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UVALDE, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge on Thursday refused to throw out criminal charges accusing the former Uvalde schools police chief of putting children at risk during the slow response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, while a lawyer for his co-defendant said they want to move the upcoming trial out of the small town where the massacre occurred. At a court hearing in Uvalde, Judge Sid Harle rejected Pete Arredondo's claim that was he improperly charged and that only the shooter was responsible for putting the victims in danger. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the shooting on May 24, 2022. Harle also set an Oct. 20, 2025, trial date. An attorney for Arredondo's co-defendant, former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales, said he will ask for the trial to be moved out of Uvalde because his client cannot get a fair trial there. Uvalde County is mostly rural with fewer than 25,000 residents about 85 miles (140 kilometers) west of San Antonio. “Everybody knows everybody,” in Uvalde, Gonzales attorney Nico LaHood said. Both former officers attended the hearing. Nearly 400 law enforcement agents rushed to the school but waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill the gunman in a fourth-grade classroom. Arredondo and Gonzales are the only two officers facing charges — a fact that has raised complaints from some victims' families. Both men have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of abandoning or endangering a child, each of which carry punishment of up to two years in jail. Gonzales has not asked the judge to dismiss his charges. A federal investigation of the shooting identified Arredondo as the incident commander in charge, although he has argued that state police should have set up a command post outside the school and taken control. Gonzales was among the first officers to arrive on the scene. He was accused of abandoning his training and not confronting the shooter, even after hearing gunshots as he stood in a hallway. Arredondo has said he was scapegoated for the halting police response. The indictment alleges he did not follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was “hunting” his victims. It alleges that instead of confronting the gunman immediately, Arredondo caused delays by telling officers to evacuate a hallway to wait for a SWAT team, evacuating students from other areas of the building first, and trying to negotiate with the shooter while victims inside the classroom were wounded and dying. Arredondo’s attorneys say the danger that day was not caused by him, but by the shooter. They argued Arredondo was blamed for trying to save the lives of the other children in the building, and have warned that prosecuting him would open many future law enforcement actions to similar charges. “Arredondo did nothing to put those children in the path of a gunman,” said Arredondo attorney Matthew Hefti. Uvalde County prosecutors told the judge Arredondo acted recklessly. “The state has alleged he is absolutely aware of the danger of the children,” said assistant district attorney Bill Turner. Jesse Rizo, the uncle of 9-year-old Jacklyn Cazares who was killed in the shooting, was one of several family members of victims at the hearing. “To me, it’s hurtful and painful to hear Arredondo’s attorneys try to persuade the judge to get the charges dismissed,” Rizo said. He called the wait for a trial exhausting and questioned whether moving the trial would help the defense. “The longer it takes, the longer the agony,” Rizo said. “I think what’s happened in Uvalde ... you’ll probably get a better chance at conviction if it’s moved. To hold their own accountable is going to be very difficult.” The massacre at Robb Elementary was one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the law enforcement response has been widely condemned as a massive failure. Nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents, 91 state police officers, as well and school and city police rushed to the campus. While terrified students and teachers called 911 from inside classrooms, dozens of officers stood in the hallway trying to figure out what to do. More than an hour later, a team of officers breached the classroom and killed the gunman. Within days of the shooting, the focus of the slow response turned on Arredondo, who was described by other responding agencies as the incident commander in charge. Multiple federal and state investigations have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. Several victims or their families have filed multiple state and federal lawsuits. Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed. Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

BOSTON — Another CTE study is exposing the dangers of repetitive head impacts for athletes. The largest study ever of CTE in dead hockey players found that the odds of having chronic traumatic encephalopathy significantly increased with longer careers. The Boston University CTE Center study of 77 dead male ice hockey players showed that the risk for the brain disease jumped by 34% with each year played. Eighteen of the 19 dead National Hockey League players who were studied had CTE — a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries, and most frequently found in former contact sport athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts. While many think of CTE risk as limited to hockey enforcers, this study makes it clear that all male ice hockey players are at risk. “Ice hockey players with longer careers not only were more likely to have CTE, but they also had more severe disease,” said corresponding author Jesse Mez, co-director of clinical research at the BU CTE Center. “We hope this data will help inspire changes to make the game safer as well as help former ice hockey players impacted by CTE get the care they need,” added Mez, who’s an associate professor of neurology at BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. The researchers studied male brain donors who had been amateur and professional ice hockey players. They found 96% (27 of 28) of pro players had CTE (18 of 19 NHL players, and all nine non-NHL pros); 46% of college, juniors and semi-pro players (13 of 28); and 10% (2 of 21) of youth and high school players. Among enforcers, the researchers found that 18 of 22 had CTE, but the difference between enforcers and non-enforcers was not statistically significant after accounting for years of play. “Enforcers have dominated the CTE conversation, but our findings provide the most evidence for the cumulative amount of play as the predominant risk factor for CTE,” Mez said. “Enforcers had about twice the odds of developing CTE, but the takeaway here is that non-enforcers are getting CTE as well. “Ice hockey players skate quickly, and checking leads to impacts with other players, the ice, boards and glass,” Mez added. “We think years of play is a proxy for these impacts that are harder to measure directly, but are likely what are leading to the disease.” After football and rugby, ice hockey is the third major sport to show a dose-response relationship between years of play and CTE risk, further strengthening the evidence that repetitive head impacts cause CTE. The risk for CTE among female ice hockey players remains unknown, and because the rules around checking differ, the results should not be generalized to female ice hockey players. The researchers stressed that the CTE data reported in this study should not be construed as the prevalence of CTE in the target population, as families whose loved ones are symptomatic are more likely to donate their brains. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nutanix, Inc. (“Nutanix”) (Nasdaq: NTNX), a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today announced its intention to offer, subject to market conditions and other factors, $750 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2029 (the “notes”) in a private placement (the “offering”) to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Nutanix also expects to grant the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase up to an additional $112.5 million aggregate principal amount of the notes within a 13-day period from, and including, the initial issuance date of the notes. The notes will be unsecured senior obligations of Nutanix. Interest will be payable semi-annually in arrears. The notes will mature on December 15, 2029, unless earlier converted, redeemed, or repurchased. The notes will be convertible at the option of holders, subject to certain conditions and during certain periods. Upon conversion, the notes may be settled in cash, shares of Nutanix’s Class A common stock or a combination of cash and shares of Nutanix’s Class A common stock, at Nutanix’s election. The interest rate, initial conversion rate and other terms of the notes are to be determined at the time of the pricing of the offering. Nutanix intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to (i) repurchase a portion of its outstanding 0.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027 (the “2027 notes”) concurrently with the pricing of the offering in separate and privately negotiated transactions with certain holders of its 2027 notes (the “concurrent note repurchases”) effected through one of the initial purchasers of the notes or its affiliate, acting as Nutanix’s agent, and (ii) repurchase up to $200.0 million of shares of Nutanix’s Class A common stock in privately negotiated transactions with institutional investors effected through one of the initial purchasers of the notes or its affiliate, acting as Nutanix’s agent, at a price per share equal to the last reported sale price of Nutanix’s Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the date of the pricing of the notes (the “Share Repurchase”). Any such Share Repurchase would not reduce the amount available for future repurchases under Nutanix’s existing share repurchase program. Nutanix intends to use the remaining net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and potential acquisitions. From time to time, Nutanix evaluates potential acquisitions of businesses, technologies or products. Currently, however, Nutanix does not have any understandings or agreements with respect to any acquisitions. The terms of the concurrent note repurchases are anticipated to be individually negotiated with each holder of the 2027 notes participating in the concurrent note repurchases, and will depend on several factors, including the market price of Nutanix’s Class A common stock and the trading price of the 2027 notes at the time of each such concurrent note repurchase. Certain holders of any 2027 notes that Nutanix agrees to repurchase may have hedged their equity price risk with respect to such 2027 notes and may, concurrently with the pricing of the notes, unwind all or part of their hedge positions by buying Nutanix’s Class A common stock and/or entering into or unwinding various derivative transactions with respect to Nutanix’s Class A common stock. Any repurchase of the 2027 notes, and the potential related market activities by holders of the 2027 notes participating in the concurrent note repurchases, together with the repurchase by Nutanix of any of its Class A common stock concurrently with the pricing of the notes, could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of Nutanix’s Class A common stock, which may affect the trading price of the notes at that time and the initial conversion price of the notes. Nutanix cannot predict the magnitude of such market activity or the overall effect it will have on the price of the notes or its Class A common stock. No assurance can be given as to how much, if any, of the 2027 notes or the Class A common stock will be repurchased or the terms on which they will be repurchased. Neither the notes nor the shares of Nutanix’s Class A common stock potentially issuable upon conversion of the notes, if any, have been, or will be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements. This announcement is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation, or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale is unlawful. About Nutanix Nutanix is a global leader in cloud software, offering organizations a single platform for running applications and managing data, anywhere. With Nutanix, companies can reduce complexity and simplify operations, freeing them to focus on their business outcomes. Building on its legacy as the pioneer of hyperconverged infrastructure, Nutanix is trusted by companies worldwide to power hybrid multicloud environments consistently, simply, and cost-effectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding Nutanix’s financing plans, Nutanix’s ability to complete the offering, the timing and size of the offering, the concurrent note repurchases and the Share Repurchase, Nutanix’s intended use of the net proceeds of the offering. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, whether Nutanix will be able to consummate the offering, the final terms of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions with respect to the offering of the notes, prevailing market conditions, the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the offering of the notes, which could change as a result of market conditions or for other reasons, and the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by Nutanix’s management that, although believed to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain and subject to a number of risks. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated or predicted by Nutanix’s forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to other risks detailed in Nutanix’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and the risks discussed in Nutanix’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Nutanix undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law. © 2024 Nutanix, Inc. All rights reserved. Nutanix, the Nutanix logo, and all Nutanix product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or unregistered trademarks of Nutanix, Inc. (“Nutanix”) in the United States and other countries. Other brand names or marks mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s). This press release is for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes a warranty or other binding commitment by Nutanix. Investor Contact: Richard Valera ir@nutanix.com Media Contact: Lia Bigano pr@nutanix.com

Apple launched a bunch of iPads in 2024, including the much-awaited iPad mini refresh and a new iPad Air , which was the first to be available in two screen sizes. The company’s tablet portfolio is now bigger than ever, which can be confusing if you are in the market for a new great tablet . Even if your priorities are clear with size and price, there are a number of overlapping models, which can make decision-making difficult. Do you need a more pocketable iPad or a more powerful tablet? Are you fixated on a specific screen size? Are you confused about how much power is required to run your creative tasks? Which is the best iPad overall? Don’t worry if you don’t have answers to any of these questions right now. This comparison between two of our favorite iPads from 2024 will help answer them so you can make an informed decision. iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): specs iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): design and display The new iPad mini is a similar-looking product to its predecessor. It sports the same sleek design and an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2266 x 1488 resolution at 326 pixels-per-inch (ppi). It’s as pocketable as before, so you can toss it inside your backpack or carry it with you for reading on commutes without any issues. The 2024 iPad Air introduced two variants. Apple borrowed the iPad Pro approach for the iPad Air (2024) and offers it in two sizes, 11-inch and 13-inch. Depending on the screen estate you need, you can choose one of the three iPads mentioned above. While we recommend the iPad mini (2024) for reading and browsing, the iPad Air (2024) is the better product for creatives. Both the iPad mini and Air support Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil USB-C, but you’ll get better brightness (600 nits versus 500 nits) on the 13-inch iPad Air. These screens don’t support Apple’s ProMototion technology, so you get a 60Hz refresh rate. You can get any of the three screen sizes in four colors: Space Gray, blue, purple, and Starlight. It’s a tie here because each of these products appeals to a different user base. Winner: Tie iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): performance This year, Apple focused on making the iPads more powerful than ever. Both the new iPad mini and iPad Air feature good performance upgrades. Apple also increased the base storage capacity on the mini to 128GB (finally). Starting with the iPad mini (2024), it gained the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro chipset. As per Apple, the upgrade results in 30% faster CPU performance and 25% faster graphics. However, in our usage, we experienced the tablet getting warm to the touch when running Lightroom with an SSD connected. If you are a power user, you should opt for the iPad Air (2024) because it packs the MacBook-grade Apple M2 chipset . If you use your iPad for creative tasks such as editing videos or creating art with the Apple Pencil Pro, you’ll be more at home with the M2 iPad Air. The iPad Air (2024) is more powerful than the iPad mini (2024) and wins this round. Winner: iPad Air (2024) iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): cameras and battery While you might not use the rear camera on an iPad much, it’s useful to quickly scan documents or take a copy of your notes. And a good quality camera is always better, more so on the front because you could be using your iPad to attend meetings and take work calls. Both the iPad mini (2024) and the iPad Air (2024) feature a 12-megapixel camera on the back and a 12MP Center Stage camera on the front. The iPad Air now sports the front camera in the landscape orientation for a better experience. As for the battery life, both of these models are expected to last the same number of hours. Apple promises nine to 10 hours of battery backup on a single charge. But expect to get better standby battery life on the M2 iPad Air. Winner: Tie iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): software The 2024 models of the iPad Air and iPad mini run iPadOS 18 and support Apple Intelligence . The latter is focused on delivering AI-powered features for writing, focus, and communication. Apple recently rolled out a smarter Siri with ChatGPT integration, which might be useful for ideation. Both of these products can be expected to receive at least five years’ worth of software upgrades. iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): price and availability The iPad mini (2024) starts at $499 for the Wi-Fi-only variant and costs $649 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The Wi-Fi-only 11-inch iPad Air costs $599 and the Wi-Fi + Cellular option is $749. The most expensive of the lot, the M2 iPad Air 13-inch ,starts at $799 for the Wi-Fi-only variant, while the Wi-Fi + Cellular model will set you back at $949. All of these products are available in multiple storage configurations, with the base model starting at 128GB. These products are available from the Apple Store, as well as through third-party retailers. iPad mini (2024) vs iPad Air (2024): Which one to buy? The iPad mini (2024) is for those who want a tablet for reading and browsing on the go. If your foremost priority is portability, the iPad mini (2024) should be your choice. You get a compact iPad with a powerful processor and a display that supports the Apple Pencil Pro. However, if you are a creative who values performance over portability, the iPad Air (2024) should be your go-to choice. The M2 chipset paired with an up to 13-inch sharp display with Apple Pencil Pro support, reliable OS, and a good battery life makes the iPad Air (2024) a good choice for power users.

