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HOUSTON — E.J. Warner threw three touchdown passes and Rice survived a late USF rally to take a 35-28 victory on Saturday in a regular-season finale. Warner was 27-of-42 passing for 430 yards and had 294 yards and two TD throws in the first half when the Owls (4-6, 3-5 AAC) rolled up 367 yards offense and 19 first downs for a 27-7 lead at the break. Trailing 35-14 with five minutes left, USF quarterback Bryce Archie had to leave the game after taking a late hit. Backup Israel Carter threw two touchdown passes in the final three minutes to cut the lead to seven. Rice recovered an onside kick and got the clock down to 27 seconds on six straight Christian Francisco runs before turning the ball over on downs at the USF 28. A final hook-and-lateral play loaded with backward passes went deep into Rice territory but was nullified in any case by a penalty. Rice’s Matt Sykes had 118 yards receiving and Dean Connors had 91 yards and a score. The other TD passes went to Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and Drayden Dickmann. Archie was 19 of 35 for 227 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception for USF (6-6, 4-4). Sean Atkins with 110 went over 2,000 career receiving yards and Keshaun Singleton had 107 yards receiving with a score. USF came in having won four of its last five games but was outgained by Rice 550-431. With the game tied at 7-all, Quinton Jackson scored on a 12-yard run three plays after Francisco returned a kickoff 45 yards to the USF 38. Tim Horn added a field goal in the final minute of the first quarter for a 17-7 lead after Josh Pearcy recovered a fumble in USF territory. Connors’ 23-yard scoring reception and another field goal with 12 seconds left in the half made it a 20-point lead. ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
VANCOUVER, British Columbia & MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 24, 2024-- Proton Intelligence Inc., developing the first-ever Continuous Potassium Monitoring (CKMTM) platform, today announced the closing of its $6.95 million USD Seed Financing round joined by SOSV, We Venture Capital, Tenmile, LongeVC, 15th Rock, Exor, and Trampoline Venture Partners. The CKMTM platform is designed to transform the management of cardio-kidney-metabolic diseases by providing clinicians and patients crucial data about potassium levels on-demand. Potassium is both the most important biomarker in cardiac-kidney-metabolic diseases and the hardest to measure. Dangerous fluctuations in potassium levels—whether too high or too low—lead to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The inability to provide timely potassium levels to patients and providers is a major barrier to getting patients on the correct life-saving therapies. About 33% of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or heart failure (HF) unnecessarily stop life-saving therapy after a high potassium event, which ultimately results in a nearly 40% increase in 6-month mortality [ 1 ]. Proton’s CKMTM technology aims to provide providers and patients accurate, remote, continuous potassium levels allowing precise treatment of patients suffering from kidney disease or heart failure. "We are proud to be the first institutional investor in Proton Intelligence," said Mohan S. Iyer, General Partner at SOSV. "The team's exceptional focus and relentless execution inspire confidence, and we are excited to continue to support them as they move into clinical validation.” “We Venture Capital have been impressed by this true breakthrough in electrolyte sensing capability, which will fulfil a critical gap in the current care continuum for many patients at risk from dyskalemia. We look forward to working with the Proton Intelligence team on the next phase of their journey,” said Dr. Louise Warme, Head of We Venture Capital. The company has initiated clinical studies assessing the performance of CKMTM in people living with severely impaired kidney function such as the underserved population living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). According to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), 14% of US adults have CKD and account >25% of Medicare spend. Patients with ESRD account for 7% of US Medicare expenditure annually [ 2 ]. “The ability to continuously monitor potassium will enable better data driven decision making for patients with late-stage chronic kidney disease or on dialysis, not only improving outcomes for these patients but saving health systems considerable costs,” said Dr. Steve Burnell, Managing Director at Tenmile. “This fundraising milestone represents a major leap forward for us,” said Dr. Sahan Ranamukhaarachchi, Founder and CEO of Proton Intelligence Inc. “We are immensely grateful for the trust and support of our investors, who share our vision of revolutionizing cardio-kidney-metabolic care. Their belief in our mission sees us funded through a number of clinical feasibility trials ahead of a pivotal study planned for 2026 and get closer to making CKMTM a reality for millions of patients.” About Proton Intelligence Inc. Proton Intelligence Inc. is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada , with R&D operations in Melbourne, Australia . The company is revolutionizing healthcare with its continuous electrolyte monitoring technology, starting with CKMTM for potassium (akin to continuous glucose monitoring in diabetes). The CKMTM platform addresses a critical challenge in cardio-kidney-metabolic disease management by enabling the safe implementation of optimal medical therapies. About SOSV SOSV is a multi-stage, deep tech venture investor committed to “human and planetary health,” and invests beginning at a startup’s inception, the “First Check in Deep Tech®.” Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, SOSV operates the deeply resourced startup development programs in New York City and San Francisco (IndieBio) and Newark, NJ (HAX) equipped with labs for bio-safety, chem, food, EE, analytics and mechatronics. The SOSV ecosystem spans the globe, with 800+ startups operating in 40 countries. About We Venture Capital We Venture Capital is a specialized fund investing in diagnostics, as well as tools and digital solutions in the diagnostics area. Being the corporate investment arm of Werfen, a worldwide leader in specialized diagnostics, We Venture Capital is an active investor, leveraging the network and knowledge from Werfen to the benefit of our investments. We invest in and partner with early-stage startups close to market entry or early scale-ups, working closely with our portfolio to support their growth over time. We are firm believers of technical advancement as a means to improve patient outcomes and revolutionize healthcare. About Tenmile Tenmile is a health technology investment business that partners with early-stage companies to target unmet needs in healthcare and develop the Australian health commercialisation ecosystem. Launched in September 2022 with a $250m commitment we have team members in Perth, Sydney and New York. Health technology covers digital health, diagnostics, medical devices, tools, and therapeutics. Visit our website for more information: https://www.protonintelligence.com/ View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241224844196/en/ CONTACT: Media Rory St Clair marketing@protonintel.com KEYWORD: AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA AUSTRALIA NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CARDIOLOGY BIOTECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY MANAGED CARE HEALTH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES RESEARCH SOFTWARE SCIENCE CLINICAL TRIALS SOURCE: Proton Intelligence Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/24/2024 05:29 PM/DISC: 12/24/2024 05:29 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241224844196/enAs I See It: How Trump’s bloodless revolution was gifted by liberal DemocratsWhat role will the Gulf states play in shaping the new Syria?
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- Lumentum Holdings Inc. ("Lumentum"), a market-leading designer and manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products for cloud, networking and industrial applications, today announced the appointment of Paul Lundstrom to the company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. This election expands the membership to nine members, eight of whom are independent. "I am excited to welcome Paul to the Lumentum Board," said Penelope Herscher, Chair of Lumentum's Board of Directors. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in corporate finance, manufacturing and business transformation. I am confident he will provide valuable insights as Lumentum executes its long-term strategy to grow its business and shareholder value." "Lumentum has significant opportunities for growth with its portfolio of foundational photonic technologies that underpin the explosive growth we are seeing in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure," said Paul Lundstrom. "I look forward to working together with the senior leadership team and the rest of the Lumentum’s Board of Directors to capitalize on these compelling opportunities and to help build lasting value for shareholders.” Lundstrom is currently Chief Financial Officer at Copeland, a global leader in sustainable climate solutions. Prior to Copeland, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Flex Ltd (NASDAQ:FLEX), where he was a key member of the team that led the analysis, carve-out and IPO for Nextracker (NASDAQ: NXT), and served as a member of the Nextracker Board of Directors. Prior to Flex, Lundstrom served as the Chief Financial Officer for Aerojet Rocketdyne (previously NYSE:AJRD). Lundstrom has also held a number of senior finance leadership roles while at United Technologies (previously NYSE: UTX). Lundstrom holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Truman State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University. About Lumentum Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE) is a market-leading designer and manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products enabling cloud, optical networking, and laser applications worldwide. Lumentum optical components and subsystems are part of virtually every type of data center, telecom, and enterprise network. Lumentum lasers enable advanced manufacturing techniques and diverse applications including next-generation 3D sensing capabilities. Lumentum is headquartered in San Jose, California with R&D, manufacturing, and sales offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.lumentum.com and follow Lumentum on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube . Category: Financial View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212156977/en/ CONTACT: Investors: Kathy Ta, 408-750-3853;investor.relations@lumentum.com Media: Noël Bilodeau, 408-439-2140;noel.bilodeau@lumentum.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE MANUFACTURING NETWORKS INTERNET HARDWARE DATA MANAGEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Lumentum Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 04:32 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 04:32 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212156977/enHouse of the Dragon final chapter: When will season 3 and season 4 release?Kai Sotto and the Upside
Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he'll “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole. Trump said that he will direct the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated.” Trump was vague on what specific actions he may take. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country’s highest court confirmed ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections has killed at least 21 people, including two police officers. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court’s announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members have opened fire on journalists in Haiti’s capital as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country’s largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. The country's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. Radio Télé Métronome said earlier on Tuesday that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens.The European Central Bank has cut rates by a quarter percentage point amid signs of weakening growth and concern about the impact of political chaos in France and the possibility of new U.S. import tariffs. The bank’s rate-setting committee made the decision Thursday at its skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt to lower the benchmark from 3.25% to 3%. The bank said that efforts to return inflation to its 2% target were succeeding. “The disinflation process is well on track,” it said in a statement accompanying the decision. It cautioned that it now foresaw “a slower economic recovery” than it did in a last set of projections in September. Lower rates should support growth amid signs that the post-pandemic recovery is slowing in the 20 countries that use the euro currency and concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might impose new tariffs, or import taxes, on goods imported to the US after he is inaugurated Jan. 20. That sends a cold chill through the business world in Europe, where exports are an outsized contributor to growth and employment. Yet there are internal risks as well. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned Dec. 5 after losing a vote of confidence, leaving the France without a functioning government and no clear majority in parliament able or willing to tackle the country’s excessive budget deficit. Elections cannot be held before June. While the end of the Barnier government hasn't triggered a financial crisis, it adds uncertainty about how long it will take for France to right its finances. Germany's governing coalition broke up in November, and a new national election is expected Feb. 23. Weeks of coalition negotiations are expected to follow before a new government is in place. That leaves the two biggest eurozone economies politically adrift for months. All that has dinged the confidence that businesses need to borrow, invest, expand production and take risks. The survey index of purchasing managers compiled by S&P Global came in at 48.3 in November, with levels below 50 suggesting the economy is slowing. The Sentix survey of investor confidence fell in its first update after the U.S. election, by 4.6 points to minus 17.5. Inflation has fallen steeply to 2.3% from its peak of 10.6% in late 2022, shifting attention from reigning in consumer price increases to worries about ongoing weak growth. The eurozone is expected to grow 0.8% this year and 1.3.% next year, according to forecasts from the European Union's executive commission. Higher ECB rates helped squelch Europe’s outbreak of inflation in the wake of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Higher central bank benchmarks influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, making it more expensive to borrow and spend, and thus taking pressure off prices. Yet that also presents a danger in that those same high rates could stall the EU's goal of more vigorous economic growth. A drumbeat of announcements regarding job cuts in coming years at major firms in Germany has not improved the mood. They include auto technology and parts firm Bosch, which plans to drop 5,500 jobs, 3,800 of them in Germany; auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, which plans to drop 14,000-15,000 jobs; and Ford Motor Co., which is to drop 4,000 jobs in Europe, 2,900 in Germany, and steelmaker ThyssenKrupp with 11,000 planned cuts. Volkswagen plans to shut as many as three German plants, according to its employee representatives who are negotiating with the company in an effort to block the closings. The ECB determines interest rate policy for the 20 of 27 EU member countries that have joined the euro currency.
