New ’48-hour warning’ issued as cases of violent diarrhoea bug explode – and common ‘protection’ WON’T work
Julia Wick | (TNS) Los Angeles Times As California politicos look ahead to 2025, the biggest question looming is whether Vice President Kamala Harris — a native daughter, battered just weeks ago by presidential election defeat — will enter the 2026 California governor’s race. Related Articles National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration even as he threatens massive tariffs on Beijing National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump National Politics | What Americans think about Hegseth, Gabbard and key Trump Cabinet picks AP-NORC poll National Politics | Trump is named Time’s Person of the Year and rings the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell Harris has yet to give any public indication on her thoughts and those close to her suggest the governorship is not immediately top of mind. But if Harris does ultimately run — and that’s a massive if — her entrée would seismically reshape the already crowded race for California’s highest office. Recent polling suggests Harris would have a major advantage, with 46% of likely voters saying they were somewhat or very likely to support her for governor in 2026, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey co-sponsored by The Times. “If Vice President Harris were to choose to run, I am certain that that would have a near field-clearing effect on the Democratic side,” Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, said during a recent UC Irvine panel interview . Porter, a high-profile Democrat who has been eyeing the wide-open governor’s race, has yet to say whether she plans to run. Porter’s point was broadly echoed in conversations with nearly a dozen California political operatives and strategists, several of whom requested anonymity to speak candidly. Most speculated that a Harris entry would cause some other candidates in the race to scatter, creating further upheaval in down-ballot races as a roster of ambitious politicians scramble for other opportunities. “In politics, you always let the big dogs eat first,” quipped Democratic political consultant Peter Ragone. The current gubernatorial field is a who’s who of California politicians, but lacks a clear favorite or star with widespread name recognition. The vast majority of California’s 22 million voters have yet to pay attention to the race and have little familiarity with the candidates. The list of Democratic candidates includes Los Angeles’ first Latino mayor in more than a century ( Antonio Villaraigosa ); the first female and first out LGBTQ leader of the state Senate ( Toni Atkins ); the sitting lieutenant governor and first woman to hold that post ( Eleni Kounalakis ); the state superintendent of public instruction ( Tony Thurmond ) and the former state controller ( Betty Yee ). Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is serving his second term as California governor, meaning he is ineligible to run again. Several other Democrats, including Porter, outgoing Health and Human Services Director Xavier Becerra and state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta have also publicly toyed with the idea of a run. They could be less likely to enter the fray should Harris decide to run. What the billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso — who has also been exploring a run — would choose to do is an open question, as Caruso might contrast himself with Harris as a more centrist candidate. The real estate developer was a registered Republican until November 2019. It’s unlikely that Harris will proffer a public decision in the immediate term, leaving plenty of time for political insiders to game out hypotheticals in the weeks and months to come. Harris’ office did not respond to a request for comment. “I think every candidate for governor is trying to get some kind of intel,” Mike Trujillo, a Los Angeles-based Democratic political consultant and former Villaraigosa staffer, said of a potential Harris run. Trujillo speculated that Harris’ current state was probably similar to Hillary Clinton’s hiking sojourns in the Chappaqua woods after losing to Donald Trump in 2016, or Al Gore growing a beard in the bruising aftermath of his 2000 defeat. “The first thing she’s probably thinking about is, ‘Well, can I run again for president in four years?’ Not, ‘Do I run for governor in two years?’” said one political operative who’s worked with Harris in the past. Harris maintains a home in Brentwood and previously served as California’s senator and attorney general. A successful run for governor in 2026 would almost certainly impede a grab for the presidency in 2028. (Though if history is any guide, an unsuccessful run for California governor does not definitively preclude a bid for the Oval Office: Two years after losing the White House to John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon lost the 1962 contest for governor to Pat Brown . The Yorba Linda native became the nation’s 37th president in 1969.) As the chief executive of a state that doubles as the world’s fifth-largest economy, Harris would have more power to steer policy and make changes as a California governor than she did as vice president, where her job required deference to President Biden. But leading a state, even the nation’s most populous, could feel like small potatoes after being a heartbeat (and a few dozen electoral votes) from the presidency. The protracted slog to November 2026 would also be a stark contrast to her ill-fated 107-day sprint toward the White House, particularly for a candidate whose 2020 presidential primary campaign was dogged by allegations of infighting and mismanagement. “I