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Viral Video: Indian Traveler Highlights Rare Japanese Bullet Train Delay with HumorAmericans made $3.6 billion in charitable donations this week — a double-digit increase of 16% from Giving Tuesday 2023’s total of $3.1 billion, according to The GivingTuesday Data Commons , the group that tracks the data. And more people than ever — 36.1 million — donated to a charity that day, up 7% from last year. Add this to the mix: Giving by individuals is predicted to increase by 2.6% in 2024 and by 3.4% in 2025, surpassing previous annual average giving bumps, according to research from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. That feels good. As we slide into December, many of us who bypassed the much-hyped Giving Tuesday, me included, are focusing on making charitable contributions by year-end to reduce taxes or simply revel in that holiday spirit of giving. For me, and I suspect lots of you, giving is really more about your heart than a tax strategy. People have similar motivations for giving, according to Fidelity Charitable’s research : making a difference, giving back to their community, and faith are aspects of financial giving donors find most rewarding. For Shannon Bonney, 26, that’s the case. Last year, she became a member of Many Hands , a nonprofit philanthropic “giving circle” with a membership of around 275 women. The collective giving organization supports nonprofits in the Washington, D.C., area focused on women, children, and families in socioeconomic need. Members under 35 make an annual gift of $300. Older donors contribute a minimum annual gift of $1,000. Donating through a giving circle , where individuals, often women, pool their funds and their decision-making to make grants, is the hottest trend in philanthropy. Per a report from Philanthropy Together, the number of giving circles and the number of people who are part of one tripled between 2007 and 2016 — and then tripled again between 2016 and 2023. There are now more than 4,000 giving circles across the country with 370,000 members. Among them, they gave away more than $3 billion over a five-year period ending in 2023. “I chose a giving circle because it’s the most effective way to pool money with people and then get that in a lump sum to the organization,” Bonney said. “It’s a lot more impactful to have your money be part of tens of thousands of dollars that are going to that group.” The amount of giving per member varies by giving circle. Some circles set a lower giving level that can range from $200 to $500 annually. Others opt to set it higher, say, $5,000 to $25,000 a year. (The Giving Compass site has a Giving Circle search tool to find ones near you focused on missions of interest). Read more: Wondering what to do with your tax refund? 5 ways to spend it wisely Most of us don’t know much about nitty-gritty tax strategies that could make our donations more financially impactful. To write off donations, your total tax deductions need to exceed the standard deduction to be worthwhile. For 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers and $29,200 for married couples filing jointly. The tax deduction is a lure for most Americans, with retirees marginally less likely than others to say it’s important to their giving decision. One way to exceed that standard deduction threshold is to bunch together your contributions and give two years' worth of deductions in one year, so your total giving will be high enough to allow you to itemize. “This can be extremely effective for gifting in years of higher-than-normal income — for example, if you sold a business or real estate, received a large bonus payout, exercised stock options, or sold and diversified a concentrated low-basis stock position,” Brandon O’Neill, a certified financial planner and charitable planning consultant at Fidelity Charitable, told Yahoo Finance. Another tax-saving strategy is making a charitable donation of stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds you've held for more than a year. This is a way to avoid owing capital gains taxes on their profits. You might also consider a donor-advised fund (DAF), which is available from financial services firms like Fidelity, Schwab, and Vanguard. There could be minimum amounts to open an account and to give to an individual charity along with annual administrative fees. When you make a contribution of cash, stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs to a DAF, you immediately receive a tax deduction, provided you itemize. You can then invest the money for growth that is tax-free until you choose which charities you want to donate to. These funds are going mainstream but are still under-the-radar for many Americans. “A DAF is a simple, tax-effective way to dedicate money to charitable giving,” O’Neill said. “You can think about DAFs almost like a 529 or IRA for charitable giving because they allow you to strategize your giving.” Read more: Is GoFundMe tax deductible? What donors and beneficiaries should know. If you’re aged 701⁄2 or older, a qualified charitable distribution from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is another consideration. You make this distribution directly to a charity, reducing the amount of your taxable IRA that is subject to Required Minimum Distributions starting at age 73. You can't deduct the qualified charitable distribution, but the money won't be considered taxable income to you. Have a question about retirement? Personal finances? Anything career-related? Click here to drop Kerry Hannon a note. “The year-end retirement account balance is key to retirees because their required minimum distribution is based on that balance,” Ed Slott, a certified public accountant in New York and an expert on IRAs, previously told Yahoo Finance. “Your RMD is your best asset to give to charity.” This year you can donate up to $105,000 total to one or more charities directly from a taxable IRA. “You are getting it out at zero tax and giving it to a charity, something you would've done anyway,” Slott said. “Plus, if you do it correctly, with the timing of it, it can offset your RMD.” Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist, and the author of 14 books, including " In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in The New World of Work" and "Never Too Old To Get Rich." Follow her on Bluesky: Click here for the latest personal finance news to help you with investing, paying off debt, buying a home, retirement, and more Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo FinanceThe world is losing a winnable battle. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warns that the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on the verge of becoming “the epitaph for a world that might have been.” Can the patient be resuscitated? Decisions made in the coming days will have a significant bearing on the answer. On December 7, governments will announce their funding pledges for the International Development Association, the branch of the World Bank Group that delivers finance to the world’s poorest countries (with annual per capita incomes below $1,315). IDA replenishment happens every three years, which means that commitments made today span the critical investment period for salvaging the SDGs. Unfortunately, it isn’t looking good, with several key donors failing to pull their weight. The 78 countries covered by the IDA are where the battle for the SDGs will be won or lost. Home to 500mn people surviving on less than $2.15 per day, they account around for 70% of extreme poverty and over 90% of world hunger. Worse, it is children who are on the front lines. In a recent ODI report, my co-authors and I estimate that some 257mn children in IDA-eligible countries are growing up hungry, with devastating consequences for their health and educational prospects. Recent setbacks have compounded already severe challenges, triggering major reversals. After being hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, IDA countries have been buffeted by post-pandemic economic slowdowns, rising food prices, and surging public debt. Over half are falling further behind rich countries as global inequalities widen. Poverty reduction has slowed from an already inadequate pace, and progress against hunger has stalled. Debt service is crowding out vital investment, with repayments now outweighing spending on health and basic education. Against this bleak backdrop, access to affordable development finance has been shrinking. Real (inflation-adjusted) financial transfers to Africa from donors have fallen, and rising real interest rates have priced most IDA countries out of sovereign bond markets (or otherwise subjected them to punitively high borrowing costs). The IDA is the single most powerful multilateral financial weapon in the anti-poverty arsenal. In the last fiscal year, it provided $31bn in support for member countries and was by far the largest source of development finance for Africa, which benefits from zero-interest grants, concessional loans repayable over 30-40 years, or both. Such finance is an SDG lifeline, because it is overwhelmingly directed to areas with demonstrated benefits for the poor, such as social protection, investments in child and maternal health, and education. With a generous replenishment, the IDA could help lift millions out of extreme poverty, extend opportunities for improved health and learning, and support adaptation to climate change. Moreover, for donors seeking value for money, the IDA has a unique advantage: every $1 received can deliver $3.50. The IDA can leverage the World Bank’s AAA credit rating to secure low-interest financing by issuing bonds and lending the proceeds to developing countries. When donors deliver funds through bilateral aid programmes or global health funds, the money that comes out mirrors the money that goes in. But the IDA offers a much bigger bang for the buck. The IDA also mitigates damaging international-aid practices. Currently, only around 8% of poverty-related development assistance is delivered through government budgets. The rest arrives through project funds controlled by donors, leading to fragmentation, weak co-ordination, and high transaction costs for governments. Hence, Ethiopia had to manage 454 aid transactions for agriculture alone in 2021. By contrast, the IDA delivers support through national budgets for nationally owned programmes, which is why governments across Africa strongly support it. The World Bank has rightly made the case for a major IDA increase. Last year, the bank’s president, Ajay Banga, called on donors to provide more than $120 billion, which would make this replenishment “the biggest of all time.” Sadly, that ambition has faded, with current pledges implying a replenishment of less than $105bn – smaller than the previous one, in real terms. While US President Joe Biden’s administration has announced an increased IDA commitment, and several smaller countries and new donors have also stepped up, some major G7 economies have stepped back. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a summit aimed at creating a new global financial pact to tackle poverty and the climate crisis; but this year, he is set to cut France’s contribution to the IDA. Equally disappointing is the United Kingdom, which was among the largest contributors to the IDA in the decade ending in 2022 – a legacy of former prime minister Gordon Brown’s leadership. The picture changed dramatically in the last IDA replenishment, when the UK contribution was halved as Conservative governments took a wrecking ball to the aid budget. This year’s replenishment gives the new Labour government an opportunity to start rebuilding Britain’s reputation as a “development superpower.” Foreign Secretary David Lammy has promised a new era in which the UK will “use realist means to pursue progressive ends.” Reversing the Conservatives’ cuts with a 54% increase to the UK contribution (representing a commitment of $2.2bn) would certainly meet those criteria. And yet, the Treasury wants to cap any additional contribution at 20-40%. That would be a travesty. While the Treasury is correct to note that it inherited a poisoned chalice of unsustainable public finance from its Conservative predecessors, it is wrong to suggest that the UK cannot afford to send a positive signal in the interest of international co-operation and its own soft power. Making matters worse, the government has effectively shelved long-standing aid commitments by maintaining previous governments’ policy of subjecting them to impractical and implausible fiscal tests, one of which is to achieve a budget surplus (something that has happened only four times since 1971). There is nothing realist or progressive about using implausible goals as a pretext to turn one’s back on the world’s poor. The UK should fully restore the IDA cuts made by the Conservative government. The IDA may not be perfect, but it’s the best tool that we have for restoring the hope that the SDGs once instilled. Governments should use it. — Project Syndicate • Kevin Watkins, a former CEO of Save the Children UK, is a visiting professor at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the London School of Economics. Related Story UDST hosts 'Move Smart' event 'Seabed Cleaning Campaign’ at The Pearl Islandmultiplayer poker game 。

Chandigarh: The Haryana government has notified the procurement of 24 crops at a minimum support price (MSP), extending the list of 14 farm produces that were earlier eligible for guaranteed rates under public procurement system. The state cabinet of the previous government, which was also headed by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini , already approved the proposal of buying 10 additional crops at MSP. The decision on MSP for additional crops was announced on August 5, months before the assembly polls in October. Till August, government agencies used to procure 14 crops at MSP. According the latest notification dated December 19, the then Council of Ministers, in its meeting held on August 5, decided to purchase ragi, soybean, nigerseed, safflower, barley, maize, jowar, jute, copra and summer moong at the minimum support price. The notification said, this was in addition to the crops that were already being procured, including paddy, bajra, kharif moong, urd, arhar, wheat and mustard. While campaigning for the October 5 Haryana assembly polls, the ruling BJP had said that the decision of MSP was part of the government's several measures for farmers' welfare. 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A few days ago, Saini had said the AAP government in Punjab must talk to the farmers to address their grievances. His remarks had come amid ongoing agitation by farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, who have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. A "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot between December 6 and 14, but they were stopped by security personnel in Haryana. Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (70) has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops. His fast entered 27th day on Sunday. 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The latest grouse against Indian corporates from India’s Chief Economic Advisor is that they have short-changed employee compensation despite the 15-year high profitability. He warns that it will loop into a self-destructive spiral of lower demand. This comes in the wake of a sharp decline in 2QFY25 real GDP growth to 5.4 per cent vs the official projection of 7 per cent for FY25 and commentaries from companies highlighting concerns of shrinking urban middle class. CEA’s criticism contrasts the official position a year ago which attributed shrinking household financial savings to rising confidence of households about their future income and employment. Thus, this paradoxical shift towards carping them for inadequate compensation reflects growing concern of receding aggregate demand on India’s growth outlook. Earlier, corporates were criticised for lack of capex despite the supply side bounties and exuberant profit surge. Given the shifting stance it is pertinent to assess whether the causality of slowdown runs from low compensation to weakening demand or are we barking up the wrong tree? Companies employ more resources, including manpower and capital when they see a trend rise in demand visibility. Likewise, compensation slows as a lagged response to decelerating sales growth. This lagged response was stronger during the structural rise in sales till FY14. Since then, it has weakened considerably. For non-listed non-finance companies (CMIE sample), FY06-FY14 saw an uptrend in sales leading to higher compensation growth. The 10-year CAGR in sales accelerated from 12.4 per cent to a peak of 17 per cent while compensation growth accelerated from 11 per cent to 17.5 per cent. But since FY14 with sales growth decelerating to 8 per cent (10-year CAGR), more than the deceleration in compensation growth to 10.7 per cent. In the structural uptrend of corporate performance during FY91-FY14, compensation/sales ratio structurally declined from 7.6 per cent to 7 per cent. But in the slowdown phase, it consistently rose to 9.3 per cent in FY19. At 8.4 per cent in FY24, it is somewhat lower than the pandemic high of 10.6 per cent in FY21, reflecting the episodic rebound in corporate sales. Thus, given the extant high compensation/sales ratio, blaming under-rewarded workers for the weakening urban demand is untenable. Juxtaposing the decelerating compensation growth with high profits is also misplaced. The latter is associated with companies exploiting gains in market share, through monopolistic pricing afforded by various policies catalysing formalisation and supply side fiscal impetus including tax cuts and spending on infrastructure. Spending on compensation on the other hand, is a function of capacity utilisation and sales outlook which has been impaired by the accentuated K-shaped trajectory, characterised by a slender upper arm and a heavy lower arm. The latest data points towards a sustained lack of demand visibility, with sales growth decelerating to 3.5 per cent in 1HFY25, near the Covid lows and 10-year average at 8.4 per cent to a 20-year low. Hence, the most likely outcome will be further deceleration in compensation growth while companies continue to invest in capital deepening technologies that make labour increasingly redundant. The heightened tax incidence on households in an effort towards fiscal consolidation has also impaired the demand situation, thereby contributing to the languid employee compensation. Importantly, these trends were preceded by the income crisis at the broader level, demonstrated in the rising ruralisation, increased dependence of workers on agriculture (PLFS), contracting real income per worker (-1.6 per cent 5-year CAGR, KLEMS 2024), declining value addition in the unorganised sector (ASUSE, 2015-2023) and receding household savings. Thus, prior to the recent worries triggered by corporate commentaries, demand slackness manifested in prolonged weakness in rural demand, even as the truncated post pandemic rebound in urban demand and leveraged consumption camouflaged the persistent household fragility. Hence, the problem of consumption demand is much wider than just urban, and it requires an assessment of policy options. On the face of it the landscape is muddled with multiple constraints. Household income representing 78 per cent of GDP, is impacted by contraction in real worker income. Weak demand and declining profit margins would extend the slackness in private capex. Decline in profits and employee compensation are impacting direct tax collections even as indirect tax collection is slowing. Fiscal logjam is impacting GoI’s spending. It decelerated to 3.3 per cent YoY (FYTD, Oct’24), lowest since FY09, mainly due to cut-back in capital expenditure (-15 per cent YoY). RBI guidance of improved outlook, following the downscaled FY25 GDP growth projection to 6.6 per cent (-60bp), is pivoted on incrementalism from better agriculture and government spending. Rupee/dollar stability has been afforded by a significant rundown of FX reserves by the RBI; potential rapid depreciation could limit its ability to carve out dividends for the GoI. The impact of impending trade protectionism associated with Trump 2.0 is yet to pan out. From the peak 80 per cent credit-deposit ratio, the normalisation of the banking sector implies limited support to growth. The entwining constraints typify the constrictor knot, and its untangling will likely be a long process. In the near term one can expect a combination of the following quick-fixes and counter-cyclical responses. Greater emphasis on rural spending, resulting in lower government capex. Increased limit for bank’s uncollateralised lending to agri indicates falling back on directed lending. The proposed additional 35 per cent GST slab on sin and luxury goods, following the hike in capital gains tax foretell rising tax burden on the rich to shore up tax revenue. GoI’s constraint is also impelled by the global listing of G-Sec. Hence, fiscal support by ways of various forms of minimum income schemes are funnelled through State budgets. Blaming RBI’s restrictive policy stance for the slowdown could force premature policy rate easing. But it could risk inflation resurgence and exchange rate volatility, thereby impairing growth. India’s growth forecast appears to be faced with multifarious constraints. Hence, blaming corporates alone may be misplaced. A structural policy facelift is urgently required to regenerate growth buffers. This would encompass addressing the rising ruralisation, disguised unemployment and income fragility through a granular strategy to create productive jobs in the high employment elastic service sectors and small businesses, reduction of tax incidence on households, a progressive tax regime and a step down from the extant “national champion” approach to broaden the imperatives for private investments. The writer is is Co-Head of Equities & Head of Research - Strategy & Economics, Systematix Group. Views are personal Comments

