jili777 net

An oil rig drills a well under moon light near Cremona, Alta., on Sept. 24, 2023. Drilling expertise runs deep in Alberta owing to the province’s long history with oil and gas, but industries that can lower greenhouse-gas emissions also rely on the technology. Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press Alberta is hoping to attract geothermal, critical mineral, helium and carbon-capture companies to the province through a major new drilling hub. The public-private partnership, announced Monday, would become Canada’s first technology-agnostic, industry-led drilling hub. The province has earmarked $50-million from Alberta’s carbon tax on large emitters to develop the project, which is envisioned as a place where companies can test new drilling techniques and technologies to accelerate their development. Major companies in the drilling sector, including geothermal company Eavor Technologies Inc., Calgary-based Tourmaline Oil Corp. TOU-T and global oilfield service company Halliburton Co. HAL-N have already expressed interest in becoming anchor tenants. No binding contracts have been signed, but Premier Danielle Smith told media that tens of millions of dollars in private-sector capital investment could potentially be secured through the project. Drilling expertise runs deep in Alberta owing to the province’s long history with oil and gas. But industries that can lower greenhouse-gas emissions – including geothermal energy and carbon capture – also rely on the technology. So, too, does the production of critical minerals and helium – sectors that have been eyed as potential economic boons for Alberta and other provinces. The site for the Alberta Drilling Accelerator hasn’t yet been selected, but an April feasibility study led by Calgary-based Eavor, in partnership with the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors and the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association, identified various options. The province expects to announce the location in early 2025. Geothermal energy accounts for a mere 0.5 per cent of renewables-based electricity generation, heating and cooling globally, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. However, geothermal electricity generation grew around 3.5 per cent in 2021, and the technology’s use for heating and cooling grew by around 9 per cent annually between 2015 and 2020. The International Energy Agency has identified geothermal as an energy source with untapped potential, and in recent reports has underscored the need to rapidly increase support for the technology to help the world meet goals for net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions. While global growth in geothermal mostly stalled in 2022, according to the agency’s 2023 renewables report, the Paris-based energy watchdog says that’s likely to change, driven by a mix of market interest and government policy. That’s where Canada has a unique opportunity to repurpose existing oil and gas skill sets, as the world pivots to cleaner energy. A recent analysis by energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie estimated that investment in geothermal through 2050 could hit US$1-trillion, should there be broad global adoption of the technology. Eavor chief executive officer John Redfern said Monday there is something of a global “geothermal arms race” under way, exemplified by recent announcements about new geothermal test facilities in China, the United States, New Zealand, Iceland and others. The drilling accelerator would play a crucial role in Canada securing some of that global investment, he said. Drilling accounts for up to 90 per cent of geothermal project capital expenditure. Those high costs have been a major roadblock for the broad global adoption of geothermal energy, but Mr. Redfern said the hub could help address that barrier while attracting investment to the province. “There are incremental improvements we’re making with geothermal, but through things like the accelerator, we’re talking about fundamental new technology that can drastically reduce the cost of it,” he said. Ms. Smith said Monday that industries that rely on drilling are vital for Alberta to achieve its goal of net-zero by 2050, which is why the new accelerator is so important. “We’ll be expanding our already vast knowledge base, keeping Alberta out in front of the preferred global energy provider, and supporting the development of technology the world desperately needs to support a sustainability goal,” she said. She said the project would also support the long-term economic goal of operators being able to scale up and sell their homegrown expertise by developing and manufacturing drilling technology that can be used around the world. “There’s major interest in this project among Alberta’s industry players,” she said. The drilling accelerator is slated to begin operations in 2026, managed as a non-profit by a new industry association.Have thoughts on wildlife conservation? Help New Hampshire officials update their plan.

Court rejects request to sideline San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she's transgender

Hail Flutie: BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Miracle in Miami

jili777 pw legit or not FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm moving through Northern California on Thursday toppled trees and dropped heavy snow and record rain after damaging homes, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands in the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters warned that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides would continue, and scores of flights were canceled at San Francisco's airport. In Washington, more than 320,000 people — most of them in the Seattle area — were still without power as crews worked to clear streets of electrical lines, fallen branches and debris. Utility officials said the outages, which began Tuesday, could last into Saturday. Meanwhile on the East Coast, where rare wildfires have raged, New York and New Jersey welcomed much-needed rain that could ease the fire danger for the rest of the year. The National Weather Service extended a flood watch into Saturday for areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by the strongest atmospheric river — a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows through the sky over land — this season. The system roared ashore Tuesday as a “bomb cyclone,” unleashing fierce winds . Communities in Washington opened warming centers offering free internet and device charging. A number of medical clinics closed because of power outages. “I’ve been here since the mid-’80s. I haven’t seen anything like this,” said Trish Bloor, who serves on the city of Issaquah’s Human Resources Commission, as she surveyed damaged homes. Up to 16 inches (about 41 centimeters) of rain was forecast in southwestern Oregon and California's northern counties through Friday. The Sonoma County Airport, in the wine country north of San Francisco, received 6.92 inches (17.5 centimeters) Wednesday, breaking a record dating to 1998. In nearby Forestville, one person was hurt when a tree fell on a house. Small landslides were reported across the North Bay region, including one on State Route 281 on Wednesday that caused a car crash, according to Marc Chenard, a weather service meteorologist. Rain slowed somewhat, but “persistent heavy rain will enter the picture again by Friday morning,” the weather service's San Francisco office said on the social platform X. “We are not done!” Dangerous flash flooding, rockslides and debris flows were possible, especially where hillsides were loosened by recent wildfires, officials warned. Scott Rowe, a hydrologist with the weather service in Sacramento, said that so far the ground has been able to absorb the rain in California's Butte and Tehama counties, where the Park Fire burned over the summer. “It’s not necessarily how much rain falls; it’s how fast the rain falls,” Rowe said. Northern Mendocino and southern Humboldt counties received between 4 and 8 inches (10 and 20 centimeters) of rain in the last 48 hours, and similar amounts were expected over the next 48 hours, forecasters said. Wind gusts could top 50 mph (80 kph). The storm system, which first hit the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, reached the status of “ bomb cyclone ,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly. A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), with 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (121 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said. Sugar Bowl Resort, north of Lake Tahoe near Donner Summit, picked up a foot (30 centimeters) of snow overnight, marketing manager Maggie Eshbaugh said Thursday. She said the resort will welcome skiers and boarders on Friday, the earliest opening date in 20 years. “And then we’re going to get another whopping of another foot or so on Saturday, so this is fantastic,” she said. Another popular resort, Palisades Tahoe, is also opening Friday, five days ahead of schedule, according to its website. The storm already dumped more than a foot of snow along the Cascades in Oregon by Wednesday night, according to the weather service. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at pass level. Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across western Washington, killing at least two people. A woman in Lynnwood was killed when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, and another in Bellevue died when a tree fell on a home. More than a dozen schools closed in the Seattle area Wednesday, and some opted to extend the closures through Thursday. In Enumclaw, east of Seattle, residents were cleaning up after their town clocked the highest winds in the state Tuesday night: 74 mph (119 kph). Resident Sophie Keene said the powerful gusts caused transformers to blow out around town. “Things were exploding, like, everywhere,” Keene told the Seattle Times. “Like the transformers over by the park. One blew big, it looked like fireworks just going off.” Ben Gibbard, lead singer of the indie rock bands Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service, drove from his Seattle neighborhood Thursday morning to the woods of Tiger Mountain for his regular weekday run, but there were too many trees blocking the trail. “We didn’t get hit that hard in the city,” he said. “I just didn’t assume it would be this kind of situation out here. Obviously you feel the most for people who had their homes partially destroyed by this.” In California, there were reports of more than 20,000 power outages on Thursday. Only 50 vehicles per hour were allowed through part of northbound Interstate 5 from 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Redding to 21 miles (34 kilometers) south of Yreka due to snow, according to California's Department of Transportation. Transportation officials also shut down a two-mile (3.2 kilometer) stretch of the famed Avenue of the Giants, a scenic drive named for its towering coast redwoods, due to flooding. About 150 flights were delayed and another two dozen were canceled early Thursday at San Francisco International Airport after hundreds of delays and dozens of cancelations the previous day, according to tracking service FlightAware. Parched areas of the Northeast got a much-needed shot of precipitation Thursday, providing a bit of respite in a region plagued by wildfires and dwindling water supplies. More than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain was expected by Saturday morning in areas north of New York City, with snow mixed in at higher elevations. “Any rainfall is going to be significant at this point,” said Brian Ciemnecki, a weather service meteorologist in New York City, where the first drought warning in 22 years was issued this week. “Is it going to break the drought? No, we’re going to need more rain than that.” Har reported from San Francisco, and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Hallie Golden and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Martha Bellisle in Issaquah, Washington; Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C.; and Michael Hill in Albany, New York, contributed.

A round blue object was spotted at Manchester Airport on Wednesday, sparking speculation about it being an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) or a UFO. While authorities are yet to issue a formal statement about the sighting, several social media users posted videos of the object. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from UK, World and around the world.Intel: Pat's Away -- Reiterating Buy

49ers look to maintain 'urgency' against rival RamsScientists have raised concerns about hospitality staff coming into contact with second-hand smoke at work after the Government rowed back on plans to make it illegal to smoke in pub beer gardens. Concerns 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.”Conor McGregor has lost his civil rape case in Ireland after a jury found him liable for assault. The case had been going on for much of the month. Nikita Ni Lamhain, a woman from Ireland , claimed McGregor and another man had sex with her against her will after a Christmas party in 2018. Ni Lamhain, who is also known as Nikita Hand, alleged the UFC star picked her and her friend up following the holiday get-together and took them to a nearby hotel. She claimed while there, McGregor forced himself on her on a bed in a penthouse suite. She also stated that later, another man, James Lawrence, sexually assaulted her too. McGregor claimed their encounter was entirely consensual. However, this decision confirms that the court did not believe his recounting of events. They awarded Ni Lamhain with $250,000 in damages. Their report also stated that James Lawrence did not assault her. The media approached for McGregor for comment outside of the courthouse, but he did not make any statements there. Read More: Jake Paul Calls Out Conor McGregor With MMA Fight Offer After Taking Down Mike Tyson Conor McGregor took to X (formerly Twitter) to deliver a public condemnation of the verdict . He announced that he plans to appeal the court's decision. "The judge's instruction and the modest award given was for assault, not for aggravated or exemplary damages. I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future," he said. The embattled mixed martial arts star, who was once the biggest box office draw in the sport, has been in and out of legal troubles for much of the last ten years. He's been in several driving incidents since 2017. At UFC 223, he attacked a bus used by rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, smashing a window and injuring other fighters inside in the process. The NYPD issued a warrant for his arrest, eventually charging him with three counts of assault, one count of criminal mischief, as well as menacing and reckless endangerment. That was brought down to one disorderly conduct charge. He served only five days of community service after a no contest plea. In 2023, he was accused of physically assaulting a woman on his yacht and sexually assaulting another after Game Four of the NBA Finals . And now, he is liable for this instance in 2018. As this is a new development, McGregor has not yet filed his appeal.

Raptors sign Canadian guard AJ Lawson to two-way contract

None

By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com The IRS Direct File program, which lets taxpayers file their federal income tax return directly with the IRS for free, is doubling its reach to 24 states for the 2025 tax season, up from 12 states in 2024, the program’s pilot year. The Direct File program will also accept more types of tax situations for the 2025 tax season. While taxpayers who used the system in 2024 could claim a handful of tax credits, including the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit , that list is expanding in 2025 to include the child and dependent care credit , among others. An estimated 30 million taxpayers will qualify for the Direct File program in 2025, the IRS says. More than 140,000 taxpayers filed their federal tax returns through the Direct File program in 2024. About 90% of users said their experience was excellent or above average, according to a survey of about 11,000 Direct File users in 2024, conducted by the General Services Administration. “We’re excited about the improvements to Direct File and the millions more taxpayers who will be eligible to use the service this year,” said Danny Werfel, the IRS commissioner, in a statement. “Our goal is to improve the experience of tax filing itself and help taxpayers meet their obligations quickly and easily.” The IRS says that taxpayers can use Direct File when the 2025 tax season kicks off in January, and it will be available until Oct. 15, 2025. But the program’s future is somewhat unclear: In December, 29 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, calling for him to end the Direct File program on his first day in office. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives also introduced legislation in July to end the Direct File program. For now, here’s what you need to know about how the IRS Direct File program works, and how to qualify for it. The Direct File program is a new initiative, about to enter its second year, that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns electronically with the IRS. The no-cost tool guides taxpayers through every part of their federal income tax return. Taxpayers can file using a smartphone, computer or tablet. One of the program’s advantages is that, if you have questions as you’re working on your return, you can get live support directly from the IRS via chat or phone. IRS representatives can answer basic tax questions and help with technical issues in English and Spanish. The Direct File program has income limits, as well as limits on the types of income, deductions and credits you can enter on your tax return. For the 2025 tax season: To be eligible for Direct File, your income can come from the following sources: But if you’re self-employed, or have business or rental income, you can’t use Direct File . Same goes for IRA contributions or distributions: If you have either, you can’t use Direct File. You can use the IRS Direct File program only if you claim the standard deduction — the program isn’t available to people who itemize. But you can claim certain above-the-line deductions: student loan interest , educator expenses and health savings account contributions . You can’t use Direct File if you want to deduct your IRA contributions. The Direct File program allows for the following tax credits in 2025: However, if you want to claim education credits , credits for energy efficient home upgrades or the adoption expense credit , you can’t use the Direct File program. More taxpayers will have access to the IRS Direct File program in 2025. In 2024, the IRS kicked off the program with only 12 states; that number has expanded to 24 states for the 2025 tax season. For some of the states that participate in the IRS Direct File program, your federal return information will be transferred automatically to the state tax website, but in some cases you’ll have to re-enter your information. Visit this IRS Direct File page to get the details for your state. Here is a list of the participating states: If you don’t qualify for the IRS Direct File program, you may have other options to file your tax return for free. In addition to Direct File, the IRS offers the Free File program, in which it partners with online tax software providers to provide free federal income tax return filing. Some providers also allow you to file a state income tax return. For the 2024 tax season, your adjusted gross income had to be less than $79,000 to qualify for the Free File program. That dollar threshold is likely to rise slightly for the 2025 tax season. The IRS also offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides certified volunteers to prepare basic tax returns if you earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled, or speak limited English. You can find a site near you by visiting this IRS page . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.jili777.pw legit or not 。

JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF ( NASDAQ:VTIP – Free Report ) by 2,586.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,285,524 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 18,567,654 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. owned about 8.05% of Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF worth $950,969,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Macroview Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF by 18,466.7% in the third quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 557 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 554 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF by 359.0% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,253 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 980 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF during the second quarter valued at about $67,000. Coastline Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF in the third quarter valued at about $72,000. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF by 820.8% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,952 shares of the company’s stock worth $96,000 after acquiring an additional 1,740 shares during the period. Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF Price Performance Shares of VTIP opened at $48.34 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $48.84 and its 200 day moving average is $48.74. Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF has a 12-month low of $47.37 and a 12-month high of $49.41. Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF Announces Dividend About Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF ( Free Report ) The Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund (VTIP) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks an index of US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) with less than 5 years remaining to maturity. VTIP was launched on Oct 12, 2012 and is managed by Vanguard. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VTIP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF ( NASDAQ:VTIP – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Rising Cybersecurity Insurance Demands Create New Opportunities for Technology Service Providers, Says Info-Tech Research Group

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted Tuesday while arriving for a court appearance in Pennsylvania, a day after he was arrested at a McDonald’s and charged with murder. Luigi Nicholas Mangione emerged from a patrol car, spun toward reporters and shouted something partly unintelligible referring to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people” while deputies pushed him inside. Prosecutors were beginning to take steps to bring Mangione back to New York while new details emerged about his life and how he was captured. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family was charged with murder hours after he was arrested in the Manhattan killing of Brian Thompson , who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company. At the brief hearing, defense lawyer Thomas Dickey informed the court that Mangione will not waive extradition to New York but instead wants a hearing on the issue. Mangione was denied bail after prosecutors said he was too dangerous to be released. Mangione, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. A law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that at the time of his arrest, Mangione was carrying a handwritten document expressing anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed and power. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin. In social media posts, Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary," according to the police bulletin. Kaczynski carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology. Mangione remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have obtained an arrest warrant, a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania — about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City — after a McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Officers found him sitting at a back table, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald's while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson's body. The words mimic “delay, deny, defend,” a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry . From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the shooter quickly fled the city, likely by bus. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland Del. Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore; and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu.

CRANFORD, N.J. , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Citius Oncology, Inc. ("Citius Oncology" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTOR), a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel targeted oncology therapies, today reported business and financial results for the fiscal full year ended September 30, 2024 . Fiscal Full Year 2024 Business Highlights and Subsequent Developments Financial Highlights "Reflecting on 2024, Citius Oncology has achieved pivotal milestones that underscore our commitment to advancing cancer therapeutics," stated Leonard Mazur , Chairman and CEO of Citius Oncology. "The FDA's approval of LYMPHIR for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma marks a significant advancement in providing new options for patients battling this challenging disease. It is the only targeted systemic therapy approved for CTCL patients since 2018 and the only therapy with a mechanism of action that targets the IL-2 receptor. Additionally, the successful merger forming Citius Oncology, now trading on Nasdaq under the ticker CTOR, strengthens our position in the oncology sector. We expect it to facilitate greater access to capital to fund LYMPHIR's launch and the Company's future growth. With a Phase I investigator-initiated clinical trial combining LYMPHIR with pembrolizumab demonstrating promising preliminary results, indicating potential for enhanced treatment efficacy in recurrent solid tumors, and preliminary results expected from a second investigator trial with CAR-T therapies in 2025, we remain excited about the potential of LYMPHIR as a combination immunotherapy." "These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our team and the trust of our investors. As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in our mission to develop innovative therapies that improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide," added Mazur. FULL YEAR 2024 FINANCIAL RESULTS: Research and Development (R&D) Expenses R&D expenses were $4.9 million for the full year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to $4.2 million for the full year ended September 30, 2023 . The increase reflects development activities completed for the resubmission of the Biologics License Application of LYMPHIR in January 2024 , which were associated with the complete response letter remediation. General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses G&A expenses were $8.1 million for the full year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to $5.9 million for the full year ended September 30, 2023 . The increase was primarily due to costs associated with pre-commercial and commercial launch activities of LYMPHIR including market research, marketing, distribution and drug product reimbursement from health plans and payers. Stock-based Compensation Expense For the full year ended September 30, 2024 , stock-based compensation expense was $7.5 million as compared to $2.0 million for the prior year. The primary reason for the $5.5 million increase was due to the amounts being realized over 12 months in the year ended September 30, 2024 , as compared to three months post-plan adoption in the year ended September 30, 2023 . Net loss Net loss was $21.1 million , or ($0.31) per share for the year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to a net loss of $12.7 million , or ($0.19) per share for the year ended September 30, 2023 . The $8.5 million increase in net loss was primarily due to the increase in our operating expenses. About Citius Oncology, Inc. Citius Oncology specialty is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel targeted oncology therapies. In August 2024 , its primary asset, LYMPHIR, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory CTCL who had had at least one prior systemic therapy. Management estimates the initial market for LYMPHIR currently exceeds $400 million , is growing, and is underserved by existing therapies. Robust intellectual property protections that span orphan drug designation, complex technology, trade secrets and pending patents for immuno-oncology use as a combination therapy with checkpoint inhibitors would further support Citius Oncology's competitive positioning. Citius Oncology is a publicly traded subsidiary of Citius Pharmaceuticals. For more information, please visit www.citiusonc.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting Citius Oncology. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "should," and "may" and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated, and, unless noted otherwise, that apply to Citius Oncology are: our ability to raise additional money to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months as a going concern; our ability to commercialize LYMPHIR and any of our other product candidates that may be approved by the FDA; the estimated markets for our product candidates and the acceptance thereof by any market; the ability of our product candidates to impact the quality of life of our target patient populations; our dependence on third-party suppliers; our ability to procure cGMP commercial-scale supply; risks related to research using our assets but conducted by third parties; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; market and other conditions; risks related to our growth strategy; patent and intellectual property matters; our ability to identify, acquire, close and integrate product candidates and companies successfully and on a timely basis; government regulation; competition; as well as other risks described in our Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. These risks have been and may be further impacted by any future public health risks. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks regarding our business are described in detail in our SEC filings which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov , including in Citius Oncology's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024 , filed with the SEC on December 27, 2024 , as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Investor Contact: Ilanit Allen ir@citiuspharma.com 908-967-6677 x113 Media Contact: STiR-communications Greg Salsburg Greg@STiR-communications.com -- Financial Tables Follow – CITIUS ONCOLOGY, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND 2023 2024 2023 Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 112 $ — Inventory 8,268,766 — Prepaid expenses 2,700,000 7,734,895 Total Current Assets 10,968,878 7,734,895 Other Assets: In-process research and development 73,400,000 40,000,000 Total Other Assets 73,400,000 40,000,000 Total Assets $ 84,368,878 $ 47,734,895 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Accounts payable $ 3,711,622 $ 1,289,045 License payable 28,400,000 — Accrued expenses — 259,071 Due to related party 588,806 19,499,119 Total Current Liabilities 32,700,429 21,047,235 Deferred tax liability 1,728,000 1,152,000 Note payable to related party 3,800,111 — Total Liabilities 38,228,540 22,199,235 Stockholders' Equity: Preferred stock - $0.0001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized: no shares issued and outstanding — — Common stock - $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000; 71,552,402 and 67,500,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively 7,155 6,750 Additional paid-in capital 85,411,771 43,658,750 Accumulated deficit (39,278,587) (18,129,840) Total Stockholders' Equity 46,140,339 25,535,660 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 84,368,878 $ 47,734,895 CITIUS ONCOLOGY, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND 2023 2024 2023 Revenues $ — $ — Operating Expenses: Research and development 4,925,001 4,240,451 General and administrative 8,148,929 5,915,290 Stock-based compensation – general and administrative 7,498,817 1,965,500 Total Operating Expenses 20,572,747 12,121,241 Loss before Income Taxes (20,572,747) (12,121,241) Income tax expense 576,000 576,000 Net Loss $ (21,148,747) $ (12,697,241) Net Loss Per Share – Basic and Diluted $ (0.31) $ (0.19) Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding – Basic and Diluted 68,053,607 67,500,000 CITIUS ONCOLOGY, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND 2023 2024 2023 Cash Flows From Operating Activities: Net loss $ (21,148,747) $ (12,697,241) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: Stock-based compensation expense 7,498,817 1,965,500 Deferred income tax expense 576,000 576,000 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Inventory (2,133,871) - Prepaid expenses (1,100,000) (5,044,713) Accounts payable 2,422,577 1,196,734 Accrued expenses (259,071) (801,754) Due to related party 14,270,648 14,805,474 Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities 126,353 - Cash Flows From Investing Activities: License payment (5,000,000) - Net Cash Used In Investing Activities (5,000,000) - Cash Flows From Financing Activities: Cash contributed by parent 3,827,944 - Merger, net (2,754,296) - Proceeds from issuance of note payable to related party 3,800,111 - Net Cash Provided By Financing Activities 4,873,759 - Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents 112 - Cash and Cash Equivalents – Beginning of Year - - Cash and Cash Equivalents – End of Year $ 112 $ - Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information and Non-cash Activities: IPR&D Milestones included in License Payable $ 28,400,000 $

Wednesday Making Your Internet Job Search a Success: 10 a.m., LINC Library, 501 8th Ave., Greeley. In this workshop, participants will explore some of the most popular online job sites and learn how to use the Colorado state- and county-run system, Connecting Colorado, to find job listings, connect to employers, apply for jobs online and more. A Connecting Colorado account is not required. Attendees should be familiar with Windows-based computers, using a mouse and keyboard and have basic Internet skills. facebook.com . Playdate Café: 2 p.m., LINC Library, 501 8th Ave., Greeley. Children learn and grow through play. Caregivers recharge with a cup of coffee or tea. Playdate Café is a special time for caregivers to relax while their little one enjoys unstructured play. Free, highplains.libcal.com . The Not So Secret Society of International Snackers: 5:30 p.m., LINC Library, 501 8th Ave., Greeley. The best way to learn about about place is to find out what people eat there and, at the Not So Secret Society of International Snackers, learn about different country, cultures and people by tasting their favorite snacks. Tweens and teens come explore the world, one bite at a time. Free, highplains.libcal.com . Thursday K-Pop Social: 3:30 p.m., LINC Library, 501 8th Ave., Greeley. Join to celebrate all things K-Pop while rockin’ out to K-Pop tunes and getting to know fellow K-Pop fans. Crafts, activities, streaming videos, sharing bias and more. Every second Thursday. facebook.com . Trivia at High Brau Taphouse: 6:30 p.m., High Brau Taphouse, 915 16th St., Greeley. Weekly trivia hosted by Wilson with theme trivia on the last Thursday of the month. Free, 407-417-1161. Friday Golden Years: 10 a.m., Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., Greeley. Step back in time and keep your mind sharp while celebrating the Golden Years. This program is all about sharing memories, strengthening relationships and staying active with light exercises. Free, highplains.libcal.com . L.A.A.M. Bingo: 12:30 p.m., Moose Lodge, 3456 11th Ave., Evans. L.A.A.M hosts bingo every Friday. L.A.A.M. is a non-profit organization that helps seniors with financial needs that have home utility and medical issues. Bingo sessions are open to the public. $6-$199. Twas the Night Before Christmas: 7 p.m., Union Colony Civic Center- Hensel Phelps Theatre, 701 10th Ave., Greeley. Take a wild ride with a mouse, a spunky girl and an elf as they race to the North Pole to save Christmas. $17-$20, 970-356-5000, ucstars.showare.com . Saturday Sing-a-long with Papa David: 10 a.m., Aims Community College Ed Beaty Hall Theater, 5203 W. 20th St., Greeley. Aims Continuing Education invites community members to join a sing-a-long with Papa David. Bring littles for a lively sing-a-long of their favorite classic nursery rhymes, popular children’s songs and recent hits like Frozen and Baby Shark. This event is best suited for children ages 1-7 years old. Kids must be supervised at all times. $10, events.aims.edu . RAWR at LINC: 2 p.m., LINC Library, 501 8th Ave., Greeley. Close out DiNovember with an afternoon of prehistoric crafting fun and a triceratops triathlon. Scuplt a stegosaurus, tinker with a T-rex or rawr with a raptor. Dig into the dino fun at LINC. Free, highplains.libcal.com . “A Shining Christmas” concert: 7:30 p.m., UNC Campus Commons – Performance Hall, 1051 22nd St., Greeley. Celebrate the Greeley Chorale’s Diamond Anniversary, and enjoy a magical evening this holiday season as The Greeley Chorale presents “A Shining Christmas.” This year, celebrate the season with concert favorites, popular Christmas songs and originally composed works dedicated to the spirit of the season. $10-$40, 970-351-4849, greeleychorale.org . Sunday Hip-Hop for the Holidays: 7 p.m., Moxi Theater, 802 9th St., Greeley. Join for the return of Hip-Hop for the Holidays. This fantastic event aims to gather toys for children in need during the holiday season. Come be a part of the lively performances and vibrant atmosphere while supporting this important cause. It’s a great opportunity to witness the local hip-hop community uniting to make a positive impact on the community. 970-584-3054, facebook.com . To submit events, go to greeleytribune.com/calendar and click “Add Event” in the top right corner of the calendar.