don’t think Kamala Harris has a deep psychological need to be governor of California, or to be in elective office in order to feel like she can contribute to society,” said the operative who’s worked with Harris in the past. “I think some of these people do, but she’s somebody who has enough prominence that she could do a lot of big, wonderful things without having to worry about balancing California’s budget or negotiating with Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel,” the Encino Democrat who chairs the Assembly’s budget committee. Technically, Harris has until March 2026 to decide whether she enters a race. But political strategists who spoke to The Times theorized that she probably would make a move by late spring, if she chooses to do so. “People will be more annoyed if she drops in in June,” a Democratic strategist involved with one of the gubernatorial campaigns said. Sending a clear signal by February would be more “courteous,” the strategist continued, explaining that such a move would give candidates more time to potentially enter other races. Kounalakis is a longtime friend and ally of Harris’ , and the vice president also has long-term relationships with some of the other candidates and potential candidates. California has eight statewide elected offices and campaign finance laws allow candidates to fundraise interchangeably for them, meaning money already raised for a candidate’s gubernatorial campaign could easily be redirected should they decide to run for, say, lieutenant governor instead. There are already a number of candidates running for lieutenant governor, including former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, former state Sen. Steven Bradford and former state Treasurer Fiona Ma. But that office probably would see even more interest should Harris enter the gubernatorial race. It’s a largely ceremonial position, but one that has served as a launching pad for the governorship. Still, even if Harris does enter the race, Republican political strategist Mike Murphy threw cold water on the idea that she would have an automatic glide path to the governor’s office. “It’s like Hollywood. Nobody knows anything. She’s famous enough to look credible in early polling. That’s all we know for sure,” Murphy said. “Does that predict the future? No. Are there a lot of downsides (to a potential Harris candidacy)? Totally, yes.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC Buys New Stake in iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ:ICLN)Israeli airstrikes hit a Yemen airport as a jet with hundreds onboard was landing, UN official says
Army-Navy game has added buzzBy Evolve Editors Taylor Swift and her beau Travis Kelce recently surprised the latter’s teammate Chris Jones and his girlfriend with gifts on Christmas . Kelce and Jones have played together for the Kansas City Chiefs for eight years now, ever since the defensive tackle was selected by the reigning Super Bowl champions in the 2016 NFL draft. However, their bond seems to extend beyond the field, as evidenced by their recent present exchange. Here’s everything you need to know regarding the wholesome gesture toward Jones showcased by Kelce and Swift. The update came to light after Chris Jones’ partner, Sheawna Weathersby, took to social media to share the gifts sent by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. In the Instagram Story posted by Weathersby on December 25, fans could see three presents and a Louis Vuitton package lined up against a decorated tree. Alongside the packed items was a personalized note that read, “Merry Christmas from Travis and Taylor.” Weathersby also captioned the story, “So blessed & grateful this holiday season. Thank youuuu, Tay Tay!!!” to show her appreciation for Swift and her partner, as per People . The 14-time Grammy winner and Chris Jones’ girlfriend have often accompanied one another at Kansas City Chiefs matches as they cheer on their respective boyfriends from the stands. Weathersby is also a certified Swiftie and has publicly shared her appreciation for the singer in the past. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been spreading much joy this festive season. The “Bad Blood” singer recently donated $250,000 to a Kansas City organization that Kelce has contributed to since 2015. She also visited the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Missouri earlier this month and interacted with several patients while signing autographs for the present fans. An account of Swift’s visit has since gone viral on TikTok, extending her popularity among the general public. Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net . Evolve Media is a publisher of leading enthusiast destinations. Share article
Jason LaCroix felt privileged to work from home, especially as a father to two young children. He needed flexibility when his son, then 6, suffered a brain injury and spent 35 days in intensive care. LaCroix, a senior systems engineer based in Atlanta, took time off and then worked from home while managing his son's care and appointments. But LaCroix was laid off last February from that job, where he'd been working remotely for five years. His new role requires him to spend four days a week in a company office and commute for three hours a day. “I want to be around for my kids,” LaCroix, 44, said. “It’s very important for me to be around for my son, because we almost lost him.” Heading into 2025, thousands of workers face an unsettling reality: after years of working from the comfort of home, they must return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic or look for new work. Employees at Amazon, AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days per week. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to fire federal workers who don't show up to do their jobs in-person. “People always want to have flexibility,” said Mark Ma, a University of Pittsburgh associate professor of business administration. “I have never heard anyone telling me that I thank my job because it’s so rigid in its schedule.” Ma researched what happened when technology and finance companies in the S&P 500 stopped allowing employees to work remotely in recent years. He found the companies experienced high turnover rates after implementing return-to-office mandates, especially among female employees — who often have childcare responsibilities — and senior-level executives. “Over the years, people have adjusted their lives. They’ve figured out, ‘Oh wow, I can pick my kids up from school. Wow. I can caretake for my aging parents while I am still working,'" said Shavon Terrell-Camper, a therapist and mental wellness coach. “Once you have tasted work-from-home ... it’s difficult to see your life going back to something that could’ve been unsustainable from the beginning.” Workers and experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office. Employers can compromise if their goal is to increase how much time staff members spend together. Ma suggests an “employee-choice” approach which gives teams the authority to decide how many days they will work in the office as a group. If that's not an option, employees also can ask to adjust their hours. LaCroix leaves home at 5 a.m. and works in the office until 2 p.m. to reduce time in traffic and allow him to be home when his kids get off the bus after school. His employer requires eight hours in the workplace but is flexible on which hours. “A lot of people are pushing back, and they are trying to work out scenarios to see what type of flexibility does exist within the mandate,” Terrell-Camper said. Some are coming up with work-arounds that aren't endorsed by upper management. “Coffee badging” is a technique that involves heading to the office, swiping a company ID, having a coffee and leaving to work from home. Desperate to hold onto valuable employees, supervisors have tried a “hushed hybrid” approach, where they take their subordinates’ ID badges and swipe them “in” and “out” to make it appear they’ve been in the office, Ma said. It's best to have an honest conversation with a manager about any personal needs and to “ask for forgiveness ahead of time, because your family is the most important thing,” said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute. Many companies have employee assistance programs that do more than most people realize, such as directing employees to resources that can help them care for parents or children, she said. Medical conditions can make it especially challenging to work on-site. Kyle Ankney, a public relations strategist based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has cerebral palsy and needs a nurse to help him change a catheter three times a day. His health insurance will only send a nurse to one location, so working in an office isn't an option. “If that weren’t an issue, I could find my way into the office,” he said. Ankney, who ran his own PR firm for years, was seeking director-level roles, but a recruiter told him he should consider less-senior roles because of his need to work remotely. Instead, he applied to director-level jobs that were advertised as on-site or hybrid, and then reached out to explain his circumstances and ask if the hiring companies were open to him working from home. “While I would never normally, especially in a career setting, lead with, ‘I have cerebral palsy and I’m in a wheelchair,’ I’m finding that I'm almost having to make myself vulnerable in that way just to see if the opportunity is even there for me,” Ankney said. Landing a fully remote job can be competitive. “There are going to be many people that don’t have the luxury just to leave" their current jobs if they're required to return to the office, "especially in a volatile market such as we’re in right now,” Terrell-Camper said. Attorney Holly Keerikatte was recently working on-site five days a week at a hospital, commuting about three hours a day and looking for a role that allowed more time with her family. She received two job offers. One was fully remote. The other paid 50% more but required a long commute. She recalled reading the phrase, “The only people who remember you worked late are your children.” She chose the remote job. “My primary driver is what’s best for my family,” Keerikatte said. “My advice is to be up-front and transparent about what you want, what you’re looking for and why." When faced with the inevitability of returning to an office, look for the positives. Friendships can blossom as colleagues take coffee breaks together or sample new lunch spots. In-person conversations can spark ideas that wouldn’t surface at home. Employers can ease the transition by organizing activities that create camaraderie. For example, managers can put together a series of talks about the transition and have groups share what works for them, Dufrane said. Face-to-face contact allows people to better understand what colleagues are thinking and doing, which helps prevent resentment and can provide helpful feedback. Video director Deborah Ann DeSnoo, who owns Plug-In Inc., a video production company in Chofu, Japan, says she has worked in many countries where the film industry was male-dominated and female directors like her were uncommon. She makes a point to connect with colleagues in person, giving her a chance to bond. “You can read the air in a different way, and you find a solution,” DeSnoo said. “When you’re on a Zoom and they ignore you, there’s nothing you can do.”