A recent event comprising senior experts has highlighted the transformative potential of the I2U2 Group , a groundbreaking quadrilateral partnership between India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The event, titled "I2U2: Towards a Transformative Quadrilateral Partnership", brought together distinguished experts who explored the partnership's role in reshaping international cooperation and economic integration. The event held virtually was organised by the CUTS International, a leading public policy body of India. In his opening remarks, Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General of CUTS International, emphasised the partnership's innovative approach, noting that "I2U2 deliberately sidesteps traditional conflict narratives. Instead of focusing on historical tensions or regional disputes, the I2U2 partnership prioritises pragmatic economic cooperation and technological innovation ." Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, who moderated the session, underscored the I2U2 strategic significance for India, describing it as "the first sub-regional, regional and beyond-the-region alliance in which the I2U2 countries have been enmeshed by bringing together their individual synergies to make it a great success." James Carafano, Senior Counsellor to the President and E.W. Richardson Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, USA, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership's geographical positioning. "The I2U2 is the confluence of four corridors. The need to dramatically expand the throughput through the Middle East is a global strategic imperative and this is vital to the success of the Southern Corridors," he noted, adding that one of the vital ones among this is the Three Seas Initiative. 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Former Israeli Ambassador to India Naro Gilon offered a compelling perspective on regional stability, stating that "Initiatives like I2U2 and IMEC foster synergy between strong economies, leveraging manufacturing, tech, and financial strengths to reshape realities - despite challenges like October 7. Cooperation is key." A significant focus of the webinar was the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), which aims to revolutionise connectivity between Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe. Geopolitical analyst Velina Tchakarova emphasised, "The success of connectivity projects like the IMEC corridor depends heavily on European partnerships. Free trade agreements between the EU, Gulf states, and India could redefine global trade and multilateral diplomacy." Dr Carice Witte from the SIGNAL Group provided strategic insight into the partnership's broader implications, noting that "The I2U2 partnership sends a powerful message to China, leveraging mini-laterals to reshape the geo-strategic landscape and push shared agendas through innovation, resilience, and collaboration." The historic ties between India and the UAE were highlighted by Dr Mustafa Taherali Saasa, Chairman of Raj Group of Companies, who observed that "The India-UAE partnership, built on centuries of trade and cultural ties, has become the foundation of I2U2, fostering rapid growth in trade, infrastructure, and food security agreements." The maritime dimension of this partnership was addressed by Vas Shenoy from the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Italy, who noted that "India's awakening as a maritime power and its strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific and Indo-Mediterranean regions reflect its growing role in shaping global trade and security dynamics." The webinar explored various sectors where I2U2 cooperation could yield significant benefits, including artificial intelligence, water resource management, energy, technology, transportation, defence, space exploration, healthcare, and food security. Kathleen Davey Mistry, CEO of Mistry Advisors LLC, highlighted the mutual benefits of such cooperation, stating that "UAE's commitment to India's agriculture not only boosts food security but also creates jobs and fosters deeper cultural and economic ties between the nations." The event featured additional insights from Dr N. Janardhan, Director of Research and Analysis at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, UAE, who emphasised the shifting global economic landscape, noting that "We are entering an era where geoeconomics shapes geopolitics. The rewiring of supply chains and trade routes is shifting the global economic centre of gravity, with emerging powers like China, India, and Brazil disrupting the established order." 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DALLAS — In a move designed to support healthcare practices in maintaining their autonomy and ensuring financial sustainability, IKS Health, a provider of care enablement platforms, today announced a new partnership with Western Washington Medical Group, a prominent multi-specialty healthcare organization in Washington State. This collaboration aims to streamline revenue cycle related processes, enabling the medical group to focus more on patient care while reducing administrative burdens and improving operational efficiency. The announced partnership aims to improve revenue cycle operations at Western Washington Medical Group, and will subsequently improve patient access and elevate the overall patient experience. This collaboration underscores WWMG’s commitment to prioritizing optimal care delivery by leveraging IKS Health’s expertise in efficient and scalable multi-specialty medical group operations. Through this strategic partnership, WWMG aims to streamline processes, reduce administrative burdens, and ensure that its healthcare professionals can dedicate more time to patients. By integrating IKS Health’s advanced technologies and skilled professionals, WWMG is positioned to enhance care quality while delivering improvements to financial outcomes that will allow them to continue to invest in growing the organization. “Partnering with IKS will enable WWMG to significantly enhance our revenue cycle operations AND improve patient care and access. This strategic decision will help WWMG’s providers focus on what we do best: delivering exceptional patient care.” said Dr. David Russian, CEO of Western Washington Medical Group. IKS Health’s solutions improve patient access through faster administrative processing, enhance efficiency with advanced tools that reduce errors and minimize claim denials, and alleviate administrative burdens by freeing resources for patient care. With round-the-clock support, IKS accelerates task completion and reimbursement to benefit both patients and providers. “We are excited to partner with Western Washington Medical Group,” said Sachin Gupta, CEO of IKS Health. “Our collaborative approach will enable WWMG to remain independent and continue to grow, while providing excellent patient care in a way that is scalable and financially sustainable.” This partnership reflects IKS Health’s dedication to empowering healthcare organizations with tailored solutions that prioritize patient outcomes and address today’s operational challenges. Western Washington Medical Group (WWMG) is a team of over 100 providers in 20+ specialty areas serving patients and their families in the north Puget Sound region of Washington State. Their providers are owners of the company, and they live and work in the communities that they serve. For over 30 years, it’s been WWMG’s mission to provide clinicians the freedom to practice medicine with compassion, in the best interest of their patients and community. Learn more at IKS Health takes on the chores of healthcare—spanning administrative, clinical, and operational burdens—so that clinicians can focus on their core tasks of care delivery. Combining pragmatic technology and dedicated experts, IKS enables stronger, financially sustainable enterprises. IKS’s Care Enablement Platform delivers data-driven value and expertise across the care journey, and IKS is a partner for clinician enterprises looking to effectively scale, improve quality and achieve cost savings through forward-thinking solutions. Founded in 2006, IKS’s technology-enabled solutions and global workforce supports large health systems, medical groups and risk bearing entities across the United States. For more information, visit . Inventurus Knowledge Solutions Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offer of its equity shares, and has filed a prospectus dated December 16, 2024, (“ ”) with the Registrar of Companies, Maharashtra at Mumbai. The Prospectus is available on the website of SEBI at as well as on the websites of the Company at , book running lead managers, ICICI Securities Limited, JM Financial Limited, J.P. Morgan India Private Limited, Jefferies India Private Limited and Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited, at , , , and respectively, and the websites of the stock exchange(s) at and , respectively. Any potential investor should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to such risk, see “ ” of the Prospectus, when available. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP for any investment decision. Sarah Bennight SVP MarketingWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Bryce Thompson scored 17 points and achieved a milestone as Oklahoma State defeated Miami 80-74 on Friday afternoon in a Charleston Classic consolation game in Charleston, S.C. Thompson made 6-of-14 shots from the floor, surpassing 1,000 points for his career at Oklahoma State (4-1), which also got 15 points from Marchelus Avery. The Cowboys won in large part thanks to their impressive 3-point shooting (10-for-22, 45.5 percent). Oklahoma State backup guard Arturo Dean, a Miami native, posted eight points and one steal. He led the nation in steals last season while playing for Florida International. Miami (3-2) has lost two straight games in Charleston, failing to take a lead at any point. They will play on Sunday against either Nevada or VCU. The Hurricanes on Friday were led by Nijel Pack, who had a game-high 20 points. Brandon Johnson had a double-double for Miami with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Matthew Cleveland scored 11 points and Lynn Kidd and Paul Djobet added 10 points apiece for Miami. Miami, which fell behind 7-0 in Thursday's loss to Drake, got behind 9-0 on Friday as Abou Ousmane scored six of his eight points. Oklahoma State stretched its lead to 18 before settling for a 43-27 advantage at the break. Pack led all first-half scorers with 10 points, but Miami shot just 29.6 percent from the floor, including 3-of-13 on 3-pointers (23.1). Oklahoma State shot 48.4 percent, including 8-for-15 on 3-pointers (53.3 percent) before intermission. The Cowboys also had a 14-8 edge in paint points. In the second half, Miami closed its 20-point deficit to 55-42 with 12:12 left. Miami got a bit closer as two straight short jumpers by Kidd, trimming the deficit to 73-62 with 3:25 to play. The Hurricanes cut it to 77-70 on Pack's 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining, but the Cowboys hit their free throws to close out the win. --Field Level Media

‘It’s the best secret’: Man reveals little-known trick to boiling water properly when cooking. But does it work?State to lift ban on new irrigation wells Published 3:12 pm Wednesday, December 18, 2024 by Dave Williams, Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – The state is lifting a moratorium on drilling new irrigation wells in parts of Southwest Georgia that has been in effect for more than a decade. Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will begin accepting applications for groundwater withdrawal permits from farmers on April 1. Applications must include drought-related measures aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of water supplies along the Lower Flint and Chattahoochee river basins. “As Georgia farmers continue to recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, I could not be more proud to deliver this good news,” Kemp said. “I am grateful to the EPD for their diligent and hard work in ensuring that our state is on a path that protects both Georgia farmers and our water resources.” The EPD imposed the moratorium on new irrigation wells in 2012 in response to a two-year drought that dried up one stream and significantly decreased flows in others. The agency eased the ban last year by lifting it during periods when frost threatened crops. But farmers complained that lifting the ban only for the limited time of the year when freezes are a concern didn’t go far enough. Wednesday’s announcement cited extensive scientific research conducted since 2012 that has left the EPD confident the time is right to lift the moratorium completely. “Our metering program has gathered extensive data strengthening our technical understanding of surface water and groundwater in the Lower Flint,” EPD Director Jeff Cown said Wednesday. “We look forward to working with all water users as they obtain these newly developed permits.” Technological improvements during the last decade are allowing farmers to better track the amount of water they’re using to irrigate their crops. That ability to measure groundwater use was among the arguments lawyers for the state used to prevail in a long-running legal battle over water allocation against Florida and Alabama. From a dream to a tradition: Tifton’s annual luminary event Gnat Drop to spread its wings in preparation for 2025 City plans for renovations of Blackmarr Amphitheater City considers adjustments to Ryland Environmental services

Luigi Mangione , the 26-year-old accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , has pleaded not guilty to all 11 charges in New York . Mangione is accused of killing Thomspon outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4. Police arrested him on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania after they received a tip he was eating a meal inside a McDonald’s . Here’s what’s next for Mangione as he faces charges at the federal level and in two states: Mangione’s first court appearance was an arraignment in Pennsylvania on December 10, one day after he was arrested in the town of Altoona. Police detained him after receiving a tip he was eating at a McDonald’s. Mangione struggled with police and shouted to reporters standing nearby as he was escorted into his first hearing. “It’s completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people and their lived experience,” he yelled. Then, on December 19, Mangione was flown from Pennsylvania to New York after waiving his right to an extradition hearing. Several heavily armed NYPD officers, alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams , escorted Mangione. Mangione appeared in the New York State Supreme Court on December 23 for an arraignment hearing, pleading not guilty to the 11 charges he faces in the state, including first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, second-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and multiple weapons offenses. Demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse in support of Mangione. Many held signs decrying the insurance industry, with phrases such as “Health over wealth”, and “UHC kills, death by denials.” Others supported Mangione with signs that read, “Free Luigi.” In New York, Mangione faces 11 charges . Prosecutors have hit him with first-degree murder, which they describe as an “act of terrorism”; second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism; second-degree murder; second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument; and several counts related to weapon possession. At the federal level, prosecutors charged Mangione with two counts of interstate stalking, one count of murder through use of a firearm and one count of using a firearm silencer during a violent crime. Prosecutors said the state and federal two cases will run on parallel tracks, and that the New York charges will likely go to trial first. In response, Mangione’s attorney Karen Agnifilo condemned the federal charges. “The federal government’s reported decision to pile on top of an already overcharged first-degree murder and state terror case is highly unusual and raises serious constitutional and statutory double jeopardy concerns,” she said in a statement. “We are ready to fight these charges in whatever court they are brought.” However, the Supreme Court in 2019 upheld a longstanding constitutional rule that allows state and federal governments to prosecute someone for the same crime, according to the Associated Press . While New York abolished the death penalty in 2007, Mangione could still face capital punishment in the federal case. In Pennsylvania, he faces charges related to officials’ alleged discovery of a 3D-printed gun and fake ID cards in his possession when he was arrested. Police also say they found a silencer, a 262-word manifesto and a spiral notebook containing a “to-do list”. However, these charges likely won’t be addressed until after the New York case is resolved. Mangione is being held without bail in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York . There, several other high-profile people are incarcerated, including former head of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried and Sean “Diddy” Combs, the rapper accused of sex trafficking and other crimes. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also once held at the prison. The notorious Brooklyn facility, the only federal lockup in the city, has been variously described as “hell on earth” and an “ongoing tragedy” because of deplorable conditions, rampant violence, dysfunction and multiple deaths, according to the Associated Press . The federal Bureau of Prisons has said it is increasing staffing to make up for staggering shortfalls , but conditions have been so stark at the jail, which houses about 1,100 inmates, that some judges have refused to send people there. Mangione is set to appear in federal court on January 18. He could return to court for a bail hearing or for a preliminary hearing if prosecutors don’t get a grand jury indictment by mid-January, the Associated Press reports. His next scheduled appearance in New York is set for February 21. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called Thompson’s murder “frightening” and “well planned.” “This was a killing that was intended to evoke terror and we’ve seen that reaction,” Bragg said last week. “This was not an ordinary killing. Not to suggest that any killing is ordinary, but this was extraordinary.” Acting US Attorney Edward Kim issued a statement claiming Thompson was killed in “cold blood” as the Justice Department announced the federal charges against Mangione. “Brian Thompson was gunned down in cold blood as he walked down a street in midtown Manhattan ,” Kim said. “Thompson was allegedly killed just because he held the position of chief executive officer of a health insurance company.” “As alleged, Luigi Mangione traveled to New York to stalk and shoot Thompson in broad daylight in front of a Manhattan hotel, all in a grossly misguided attempt to broadcast Mangione’s views across the country,” he continued. “But this wasn’t a debate, it was murder, and Mangione now faces federal charges.” Agnifilo told New York Judge Gregory Carro at the December 23 arraignment that she was concerned about getting her client a fair trial. She cited Adams’s presence among the several heavily armed officials who escorted Mangione as he was flown in from Pennsylvania. “They are literally treating him like he is some sort of political fodder, like some sort of spectacle,” Agnifilo said in court. “He was on display for everyone to see in the biggest stage perp walk I’ve ever seen in my career, it was absolutely unnecessary. He’s been cooperative with law enforcement...There was no reason for the NYPD and everybody to have these big assault rifles.” “It was perfectly choreographed, and what was the New York City Mayor doing at this press conference, your honor? That just made it utterly political,” she continued.

