State, which had heard Michigan State was moving forward with helmet inserts, wondered if XO Armor had anything in the works. "We kind of just did this as a one-off favor to the Texans and honestly didn't forecast it becoming our viral moment in college football," Klosterman said. "We've now got about 60 teams across college football and the NFL wearing our sound-deadening earhole covers every weekend." The rules state that only one player for each team is permitted to be in communication with coaches while on the field. For the Spartans, it's typically Chiles on offense and Turner on defense. Turner prefers to have an insert in both earholes, but Chiles has asked that the insert be used in only one on his helmet. Chiles "likes to be able to feel like he has some sort of outward exposure," Kolpacki said. Exposure is something the sophomore signal-caller from Long Beach, California, had in away games against Michigan and Oregon this season. Michigan Stadium welcomed 110,000-plus fans for the Oct. 26 matchup between the in-state rivals. And while just under 60,000 packed Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, for the Ducks' 31-10 win over Michigan State three weeks earlier, it was plenty loud. "The Big Ten has some pretty impressive venues," Kolpacki said. "It can be just deafening," he said. "That's what those fans are there for is to create havoc and make it difficult for coaches to get a play call off." Something that is a bit easier to handle thanks to Bush and her team. She called the inserts a "win-win-win" for everyone. "It's exciting for me to work with athletics and the football team," she said. "I think it's really exciting for our students as well to take what they've learned and develop and design something and see it being used and executed." Get local news delivered to your inbox!The S&P 500 and Nasdaq continued their winning streaks last week, as American exceptionalism—the belief that the U.S. economy stands out from the rest of the world—added hype to Wall Street. The world’s most closely followed index closed at 6,090, close to its all-time high, up 0.96 percent for the week and 27 percent year-to-date. Nasdaq closed up 3.34 percent for the week and 32 percent year-to-date. Dow Jones and the Russell 2000 ended the week with slight losses, 0.60 percent, and 1.06 percent, respectively. Despite these losses, both indexes trade near all-time highs. The iShares MSCI index Germany fund, for instance, is up 15.2 percent year-to-date, the iShares MSCI Japan fund up 11.6 percent, the iShares Belgium index up 3.5 percent, the iShares Italy index up 14 percent, and the iShares France fund is down 2.8 percent. The growing gulf between U.S. and overseas equity performance has given rise to the narrative of the U.S. economic exceptionalism on Wall Street: The U.S. economy is in a unique virtuous business cycle of solid GDP growth followed by robust job gains, which in turn leads to higher incomes and higher consumer spending feeding into yet higher GDP. A virtuous cycle of economic growth combined with declining inflation is an ideal environment for equities. Economic growth helps boost the top and bottom lines of listed companies while declining inflation leaves room for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. Both feed into the Wall Street rally. Plenty of evidence supports this narrative, including the third-quarter GDP, National Income, and Personal Spending reports released a couple of weeks ago and the November jobs report released this week. The GDP report showed the U.S. economy grew at an annualized 2.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024, close to the 3 percent growth in the second quarter. These are solid numbers for a $27 trillion economy in its 17th quarter of almost uninterrupted growth. This contrasts with the meager GDP growth rates seen across Europe and Japan. Germany’s economic growth, for instance, has been fluctuating between negative and positive territory. France and Italy have virtually no growth, while Japan strives to get out of a three-decade-long stagnation. Rising personal incomes and robust job growth have boosted personal spending since the first quarter of 2023, driven by a surge in goods consumption and strong spending on services. This has been music to the ears of U.S. retailers of all stripes, from Costco to Walmart to TJ Maxx, FIVE Below, and Lululemon, all of which have reported solid financial results quarter after quarter, and to traders and investors on Wall Street chasing the shares of these retailers higher. American exceptionalism and it’s tendency to wax and wane is not a new concept for Michael Ashley Schulman, chartered financial analyst and chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors. “It depends on the economic, cultural, and political tide, but over the decades, it seems to have increased and flourished in the country’s entrepreneurial spirit/innovation leadership, capital markets, and acceptance of failure to achieve success,” Schulman told The Epoch Times. “The U.S.’s dollar dominance also helps as it underpins global trade. On the other hand, global competition is always nipping at the country’s heels, but hopefully, that competition spurs further excellence.” That excellence extends to U.S. equity exchanges. “More and more so over the last few years, the NYSE and NASDAQ, which have traditionally been American exchanges, have truly become global stock exchanges with a marked increase in foreign IPOs and secondary listings, further elevating the perception,” Schulman said. Not everyone subscribes to the narrative of American exceptionalism as the critical driver behind the Wall Street rally. Glen Smith, chief investment officer of GDS Wealth Management, has another theory for Wall Street’s winnowing streak: post-election certainty. “The stock market is trading at record highs as the market continues to celebrate the post-election certainty that has been attained,” he told The Epoch Times. “While Wall Street broadly is optimistic, we do not believe we have reached euphoria quite yet, and euphoria is typically a sign that we are at a peak in the market. We believe the bull market has more room to run, albeit with volatility that is par for the course in investing.”super. ace 。

CORVALLIS – Oregon State plays only three nonconference women’s basketball games at home this season. One date it didn’t give up was the annual Field Trip game, where Willamette Valley-area grade and middle school students turn Gill Coliseum into the day’s classroom. About 7,000 students and staff were on hand Tuesday morning to scream, sing and dance during the Beavers’ 63-56 win over Grambling State.Man City blows 3-goal lead and gets booed by fans in draw with Feyenoord in Champions League

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MISSOULA — After battling tooth-and-nail for almost four quarters with arguably the best mid-major program in the country, the Montana women's basketball team went cold when it mattered most Saturday in squandering a rare opportunity. Reigning Summit League Player of the Year Brooklyn Meyer piled up 32 points in leading South Dakota State to a 78-70 win at Robin Selvig Court. The Jackrabbits, ranked No. 1 in the mid-major poll, improved to 7-2. All things considered, it was hard for Montana coach Brian Holsinger to be anything but proud of his team afterwards. Yes he would have loved to have seen the Lady Griz pull the upset, but there were extenuating circumstances following Montana's Wednesday loss at North Dakota State. "We didn't practice before this game. We had travel issues," he told 406 MT Sports. "We got back (Friday), no practice before this game. We were stuck in Denver for 36 hours. "Our effort in a situation where we didn't get to prepare at all — we had a ton of adversity trying to get home and for us to come out and play as hard and as tough as we did, I was really proud. They're a really good team and at some point you gotta tip your hat to a really good team — juniors and seniors who made plays down the stretch." Trailing 68-67 with just under 2 minutes left, Montana had a chance to take the lead on a Mack Konig drive to the bucket. Unfortunately for the hosts, her layup attempt banked hard off glass and Meyer made Montana pay on the other end with two free throws to give the Jackrabbits a three-point lead. Konig tried to answer with a 3-pointer but it fell off the rim and South Dakota State came up with the loose ball. The Jackrabbits then seized control with a Haleigh Timmer 3-pointer. From there it was a free-throw contest. South Dakota State hit six of seven foul shots in the final 30 seconds. Montana hit three of four but ultimately paid the price for missing all three of its shots in the last two minutes. Of Meyer's 32 points, 19 came in the second half. The 6-foot-2 junior forward from smalltown Iowa went 12 for 15 from the field and 8 for 9 from the free-throw line. "We picked our poison a little bit with the post and she's good," Holsinger said. "I mean, she's the (Summit) player of the year last year and the (Summit) defensive player of the year and she's the reason why they almost go to the Sweet 16 (in 2023). "Could we have done a better job? Probably. We have to learn how to get a few stops here and there. But we had multiple shots to swing the momentum and couldn't quite make it." Montana fell to 4-5 (2-5 against NCAA Division I competition). The Lady Griz have dropped three of their last four, with the only win coming at home against NAIA Evergreen State. Still, the team looks like a serious contender for the Big Sky Conference title. The Lady Griz beat the Big Ten's Washington Huskies earlier this season and Saturday's performance was just as inspiring, all things considered. Montana shot a respectable 44.1 percent from the floor (26 for 59 overall, 11 for 25 from 3-point range). Four players scored in double figures, including Helena native Dani Bartsch with 19 points, Adria Lincoln with 12, Avery Waddington 11 and Izzy Zingaro 10. Of all those numbers, Zingaro's 10 points stands out as another important positive since she was being defended by Mayer. Zingaro scored a career-high 25 points in Wednesday's loss at NDSU and delivered another impact performance in her first start Saturday. "She's getting healthy," Holsinger said, alluding to Zingaro's ankle injury. "She's a really good player. She's just been hurt. "She's going to be tough inside and she was tough for them to stop inside at times when we could get it to her. We have to continue to get her in better shape and she'll be a major force for us hopefully."

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Mexico City, Mexico, November 26, 2024 ( ) – Venezuela sent its congratulations to the newly elected president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi and his running mate Carolina Cosse, pledging a closer and more cooperative future relationship between the two nations. In its , the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated the “important victory over the neoliberal right” in the country by the leftist electoral coalition known locally as the . Caracas experienced frayed relations with Montevideo during the mandate of outgoing president, Luis Lacalle Pou, who frequently his criticisms of the Maduro government in public forums and threw behind the former self-proclaimed “interim government” led by Juan Guaidó. “Let us work towards building a respectful and positive relationship, one of cooperation and shared support between our countries,” said Maduro via social media. Orsi, a one time teacher and former mayor, narrowly defeated his rival Álvaro Delgado, who represented Lacalle’s right-wing National Party and the Republican Coalition on the ballot. According to results, the secured 1,196,798 votes in the second-ballot vote versus 1,101,296 votes for Delgado. Uruguay’s Supreme Electoral Court reported a voter turnout of 89 percent, with the participation of over 2.7 million eligible voters. Orsi drew some scrutiny from Venezuelans after he described the political situation in the country as “indefensible” and labeled the government as “authoritarian.” His running mate, however, has defended Venezuela in the past. In a 2018 interview, Cosse rejected the accusation that there are “dictatorships” in Cuba and Venezuela. “I do not consider Cuba and Venezuela to be dictatorships. I believe that each nation has the right to self-determination. In Venezuela, there is a president elected in free elections,” said Cosse at the time. The election of Orsi marks the return of the left to power in Uruguay following a five-year absence. The Frente Amplio had previously governed the South American country for an uninterrupted 15-year period, with historical leaders Tabaré Vásquez and José “Pepe” Mujica alternating in the presidential palace. Orsi is expected to mirror his coalition’s progressive and moderate style of governance that characterized their previous stint in power. “I will be a president who promotes dialogue. I will be a president who builds a more integrated society and country, where no one is left behind economically, socially, or politically,” said Orsi in his victory speech.It’s almost time for Spotify Wrapped. When can you expect your 2024 recap?My Skye killer husband is tormenting me from cell – he should rot in jail forever

HOUSTON — Houston Texans receiver Tank Dell will miss the remainder of the season after dislocating a knee and tearing an ACL in a loss to Kansas City on Saturday. Coach DeMeco Ryans revealed the details of his injury Monday before announcing that Dell would have season-ending surgery for a second straight year. He fractured his fibula in Week 13 against the Broncos as a rookie last season and had surgery on it the following day. “He dislocated the knee, he tore the ACL, other things there he’ll have to get repaired," Ryans said. “So he’ll be out for the year.” Ryans didn't have a date for Dell's surgery for this injury, but said it would be soon. Dell was injured on a 30-yard touchdown catch in Houston’s 27-19 loss Saturday. He was coming across the back of the end zone and made the spectacular catch on a pass from C.J. Stroud before colliding with Houston teammate Jared Wayne on the way to the ground. Dell immediately grabbed at his knee and Wayne signaled for team trainers, who spent several minutes working on the wide receiver while teammates waited anxiously. Dell was eventually placed on a stretcher and driven in a covered medical cart off the field, and then he was taken to the hospital. He stayed in the hospital overnight before flying back to Houston on Sunday. Stroud, who is so close to Dell that he considers him a brother, cried the entire time the receiver was down on the field and for a while after he was taken away. “It was just not easy for me to sit there and be emotional,” Stroud said Monday. “But it’s something that we all go through in life and it’s easy to be a fake tough guy. It’s easy to go through life acting like everything doesn’t affect you, but deep down we all know we’re going through something.” Some criticized Stroud for crying. But he believes a display of emotion such as that was important to remind people of the human aspect of this game and the toll it can take on players. “It’s good for young men and women out there, kids who are brought up — and I was taught this too as a kid, not from my parents but just from the world, don’t let anybody see you emotional,” he said. “Don’t let anybody see you down and yeah there’s some truth to that in in certain aspects, but there’s also life and I think it was good for people to see me in that light and knowing that there is still a human factor to me and I’m a normal person.” Rodgers acknowledges Jets' run may end Aaron Rodgers is still contemplating his playing future. The star quarterback knows if he returns to the field, it might be out of hands whether it's with the New York Jets. The 41-year-old Rodgers said last week that he'll take some time after this season, his 20th in the NFL, to determine what he wants to do next. On Monday, he suggested a decision on whether he'll return with the Jets could be made for him the day after the team's regular-season finale. “I think there’s a world where they just say, ‘Hey, thank you, we’re going to go in another direction’ on Jan. 6,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “That’s a possibility,” he added. "I think there’s also a possibility we’re going to wait and see who the new staff is.”