Kaduna poor get accounts for credit ‘alerts’ from governmentDALLAS — Delta and United became the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning back a significant share of travelers on a tight budget. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines , which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Some travel-industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate that travelers on a budget will be left with fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on much better financial footing than Spirit, but they too are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic . Most industry experts think Frontier Airlines and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks , and that there is still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. Spirit Airlines lost more than $2.2 billion since the start of 2020. Frontier has not reported a full-year profit since 2019, though that slump might end this year. Allegiant Air’s parent company is still profitable, but less so than before the pandemic. Those kind of numbers led United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to declare recently that low-cost carriers were using “a fundamentally flawed business model” and customers hate flying on them. Kirby’s touchdown dance might turn out to be premature, but many analysts are wary about the near-term prospects for budget airlines, which charge cheaper fares but more fees than the big airlines. A traveler speaks with a Spirit Airlines agent May 24 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of Memorial Day in Atlanta. Low-cost airlines grew in the last two decades by undercutting big carriers on ticket prices, thanks in large part to lower costs, including hiring younger workers who were paid less than their counterparts at Delta Air Lines, United and American Airlines . Wages soared across the industry in the past two years, however, narrowing that cost advantage. The big airlines rolled out and refined their no-frills, “basic economy” tickets to compete directly with Spirit, Frontier and other budget carriers for the most price-sensitive travelers. The budget airlines became less efficient at using planes and people. As their growth slowed, they wound up with more of both than they needed. In 2019, Spirit planes were in the air an average of 12.3 hours every day. By this summer, the planes spent an average of two more hours each day sitting on the ground, where they don't make money. Spirit's costs per mile jumped 32% between 2019 and 2023. Another issue is that airlines added too many flights. Budget airlines and Southwest Airlines were among the worst offenders, but full-service airlines piled on. To make up for a drop in business travel, the big carriers added more flights on domestic leisure routes. The result: Too many seats on flights into popular tourist destinations such as Florida and Las Vegas, which drove down prices, especially for economy-class tickets. Rows of seats are shown Sept. 26 on a retrofitted Southwest Airlines jet at Love Field in Dallas. Low-cost airlines are responding by following the old adage that if you can't beat them, join them. That means going premium, following the rapidly growing household wealth among upper-income people. The top one-fifth of U.S. households by income added $35 trillion in wealth since 2019 and holds nearly nine times the wealth of the middle fifth, according to the Federal Reserve . Frontier Airlines organized its fares into four bundles in May, with buyers of higher-priced tickets getting extras such as priority boarding, more legroom and checked bags. The airline dropped ticket-change or cancellation fees except for the cheapest bundle. Spirit followed in August with similar changes, blocking middle seats and charging passengers more for the comfort of aisle and window seats. Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie received a $3.8 million retention bonus a week before the Florida-based carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Christie will retain the bonus if he remains with the company for another year. The airline's stock has dropped over 90% this year. It has faced challenges including a blocked $3.8 billion merger with JetBlue and failed talks with Frontier. The pandemic disrupted Spirit's operations and travel patterns, reducing its daily aircraft utilization and increasing costs. Demand has shifted to full-service airlines as higher-income travelers vacation more, while inflation impacts lower-income consumers. JetBlue Airways , which began flying more than 20 years ago as a low-cost carrier but with amenities, is digging out from years of steady losses. Under new CEO Joanna Geraghty, the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline, JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes, bolstering core markets that include the Northeast and Florida, and delaying deliveries of $3 billion worth of new planes. Starting next year, Southwest Airlines will toss out a half-century tradition of “open seating” — passengers picking their own seat after boarding the plane. Executives say extensive surveying showed 80% of customers preferred an assigned seat, and that's especially true with coveted