Revival Gold Announces AGM Results and Transition in Exploration LeadershipThey can tell you things you didn’t consciously know Kidneys are quiet, lungs puff away unobtrusively, all other organs do their jobs under the surface. But human bellies can’t be ignored: growling, gurgling, grumbling without warning, bringing news of digestion and defecation. Rumbles: A Curious History of the Gut by Elsa Richardson sets out to tell the ‘secret story of the body’s most fascinating organ’. It traces the gastric saga since ancient Greece but it is a cultural history. Metaphor, simile and stories abound, because the stomach has always testified to the connection between mind and body. The gut has figured in debates over subjectivity, spirituality, even nationhood and identity. Physicians like Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles) figured that stomach troubles were connected to fear and anxiety. The stomach was seen as a drafty corridor that mediates between the external world and the internal one. The gut’s relationships with the brain and the microbiome are being studied seriously now. Vagus nerve controls inflammation and aging. Enteric nervous system can operate independently of the brain. It is not a subdivision of the brain, but an independent kingdom in the viscera that can process info and send eloquent signals. A stomach flip, a quiver of the intestine can tell you things you didn’t consciously know. The idea that intelligence is embodied, disposed and multiple is at odds with the mind-body dualism of Western thought. Thinkers following Descartes insisted that the soul resided in the brain, and only humans had souls. Those who protested violence against animals were, unsurprisingly, feminists, who fought the idea that some bodies were worth more than others. The pre-modern world, though, was intrigued by all the themes that preoccupy us today, relationship between food and mood, ideal diet, and how the stomach speaks to the soul. Understandings of the stomach have tracked social change – in the early 20th century, the body was compared to a factory, oesophagus as a gleaming pipe, thyroid gland as industrial silo, heart as engine room, and so on. The digestive system was likened to cities, and chemical labs. For many influential thinkers, the stomach was not just physical but also metaphysical, chief seat of the vital force – which led to theological tensions about the god-given spark of life. The Romantics thought that poor digestion was a sign of a troubled artist or crabbed scholar. Meanwhile, the rhythms of the stomach were also created by society: lunch was a Victorian innovation, an essential break in the working day created by industrialisation. The book explores the idea of the exterior belly too, the paunch, and the industry dedicated to firming and flattening it. Paleo, Atkins, keto and other diets that drastically cut carbs have their origin in a ‘letter on corpulence’ by Victorian-era influencer William Banting. Associations between obesity and laziness or immorality, and shame around fat, were as evident then as now, dietary advice was presented not just as a way to shape the body but also to reform society. Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in gut-related disorders like Crohn’s disease, digestive cancers make up 30% of all cancer-related deaths, IBS afflicts a huge part of the population. Panics around processed foods and the right diet are running high. The book shows us, though, that there is nothing novel about current anxieties around what we eat, and how we evacuate it.

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce novel and detailed online reviews with almost no work has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory, watchdog groups and researchers say. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. They are typically traded on private social media groups between fake review brokers and businesses willing to pay. Sometimes, such reviews are initiated by businesses that offer customers incentives such as gift cards for positive feedback. But AI-infused text generation tools, popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice, which is illegal in the U.S., is carried out year-round but becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to help them purchase gifts. Fake reviews are found across a wide range of industries, from e-commerce, lodging and restaurants, to services such as home repairs, medical care and piano lessons. The Transparency Company, a tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews, said it started to see AI-generated reviews show up in large numbers in mid-2023 and they have multiplied ever since. For a report released this month, The Transparency Company analyzed 73 million reviews in three sectors: home, legal and medical services. Nearly 14% of the reviews were likely fake, and the company expressed a “high degree of confidence” that 2.3 million reviews were partly or entirely AI-generated. “It’s just a really, really good tool for these review scammers,” said Maury Blackman, an investor and advisor to tech startups, who reviewed The Transparency Company's work and is set to lead the organization starting Jan. 1. In August, software company DoubleVerify said it was observing a “significant increase” in mobile phone and smart TV apps with reviews crafted by generative AI. The reviews often were used to deceive customers into installing apps that could hijack devices or run ads constantly, the company said. The following month, the Federal Trade Commission sued the company behind an AI writing tool and content generator called Rytr, accusing it of offering a service that could pollute the marketplace with fraudulent reviews. The FTC, which this year banned the sale or purchase of fake reviews, said some of Rytr’s subscribers used the tool to produce hundreds and perhaps thousands of reviews for garage door repair companies, sellers of “replica” designer handbags and other businesses. Max Spero, CEO of AI detection company Pangram Labs, said the software his company uses has detected with almost certainty that some AI-generated appraisals posted on Amazon bubbled up to the top of review search results because they were so detailed and appeared to be well thought-out. But determining what is fake or not can be challenging. External parties can fall short because they don’t have “access to data signals that indicate patterns of abuse,” Amazon has said. Pangram Labs has done detection for some prominent online sites, which Spero declined to name due to non-disclosure agreements. He said he evaluated Amazon and Yelp independently. Many of the AI-generated comments on Yelp appeared to be posted by individuals who were trying to publish enough reviews to earn an “Elite” badge, which is intended to let users know they should trust the content, Spero said. The badge provides access to exclusive events with local business owners. Fraudsters also want it so their Yelp profiles can look more realistic, said Kay Dean, a former federal criminal investigator who runs a watchdog group called Fake Review Watch. To be sure, just because a review is AI-generated doesn’t necessarily mean its fake. Some consumers might experiment with AI tools to generate content that reflects their genuine sentiments. Some non-native English speakers say they turn to AI to make sure they use accurate language in the reviews they write. “It can help with reviews (and) make it more informative if it comes out of good intentions,” said Michigan State University marketing professor Sherry He, who has researched fake reviews. She says tech platforms should focus on the behavioral patters of bad actors, which prominent platforms already do, instead of discouraging legitimate users from turning to AI tools. Prominent companies are developing policies for how AI-generated content fits into their systems for removing phony or abusive reviews. Some already employ algorithms and investigative teams to detect and take down fake reviews but are giving users some flexibility to use AI. Spokespeople for Amazon and Trustpilot, for example, said they would allow customers to post AI-assisted reviews as long as they reflect their genuine experience. Yelp has taken a more cautious approach, saying its guidelines require reviewers to write their own copy. “With the recent rise in consumer adoption of AI tools, Yelp has significantly invested in methods to better detect and mitigate such content on our platform,” the company said in a statement. The Coalition for Trusted Reviews, which Amazon, Trustpilot, employment review site Glassdoor, and travel sites Tripadvisor, Expedia and Booking.com launched last year, said that even though deceivers may put AI to illicit use, the technology also presents “an opportunity to push back against those who seek to use reviews to mislead others.” “By sharing best practice and raising standards, including developing advanced AI detection systems, we can protect consumers and maintain the integrity of online reviews,” the group said. The FTC’s rule banning fake reviews, which took effect in October, allows the agency to fine businesses and individuals who engage in the practice. Tech companies hosting such reviews are shielded from the penalty because they are not legally liable under U.S. law for the content that outsiders post on their platforms. Tech companies, including Amazon, Yelp and Google, have sued fake review brokers they accuse of peddling counterfeit reviews on their sites. The companies say their technology has blocked or removed a huge swath of suspect reviews and suspicious accounts. However, some experts say they could be doing more. “Their efforts thus far are not nearly enough,” said Dean of Fake Review Watch. “If these tech companies are so committed to eliminating review fraud on their platforms, why is it that I, one individual who works with no automation, can find hundreds or even thousands of fake reviews on any given day?” Consumers can try to spot fake reviews by watching out for a few possible warning signs, according to researchers. Overly enthusiastic or negative reviews are red flags. Jargon that repeats a product's full name or model number is another potential giveaway. When it comes to AI, research conducted by Balázs Kovács, a Yale professor of organization behavior, has shown that people can't tell the difference between AI-generated and human-written reviews. Some AI detectors may also be fooled by shorter texts, which are common in online reviews, the study said. However, there are some “AI tells” that online shoppers and service seekers should keep it mind. Panagram Labs says reviews written with AI are typically longer, highly structured and include “empty descriptors,” such as generic phrases and attributes. The writing also tends to include cliches like “the first thing that struck me” and “game-changer.”

Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok. The president-elect filed a brief urging SCOTUS to give him time to pursue a political resolution. Congress passed a law that requires TikTok's Chinese owners to divest or be banned from US app stores. President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause the law that would ban TikTok in mid-January until after his inauguration. Trump filed a brief on Friday urging the top court to give him time to "pursue a political resolution" before agreeing to ban the social media app. In April, Congress passed a bipartisan law that established a nine-month deadline for TikTok's Chinese parent company to divest from the app or be barred from US app stores. Neither TikTok nor Trump's lawyers immediately responded to Business Insider's request for comment. BI also reached out to the Supreme Court. In the Friday filing, Trump's lawyers highlighted the president-elect's "consummate deal-making expertise," suggesting Trump has the "political will" to negotiate a resolution that would simultaneously "save the platform" and address the national security concerns highlighted in the Congressional bill. The nine-month deadline is officially up on January 19, which is one day before Trump assumes office for a second time. Trump previously supported a TikTok ban but appeared to change his mind in recent months. He met with the app's CEO earlier this month and said he had a "warm spot" in his heart for TikTok. Legal experts previously told BI that Trump has a couple of options to try to keep the app running in the US, including asking his Department of Justice to ignore the divest law or trying to rework strategic interpretations of the law. Trump and his lawyers also argue that the president-elect has a mandate from American voters to protect their free-speech rights, including those who use TikTok. "Moreover, President Trump is one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential users of social media in history," the file said." "Consistent with his commanding presence in this area, President Trump currently has 14.7 million followers on TikTok with whom he actively communicates, allowing him to evaluate TikTok's importance as a unique medium for freedom of expression, including core political speech," lawyers added.

vip jili777 Media Release Udupi, December 15: The Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), MAHE, is set to host the much-awaited MIT Manipal Alumni Association (MITMAA) on Friday, December 20 from 10:00 am to 04:00 pm at the MIT Central Library Auditorium, 4th Floor, Manipal. This event marks an exciting milestone for MIT and its alumni network, bringing distinguished speakers, faculty, students, and alumni together to celebrate the institute’s heritage and achievements. With a full-day programme, the event will feature a rich blend of networking, engaging activities, and insightful discussions. The idea of launching the alumni association is coined by the director of MIT Cdr(Dr) Anil Rana with an aim of creating platform for leveraging both parties' resources, associations for long-lasting impacts. The chief guest for the event will be Vinod Easwaran, managing director & CEO of Jio Payments Bank, and an esteemed alumnus of MIT (ECE, 1986-90). His address will provide valuable insights into the rapidly evolving world of digital banking and his journey from MIT to becoming a leader in the financial sector. The guest of honor is Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, VSM (Retd), vice-chancellor of MAHE, who will grace the occasion with his inspiring address, underlining the importance of alumni engagement and contribution to the growth of the institution. In addition to the addresses by the distinguished guests, the day will feature a variety of exciting events, including: The launch programme will also see the Logo Unveiling of MITMAA, which will be carried out by the vice chancellor of MAHE, along with other dignitaries and members of the MITMAA executive committee, symbolizing a new era of collaboration and alumni involvement. This event is expected to serve as a platform for fostering deeper connections among MIT’s vast alumni base and creating a network that actively contributes to the institute’s growth. The MITMAA launch programme promises to be an enriching experience for everyone involved, setting the stage for many future initiatives and collaborations.Nothing's guaranteed, but Bucs need to win out to give themselves best shot to make the playoffsGreater Victoria could become the next Silicon Valley for life science. A new report from the South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP) highlights Greater Victoria’s potential as a hub for life sciences innovation. The study, commissioned with the District of Saanich, identifies the region’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities in fields like medical devices, biotech and digital health. With over 60 life sciences companies, key infrastructure like UVic’s Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology, and access to top-tier research and talent, the report emphasizes the region’s ability to foster growth. SIPP’s Dallas Gislason noted that while Vancouver Island accounts for just 15 per cent of B.C.’s life sciences businesses, Greater Victoria is home to some of Canada’s largest life science companies like MedTech and StarFish Medical. Challenges such as limited capital and rising costs remain, but the report calls for boosting investment, strengthening industry-academic ties, and supporting startups. Samuel Mercer of the Vancouver Island Life Sciences Association said Greater Victoria is positioning itself as a leader in innovation, similar to San Diego’s rise alongside San Francisco. The findings position Greater Victoria as a growing player in B.C.’s life sciences sector with the potential to drive innovation and economic growth.