Remembering Neil Flagg: The NBC Sports Mainstay Leaves an Industry Legacy in Sons Ross and Kevin , 81, who spent 15 years at NBC Sports and did everything from being a line producer to innovating with robotic cameras and eventually became a technical director and even a director, died Nov. 5 following an eight-month-long battle with cancer. He worked in television for more than 50 years, making a name for himself as someone who could tackle new challenges and problem-solve and always do it with humor and without compromise. “He embraced new technology and made it work in ways no one else could,” says , former EVP, operations and production services, CBS, who worked with Flagg at NBC Sports and at WMAQ Chicago. “But more important than his unique tech accomplishments were his attitude and especially his sense of humor. He always made me laugh. I looked forward to hearing his raspy voice and funny one-liners. Neil was an accomplished engineer and director as time went on and an even better person.” Born in Brooklyn, Flagg spent most of his teens and 20s in Miami Beach after his family moved there. Life in Miami Beach in the ’50s and ’60s shaped Neil’s colorful and theatrical personality. By 1964, he had begun what would be a 50+-year career in television production. Around this time, he met Frances Weinman at the Peppermint Lounge in Florida, and the two were married in 1965. Three years later, with their first child, Kevin, on the way, Flagg accepted a job at WKBF Cleveland and moved the family north. A second son, Ross, arrived in 1970 and a daughter, Julie, in 1974. It was in 1973 when Flagg’s professional life really took off. He accepted a job with NBC Sports in Chicago and relocated his family once again. During 15 years with NBC Sports, Flagg worked a wide range of events: NFL, MLB, college football, tennis, PGA golf, horse racing and more. He worked on Super Bowls, World Series, , Wimbledon, Breeders Cups, and the Seoul Olympics. Along the way, he earned four Emmy Awards: 1979 Super Bowl XIII (for which he worked in graphics), 1986 World Series (as technical director), and two for 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics (technical director). After leaving NBC Sports in 1987, Flagg continued working in sports while slowly moving into entertainment. He worked several NBA All-Star Games and NBA Finals for NHK/NBA Entertainment and served as line producer on the for FOX Sports in 1993. He also worked with Fletcher Chicago, where he was instrumental in bringing the use of robotic cameras to live sports coverage. , ran Fletcher Chicago, along with his father, and first met Flagg when NBC Sports had a field shop in Chicago in the late ’80s. “When we first held a seminar on the new remote-control–camera technology, Neil was one of the first people to sign up. He was always very forward-thinking.” Both of Flagg’s sons recall watching NBC Sports’ NFL coverage and seeing their father’s name on TV. Explains Ross, “We would watch a random NFL game on a Sunday because we knew our dad was doing that game, and we watched all the way through to the end, just to see his name in the credits. It was like the biggest thrill for us when we were we were kids.” He adds that his father would also take his three kids to work with him, a move that greatly influenced both sons: today, Ross is a technical director, and Kevin is a camera operator. “He would take us down into the into the field shop and let us go into the trucks,” Ross says. “I just naturally gravitated toward sitting at a switcher. He would show me how to call up different wipes, and I would sit there and wipe from color bars to other things all day. My brother, of course, gravitated toward the cameras.” Adds Kevin, “I loved hanging out with the camera guys, but my dad said he was terrible at running camera.” As teenagers, Kevin and his brother worked as utilities on their father’s shows in Chicago, lugging cameras and pulling cables through the old Chicago Stadium. Both were hooked, although their father tried to dissuade them. “When we were little kids,” says Kevin, “he would come to us and say, ‘Boys, don’t ever go into this business; it’s a terrible business. It’s nights, it’s weekends, it’s holidays. You’re away from your family. It’s lots of travel and I’ll see you next week and now I have to go to the Super Bowl or I’m going to be in Hawaii for a golf tournament. To us, that was just the coolest thing.” Flagg also worked on the entertainment side of the business, including several seasons as technical director on , and in 1991 began a 13-year run on in Chicago. He was a technical director and had a chance to spend a lot of time working with Kevin, who was a camera operator on the show (Flagg was director of the show for its final three years). He also directed the launch of the in 2003 and worked alongside James Cameron on his 2005 show . When Flagg semi-retired following the , he got to work with Ross and Kevin, serving as a stage manager on the occasional ESPN NBA broadcast. “He did that until he was in his mid 70s,” says Kevin. “He would be glad-handing everyone in the compound and telling all his old stories. I can’t think of my job without thinking of him. Ross and I are very fortunate we could work with him.” Flagg is survived by Fran; Kevin (and wife Jaimie), Ross, and Julie (and husband John); and grandchildren Madelyn, Jack, Molly, and Samantha.

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When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Good news for you Allbirds fans: The brand known for its fan-favorite sustainable shoes is offering 30% off the entire site for Black Friday. Now, through December 2, anything on the site is 30% off. We've reviewed Allbirds extensively, from the Tree Runners to the Couriers to the brand's SuperLight sneak, and our universal consensus is that they're worth the hype. Allbirds helped to pioneer sustainable style with its debut of the minimal and fashionable Wool Runners. Now, they offer a dozen different sneaker styles, hiking and fashion shoes, and apparel for men and women — all of which are available during this year's 2024 Black Friday deals. Shop all Black Friday deals from Allbirds . 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Check out our roundup of all of the best Black Friday deals .There’s no denying that prescription glasses once came with a lot of baggage. Eyeglass wearers in school used to have to deal with the label “four eyes,” and past decades have snubbed the fashion potential of well-crafted frames. With this history of discrimination, it is unsurprising that many have given up on finding a comfortable and stylish pair of frames, defaulting to costly contact lenses instead. Those first discovering they need a glasses prescription might groan at having to hunt for a pair of frames they can live with. The world of prescription eyeglasses has changed, however. Today, more are finding that stylish frames can transform and complete their look. Additionally, online shopping options have made prescription glasses more affordable and accessible than ever before. With wide selections and customizable options, shopping for glasses has evolved from a burden to an enjoyable journey to individualized, comfortable and stylish frames. For many decades, eyeglasses were limited in selection. Those who needed to wear them found that they were singled out for having blocky, uninspiring frames on their faces at all times. Even amidst this stigma, it wouldn’t take long for nonconformist individuals to discover the potential of customized frames. In recent years, stylish eye equipment has been rising in high fashion. Eyeglasses have hit the runway, appearing in fashion collages like those at the Miu Miu’s spring 2024 show. As more designers craft fashion-forward frames, prescription eyeglasses can now be used as a signature to an individual’s style. In the past, prescription eyeglass selections were limited to what was in stock at the local optometrist’s office. Frames from the high fashion world were often only available to wealthy trendsetters. Today, online stores have made a wide variety of glasses available to everyone. These extensive arrays range from classic to modern designs. Whether you are searching for a chic librarian look or ultramodern frames to make a statement, there’s a pair to suit everyone’s taste. Longtime glasses wearers are familiar with the sticker shock of shopping in a traditional store. With limited supplies and options, the cool designer pair on the rack can easily bust a budget. However, online shopping has made it easier for customers to find high-quality eyewear without sacrificing style. Online stores include frames from various brands, giving consumers more options and often at lower costs. As prescription glasses have evolved, the industry has introduced more customization options. Those shopping for glasses online can now choose add-ons such as bifocal lenses, blue light blocking, safety lenses and more. For those looking for prescription sunglasses for sunny days, there are also choices for tints and mirroring. With this plethora of options, shoppers can find features that suit their lifestyle and visual needs . Shopping for prescription glasses online has never been more convenient. Virtual try-ons allow consumers to see how frames will look before purchasing. Easy prescription uploads streamline the process of ordering lenses that meet visual requirements. With these technologies available, a shopper can try on dozens of frames and order prescription glasses without ever needing to leave home. Prescription glasses no longer carry the stigma once attached to them. Stylish frames have entered the high fashion world, and online retailers have made countless customizable glasses available. Today’s eyeglasses combine functionality with fashion. With the ease of online shopping, everyone can achieve better vision and chic looks. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Founder of failed crypto lending platform Celsius Network pleads guilty to fraud charges