business travelers. More crowded planes also might be pushing passengers to spend more to escape a middle seat in the back of the plane. A Frontier Airlines jet takes off July 5, 2022, from Denver International Airport in Denver. In other parts of the world, budget carriers are doing just fine. They bounced back from the pandemic just like their more highbrow competitors. Some industry experts say low-cost carriers in Asia and Europe have always attracted a more diverse mix of passengers, while in the U.S., affluent and middle-class travelers look down their noses at low-cost carriers. Jamie Baker, an analyst for JPMorgan, says he has many college friends who work in London and fly Irish airline Ryanair all the time, but he hardly knows anyone who has ever been on a Spirit or Frontier plane. A small plane tows a banner April 13, 2016, over Flint Bishop International Airport as part of ceremonies marking Allegiant Air joining the airport. Delta CEO Ed Bastian is less dismissive of the “lower-end carriers” in the U.S. than United's Kirby. "I don’t see that segment ever disappearing,” Bastian said after Spirit’s bankruptcy filing. “I think there’s a market for it.” At the same time, he said the upscale moves by ultra-low-cost carriers are having no effect on his airline. Delta targets upscale travelers but also introduced basic-economy fares a decade ago, when discounters emerged as a growing threat to poach some of Delta's customers. “Just calling yourself a premium carrier and actually being a premium carrier are two totally different things,” Bastian said “It's not the size of the seat or how much room you have; it's the overall experience.” As frequent flyers know, air travel isn't cheap. With the summer months in full swing, demand for air travel is expected to reach record numbers in 2024 as airlines continue to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily for those who are looking for ways to save on travel , one way to cut costs on your next vacation may be in finding the right places to fly in and out of. FinanceBuzz looked at average domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. to learn which airports are best for travelers on a budget, as well as which ones to avoid if you are trying to travel affordably. Overall, the national average airfare cost decreased by 3.1% from 2022 to 2023 when adjusted for inflation (which translates to a 0.9% increase in non-adjusted dollars). The last time inflation-adjusted airfare costs dropped year-over-year was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it fell 18% between 2019 and 2020. Largely, this is good news for consumers who can spend less on airfare and have more room in their budget for hotels , restaurants, and other travel fees. In addition to earning rewards on airfare, most travel credit cards offer rewards for spending in these areas, which can offset overall vacation costs. Orlando International Airport (MCO) had the lowest airfare cost in the country at $265.58 on average. Home to iconic theme parks like Universal Studios, Sea World, and most notably, Walt Disney World, Orlando is one of America's top tourist destinations. This is welcome news for those bracing for expensive park tickets and food prices at the House of Mouse. Beyond saving with a Disney credit card on park-related purchases, visitors can also maximize savings by using a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve which offers an annual travel credit, or even using a 0% APR credit card if you don't want to pay for your entire vacation at once. Another Florida-based airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), has the second-lowest average airfare cost in the country — tickets here are only about $5 more expensive than Orlando's. Just a few dollars behind FLL is Las Vegas's Harry Reid International (LAS), where fares cost $272.15 on average. LAS is also the last airport on our list where average airfare costs are less than $300. Oakland International Airport (OAK) has the fourth-lowest average airfare costs in the country at $303.79. And the fifth-least expensive airport, Chicago Midway International (MDW), comes in at $308.27. For the third year in a row, Dulles International Airport (IAD) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have the two highest average fares in the country. Flights from Dulles cost $488.40 on average in 2023, while flights from San Francisco cost $444.59. Some silver lining for travelers who need to travel through Dulles: IAD is home to some of the best airport lounges in the country, including the recently-opened Capital One Lounge, available to Capital One Venture X or Venture Rewards credit card holders. With free food, drinks, and recharging stations, lounges can be one easy way to offset otherwise-expensive airport costs. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has the third-highest average airfare in the country, with an average cost of $438.34. Last on our top-five list of the most expensive airports are Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). Average airfare from Charlotte cost $436.80 last year, while flights from Detroit had an average price tag of $427.05. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was the biggest affordability winner over the last year, dropping prices by more than $18 on average. SEA jumped from 36th most-affordable place last year to 28th place this year — an increase of eight spots. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Portland International Airport (PDX) experienced similar jumps, rising by seven spots each. RDU went from 24th place in 2022 to 17th in 2023, while PDX went from 42nd to 35th. Two different airports fell by eight spots in our affordability rankings, tied for the biggest drop of the year. The average fare at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) rose by $18.66 year-over-year, which led SMF to go from 18th in last year's affordability rankings to 26th this year. Prices rose even more at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), going up by $19.64 on average from one year to the next. Consequently, STL fell from 21st to 29th place in terms of affordability. As you plan your travel, you'll find costs can vary widely at a single airport. With a little research and smart planning, you can find a deal at any airport. Here are a few tips to save on airfare: We looked at 2023 airfare data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation in May 2024 to compare domestic airfares by origin city. This report calculated average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. "Itinerary fares" consist of round-trip fares, unless only a one-way ticket was purchased. In that case, the one-way fare was used. Fares are based on total ticket value, including the price charged by the airline plus any additional taxes and fees levied at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at booking and do not include fees for optional services like baggage fees. Averages also do not include frequent-flyer or "zero fares" or a few abnormally high reported fares. This stor y was produced by FinanceBuzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the above chart shows inflation-adjusted average airline fares over the past 25 years. For this report, we compared domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. using data published by the U.S. Department of Transportation . Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!The Odisha Crime Branch has arrested an employee of a private bank in connection with Rs 2.3 cr fraud in the name of fixed deposits. According to the Crime Branch, yesterday on the report of a senior citizen widow from Cuttack, the police registered a Case No. 58 dtd. 28.11.2024 U/s 409/419/420/467/468/471/120-B/34 IPC r/w Sec. 66/66-C/ 66-D of Information Technology Act, 2000 for commission of a fraud to the tune of Rs. 2.3 Crores. The Complainant was having Saving, Current & OD Accounts in the Badambadi Branch of AXIS Bank, Cuttack. After her husband’s death, the Bank had assigned one Khirod Nayak, an employee of the Branch, as her Relationship Manager. Since she was not much aware of any of the banking investment processes, she was dependent on him. He regularly visited her residence (as a privileged account holder) and used her mobile phone to provide quarterly bank accounts statements. On the repeated insistence of Khirod Nayak, she diverted the Saving accounts money to a Fixed Deposit to get more returns and for that purpose he obtained several signatures from her. She later came to know about an OD loan and transfer of the amount to one Sumitra Khuntia’s account only when she intimated by the loan department of the bank. On enquiry with the bank, she found around Rs. 2.3 Crores had been withdrawn from her FD Account and several transactions were made from her account to the account of a complete stranger, Sumitra Khuntia with HDFC Bank. Upon verification she also found that her registered mobile number has also been changed in between and she did not receive any OTP regarding the transactions also. From the bank details and other documents collected during investigation, the Cyber Crime Unit of Crime Branch identified the prime accused and arrested Khirod Kumar Nayak (39), Samanta Sahi, Buxibazar, Cuttack, Relationship Manager of AXIS Bank. During interrogation, it has been ascertained that the accused has been a bank employee for last 20 years and was working with AXIS bank since last six years. He developed good relationship with customers and gained their confidence in due course. Using the same, he has also opened some savings accounts to siphon off the cheated money. Since the complainant in this case is a senior citizen widow and was staying alone, he used the opportunity to withdraw Rs. 2.3 Crores OD against the FD of 2.5 Crores. He took control of the access of account by changing the registered mobile number, which was seized from his possession. From the account of complainant, he transferred the amount to Sumitra Khuntia’s account in HDFC and then from there it was transferred to his other accounts. On verification, it has been ascertained that approximately Rs. 1 crore has been utilised by the accused for buying insurance policies in the name of people who are under his confidence. Investigation is on regarding the rest of the amount and involvement of others. An amount of Rs. 20 lakhs has been frozen in one of his account with ICICI Bank. 32 ATM cards, 5 Passbooks, 37 Chequebooks, 2 Mobile phones, SIM cards, Laptop and Signed cheque of the complainant has been seized from the accused. Investigation of the case is under progress.