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Three large IPOs record demand worth 2.2L crLILONGWE, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Huawei Malawi says it is committed to investing more in Malawian youth to ensure that the country's future workforce is equipped with the skills to lead in the digital age. Gu Mu, Huawei Malawi managing director, made the remarks in a written interview with Xinhua Monday, following the Malawian team's victory in the Regional Tech4Good Challenge that was recently held in China, under Huawei's Leadership, Employability, Advancement, Possibility (LEAP) Program. This year's LEAP took place in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, from Nov. 18-23, and a team of five undergraduate Malawian students scooped the first position, beating contestants from more than 20 countries who competed in the Sub-Sahara Africa regional competition. The Malawian team, comprising science students from the University of Malawi, Mzuzu University, Malawi University of Business and Applied Science, and Malawi University of Science and Technology, came home on the weekend. Gu also expressed happiness with the Malawi team's outstanding performance, pledging Huawei's support to the team as they prepare for the Global Competition in China next year when the team will compete with other winning teams from other regions across the globe. "We are so proud of the five students from Malawi who put the country on the map by being crowned the Regional Champions of this year's Sub-Sahara Tech4Good Challenge," said Gu. "Huawei's commitment to Malawi's digital future aligns with the country's Vision 2063, which recognizes that the youth is one of Malawi's greatest assets." The managing director also described the LEAP program as the company's way of supporting Malawi's vision by "giving young people the tools, knowledge, and confidence to excel in the digital economy."LONDON: News broke this week that the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to force Alphabet’s Google to sell Chrome , its dominant web browser. That has led to much head scratching in the tech industry. Sure, Chrome is an important moat for Google’s business, but is it really the source of the company’s power? And if a company buys Chrome for an estimated US$20 billion, wouldn’t that mean someone else controls two-thirds of the browser market? Read the tea leaves carefully and there’s more happening here. The DOJ, for one, seems to be moving quickly to get ahead of any efforts by the incoming Trump administration (of which more, later) to shut down its most ambitious work in decades. There’s something larger looming on the horizon. Google is too large for the DOJ to break it up all at once, and the agency has two separate cases against the company, each pushing for spinoffs of different parts of the business. The department’s efforts on Chrome relate to a case it filed in 2020, focusing on Google’s search monopoly. But the DOJ also filed another case in 2023 that’s arguably more important, targeting its ad tech business. As a reminder: Google dominates digital advertising by controlling both the marketplace for online ads, and the essential tools that advertisers and websites need to participate. The business generates roughly US$200 billion in annual revenue. That’s great for shareholders, but a raw deal for advertisers and website owners. Trade stocks and you’ll pay pennies on the dollar in transaction fees. But an advertiser is more likely to pay 30 cents on every dollar they spend on ad-buying tools, according to the DOJ’s suit, making the ad market work most profitably for Google above all. Google’s lawyers have argued that it competes fiercely against others including social media and video streaming sites for ad dollars. STRUCTURAL REMEDIES ARE NEEDED The “structural remedies” that the DOJ calls for in both cases - potentially the first breakup of a conglomerate since AT&T in the early 1980s - are very much needed. Tech giants have long seen the multi-billion-dollar fines they get from regulators as a cost of doing business. When the Federal Trade Commission fined Meta US$5 billion in 2019, its stock went up. And companies have been known to skirt regulatory efforts to force better behaviour. Breakups at least address the root of tech firms’ power, which is scale. “Divestiture is a more effective remedy,” says Anne Witt, professor of law at EDHEC Business School's Augmented Law Institute. “The downside is it’s more invasive.” That’s why pushing to first divest Chrome makes sense as a prelude to breaking up the ad tech business, even though that’s where Google’s real market power lies. Trying to disentangle Google’s ad tech business, a byzantine network of interplaying units, will require careful strategic planning by regulators, so the DOJ needs to build up institutional knowledge and legal precedent to make the bigger move. Breakups of past monopolies also started with smaller actions. Before the DOJ split AT&T into seven regional holding companies known as “Baby Bells”, for instance, it filed several smaller cases through the 1970s, building up to the main 1974 case that led to the forced sales. BREAKUP IS POSSIBLE UNDER TRUMP Much of this depends on whether the DOJ’s efforts survive under a President Donald Trump. When Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait recently asked whether Google should be broken up, the then-candidate responded: “Look, Google has got a lot of power. They’ve been bad to me...” “You would break them up? “I’d do something,” Trump replied. “They’ve become such a power. How they became a power is really the discussion. At the same time, it’s a very dangerous thing because we want to have great companies. We don’t want China to have these companies. Right now, China is afraid of Google.” Trump may be unsure where he stands, but a breakup is by no means off the table. Not only was the DOJ’s search case filed at the tail end of Trump’s last term, but incoming vice president JD Vance has publicly said Google should be split up. Elon Musk, now a key player in Trump’s administration, has also long worried about the company’s consolidation of control in artificial intelligence. He also has a vested interest in the matter, as the founder of a new AI company and chief executive officer and “technoking” of Tesla, for which the technology is integral. There’s a good chance, in other words, that the DOJ’s efforts could prevail - albeit slowly. The court is holding hearings on the proposed breakup in April 2025, with US Judge Amit Mehta expected to rule by August. Google will almost certainly appeal, and the process could take years. Still, if history is any guide, kicking things off with a divorce from Chrome isn’t just strategic. It’s the opening move in what could eventually become the biggest antitrust showdown since AT&T.poker game for beginners 。

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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — A New Rochelle Police lieutenant was accused of planting drugs to try to justify an arrest, but we learned late Friday afternoon that he will not be indicted by a grand jury. Now, the man he arrested wants the Department of Justice to take a look at the body camera video, which he shared with CBS News New York investigative reporter Tim McNicholas. New Rochelle Police Lt. Sean Kane's body camera shows him reach behind a tire on a blue SUV on May 29, then return to his car and tell his colleagues he'd found drugs. "You said you found the drugs upper lot, 361 Main?" someone asks over the police radio. "Affirmative," Kane says. You then see Kane holding a baggie with a white substance. But minutes earlier, before the lieutenant approached the blue SUV, he was already holding a similar-looking bag. Ivin Harper says Kane planted the drugs to justify police arresting him. "I was devastated. It ruined my career. It shattered, it shattered everything," Harper said. It all happened as other officers searched for Harper, who says he saw Kane earlier and ran due to past negative interactions with him. Harper says he'd never seen the drugs, and the charges against him were later dropped. He was hoping Kane would be charged, but now a grand jury has reached a "no true bill" decision, meaning they don't feel there is enough evidence to indict Kane. "It was disappointing, and it drained me for a second, hearing it, you know, because expecting it is one thing from actually hearing it," Harper said. Harper, a fitness trainer and actor, says he's now moved to Denver to avoid Kane and other New Rochelle cops. He says he is suing Kane and the City of New Rochelle. "I would like the DOJ to take a peek at this because I have no confidence in the investigation that took place," he said. Kane's attorney sent CBS News New York the following statement: "For the past several months, Lieutenant Sean Kane has stood silently by while his name and reputation have been destroyed on social media and in the press. "Unfortunately, to preserve the integrity of a narcotics investigation in its entirety, Lt. Kane was unable to respond until a full and thorough investigation was completed. "That time is now. "A Westchester County grand jury, convened by District Attorney Mimi Rocah, heard the sworn testimony of, among other witnesses, Lieutenant Kane. The grand jurors were provided with all evidence relevant to the charges filed against Ivin Harper and rightly concluded that Lt. Kane did nothing wrong. "To the contrary, Lt. Kane's lawful and necessary actions - which have been badly mischaracterized on social media - furthered the investigation of a known narcotics dealer who was actively pushing poison into the streets of New Rochelle. "Mr. Harper's protestations of innocence, extensively published via social media, are unequivocally and provably untrue. "The grand jury's determination was in all respects correct and consistent with the known and verifiable facts of this incident. "We are grateful that the members of the grand jury took the time to listen and hear the evidence, and arrive at the correct conclusion." The district attorney released the following statement Friday: "Upon the August referral of misconduct allegations against Lt. Sean Kane to my Office by New Rochelle Police Department Internal Affairs, the Public Integrity and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau launched an immediate investigation. "Prosecutors presented evidence to a Westchester County grand jury, which decided Thursday not to indict Lt. Kane. "Under state law, grand jury proceedings are confidential. "We thank the NRPD for referring the case to my Office and working closely with us to do our part on this case. "We respect the process and thank the Grand Jury for their service on this matter." Kane was suspended with pay after Harper's arrest. CBS News New York reached out to the department to ask what his current status is and we're waiting to hear back. Tim McNicholas is a reporter for CBS News New York. He joined the team in September 2022 after working in Chicago, Indianapolis, Toledo and Hastings, Nebraska.

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The countdown for Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Space Docking Experiment onboard a PSLV rocket on Monday, December 30, that would be a key milestone in India’s space programme, commenced on Sunday evening, the space agency said. A cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for in-space docking, it would make India join an elite list featuring China, Russia and the US. ISRO has scheduled the lift-off of the PSLV-C60 rocket, at 10:15 pm from the first launch pad at this spaceport here on December 30 and it would carry SpaDeX with two spacecraft as the primary payloads along with 24 secondary payloads. “PSLV-C60/SpaDeX Mission Launch countdown commenced at 9 pm” on Sunday, an ISRO official told PTI. 🎉 Launch Day is Here! 🚀 Tonight at precisely 10:00:15 PM, PSLV-C60 with SpaDeX and innovative payloads are set for liftoff. SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is a pioneering mission to establish India's capability in orbital docking, a key technology for future human... pic.twitter.com/147ywcLP0f The in-space docking technology would be essential for taking up India’s ambitions in space, including sending human to the Moon, bringing samples from there, and also building and operating India’s own space station- Bharatiya Antariksh Station. The docking technology would also be utilised when multiple rocket launches are planned to achieve common mission objectives. ISRO said the two spacecraft in the PSLV rocket — Spacecraft A (SDX01) and Spacecraft B (SDX02) — would be placed in an orbit that would keep them 5 km apart from each other. Later, scientists at ISRO headquarters would try to bring them closer up to 3 metre which would subsequently lead them for merging together at an altitude of about 470km above Earth. The process is expected to take place about 10-14 days after the scheduled lift-off on Monday, ISRO officials said. 🌟 PSLV-C60/SPADEX Mission Update 🌟 Visualize SpaDeX in Action! 🎞️ Animation Alert: Experience the marvel of in-space docking with this animation! 🌐 Click here for more information: https://t.co/jQEnGi3ocF pic.twitter.com/djVUkqXWYS In the SpaDeX mission, Spacecraft A carries a High-Resolution Camera, while Spacecraft B has Miniature Multispectral Payload and a Radiation Monitor Payload. These payloads would provide high-resolution images, natural resource monitoring, vegetation studies, among others. Apart from this significant mission, scientists would also conduct the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-4 (POEM-4) in which 24 payloads — 14 from ISRO and 10 from industry and academia — would be placed in the desired orbits one after the other over a 90-minute period after the lift-off. The life of the payloads in the fourth stage would be about three to four months. The vehicle for the PSLV-C60 mission used here would be the 18th Core-Alone variant. This would be ISRO’s last mission in 2024 and the PSLV-C60 is the first vehicle to be integrated up to the fourth stage at the PSLV Integration Facility that has been established here.

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Rebel Wilson Loses Bid To Toss Defamation Suit Filed by ‘The Deb’ Producers"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.

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NEWCASTLE, England : Mohamed Salah struck twice for Premier League leaders Liverpool but it was not enough to earn them victory at Newcastle United as a thrilling 3-3 draw meant the gap at the top of the table was cut to seven points on Wednesday. Liverpool were minutes away from a 12th victory from their opening 14 league games but Newcastle defender Fabian Schar capitalised following a mistake by keeper Caoimhin Kelleher to equalise in the 90th minute at St James' Park. Arne Slot's side have 35 points with Chelsea and Arsenal both on 28 after convincing wins. Chelsea thrashed 10-man bottom club Southampton 5-1 away while Arsenal inflicted a first defeat on Manchester United's new manager Ruben Amorim, winning 2-0 at The Emirates with goals by Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. Champions Manchester City returned to form as they ended a seven-match winless run by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0. Everton crushed Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 to ease away from the bottom three while Aston Villa got back to winning ways with a 3-1 home victory against Brentford. Newcastle twice led against Liverpool but Salah's brace looked like sealing victory for the visitors until Kelleher misjudged the flight of a cross and Schar turned in a half volley from an acute angle in the 90th minute. "We were outstanding in the second half but the first half we were not good enough," Slot said. "They were really aggressive and forced us to make mistakes. But the second half was so much better and we had much more control. "3-3 was probably what the game deserved. We were happy to still be in it at halftime." The in-form Salah has now scored and assisted in 37 Premier League games in his career - a new record - and leads this season's Premier League scoring chart with 13 goals. Newcastle had dominated the opening period and thoroughly deserved the lead given to them by Isak's spectacular shot from the edge of the area in the 35th minute. Liverpool were a different proposition in a sensational second half, however, and Salah's superb pass with the outside of his foot enabled Curtis Jones to make it 1-1. POSITIVE START Amorim has had a positive start with United and arrived in north London on the back of a 4-0 win over Everton. But the Portuguese got a reality check at Arsenal as Timber and Saliba both scored in the second half. Timber headed in a Declan Rice corner in the 54th minute before a Thomas Partey header from a Bukayo Saka corner bounced off Saliba and in. "Until the set pieces the game didn't have too many opportunities for both sides, the set pieces killed the game," former Sporting manager Amorim said after his first domestic league defeat for a year. Arsenal trail Chelsea on goal difference after Enzo Maresca's side thumped hapless Southampton. Chelsea took the lead in the seventh minute through Axel Disasi's header but Joe Aribo drew Southampton level four minutes later before a goalkeeping howler allowed Christopher Nkunku to put the visitors back ahead. Noni Madueke extended Chelsea's lead before a moment of madness saw Jack Stephens sent off for a hair-pull on Marc Cucurella. Late goals by Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho rounded off the win. Manchester City's horrible run of six defeats from seven games in all competitions ended as goals by Bernardo Silva, captain Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku against Nottingham Forest put City fourth on 26 points. "Today is hopefully a first step to improve," De Bruyne said. "It's good to change the momentum. In some games we lost there were periods we weren't playing bad." Aston Villa ended an eight-match winless streak as they sped into a 3-0 halftime lead against Brentford with Morgan Rogers, an Ollie Watkins penalty and a Matty Cash shot putting Unai Emery's side in command. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back early in the second half for Brentford. Ashley Young became Everton's oldest ever goalscorer as the 39-year-old's free kick put his side ahead against Wolves for whom Craig Dawson scored two own goals. Wolves are second from bottom with nine points and fans vented their anger at manager Gary O'Neil.For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter , with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal . His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbA drop of 'Mercy' on Thanksgiving