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Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike . Here's the latest: U.S. airlines are preparing for a Thanksgiving holiday rush, and so are the U.S. Postal Service, United Parcel Service and FedEx. Shipping companies will deliver about 2.2 billion packages to homes and businesses across the U.S. from Thanksgiving to Dec. 31, said Satish Jindel, a shipping and logistics expert and president of ShipMatrix. That’s down from 2.3 billion packages last year. Because the shopping period is a week shorter than in 2023, consumers are shopping further ahead of Black Friday and more purchases are taking place in physical stores, he said. The number of holiday package shipments grew 27% in 2020 and by more than 3% the following year during the pandemic. The numbers have been falling since then, with a projected decline of about 6% this holiday season. Looking to de-stress while waiting for your flight? Many airports have a fleet of therapy dogs — designated fidos and puppers that are eager to receive pets and snuggles from weary travelers. Rules and schedules vary from airport to airport, but the group AirportTherapyDogs uses online crowdsourcing to share the locations of therapy dogs across its various social media accounts. Today, Gracie, a toy Australian shepherd, and Budge, an English bulldog, wandered the concourses at Denver International Airport, and an American Staffordshire Terrier named Hugo greeted travelers at Punta Gorda Airport in Florida. Some airports even feature other therapy pals. San Francisco International Airport’s fleet of animals includes a Flemish Giant rabbit and a hypoallergenic pig. “We cannot live on the wages that we are being paid,” ABM cabin cleaner Priscilla Hoyle said at a rally earlier Monday. “I can honestly say it’s hard every single day with my children, working a full-time job but having to look my kids in the eyes and sit there and say, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to have a home today.’” Timothy Lowe II, a wheelchair attendant, said he has to figure out where to spend the night because he doesn’t make enough for a deposit on a home. “We just want to be able to have everything that’s a necessity paid for by the job that hired us to do a great job so they can make billions,” he said. ABM said it is “committed to addressing concerns swiftly” and that there are avenues for employees to communicate issues, including a national hotline and a “general open door policy for managers at our worksite.” Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, union officials said. Rev. Glencie Rhedrick of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice said those workers should make $22 to $25 an hour. The strike is expected to last 24 hours. Several hundred workers participated in the work stoppage. Forty-four fights have been canceled today and nearly 1,900 were delayed by midday on the East Coast, according to FlightAware . According to the organization’s cheekily named MiseryMap , San Francisco International Airport is having the most hiccups right now, with 53 delays and three cancellations between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST. While that might sound like a lot of delays, they might not be so bad compared to last Friday when the airport suffered 671 delays and 69 cancellations. In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American Airlines has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn. As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport. ▶ Read more about American Airlines’ new boarding technology Travel can be stressful in the best of times. Now add in the high-level anxiety that seems to be baked into every holiday season and it’s clear travelers could use some help calming frazzled nerves. Here are a few ways to make your holiday journey a little less stressful: 1. Make a checklist of what you need to do and what you need to bring 2. Carry your comfort with you — think noise-canceling headphones, cozy clothes, snacks and extra medication 3. Stay hydrated 4. Keep up to date on delays, gate changes and cancellations with your airline’s app ▶ Read more tips about staying grounded during holiday travel Thanksgiving Day takes place late this year, with the fourth Thursday of November falling on Nov. 28. That shortens the traditional shopping season and changes the rhythm of holiday travel. With more time before the holiday , people tend to spread out their outbound travel over more days, but everyone returns at the same time, said Andrew Watterson, the chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines . Story continues below video “A late Thanksgiving leads to a big crush at the end,” Watterson said. “The Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving are usually very busy with Thanksgiving this late.” Airlines did a relatively good job of handling holiday crowds last year, when the weather was mild in most of the country. Fewer than 400 U.S. flights were canceled during Thanksgiving week in 2023 — about one out of every 450 flights. So far in 2024, airlines have canceled about 1.3% of all flights. Drivers should know that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the worst times to travel by car, but it should be smooth sailing on freeways come Thanksgiving Day, according to transportation analytics company INRIX. On the return home, the best travel times for motorists are before 1 p.m. on Sunday, and before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday, the company said. In metropolitan areas like Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Washington, “traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day,” INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said. Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker said last week that he expects his agency to use special measures at some facilities to deal with an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. In the past, those facilities have included airports in New York City and Florida. “If we are short on staff, we will slow traffic as needed to keep the system safe,” Whitaker said. The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of controllers that airline officials expect will last for years, despite the agency’s lofty hiring goals. 5. Auto club and insurance company AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday. Most of them will travel by car. 6. Drivers should get a slight break on gas prices . The nationwide average price for gasoline was $3.06 a gallon on Sunday, down from $3.27 at this time last year. 7. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports during the same seven-day stretch. That would be 6% more than during the corresponding days last year but fit a pattern set throughout 2024. 8. The TSA predicts that 3 million people will pass through airport security checkpoints on Sunday; more than that could break the record of 3.01 million set on the Sunday after the July Fourth holiday. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be the next busiest air travel days of Thanksgiving week. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving travel across the U.S. Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte’s airport, one of the nation’s busiest, went on strike Monday to demand higher wages. The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand “an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season.” The strike was expected to last 24 hours, said union spokesperson Sean Keady. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. The two companies contract with American, one of the world’s biggest carriers, to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. ▶ Read more about the Charlotte airport workers’ strike Parts of the Midwest and East Coast can expect to see heavy rain into Thanksgiving, and there’s potential for snow in Northeastern states. A storm last week brought rain to New York and New Jersey, where wildfires have raged in recent weeks, and heavy snow to northeastern Pennsylvania. The precipitation was expected to help ease drought conditions after an exceptionally dry fall. Heavy snow fell in northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Pocono Mountains. Higher elevations reported up to 17 inches (43 centimeters), with lesser accumulations in valley cities including Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Around 35,000 customers in 10 counties were still without power, down from 80,000 a day ago. In the Catskills region of New York, nearly 10,000 people remained without power Sunday morning, two days after a storm dumped heavy snow on parts of the region. Precipitation in West Virginia helped put a dent in the state’s worst drought in at least two decades and boosted ski resorts as they prepare to open in the weeks ahead. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecasts Two people died in the Pacific Northwest after a rapidly intensifying “ bomb cyclone ” hit the West Coast last Tuesday, bringing fierce winds that toppled trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. Hundreds of thousands lost electricity in Washington state before powerful gusts and record rains moved into Northern California. Forecasters said the risk of flooding and mudslides remained as the region will get more rain starting Sunday. But the latest storm won’t be as intense as last week’s atmospheric river , a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows over land. “However, there’s still threats, smaller threats, and not as significant in terms of magnitude, that are still going to exist across the West Coast for the next two or three days,” weather service forecaster Rich Otto said. As the rain moves east throughout the week, Otto said, there’s a potential for heavy snowfall at higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, as well as portions of Utah and Colorado. California’s Mammoth Mountain, which received 2 feet (0.6 meters) of fresh snow in the recent storm, could get another 4 feet (1.2 meters) before the newest system clears out Wednesday, the resort said. Another round of wintry weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, according to forecasts across the U.S., while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages. In California, where two people were found dead in floodwaters on Saturday, authorities braced for more rain while grappling with flooding and small landslides from a previous storm . Here’s a look at some of the regional forecasts: 9. Sierra Nevada: The National Weather Service office issued a winter storm warning through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 mph (88 kph). Total snowfall of roughly 4 feet (1.2 meters) was forecast, with the heaviest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday. 10. Midwest and Great Lakes: The Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday and the East Coast will be the most impacted on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, forecasters said. 11. East Coast: A low pressure system is forecast to bring rain to the Southeast early Thursday before heading to the Northeast. Areas from Boston to New York could see rain and breezy conditions, with snowfall possible in parts of northern New Hampshire, northern Maine and the Adirondacks. If the system tracks further inland, there could be less snow and more rain in the mountains, forecasters said. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecasts

NEW YORK, NY — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. “Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date. Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.” Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.” Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics. Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer. “Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford. “I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’” NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak. Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you! Connect with us: share@abc15.com Facebook | Instagram | YouTube “Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician. The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.” After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.” Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.” After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution. He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism. “President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said. Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.” During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency. “The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020. Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died. Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted. Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.” In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said. Latest from ABC15: Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week AP via Scripps News Mother of murdered teen discusses killer’s sentencing, daughter's legacy Adam Mintzer Man dead after being pulled from canal near 22nd Avenue and Indian School Road abc15.com staff The Vegas Golden Knights go head-to-head with the Montreal Canadiens Stephanie Acevessuper ace 777 。

A former Guam resident, from Talo’fo’fo’, is now a rising star at the U.S. Naval Academy. Jewel Amber Maigue, a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy, is now a midshipman, a rank in the U.S. Navy for those training to become naval officers. “It’s been an incredible privilege to be at the academy and to come from a small place like Guam,” Maigue said. “Being Guam’s daughter, I think that’s almost my entire personality, and if anyone asks me, really, that’s one of the inspirations that I have for being here. So it’s been an incredible privilege, and I’m thankful for all the opportunities that come with it.” When Maigue learned she had been accepted into the Naval Academy, she was shocked and overwhelmed with gratitude. “I initially got into the Naval Academy in the spring of 2021 when I was about to graduate from Guam High School, class of 2021, and initially, I was just shocked,” she said. “It’s an institution with a 7.2% acceptance rate, so the chances were very slim. I had just put my best foot forward in the application process and hoped for the best.” Once Maigue realized she was about to embark on a new chapter in her life, she developed a long-term sense of gratitude for the opportunity. “I hope that even with the slim chances of being chosen to come to the Naval Academy, it serves as an inspiration for others to pursue the same or similar paths that are less traveled,” she said. Maigue, now in a leadership position, acknowledged the honor, responsibility, and privileges that come with her rank. “As a midshipman, at the end of four years at the Naval Academy, you get a commission into the United States Navy or the United States Marine Corps. During your four years, you’re getting a college education while also living with your best friends in the same hall,” Maigue explained. “We all get a Bachelor of Science degree at the end of our time here, and you receive training throughout your entire Naval Academy career, being exposed to different communities in the Navy and different jobs in the Marine Corps. Ultimately, it builds you to prepare sailors and Marines by the time you receive that commission.” Maigue is set to graduate in May with a degree in cyber operations. She plans to lead sailors in the Navy, carrying forward her family’s legacy and values. Maigue is one of four students from Guam currently attending the academy—a fact she takes great pride in. “There are four of us at the academy: myself, (Jadrian) Juico, who is a junior right now, Jason Palomares, who is a sophomore, and Scott Aflague, who is a freshman. So, there’s four of us representing our small, little island,” she said. When asked what it feels like to be a woman in the military, Maigue emphasized that being a woman does not feel like an obstacle. “Overall, I would say it’s not an important factor,” she said. “You’re surrounded by individuals who are also accomplished and come from different walks of life. So, even though I’m a woman in the military, while it can serve as an inspiration for other females looking to pursue a similar path, it’s not something that is really seen as an obstacle nowadays. Maybe in years past, in different generations, but I wouldn’t see it as an obstacle for people trying to pursue that.” She added, “Everything is very fair here at the United States Naval Academy, and overall, they’re looking for people who are passionate, who have the intrinsic desire to serve their country, and who are looking to serve something much bigger than themselves.” Maigue’s path to the academy was influenced by her upbringing and her father’s legacy in the Navy. “My dad is an immigrant from the Philippines, and he joined the Navy to make a living for himself and his family. Growing up knowing that background, I made it a long-term goal to pursue something that he wasn’t able to do in his lifetime,” she said. Her mother also inspired her to pursue higher education. “My mom also didn’t get her college degree because she was a young mom. I’m very lucky to be close to both of them, but they weren’t able to do the things I am able to do today,” Maigue said. “It’s always been my goal to come to college, complete my degree, and have job security. I’m lucky to be able to express my gratitude for this country and the opportunities it’s given me.” Reflecting on her time at the academy, Maigue acknowledged how surreal it has been to meet prominent figures like the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations. “Being able to do internships and meeting the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, almost like it’s the average thing on a random Tuesday. It’s a surreal feeling, but it’s definitely one I’m grateful for,” she said. Her most memorable experience, she said, was training incoming students and reflecting on her leadership development. “My fondest memory here—and I would say it’s also a takeaway—is I was able to detail the incoming class of 2027 when they were about to be freshmen,” Maigue said. “That experience was a culmination of all the leadership lessons I had picked up on and observed in others. It gave me a great opportunity to practice and understand my approach to leadership.” While she has been away from home for most of her time at the academy, Maigue remains connected to her roots. “I’ve been to Guam every Christmas since being at the academy for the past four years. Each time I go back, it’s another opportunity to realize that I’m in a good place and that I have a lot to be thankful for,” she said. “I always look forward to my mom’s cooking, especially her soups. Just being able to enjoy small things like going to Ipan Mobil or listening to the waves—it’s the little things from back home that make me appreciate my time here even more.” She also cherishes the camaraderie she shares with the other students from Guam at the academy. “I would say we’re very close. It’s me and the three boys. We text regularly, check in with each other, and make time to hang out. If there’s anyone who makes me feel like I’m back home at the academy, it’s those three boys,” Maigue said. “We bring a unique approach to friendship and familial ties here, simply because of the way we grew up on Guam.” She added that her bond with the boys has helped them share their cultural values with others at the academy. “I’ve gotten feedback from others who say things like, ‘You’re the most tactful individual I’ve ever spoken to,’ and I don’t even think about it, but I think it’s because we talk to each other like family. It’s something that helps us navigate communication with others, and it’s an advantage that comes from growing up in Guam, where family is everything.” As Maigue prepares to graduate and take on her new role, she is determined to leave a lasting legacy, both as a leader and as a representative of Guam. “I feel an incredible responsibility to educate my classmates on what it’s like to be from Guam and to share the unique social, political climate we have back home,” she said. “We are just like anyone else. It doesn’t make us different just because we’re a U.S. territory, but it’s a unique experience that I’m grateful to share with others.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has nvited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month — extending a diplomatic olive branch even as Trump threatens to levy massive tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump's incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed on Thursday that Trump invited Xi, but said it was “to be determined” if the leader of the United States' most significant economic and military competitor would attend. In fact it seems unlikely. Xi is likely to see the invitation as too risky to accept, and the gesture from Trump may have little bearing on the increasingly competitive ties between the two nations as the White House changes hands, experts say. Danny Russel, vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Xi would not allow himself to “be reduced to the status of a mere guest celebrating the triumph of a foreign leader — the U.S. president, no less.” Still, Leavitt saw it as a plus. “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors too,” she said in an appearance on Fox News' program ”Fox & Friends." “We saw this in his first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around this world. He is willing to talk to anyone and he will always put America’s interest first.” CBS News first reported the invitation to Xi. Asked at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday about Trump's invitation, spokesperson Mao Ning responded: “I have nothing to share at present.” Leavitt said that other foreign leaders have also been invited, but did not provide any details. The move by Trump to invite a leader of an adversarial nation to the American moment that is Inauguration Day is unorthodox. But it also squares with his belief that foreign policy—much like a business negotiation—should be carried out with carrots and sticks to get the United States' opponents to operate closer to his administration's preferred terms. Jim Bendat, a historian and author of “Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President,” said he was not aware of a previous U.S. inauguration attended by a foreign head of state. “It's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,” Bendat said. “But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary.” Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said the invitation helps Trump burnish his “dealmaker and savvy businessman” brand. “I could see why he might like the optics," Frantz said. “But from the standpoint of American values, it seems shockingly cavalier." White House officials said it was up to Trump to decide whom he invites to the inauguration. “I would just say, without doubt it's the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. “It is a relationship both fraught with peril and responsibility.” Trump on Thursday during an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange , where he was ringing the opening bell to open the market, said he’s been “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration” without referring to any specific individuals. “And some people said, ‘Wow, that’s a little risky, isn’t it?’” Trump said. “And I said, ‘Maybe it is. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.’ But we like to take little chances.” Meanwhile, a top aide to Hungarian President Viktor Orban, one of Trump's most vocal supporters on the world stage, said Thursday that Orban isn't slated to attend the inauguration. “There is no such plan, at least for the time being," said Gergely Gulyás, Orban's chief of staff. The nationalist Hungarian leader is embraced by Trump but has faced isolation in Europe as he's sought to undermine the European Union's support for Ukraine, and routinely blocked, delayed or watered down the bloc’s efforts to provide weapons and funding and to sanction Moscow for its invasion. Orban recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Every country's chief of mission to the United States will also be invited, according to a Trump Inaugural Committee official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Xi invitation comes as Trump has threatened to enact massive tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to get those countries to do more to reduce illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He has said that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada and that China could be hit with even higher tariffs. China produces precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, but Beijing has stepped up efforts over the last year to crack down on the export of the chemicals. “We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi, some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we’re going to do very well all around,” Trump said in a CNBC interview Thursday. Xi during a meeting with President Joe Biden last month in Peru urged the United States not to start a trade war. “Make the wise choice,” Xi cautioned. “Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also pushed back on Trump's threats, warning such a tariffs move would be perilous for the U.S. economy as well. Trudeau earlier this week said that Americans “are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive” and said he will retaliate if Trump goes ahead with them. Trump responded by calling Canada a state and Trudeau the governor. In addition to the tariff dispute, U.S.-China relations are strained over other issues, including what U.S. officials see as Beijing indirectly supporting Russia's war on Ukraine. The Biden administration says China has supported Russia with a surge in sales of dual use components that help keep its military industrial base afloat. U.S. officials also have expressed frustration with Beijing for not doing more to rein in North Korea's support for the Russian war. China accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched thousands of troops to Russia to help repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk border region. The North Koreans also have provided Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials. Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration takes place a day after the U.S. deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media giant TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the United States. — Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Balint Domotor in Budapest, Hungary, contributed reporting.