How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbersAttorney General of India R. Venkataramani has proposed to establish a Global Environmental Bar to facilitate cross-border legal collaboration and knowledge exchange. He was speaking at a round-table conference organised by All India Lawyers Forum along with the University College London on ‘Global Environment Laws’ in New Delhi recently. Reflecting on India’s diversity, Mr. Venkataramani stressed the importance of framing policies that respect cultural and regional variations. He pointed out that legal education should emphasise social justice missions over monetary incentives in litigation. Supreme Court advocates Pragya Parijat Singh, Durgesh Gupta, Yog Maya and Vikas Verma spoke at the conference. Published - November 24, 2024 09:59 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Delhi / India
Army-Navy game has added buzz
Premier League leaders Liverpool ruthlessly exploited another slip by their title rivals to move seven points clear with a match in hand after a 3-1 win over Leicester. Chelsea’s surprise defeat at home to Fulham earlier in the day had been an unexpected gift for Arne Slot’s side and they drove home their advantage by outclassing the struggling Foxes. Having overcome the early setback of conceding to Jordan Ayew, with even the travelling fans expressing their surprise they were winning away after taking just five points on the road this season, the home team had too much quality. Mohamed Salah, second left, celebrates after scoring Liverpool’s third goal against Leicester (Peter Byrne/PA) Further goals from Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah, with his 19th of the season, stretched Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 22 matches. For Leicester, who had slipped into the bottom three after Wolves’ win over Manchester United, it is now one win from the last 10 in the league and Ruud van Nistelrooy has plenty of work to do, although he was not helped here by the absence of leading scorer Jamie Vardy through injury. It looked liked Liverpool meant business from the off with Salah’s volley from Gakpo’s far-post cross just being kept out by Jakub Stolarczyk, making his league debut after former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward was omitted from the squad having struggled in the defeat to Wolves. But if the hosts thought that had set the tone they were badly mistaken after being opened up with such simplicity in only the sixth minute. Jordan Ayew celebrates after putting Leicester in front (Peter Byrne/PA) With a surprise lead to cling to Leicester knew they had to quell the storm heading their way and they began by trying to take as much time out of the game as they could, much to Anfield’s frustration. It took a further 18 minutes for Liverpool to threaten with Gakpo cutting in from the left to fire over, a precursor for what was to follow just before half-time. That was the prompt for the attacks to rain down on the Foxes goal, with Salah’s shot looping up off Victor Kristiansen and landing on the roof of the net and Robertson heading against a post. Gakpo’s inclination to come in off the left was proving a problem for the visitors, doing their utmost to resist the pressure, but when Salah curled a shot onto the crossbar on the stroke of half-time it appeared they had survived. Cody Gakpo curls in Liverpool’s first goal (Peter Byrne/PA) Early the second half Darwin Nunez fired over Ryan Gravenberch’s cross before Jones side-footed home Mac Allister’s cross after an intricate passing move inside the penalty area involving Nunez, Salah and the Argentina international. Leicester’s ambition remained limited but Patson Daka should have done better from a two-on-one counter attack with Mavididi but completely missed his kick with the goal looming. ? pic.twitter.com/IqmAsKylLR — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 26, 2024 Nunez forced a save out of the goalkeeper before Gakpo blasted home what he thought was his second only for VAR to rule Nunez was offside in the build-up. But Liverpool’s third was eventually delivered by the left foot of Salah, who curled the ball outside Kristiansen, inside Jannick Vestergaard and past Stolarczyk inside the far post.Warner Bros. Discovery Hits 1-Year High On New Corporate Structure: Retail Applauds Strategic Shift
Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has again expressed concern over the insistence of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government’s tax reform policy, which he opined could lead to economic setbacks, particularly in Northern Nigeria. The governor made the assertion on Thursday while addressing members of the Christian community in Bauchi State who paid him a Christmas homage at the government house in Bauchi. The Governor, who is also the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, urged the Federal Government to re-evaluate its economic policies in light of the increasing hardships faced by Nigerians. He said that the Tax Reform Bills are aimed at favouring just a section of the country and shortchanging northern Nigeria. He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his team to listen to the people over whatever policies they bring and to change them when there are complaints. He stressed that no policy should be imposed on the people because Nigeria does not operate an oligarchy system of government or a military rule. Bala Mohammed said, “I call on you to pray for Nigeria and pray for all the leaders of Nigeria, including my humble self, because Nigeria needs prayers. We are facing difficulties. There is a lot of wahala, there is a lot of hunger, and it is something that we have to pray for God to obliterate. We have to say it, but certainly, we are not insulting anybody.” According to him, “We are calling on the presidency and the Federal