EVLV COURT UPDATE: The Evolv Technologies Class Action Deadline is December 31 –Investors with Losses are Urged to Contact BFA Law (NASDAQ:EVLV)

Risk adjusted net present value: What is the current valuation of Merus’s MCLA-129?

Employees at Warrington plant donate £1,250 to food bank

Qatar tribune QNA Doha The Shura Council has decided to submit a proposal to the Cabinet to regulatedigital media content. The Shura Council, chaired by Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, took the decision on Monday. The session started with Shura Council Secretary-General Nayef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud reading out the agenda before the minutes of the previous session were approved. The agenda began with a debate motion based on a report of the Education, Culture, Sport and Information Committee on regulating digital content creation. Al Ghanim highlighted free speech and personal freedoms as rights guaranteed by the Qatari Constitution, yet he elaborated that all Qatar residents and visitors are required to adhere to public order and morals and to observe national traditions and established customs. Stressing the dangers of the uncontrolled digital and social media usage, especially among youths,Al Ghanim highlighted the digital platforms’ mounting impact on shaping awareness and public opinion and the need for digital media content to keep the society stable and respect its values and ethics. Chairman of the Education, Culture, Sport and Information Committee HE Khalid bin Ahmed Al Obaidan detailed the committee deliberations and consultations with representatives of several parties on the topic. Following the debate, the legislative body decided to submit a proposal to the Cabinet to regulate disciplined digital media content. The proposal includes a legal framework under which social media influencers will be licensed by state relevant authorities to ensure a content that is consistent with values and national identity, and prevent the spread of foreign cultures and uncontrolled advertisements. Furthermore, the envisioned license makes sure the content never harms national unity and social cohesion, avoid hate speech, discrimination and violence and respects cultural heritage, values and national identity. Also among the licensing regulations are credibility, intellectual property rights, transparency and the respect of social responsibility through avoiding misleading or unscientifically proven information. Meanwhile, the Shura Council discussed a government bill on the national emblem of the State of Qatar and referred it to the Internal and External Affairs Committee for consideration. The Council also approved a bill amending some provisions of the Income Tax Law issued by Law No. 24 of 2018, and referred it to the esteemed government, after considering the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee report. The draft amendment to the law enables multinational companies to submit their tax returns, and implement global rules to combat tax base erosion and profit shifting for multinational companies. The session concluded with a review of reports on the recent participation of the Shura Council delegations in regional and international parliamentary events. Copy 24/12/2024 10NEW YORK, Dec. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a lawsuit has been filed against ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for potential violations of the federal securities laws. If you invested in ASML, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/asml-holding-nv . Investors have until January 13, 2025, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in ASML securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and is captioned City of Hollywood Firefighters’ Pension Fund v. ASML Holding N.V., et al. , No. 24-cv-8664. What is the Lawsuit About? ASML is a leading supplier to the semiconductor industry, providing photolithography machines to chipmakers that are used in the semiconductor fabrication process. The complaint alleges that ASML repeatedly represented to shareholders that new export controls on semiconductor technology announced by the Dutch government would not have a material effect on ASML’s financial outlook, and that ASML was on a path to recovery in its sales. On October 15, 2024, ASML announced earnings significantly lower than expectations. The Company attributed this to a market that was “taking longer to recover” and admitted that “[i]t now appears the recovery is more gradual than previously expected.” On this news, the price of the Company’s stock fell 16%, from a closing price of $872.27 per share on October 14, 2024, to $730.43 per share on October 15, 2024. Then, during the accompanying earnings call with investors on October 16, 2024, the Company attributed the poor earnings results to “a reflection of the slow recovery in the traditional [semiconductor] end markets as customers remain cautious in the current environment.” The Company also disclosed that the decline in ASML’s sales to China would also negatively impact the Company’s gross margins. On this news, the price of the Company’s stock fell 6.4%, from a closing price of $730.43 per share on October 15, 2024, to $683.52 per share on October 16, 2024. Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/asml-holding-nv . What Can You Do? If you invested in ASML you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/asml-holding-nv Or contact: Ross Shikowitz ross@bfalaw.com 212-789-3619 Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP? Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd. For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com . https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/asml-holding-nv Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

100 jili777 Greenhouse Heating and Cooling Systems Global Market Report Predicts Successive Growth to $26.65 Billion by 2028None

CNN panelist claims X is ideologically balanced — and cites network’s own reportingNEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded “the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”

From an electric ice cream scooper to a dipstick cleaner, the newest gadgets on holiday shopping lists in 1983 looked a lot different from what's available today. Sister station KCRA's John Gibson traveled to San Francisco, exploring toys and tools for what he called "the first Yuppie Christmas." Young urban professionals, or yuppies, might have shopped at the store InGear, where you could buy a fancy, cast-iron egg timer or stainless steel garden shovel. The items were touted as "fashionably practical." For kids, the store at the Exploratorium held innovative marvels, including a mess-free bubble blower or plasma globe. As technology continued to evolve, holiday shopping has changed and progressed throughout the decades.In a press conference, the young Montreal Canadiens forward, Juraj Slafkovsky, publicly responded to his head coach, Martin St-Louis. And frankly, the young Slovak had exactly the right attitude. As you probably know, things stirred up within the team yesterday. First, Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach were demoted to the fourth line during the morning practice. Then, Martin St-Louis clearly sent a message to both players during his press conference.. (especially to Slafkovsky). In short, when Slafkovsky was questioned about it, the young forward wearing number 20 responded very well. Juraj Slafkovsky responds to Martin St-Louis after yesterday's events and his demotion to the fourth line with Kirby Dach Here's what Stu Cowan reported: "He saw how I was playing and it's well-deserved." That's exactly the kind of response you want from your young player, but now he needs to act and correct course quickly. Juraj Slafkovsky, the first overall pick in 2022, is now 20 years old. The 6 foot 3, 225-pound forward has accumulated 11 points in 17 games this season after tallying 50 points, including 20 goals, in 82 games last season. Let's not forget he's under contract with the team until 2033. Do you believe Slafkovsky will bounce back and surpass 50 points this season for the Canadiens? This article first appeared on Habs Fanatics and was syndicated with permission.

The East Tennessee State women’s team desperately needed someone to provide offense against Tennessee Tech. Braylyn Milton was the right person for the job. The senior guard scored 20 points, including going 4-for-8 from 3-point range, to lead the Bucs to a 53-48 win over the Golden Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Brooks Gym. Milton was happy to step up when her team needed her the most, scoring ETSU’s first 10 points of the third quarter. The Bucs (2-4) were coming off a couple of close losses, and Milton told her teammates it was time to turn the page. “It felt pretty good to know that my teammates were looking for me,” Milton said. “Everybody had confidence in me so that boosted my confidence. It felt good to get a win on our home court and find some momentum. We’ve had some close games so it was important for us to stay consistent and confident to fight through adversity.” It was a battle to the end with 13 lead changes in the game. ETSU trailed 27-21 at the half, but rallied with a defensive effort that caused 20 turnovers. Milton and Kendall Folley each had three steals, while Meghan Downing had eight rebounds and two blocked shots. “Mental toughness, resilience and response are what we’ve been working on,” ETSU coach Brenda Mock Brown said. “Sometimes that takes time with new teams. We have nine new players who are competitors, but they’ve not been here. It takes time to get rhythm and learn your role. The message has been loud and clear that we’ve had enough time to get tough and compete.” No one embodied that more than Courtney Moore. The senior guard was finally at full strength and produced 10 points, including going 4-for-4 at the free-throw line in the crucial moments of the game. “There is trust in me and my teammates. We’re practicing every day and going hard,” Moore said. “That’s a really good team and the game was obviously up and down, back and forth. We had to stay confident and continue to do what we do in practice.” Their efforts helped overcome a 14-point effort by Tech’s Peyton Carter. Reghan Grimes and Chloe Larry also hit double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Anna Walker pulled down 13 rebounds, but was held scoreless. ETSU made five more shots beyond the arc. On a night she scored just three points, Folley had five rebounds and five assists, while only committing one turnover. The Bucs return to action Wednesday 7 p.m. when they host Presbyterian inside Brooks Gym.

The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.”

Monro, Inc. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend4. Emma Raducanu's Fairy-Tale Wimbledon TriumphIn conclusion, the concert featuring Yamapi and Jay Chou was a testament to the power of music to unite people across cultures and borders. It was a celebration of talent, friendship, and the universal language of music. As fans eagerly await the next chapter in both artists' careers, they can look back on this concert as a cherished memory of a night filled with joy, inspiration, and the magic of music.

Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: The longest-lived American president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end." The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.

But as technology advanced at a rapid pace, our lives began to change in ways we never thought possible. The convenience of smartphones transformed the way we accessed information, allowing us to have the world at our fingertips literally. With the advent of apps, we could order food, book rides, and even find love with just a few taps on a screen.None

The Bobcats (12-0, 8-0 Big Sky Conference) wrapped up the 123rd meeting in this rivalry with 420 yards, 326 on the ground. Montana State capped its first unbeaten season and can match the school record for consecutive wins with a playoff win in two weeks. The Bobcats, ranked second in the FCS coaches poll, should be the top seed in the playoffs after top-ranked North Dakota State lost its finale to fifth-ranked South Dakota. Montana (8-4, 5-3), ranked 10th, is expected to add to its record 27 FCS playoff appearances but will not have a first-round bye in the 24-team bracket. Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott was 6-of-12 passing for 94 yards with a touchdown in poor conditions and added 50 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He has helped the Bobcats score at least 30 points in every game this season Mellott had a 5-yard touchdown run on MSU's first possession and Mellott found Jones for a 35-yard touchdown early in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead. Myles Sansted had two field goals in the final two minutes, including a 49-yarder as time expired for a 20-3 halftime lead. Jones dominated the second half and scored two short touchdowns. Eli Gillman scored on a 1-yard run for Montana's touchdown between the Jones' touchdowns. The Grizzlies had just 234 yards and went 2 of 12 on third down. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

PIANA TECHNOLOGY'S ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) REPORT UNDERSCORES ITS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATIONCHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — KyKy Tandy scored 21 points and Florida Atlantic pulled away late in the second half to beat Oklahoma State 86-78 on Thursday in the Charleston Classic. It was the second straight loss by a Power Four team in the tournament after Miami fell to Drake in the opener. Florida Atlantic (4-2) plays the Bulldogs in the semifinals on Friday, while Oklahoma State (3-1) battles the Hurricanes in a consolation game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.