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NEW YORK (AP) — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City. Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania. “We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that’s possibly why he targeted that company,” said Kenny. UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer. Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, has said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he has yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime. Mangione's arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early on the morning of Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson's killing. A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30. The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a “ ghost gun ” matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation had been a success and that his pain had improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery. On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system . Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione's family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November.

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Texas Board of Education passes Bluebonnet Learning curriculumNEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: ADD) ("Color Star" or the "Company"), an entertainment technology company with a global network that focuses on the application of technology and artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry, announces today that His Highness Shaikh Humaid Abdulla Rashed Ahmed Almualla, a prominent member of the United Arab Emirates royal family, has officially joined the company as an independent director of the Company’s board of directors. This appointment not only introduces strong leadership to Color Star but also strengthens the company's ties with the Middle East, particularly the UAE. His Highness Shaikh Humaid Abdulla Rashed Ahmed Almualla is a distinguished figure in UAE politics, wielding considerable influence in the Al Mualla region. As a core member of the ruling family of the Umm Al-Quwain Emirate, he plays a vital role on the UAE's political stage. Born in Ajman, the nation's capital, His Highness Shaikh Humaid is also the nephew of the current UAE President, a connection that underscores his esteemed reputation both domestically and internationally. The Al Mualla family, one of the oldest royal lineages in the Middle East, has historically governed the Umm Al-Quwain Emirate. In June 2023, His Highness Shaikh Humaid spearheaded the launch of the UAE Royal HH Investment Fund, a venture that garnered enthusiastic support from royal families and government officials in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. Beyond his financial achievements, His Highness Shaikh Humaid’s appointment as an independent director on Color Star’s board of directors brings fresh perspectives and strategic insights to the company. Having a member of the UAE royal family join Color Star is expected to unlock new investment opportunities and project support, accelerating Color Star's continuous planned investment and innovation in AI entertainment and related technologies. Leveraging these resources, Color Star aims to develop cutting-edge technologies and deliver richer, more innovative entertainment experiences to global audiences. His Highness Shaikh Humaid ’s extensive network will undoubtedly energize Color Star's globalization strategy, paving the way for even greater success on the international stage. About Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: ADD) is an entertainment and education company that provides online entertainment performances and online music education services. Its business operations are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Color Metaverse Pte. Ltd. and CACM Group NY, Inc. The Company ’s online education is provided through its Color World music and entertainment education platform. More information about the Company can be found at www.colorstarinternational.com and www.colorstar.investorroom.com . Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantee of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, including the development of the metaverse project; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the educational and training services market internationally where ADD conducts its business; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the terms of the LOI nothereafter being memorialized in a definitive agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been, or will be, instituted against Color Star or other parties to the LOI following announcement of the LOI and transactions contemplated therein; the ability of Color Star to meet NASDAQ listing standards in connection with the consummation of the transaction contemplated therein; the inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the LOI due to the failure to meet certain closing conditions; risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations and the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the announcement of the LOI and consummation of the transaction described therein; costs related to the proposed acquisition; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability of the combined company to meet its financial and strategic goals, due to, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitability, maintain relationships with customers and retain its key employees; the possibility that the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties described herein, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed from time to time in other reports and other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Color Star. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof unless required by applicable laws, regulations or rules. For more information, please contact: Color Star Investor Relations Office Number No. 1003, 9th Floor, 7 World Trade Center, Suite 4621 New York NY 10007 Office: (212) 410-5186 Email ir@colorstarint ernational.comRevolutionizing India’s Retail Fashion India's startup landscape is buzzing with innovation, reshaping industries and consumer experiences alike. In an exclusive conversation with The Hans India, Udit Mayor, Co-Founder of The Sock Street, discusses how evolving consumer trends, technology, and sustainability are shaping their approach to creating a modern D2C brand that aligns with India’s dynamic retail and fashion landscape. 1.⁠ ⁠The startup ecosystem in India is rapidly evolving. What inspired you to start the company, and what role do you see startups playing in shaping India's retail and fashion industry? I have been doing exports in the industry for the past 20 years. I felt that over time, Indian consumers have evolved and are now more experimenting type, they know how to look different from others, and they don’t hesitate to go extreme. This gave me an idea of why not start a D2C company and join in this mission. 2.⁠ ⁠Technology has become a core enabler for startups in every sector. How do you leverage technology to create unique products and enhance the customer experience in the sock and fashion space? True, Technology, when mixed with human intuition and gut feel, results in an unmatched performance. We use technology to fine-tune and convert our thoughts into a finished product. From designing on paper to fine-tuning it on illustrative software, sourcing material & quality checks by hand, to balancing the supply chain through technology, at every step, there is coordination between a human & machine, which produces the finest socks. 3.⁠ ⁠What challenges do you think startups in the fashion retail industry face when scaling in India? Ohh, many Indian consumer now prefers to shop online because of ease at every step, but the sad part is, most of it is an impulse buy, the icing on the cake is COD, you see a product you like, and you placed an order on COD, and then you forgot, or realise that Opps you don’t need it, and you choose not to take the order. What happens is the company has invested some amount to get that product delivered to your doorstep and now will invest again to get that product back. So, instead of making a sale, the company makes a loss. While there are many, this (RTO) is the biggest one. 4.⁠ ⁠With increasing consciousness around sustainability, how do you see balancing fashion, technology, and eco-friendly practices? I believe if you are true about the product, then you will follow the right path, for instances: we have launched 100% Bamboo fiber socks that are 100% natural and eco-friendly, and while others will say that their bamboo socks are 5X softer than cotton, we feel proud in saying that our socks are 3X softer than their bamboo, just because ours is pure bamboo. Even our cotton is 100% combed cotton; we don’t use polyester in any of our products here. 5.⁠ ⁠India’s growing youth population is increasingly becoming a market driver for innovative brands. How is "The Sock Street" aligning with this trend, and what role do you believe startups like yours play in building the 'New Bharat'? See, India is a growing economy, which also means that youths now have higher disposable income at hand, while their buying behaviour is contrary to their previous generations, for instance, our fathers won’t pay attention to what socks to wear on what shoes on what dress, but the young India understands the importance & impact that it brings into your perception. We at The Sock Street aim to provide unmatched comfort while elevating the look for this running India. We have got you covered every time, from Gym in the morning to Office meetings, from running on track to attending a bachelor party, from going on family trips to hitting the target in the office. We have socks for all moods and occasions.

