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Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, dies at 85(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .Traders, students unite against PTI’s protests Islamabad : Protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have drawn widespread criticism from traders and students, who deem the demonstrations illegal and detrimental to their daily lives which have severely impacted the local economy and hindered students'' access to education. Traders and students have strongly condemn the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protests, labelling them ‘senseless’ and detrimental to the economy and education. “The protests have brought economic and educational activities to a standstill, causing significant disruptions to daily life,” said a student. Sohail Mehmood Bhutt, President of the Mall Road Traders Association talking to PTV news channel has strongly condemned the daily protest calls by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stating, "They have severely disrupted businesses and negatively impacted the livelihoods of poor individuals associated with these businesses.” “The protests are illegal and causing immense suffering for the people,” Bhutt emphasised. He highlighted the devastating effects of the protests on traders and the local economy. Sohail Mehmood Bhutt urged traders not to fall prey to the PTI''s activities and to keep their businesses open despite the disruptions. Muhammad Afzal Kiyani, another trader leader also strongly condemned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) chaotic protest calls, labelling them a threat to the country’s peace. Kiyani emphasized that political parties should utilize democratic platforms and processes to resolve issues, rather than resorting to destructive tactics that harm businesses and the economy. Muhammad Arshad, an Associate Professor has expressed deep concern over the daily protest calls, lamenting the devastating impact on the education. Professor Dr. Aneela Durrani has vehemently condemned the ongoing protest calls, describing them as immature and undemocratic. As a female academic, she expressed deep concern about the disproportionate impact of the protests on female students. “The demonstrations have created an insecure environment for women, forcing them to miss classes and lose valuable semester time,” Dr Durrani emphasized. “The financial burden on students and their families is also a significant worry,” Dr. Durrani pointed out. “Despite paying hefty fees, students are unable to attend classes due to road blockages and disruptions caused by the protests,” he added. “This is a gross injustice and a violation of the fundamental right to education,” she argued. She urged the protesters to adopt a more democratic and peaceful approach to expressing their grievances, one that does not harm the education and future of the country’s youth.
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Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire TabletsFILE-Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty I Amazon and Meta are each donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. Trump previously had issues with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg met privately with Trump and Bezos said he’s "optimistic" about Trump’s second term in the White House. Amazon is planning to donate $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration fund, after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, made a $1 million contribution to his inauguration fund. An Amazon spokesperson tells the Associated Press that the company will also stream Trump's inauguration on its Prime Video service, a separate donation worth another $1 million. The Wall Street Journal first reported Meta’s donation and Amazon’s plans after Trump said Jeff Bezos, the company’s founder, was going to visit him in person next week, the AP noted. RELATED: Trump extends invites to China's Xi and other world leaders for his inauguration Trump and Bezos had their issues previously, when Trump, during his first term as president, criticized Amazon and complained about the political coverage at The Washington Post, which Bezos owns. However, Bezos has changed his stance, saying recently that he was "optimistic" about Trump’s second stint in the White House. The AP reported that Bezos did not allow the Washington Post to endorse a presidential candidate in October, a move that led to consumers canceling their subscriptions and to protests from journalists with a deep history at the newspaper. RELATED: Prominent figures share reactions following Trump’s election win Meta’s inauguration donation comes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago, a company spokesperson told the AP. Trump was previously removed from the Facebook platform after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, but Meta later restored his account in 2023. Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate during this year’s presidential campaign, but also displayed a positive stance toward Trump. However, Trump attacked Zuckerberg publicly on the campaign trail. Amazon and Meta are not the only major companies who have made financial contributions to an incoming president’s inauguration. Google contributed $285,000 each to Trump’s first inauguration and President Joe Biden’s inauguration, the AP reported, citing Federal Election Commissions records. Microsoft contributed $1 million to President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, but only $500,000 to Trump in 2017 and Biden in 2021. Amazon has also donated about $58,000 to Trump's 2017 inauguration and the tech giant also streamed Biden's inauguration on Prime Video in 2021. Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, which obtained comments from an Amazon spokesperson about the inauguration donation. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