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After closures in some other states, institutions’ cemeteries were abandoned and became overgrown with weeds and brush.By Anna Tong (Reuters) – The chief engineer for nuclear weapons at the Los Alamos National Laboratory is joining nuclear fusion startup Fuse, the company said Thursday. James Owen spent over 28 years at Los Alamos National Laboratory, focused on weapons engineering. The New Mexico-based lab, set up in 1943 as the top-secret facility for the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb, maintains the nation’s largest nuclear weapons arsenal, and oversees the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. At San Francisco Bay Area-based Fuse, Owen will be leading the company’s efforts to sell to U.S. governmental agencies, in areas including radiation services, a critical component of nuclear fusion energy. Fuse is one of a number of startups, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman-backed Helion, that is racing to commercialize nuclear fusion technology as a source of clean energy, though some experts have said its commercial viability is still decades away. “If I thought it was well outside of my career horizon, I’d be less interested in trying to solve this problem,” Owen told Reuters. “Some argue it’s within a decade, others argue it’s beyond that, but recent advancements give me hope.” Fusion, which fuels the sun and stars, is in the experimental stage on Earth, but could one day generate enormous amounts of energy that emits virtually no greenhouse gas and without generating large amounts of long-lasting radioactive waste. Fusion is of particular importance to the artificial intelligence industry, which has been hamstrung by not having enough power to fuel the ever-growing computing clusters it needs to train smarter AI systems. Altman has said that an energy breakthrough such as nuclear fusion is necessary to the future of artificial intelligence. (Reporting by Anna Tong in San Francisco; Editing by Michael Perry) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

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Analysis: After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon

JEFFERSON CITY — A Republican-backed law requiring Missouri voters to present a photo ID at their polling places survived a second court challenge Monday. In a 39-page decision, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem again rejected a lawsuit challenging the voting law . A separate lawsuit on other provisions of the measure is still pending. The law, which was approved by the GOP-led Legislature and signed by Republican Gov. Mike Parson two years ago, has been touted by supporters as ensuring clean elections, even though there have been few examples of voter fraud. Beetem said the individuals and groups that filed the lawsuit could not prove the law had injured them in their right to vote. He had previously dismissed their lawsuit and ruled similarly after it was amended and went to trial. “The individual plaintiffs have failed to establish an injury to any protected interest,” Beetem wrote. “Their claim that their provisional ballots may be rejected is purely speculative.” Beetem also said the plaintiffs had been able to vote during the most recent election and in elections prior to his ruling. The decision was praised by Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey. “We went to court, we put on the evidence and radical activists working to undermine our elections failed. This is a huge win for election security,” Bailey said in a social media post. The photo ID law was included in a larger “voter integrity” law approved by lawmakers following former President Donald Trump’s unfounded claims that the 2020 election was rigged against him. Attorneys representing the Missouri League of Women Voters and the NAACP brought the lawsuit, arguing that voters without IDs will be left unable to cast ballots. Under the photo ID provision, people without a government-issued ID can cast provisional ballots to be counted if they return later that day with a photo ID or if election officials verify their signatures. The law requires the state to provide a free photo identification card to those lacking one to vote. Beetem also said the Secretary of State’s office, which conducts Missouri elections, has spent more than $100,000 in attempting to educate voters about the law. At the state level, the case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Jason Lewis, who was named a St. Louis County judge by Gov. Mike Parson last week. There are 36 states that request or require identification to vote, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Usher makes it a point to give back to the community and he’s investing in the youth once again with the launch of a Content Studio at the Whitehead Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta. The R&B legend made the initiative official with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Usher Raymond IV Spark Lap at the Boys & Girls Club of ATL on Monday (Dec. 9). Usher launched an Entertainment Industry Club (officially starting in 2025) and state-of-the-art Content Studio arming emerging creatives with the tools and resources necessary to thrive. “Returning to the Boys & Girls Clubs, where I discovered my passion, and launching this program in Atlanta is a full-circle moment for me,” Usher said. “The Spark Lab and Entertainment Industry Club is about providing our youth with the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to turn their dreams into reality. It’s an honor to help inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators through After School programs.” While Usher’s been on the road performing, he made time to launch the Social Impact Tour in collaboration with his New Look foundation. Usher’s been able to help 4,800 kids along the trek across North America including stops in Brooklyn, Philly, Detroit, Oakland, Houston and more. “We are invested in our future. We’re invested in youth and I’m an example. I represent an amazing alumni,” Usher continued during a presser on Monday regarding his experience at the Boys & Girls Club. Kids with the Boys & Girls Club are excited about Usher’s involvement. “Usher’s a great guy, man. He’s giving a lot of these youth chances to help their community,” one member told Atlanta Now. Usher is getting ready to wrap up the North American leg of his Past Present Future tour with a handful of U.S. dates left this month with shows on tap for Atlanta and Miami before heading out to the U.K. in March.

Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials following some underwhelming displays away from home, and the Gunners manager got exactly what he asked for. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners had failed to win or score in their two away games in the competition so far this season, but they made a blistering start in the Portuguese capital and took the lead after only seven minutes. Declan Rice fed overlapping full-back Jurrien Timber, who curled a low cross in behind the home defence for Martinelli to finish at the far post. Arsenal doubled their lead in the 20th minute thanks to a glorious ball over the top from Thomas Partey. Saka escaped the clutches of his marker Maximiliano Araujo to beat the offside trap and poke the ball past advancing goalkeeper Franco Israel for Havertz to tap home. It was a scintillating first-half display which completely overshadowed the presence of Viktor Gyokeres in Sporting’s attack. The prolific Sweden striker, formerly of Coventry, has been turning the heads of Europe’s top clubs with his 24 goals in 17 games this season – including a hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this month. But the only time he got a sniff of a run at goal after an optimistic long ball, he was marshalled out of harm’s way by Gabriel. David Raya was forced into one save, tipping a fierce Geovany Quenda drive over the crossbar. But Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Rice’s corner into the back of the net. Our second-half goalscorers ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aFCIMffFaK — Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 26, 2024 To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. Former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards fired over, as did Gyokeres, with Arsenal temporarily on the back foot. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved, and Gyokeres’ miserable night was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court sounded hesitant Wednesday to second-guess Tennessee lawmakers who banned gender-affirming care for minors, as justices heard warnings that upholding the law could lead to other state or national restrictions on transgender Americans. During more than two hours of oral argument, members of the court’s conservative wing repeatedly expressed reticence to step into policy disputes over access to transgender care for minors, raising questions about the science behind the care and the fallout for other transgender issues such as access to women’s sports. The state law bans puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for minors for the purpose of medically transitioning their gender. Challengers have asked the justices to rule that the law unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of sex because it prohibits access to that care when it is for the purpose of gender transition. Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh said there were “forceful policy arguments” on both sides of the Tennessee law, including how the ban harmed transgender children but also prevented a small number of children from being harmed by the treatments. Kavanaugh said that disputes about the medical efficacy of treatments “strikes me as a pretty yellow light or red light” for the court to intervene. “So it seems to me that we look to the Constitution, and the Constitution doesn’t take sides on how to resolve that medical and policy debate,” Kavanaugh said. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. repeatedly brought up disputes about the medical science behind gender-affirming care and wondered whether it would be better to “leave those determinations to legislative bodies rather than try to determine them ourselves.” Roberts later said it was “very troubling” that the court could step into an area where they are “bereft of expertise” around complicated questions of medical effectiveness. And Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. repeatedly brought up a literature review in the United Kingdom that questioned the efficacy of gender-affirming care and recent decisions by medical bodies in the U.K. and Sweden to restrict access. Families and doctors of transgender children, as well as the Biden administration, challenged the law, arguing it violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause because it prohibits access to those medicines based on gender transition but not for other conditions such as precocious puberty. The challengers and major medical organizations have maintained that the treatments are effective, including by reducing depression and suicidal ideation among transgender children. About two dozen states have similar laws banning access to gender-affirming care for minors, and the case comes to the court as Republicans nationwide, including in Congress, have said they intend to impose more restrictions on the care. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the justices Wednesday that upholding the law, which explicitly states its goal for minors to “appreciate their sex,” allows transgender youth in the state to suffer. “It doesn’t matter what parents decide is best for their children. It doesn’t matter what patients would choose for themselves. And it doesn’t matter if doctors believe this treatment is essential for individual patients,” Prelogar said. The Tennessee law “categorically bans treatment when and only when it’s inconsistent with the patient’s birth sex.” Prelogar pointed out that the treatments are restricted but still available in the U.K. and Sweden rather than the ban that Tennessee imposed. Prelogar and Chase Strangio, attorney for the families challenging the law, both pointed to West Virginia’s law as an example, because the state has restricted gender-affirming care rather than banning access and has yet to face legal challenge. Prelogar said the justices also could send the case back to the lower court with instructions to make sure the state better justifies with evidence its efforts to restrict the treatments. J. Matthew Rice, arguing for Tennessee, claimed the treatments were “risky and unproven” and said the law turned on the medical purposes of taking hormones or puberty blockers, rather than a sex classification. Rice also compared gender-affirming care to assisted suicide, lobotomies and eugenics that states had a right to regulate. “The Equal Protection Clause does not require the states to blind themselves to medical reality or to treat unlike things the same, and it does not constitutionalize one side’s view of a disputed medical question,” Rice said. Rice argued that the challengers could not eliminate risks from the procedures or the possibility that patients could detransition later, at which point Justice Sonia Sotomayor interrupted to say, “Every medical treatment has risks.” Sotomayor raised the concern that the same logic could apply to medical care for adults, and that upholding Tennessee’s law would be “licensing states to deprive full adults of the choice of which sex to adopt.” Sotomayor also downplayed the ability of the democratic process to protect such a small minority of the population if the court doesn’t intervene. “It didn’t protect women for centuries,” she said. President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign included explicit promises to target transgender care, and members of Congress have said they intend to legislate on the issue when they come into power with a trifecta in January. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she found similarities between Tennessee’s argument and the ones made by Virginia to try and uphold anti-miscegenation laws in Loving v. Virginia. Jackson pointed out that Virginia pointed to “disputed” medical science about race-mixing to try and justify the law. “I wonder if Virginia could have gotten away with what they did here by making a classification argument,” Jackson said. Justice Elena Kagan rejected Tennessee’s effort to categorize the use of hormones and puberty blockers as different medical purposes. “The whole thing is imbued with sex,” Kagan said. “It is a dodge to say it is based on a medical purpose.” On Wednesday, Rep. Mark E. Green, R-Tenn., praised the state’s stance in a post on social media. “Tennessee is leading the way and standing up for our children. Minors must be protected from these harmful and irreversible medical experiments,” Green posted. Similarly, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., posted on X calling gender-affirming care “child abuse.” Mace has previously said she would back legislation to bar access for transgender individuals to the bathrooms of the gender they identify as. ©2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

CHRIS Brown has a lifelong love, a passion, an obsession he just can't let go - basketball. Six months ago the former professional basketball player focused all of that energy into a new business at Broadmeadow called Hoop Dreams. Login or signup to continue reading "I always wanted to start something focusing on individual coaching," he said. "When I came here to play it was a rugby league town. The last couple of years basketball has just taken off." Brown was an international import back in 2003 to the former local team - the Hunter Pirates. He had been playing in Japan, but the guard took the opportunity to play in the NBL and this move would end up anchoring him to the city. Brown fell in love and the couple went on to have three children who "fortunately also fell into basketball". His eldest child Diyah, 13, plays for the Newcastle Falcons and has made country NSW selection, with hopes of pursuing the game further. Basketball is booming in the Hunter, with plans for a new $82-million Newcastle basketball stadium under way. But the project has garnered hundreds of objections from the community due to the location on Wallarah and Blackley ovals. "We need the courts, we need the space," he said. "With the NBA popularity growing here and on social media the sport is considered cool, kids love the culture of it. Everyone is watching Steph Curry shoot threes, they love it." With a $30,000 fitout complete with a custom-designed court, gym, meeting space and even a mural, it is easy to see why this dedicated basketball training space has quickly grown in popularity for young players. According to Brown there are 75 aspiring and academy athletes on the books, ranging from under 12s right through to age 18. The roster of coaches, which includes program appearances from NBL 1 Falcons players Myles Cherry and Ryan Beisty, focus on individual skills and going back to basics. "Within a week we were at capacity," he said of launching the business. "The kids love basketball, but there is so much more to sports than just the game. We have a nutritionist, strength and conditioning training, a psychologist. The goal is skill development for kids of all ages, but we also just want to help create good kids." Brown has big plans for the business which is currently running as a not-for-profit. He wants to create outreach programs in NSW, to get the teenagers out into low socio-economic communities to do their own coaching. "It is important for those high performance kids to give back, to have that experience," he said. The third part of the puzzle is travel, taking his own Hoop Dreams teams to play in other competitions both nationally and abroad. On the first weekend of November, Hoop Dreams saw its first touring team compete in the Annual Seaside Classic Tournament in Port Macquarie. The under 17s girls team took home the win. "The hardest transition is figuring out what do you do when you stop playing professional sport," he said. "I hope we can build this as place for connection, a community for these kids." Jessica began her journalism career in 2009 as a cadet at The Port Stephens Examiner before moving to London for a two-year stint working in magazines and digital publishing. The Lake Macquarie local returned to Australia where she took up a reporting role at The Maitland Mercury. She worked across several rounds including local council, police and property before moving into digital journalism and joining the team at The Newcastle Herald in 2017. Jessica began her journalism career in 2009 as a cadet at The Port Stephens Examiner before moving to London for a two-year stint working in magazines and digital publishing. The Lake Macquarie local returned to Australia where she took up a reporting role at The Maitland Mercury. 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poker game meaning Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal with the industry being squeezed by discount chains and other competition. Public companies are under a lot more scrutiny and if private, Nordstrom may have more leeway in reviving a department store chain that has been attempting to reinvigorate sales for years. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, or about $4 billion in all, representing a 42% premium on the company's stock as of March 18, when reports of a potential transaction was reported by the media. The acquiring group will also pick up more than $2 billion in Nordstrom debt. The traditional department stores have suffered in the face of withering competition from giants like Walmart and Target, as well as a host of fast-fashion bands and Amazon.com. Nordstrom rivals Macy's and Kohl's have been pressured by major investors to make huge changes in order to return more profit to shareholders. RELATED: Inside the empty flagship Nordstrom in San Francisco, closing after more than 3 decades Sales at Nordstrom have essentially flatlined over the past decade or so and it announced last year that it was closing all of its Canadian stores and cutting 2,500 jobs as it winds down operations in the country. Nordstrom first announced plans to expand to Canada in 2012 and opened its first store in Calgary at CF Chinook Centre in September 2014. The offer announced Monday tops the previous $23-per-share bid that the Nordstrom family and Mexican retail group, El Puerto de Liverpool, made in September. The board also plans to authorize a special dividend of up to 25 cents per share, based on Nordstrom's cash on hand immediately prior to and contingent on the close of the transaction. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025, at which time the company's shares will no longer trade publicly. "While a change in ownership does not automatically remedy all of the problems with the department store operation, it will allow the family and their backers to take a long-term view of the business and make necessary investments and changes away from the short-term scrutiny of public markets," wrote Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData, in a note to clients. Nordstrom's board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, with members Erik and Pete Nordstrom, part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company - recusing themselves from that vote. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. Erik and Pete Nordstrom are the fourth-generation leadership at the Seattle retailer, which was founded in 1901 as a shoe store. Erik is the company's chief executive and Peter is president. After opening 23 new stores so far this year, the company now operates a combined 381 Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores in the U.S. Nordstrom shares fell about 1.5% Monday, but they are up 34% this year on rumors of a family takeover. The company's stock is still down considerably from post-pandemic highs above $40 per share. In May of this year, Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his family's Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, died at age 90. He was one of several Nordstrom family members who in 2017 made a push to take the company private, proposing to buy out the 70% of the department store's stock they didn't already own. Those talks failed in 2018 but earlier this year, his sons started another series of buyout negotiations, leading to Monday's announcement.Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians

Cornelious Brown IV throws 5 TD passes to lead Alabama A&M past Mississippi Valley State 49-35Protests at Kalaburagi, Gadag against Amit Shah’s remarks(Photo by Skitterphoto via Pexels) By Stephen Beech via SWNS Cleaning surfaces every two hours at airports cuts potentially deadly norovirus infections by 83%, according to a new study. Researchers found that airport restaurants had the highest risk of norovirus transmission . But frequently disinfecting surfaces, mask-wearing and antimicrobial surface coatings at the transport hubs can all help prevent the highly contagious illness - also known as the winter vomiting bug - from spreading, say scientists. Study author Professor Nan Zhang, of the Beijing University of Technology in China, said: "Norovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is responsible for about 685 million cases and 200,000 deaths each year. "The virus is primarily transmitted through surfaces and outbreaks during air travel are especially common, due to the large number of public surfaces in airports." (PLOS Computational Biology via SWNS) To investigate the risk of norovirus infection from surfaces among passengers in different zones of the airport, the research team collected real touch data from 21.3 hours of video, which captured almost 26,000 touches. They developed a model of surface transmission and simulated the risk of infection from norovirus and the effectiveness of various interventions in different airport areas. More from this section Zhang said: "The touch data showed that, without any interventions, restaurants at airports had the highest risk of norovirus transmission, with approximately 4.6 out of 51,494 travelers infected. "Disinfecting public surfaces every two hours reduced the risk of norovirus infection per visit to the airport by 83.2%. "In contrast, handwashing every two hours reduced the risk by only 2%, and mask-wearing 50% of the time reduced risk by 48.0%, because masks stop people from touching their face. CDC "Furthermore, using antimicrobial copper or copper-nickel alloy coatings for most public surfaces lowered the infection risk by 15.9% to 99.2%." He says the study, published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology , provides "crucial" insights for developing infection prevention and control strategies specifically tailored for norovirus within airport environments. Zhang noted that the data for the study was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic , so surface-touching behaviors may have been different from normal. But he said that, overall, the simulated results indicated that public surface disinfection, mask-wearing wearing and the use of antimicrobial surfaces are effective ways of controlling the spread of norovirus via surfaces. Zhang added: "Regular surface infection is much more effective than regular handwashing for blocking norovirus transmission via fomite route in airports."

Appalachian State hires South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains as head coachNEW YORK , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm by ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating: ACT NOW . The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for December 5, 2024 . Click here for more information: https://monteverdelaw.com/case/markforged-holding-corporation/ . It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/cyclo-therapeutics-inc/ . It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. ACT NOW. The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for December 10, 2024 . Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/burtech-acquisition-corp-brkh/ . It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. ACT NOW . The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for December 20, 2024 . Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/crossfirst-bankshares-inc/ . It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask: About Monteverde & Associates PC Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders...and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341. Contact: Juan Monteverde, Esq. MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC The Empire State Building 350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740 New York, NY 10118 United States of America jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com Tel: (212) 971-1341 Attorney Advertising. (C) 2024 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC ( www.monteverdelaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-investigation-the-ma-class-action-firm-continues-to-investigate-the-mergers-of-mkfg-cyth-brkh-and-cfb-302314634.html SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Total Revenues of $699.2M , up 13% Year Over Year Subscription Services Revenues of $580.9M , up 17% Year Over Year PLEASANTON, Calif. , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Veeva Systems Inc. (NYSE: VEEV), a leading provider of industry cloud solutions for the global life sciences industry, today announced results for its third quarter ended October 31, 2024. "It was a great quarter of innovation and excellent execution across the board," said CEO Peter Gassner . "Especially significant was the hard work for the long term. We deepened a number of large, highly strategic relationships and are set to deliver the next generation of CRM this month with Vault CRM Suite to connect sales, marketing, and medical – a first for the industry." Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter Results: "We delivered results ahead of guidance on all metrics, reflecting our operational discipline and the durability of our model," said CFO Brian Van Wagener . "With a clear product strategy, focused execution, and large market opportunity we are well positioned for strong growth and profitability for many years to come." Recent Highlights: Financial Outlook: Veeva is providing guidance for its fiscal fourth quarter ending January 31, 2025 as follows: Veeva is providing updated guidance for its fiscal year ending January 31, 2025 as follows: Conference Call Information Prepared remarks and an investor presentation providing additional information and analysis can be found on Veeva's investor relations website at ir.veeva.com . Veeva will host a Q&A conference call at 2:00 p.m. PT today, December 5, 2024, and a replay of the call will be available on Veeva's investor relations website. What: Veeva Systems Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter Results Conference Call When: Thursday, December 5, 2024 Time: 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) Online Registration: https://registrations.events/direct/Q4I86021395 Webcast: ir.veeva.com ___________ (1) The customer contracting change that standardized termination for convenience (TFC) rights in our master subscription agreements resulted in a change in the timing of revenue for certain customer contracts and reduced revenues, operating income and non-GAAP operating income, and net income and non-GAAP net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. (2) This press release uses non-GAAP financial metrics that are adjusted for the impact of various GAAP items. See the section titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the tables entitled "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for details. (3) Veeva is not able, at this time, to provide GAAP targets for operating income and fully diluted net income per share for the fourth fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2025 or the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025 because of the difficulty of estimating certain items excluded from non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP fully diluted net income per share that cannot be reasonably predicted, such as charges related to stock-based compensation expense. The effect of these excluded items may be significant. About Veeva Systems Veeva is the global leader in cloud software for the life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,000 customers, ranging from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Veeva is committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders and the industries it serves. For more information, visit veeva.com . Veeva uses its ir.veeva.com website as a means of disclosing material non-public information, announcing upcoming investor conferences, and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, you should monitor our investor relations website in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts. Forward-looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements regarding Veeva's expected future performance and, in particular, includes quotes from management and guidance, provided as of December 5, 2024, about Veeva's expected future financial results. Estimating guidance accurately for future periods is difficult. It involves assumptions and internal estimates that may prove to be incorrect and is based on plans that may change. Hence, there is a significant risk that actual results could differ materially from the guidance we have provided in this release and we have no obligation to update such guidance. There are also numerous risks that have the potential to negatively impact our financial performance, including issues related to the performance, availability, security, or privacy of our products, competitive factors, customer decisions and priorities, events that impact the life sciences industry, general macroeconomic and geopolitical events (including inflationary pressures, changes in interest rates, currency exchange fluctuations and impacts related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict), and issues that impact our ability to hire, retain and adequately compensate talented employees. We have summarized what we believe are the principal risks to our business in a section titled "Summary of Risk Factors" on pages 36 and 37 in our filing on Form 10-Q for the period ended July 31, 2024 which you can find here . Additional details on the risks and uncertainties that may impact our business can be found in the same filing on Form 10-Q and in our subsequent SEC filings, which you can access at sec.gov . We recommend that you familiarize yourself with these risks and uncertainties before making an investment decision. Investor Relations Contact: Media Contact: Gunnar Hansen Maria Scurry Veeva Systems Inc. Veeva Systems Inc. 267-460-5839 781-366-7617 ir@veeva.com pr@veeva.com VEEVA SYSTEMS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands) (Unaudited) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,044,511 $ 703,487 Short-term investments 4,018,475 3,324,269 Accounts receivable, net 255,817 852,172 Unbilled accounts receivable 45,472 36,365 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 82,885 86,918 Total current assets 5,447,160 5,003,211 Property and equipment, net 55,695 58,532 Deferred costs, net 22,515 23,916 Lease right-of-use assets 60,325 45,602 Goodwill 439,877 439,877 Intangible assets, net 48,527 63,017 Deferred income taxes 322,652 233,463 Other long-term assets 56,102 43,302 Total assets $ 6,452,853 $ 5,910,920 Liabilities and stockholders ' equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 31,845 $ 31,513 Accrued compensation and benefits 34,634 43,433 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 30,906 32,980 Income tax payable 10,803 11,862 Deferred revenue 739,657 1,049,761 Lease liabilities 9,156 9,334 Total current liabilities 857,001 1,178,883 Deferred income taxes 475 2,052 Lease liabilities, noncurrent 62,545 46,441 Other long-term liabilities 31,429 38,720 Total liabilities 951,450 1,266,096 Stockholders' equity: Common stock 2 2 Additional paid-in capital 2,248,890 1,915,002 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (6,459) (10,637) Retained earnings 3,258,970 2,740,457 Total stockholders' equity 5,501,403 4,644,824 Total liabilities and stockholders ' equity $ 6,452,853 $ 5,910,920 VEEVA SYSTEMS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (In thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited) Three months ended October 31, Nine months ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenues: Subscription services (4) $ 580,850 $ 494,912 $ 1,676,082 $ 1,380,095 Professional services and other (5) 118,357 121,593 349,651 352,960 Total revenues 699,207 616,505 2,025,733 1,733,055 Cost of revenues (6) : Cost of subscription services 82,638 74,435 239,577 213,179 Cost of professional services and other 91,751 93,247 279,068 290,184 Total cost of revenues 174,389 167,682 518,645 503,363 Gross profit 524,818 448,823 1,507,088 1,229,692 Operating expenses (6) : Research and development 172,411 161,278 511,551 465,466 Sales and marketing 98,695 96,773 297,524 282,269 General and administrative 72,359 62,283 195,001 187,887 Total operating expenses 343,465 320,334 1,004,076 935,622 Operating income 181,353 128,489 503,012 294,070 Other income, net 60,937 42,187 171,239 111,260 Income before income taxes 242,290 170,676 674,251 405,330 Income tax provision 56,482 35,518 155,738 27,023 Net income $ 185,808 $ 135,158 $ 518,513 $ 378,307 Net income per share: Basic $ 1.15 $ 0.84 $ 3.21 $ 2.36 Diluted $ 1.13 $ 0.83 $ 3.15 $ 2.32 Weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share: Basic 161,987 160,768 161,707 160,344 Diluted 164,979 163,761 164,838 163,129 Other comprehensive income: Net change in unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale investments $ (738) $ (2,637) $ 5,576 $ (6,100) Net change in cumulative foreign currency translation loss (146) (518) (1,398) (309) Comprehensive income $ 184,924 $ 132,003 $ 522,691 $ 371,898 (4) Includes subscription services revenues from the following product areas: Veeva Commercial Solutions $ 278,377 $ 251,167 $ 811,503 $ 733,921 Veeva R&D Solutions 302,473 243,745 864,579 646,174 Total subscription services $ 580,850 $ 494,912 $ 1,676,082 $ 1,380,095 (5) Includes professional services and other revenues from the following product areas: Veeva Commercial Solutions $ 45,855 $ 47,899 $ 139,695 $ 140,082 Veeva R&D Solutions 72,502 73,694 209,956 212,878 Total professional services and other $ 118,357 $ 121,593 $ 349,651 $ 352,960 (6) Includes stock-based compensation as follows:I'm A Celeb fans left in shock over brutal double jungle eviction

Executive director, CFO and senior leader join president in exodus from turbulent Manitoba teachers’ union

Ohtani wins third MVP, while Judge takes his secondITTA BENA, Miss. (AP) — Cornelious Brown IV threw five touchdown passes, Donovan Eaglin ran for 105 yards and two scores, and Alabama A&M defeated Mississippi Valley State 49-35 on Saturday. The Bulldogs scored 21 points in the third quarter to break free from a 28-all tie at halftime. All three touchdowns came on passes by Brown. He hit DJ Nelson for 35 yards, Donovan Payne for 9 yards, and Keenan Hambrick for 13 yards. Alabama A&M led 49-28 heading to the final quarter. Donivan Wright caught Brown's two other TD passes. He was the Bulldogs' leading receiver with 79 yards among their team total of 296. Brown completed 19 of 28 passes for 252 yards for the Bulldogs (6-5, 4-3 SWAC). Ty’Jarian Williams was 12 for 28 passing for 275 yards for the Delta Devils (1-11, 1-7). He threw two TD passes and was intercepted twice. Nathan Rembert had 107 yards receiving and a touchdown on five receptions. There were five touchdowns in the second quarter and the score was tied three times before the Bulldogs blew it open in the third quarter. __ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Former cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault tells committee: 'I am not Indigenous'

A ustralia’s landmark legislation banning social media access for under-16s has ignited intense debate here, leaving figures, parental and youth rights campaigners divided over the potential implementation of similar restrictions locally. The world-first law, passed by Australia’s parliament on November 28, mandates tech companies to prevent underage users from accessing social media platforms or face fines approaching AUD$50 million ($64.5 million). Prime Minister Anthony Albanese argues the legislation is crucial for protecting young people from social media’s potential harms. Paula-Ann Moore, spokesperson for the Group of Concerned Parents of Barbados, believes the government should stage a national debate to weigh the pros and cons of implementing such a law here. “This type of regulation can be seen as reinforcement of the parental role and the parental responsibility because obviously it’s not meant to be a replacement of that responsibility,” Moore said. She pointed out that a ban on social media for children under 16 raises concerns about balancing parental responsibilities and government intervention. “The dangers of social media and access to the internet. And I think the younger that children are exposed to it, the greater the risk that they may fall victim to whether it’s predators, of course, the access to porn is a huge factor,” she added. You Might Be Interested In CaribNOG Internet conference commences this week in Barbados ASYCUDA World’s implementation postponed until Sep 9 Smart Barbados Week launches Monday Moore also cited research linking social media use to negative impacts on mental health: “Then all of what we’ve seen, the data and the research have come out on how those social media platforms can impact negatively on children’s self-esteem, fear of missing out, anxiety, and unfortunately cyberbullying that’s also a great risk as well.” June Moe, acting principal of Springer Memorial Secondary School, applauded Australia’s decision and emphasised the dangers of unregulated screen time. “As educators, we see firsthand the dangers that increased screen time, exposure to platforms that are not monitored. We see the dangers daily that it has on students under 16,” Moe said. She praised Australia’s proactive approach: “I applaud Australia for removing devices for children whose minds are not yet fully developed. These devices not only promote a sedentary lifestyle but also lead to an anti-social one.” The principal noted that while children may appear social online, they often struggle with interpersonal interactions. “Younger persons have lost the ability to engage one-on-one or in small groups because they’re accustomed to interacting with a screen.” Moe urged parents to become more informed and involved. “Parents are the ones providing the devices. I urge them to read, research, and understand the dangers of excessive screen time. Many platforms expose children to harmful situations, from psychological harm to meeting strangers with dangerous intentions,” she said. But youth advocate Caleb Brathwaite opposed the idea of a ban while insisting on greater parental control instead. Brathwaite, the president of the Barbados Youth Development Council (BYDC), said: “There should be more parental control... greater rules in terms of monitoring their children’s use of social media, as well as educating them of the correct use of social media, and also to see how that information technology being taught within the educational system can also play that role, so that it is constant, and that is the correct use of social media.” He argued that age restrictions already exist on most platforms and suggested that additional rules may not be necessary. While Moore believes the idea of enforcing a similar ban has merit, she noted significant challenges. She said: “For you to implement the age limit and then enforce it, there’s certain data that you would have to provide. So, the argument could be made, I think, with some success, but if already we’re having data breaches on several different elements of our life, do we wait, until we have some assurance that we are ready from a technological point of view, to ensure that those data breaches are minimised, are we even ready?” louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bbSix-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick interviewed for the head-coaching job at North Carolina, Inside Carolina and the Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday. According to the News & Observer, Belichick "blew them away in the interview," yet he is not likely to move forward because he is pushing 73 years old and has no experience in the college game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Luke Kromenhoek threw for 209 yards and tossed three touchdown passes as Florida State halted a six-game losing streak and routed Charleston Southern 41-7 on Saturday. Kromenhoek completed 13 of 20 passes in his first college start, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas, as the Seminoles (2-9) won for the first time since Sept. 21. The true freshman also connected with Amaree Williams for a 4-yard TD and Hykeem Williams for a 10-yard TD. “It was unbelievable, it was a dream come true,” Kromenhoek said. “The more snaps I get, the more reps that I get, it slows down little by little. I just try to take advantage of every one that I get.” The Seminoles (2-9) have started three quarterbacks and nine offensive line combinations this fall, and they came into Saturday with the nation’s worst scoring offense (13.3 points). Florida State hadn’t scored more than 21 points or surpassed the 300-yard mark in 2024. But Florida State overwhelmed FCS Charleston Southern (1-11), accumulating 415 offensive yards. Coach Mike Norvell made major changes following a 52-3 loss at Notre Dame on Nov. 9. He fired offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and wide receivers coach Ron Dugans. On Saturday, Norvell again called plays (as he has done throughout his five years at Florida State). Randy Shannon, the linebackers coach, was elevated to interim defensive coordinator. “It’s been a tough last couple weeks, tough season in general,” Norvell said. “But I was really proud of them for how they approached this week and the work that they poured in. From senior to freshman, there was a lot of investment to go push to be better.” After a scoreless first quarter, Florida State poured it on — scoring on six straight drives. This is the first time the Seminoles have scored 10 or more points in a quarter, tallying 17 in the second and 14 in the third. Kaleb Jackson completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sauers, and an interception for the Buccaneers. Next up: Randy Shannon Shannon stepped in to coordinate, guiding a first- and second-team defense that didn’t allow a point. Florida State led 31-0 after three quarters, allowing Charleston Southern to pick up just 124 offensive yards and holding the Buccaneers to 23 rushing yards. Once Miami’s head coach, Shannon has now been a defensive coordinator at all four of the state’s Power 4 schools. Shannon was the defensive coordinator at Miami (2001-06), Florida (2017), UCF (2018-20) and will now also be Florida State's interim coordinator next week against Florida. The takeaway Charleston Southern: While the Buccaneers found some success through the air, they couldn’t sustain drives and managed just 57 rushing yards on 29 carries. Florida State: The Seminoles picked up a season-best 176 rushing yards, scoring 17 points in the second quarter and 14 points in the third quarter to take control. Up next Charleston Southern’s season is over. Florida State plays host to Florida on Nov. 30. 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/cfbtop25Iconic band Steps have announced they are bringing their official musical Here & Now to the Plymouth Theatre Royal. The show will form part of a wider UK and Ireland tour and has already been ;wowing audiences' in Birmingham for the last few weeks, The tour will run from August 2025 to May 2026, and will include a series of shows at Theatre Royal Plymouth in March 2026. Here and Now began previews at The Alexandra, Birmingham on Saturday, November 9 and will finish it’s run on Saturday, November 30 this year. The musical was The Alexandra’s fastest selling on-sale in history, which saw 50 per cent capacity sold within 24 hours. Featuring Steps’ most beloved hit songs, the show is produced by the band and ROYO with Pete Waterman and Fascination Management with an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and choreographed by Olivier Award winning Matt Cole. Casting for the UK and Ireland tour is to be announced. Welcome to seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it's Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone's dancing in the aisles. But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a 'happy ever after'? Or does love have other plans in store... Steps (Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins’, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee) are the UK’s most successful mixed sex pop group of all time, with 14 top five singles, 4 number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams & 11 sold-out national arena tours under their belts. The band’s hits include #1 singles Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp, the gold certified One For Sorrow & Better Best Forgotten, the silver certified 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, all of which will feature in the musical alongside many more. Steps’ 2017 comeback tour sold out all 300,000 tickets, making it one of the biggest pop tours of the year. The band have since continued to release new music including two further iTunes #1 singles, the Sia-penned What The Future Holds in 2020 and the Michelle Visage duet Heartbreak In This City in 2022. In 2022 Steps celebrated their 25th anniversary with a headline summer tour and released the #1 album Platinum Collection which means they join ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics as the only groups in UK history to score #1 albums in four consecutive decades. Musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design is by Tom Rogers, costume design is by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams with Production Management by Setting Line. and we want you to join us. Once you sign up for our updates, we'll send the latest breaking news and biggest stories of the day straight to your phone. To join our community, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select 'Join Community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the PlymouthLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'Exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our . .

Gombe assembly embraces e-legislation for enhanced governanceSpain's monarch pays tribute to the victims of Valencia floods in his Christmas Eve speech

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria amid an opposition offensive that has reached the capital’s suburbs, declaring in a social media post, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT.” Trump’s first extensive comments on the dramatic rebel push came while he was in Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral. He argued that Syrian President Bashar Assad did not deserve U.S. support to stay in power. Assad’s government has been propped up by the Russian and Iranian military, along with Hezbollah and other Iranian-allied militias, in a now 13-year-old war against opposition groups seeking his overthrow. The war, which began as a mostly peaceful uprising in 2011 against the Assad family’s rule, has killed a half-million people, fractured Syria and drawn in a more than a half-dozen foreign militaries and militias. The insurgents are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the United States has designated as a terrorist group and says has links to al-Qaida, although the group has since broken ties with al-Qaida.” The insurgents have met little resistance so far from the Syrian army. The Biden administration has suggested that their fast-moving advances toward Damascus demonstrate just how distracted those countries are by the war in Ukraine and other conflicts, but said that the U.S. is not backing the offensive and has not suggested the U.S. military will intervene. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria, including U.S. forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Gen. Bryan Fenton, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command, said he would not want to speculate on how the upheaval in Syria would affect the U.S. military’s footprint in the country. “It’s still too early to tell,” he said. What would not change is the focus on disrupting IS operations in Syria and protecting U.S. troops, Fenton said Saturday during a panel at an annual gathering of national security officials, defense companies and lawmakers at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. Syrian opposition activists and regional officials have nonetheless been watching closely for any indication from both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration on how the U.S. would handle the sudden rebel advances against Assad. Robert Wilkie, Trump’s defense transition chief and a former secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, said during the same panel that the collapse of the “murderous Assad regime” would be a major blow to Iran’s power. The United Nations’ special envoy for Syria called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition” in Syria. In his post, Trump said Russia “is so tied up in Ukraine” that it “seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years.” He said rebels could possibly force Assad from power. The president-elect condemned the overall U.S. handling of the war but said the routing of Assad and Russian forces might be for the best. “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” he wrote in Saturday’s post. An influential Syrian opposition activist in Washington, Mouaz Moustafa, interrupted a briefing to reporters to read Trump’s post and appeared to choke up. He said Trump’s declaration that the U.S. should stay out of the fight was the best outcome that the the Syrians aligned against Assad could hope for. Rebels have been freeing political detainees of the Assad government from prisons as they advance across Syria, taking cities. Moustafa pledged to reporters Saturday that opposition forces would be alert for any U.S. detainees among them and do their utmost to protect them. Moustafa said that includes Austin Tice, an American journalist missing for more than a decade and suspected to be held by Assad. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham renounced al-Qaida in 2016 and has worked to rebrand itself, including cracking down on some Islamic extremist groups and fighters in its territory and portraying itself as a protector of Christians and other religious minorities. While the U.S. and United Nations still designate it as a terrorist organization, Trump’s first administration told lawmakers that the U.S. was no longer targeting the group’s leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Associated Press writer Tara Copp in Simi Valley, California, contributed to this report.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Known across the globe as the stuck astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams hit the six-month mark in space Thursday with two more to go. The pair rocketed into orbit on June 5, the first to ride Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on what was supposed to be a weeklong test flight. They arrived at the International Space Station the next day, only after overcoming a cascade of thruster failures and helium leaks . NASA deemed the capsule too risky for a return flight, so it will be February before their long and trying mission comes to a close. While NASA managers bristle at calling them stuck or stranded, the two retired Navy captains shrug off the description of their plight. They insist they’re fine and accepting of their fate. Wilmore views it as a detour of sorts: “We’re just on a different path.” “I like everything about being up here,” Williams told students Wednesday from an elementary school named for her in Needham, Massachusetts, her hometown. "Just living in space is super fun.” Both astronauts have lived up there before so they quickly became full-fledged members of the crew, helping with science experiments and chores like fixing a broken toilet, vacuuming the air vents and watering the plants. Williams took over as station commander in September. “Mindset does go a long way,” Wilmore said in response to a question from Nashville first-graders in October. He’s from Mount Juliet, Tennessee. “I don’t look at these situations in life as being downers.” Boeing flew its Starliner capsule home empty in September, and NASA moved Wilmore and Williams to a SpaceX flight not due back until late February. Two other astronauts were bumped to make room and to keep to a six-month schedule for crew rotations. Like other station crews, Wilmore and Williams trained for spacewalks and any unexpected situations that might arise. “When the crews go up, they know they could be there for up to a year,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. NASA astronaut Frank Rubio found that out the hard way when the Russian Space Agency had to rush up a replacement capsule for him and two cosmonauts in 2023, pushing their six-month mission to just past a year. Boeing said this week that input from Wilmore and Williams has been “invaluable" in the ongoing inquiry of what went wrong. The company said in a statement that it is preparing for Starliner's next flight but declined comment on when it might launch again. NASA also has high praise for the pair. “Whether it was luck or whether it was selection, they were great folks to have for this mission,” NASA's chief health and medical officer, Dr. JD Polk, said during an interview with The Associated Press. On top of everything else, Williams, 59, has had to deal with “rumors,” as she calls them, of serious weight loss. She insists her weight is the same as it was on launch day, which Polk confirms. During Wednesday's student chat, Williams said she didn't have much of an appetite when she first arrived in space. But now she's “super hungry” and eating three meals a day plus snacks, while logging the required two hours of daily exercise. Williams, a distance runner, uses the space station treadmill to support races in her home state. She competed in Cape Cod’s 7-mile Falmouth Road Race in August. She ran the 2007 Boston Marathon up there as well. She has a New England Patriots shirt with her for game days, as well as a Red Sox spring training shirt. “Hopefully I’ll be home before that happens -- but you never know,” she said in November. Husband Michael Williams, a retired federal marshal and former Navy aviator, is caring for their dogs back home in Houston. As for Wilmore, 61, he's missing his younger daughter's senior year in high school and his older daughter's theater productions in college. “We can’t deny that being unexpectedly separated, especially during the holidays when the entire family gets together, brings increased yearnings to share the time and events together,” his wife, Deanna Wilmore, told the AP in a text this week. Her husband “has it worse than us” since he's confined to the space station and can only connect via video for short periods. “We are certainly looking forward to February!!” she wrote. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Don Miller | Making a choice to be thankful, amid our strugglesCLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Chase Artopoeus threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead Chattanooga to a 24-17 victory over Austin Peay in a nonconference regular-season finale on Saturday. Chattanooga (7-5) jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead on Jude Kelley's 28-yard field goal and Artopoeus' 9-yard touchdown toss to Javin Whatley with 42 seconds left. The score came five plays after Alex Mitchell intercepted a pass from Austin Smith, giving the Mocs the ball at the Governors' 26-yard line. Austin Peay answered in the second quarter with help from a Chattanooga turnover. Ellis Ellis Jr. picked off Artopoeus and the Governors took over at the Mocs' 30. Smith completed three straight passes — the last one covering 4 yards to Jaden Barnes to get Austin Peay within three points. Carson Smith followed with a 35-yard field goal to tie it at 10. Chattanooga regained the lead with 4:01 left in the third quarter when Artopoeus capped a nine-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Smith had a 23-yard touchdown run to get Austin Peay within seven with 8:08 left in the game. The Governors drove to the Mocs' 30, but Smith's fourth-down pass fell incomplete with 41 seconds to go. Artopoeus completed 15 of 21 passes for 161 yards for Chattanooga. He had a 7-yard scoring toss to John McIntyre to put the Mocs up 24-10 early in the final quarter. Smith finished with 192 yards on 21-for-36 passing for Austin Peay, which finishes its first season under head coach Jeff Faris with a 4-8 record. Rusty Wright became the first Chattanooga coach to finish .500 or better in each of his first six seasons. Chattanooga snapped Austin Peay's nine-game win streak with a 24-21 victory on the road to close out the regular season last year. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Fred Warner among three 49ers hit with significant bad news ahead of playoff rematch with LionsFirst Quarter NMSU_Early 30 interception return (Montano kick), 12:46. NMSU_FG Montano 42, 2:22. Second Quarter MTU_Credle 3 run (Rankin kick), 10:56. NMSU_FG Montano 26, 1:35. Third Quarter NMSU_McGowan 12 pass from Nunez (Montano kick), 9:55. MTU_Willis 12 pass from Vattiato (Rankin kick), 3:56. NMSU_Washington 11 run (run failed), 1:22. Fourth Quarter MTU_Kelly 19 pass from Vattiato (Rankin kick), 12:41. NMSU_Sheehan 4 pass from Nunez (Montano kick), 7:43. NMSU_FG Montano 21, 1:55. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_New Mexico St., McGowan 12-83, Awad 9-22, Washington 12-22, McMillan 1-13, Johnson 1-5, Nunez 1-0. Middle Tennessee, Middlebrook 10-80, Wilkins 6-47, Credle 7-27, Vattiato 5-16. PASSING_New Mexico St., Awad 12-16-0-221, Nunez 2-2-0-16. Middle Tennessee, Vattiato 30-45-2-277. RECEIVING_New Mexico St., McGowan 6-96, Pride 4-51, David 1-38, Parks 1-38, Rudison 1-10, Sheehan 1-4. Middle Tennessee, Kelly 5-58, Middlebrook 5-29, M.Butler 4-31, Willis 3-67, Lacy 3-19, Sutton 2-18, Poticher 2-13, Carter 2-12, Credle 2-9, Sherman 1-15, Wilkins 1-6. MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.Vucevic, Dosunmu lead Bulls to season-high output in 139-124 win over Spurs with Wembanyama out

Lampkin, Freeman power Syracuse past Bucknell, 75-63 in final nonconference tune-up