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Board Approves Dividend of $0.2875 Per Share on the Company's Common Stock NORTH BETHESDA, Md. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. CHH , one of the world's leading lodging franchisors, announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.2875 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable on January 16, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 2 , 2025. About Choice Hotels® Choice Hotels International, Inc. CHH is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The one to watch in upscale and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing nearly 635,000 rooms, in 45 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice ® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain, but not necessarily all, of such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "expect," "estimate," "believe," "anticipate," "should," "will," "forecast," "plan," "project," "assume," or similar words of futurity. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations regarding future events, which, in turn, are based on information currently available to management. Such statements may relate to projections of the company's revenue, expenses, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, earnings, debt levels, ability to repay outstanding indebtedness, payment of dividends, repurchases of common stock and other financial and operational measures, including the company's occupancy and open hotels, RevPAR, and liquidity, among other matters. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Several factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, changes to general, domestic and foreign economic conditions, including access to liquidity and capital; changes in consumer demand and confidence, including consumer discretionary spending and the demand for travel, transient and group business; the timing and amount of future dividends and share repurchases; future domestic or global outbreaks of epidemics, pandemics or contagious diseases or fear of such outbreaks, and the related impact on the global hospitality industry, particularly but not exclusively the U.S. travel market; changes in law and regulation applicable to the travel, lodging or franchising industries, including with respect to the status of the company's relationship with employees of our franchisees; foreign currency fluctuations; impairments or declines in the value of the company's assets; operating risks common in the travel, lodging or franchising industries; changes to the desirability of our brands as viewed by hotel operators and customers; changes to the terms or termination of our contracts with franchisees and our relationships with our franchisees; our ability to keep pace with improvements in technology utilized for marketing and reservations systems and other operating systems; our ability to grow our franchise system; exposure to risks related to our hotel development, financing and ownership activities; exposures to risks associated with our investments in new businesses; fluctuations in the supply and demand for hotel rooms; our ability to realize anticipated benefits from acquired businesses; impairments or losses relating to acquired businesses; the level of acceptance of alternative growth strategies we may implement; the impact of inflation; cyber security and data breach risks; climate change and sustainability related concerns; ownership and financing activities; hotel closures or financial difficulties of our franchisees; operating risks associated with our international operations; labor shortages; the outcome of litigation; and our ability to effectively manage our indebtedness and secure our indebtedness. These and other risk factors are discussed in detail in the company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as applicable, our Quarter Reports on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. © 2024 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All Rights Reserved View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-announces-quarterly-cash-dividend-302329442.html SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Ledyard National Bank lessened its holdings in Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report ) by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 97,996 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after selling 1,028 shares during the period. Amazon.com comprises approximately 1.7% of Ledyard National Bank’s holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Ledyard National Bank’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $18,260,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Garrison Point Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Amazon.com by 0.3% in the first quarter. Garrison Point Advisors LLC now owns 20,375 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $3,675,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Meridian Investment Counsel Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Amazon.com by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Meridian Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 3,076 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $594,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. O Connor Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in Amazon.com by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. O Connor Financial Group LLC now owns 2,536 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $473,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the period. Cherrydale Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Amazon.com by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Cherrydale Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,492 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $1,396,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Finally, O Dell Group LLC increased its stake in Amazon.com by 0.4% in the first quarter. O Dell Group LLC now owns 13,638 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $2,460,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.20% of the company’s stock. Insider Buying and Selling at Amazon.com In other news, insider Jeffrey P. Bezos sold 2,996,362 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.85, for a total transaction of $625,790,203.70. Following the sale, the insider now owns 917,416,976 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $191,602,535,437.60. This trade represents a 0.33 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . Also, SVP David Zapolsky sold 2,190 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.00, for a total transaction of $427,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 62,420 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,171,900. This represents a 3.39 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders sold 6,011,423 shares of company stock worth $1,249,093,896. Insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock. Amazon.com Price Performance Amazon.com ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The e-commerce giant reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.14 by $0.29. The firm had revenue of $158.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $157.28 billion. Amazon.com had a net margin of 8.04% and a return on equity of 22.41%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.85 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 5.27 EPS for the current year. Analysts Set New Price Targets AMZN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Amazon.com from $220.00 to $223.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $197.00 price target on shares of Amazon.com in a research note on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Amazon.com from $215.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Amazon.com from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Amazon.com from $213.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, forty have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $235.77. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Amazon.com About Amazon.com ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Why is the Ex-Dividend Date Significant to Investors? Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot 3 Healthcare Dividend Stocks to Buy MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 Which Wall Street Analysts are the Most Accurate? 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Receive News & Ratings for Amazon.com Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amazon.com and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

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Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has once again captured the nation’s attention, this time with the public unveiling of his new relationship and extravagant plans for his girlfriend, Lulu Muteke. The news, shared via a flurry of Instagram posts, details lavish gifts and a substantial lobola offering, creating a whirlwind of online discussion. Chivayo’s Instagram stories revealed screenshots of a conversation with a friend, Edy Kebab, outlining his intentions. “I will budget 100 thousand USD from my small savings. You are the one with strong rural background so you can lead the proceedings,” he wrote, detailing his plan to pay US$100,000 lobola in April. The posts further revealed plans to shower Lulu with luxury vehicles: a brand-new white Range Rover Sport next week, followed by a white Lamborghini Urus in August. Accompanying the posts were pictures of Lulu, captioned with affectionate messages in Shona, such as “Baby idya mari kusvika yakusvota....❤️❤️❤️” and “Ndodya noliver...🫡🤷‍♂️🕺,” showcasing his evident affection. The relationship announcement comes just a day after Chivayo softly launched his romance with Lulu, sharing photos of their Victoria Falls holiday. This public display of affection has sparked considerable interest, particularly given Chivayo’s high-profile past relationships. Adding another layer to the narrative is the reaction of Chivayo’s ex-wife, Sonja Madzikanda. In a series of Instagram posts addressing the viral photos of Chivayo and Lulu, Sonja offered a surprisingly positive response. “If he has moved on and has found love and wants to be a better guy for this chic, then to be honest with you, we should all clap hands and say well done,” she said. She went on to describe Lulu as “absolutely beautiful,” revealing a past connection: “I used to bake scones for her.” She concluded by expressing hope for their future: “I am happy that he launched this because now anything to do with him in 2025 has nothing to do with me... I am sure her and Wicknell will make a lovely couple and if it ends in marriage good for them.” This statement contrasts sharply with the often-publicised tumultuous nature of her previous marriage to Chivayo, which ended after seven years and a reportedly US$50,000 lobola payment. Their relationship was marked by highly publicised disputes that spilled onto social media. However, a significant twist emerged with the reported response from Lulu’s father, Mr Muteke. In a reported statement to the media, Mr Muteke declared his refusal to accept Chivayo’s substantial lobola offer. He allegedly stated that he would not compromise his principles or family dignity by accepting money acquired through means he considers corrupt or unscrupulous. His stance represents a powerful rejection of the lavish display and a clear prioritization of ethical considerations over financial gain. He unequivocally stated that he will not “sell” his daughter for money. This unexpected rejection throws a significant spanner in the works of Chivayo’s carefully orchestrated public display of affection and financial generosity. While Chivayo’s intentions may have been to showcase his love and wealth, Mr Muteke’s response introduces a moral dimension that significantly alters the narrative.

Big Moves in the Chipmaker Game! NVIDIA’s Stock Sees Dramatic Shifts.Afghan Refugees Showcase Heritage And Resilience In Art ExhibitionWASHINGTON – Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Recommended Videos Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon's DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization." The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump's policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump's own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. ___ AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington.

is having an inconsistent season so far, with his team having a 9-4 record that's only good enough for third place on the very stacked . The 2023 version of got him a massive four-year, $220 million contract extension but so far he's been above average with 2,724 passing yards for 21 touchdowns for 11 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 64.4%. As any young person, takes advantage of his free time to have some fun at a bar but he didn't expect to be in the middle of a very peculiar request: a total stranger tried to make him pay for a massive tab out of the blue. And it wasn't just any stranger: it was actor and comedian He has accumulated millions of views on social media platforms for his edgy pranks which includes trying to make famous people pay for ridiculous tabs. His latest victim? On a video posted in , we see TravQue next to Jordan Love as the comedian starts asking for humongous quantities of drinks. "Hey yo, bartender, look: let me get five bottles of tequila, right? Six bottles of champagne and three bottles of vodka, and put it on his tab. You know who this is? This is from the and he holding us down so you know he got it!" said the comedian. A very surprised Love immediately reacts with shock and disbelief and then he proceeds to let the bartender know that he's not gonna pay for any of the actor's bottles. "You got it, right?" added TravQue. "Nah, nah, nah," replied the player. "How much you made last year, bro?" continued the comedian. "Don't worry about that. You watching my money? No, no, no." said a very impatient Love. Luckily for everyone, the comedian didn't go any further with his prank. Other notable celebrities that the actor has tried to prank include New York rapper and business mogul and better known in the music industry as

PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter’s in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Defying expectations Carter’s path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That’s a very narrow way of assessing them,” Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” ‘Country come to town’ Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn’t suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he’d be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter’s tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter’s lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” A ‘leader of conscience’ on race and class Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor’s race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama’s segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival’s endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King’s daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn was Carter’s closest advisor Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters’ early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Reevaluating his legacy Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan’s presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan’s Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. Pilgrimages to Plains The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionMORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Zac Alley is being reunited with Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia. Rodriguez, who was hired for his second stint as West Virginia’s coach on Dec. 12, announced Sunday that he hired the 31-year-old Alley as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. “Zac is one of the top young defensive coordinators in the country and has proven his ability to lead and be an innovator at different stops during his career,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “I have worked with him several seasons, and he constantly impresses me with his ability to blend schemes with his personnel and develop winning results.” Under Rodriguez, Alley spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Jacksonville State. Alley was the youngest defensive coordinator in the Bowl Subdivision at Louisiana-Monroe in 2021 when Rodriguez was the Warhawks’ offensive coordinator. In Alley’s lone season at Oklahoma, the Sooners ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference in total defense, allowing 318 yards per game. “I have tremendous respect for Coach Rod, as I’ve seen how he develops players and builds a program,” Alley said. “I look forward to working with the players and doing my part to help WVU be one of the top teams in the Big 12 Conference and the nation.” Alley worked under Oklahoma coach Brent Venables as a graduate assistant at Clemson from 2015 to 2018 when Venables was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach there. ___ 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 Read more NCAA football coverage at thestar.com