EC chief proposes to restore Syria through donor conference mechanismLAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Chris Kutz, a Boise State athletics spokesman, said in an email the university would not “comment on potential matchups at this time.” Doug Hoffman, an Aggies athletics spokesman, said in an email Utah State is reviewing the court’s order. “Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on,” Hoffman wrote. San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. A double-digit victory in a packed, loud arena. Toughness from a deep, experienced lineup that once again is driven to win an elusive national championship. And, peeking a few seasons ahead, he saw an SDSU team that he views more as a future Pac-12 partner than rival. Behind big man Graham Ike and guard Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga displayed its size, speed and strength in beating Brian Dutcher's young, hobbled squad 80-67 on Monday night. The Bulldogs returned the favor after SDSU won 84-74 last December at The Kennel in Spokane, which ended their 59-game nonconference winning streak. Both teams reached the Sweet Sixteen last season. Gonzaga is the only team in the nation to reach the Sweet Sixteen the last nine seasons as the Bulldogs extended their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to 25 straight. Back in Spokane on Wednesday night, the Zags improved to 5-0 by routing Long Beach State 84-41, no doubt firing up expectations in the Lilac City and beyond. In a college sports climate dominated by NIL and the transfer portal, the Zags are stacked. Of the 12 possible players who could return from last year, 10 did, including all four starters. They returned 81% of last season's scoring and 71% of their rebounding. Six of its top seven scorers are back, along with 81.4% of minutes played. “We're tougher,” Few said. “We're physically tougher, we're mentally tougher, at least so far in the season. A lot of the same guys from last year. That's what happens when you stick around a couple of years. “You've got to have both to be able to go on the road in a place like this and dig out wins," Few added. "That's one thing San Diego State is going to bring. They're going to bring physicality, they're going to bring great athleticism, they're going to challenge you in every facet of the game.” Hoops powerhouse Gonzaga announced on Oct. 1 that it will move from the West Coast Conference, where it has dominated for most of the last quarter-century, into a Pac-12 conference being rebuilt around football. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Gonzaga will become the eighth member along with holdovers Washington State and Oregon State, and fellow newcomers Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State from the Mountain West. While not as dominant as the Zags, the Aztecs have been one of the West Coast's best programs for several years, first under Steve Fisher and then Dutcher, his longtime assistant who is in his eighth season as head coach. “They're just going to be such a great partner, because they value basketball and they support basketball,” said Few, who's in his 26th season as head coach. “They understand, when you have a national program like we both have, it pays unbelievable dividends to the university, to the community, to the city and the state, like the Northwest and down here. They get that. We're looking for other like-minded places to partner with us.” Few said he would often chat with Fisher about the possibility of the Zags and Aztecs playing in the same conference. Fisher watches Aztecs games with his wife, Angie, from the second row above Steve Fisher Court. “We talked about it forever,” Few said. “I'm happy for Dutch. He's doing a great job." San Diego State reached its first Final Four in 2023, when Lamont Butler's thrilling buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game, where they lost 76-59 to UConn. SDSU was routed again by UConn, 82-52, in last season's Sweet Sixteen, while Gonzaga lost to Purdue. Gonzaga opened this season with a 101-63 win against then-No. 8 Baylor at the Spokane Arena. It was Gonzaga’s biggest victory margin over a top-10 opponent, over a team it lost to in the 2021 national title game in Indianapolis. Nembhard, who had 19 points and 10 assists against the Aztecs, said the Zags “did a really good job, actually,” of handling the pressure of playing at Viejas Arena. "Every time they went on a little run and the crowd got loud, we did a good job staying composed and trusting our offensive sets.” Nembhard will be gone when the Bulldogs and Aztecs are in the Pac-12 together, but thinks "the rivalry will be great. This is a great program. I played them a couple of times at Creighton, and they always gave us a tough game. They have a great fan base, a great coach over there, and they play really hard. I think it’ll be a great rivalry to come.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Mark Few likes No. 3 Gonzaga's toughness after win over future Pac-12 'partner' SDSU
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