Commodities are heading for their best week since April, driven by geopolitical tensions and adverse weather. The main focus across markets has been heightened tensions after Russia lowered the threshold for using its nuclear arsenal. This followed President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles to strike Russia. Subsequently, Ukraine struck Russian targets with US and UK-made missiles, prompting Putin to respond by firing a new medium-range ballistic missile at Ukraine. This escalation has raised geopolitical tensions beyond levels seen during the year-long conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militants. The dollar responded with its eighth weekly gain, while gold saw fresh haven demand, injecting momentum back into the market after an early November correction. Crude oil also benefited, despite forecasts for ample supply and sluggish demand through 2025. Elsewhere, colder US weather increased power demand, driving US natural gas prices to a one-year high. Similar to cocoa’s rally earlier this year due to weather-related production concerns in West Africa, coffee prices surged on fears over Brazil’s 2025 crop, pushing Arabica coffee to a 13-year high. Rising wheat prices offset losses in corn and soybeans as the escalation stoked concerns about Black Sea region supply disruptions. The Bloomberg Commodity Index, tracking 24 major futures markets, trades up 3% on the week, marking its best performance since April. Gains were led by energy and precious metals, including index heavyweights WTI and Brent crude, natural gas, and gold with cocoa and coffee also delivering solid performances. Mounting supply risks and strong demand in Europe have pushed regional gas prices to approximately EUR 50/MWh or USD 15.4/MMBtu. Despite rising US prices, European consumers and industries are still paying 4.5 times more for gas than their US counterparts. The looming expiry of the Ukraine–Russia gas transit agreement on 31 December, which will not be renewed, has further driven prices upward as Europe secures LNG supplies over Asia. European gas prices had already surged due to a period of unusually cold, windless weather, which cut renewable power generation and led to an early, rapid drawdown of storage across the region. With forecasts predicting a colder winter than in recent years, prices for summer 2025 gas have risen sharply, reflecting the need for higher prices to compete for LNG supplies and ensure robust inventory buildup ahead of the 2025/26 winter. Precious metals, gold and silver, experienced a strong rally ahead of the US elections but reversed sharply as a surge in the USD and yields drove prices through key technical support levels. This pressured a market where hedge funds had maintained elevated long positions for months, particularly in gold. Weekly positioning data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) revealed that while hedge funds reduced long positions, there was little appetite for outright short selling. This supports the view that the weakness stemmed from reactive selling rather than a shift in the fundamental outlook for gold. This week, a sudden escalation between Russia and Ukraine reignited momentum for gold. At the time of writing, the metal trades above USD 2,700, recovering USD 170 from the recent USD 250 correction. This marks its biggest weekly jump in 13 months, even as the dollar heads for an eighth consecutive weekly gain. The correction has also encouraged fresh physical demand as buyers gain confidence in gold’s ability to maintain the strong gains achieved earlier this year. Despite the stronger dollar acting as a headwind, our bullish outlook on gold—and eventually silver—remains intact. An unsettled global landscape continues to drive investors toward gold, often regarded as a ‘dead’ asset offering no income but price appreciation. The US debt situation is expected to worsen under the Trump administration’s unfunded spending on tax cuts, infrastructure, and defence. Additionally, central banks seeking to de-dollarize reserves and inflation concerns from tariffs are likely to offset any slowing pace of US rate cuts. Crude oil traded higher this week, supported by rising refinery margins for distillate products amid an incoming cold snap driving US natural gas prices to a one-year high, heightened Russia–Ukraine tensions, and doubts about OPEC+ unwinding voluntary production cuts in 2025 due to market oversupply. However, the 2025 outlook remains non-supportive for crude prices, with lacklustre growth not only in China but also in Europe, where economic data continues to weaken. In addition, robust production from non-OPEC+ producers may lead to a crude surplus exceeding 1 million barrels per day, according to a recent report from the International Energy Agency. Still, some upside risks remain, including a potential Trump administration adding fresh sanctions on Iran and Venezuela and geopolitical risks intensified by the Russia–Ukraine war and the Israeli conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah. We see limited risk of a resurgence in US drilling activity, as US crude production is unlikely to increase significantly unless oil producers find it profitable. With WTI currently trading below USD 70, the incentive for further production increases remains constrained. As a result, we view natural gas as a more significant opportunity, with strong global demand making inexpensive US natural gas highly attractive worldwide. The industrial metals sector traded higher this week despite challenges from weak Eurozone growth, geopolitical tensions driving up the dollar, and risks to demand from proposed tariffs on imports, particularly from China—a move that could disrupt global trade and reduce demand for industrial metals like copper and aluminium. Furthermore, copper has been impacted by fears of a slowdown in the energy transition following Trump’s statement that he would “rescind all unspent funds” under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Biden-Harris administration’s flagship climate law. We believe the initial negative price response addresses near-term risks, as infrastructure spending plans and potential deregulation could boost demand for metals in the medium to long term. Additionally, tariffs imposed by Trump on China are likely to trigger further support measures from Beijing, while the supply outlook for the coming years could be constrained by a lack of new mining projects. Notably, copper stocks at warehouses monitored by the three major futures exchanges have continued to decline. Over the past five weeks, particularly steep drops in Shanghai-monitored stocks have reduced total stock levels to 473,000 tons—the lowest since May. Source: Saxo Bank

Arsenal 5-1 Sporting (Nov 26, 2024) Game Analysis - ESPN

The return of Evans and Downey Jr. for Avengers 5 has sparked a flurry of speculation about the plot and direction of the film. Will Captain America and Iron Man come out of retirement to join forces with the next generation of heroes? How will their characters' stories intertwine with the new narrative being crafted by Marvel Studios? These burning questions have fans eagerly awaiting more details and trailers for the upcoming film.

Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals?646 jili 777 。

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25 , making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as “The Game.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. “I don’t think none of that matters in this game,” Moore said Monday. “It doesn’t matter the records. It doesn’t matter anything. The spread, that doesn’t matter.” How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. “We’re going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. “We know they’re going to come in here swinging, too, and they’ve still got a good team even though the record doesn’t indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. “You come to Michigan to beat Ohio,” said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. “It doesn’t necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan.” AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollSiena hosts Phillips and AlbanyFeds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’

In a significant move that may reshape international commerce, President-elect Donald Trump appointed trade lawyer Jamieson Greer as U.S. trade representative. This decision elevates a veteran of Trump's first-term trade battles, particularly against China, to spearhead a bold tariff agenda aimed at restructuring global trade dynamics. With an extensive background as chief of staff to former trade representative Robert Lighthizer, Greer played a pivotal role in formulating tariffs on $370 billion worth of Chinese goods and renegotiating the North American free trade deal. His seasoned involvement in these strategic negotiations underscores his alignment with Trump's aggressive trade policies. Greer's strong stance on China, shared with his predecessor, suggests more stringent trade measures are forthcoming. His advocacy for increased tariffs and export controls signifies a continued focus on protecting U.S. industries and countering China's expansive economic ambitions, particularly in technology and manufacturing sectors. (With inputs from agencies.)I Tried New Sleep Tech From the Cult-Favorite Brand Behind Theragun. Should You Add It to Your Holiday Wish List?AFC standouts meet when Herbert, Chargers host Jackson's Ravens on Monday nightStar Holdings stock hits 52-week low at $10.99 amid market shifts

I'M A Celebrity fans have branded the latest episode as the 'most emotional ever' and a 'hard watch'. Typically, the celebrities' emotions run high after spending three weeks in the Australian jungle. Viewers were left in tears during Friday's (December 6) episode as the stars shared emotional reunions with their loved ones. One person wrote on X: "I actually think this is the most emotional reunion episode ever, between them getting to see their kids and Oti's husband wow." Another added: "These families, they should be proud of them, aka this year's cast. "They have worked so hard and seeing them reunite, even for a second..." Read more on I'm A Celeb GK Barry shrieked when she found her mum Loretta sitting by the creek. The social media star declared: "I've missed you guys so much!" Meanwhile, Loretta told her daughter that everyone sent their love and she was doing "so well". She also described fellow campmate Reverend Richard Coles as a "calming influence" on GK. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 Referring to one of the duo's more memorable chats, Loretta joked: "Did you really have to talk about scissoring? "Everyone knows about that now!" A shocked Richard said as he reunited with his brother Will: "We've met in some funny places, haven't we? "But this is really the funniest of them all!" Will continued as he told Richard that his partner, Dickie, sent his love. While Richard opened up about his experience: "The people are great, we've had a really, really good time and everything that's worked, has worked because we've all come together." McFly 's Danny Jones found his wife Georgia and excited son Cooper waiting for him. Cooper said: "I'm really excited to see my dad!" While Georgia added: "He's been doing amazing, he said he wanted to make you proud didn't he and show you how to be brave. "We think he's achieved that." Danny took the opportunity to wish Georgia a happy birthday, thrilled he could spend some time with her. A visibly emotional Danny later said: "That was the best surprise I think I've ever had in my life, just the best feeling." Elsewhere, a shocked Oti Mabuse stopped in her tracks as she found husband Marius. To mark their ten year anniversary, Marius had bought Oti a new ring - which she couldn't wait to try on. She responded: "This is exactly what I needed to spur me on until the end." As the couple parted ways, Oti said: "I love you." Coronation Street 's Alan Halsall was treated to a visit from his older brother Stephen. With his daughter on his mind, one of the actor's first questions was: "How's Sienna?" To which Stephen replied: "Everyone's proud of you, Sienna's especially, she's watching every night." When it came time to say goodbye, Alan gave his brother a long final hug. He added: "Obviously give everyone my love but make sure you speak to Sienna and just tell her I miss her." Coleen Rooney walked out of the Bush Telegraph to find her mother Colette and sons Kai and Cass waiting for her in camp. i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz , Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street , was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women . She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher . Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan . It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth." Upon hugging his mum, cheeky Kai remarked: "She stinks!" Afterwards, the media personality wasted no time giving her loved ones a tour of camp - including the dunny and her bed. READ MORE SUN STORIES In an emotional goodbye, Coleen told her sons it was only a couple more days - and then the countdown to Christmas . I'm A Celebrity continues on ITV1 and ITVX .None

9 No-Brainer Tokens to Buy Right Now and Build a $10 Million Portfolio in the Upcoming Market Surge

Dock Street Asset Management Inc. Reduces Stock Holdings in NVIDIA Co. (NASDAQ:NVDA)Smart Helmets Market to Reach $2.3 Billion by 2031- Exclusive Report by Meticulous Research®

I’m A Celebrity viewers react as new ‘fantastic’ celebrities join ITV show

Hyderabad -based space technology start-up TakeMe2Space is gearing up to launch India's first artificial intelligence (AI) lab in space. The project, dubbed 'Modular Orbital Infrastructure - Technology Demonstrator' (MOI-TD), will be launched on ISRO's PSLV C60 mission in mid-December. It is an innovative initiative that could revolutionize space research by allowing real-time data processing in orbit. AI lab to enhance data processing efficiency The MOI-TD aims to solve the inefficiencies associated with existing space data processing techniques. Satellites produce petabytes of data every day, with as much as 40% being unusable (due to cloud cover, etc). This data is sent back to Earth for processing. But, with MOI-TD, it will be processed in space itself and relevant insights delivered, cutting down cost and latency of transmission by a lot. User access and applications of the AI lab Users will be able to access the satellite platform via OrbitLab, a web-based console. From here, they can upload AI models for applications ranging from environmental monitoring and deforestation tracking to greenhouse gas emission detection, maritime activity observation, and custom Earth observation use cases. The satellite-as-a-service platform has already bagged its first research partners - a Malaysian university and a group of 9th and 10th graders from an Indian school. A step toward building data centers in space The launch of MOI-TD is viewed as a major step toward creating data centers in space. Although the current mission is geared toward Earth observation applications, the technology could easily support a variety of applications, just like existing cloud computing services. All testing and evaluation of the MOI-TD platform were done by IN-SPACe Technical Center, a government agency regulating private sector space activities.By Keith Laing | Bloomberg California Governor Gavin Newsom is promising to step in with a state electric-car tax credit if US President-elect Donald Trump repeals a federal subsidy after he takes office next year. Newsom, a prominent Democrat and frequent critic of Republican politics, said in a statement Monday that he will propose rebooting a program California phased out in 2023 to provide EV buyers relief in lieu of a $7,500 tax credit targeted by Trump. Trump has long criticized President Joe Biden administration’s efforts to subsidize electric vehicles in a bid to boost adoption of cleaner cars. His transition team is now looking to slash fuel-efficiency requirements for new cars and light trucks as part of plans to unwind Biden policies the president-elect has blasted as an “EV mandate,” Bloomberg News reported last week. California clashed with Trump frequently on auto emission regulations during the incoming president’s first term, and the state’s leaders have made clear they are now girding for another fight. Newsom already has sought to shield the state’s policies on issues including reproductive rights, climate and immigration from potential threats under a Trump administration. California, as well as states including Oregon and Colorado, currently are exempt from rules that preempt them from enacting their own emissions standards for new vehicles. More than a dozen states representing more than a third of the US auto market now have formally opted to follow California’s rules. Trump in his first term targeted California’s right to set tougher gas mileage rules than the federal government. He is expected to make another attempt to roll back the California carve out under the 1970 Clean Air Act after taking office in January. Tesla said last week it’s reached a “conditional” settlement in its 2020 lawsuit accusing Irvine-based Rivian Automotive of poaching employees to steal electric-vehicle trade secrets. Tesla didn’t disclose specifics about the agreement in a court filing, but told a California state judge that it expects to seek dismissal of the case by Dec. 24 upon satisfactory completion of the terms. Rivian declined to comment. A lawyer for Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The dispute kicked off more than four years ago when Elon Musk’s electric-vehicle maker accused Rivian of an “alarming pattern” of poaching its employees and stealing trade secrets. Some workers were “caught red-handed” misappropriating core technology for its next-generation batteries, Tesla later said. Rivian has denied wrongdoing and criticized the lawsuit as an effort to suppress competition in the EV market. Rivian and a group of its employees who defected from Tesla lost bids to get the lawsuit thrown out and a trial was set for March. —Malathi Nayak at Bloomberg contributed to this report.