AP News Summary at 9:52 a.m. ESTIn the wake of a successful effort to kill a year-end spending bill and replace it with more limited legislation to keep the government open, Elon Musk declared victory on X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform he owns: “Your actions turned a bill that weighed pounds into a bill that weighed ounces!” he crowed. “You are the media now. VOX POPULI VOX DEI.” The stopgap funding measure will largely delay major spending decisions until after Donald Trump’s inauguration, keep the government open through the holidays and at least temporarily delay the most indefensible spending that was crammed into the scale-tipping bill. But those who believe the indefensible spending won’t end up back in the budget are endearingly optimistic. The most interesting political takeaway from the drama is that the Republican Party now has two masters with different goals. Musk’s stated mission was to impose fiscal restraint and greater efficiency on government (though his unstated motives are a matter of speculation). Trump’s objective was to avoid the hassles of a debate over raising the government borrowing limit early in his term, freeing him to rack up more debt through spending and tax cuts. Based purely on the political result, Musk won and Trump lost. While the bill does spend less than the earlier version, it does not raise the debt ceiling. A case can be made for both goals. I think Musk is indisputably correct about the need to cut spending. And although I don’t want Trump to be able to amass more debt, fights over the borrowing limit are reckless because they put the full faith and credit of the United States in doubt. The challenge for Republican legislators is that they are caught between the agendas of two figures who are very popular on the right, and those agendas — and perhaps others — are in conflict. We’ll have to wait to see how the politics play out. In the meantime, I want to address the more philosophical problems with Musk’s position. First of all, literally weighing the value or profligacy of a piece of legislation by the ounce, as Musk proposes, is not exactly logical. The National Industrial Recovery Act — the foundational legislation of the New Deal — comes in at an economical 18 pages, but that hardly gives one a sense of its massive impact on the economy. Then there’s the idea that Musk’s minor budget victory proves his X followers are “the media now.” Huh? The standard conservative complaint about traditional national media is that they mislead the public in the service of an ideological or self-serving agenda. Musk rallied his virtual mob with a host of false claims about the bigger-spending bill. Now he is suggesting that misleading the public in the service of the agenda of the owner of a media platform is a glorious triumph. It’s certainly a triumph for if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them hypocrisy. Lastly, Musk’s oft-repeated motto “Vox populi, vox dei” — “The voice of the people is the voice of God” — is theological nonsense. Its use by British Whigs to challenge monarchical power in the 18th century was politically defensible, but it doesn’t take a divinity degree to understand that, taken literally, the phrase argues that God is subservient to the passions and vicissitudes of public opinion. It’s very difficult to find anything in the Old or New Testament to back up that idea. If a poll were all it took to change God’s mind, Sodom and Gomorrah would have been fine, Noah wouldn’t have needed a boat, and Jesus wouldn’t have had to ask God to “forgive them, for they know not what they do.” One of the earliest mentions of the Latin phrase is found in the writings of Alcuin of York, an adviser to Charlemagne. Alcuin told the first holy Roman emperor to ignore such declarations of public godliness “since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness.” Musk started using the phrase “Vox populi, vox dei” to validate the verdicts of his own Twitter polls. When users voted to reinstate Trump’s account two years ago, Musk declared that the result he clearly wanted amounted to a divine statement. We can only guess what this says about Musk’s God complex and its compatibility with his role as Trump’s Alcuin. But my main objection to Musk’s assertion is that it’s a dangerous lie. The idea that the largest mob has God on its side is even more pernicious than the notion that legislation should be measured in pounds. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast.While it's the end of an era for Findlay's Vacuum and Sewing on the North Shore, the location won't be vacant for long as Lee's Music is primed to take over the building by next spring. 's storefront has been at its location at 249 Tranquille Road since 1983. Owner and operator Patti Montpetit said she has worked at the store since 2002, bought the business in 2004 and has run it with her family since. It's last day of operation was Saturday, Dec. 28. “I’m ready for retirement, I have two wonderful grandchildren and I want to move back to the Island. I miss the ocean,” said Montpetit. “The community is impacted every time a family business closes down, of course it does. But unfortunately, we have to live our lives too.” With Findlay’s vacating the location, a deal was struck with Lee’s Music, which will be moving in some time next year. Montpetit said The Sewing Machine Doctors will be taking over the business’ sewing machine repair contracts and Hi-Tech Vacuums will be doing vacuum repairs “We wanted to make sure we didn’t leave everybody in the lurch, we are the last sewing machine sales people here,” Montpetit said. While the business had searched for a new owner, Montpetit said no buyer could be found. She said she's always had to compete with online shopping. “It’s a sign of change, and change happens and we have to allow that in life. It’s sad when you’re not shopping local, you notice Amazon prices are starting to rise because there’s no competition,” she said. “Nowadays I almost feel obsolete.” Montpetit said since the store announced it was closing she has heard from hundreds in the community wishing her the best. “The North Shore is amazing, the storefront’s been here forever, it seems like, and our community has always supported us,” she said. “I’m going out on a happy note, because I know that my clients appreciated this, and a sad note, because we're leaving them.” Mike Miltimore of Lee’s Music and Riversong Guitar says he has been consolidate his operations at his location at 13th Avenue and Battle Street, selling off the former Riversong Guitar location on Lorne Street two years ago. As part of a , Riversong Guitar has found a new guitar factory in Sicamous in a former houseboat manufacturing facility. Miltimore said he sold his Battle Street location three years ago, making way for a five-storey condominium complex, and Lee’s Music will have to make the move to the North Shore by April 1, 2025 when his lease is up. “When you’re in a place for 22 years, things like your office get pretty stagnant and sometimes you need those changes just to go through and clean and reorganize and have a refresh," Miltimore said. “We are excited to go into the North Shore, which we believe has had a lot of investment and it's becoming the arts and culture centre of Kamloops." He said music lessons, the retail music store and some guitar manufacturing will be moved to the new North Shore location. With the new digs also comes new possibilities. “Maybe we have an outdoor stage in the parking lot on the side, because we’re right on Tranquille,” he said. “We got all sorts of ideas like that, running around and working with the NSBIA [North Shore Business Improvement Association].” Founded in 1974, the announcement of the move coincides with the 50th anniversary of Lee's Music. While she plans on possibly doing some travelling and design work in retirement, Montpetit said she was happy that Lee’s Music will be taking over her location. “It's nice to know that another family business is moving into my old family building,” she said. With Miltimore required to be out of his Battle Street location by the beginning of April, he said he’ll be clearing out some of his stock. “We have an absolute ton of gear that we don’t want to move,” he said. “If anybody is looking for a musical instrument or has a need for something kind of old, we’ve got 50 years of stock that we’re willing to make some deals on.”David Toscano: Trump’s plans pose dilemma for Virginia's governor

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AP News Summary at 8:29 p.m. EST

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WSJ associate editor John Bussey remembers former President Jimmy Carter on 'Fox News Live.' Tributes, including those from all five living presidents, poured in on Sunday after news broke that former President Jimmy Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia , at the age of 100. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States, but he was also a peanut farmer with a vision of a "competent and compassionate" government, which propelled him into the White House. Former President Bill Clinton said in a statement on Sunday that he and his wife, Hillary, met Carter in 1975 as "proud, early supporters" of his presidential campaign. "Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life," Clinton wrote. "Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end." JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100 Clinton continued by praising his presidential colleague for his commitment to civil rights while serving as a state senator and the governor of Georgia, as well as his efforts as president to protect natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, returning the Panama Canal to Panama and securing peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. Carter’s devotions after serving as president also gained accolades from Clinton, including efforts from the Carter Center to support honest elections, advancing peace and combating disease. "I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House," Clinton wrote. "Our prayers are with Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and their families." FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TO SPEND 'REMAINING TIME' AT HOME RECEIVING HOSPICE CARE Former President George W. Bush said Carter was "a man of deeply held convictions" who was loyal to his family, his community and his country. "President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency," Bush said. "His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations." Carter, according to former President Obama, promised voters he would always tell the truth, which Obama said "he did." JIMMY CARTER CELEBRATES 98TH BIRTHDAY WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, BASEBALL From left: Former Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter (HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) "He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image," he added. "Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service." Obama highlighted a quote that Carter said when he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize: "God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace." "He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it," Obama said. JIMMY CARTER, WIFE ROSALYNN CELEBRATE 75 YEARS OF MARRIAGE In another post on X, Obama said, "President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man." President Biden referred to Carter as a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. He also said he and his wife will cherish seeing Carter and his late wife, Rosalynn, together, noting that the love between the two is the "definition of partnership," while their leadership is the definition of "patriotism." "We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts," Biden said. "To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP President-elect Trump also reacted to Carter’s death on Truth Social. "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude," Trump wrote. "Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers." Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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A quick recap of Tuesday's Class C-1 state championship game at Memorial Stadium. Final: Wahoo 47, Central City 7 Turning point: Landon Fye picked up a Central City lateral behind the line of scrimmage and rumbled 33 yards in the second quarter for the first points of the game. Fye's touchdown also snapped a five-quarter scoring drought for the Warriors in the state championship game dating back to the 2023 title game. It was over when ...: The Warriors' defense took over in the second half. Logan Kelley recorded Wahoo's sixth interception of the game and Noah Bordovsky found Josh Fox for a 31-yard touchdown to give the Warriors a 41-7 lead over the Bison in the third quarter. Game ball: The Wahoo defense. Kelley finished with two interceptions Tuesday as the Warriors forced eight turnovers, including seven interceptions. People are also reading... Talking hardware: It's Wahoo's second state championship trophy, joining the 2019 state title. The Warriors finished second in 2023. .​ Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Lincoln Stars/Lincoln Saltdogs reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

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Miles of defunct, lead-covered telephone cables have long sat abandoned beneath the cerulean waters of Lake Tahoe . Now, after years of legal back-and-forth, the cables have been removed. Scuba divers discovered the cables on the lake’s sandy, silty bottom in 2012. The cables consist of copper wires surrounded by a layer of lead sheathing. They were laid in Lake Tahoe decades ago—possibly as early as the 1920s —while telephone service was expanding across the United States. As technology advanced, telecom companies installed newer cables, but they left the old ones in place. Over time, the Lake Tahoe cables suffered damage from boat anchors and debris. Health and environmental activists and residents grew concerned that the torn cables were leaching lead into the lake, which is a popular swimming destination and provides drinking water for some nearby households. The cables’ origins are a little murky, but they are believed to have been originally installed by Bell Systems, which was later acquired by AT&T, as the San Francisco Chronicle ’s Gregory Thomas reported in August. In 2021, the nonprofit California Sportfishing Protection Alliance filed a civil lawsuit against AT&T over the cables. A 2023 Wall Street Journal investigation subsequently found abandoned, lead-covered telecommunications cables across the nation. The publication hired an environmental consulting firm to take soil and water samples from areas near the cables. Testing near the cables in Lake Tahoe showed lead levels that, in one sample, were 2,533 times higher than those recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to the Wall Street Journal . AT&T disputed the claims that the cables had contaminated Lake Tahoe, and it commissioned its own lead tests that concluded the cables were “safe and pose no threat to public health nor the environment,” per its website . But the telecommunications company agreed to remove the cables anyway. This fall, AT&T hired J.F. Brennan Co., a marine services contractor, to remove the cables . Crews worked daily 12-hour shifts for more than two weeks to extract the old infrastructure from the lakebed. They finished the work on November 17, reports SFGate ’s Julie Brown Davis. Scuba divers and a remotely operated underwater vehicle worked in the water, while other crew members were stationed aboard a large barge and a smaller boat, per SFGate . The on-deck teams used a winch to hoist the heavy cables onto the barge, where they cut them into smaller pieces. Crews then ferried the cable pieces to Tahoe Keys Marina, loaded them onto trucks and drove them to a recycling facility. In total, teams removed nearly eight miles of cable from the southwestern part of the lake: One section was located in Emerald Bay, while the other stretched between Rubicon Point and Baldwin Beach. According to the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance’s calculations , the effort was slated to remove roughly 107,000 pounds of lead from the lake. A post shared by Keep Tahoe Blue (@keeptahoeblue) Researchers have not come to a consensus on whether the cables damaged the lake, reports USA Today ’s Greta Cross. “In an abundance of caution and without real access to the full range of all the scientific studies, our priority was to remove the cables as quickly and as safely as possible, always with that environmental protection at the forefront,” Laura Patten , natural resource director for the nonprofit League to Save Lake Tahoe, tells the publication. Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal. But when ingested, it can accumulate in the body and lead to health issues. Children ages 6 and younger are especially vulnerable to lead exposure , which can lead to issues like slow growth, hearing problems, anemia, behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, according to the EPA. In some cases, lead ingestion can cause seizures, coma or death. The EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that no amount of lead is safe for kids. Pregnant women and some other adults can also suffer from health issues linked to lead, such as high blood pressure, decreased kidney function, reproductive problems, miscarriage and more. Lead is also fatally toxic to animals, including endangered California condors and bald eagles . Historically, lead was used in drinking water pipes , ammunition , gasoline and paint . But over the last six decades, those uses have been restricted or banned. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. Sarah Kuta | READ MORE Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.Liverpool crush sorry Real Madrid as Conor Bradley puts Mbappe in his pocket and Mac Allister shines

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Ruling elites in both Pakistan and India have been ignoring the saner elements of Kashmiri society and resorting to sledgehammer tactics to stifle them. The recent crackdown in Pakistan's Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) clearly indicates that the authorities do not want to tolerate any dissenting voice or protest against the policy of the state. This is the second recent crackdown against protests in AJK. Just a few months ago, the authorities tried to use force against those who struggled for the restoration of subsidies. The situation in Indian held Kashmir is not rosy either, where democratic forces have been put behind bars while fanatical elements were extended support by the Indian state. Secular Kashmiri nationalist leaders claim that during the recent elections in the disputed territory, New Delhi released a few former militants to contest the state assembly elections. They assert that the move was to undermine the political popularity of the National Conference, but despite all machinations of the BJP-led government, Farooq Abdullah's party managed to secure a majority in the state assembly. It seems that their victory did not go down well with those sitting in the power corridors of the Indian capital. The recent resolution of Indian-held Kashmir’s assembly clearly indicates as to why the Indian ruling elite is so uncomfortable with nationalist secular political parties. The resolution demanded of the BJP-led government to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir that had been granted to the disputed territory through the article A370 of the Indian constitution. While many in Pakistan only point their finger towards India, accusing New Delhi of adding to the woes of Kashmiri people, some Kashmiri leaders believe that Islamabad is also responsible for the plight of Kashmiri people The resolution, passed in the first week of the current month, sought a dialogue for “restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees” to the Union Territory and urged that “constitutional mechanisms” be worked out for the same. The resolution was passed by a voice vote, with all parties barring the BJP supporting it. Moved by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, the resolution said: “This Legislative Assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal. This Assembly calls upon the government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status, constitutional guarantees and to work out constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions.” Religious Minority Voices Demand Enhanced Representation In Elections The abrogation of the article had even alienated those Kashmiri leaders who wanted greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir within the framework of the Indian constitution. It created an impression that the Modi-led government is hatching machinations to alter the demography of the region besides lending credence to the claims of Kashmiri militant groups that New Delhi only understands the might of guns. It is encouraging to see that all Indian parties except the BJP threw their support behind the resolution. This indicates that most of the parties are amenable to the idea of seeking a peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kashmir dispute that is said to have been a cause of at least three conflicts between the two arch rivals of South Asia. The dispute has also been used to fan anti-Muslims feelings in India while in Pakistan it was exploited by extremist forces who attempted to tear down the social fabric of the society in the name of Kashmir Jihad. It is not only the National Conference or Srinagar-based parties that believe the restoration could create conducive environment for talks between New Delhi and Islamabad, but Kashmiri parties on the other side of the border also assert that the possible reversal of the August 2019’s decision could greatly help normalise ties between Pakistan and India besides allaying the apprehensions of the Kashmiri people towards BJP’s intention. While many in Pakistan only point their finger towards India, accusing New Delhi of adding to the woes of Kashmiri people, some Kashmiri leaders believe that Islamabad is also responsible for the plight of Kashmiri people. United Kashmir People’s National Party chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri from Azad Jammu &Kashmir asks what rights Kashmiri people have in what he calls Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “A number of Kashmiri leaders cannot contest elections in AJK without submitting an affidavit stating they believe in affiliation of the disputed territory with Pakistan.” Afrasiab Khattak Joins Chorus Of Voices Challenging 26th Constitutional Amendment Kashmiri leaders also bemoan the sledgehammer tactics that the Pakistan state is employing in AJK in a bid to control the region. Recently it undertook a number of measures to curb protests in the Pakistani side of Kashmir. The state is also coming hard on those who actively participate in the subsidy movement. Dr Tauqeer Gilani, President of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front in AJK, had to flee the country after a concocted case of blasphemy was registered against him and fanatics in the region staged protests to intimidate Gilani, who was active during the subsidy movement. It is time that both Pakistan and India listen to the Kashmiri political parties who have been seeking a peaceful solution to the inveterate dispute. Any effort to undermine JKLF and other nationalist parties on either side of the border will only strengthen the position of militant outfits whose attacks have created a spectre of nuclear war between the two South Asian rivals in the past. New Delhi will have to engage Yasin Malik and other Kashmiri leaders in talks while Islamabad must abolish the condition of affiliation paving a way for all parties that want to contest elections in the AJK. It is better to listen to saner voices of Kashmiri society before extremists start exploiting the issue again in the two countries. The environment of dialogues and respect for democratic norms might create conditions in the future for the leaderships of two arch rivals to sit together and hammer out an amicable resolution. The sooner the two states understand it the better it will be for Kashmiris and the region.None

As of market close on Dec. 12, the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC -0.00% ) and Nasdaq Composite ( ^IXIC 0.12% ) indexes have gained 27% and 32% in 2024, respectively. Returns like that make it hard for investors to lose money. One of the best-performing sectors in 2024 is consumer cyclical, which has gained 32% -- putting it right on par with the returns of the Nasdaq. Within the consumer cyclical market, however, one sub-industry has been particularly weak. As of this writing, the footwear and accessories market has dropped by 10% this year. This is not an anomaly -- the footwear and accessories industry has dropped by nearly 18% over the last 12 months, and by 36% over the last three years. Given such dismal returns, it's easy to point to inflation and high interest rates as primary culprits impacting the footwear and apparel markets. And while that isn't wrong per se, there's more to the picture when it comes to analyzing individual companies. Below, I'm going to explore what has caused Nike ( NKE -0.91% ) stock to drop by 28% this year -- making it the second-worst-performing stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI -0.20% ) . Furthermore, I'll break down how Nike is changing things up and looking to right the ship. What's been going on at Nike? For the last several years, Nike has instituted a number of changes in the business that ultimately did not work out. Let's explore some of the moves the company made, and assess why they backfired. Metaverse: You may remember that back during the peak days of COVID, a concept known as the metaverse started gaining some traction. The metaverse represents a digital world where people can interact and engage with others through virtual reality, gaming, and more. One of the pillars supporting the metaverse were digital assets , in particular non-fungible tokens ( NFT s). NFTs became incredibly popular for a period of time due to their scarcity and perceived exclusivity. Nike attempted to capitalize on this movement through the acquisition of virtual sneaker company RTFKT . Direct-to-consumer: In recent years, Nike has also made meaningful changes to its distribution strategy. Namely, the company parted ways with a number of brick-and-mortar retailers in an effort to double down on its own branded storefronts and online marketplace. If Nike's five-year stock performance is any indication, things have been pretty rough for the company for a while now. NKE data by YCharts How is Nike trying to right the ship? Earlier this month, Nike announced that it is moving on from the metaverse and shutting down the RTFKT operation. I think this is a necessary move and makes complete sense. Ultimately, becoming involved with NFTs and digital goods was a distraction that further alienated Nike's core customers who prefer higher-quality shoes and clothing. Another big change that Nike made (and one that I predicted) is that it replaced its CEO John Donahoe . Again, this decision makes a lot of sense. Donahoe has spent his entire career in the technology field; simply put, he was likely not the best fit for Nike to begin with. The decision to change its distribution network in favor of a more e-commerce-centric strategy ultimately backfired and paved the way for competing shoe brands to eat into Nike's market share. In addition to cleaning up from an operational and managerial perspective, Nike now also has the luxury of working alongside Bill Ackman . Ackman is the CEO of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management and is known to be an activist investor . And while activists may not always have the most positive reputations, I'd encourage you to take a look at Ackman's track record when it comes to turnaround opportunities. Two of Ackman's more notable success stories in the consumer industry stem from Chipotle Mexican Grill and Wendy's . During Ackman's time as an investor in Wendy's, the company completed a successful spin-off of subsidiary Tim Hortons, while Chipotle (in which Pershing Square still owns a position) replaced its CEO and subsequently entered a new phase of transformative growth. Is Nike stock a buy? Considering Nike's price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 22 is hovering near a 10-year low, I'd say investors have largely soured on the stock and moved on. While this lack of investor enthusiasm may be warranted, I think the company isn't getting enough credit for the changes it's making in order to right the ship going into 2025. NKE PE Ratio data by YCharts While there is some degree of speculation with an investment in Nike, I remain optimistic over its prospects. I think the stock is a bargain at its current valuation, and I think scooping up shares heading into 2025 and holding through the turnaround phase could prove to be a lucrative decision in the long run.