Manchester City's struggles continued as Pep Guardiola's side remarkably blew a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain to leave the French club in danger of elimination. There were also big wins for Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen, while Inter Milan went top of the standings after five games and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski reached a century of Champions League goals. However, the biggest drama came at the Etihad Stadium, where City were cruising early in the second half with a three-goal advantage as they sought to end a run of five successive defeats in all competitions. Erling Haaland opened the scoring from a penalty just before half-time, and Ilkay Gundogan's deflected shot made it 2-0 in the 50th minute. Haaland struck again to make it 3-0, but Feyenoord's comeback began on 75 minutes when Anis Hadj Moussa took advantage of hapless defending to round goalkeeper Ederson and pull one back. Substitute Santiago Gimenez bundled in to make it 3-2 on 82 minutes and the equaliser arrived a minute from the end. Ederson was again caught out with Igor Paixao going around the goalkeeper and crossing for Slovak international David Hancko to head in. "We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable," complained Guardiola. "We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and of course we need a victory." It is the first time that a team has gone into the last 20 minutes of a Champions League game trailing by three goals and still avoided defeat, as the point boosts the Dutch side's hopes of progressing. City are two points outside the top eight places which offer direct qualification for the last 16, while Bayern moved above them by beating PSG 1-0 in Munich. South Korean defender Kim Min-jae scored the only goal seven minutes before half-time, heading in after goalkeeper Matvei Safonov failed to clear a corner. PSG had Ousmane Dembele sent off in the second half and the French champions have just four points, and three goals, from five games. They are a lowly 26th in the 36-team league, a point adrift of the positions which offer a place in the play-off round in February. "We need to win our last three matches, otherwise we risk being eliminated," admitted PSG coach Luis Enrique. Lewandowski century Lewandowski notched his 100th goal in the competition with an early penalty in Barcelona's 3-0 home win over French side Brest. Dani Olmo netted midway through the second half before Lewandowski sealed Barca's win at the death, his 101st goal in the Champions League -- only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored more. Inter lead the standings with 13 points, a point ahead of Barcelona and Liverpool, after a 1-0 win at home to RB Leipzig which means they are also still yet to concede a goal. Castello Lukeba's own goal made the difference at San Siro, and Leipzig are one of only three teams to have lost five games out of five. Arsenal romped to a 5-1 victory away to Sporting in Lisbon, as the Portuguese side adapt to life without coach Ruben Amorim, who has departed for Manchester United. Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes all scored in the first half for Arsenal, before Goncalo Inacio pulled one back shortly after the restart. Bukayo Saka converted a penalty on 65 minutes after Martin Odegaard had been brought down, and Leandro Trossard headed in to seal Arsenal's win late on. Atalanta, Atletico hit six Atalanta romped to a 6-1 win over rock-bottom Young Boys in Switzerland, with Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere both scoring braces. Sead Kolasinac and Lazar Samardzic also netted for the Italians, with Silvere Ganvoula getting the hosts' reply. Florian Wirtz struck twice, including a penalty, as Leverkusen crushed Red Bull Salzburg 5-0, with Alejandro Grimaldo scoring a superb free-kick and Patrik Schick and Aleix Garcia also netting. Julian Alvarez and substitute Angel Correa each scored twice and Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann once as Atletico romped to a 6-0 win away to Sparta Prague. Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao and Tammy Abraham were the scorers in AC Milan's 3-2 win at Slovan Bratislava, whose goals came from Tigran Barseghyan and Nino Marcelli. Marko Tolic saw red at the end for Slovan, who are without a point. Published - November 28, 2024 04:00 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Football / sportSports on TV for Thursday, Dec. 26

Wolves-Rockets game preview: TV-radio information, injury report, key playersAP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:17 p.m. EST

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New Mexico State 36, Middle Tennessee 21ZHONGSHAN, China , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SUNLU was present at the Formnext 2024, the largest event for additive manufacturing held in Germany , where they unveiled the new product FilaDryer E2. SUNLU, the Chinese Tech Giant in the 3D printing industry, recently wrapped up a highly successful showcase at Formnext 2024, one of the largest events for additive manufacturing held in Frankfurt, Germany from November 19–22. SUNLU's booth (F29, Hall 11.1) hosted a large number of visitors eager to explore the company's latest innovations in 3D printing materials, equipment, and technology. A key highlight of SUNLU's exhibit was the new range of functional filaments, including PA6-CF, PA12-CF, PC-ABS, and PETG-CF. The filaments provide enhanced strength, durability, and temperature resistance, catering to more demanding applications in both industrial and personal use. Visitors saw firsthand how these materials impact the quality, resilience and overall performance of 3D-printed parts. The debut of the SUNLU FilaDryer E2 also attracted significant interest for its powerful features, notably its maximum drying temperature of 110°C, which allows for the fast drying of functional filaments and annealing printed parts to improve their strength and durability. The FilaDryer E2 will be available for preorder on January 8, 2025 , on our official website . Visitors expressed great anticipation, after seeing the upgrades that set the FilaDryer E2 apart. Jack Jiang , the founder of SUNLU, said: "This opportunity allowed us to position and showcase SUNLU as one of the key global players in the 3D Industry." Formnext 2024 was a valuable opportunity for SUNLU to connect with peers, partners, and customers worldwide. The team exchanged ideas with industry professionals and distributors, where the company had the opportunity to interview James Rooke from "Honey Badger Print and Paint" and talk about the new SUNLU's Filament Connector FC01 and it's perks to make the most out of leftover materials, while enabling multi-color prints. As the exhibition comes to an end, the SUNLU team extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited the booth and made the event memorable, and the company looks forward to meeting up again next year for groundbreaking solutions and meaningful partnerships within the additive manufacturing community. About SUNLU Founded in 2013, SUNLU is a leading 3D printing materials company specializing in R&D, manufacturing, and sales. With facilities in China and Vietnam , we operate 150+ automated production lines and employ over 900 staff. Our certified products serve customers across Europe , America, and Southeast Asia. SUNLU has led 30+ research projects, secured 400+ patents, and introduced innovations like "Neat Winding" filament, 3D printing drying boxes, and the ±0.02mm FDM filament tolerance standard, enhancing precision and user experience. Guided by our mission, "Simply Your Creation," we empower creators worldwide with reliable 3D printing materials. For more information, please visit https://www.sunlu.com . Media Contact: Branding@sunlu.com Sales@sunlu.com Stay Updated: If you're interested in the FilaDryer E2, sign up here to receive exclusive preorder information and updates directly in your inbox. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sunlu-formnext-2024-event-highlights-from-functional-filaments-to-filadryer-e2-302314231.html SOURCE SUNLU

I like Martha Stewart. Always have. Two recent documentaries, "Martha" on Netflix and the CNN series "The Many Lives of Martha Stewart," follow the Greek drama that make Stewart a cultural fascination to this day. They recount the jihad against this visionary who came under attack for being a woman with fierce ambition. Admittedly, Stewart's hard-edged perfectionism and nuclear-powered drive had created some tension with her product, the "soft" home arts of cooking, flower arranging and chair reupholstering. But did she have to be destroyed? Sure, Stewart engaged in some insider trading that may have seemed nothing more than an innocent stock tip. She shouldn't have lied about it to the FBI. But did journalist Dominick Dunne have to call her the "Goddess of Greed" over a transaction that saved the creator of a billion-dollar business only $45,673? It sure didn't merit five months in prison. In 1987, the cultural hyenas jumped on her for signing a $5 million contract with Kmart. Stewart was allegedly "selling out" the domestic lifestyle she had cultivated, moving away from authenticity toward mass production and profit. Heaven forfend. The year before, Disney Company's CEO walked off with a $90 million severance check after 14 months of undistinguished performance. She was tenacious. So what? Male executives wore that badge proudly. This woman built a business empire based on creating artistic cheese trays and making wreaths from dry leaves. Try that, Elon Musk. Some of her trouble came in the sub-message that our home lives had turned slovenly because Americans had stopped caring about family dinners and dust balls under the sofa. Some translated that not as a call to do better but as an indictment. But Stewart had no army. Those who accused her of creating unrealistic expectations for women juggling work and family should have been asked: Whose expectations? One could simply enjoy watching her on TV or reading her magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Her projects were properly labeled "aspirational." I once tried to follow her instructions for coloring cloth with natural vegetable dyes. Two hours later, I ended up with blotchy fabric and hands stained by beet juice. I tried, I failed, and I had a funny story to tell. I was intrigued by her demonstration on how to roll an ironed tablecloth in parchment paper to prevent wrinkles. And how nice that she could whip up 80 perfectly iced little cakes in no time. I can't do a single back flip. Must I resent Simone Biles for executing a triple-double in one move? It took Superwoman strength to plant an orchard with 122 trees and who knows how many rose bushes. One interviewer noted that people living in Detroit or New York City couldn't do rose gardens. She responded, "but yes, they want roses." The fantasy was more than half the point. Women were among her leading inquisitors. One called her "the most intimidating homemaker on earth." Another female interviewer tells her, "Either they worship you or they say you make us crazy." There was a third possibility — that they found her entertaining. Stewart can lay claim to two heroic feats: She played a big part in improving the quality of American homelife. And she rebuilt a business that had been left for dead. Above all, Martha was a great tough broad. You saw how TV's Larry King kept badgering her about her failed marriage in a way that would have seemed bizarre had the executive been a man. "I had sacrificed a marriage because of the allure of a great job," she finally relented. And she didn't regret it? She did not. I like Stewart, still going strong at 83. More than ever. Harrop, who lives in New York City and Providence, Rhode Island, writes for Creators Syndicate: fharrop@gmail.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!Chase Artopoeus has two TD passes, TD run as Chattanooga tops Austin Peay 24-17 in season finaleNone

My love of movie scoundrels has been sorely tested this year. When I was young, I daydreamed of exotic heists, slick con artists and lovable crooks I’d seen on screen. For most of my moviegoing life, I’ve been a sucker for larceny done well. Most of us are, probably. Related Articles Movies | ‘Nightbitch’ review: Amy Adams goes feral in a cautionary tale of love and parental imbalance Movies | Review: Angelina Jolie glides through ‘Maria’ like an iceberg, but a chilly Callas isn’t enough Movies | ‘Sweethearts’ review: Breakup-focused romcom is largely engaging Movies | Making ‘Queer’ required openness. Daniel Craig was ready Movies | 18 most anticipated movies in holiday season 2024 But now it’s late 2024. Mood is wrong. In the real world, in America, it’s scoundrel time all the time. Maybe Charles Dickens was right. In “American Notes for General Circulation” (1842), the English literary superstar chronicled his travels and detected a widespread, peculiarly American “love of ‘smart’ dealing” across the land. In business and in politics, Dickens observed, slavish admiration of the con men among them “gilds over many a swindle and gross breach of trust.” And here we are. It’ll pass, this scoundrel reprieve of mine. In fact it just did. All it took was thinking about the conspicuous, roguish outlier on my best-of-2024 list: “Challengers.” It’s what this year needed and didn’t know it: a tricky story of lying, duplicitous weasels on and off the court. The best films this year showed me things I hadn’t seen, following familiar character dynamics into fresh territory. Some were more visually distinctive than others; all made eloquent cases for how, and where, their stories unfolded. “All We Imagine as Light,” recently at the Gene Siskel Film Center, works like a poem, or a sustained exhalation of breath, in its simply designed narrative of three Mumbai hospital workers. Fluid, subtly political, filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s achievement is very nearly perfect. So is cowriter-director RaMell Ross’ adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel “The Nickel Boys,” arriving in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 3, 2025. “Nickel Boys,” the film, loses the “the” in Whitehead’s title but gains an astonishingly realized visual perspective. If Ross never makes another movie, he’ll have an American masterpiece to his credit. The following top 10 movies of 2024 are in alphabetical order. Both a mosaic of urban ebb and flow, and a delicate revelation of character, director and writer Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai story is hypnotic, patient and in its more traditional story progression, a second feature every bit as good as Kapadia’s first, 2021’s “A Night of Knowing Nothing.” Mikey Madison gives one of the year’s funniest, saddest, truest performances as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who takes a shine to the gangly son of a Russian oligarch, and he to her. Their transactional courtship and dizzying Vegas marriage, followed by violently escalating complications, add up to filmmaker Sean Baker’s triumph, capped by an ending full of exquisite mysteries of the human heart. As played by Adrien Brody, the title character is a visionary architect and Hungarian Jewish emigre arriving in America in 1947 after the Holocaust. (That said, the title refers to more than one character.) His patron, and his nemesis, is the Philadelphia blueblood industrialist played by Guy Pearce. Director/co-writer Brady Corbet’s thrillingly ambitious epic, imperfect but loaded with rewarding risks, was shot mostly in widescreen VistaVision. Worth seeing on the biggest screen you can find. Opens in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 10, 2025. Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor play games with each other, on the tennis court and in beds, while director Luca Guadagnino builds to a match-point climax that can’t possibly work, and doesn’t quite — but I saw the thing twice anyway. In Bucharest, production assistant Angela zigzags around the city interviewing people for her employer’s workplace safety video. If that sounds less than promising, even for a deadpan Romanian slice-of-life tragicomedy, go ahead and make the mistake of skipping this one. llinca Manolache is terrific as Angela. Like “Do Not Expect Too Much,” director Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing slice of recent history was a 2023 release, making it to Chicago in early 2024. Set along the densely forested Poland/Belarus border, this is a model of well-dramatized fiction honoring what refugees have always known: the fully justified, ever-present fear of the unknown. A quiet marvel of a feature debut from writer-director Annie Baker, this is a mother/daughter tale rich in ambiguities and wry humor, set in a lovely, slightly forlorn corner of rural Massachusetts. Julianne Nicholson, never better; Zoe Ziegler as young, hawk-eyed Lacy, equally memorable. I love this year’s nicest surprise. The premise: A teenager’s future 39-year-old self appears to her, magically, via a strong dose of mushrooms. The surprise: Writer-director Megan Park gradually deepens her scenario and sticks a powerfully emotional landing. Wonderful work from Aubrey Plaza, Maisy Stella, Maria Dizzia and everybody, really. From the horrific true story of a Florida reform school and its decades of abuse, neglect and enraging injustice toward its Black residents, novelist Colson Whitehead’s fictionalized novel makes a remarkable jump to the screen thanks to co-writer/director RaMell Ross’s feature debut. Cousins, not as close as they once were, reunite for a Holocaust heritage tour in Poland and their own search for their late grandmother’s childhood home. They’re the rootless Benji (Kieran Culkin) and tightly sprung David (Jesse Eisenberg, who wrote and directed). Small but very sure, this movie’s themes of genocidal trauma and Jewish legacy support the narrative every step of the way. Culkin is marvelous; so is the perpetually undervalued Eisenberg. To the above, I’ll add 10 more runners-up, again in alphabetical order: “Blink Twice,” directed by Zoe Kravitz. “Conclave,” directed by Edward Berger. “Dune: Part Two ,” directed by Denis Villeneuve. “Good One ,” directed by India Donaldson. “Hit Man,” directed by Richard Linklater. “Joker: Folie a Deux,” directed by Todd Phillips. “Nosferatu,” directed by Robert Eggers, opens in Chicago-area theaters on Dec. 25. “The Outrun,” directed by Nora Fingscheidt. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” directed by Johan Grimonprez. “Tuesday,” directed by Daina O. Pusić. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.Trump and Tesla will turbocharge self-driving race

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Karyopharm CEO Richard Paulson sells $2,932 in stockLampkin, Freeman power Syracuse past Bucknell, 75-63 in final nonconference tune-up

Gov. Pillen recruits retired NE National Guard boss to take over embattled state historical society