None

Larson Financial Group LLC Buys 1,399 Shares of Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO)ATLANTA — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington. As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race, held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating their neighbors’ pets, he didn't just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hold their fists in the air after she delivered a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election Nov. 6 on the campus of Howard University in Washington. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris' loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. Supporters cheer during a community rally with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on Oct. 27 in Philadelphia. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women's concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people. Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,''' she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Where can Black women feel supported and flourish financially? When posed that question, Dr. Lori Martin, a professor of African and African American studies and sociology at Louisiana State University, had this to say: "A livable place for Black women is safe, and for women with children, it is home to schools where all students have access to an excellent education. It would also be diverse, with a visible and thriving Black community, including Black businesses." While the socioeconomic realities of our current time touch all corners of the country, there are pockets of the U.S. where the wealth gap narrows and Black women have more opportunities. MoneyGeek analyzed data on income, the cost of crime , homeownership , and poverty levels from 164 cities across the United States to rank the best — and worst — cities for Black women to live and financially flourish in. MoneyGeek ranked 164 cities with populations greater than 65,000 from the best to the worst for Black women. The ranking includes analysis of income, poverty rate, homeownership, educational attainment and health insurance gaps between Black women and the entire population nationally and locally. The size of the local Black population and the cost of crime in the area were included in the ranking to reflect the presence of the Black community and safety, respectively. Southfield — a suburb of Detroit — and Pearland — a Houston suburb — ranked as the top two cities in the analysis. Notably, Southern cities make up the majority of cities in the top 25, with 13 located in this region. In contrast, Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranked as the worst city for Black women. In Minneapolis, Black women face high poverty rates in absolute and relative terms and have low rates of health insurance coverage compared to the cities analyzed. Meanwhile, Miami ranks as the second least favorable city, with a significant local income gap — there, white men earn almost triple the income of Black women. Income disparity is a key measure of how well Black women are doing today. For each city in the analysis, we calculated the local Equal Pay Day — the day in the following year when Black women would make an equivalent amount as white men — using the median income of Black women working full time and the median income of white men working full time in each locality. In Carson, California, the median pay of Black women is higher than the median pay of white men. However, in Evanston, Illinois, Black women make just over a third of white men's earnings, meaning they would need to work until September 24, 2024, to earn the equivalent of a white man's 2022 pay. Economic challenges faced by Black women include restricted career advancement opportunities, insufficient health insurance, and inadequate retirement savings. Survey data from Goldman Sachs indicates that 42% of Black women perceive limited career growth opportunities compared to 35% of U.S. adults, and merely 43% are able to obtain health insurance through their employer, in contrast to 53% nationwide. Additionally, 71% of Black women feel they are living paycheck to paycheck, compared to 63% of the general population. The intersection of racial and gender bias contributes to these challenges, resulting in low-wage jobs and a considerable wealth gap. Our analysis validates this, demonstrating that Black women who work full-time, year-round, earn 64 cents for every dollar white men earn working full-time, year-round. Less access to economic opportunities puts Black women at a disadvantage in building wealth. The FDIC's National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households found that 11.3% of Black households were unbanked compared to just 2.1% of white households. Unbanked households are credit invisible — that is, they don't have a credit history and, therefore, can't build credit. Having no credit history makes it difficult to utilize credit cards to manage cash needs and mortgages to buy homes. Advocating for economic opportunities for Black women The struggle for economic equity remains a persistent challenge for Black women in America, who have historically faced systemic wage disparities and employment obstacles. However, there are tools and resources that can provide Black women with economic opportunities and empowerment. Dr. Ukanwa shares additional solutions, such as: 1. Invest in education: Research has already shown that degrees increase lifetime earnings, close some societal gaps, and increase job security. But if degrees are not your path, it also means continuing to build that knowledge and expertise in something you can be the best at. Figure out your expertise and what you bring to the table. 2. After building your expertise in a field, build your reputation and personal brand: With an excellent reputation and personal brand, people will start to seek you out rather than the other way around. This increases the worth of your expertise. 3. Find out what your expertise is worth: Educate yourself on how to negotiate . Negotiate to be paid what you are worth. 4. Get into the habit of ownership: Build your own equity, which decreases the dependence on someone else for your income. For example, this could be your own business, stocks , or real estate. To rank the best cities for Black women, MoneyGeek analyzed data from the American Community Survey , MoneyGeek's Safest Cities and Safest Small Cities and Towns studies, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The analysis started with over 500 places in America with populations of 65,000 or more. Places without granular data about Black women or lacking other data points for the analysis were removed to get to the final set of 164 cities. The ranking of the best cities for Black women was based on eight factors: safety, Black population, educational attainment, poverty rates, income, employment, health insurance, and homeownership. Each factor was weighted equally and scaled to a score between 0 and 1. The factors were calculated as follows: Safety (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics. Percent of local population that is Black (full weight): This percentage represents the proportion of Black individuals within a city's total population, as reported by the United States Census Bureau's five-year American Community Survey (ACS) from 2021, the most recent data available. Educational attainment (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics. Poverty rate (full weight): The percentage point difference between the city's rate of Black women earning at or above the poverty level and the rate of all women living above the poverty level nationally. This finding comes from the 2021 Census ACS five-year data, the latest available source covering over 200 cities. Income (full weight): This factor equally comprises two metrics. Employment (full weight): The difference in percentage points between the Black female employment rate and the white male employment rate in the locality. Health insurance (full weight): This metric reveals the percentage point difference between Black women (ages 19-64) and white men (ages 19-64) with health insurance. This information comes from the Census ACS five-year data from 2021, the most recent data source available. Black female homeownership (full weight): This factor comprises three metrics. The full data set can be found here . This story was produced by MoneyGeek and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Samoa Touch Rugby: Men’s Open to Participate in Prestigious Queensland State Cup

jili777 apk

As agriculture and food security take center stage in Uganda’s national discourse, the Housing Finance Bank (HFB) is pleased to announce the signing of a transformative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uganda. This partnership will enable HFB to finance large-scale commercial farming initiatives aligned with government programs that are crucial to the growth of Uganda’s agricultural sector, economic development, and poverty reduction efforts. “As we embark on this new partnership with the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (MOFPED), we are excited about the opportunities to further enhance our impact on the agricultural sector. This marks a pivotal moment in the country’s journey toward becoming the leading food basket in the region,” said Michael Mugabi, Managing Director of Housing Finance Bank. “This partnership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to supporting Uganda’s agricultural revolution. It aligns perfectly with our focus on empowering farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities through innovative financial solutions, such as our microfinance and SME lending programs for smallholder farmers, as well as our land loans, which enables customers to acquire land that can be put to agricultural use, among other initiatives,” he added Since transitioning from a specialized mortgage bank to a fully-fledged commercial bank, Housing Finance Bank has positioned itself as a leading partner in Uganda’s agricultural sector. The bank has consistently supported government initiatives aimed at fostering food security and economic development. Over the past five years, HFB has disbursed over UGX 700 billion in loans to more than 600 customers, directly contributing to Uganda’s agricultural growth. The bank has empowered farmers by facilitating access to credit, enabling technology adoption, and supporting value-added initiatives that create a more robust and sustainable agricultural economy. At the heart of this effort is HFB’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger. The bank’s strategic approach ensures that agriculture remains a priority sector in its mission to alleviate poverty and promote inclusive economic growth. Housing Finance Bank is dedicated to driving long-term sustainability in the agricultural sector. As part of this commitment, the bank has embedded sustainability practices into its operations. These include financing initiatives that prioritize climate-smart agriculture, water conservation, and soil health. By adopting these practices, HFB aims to ensure that the growth of Uganda’s agricultural sector remains both environmentally and economically viable for generations to come. The success of this initiative is further strengthened by HFB’s strategic collaborations with several key players in Uganda’s agricultural ecosystem. These include: “We are confident that this initiative will play a vital role in transforming the agricultural sector into a key driver of national growth.”We urge all intended beneficiaries of this initiative to embrace sustainable agricultural practices. Adopting environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially responsible methods will not only safeguard our natural resources but also ensure profitability for farmers and the long-term success of the sector,” Michael concluded. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Housing Finance Bank and the Government of Uganda is poised to transform the agricultural sector, positioning Uganda as a regional food hub and equipping farmers with the tools, knowledge, and financial resources to succeed. This partnership underscores agriculture’s crucial role in driving the nation’s economic growth and improving the livelihoods of its people. Housing Finance Bank remains dedicated to supporting the sector through innovative solutions, strategic partnerships, and a long-term commitment to sustainability. Together, they are shaping a future where agriculture not only drives Uganda’s economy but also fosters opportunity, prosperity, and food security for all. editorSINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald has been re-elected in Dublin Central. She was elected on the third count at the RDS this evening. Speaking ahead of her re-election this evening, McDonald told reporters that the maths for any government formation talks are going to be complicated. “Nobody has just a home run into government. It’s going to be challenging for everyone concerned and there’s nothing that will frustrate my efforts to do everything I possibly can to deliver the change that we talked about and for which we received a very substantial mandate in the course of this election,” McDonald said. Earlier today, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said his party has a clear pathway into government. Off the back of this, McDonald was asked if she has a message for the leaders of Social Democrats or Labour, one of whom is likely to form a crucial part in any formation plan including Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. “Anything that I have to say to people I’ll have the courtesy to say to them directly,” the Sinn Féin leader said, adding that she is committed to bringing change about for voters. “I think we have to now reflect, talk to each and I believe collaborate to see how we make that change real.” McDonald said she plans to “review” the election results in the morning and will then reach out to other political parties.

Trudeau fails to win assurances over trade tariffs after talks with TrumpPedro escaped punishment after swinging an arm at Bees substitute substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact. VAR reviewed the second-half incident but deemed there was no violent conduct. Frank and Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler disagreed about the decision. “As I understand the rules, you can’t swing your arm to try to hit someone,” said Frank. “If you hit them or not, it’s a red, that’s the way I understand the rules.” Frank spoke to the match officials, including referee Andy Madley, about the flashpoint at full-time. “They haven’t seen the situation yet, not on TV afterwards,” said Frank. “To be fair to him, I think the angle can be tricky so that’s why you’ve got VAR.” Asked about Frank’s assessment, Hurzeler replied: “Interesting opinion. I see it completely different. “For me, it’s not a red card. He tried to get free from a person.” Brighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six top-flight games. Albion dominated for large periods and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken made some important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Brentford a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Hurzeler thought the jeers at full-time were unfair. “The team doesn’t deserve that because in all the games we had in the last weeks they were all good, they were all intense, they were all where we thought we deserved more” said the German, whose team have lost to Fulham and Crystal Palace and drawn with Southampton, Leicester and West Ham in recent matches. “We try to work hard to satisfy our supporters, we try to give them what they deserve, we try to make them proud. “But the Premier League is tough. We know there will be (tough) periods we have to go through, especially with this young squad. “We try to stick together, find the positive and keep on going.” Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. Frank, who is awaiting news on Flekken and defender Ben Mee, who also left the field injured, said: “I thought it was a fair point. “Brighton were better in the first half, no big, clearcut chances, and I thought we were better second half. “Overall, I’m happy with the performance, especially the way we defended. “We haven’t had too many clean sheets this season, so in that context I thought it was very impressive against a good Brighton team. “We know we have a lot of players out – we get two more injuries during the game. “The way the players showed their mentality and character and dug in was hugely impressive.”

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says the club expect Mohamed Salah to "continue for a long time" after his stunning performance in the 3-3 draw at Newcastle. Salah, 32, is out of contract at Anfield at the end of the season and said last week he was "disappointed" by the club's failure to offer him a new one. The Egyptian again highlighted his worth at Newcastle, creating Liverpool's opener for Curtis Jones and then scoring two excellent finishes before Fabian Schar's late, late equaliser. Slot told Amazon Prime: "Every time we need Mo Salah he scores a goal. "We are hoping and expecting he can continue this for a long time. He was outstanding in the second half, he did many special things for us." Robbie Fowler scored 128 times in the Premier League for Liverpool and was in no doubt about how the club should handle Salah's future. Speaking on Amazon Prime, Fowler said: "Salah's stats and data are incredible. We talked about him getting that new contract and his agent should be there first thing in the morning to get him to sign that contract. "He is that player who can change a game. He has moments and he is exceptional in those moments. He is a match winner." Salah's stunning second half means he has now scored and assisted in 37 Premier League matches, overtaking Wayne Rooney (36) as the player to have done so on the most occasions in the competition. Salah has scored in each of his past seven Premier League matches, with the Egyptian becoming just the third player to have two separate runs of seven or more consecutive games scored in a row in the competition along with Jamie Vardy and his new Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. Salah has 325 goals and assists in 370 games for Liverpool since joining from Roma in 2017, and only legendary captain Steven Gerrard (92) has more than his 76 assists for the club in the Premier League. Salah's total of 168 Premier League goals for Liverpool puts him comfortably top of the club's list - add in the two he got for Chelsea and Salah is eighth in the all-time charts, just five behind Arsenal great Thierry Henry. Speaking on Match of the Day, former Manchester City defender Micah Richards said Liverpool have to retain their forward. "We keep talking about him - he is unbelievable," said Richards. "He doesn't even play well for 60 minutes but he's world class. We talk about his contract, is he staying or is he going? "They must keep him because he can do so many things others can't do. He doesn't have to be at the top of his game - not many people can score goals like that. "Mo Salah is immense."IDT Corporation Reports Record First Quarter 2025 Results

France faces political turmoil as confidence vote topples PM Barnier's govt France risks ending year without stable government or a 2025 budget French Prime Minister Michel Barnier reacts after the result of the vote on the first motion of no-confidence against the French government, tabled by the alliance of left-wing parties the "Nouveau Front Populaire" (New Popular Front - NFP), after the use by French government of the article 49.3, a special clause in the French Constitution, to push the budget bill through the National Assembly without a vote by lawmakers, at the National Assembly in Paris, France, December 4, 2024. — Reuters France is grappling with a political turmoil after opposition lawmakers brought down Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government on Wednesday by defeating it in a confidence vote in the National Assembly amid the looming crisis over concerns for the upcoming budget. Far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined forces to back a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government, with a majority 331 votes in support of the motion. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Barnier was expected to tender his resignation and that of his government to President Emmanuel Macron shortly. The hard left and far right punished Barnier for opting to use special constitutional powers to adopt part of an unpopular budget without a final vote in parliament, where it lacked majority support. The draft budget had sought 60 billion euros ($63.07 billion) in savings in a drive to shrink a gaping deficit. "This (deficit) reality will not disappear by the magic of a motion of censure," Barnier told lawmakers ahead of the vote, adding the budget deficit would come back to haunt whichever government comes next. No French government had lost a confidence vote since Georges Pompidou's in 1962. Macron ushered in the crisis by calling a snap election in June that delivered a polarised parliament. With its president diminished, France now risks ending the year without a stable government or a 2025 budget, although the constitution allows special measures that would avert a US-style government shutdown. France's political turmoil will further weaken a European Union already reeling from the implosion of Germany's coalition government, and weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. "We have arrived at the moment of truth," far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen said, adding that Barnier's austerity budget plans had been dangerous and unfair and would have meant chaos for France. The hard left France Unbowed (LFI) party demanded Macron's resignation. "With the no-confidence motion, all of the politics of Emmanuel Macron have been defeated and we demand that he goes," said LFI member Mathilde Panot. No easy exit from French political crisis France now faces a period of deep political uncertainty that is already unnerving investors in French sovereign bonds and stocks. Earlier this week, France's borrowing costs briefly exceeded those of Greece, generally considered far more risky. Macron must now make a choice. Three sources told Reuters that Macron aimed to install a new prime minister swiftly, with one saying he wanted to name a premier before a ceremony to reopen the Notre-Dame Cathedral on Saturday, which Trump is due to attend. Any new prime minister would face the same challenges as Barnier in getting bills, including the 2025 budget, adopted by a divided parliament. There can be no new parliamentary election before July. Macron could alternatively ask Barnier and his ministers to stay on in a caretaker capacity while he takes time to identify a prime minister able to attract sufficient cross-party support to pass legislation. A caretaker government could either propose emergency legislation to roll the tax-and-spend provisions in the 2024 budget into next year, or invoke special powers to pass the draft 2025 budget by decree - though jurists say this is a legal grey area and the political cost would be huge. Macron's opponents also could vote down one prime minister after the next. His rivals say the only meaningful way to end the protracted political crisis is for him to resign, something he has hitherto shown little inclination to do. Economic pain The upheaval is not without risk for Le Pen, who has for years sought to convince voters that her party offers a stable government in waiting. "The French will harshly judge the choice you are going to make," Laurent Wauquiez, a lawmaker from the conservative Les Republicains party who backs Macron, told Le Pen in parliament. Since Macron called the summer snap election, France's CAC 40 benchmark stock market index has dropped nearly 10% and is the heaviest loser among top EU economies. The euro single currency is down nearly 4%. "The positive signals ... that were seen over the summer, partly due to the Olympics, are now a thing of the past," Hamburg Commercial Bank economist Tariq Kamal Chaudhry said. Barnier's draft budget had sought to cut the fiscal deficit from a projected 6% of national output this year to 5% in 2025. Voting down his government would be catastrophic for state finances, he said. Le Pen shrugged off the warning. She said her party would support any eventual emergency law that rolls over the 2024 budget's tax-and-spend provisions into next year to ensure there is stopgap financing.Woman falls through ice trying to rescue dog in Stittsville

AP News Summary at 4:34 p.m. EST

Dublin Central General Election 2024 updates: Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald elected, Clare Daly eliminated with ‘The Monk’ still in contentionThe EU is investigating the Chinese shopping app over suspicions it's failing to protect its customers. Coming under the bloc's Digital Services Act, can the probe slow Temu's race to the top of online shopping? Confronting Temu with the EU's allegations is like doing business with the popular Chinese shopping app . You'll get the information you want in many bits and pieces, just as Temu customers get their goods in lots of small packages. It would take the length of this article just to line up the many pieces of information DW has received from Temu, one of which was Temu's standard phrase about "cooperating fully with [EU] regulatory authorities." Temu appears to be used to responding to allegations, most probably because the company is constantly confronted with them. In early 2024, the European Toy Association found safety risks in 95% of children's toys sold on Temu. The German Consumer Protection Association has repeatedly issued warnings, with the last such formal notice to stop its unlawful behavior or face a lawsuit sent this spring. In October, the pressure on Temu increased again after the European Commission launched a formal investigation into the shopping platform's business model. Prominent on the EU executive arm's long list of complaints is the claim that Temu is exporting products to the EU that do not comply with the bloc's standards. Moreover, the Commission accuses the online retailer of offering fake discounts to customers, publishing fake reviews, insufficient vendor information , and having an addictive app design. What's Temu's business model? Outside of China, Temu first emerged in the United States in September 2022 with the claim it wants to give Americans greater access to Chinese products. Since then, the marketplace has experienced rapid growth not only in the US but at a global level. From teeth-whitening powder to garden shears, Temu offers thousands of items at unbeatable prices. The products it sells usually arrive in various separate shipments directly from China. It is estimated that in Germany alone, 400,000 packages from Temu and the Chinese fashion marketplace Shein arrive every day. Temu is in a position to offer its products at unbeatable bargain prices because it operates solely as a marketplace, meaning Temu customers usually receive their package directly from a manufacturer's or seller's warehouse in China. Temu only handles the financial transactions and, in some cases, the shipping. In any case, Temu acts only as an intermediary, earning a commission for its services. This setup allows Temu to forgo stocking inventory almost entirely, thus reducing its costs. In turn, the practice also means longer delivery times for customers. Alexander Graf, a German platform-economy expert, says longer delivery times are key to Temu's low-price business model. "The Western e-commerce industry has evidently focused too long on shorter delivery times," said Graf, who is co-founder and co-CEO of Spryker, a software firm for e-commerce based in Berlin and New York. Apart from that, Temu's app "encourages consumers to shop more frequently," he told DW. Temu's strategy seems to be working nicely, given that it was the most downloaded iPhone app in the US in 2023, according to Apple. So, within only two years, Temu has grown at a pace that it's become a rival to online retail behemoth Amazon , still the dominant player in the market, according to Graf. But Amazon is "struggling to compete with Temu on its main platform," he added. Under efforts to curb the rise of Temu in the US, Amazon, meanwhile, has launched its Amazon Haul advertising platform also featuring a colorful range of inexpensive items, but with noticeably longer delivery times compared to Amazon's core service. Who owns Temu? The owner of the shopping app that has alarmed consumer advocates, Amazon, and the European Union is PDD Holdings. Listed on the US tech exchange Nasdaq, the firm noted the Irish capital of Dublin as its "principal executive office" in a 2023 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It had previously listed Shanghai as its main office. PDD's key brand is the e-commerce platform Pinduoduo, owned by Chinese billionaire Colin Huang. Specific revenue and profit figures for Temu do not appear in PDD Holdings' financial statements, and the company remains tight-lipped. "As part of the Nasdaq-listed PDD Holdings, Temu does not disclose separate financial or operational metrics," a company spokesperson told DW. Since April 2023, Temu has also been operating in Germany, though it has not disclosed how many people it employs here. Temu unfazed by EU investigation The EU investigation against Temu, launched on October 31, is the second probe against a Chinese e-commerce platform following action against the online retailer Aliexpress. The bloc's so-called Digital Services Act allows the EU Commission to scrutinize any online retailer classified as a "large platform" with more than 45 million users. The EU Commission investigation has given Temu until early December to offer so-called remedies and make adjustments to its business model. If it fails to comply, the platform will face hefty fines. EU taxation policy helps Temu advance A major issue not addressed by the EU probe, however, is Temu's practice of exporting its goods to Europe largely duty-free. Under EU rules, shipments valued at under €150 can be imported without paying any tariff, says taxation expert Roger Gothmann, who believes that Temu's success relies hugely on exploiting the loophole. "A large portion of shopping baskets on Temu stays under €150. Without this [duty-free] threshold, Temu couldn't offer such low prices," he told DW. The CEO of Taxdoo, a Hamburg, Germany-based company offering accounting and VAT software for online merchants, believes closing the loophole could potentially slow down Temu's growth in Europe. He suspects that Temu deliberately splits larger orders to stay under the duty-free threshold. Spot checks by customs officials have confirmed Temu is using this strategy, he said. Shein, the addictive shopping app To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Despite the duty-free status of many of Temu's imports, the shopping app still has to pay so-called import value-added tax (VAT) to the tax authorities in Ireland, where it's based, Gothmann added. Theoretically, the Irish state would then have to distribute Temu's tax payments to other EU states like Germany, where it is conducting its business. Yet, data-sharing remains cumbersome and is rarely carried out, Gothmann criticizes, and advocates for stricter oversight of marketplaces like Temu and the enforcement of existing laws. Equipping authorities with modern analytical tools could also be helpful, he said. Unsurprisingly, Temu denies claims it violates EU taxation rules, asserting that its growth "does not depend on duty-free imports" and that it "does not split packages" to evade customs checks. While the EU has proposed eliminating the duty-free limit by 2028, and wants to establish an EU-wide data hub for customs data, Alexander Graf believes Temu's rise cannot be stopped. Pointing to the dominance of Temu's parent company, Pinduoduo, which "outpaced existing platforms in Asia within five years," he said: "In any case, the industry must adapt to Temu's new business model. The number of packages arriving from China is unlikely to decrease." This article was originally written in German.

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MATTHEW BROWN Swaths of Pennsylvania and many other states are honeycombed with old, unstable mines that can cause the earth to suddenly give way — a phenomenon known as “ mine subsidence ” that poses a threat to people and property. That’s what searchers in Westmoreland County, just southeast of Pittsburgh, fear led to the disappearance of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard . Pollard and a young granddaughter were looking for a lost cat when she went missing Monday evening. At about the same time, a sinkhole appeared roughly 20 feet (6 meters) from where she had parked her car, in an area above an old coal mine. The granddaughter was found safe inside the car hours later, while the difficult and potentially dangerous search for Pollard continues. Mine subsidence has caused billions of dollars in damage in areas of the U.S. where mining once took place. In Pennsylvania alone, coal was mined in nearly half of the state’s 67 counties and there are at least 5,000 abandoned underground mines, leaving behind hazards that officials say can arise at any time. The Marguerite Mine that authorities believe resulted in the sinkhole was last operated in 1952 by the H.C. Frick Coke Co., according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. The coal seam in the area is about 20 feet (6 meters) beneath the surface. The state Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation will examine the scene when the search concludes to see if the sinkhole was indeed caused by mine subsidence, spokesperson Neil Shader said. There are as many as 500,000 abandoned mines in the U.S. — far outnumbering those that are still active, according to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. Related Articles National News | Two students wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California elementary school National News | Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA says National News | White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign National News | Powell: Fed’s independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions National News | United Healthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York In many cases their owners simply walked away from coal or precious metals mines when they became uneconomical to operate and declared bankruptcy, leaving behind safety hazards and costly pollution cleanups that public agencies must handle. Old mines pose myriad dangers , with 381 people killed and 152 injured at abandoned mine sites nationwide between 2000 and 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Victims can fall into hidden shafts, get lost in underground tunnels or perish from poisonous gases present in many old coal mines. Mine shafts can extend hundreds of feet beneath the surface and often are unmarked. State and federal agencies have sealed off many old mines. But more are discovered every year and officials have yet to conduct basic risk analyses on most of the abandoned mines on federal land. Besides the safety hazards, millions of gallons of water loaded with arsenic, lead and other toxic metals flows daily from contaminated mine sites without being treated. Rubinkam reported form northeastern Pennsylvania and Brown reported from Billings, Montana.Nebraska saw a football player announce a transfer for a third straight day Wednesday, this time a rotational member of the defensive line. Kai Wallin will move on after two seasons as a Husker, he announced on social media. He appeared in 11 games this fall with four tackles and recorded half a sack at Purdue. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder said he “deliberated, consulted and prayed” about his decision. “While I hope to continue to grow and evolve and make an impact on a new field, I will never forget the honor it was to wear a Nebraska jersey,” Wallin wrote in part. Wallin played a year of junior-college ball before arriving at Nebraska in 2023. The Sacramento native redshirted his first season before logging 89 snaps this year including 13 against Wisconsin. He saw single-digit snaps in five games behind a senior-heavy starting line. The defender has two years of eligibility remaining. Wallin is the 10th Husker to announce his intent to enter the transfer portal since Nov. 25. Migration among defenders has been higher as defensive coordinator Tony White and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton both left in recent days for Florida State. NU coach Matt Rhule said earlier Wednesday the roster churn – especially attrition – will continue in earnest as the team continues to trim closer to next season’s mandated limit of 105. “There’s going to be more,” Rhule said. “Everybody’s journey is different.”Despite Mary Lou McDonald’s confidence around shaping a coalition without Fine Gael and Fianna Fail – the two parties that have dominated the landscape of Irish politics for a century – the pathway to government for Sinn Fein still appears challenging. With counting following Friday’s election still in the relatively early stages – after an exit poll that showed the main three parties effectively neck-and-neck – there is some way to go before the final picture emerges and the options for government formation crystalise. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, has dismissed talk of a Sinn Fein surge and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about where his party will stand after all the votes are counted. Meanwhile, Ireland’s deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, insisted his party has a “very clear route back to government” as he predicted seat gains. The counting process could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. The early indications have turned the focus to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. Ms McDonald told reporters at the RDS count centre in Dublin that she would be “very, very actively pursuing” the potential to form a government with other parties on the left of the political spectrum. The smaller, left-leaning parties in Ireland include the Social Democrats, the Irish Labour Party, the Green Party and People Before Profit-Solidarity. Ms McDonald said her party had delivered an “incredible performance” in the election. “I think it’s fair to say that we have now confirmed that we have broken the political mould here in this state,” she said. “Two party politics is now gone. It’s consigned to the dustbin of history and that, in itself, is very significant.” She added: “I am looking to bring about a government of change, and I’m going to go and look at all formulations. “If you want my bottom line, the idea of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for another five years, in our strong opinion, is not a good outcome for Irish society. “Obviously, I want to talk to other parties of the left and those that we share very significant policy objectives with. So I’m going to do that first and just hear their mind, hear their thinking. But be very clear, we will be very, very actively pursuing entrance into government.” In Friday night’s exit poll, Sinn Fein was predicted to take 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of outgoing coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively. Prior to the election, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both ruled out entering government with Sinn Fein. Fine Gael leader Mr Harris rejected suggestions Sinn Fein had broken new ground. He told reporters in his count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow: “Certainly we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it. “I mean, it looks likely, on the figures that we’ve seen now, fewer people, many fewer people would have voted Sinn Fein in this election than the last one. “In fact, I think they’re down by around 5% and actually the parties, particularly the two parties, the two larger parties in government, are likely to receive significant support from the electorate. So definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented.” He said it was too early to tell what the next government would look like. “I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, they’re a braver person than I am,” he said. “Our electoral system dictates that there’ll be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all. “But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and I’m cautiously optimistic and excited.” Fianna Fail’s Mr Martin told reporters at a count centre in Cork he was confident that the numbers exist to form a government with parties that shared his political viewpoint. Mr Martin said it “remains to be seen” whether he would return to the role of Taoiseach – a position he held between 2020 and 2022 – but he expressed confidence his party would outperform the exit poll prediction. “It’s a bit too early yet to call the exact type of government that will be formed or the composition of the next government,” he said. “But I think there are, there will be a sufficiency of seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that I articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign, around the pro-enterprise economy, around a positively pro-European position, a government that will strongly push for home ownership and around parties that are transparently democratic in how they conduct their affairs.” Asked if it would be in a coalition with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Social Democrats, he said that would be “racing a bit too far ahead”. The final result may dictate that if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are to return to government, they may need more than one junior partner, or potentially the buy-in of several independent TDs. Mr Martin said it was unclear how quickly a government can be formed, as he predicted his party would gain new seats. “It will be challenging. This is not easy,” he added. The junior partner in the outgoing government – the Green Party – looks set for a bruising set of results. Green leader Roderic O’Gorman is in a fight to hold onto his seat, as are a number of party colleagues, including Media Minister Catherine Martin. “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day,” he said. The early counting also suggested potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch who, on Saturday evening, was sitting in fourth place in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smaller parties. The party’s leader, Holly Cairns, was already celebrating before a single vote was counted however, having announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day.

NEW YORK (AP) — The founder and former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network could face decades in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to federal fraud charges, admitting that he misled customers about the business. Alexander Mashinsky , 58, of Manhattan, entered the plea in New York federal court to commodities and securities fraud. He admitted illegally manipulating the price of Celsius’s proprietary crypto token while secretly selling his own tokens at inflated prices to pocket about $48 million before Celsius collapsed into bankruptcy in 2022. In court, he admitted that in 2021 he publicly suggested there was regulatory consent for the company's moves because he knew that customers “would find false comfort” with that. And he said that in 2019, he was selling the crypto tokens even though he told the public that he was not. He said he knew customers would draw false comfort from that too. “I accept full responsibility for my actions,” Mashinsky said of crimes that stretched from 2018 to 2022 as the company pitched itself to customers as a modern-day bank where they could safely deposit crypto assets and earn interest. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Mashinsky “orchestrated one of the biggest frauds in the crypto industry” as his company's assets purportedly grew to about $25 billion at its peak, making it one of the largest crypto platforms in the world. He said Mashinsky used catchy slogans like “Unbank Yourself” to entice prospective customers with a pledge that their money would be as safe in crypto accounts as money would be in a bank. Meanwhile, prosecutors said, Mashinsky and co-conspirators used customer deposits to fund market purchases of the Celsius token to prop up its value. Machinsky made tens of millions of dollars selling his own CEL tokens at artificially high prices, leaving his customers “holding the bag when the company went bankrupt,” Williams said. An indictment alleged that Mashinsky promoted Celsius through media interviews, his social media accounts and Celsius’ website, along with a weekly “Ask Mashinsky Anything” session broadcast that was posted to Celsius’ website and a YouTube channel. Celsius employees from multiple departments who noticed false and misleading statements in the sessions warned Mashinsky, but they were ignored, the indictment said. A plea agreement Mashinsky made with prosecutors calls for him to be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison and to forfeit over $48 million, which is the amount of money he allegedly made by selling his company's token. Sentencing was scheduled for April 8.The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . WASHINGTON (AP) — Thomas Sorber’s 22 points helped Georgetown defeat Coppin State 83-53 on Saturday. Sorber also had 12 rebounds and four blocks for the Hoyas (11-2). Drew Fielder scored 20 points while shooting 6 of 7 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line and added 13 rebounds. Malik Mack finished with 15 points. The Eagles (1-13) were led in scoring by Toby Nnadozie, who finished with 22 points. Julius Ellerbe added 12 points and six steals for Coppin State. Zahree Harrison finished with nine points and four steals. Georgetown took the lead with 19:44 left in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 37-30 at halftime, with Sorber racking up 13 points. Georgetown pulled away with a 21-2 run in the second half to extend a seven-point lead to 26 points. They outscored Coppin State by 23 points in the final half, as Mack led the way with a team-high nine second-half points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .There are few good ways out of China’s stock slumpjili777 free 150 no deposit philippines 。

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday appointed Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, former Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, and ex-army chief and former Union minister General (retd) VK Singh as new governors of Bihar, Manipur and Mizoram, respectively, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. President Murmu also accepted the resignation of Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, the statement said, adding Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati has been appointed as the new Odisha governor. Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been named the new governor of Kerala. “The above appointments will take effect from the dates they will assume charge of their respective offices,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Bhalla, who served as the Union home secretary from August 2019 till August this year, will take over as the governor of Manipur, which has been in the throes of ethnic strife between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3 last year. The cycle of violence and reprisal attacks has prompted the Centre to deploy more troops and reimpose Afspa in parts of Manipur, where at least 260 people been killed in the ethnic violence. Also read | Tamil Nadu gov, state at loggerheads again over VC appointment to university Following Bhalla’s appointment, there was a buzz in the political circles of the northeastern state and among security forces about the Centre’s move to send the retired IAS officer in the gubernatorial role and if the move was a precursor to a possible imposition of President’s Rule. “Nobody knows for sure if the Centre has decided to impose President’s Rule by sending an officer, who is he most trusted by the home minister. These are just speculations for now. Maybe this has got nothing to do with President’ Rule but the fact that Centre wants an officer, who has closely tracked what is happening in Manipur. There is already a security advisor chosen by the home minister who is the chief of the unified command,” a mid-level BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said. Bhalla did not respond to HT’s request for a comment on his appointment. Also read | In Manipur conflict, rise in Myanmar-made weapons Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the southern state have been at loggerheads over several issues, primarily about the functioning of state universities and his non-signing of certain bills passed by the assembly. Last week, SFI activists protested against Khan outside the Kerala university campus during his visit to attend a programme. Different Left groups in the state have accused him of trying to appoint people linked to ABVP — student wing affiliated with the RSS — to key level appointments in the universities. Khan has been appointed as the governor of Bihar, where assembly elections are due next year. Gen (retd) VK Singh, who served as a minister in the Narendra Modi government from 2014 and 2024, did not contest the Lok Sabha elections this summer, having represented Ghaziabad seat in Uttar Pradesh for a decade. His appointment as the governor of Mizoram is important given the fact that the state has been receiving thousands of refugees from violence-hit Myanmar, heavy smuggling of arms and ammunition from Myanmar, and various groups protesting the government’s plan to fence the Indo-Myanmar border. While Raghubar Das, former chief minister of Jharkhand, has resigned as the governor of Odisha, there were reports of him returning to active politics. His meeting with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in September, ahead of the Jharkhand assembly polls had fuelled speculation. The BJP had then dismissed the speculation, but with a rejig in the national team expected shortly, the possibility of Das making a comeback is again being discussed in party circles.

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”PACS Investors Have Opportunity to Lead PACS Group Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit

Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73

Over a dozen community groups refuse to leave Montreal centre despite eviction order

The British Columbia Hockey League hosted a special board of governors meeting this week to discuss ways to deal with the recent NCAA eligibility change, but one thing they didn't discuss was rejoining Hockey Canada. The league has seen a number of players depart the league this month for the Canadian Hockey League – or other major junior leagues – due to the NCAA's ruling on Nov. 7 that players suiting up in any of the three CHL leagues could continue on at the NCAA level. Prior to that decision, those who played in the CHL were not able to play at the NCAA level due to those leagues being considered semi-professional. The BCHL left Hockey Canada in 2023 and became an independent league. The mission at that time was to create a world-class junior league for players seeking NCAA and U Sports scholarships. It allowed the BCHL to recruit from a larger pool of players, as under Hockey Canada they could not recruit as heavily from other provinces and parts of the world. The BCHL also stated in 2023 that all player fees would be eliminated by the 2024-25 season. The BCHL's Board of Governors met on Wednesday to discuss league strategic planning in the ever-changing junior hockey landscape. "We are committed to providing the best path for young athletes to develop into NCAA Division I hockey players." DETAILS: According to Jesse Adamson, the director of communications for the BCHL, discussions about linking back with Hockey Canada are not on the table. "Being an independent league puts us in a much better situation to handle this change as it gives our league the autonomy to make regulation changes to adapt to the new landscape," he told Black Press Media. "Our governors are still very happy with the decision to become independent." The BCHL issed a press release on Friday morning (Nov. 22), stating that only a small percentage of players have left the league and other players have been brought in to replace them. They also reiterated that the BCHL has always been about player choice. Unlike the CHL, the BCHL does not hold a draft or tell players where to play. Players are recruited and can choose their own destination from the start of their junior hockey career. "There’s no doubt that this rule change has altered the landscape of junior hockey, but as our league has always done, we will adapt to the new regulations and continue to thrive,” stated BCHL commissioner Steven Cocker. "We will always be in favour of athletes doing what they think is best for their development.” BCHL board chairman Richard Murphy said he believes that, despite the changing landscape, the BCHL is still the best path for players to develop into NCAA Division I hockey players. He added that the league will continue to produce college-bound athletes for years to come. The release stated that the BCHL’s mandate going forward remains: unity and growth, players' choice, academics, independence, and meeting the needs of its athletes and of NCAA Division I programs. following the meeting with more information. The FAQ states that the league has had multiple meetings with NCAA Division I programs and conferences and they all feel that this decision will not make the BCHL irrelevant. The FAQ added that the BCHL's high academic standards also makes players from the league more easy to recruit into the NCAA. , with the West Kelowna Warriors and Penticton Vees both losing two. The Vees put out a statement on Friday (Nov. 22) after losing forward Casey Brown and defenceman Julien Wasmer to the CHL. “Casey came to us with a personal issue. He felt being closer to his family would be best and we fully support and respect his decision. We wish him all the best in Moose Jaw," said Fred Harbinson, Vees president, general manager and head coach "We are a few weeks away from getting two 20-year-old defencemen back from injury, and coupled with the outstanding play of our two young defencemen, Julien understood his role was going to be reduced. He looked for an opportunity with another team, rather than compete for a more favourable spot on our roster." Our roster now sits at 23 players after the departures of Casey Brown and Julien Wasmer. Click the link below for a statement from President, General Manager & Head Coach Fred Harbinson. Other players who have moved on since the decision include: Lukas McCloskey (Vernon Vipers), Robin Benoit (Sherwood Park Crusaders), Linden Burrett (Cowichan Valley Capitals), Thomas Belzil (Powell River Kings) and Liam Beamish (Salmon Arm Silverbacks).Longest-lived US president was always happy to speak his mind