The school board will discuss on Monday evening whether to ask voters for bonds and/or levies as part of the upcoming May school election. The bruising defeat in May of two safety levies cast a shadow over recent budget committee discussions of whether to request money from voters, dividing school advocates on how to proceed. The district elected not to run a high school bond planned for the November general election after the results of the recent election. Opponents of running bonds and levies this May argue that asking tax-fatigued voters for money is tone deaf and that the returns of the last election — in which each levy received about 36.6% of the vote , less than the local vote share captured by Vice President Kamala Harris in the November presidential election — make failure almost certain. “It could be perceived as aggressive, that we don’t listen,” Superintendent Erwin Garcia said. “From a strategic standpoint it would be wise for us to wait.” Billings School District 2 Superintendent Erwin Garcia says he thinks it would be better to wait to ask the voters for increased funding. Supporters believe that it is the school district’s obligation to ask voters for money and that the district is obscuring its true needs from the community by not asking. “Just because the community doesn’t support us, doesn’t mean we don’t ask,” said Trustee Teresa Larsen. “Our education needs still exist. Do we crawl into a hole and hide?” Larsen Other supporters said that it’s the district’s job to advocate for education and the taxpayers’ job to consider their own finances. To further complicate the picture, the decision comes at a time of flux for school funding: between this fall’s end to federal pandemic aid for schools and an upcoming legislative session that could shake up school funding for better or worse. School district budgets depend on yearly passing bonds and levies under the state’s current funding model. “It’s not extras,” said Lance Melton, who has been CEO of the Montana School Board Association since 1996. He compared passing levies to tuning up a Chevy, not buying a Cadillac. Levies are used for operational costs whereas bonds are used for new buildings or major renovations, a difference simplified to “levies are for learning and bonds are for buildings.” The levy discussion has also forced participants to grapple with how campaigning for a levy has become more challenging over the years — due to demographic shifts and decreased voter awareness of school issues — and to brainstorm ways in which the district could improve its chances passing a levy in the future. Controversy among school advocates about whether to run a levy is a novelty for those who have been involved in the school system for many years, as asking voters for money, as part of the state’s funding model, used to be par for the course — pass or fail, rain or shine — for the school district. “I am from the old school that believes we need to run a levy every year,” said Scott McCulloch, who has been in education since the 1970s and is currently chairman of the school board. “What you hear now, I’ve heard it from the board for several years, is that you have to be aware of voters,” he continued. The school district ran bonds and levies eight times between 2000 and 2009 and six times between 2010 and 2019, always running multiple at once until 2019. Since 2020, the district has run a levy every other year. This past election was the first time there had been more than one levy at a time on the ballot since 2017. The last successful high school levy was approved in 2019 and the last successful elementary school levy was approved in 2020. The period in the early 2000s of back-to-back asks saw varying degrees of success. In 2000, voters rejected elementary and high school bonds and a high school levy before passing the same two bonds the next year, with the elementary vote swinging by 8% and the high school vote swinging by 5% between the two elections. In 2002, voters passed elementary and high school levies, then rejected the same plus an elementary technology levy the next year. In 2004, voters rejected elementary and high school technology levies, as well as a high school bond and a high school levy, but passed an elementary bond. McCulloch called this period of running multiple bonds and levies every year “the end of fearlessness.” “We needed that money,” he said of the decision to run multiple at once. “We were running levies because we needed the money.” Potentially splitting the vote by running more than a handful of asks is unthinkable now. Discussions of what could be asked for in the upcoming election focused on a high school bond or rerunning the safety levies. Even Karen Moses, a former trustee and district employee in strong favor of running levies every year, urged committee members to put a high school bond on the ballot without an elementary request out of fear of sabotaging the bond. “If there are two, voters always like the little kids and won’t vote for the high school,” she said at a November budget meeting. Karen Moses speaks on in support of early education during a teleconference with legislators at Montana State University Billings Thursday. The elementary district is currently funded $218,206 below the maximum operational budget that the district could seek through a levy; meanwhile the high school district is funded $1,773,613 below its threshold. Trustee Zack Terakedis said that the district’s reluctance to ask for what it needs has already negatively impacted the district. Zack Terakedis “ Daylis is in the state it’s in because we’re scared to ask,” he said. Brown mold blankets the ceiling of one of the lower locker rooms located under the west end bleachers of Daylis Stadium on Tuesday, July 9. School districts across the state have become increasingly averse to running bonds and levies, which have become more difficult to pass. In the ‘90s, about 50% of the state’s 400 districts would run a levy in a given year and 90% would pass, according to Melton. The passage rate fell to about 70% during the Great Recession, which he called “groundbreaking.” “Up until then, I’d wait until 12 hours after the levy and put out an editorial thanking the voters,” he said. Last election cycle, just 50 districts ran levies and about 50% of those levies passed. Of the bonds and levies run last year by the state’s AA districts, including Billings, voters approved just 38.9% of asks. “It was another one of those ‘oh my goodness’ moments,” Melton said. “Not only the rate of passage and failure, but the absolute lack of districts even putting them out.” Billings’ two safety levies each captured 36.5% of the vote, the lowest vote share of any levies in the past 25 years. Prior to the failed 2022 high school levy, which received 36.98% of the vote, no school bond or levy run from 2000 onward had received under 40% of the vote besides a 2004 bond request to build a new high school. Lance Edward, president of the Billings teachers’ union, argued in a recent budget meeting that it’s important for the district to run levies even if they fail, to demonstrate to the Legislature that the existing funding model does not work . Lance Edward is photographed in his office at the Billings Education Association in downtown Billings on Friday, Aug. 23. “If you’re not in the game it’s hard to say it’s not working,” he said. Edward also said that upcoming decennial school funding study will include mill levy passage rates, which could be inflated if districts are running them only when they think the voters will support them rather than when schools need money. School advocates in Billings and across the state have attributed the increase in levy failures in recent years to voters’ property tax fatigue. But deliberations about the upcoming election have led veterans of the levy process to reflect on the ways in which demographic changes and lack of public awareness of school issues have made it more difficult to get voters to support levies. Statewide, the share of voters with children in schools has declined in the past 25 years. Since 2000, the state's population has grown by 26% and the number of public school students has decreased by 4%, according to Office of Public Instruction and U.S. Census Bureau data. “A decreasing share of the population has a direct stake in school elections,” Melton said. In Billings, the population has increased by 11% in the past decade, but public school enrollment has only increased by 1%. There is also decreased awareness of the challenges and successes faced by schools, because of changes in where voters are getting news and declining interest in local news. Nationally, the percentage of Americans who reported very closely following local news decreased from 37% to 22% between 2016 and 2024, according to the Pew Research Center . The decreased interest in local news has led to cuts across the industry. The Billings Gazette does not have a dedicated education reporter, for example. “There are very few outlets now for people to know what’s going on in the schools,” McCulloch said. “There’s been an effort by the school district to do that.” The school district has had difficulty getting parents engaged in school issues, which supporters believe is vital for levy passage. Terakedis said that there’s an “involvement issue” and that the district needs a “big cultural shift,” citing that the most well-attended community meeting hosted by the superintendent this year had seven parents. Edward said that the biggest parent turnout to the school board this year was in response to a challenge to the district’s library policy , though an $87 million general fund budget should be as alarming to people who care about education. McCulloch found even the book ban turnout paltry given the size of the district. “What we consider a turnout is 200 people,” he said. “That sends a message too. We’ve got a real challenge in engaging this community.” Levy campaigners must fight the tide of disengagement with vigorous campaigning, which is difficult to sustain year after year. "It takes too much to get a levy passed in this community," McCulloch said. "You can't keep that up, financially and with participation, every single year." Kristal McCamey, a member of the SD2 budget committee whose children attend Elder Grove Elementary, used her elementary district’s communication with parents as an example. Every month, parents receive emails about cuts to programs, technology shortages and the number of classes over accreditation. “It stays on top of mind,” she said. “It’s not just once a year saying ‘Hey, do you know that we need money?’” Under state law, teachers are not permitted to advocate for levies on school property or during school hours, but Melton said keeping parents informed of the district’s challenges and successes is essential to building a foundation of support for school funding requests. “Every day of the year you’re promoting the levy — not unlawfully,” he said. Opponents of running another levy, on the other hand, conceive of voters as being more informed. Lorraine Devamme, a district employee, said that if the Legislature allocates more money to public schools in the legislative session, a levy might fail because “voters will say (we) already got money.” In response to a proposed high school levy, Garcia said that “taxpayers know we don’t have a deficit” in the high school district. In advocating against a May bond or levy, Garcia said the district would have a better sense of its needs after the legislative session. For example, if the Legislature approves the governor’s proposal to allocate $81 million to deferred maintenance , the high school bond may not be the district's most pressing need. And if the Legislature passes a bill that ends permanent levies, as a drafted bill has proposed, the district will lose its technology levies and will need to ask for voter approval again. “There are so many moving parts,” Garcia said. “We should wait to see what happens so we can readjust.” Other bills before the Legislature include revising levies to be based on fixed dollar approvals rather than mills, requiring a supermajority of voters to pass voted mill levies and requiring minimum voter turnout to validate property tax levy elections. “If you have anything to do with public education, buckle up for this legislative session,” Terakedis said, who suggested that the district should try to pass a levy before a potential supermajority provision. Garcia voiced optimism about a proposed bill to increase school funding called the STARS Act, as did Devamme. “Lets give the Legislature an opportunity to listen to us, to give us some money,” she said. Other meeting attendees were more skeptical of putting faith in the legislature, after “four decades of the state not living up to its responsibility,” per Moses. In the last two budget meetings, committee members have discussed running a high school bond, updating the district’s technology levies or running another pair of safety levies. Though the district has permanent technology levies in place, they bring in a fixed dollar amount each year, though the costs of the personnel and software they pay for continue to increase — leaving less funding each year for other purchases. The district has been reluctant to run new technology levies due to fear that they will be rejected by the community and will cause the district to lose the meager ones currently in place. Scott Reiter, the facilities manager for the district, instead spoke on behalf of a high school bond. “A high school bond would have the most impact on this whole district,” he said. “The 2013 elementary bond changed elementary schools.” Meanwhile, Garcia and Jim Corson, another committee member reluctant to run a spring bond or levy, floated the idea of running another pair of safety levies. “To me, the safety issues were really compelling,” Corson said at the November budget meeting. “The safety levy is sexy. If you’re going to vote for something you vote for safety.” Districts across the state have gravitated toward safety levies for three reasons: they are a legitimate need, they seem to align with community priorities, and they allow district to request more money from voters than they could through operational levies, which are constrained by general fund budget caps. For example, Billings could only request $218,260 from voters through an elementary operational levy or $1,773,163 for high schools, but the district requested about $2.5 million for each through the recent safety levies. Safety levies run last May by districts across the state requested more money from voters than other levies — and performed worse at the polls. In AA districts that ran multiple levies, vote share was correlated with the size of the ask, not what it was for. In Missoula’s elementary district , a safety levy requested $11.24 per year per $100,000 of home value, while an operational levy requested $0.79. In the high school district, a safety levy asked for $4.08 and an operational levy for $1.65. Both operational levies outran their respective safety levies . The elementary school operational levy overperformed the safety levy by over 9% of the vote, or 1,764 votes. The high school operational levy outran the high school safety levy by 5.7%, or 1,737 votes. The high school safety levy was the only levy to fail. In Helena’s elementary district , an operational levy requested $2.08 annually per $100,000 in home value, while a safety levy requested $61.90 and a tech levy requested $39.97. In the high school district, a safety levy requested $80.27 and a tech levy requested $6.29. Voters rejected all five levies, with the bigger requests in each district failing by larger margins. The elementary general fund levy ran 9.22% ahead of the elementary safety levy , a difference of 1,623 votes. The elementary tech levy ran 3.97% ahead of the safety levy, with 756 more votes. In the high school district, the tech levy outran the safety levy by 4.77%, or 854 votes. Melton, of the state’s school board association, attributed low safety levy support to a “sticker shock” response to the cost. Billings School District 2 board chairman Scott McCulloch speaks during interviews with superintendent candidates at the Lincoln Center in 2023. 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Police body-cam footage has captured the moment police arrested a man on suspicion of harassment and voyeurism following a series of viral ‘Manchester nightlife’ videos filming intoxicated women in Manchester city centre . Uniformed officers are seen smashing down the front door of a house in Bradford this morning (November 27) with a 'wham-ram' before arresting the suspect and escorting him into the rear of a waiting police van. The arrest follows a Manchester Evening News investigation into the videos which saw women filmed without their knowledge - often in vulnerable positions - on Peter Street and Deansgate . Investigations by the M.E.N exposed the trend and revealed how vloggers were posting more explicit videos behind paywalls . Footage that was posted for subscribers paying £13 per month zooms in on women's chests and bottoms as they walk, unaware they are being filmed. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Information collected during our investigation was passed to Greater Manchester Police , who traced a suspect and conducted this morning’s arrest. It is understood to be the first arrest in the country linked with viral videos on social media platforms filming women on nights out. The videos, which have racked up millions of views, have also been taken in London, Liverpool, and Leeds. The 27-year-old suspect has been arrested and remains in police custody for questioning. In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: “This morning (Wednesday 27 November 2024), we’ve arrested a 27-year-old man in Bradford on suspicion of stalking and harassment, in connection with several reports of women being followed, filmed, and harassed in Manchester City Centre. “This arrest is thought to be the first in the country linked with several viral videos on social media platforms appearing to have filmed women on nights out, some whilst in vulnerable positions. “As well as the widely viewed videos posted publicly, through further investigation, we found more content locked under paywalled accounts which included footage of suspected non-consensual nudity and upskirting. “After the issue was first brought to our attention, we made several appeals for anyone directly impacted by these videos to come forward. Many women did so, explaining the fear this had created for them, and the impact on their feeling of being safe whilst out at night. (Image: Greater Manchester Police) “Over the past few months, our neighbourhood team have worked in close consultation with the CPS to understand what next steps we could take with the reports received. “The videos in Manchester were primarily filmed around the Peter Street and Deansgate areas.” Chief Inspector Stephen Wiggins said, “We took the concerns of the public really seriously on this issue, and have worked hard with partners to assess the full circumstances and what courses of action were available to us. It is a very new and complex issue, but this is a significant development. “Everyone has the right to feel safe as they enjoy a night out, and these videos have made people, particularly women, not feel like that, which we can’t tolerate. “Filming in public is legal, however where this filming crosses the line into offences such as upskirting, stalking or harassment, it’s important that we don’t allow that behaviour. “Every Friday and Saturday there are approximately 60 officers on patrol around our city centre hotspots, also with support from partners, charities, and volunteers. Collectively, we are all on the look out for any behaviour that appears predatory in nature, proactively challenging that behaviour and safeguarding anyone who is vulnerable. (Image: MEN) “Particularly as we enter one of our busiest periods in the year, Christmas and New Year, I want to reassure the public that Manchester City Centre’s night life is safe, and they can expect us to take action against anyone who threatens that. “We would continue to encourage anyone who has personally been impacted by the content within these videos to come forward to us, so we can record these reports and assist with our ongoing investigations. This can be done via our online reporting tool (link) or by calling 101.”

VANCOUVER - British Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2024.49ers QB Brock Purdy remains severely limited by injury to his throwing shoulder