Government to change their style. Whenever a policy is not popular, they should listen to the people. They should not be arrogant and think that whatever we bring must be. This is not an oligarchy; this is not a military rule; they must listen to the people, and that is what makes a good leader.” “And we pledge to be loyal to them, but anything they are doing contrary to that, they are calling for anarchy, they are calling for intransigence, and it is unacceptable. There is a lot of wahala; we must work together across party lines and across the tiers of government to provide succour and solace to the Nigerian people,” he added. He further said, “It is not about pride or ego; we must be able to do things that people will be assisted because whatever it is, the situation was not like this before. If the situation was bad before I came, tell me! And I must change, and that is why the Presidency must listen to the cries about the tax reform.” He added, “It is not a good policy for Northern Nigeria because we are not going to get money to pay you salaries or to do roads. They must listen; otherwise, they are calling for anarchy. And that is not good.” He stressed, “We voted for the presidency in this state and other states; they must listen to us. They must not come up with policies that favour only one section of the country or even one state in the country. It is not about religion, it is not about tribe, it is about national unity, it is about national hegemony, and this is what we are all about: good leadership.” According to him, “We will continue to be loyal for the time being; if the situation persists, they will see our real colour; we are going to fight for it.” “We are not afraid of them; even if it’s the President, we are not afraid of them, except that we only show respect. Whether it is the traditional institution, or it is the Federal Government, or it is the President, honestly, we are not afraid of them, but we can only show our obedience and respect to leadership. But we will not allow anyone to denigrate us,” the governor asserted. According to him, “People are suffering and are hungry. They need to look at their leadership style. Leadership is listening to the people and being sensitive to their feelings; leadership is doing what the people want. But I appeal to you (Nigerians) that since we’ve endured to this point, we should continue to be more patient because living in peace is what we need.” He further stressed, “We should continue to pray for the President and his government that God will make them listen; may God make them change their minds and policies in a way that will be beneficial to all Nigerians, in a way that will drive away hunger, the insults, insecurity, and all the things they want to bring that will cause division among Nigerians.” He expressed appreciation to the Christian community in Bauchi State for the support they’ve always been giving him throughout his sojourn in politics, saying that whatever he does for them is only a reciprocation of what they’ve been doing to him for decades. Bala Mohammed said, “I wish to thank the Christians for their support over the years, especially for my dear party, the PDP, and my humble self. Even when I was in ANPP, the Christians helped me and voted for me, and they believe in me despite my limitations and inadequacies. I really appreciate your support all through up to this difficult time that we came back for the second term.” He added, “Whatever we are doing that you are appreciating, we are appreciating more because it is something that you deserve, it is something that you earned, and it is something that befits you because you are all my brothers and sisters.” He stressed, “I am a special breed of person; most of you are my blood brothers and sisters, and most of you are my tribesmen; we came from the same source; we only believe differently. My wife has said it all: You are free to practice your religion; I am free to practice my own—there is no compulsion in religion, so it should not be a dividing factor.” According to him, “And you have demonstrated this; you have shown support, you have shown appreciation, you have shown humility, especially the Chairman of CAN and his executive members. The little things we are doing are appreciated; that will give us a lot of encouragement.” “Our Christian brothers and sisters, we are grateful for the support and cooperation that you keep giving us and our government; we will continue to be just and fair to you and everyone. And whatever we do, we don’t do it so that you praise us; we do it because it is compulsory on us and it is our training in leadership,” he added. The Governor further said, “People are calling on me to contest for the President of Nigeria; I am not the only person in Nigeria. The people of Bauchi have done everything for me—they gave birth to me, educated me, I went and worked in Lagos, I became a director at the federal level, I then became a senator, I served as minister, and now I am a governor for the second term. Even if God allows me like this, I am contented and grateful, and whatever this I will get again is just an addition to me.” “But for your sakes, I can lay down my life; for the sake of my people, I can confront anybody. We are just quiet because peaceful coexistence is more than anything else,” he said. He emphasised the need for leadership that prioritises the well-being of citizens and challenged the ruling APC to implement people-centred policies that will put food on the table. On the occasion of Christmas, Bala Mohammed congratulated Christians on a peaceful celebration and encouraged them to uphold the spirit of unity and love during the festive season. The State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Abraham Damina, led the delegation to the Government House as part of activities marking this year’s Christmas celebrations. Reverend Damina expressed gratitude for the state government’s support in ensuring a successful celebration and commended the governor for fostering inclusivity and extending a hand of fellowship to Christian communities. The event featured entertainment and goodwill messages from government officials and religious leaders, underscoring the spirit of togetherness during the festive period. READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Recently, I attempted to plan a road trip through Canada. What should have been exciting—imagining stunning national parks and scenic drives—became a digital nightmare of juggling 50 different websites. Just figuring out the basics was exhausting: Could I take my dog to the parks? Were there direct flights? What activities would be good for my three kids? What’s the best driving route? Each question spawned five new browser tabs. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of planning a trip yourself, you’re probably nodding your head. Here’s the reality of travel planning today: 43% of Americans dislike booking travel , including 23% of GenZ travelers. 88% of potential travelers abandon their bookings (85% of desktop users and 91% of mobile device users). 33% of families find the process extremely time-consuming . Meanwhile, travel industry companies are racing to implement basic AI chatbots that can handle simple questions like “What’s my flight status?” But they’re missing the real opportunity. Today’s AI is capable of so much more—it can think the way actual travelers think, handling complex requests, and solving real problems. Instead of forcing us to break our trips into rigid search boxes and dropdown menus, AI can help booking sites work the way our brains do. Here’s what that could look like. Search with human language No two people approach travel the same way. Some start with a destination, others with the experiences they want, and some just with a season. Travel companies could use AI to follow each person’s unique chain of thought, delivering personalized results and planning processes that fit how they think—not the other way around. Book by budget When was the last time you started vacation planning with a precise budget in mind? We think more naturally: “What can I get for my money in Thailand with the family?” Booking platforms can use AI to lay out complete vacation options at different price points—showing you exactly what each tier offers from flights to activities. Dynamic visual planning Trip ideas begin with inspiration, not itineraries. We save posts on Instagram, collect Pinterest boards, and share TikToks of dream destinations. Travel sites could harness AI to transform these wish lists into bookable trips—turning social inspiration into real adventures. On-demand replanning Travel plans aren’t set in stone. Weather changes, flights get delayed, kids get tired. Smart travel platforms should be using AI to handle these real-world changes, suggesting alternatives that keep your trip on track without starting over. Simplified group booking Planning group trips means balancing different wishes and constraints. AI can help travel companies transform individual preferences—from beachfront hotels to local hiking trails—into perfectly matched itineraries that work for everyone. The most frustrating part? None of this is science fiction. Companies already use natural language AI to understand complex customer service requests, visual AI to organize and catalog millions of images, and real-time systems to manage everything from stock trades to factory operations. The same technologies could transform travel planning—if companies would stop settling for quick fixes and start reimagining what’s possible. These examples are just the beginning of what’s possible when we reimagine travel planning. So, the next time a booking site asks you to start with “Where to?” remember: That’s not how we dream about travel, and it’s not how we should have to plan it. The future of travel planning is hiding in plain sight—we just need to demand better. Peter Smart is chief experience officer and managing partner at Fantasy. The application deadline for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards is Friday, December 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
With Week 13 of the 2024 college football season in the books, it’s time to project how the new 12-team playoff will look by December. After 13 weeks of the season, projections and predictions on how the bracket could look in December have changed significantly from August. Additionally, with several big-time matchups still to come in November and conference championships in December, expect this projection to change many times before the final version is unveiled on Dec. 8. After another Saturday of high-profile games and a few upsets, the projected playoff field looks different than last week's edition. Oregon remains No. 1, and Georgia moves to the No. 2 spot as the projected SEC champion after clinching a spot in Atlanta on Saturday. Miami and Boise State round out the highest-rated projected conference champions, with Arizona State now in control of the fifth guaranteed spot as the top team in the Big 12. Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee, and SMU rank as the top at-large selections. Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Clemson are the first teams out of the projected 12-team field this week. With one full week of action and conference championship games still to come, these predictions and projections will look significantly different by next Sunday. Week 13 features several games that will shape this projection next week, including Michigan-Ohio State, Texas-Texas A&M, Auburn-Alabama, Notre Dame-USC, and Tennessee-Vanderbilt. Although the season is 13 weeks old, the impact of every game isn't limited to just the top four. Instead, each contest takes on an increased role due to eight additional spots in the playoff, as well as seeding, and the automatic bids for conference champions. As a refresher: 12 teams — the five highest-rated conference champions and seven highest-ranked at-large selections by the selection committee — will receive berths to the College Football Playoff. The top four teams receive a bye, with the first-round games slated to be played at the home sites of the higher seed. Beginning with the quarterfinals, all games through the national championship will be played at bowl or neutral sites. Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024 With Week 13 completed, Athlon Sports projects the CFP field for 2024: College Football Playoff 12-Team Preseason Projections for 2024 The Projected Field for 2024-25 Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024 1. Oregon (Projected Big Ten Champion) 2. Georgia (Projected SEC Champion) 3. Miami (Projected ACC Champion) 4. Boise State (Projected MW Champion) 5. Ohio State 6. Texas 7. Penn State 8. Notre Dame 9. Indiana 10. Tennessee 11. SMU 12. Arizona State (Projected Big 12 Champion) Bubble Watch After Week 13 Alabama (8-3) Ole Miss (8-3) South Carolina (8-3) Texas A&M (8-3) BYU (9-2) Clemson (9-2) Iowa State (9-2) Tulane (9-2) G5 Playoff Contenders Projected Conference Champions: Tulane, Boise State, Jacksonville State, Louisiana, and Miami (Ohio) Other G5 Teams in the Mix: Army, Sam Houston, Western Kentucky, Liberty, James Madison, Georgia Southern, Marshall, Arkansas State, South Alabama, Bowling Green, Ohio, and UNLV. College Football Playoff First Round First-round games will be placed on campus sites of highest seed. Matchups will take place from Dec. 20-21. No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Arizona State No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 SMU No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 10 Tennessee No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Indiana Related: Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024 College Football Playoff Quarterfinals Second-round games will be played at bowl sites and will take place from Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 31) Projection: No. 4 Boise State vs. No. 5 Ohio State Peach Bowl (Jan. 1) Projection: No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Texas Rose Bowl (Jan. 1) Projection: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Notre Dame Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1) Projection: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 10 No. 7 Penn State College Football Playoff Semifinals Semifinal games will be played at bowl sites. Matchups are scheduled for Jan. 9-10. Orange Bowl (Jan. 9) Projection: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas Cotton Bowl (Jan. 10) Projection: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Ohio State National Championship Jan. 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Ga. Projection: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 2 Georgia Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com . Follow him on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook . Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024-25 Related: College Football Rankings: Athlon Sports Top 25 (After Week 13) Related: College Football AP Top 25 Poll Predictions After Week 13: Indiana, Army Unbeaten No MoreStock market’s merry times continue post-ChristmasChuck Woolery , whose game-show hosting career included tenures at Wheel of Fortune and Love Connection , has died at age 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s friend and podcast cohost, shared the news on X on Saturday. “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away,” Young wrote. “Life will not be the same without him. RIP, brother.” Young told TMZ he was at Woolery’s home in Texas when the former TV host reported not feeling well and went to lie down. When Young checked in later, Woolery was having trouble breathing, and despite a 911 call, Woolery died shortly thereafter. Woolery was born on March 16, 1941, in Ashland, Kentucky, to a business owner and a homemaker, according to The Hollywood Reporter . After stints at the University of Kentucky, in the U.S. Navy, and at Morehead State University, Woolery moved to Nashville to start a music career. He and singer Elkin “Bubba” Fowler formed the psychedelic pop duo The Avant-Garde, and their song “Naturally Stoned” peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. Lorimar Television/ Everett Collection A singing performance on The Merv Griffin Show led Woolery to audition for a new game show, originally titled Shopper’s Bazaar , that Merv Griffin was developing at the time. After some tinkering, Wheel of Fortune debuted on NBC on January 6, 1975. Griffin earned a Daytime Emmy for his Wheel work and hosted the show until 1981, when a salary dispute led producers to replace him with Pat Sajak . Woolery moved on with a job hosting the syndicated dating game show Love Connection from 1983 to 1994, pulling in 4.5 million viewers a day at one point. He also emceed the game show Scrabble from 1984 to 1990, and between the two shows, he was earning $1 million a year by 1986, as People reported at the time. Woolery also hosted the game show Greed on Fox from 1999 to 2000 and Lingo on Game Show Network from 2002 to 2007. In recent years, Woolery stoked controversy with his political views, posting a tweet that sparked antisemitism accusations in 2017 and then claiming in 2020 that “everyone [was] lying” about the coronavirus pandemic , as Newsweek reported. He also argued that minorities didn’t need civil rights, according to the Associated Press . Woolery was married four times, and his ex-wives included actor Jo Ann Pflug. He had eight children and stepchildren, per THR . More Headlines: