New York, NY, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wellthy, Inc., a leading work-life benefit provider helping families manage the logistical and administrative responsibilities of care, and Benefitfocus.com, Inc., a provider of cloud-based benefits management solutions, announced today a new collaboration to provide more comprehensive benefit solutions to support the growing number of caregivers in the workforce. As one of the most pressing challenges facing the workforce today, industry data shows that 73 percent of all employees have some type of current caregiving responsibility, balancing care for aging parents or relatives, children, partners, and family members with complex care needs, all while managing the demands of work.** Despite this large population of the workforce, the care benefits and resources for this often-invisible workforce are siloed and fragmented at best, leaving employee caregivers to piece together care infrastructure from scratch. The administrative, logistical, financial, and emotional burden of managing care can then have consequential impacts that touch every corner of the workforce and as a result caregiving has become the second-leading reason, behind retirement, prompting employees to exit the workforce.*** Due to these challenges today, between 40-70 percent of family caregivers report clinically significant levels of depression and anxiety.**** As more employees look to their employers for solutions and support, the new collaboration between Wellthy and Benefitfocus seeks to help meet the needs that many employees face today when trying to manage care on top of their day-to-day jobs. Specifically, employers who adopt the Wellthy solution for their workers will offer a unique opportunity to provide robust support for individuals juggling caregiving and work responsibilities to maximize their workplace health care and benefit programs. "Employees today trust their employers more than any other entity when it comes to their healthcare and their family's healthcare needs," said Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, CEO and co-founder of Wellthy. "Our collaboration with Benefitfocus marks a major step forward in ensuring that employees can access the care infrastructure they need to care for themselves and their loved ones, with a goal of helping them remain productive, engaged, and healthy at work. We are thrilled to collaborate with Benefitfocus, whose innovation and impact in benefits management empowers employers, health plans, insurance carriers, brokers, and consumers alike to manage and exchange vital benefit information." Wellthy brings a decade of industry-leading experience to the partnership, supporting millions of families across hundreds of companies, including 35 Fortune 500 organizations. With hundreds of Care Team members — including experienced social workers, gerontologists, nurses, mental health practitioners, and more — Wellthy is uniquely equipped to assist families navigating the complexities of caregiving. Wellthy’s tailored support provides a human touch to caregiving, helping employees manage their responsibilities with confidence and care. Andrew Frend, President of Benefitfocus, emphasized the critical role Wellthy can play in helping diverse workforces manage caregiving challenges. "We know that caregiving can have significant physical, emotional and financial impacts on individuals, particularly those in the workforce and employers have an opportunity to help the challenges faced by this community," said Frend. "Wellthy provides employees with the critical care infrastructure they need to navigate the complexities of caregiving. We look forward to working together with Wellthy to offer our clients a new benefit solution that can help to support their workforce and differentiate themselves in the market." This new collaboration further solidifies both companies’ commitment to addressing the evolving needs of today’s workforce, ensuring that employers can better support their caregiving employees through comprehensive benefits programs that foster well-being, retention, and productivity. About Benefitfocus.com, Inc.: At Benefitfocus, a Voya Financial business, our mission is simple: To improve lives with benefits. We are committed to helping organizations, and the people they serve, get the most out of their health care and benefit programs. Through exceptional service and innovative benefits administration technology we help simplify the complexity of benefits and deliver an experience that engages people for better health and improved outcomes. Learn more on LinkedIn , Facebook , Instagram , and X . About Wellthy, Inc.: Wellthy is a work-life company revolutionizing the way families access and afford care for themselves and their loved ones. Wellthy is the leading platform helping families balance work and care responsibilities through a combination of human expertise and precision technology. Wellthy makes it easier for our members to take care of their own health, reduce stress, save money, and stay engaged in their work and their lives while taking care of their loved ones. Millions of people have direct access to Wellthy’s care concierge through some of the largest and best-known health plans, employers, and hospitals across the country, including Best Buy, Cisco, ChristianaCare, and Hilton. Follow Wellthy on LinkedIn here . Notes: * Fuller, J., (January 2024). Healthy Outcomes, Published by Harvard Business School ** Harvard Business School’s "The Caring Company" report, Employee Survey, April 2017 *** Federal Reserve Monetary Policy Report, February 2022 **** 2023 Caregiver Burnout and Stress Statistics, a Place for Mom, June 2023Apple appeals Nebraska tax ruling resulting in $652K in additional taxes
Canadians took two of the top four spots on Spotify's list of most-streamed artists globally in 2024, while Taylor Swift dominated the charts in Canada and abroad. The streaming giant unveiled its annual Spotify Wrapped listening trends overview Wednesday, with Taylor Swift unsurprisingly coming in first place worldwide with more than 26.6 billion streams, and also topping Canada's list. Swift also earned the year's most-streamed album in Canada and globally, with The Tortured Poets Department , released in April. But Toronto's The Weeknd followed Swift as the No. 2 most-streamed artist around the world, while Drake came in at No. 4. Drake was Spotify's second most-streamed Canadian artist globally in 2024. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images) Puerto Rican reggaetón star Bad Bunny, who held the top spot for three years in a row before Swift dethroned him last year, took the No. 3 spot, and Billie Eilish came in at No. 5. Drake took the second spot among listeners in both Canada and the U.S., while The Weeknd fared lower in his home country than abroad, at No. 7. After those two artists, the top streamed Canadians worldwide were London, Ont.'s Justin Bieber, Calgary's Tate McRae and Pickering, Ont.'s Shawn Mendes, in that order — though none of them made the top 10. Shaboozey takes top song in Canada When it came to songs, Canadians fell in love with Shaboozey's country hit A Bar Song (Tipsy) , which took the No. 1 spot here, but was No. 3 in the U.S. and didn't reach the global Top 10. Sabrina Carpenter's summer pop jam Espresso was the No. 1 song in the U.S. and globally, and was No. 4 in Canada. Spotify Wrapped is a social media sensation. Its impact on artists and listeners is debatable Group Chat Does Spotify Wrapped make up for the platform's pitfalls? Swift also took the international top artist and album slots on Apple Music's Replay, while Apple's No. 1 track was Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us , a diss track aimed at Drake, released amid a drawn-out feud between the two rappers. On Spotify, which provided more detailed breakdowns, Not Like Us hit No. 2 in the U.S. but was No. 10 in Canada, and failed to crack the Top 10 globally. Drake has launched legal actions against Universal Music Group, accusing the music giant of defamation for the song, saying it falsely accuses him of being a sex offender. Drake is also alleging Spotify and UMG — the distributor for the record labels of both Drake and Lamar — conspired to falsely boost the song's popularity. Taylor Swift, pictured performing in Toronto last month, dominated Spotify's year-end charts in Canada and abroad. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Streaming now accounts for most of the money generated by the music industry — a whopping 84 per cent in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, and 67.3 per cent worldwide, according to a 2024 report by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which tracks global sales. Spotify is the largest platform of all , making up roughly 31 per cent of the total market share, with a reported 626 million users and 246 million subscribers in more than 180 markets. The top 10 most streamed artists on Spotify in Canada: 1. Taylor Swift 2. Drake 3. Zach Bryan 4. Morgan Wallen 5. Travis Scott 6. Kanye West 7. The Weeknd 8. Future 9. Eminem 10. Post Malone The Top 10 most streamed songs on Spotify in Canada: 1. Shaboozey - A Bar Song (Tipsy) 2. Benson Boone - Beautiful Things 3. Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen - I Had Some Help 4. Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso 5. Noah Kahan - Stick Season 6. Teddy Swims - Lose Control 7. Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves - I Remember Everything 8. Hozier - Too Sweet 9. Billie Eilish - Birds of a Feather 10. Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us
"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.VIDEO: Trump Meets with Prince William in Paris After Notre Dame Reopening
The Atlanta Braves' top priority this offseason is reportedly re-signing their long-time pitcher Max Fried. Fried's spent the last eight years with the Braves, but that run could be coming to an end. The southpaw ace is projected to land a six-year, $136 million deal , per Spotrac, but the lefty could land a contract worth even more than that. Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently predicted Fried would betray the Braves and sign a six-year, $174 million deal with the Boston Red Sox this winter. "The Red Sox have been aggressive this offseason and I'll be shocked if they don't land one of the top free-agent pitchers in this class. Although I keep thinking Fried will go back to the Braves, I could see the Red Sox being the highest bidder and landing him," Bowden wrote. "Fried is a big-game pitcher and his 58 percent ground-ball rate would be effective at Fenway Park. He posted a 3.25 ERA last season in 29 starts (174 1/3 innings) and was worth 3.5 WAR. He's pitched to a 3.07 ERA over his eight-year career." The Red Sox have long been looked at as one of the favorites to land Fried. Fried was high school teammates with Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, so we can assume that the two have been in contact about playing together again at some point. Boston is also likely to be one of the most aggressive teams in free agency this winter. The American League East is full of talent and Boston has been left behind the last few years. Considering they reportedly have a $600-plus million offer on the table for Juan Soto, dishing $174 million for Fried wouldn't be a huge issue for the Red Sox. More MLB: Where Will $200 Million Mets Free Agent Pete Alonso Sign This Offseason?NoneFormula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors . “As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti . Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. “Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world.” Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. “The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team,” Michael Andretti posted on social media. “I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!” The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti’s dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA. The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they’ve already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti’s application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1’s current grid. “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. “Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024,” F1 said in a statement. “Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1." ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Conservative professors and students are suing California’s community colleges, and winningOverthinking what you said? It's your 'lizard brain' talking to newer, advanced parts of your brain November 22, 2024 Northwestern University Scientists sought to better understand how humans evolved to become so skilled at thinking about what's happening in other peoples' minds. The findings could have implications for one day treating psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email We've all been there. Moments after leaving a party, your brain is suddenly filled with intrusive thoughts about what others were thinking. "Did they think I talked too much?" "Did my joke offend them?" "Were they having a good time?" In a new Northwestern Medicine study, scientists sought to better understand how humans evolved to become so skilled at thinking about what's happening in other peoples' minds. The findings could have implications for one day treating psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression. "We spend a lot of time wondering, 'What is that person feeling, thinking? Did I say something to upset them?'" said senior author Rodrigo Braga. "The parts of the brain that allow us to do this are in regions of the human brain that have expanded recently in our evolution, and that implies that it's a recently developed process. In essence, you're putting yourself in someone else's mind and making inferences about what that person is thinking when you cannot really know." The study found the more recently evolved and advanced parts of the human brain that support social interactions -- called the social cognitive network -- are connected to and in constant communication with an ancient part of the brain called the amygdala. Often referred to as our "lizard brain," the amygdala typically is associated with detecting threats and processing fear. A classic example of the amygdala in action is someone's physiological and emotional response to seeing a snake: startled body, racing heart, sweaty palms. But the amygdala also does other things, Braga said. "For instance, the amygdala is responsible for social behaviors like parenting, mating, aggression and the navigation of social-dominance hierarchies," said Braga, an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Previous studies have found co-activation of the amygdala and social cognitive network, but our study is novel because it shows the communication is always happening." The study was published Nov. 22 in the journal Science Advances . High-resolution brain scans were key Within the amygdala, there's a specific part called the medial nucleus that is very important for social behaviors. This study was the first to show the amygdala's medial nucleus is connected to newly evolved social cognitive network regions, which are involved in thinking about other people. This link to the amygdala helps shape the function of the social cognitive network by giving it access to the amygdala's role in processing emotionally important content. This was only possible because of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive brain-imaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood oxygen levels. A collaborator at the University of Minnesota and co-author on the study, Kendrick Kay, provided Braga and co-corresponding author Donnisa Edmonds with fMRI data from six study participants' brains, as part of the Natural Scenes Dataset (NSD). These high-resolution scans enabled the scientists to see details of the social cognitive network that had never been detected on lower-resolution brain scans. What's more, they were able to replicate the findings up to two times in each individual. "One of the most exciting things is we were able to identify network regions we weren't able to see before," said Edmonds, a neuroscience Ph.D. candidate in Braga's lab at Northwestern. "That's something that had been underappreciated before our study, and we were able to get at that because we had such high-resolution data." Potential treatment of anxiety, depression Both anxiety and depression involve amygdala hyperactivity, which can contribute to excessive emotional responses and impaired emotional regulation, Edmonds said. Currently, someone with either condition could receive deep brain stimulation for treatment, but since the amygdala is located deep within the brain, directly behind the eyes, it means having an invasive, surgical procedure. Now, with this study's findings, a much less-invasive procedure, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), might be able to use knowledge about this brain connection to improve treatment, the authors said. "Through this knowledge that the amygdala is connected to other brain regions -- potentially some that are closer to the skull, which is an easier region to target -- that means people who do TMS could target the amygdala instead by targeting these other regions," Edmonds said. The study is titled, "The human social cognitive network contains multiple regions within the amygdala." Other Northwestern co-authors include Christina Zelano, Joseph J. Salvo, Nathan Anderson, Maya Lakshman and Qiaohan Yang. Story Source: Materials provided by Northwestern University . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New YorkAt least eight U.S. telecom companies have been breached by a Chinese hacking company, a White House official revealed on Wednesday. What the White House Is Saying Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger disclosed new details about the extensive Chinese hacking operation that allowed Beijing to access private text messages and phone conversations involving an undisclosed number of Americans. Neuberger discussed the extent of the breach just a day after the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released guidance aimed at identifying the hackers and preventing future cyberespionage. White House officials warned that the list of affected telecommunications companies and countries could continue to expand. According to Neuberger, U.S. officials believe the hackers successfully accessed communications belonging to senior government leaders and high-profile political figures through the breach. "We don't believe any classified communications has been compromised," Neuberger said on Wednesday during a call with reporters. Neuberger noted that President Joe Biden has been briefed about the incident and said that he "has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this." China's Response Following the release of new guidance from U.S. federal authorities, the Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday denied allegations linking Beijing to the hacking campaign. "The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China," embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. In October, federal authorities confirmed that hackers with ties to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump , his running mate Senator JD Vance and individuals connected to Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris . An official, speaking anonymously under White House guidelines, indicated that the hacking campaign is believed to have begun at least one to two years ago. Recommendations The recommendations issued Tuesday for telecommunications companies focus on technical measures, emphasizing encryption, system centralization and continuous monitoring to guard against cyber intrusions. Experts suggest that implementing the recommended security measures could significantly disrupt the operation, known as Salt Typhoon, and deter China or other nations from launching similar attacks in the future. Neuberger highlighted strengthened cybersecurity measures across industries like rail, aviation and energy, spurred by the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. "So, to prevent ongoing Salt typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice," she said. A ransomware attack by a criminal hacking group on Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly 45 percent of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, exposed critical vulnerabilities in the nation's aging energy infrastructure. The incident caused widespread economic disruptions, prompting Colonial to pay the hackers $4.4 million to restore operations and bring the pipeline back online. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. “As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Stock Market Holidays 2024: Wall Street's Black Friday Game PlanMeta to build $10 billion AI data center in Louisiana as Elon Musk expands his Tennessee AI facility
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Any Texas or Texas A&M player has heard the lore of the rivalry between the two schools, a grudge match that dates to 1894. But for more than a decade — two generations of college football players — that's all it has been: Ghostly memories of great games and great plays made by heroes of the distant past. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
MSP law, clean water, govt jobs: Protests keep Pb on tenterhooks
Meta to build $10 billion AI data center in Louisiana as Elon Musk expands his Tennessee AI facility NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically Jack Brook And Adrian Sainz, The Associated Press Dec 4, 2024 2:56 PM Dec 4, 2024 3:20 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - The Meta logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris, France, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the amount of energy it would use — and whether it could lead to higher energy bills in the future. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states seeking to lure big tech firms in need of energy-intensive data centers with tax credits and other incentives. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utilities providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15 year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, who represents northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisianians and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated from Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” _____ Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. _____ Brook 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. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96 Jack Brook And Adrian Sainz, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Science News Alberta minister wants to see $100B in data centre infrastructure in next five years Dec 4, 2024 3:47 PM Meta to build $10 billion AI data center in Louisiana as Elon Musk expands his Tennessee AI facility Dec 4, 2024 3:33 PM Trump nominates cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins as SEC chair Dec 4, 2024 2:21 PMProposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons is halted by federal, state judges The proposed $24.6 billion merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons floundered on Tuesday after judges overseeing two separate cases both halted the merger. A federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked the proposed merger until an in-house administrative judge at the Federal Trade Commission considers it. Shortly afterward, a judge in Washington state issued a permanent injunction barring the merger in that state, saying it lessens competition. Kroger and Albertsons in 2022 proposed what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. But the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Washington sued earlier this year. Kroger and Albertsons said Tuesday they are disappointed in the decisions and are reviewing their options. Biden says he was 'stupid' not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says he was “stupid” not to put his own name on pandemic relief checks in 2021, like Donald Trump had done in 2020. He noted Tuesday in a speech at the Brookings Institution that Trump likely got credit for helping people out through this simple, effective act of branding. Biden did the second-guessing as he defended his economic record and challenged Trump to preserve Democratic policy ideas when he returns to the White House next month. Trump’s decision to add his name to the checks sent by the U.S. Treasury to millions of Americans struggling during the coronavirus marked the first time a president’s name appeared on any IRS payments. Former chairman of state-owned bank China Everbright Group jailed for 12 years for corruption BEIJING (AP) — Chinese official broadcaster CCTV says a former chairman of the state-owned bank China Everbright Group has been jailed 12 years for embezzlement and bribery. Tang Shuangning, who had also held senior posts at the People’s Bank of China and the China Banking Regulatory Commission, was arrested in January, part of a wider wave of prosecutions of senior officials accused of financial crimes. A court in the city of Tangshan, about 100 miles east of Beijing, found him guilty of taking advantage of his position at the state-owned bank in “seeking convenience for others” in jobs and loans, in exchange for illegal payments. The court said he had accepted illegal property with a total value of more than $1.5 million. Trustee over Infowars auction asks court to approve The Onion's winning bid A trustee who oversaw the bankruptcy auction of Alex Jones’ Infowars is asking a judge to approve The Onion’s winning bid for the conspiracy-filled platform. Trustee Christopher Murray took the stand Tuesday in the second day of testimony at a hearing where a judge is scrutinizing the satirical news outlet’s winning offer. He told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston that he was there asking a court to approve the sale of Infowars’ parent company to The Onion’s parent company. It is not clear how quickly Lopez will rule. The Onion wants to turn Infowars’ website and social media accounts into parodies. GM to retreat from robotaxis and stop funding its Cruise autonomous vehicle unit DETROIT (AP) — General Motors says it will retreat from the robotaxi business and stop funding its money-losing Cruise autonomous vehicle unit. Instead the Detroit automaker will focus on development of partially automated driver-assist systems like its Super Cruise, which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel. In a statement Tuesday, GM said it would get out of robotaxis due to what it described as the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market. What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends show NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does. Google has released its annual “Year in Search," rounding up 2024's top trending searches. It shows terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated overall search trends, led by queries for Copa América, the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year’s Olympic Games followed. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google’s people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. US defense secretary in Japan to support alliance as Osprey aircraft safety causes concern TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has met with officials in Japan to reaffirm the importance of their alliance and Washington's commitment to regional security as threats rise from China and North Korea. Austin’s visit on Tuesday also came amid growing concerns over the safety of Ospreys. The military aircraft have been grounded in the United States following a near crash at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico last month. The incident was caused by weakened metal components. It was similar to a fatal crash off southwestern Japan last year. The U.S. measure prompted the suspension of Ospreys operated by Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force. Small businesses plan events, start marketing earlier to deal with shorter holiday shopping season The holiday shopping season is underway, and this year small businesses have less time to capitalize on the busy shopping period. Only 27 days separate Thanksgiving and Christmas — five fewer than last year. But there are still ways to make the most of a shorter season. One key strategy is for owners to promote deals to customers wherever they can, from social media to physical ads. The National Retail Federation predicts that retail sales will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared with same period a year ago. Online shopping is expected to grow too. Adobe Digital Insights predicts an 8.4% increase online for the full season. 10 notable books of 2024, from Sarah J. Maas to Melania Trump NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, Americans still found time to read. Sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market. Many chose the release of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up the tie-in book to Taylor Swift’s blockbuster tour, which had the best opening week of 2024. Others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Boeing is building new 737 Max planes for the first time since workers went on strike Boeing is resuming production of its bestselling plane, the 737 Max. It's the first time that Max jets have moved down the assembly line since September, when about 33,000 workers went on strike for higher pay. Boeing said Tuesday that work on the Max has resumed at its factory in Renton, Washington, near Seattle. Both the Max and another Boeing plane, the 787 Dreamliner, have been plagued by manufacturing problems in recent years. The Federal Aviation Administration is limiting Boeing’s production of Max jets until the agency is convinced that Boeing has corrected quality and safety issues during manufacturing.
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. People are also reading... 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. New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, with the help of his agent Scott Boras, left, agreed to a $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets on Sunday. 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. Juan Soto's deal 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. 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. PHOTOS: The top sports images from 2024 Stiliana Nikolova, of Bulgaria performs in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round, at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Cincinnati Reds' Jonathan India reacts as he collides with San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Cincinnati. India was safe and Campusano was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Kimberley Woods of Britain competes in the women's kayak cross time trial at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a forehand return to Coco Gauff of the U.S. during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) Noah Lyles, of the United States, jumps as he limbers-up ahead of the men's 100-meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) A member of the Seattle Mariners tosses a ball against a wall during drills at spring training baseball workouts, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia waits to receive serve during her first round match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Czech Republic's Jiri Beran, left, competes with France's Yannik Borel in the men's team epee bronze final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) France's Adrien Truffert jumps over Argentina's goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli during a quarterfinal soccer match between France and Argentina, at Bordeaux Stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Bordeaux, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Italy's Sara Curtis splashes her face with water before a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Ivory Coast 's Seko Fofana, top, duels for the ball with Nigeria's Victor Osimhen during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) Costa Rica midfielder Jefferson Brenes, from left, Alvaro Zamora (21), Francisco Calvo (15) and Joseph Mora (8) are pelted with drinks and trash after celebrating a Brenes goal in the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Play-In soccer match against Honduras, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Gabrielle Thomas, of the United States, celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Tyrrell Hatton, of England, reacts on the 11th hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Augusta, GA. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Quincy Hall, of the United States, celebrates after winning the men's 400-meter final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Tim Tszyu, of Australia, hits Sebastian Fundora in a super welterweight title bout Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers takes the field prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Workers peep through curtains to watch a match between France's Gael Monfils and Russia's Daniil Medvedev during the China Open tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Amy Yang, of South Korea, is doused after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, Sunday, June 23, 2024, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Workers remove snow from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes) United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Gurgl, Austria, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti) Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, left, scores his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Almeria at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue ) Czech Republic's Michal Kempny, right, punches United States' Brady Tkachuk during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Turkey's Taha Akgul, left, competes with Georgia's Geno Petriashvili in a men's freestyle 125 kg category gold medal wrestling match during the European Wrestling Championships, in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith cries after winning the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Carles Coll Marti of Spain competes in the men's 200-meter breaststroke heat at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots between New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III and guard CJ McCollum in the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New Orleans. The Lakers won 110-106. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) A man in a monk's robe waves the French flag as the peloton passes during the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 163.5 kilometers (101.6 miles) with start in Macon and finish in Dijon, France, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Belgium's Jeremy Doku, left, challenges for the ball with Romania's Andrei Ratiu during a Group E match between Belgium and Romania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A spectator walks through a water mist sprayer on her way to Eiffel Tower Stadium to watch a beach volleyball at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Gabriel Medina, of Brazil, kicks off of a wave as he warms up prior to the quarterfinals round of the 2024 Summer Olympics surfing competition, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, is reflected on a surface as she performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Wyndham Clark waits to hit on the 17th hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Kolkata Knight Riders' wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz dives to make an unsuccessful attempt to run out Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma during the Indian Premier League cricket final match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024.(AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) Serbia's Novak Djokovic embraces his daughter Tara after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Spain's Dani Olmo clears the ball from the goal line during the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) A fleet of boats compete in the mixed multihull sailing race during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) A horse watches from its stable ahead of the 156th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race at Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Silver medalist Simone Biles, of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles, of the United States, right, bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, during the medal ceremony for the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Denver celebrates after winning the championship game against Boston College in the Frozen Four NCAA college hockey tournament Saturday, April 13, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Denver won 2-0 to win the national championship. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Washington safety Kamren Fabiculanan (13) and cornerback Elijah Jackson (25) break up a pass to Eastern Michigan wide receiver Terry Lockett Jr. (3) in the end zone during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Seattle. Washington won 30-9. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Johnson, right, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain, center, and Adem Bona during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Elise Mertens, of Belgium, serves against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Italy's Giovanni Tocci competes in the men's 3m springboard diving preliminary at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani breaks his bat during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Wearing a device that measures his energy consumption, the Israel Amputee Football Team player, Ben Maman, left, fights for the ball with a young soccer player from a local team during a practice session in Ramat Gan, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) A soccer fan dressed as Spiderman watches Brazil play Uruguay in a Copa America quarterfinal match on a screen set up for fans on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Brazil lost in a penalty shootout and Uruguay qualified for the semifinals. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Men dressed in traditional clothes try to pull the opponent over the table at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, kicks the ball after double faulting against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Water is sprayed on the pitch as the ball boys and girls walk along the center line before the start of the men's Group A field hockey match between South Africa and Germany at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) reaches for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (12) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Morocco's Widad Bertal celebrates after defeating Thailand's Jutamas Jitpong in their women's 54kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher) Brazil's Priscila eyes the ball during a women's semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Spain at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Marseille Stadium in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) New Orleans Saints linebacker Willie Gay Jr. signs autographs for a young fan before the start of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Real Madrid's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Mozambique's Deizy Nhaquile battles rough seas during a women's dinghy race, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) People watch the cauldron rise at sunset by the Olympic rings during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher) A light show is projected from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Kateryna Tabashnyk, a high jumper, sits for a portrait Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the athletics arena of the "Polytechnic" sports complex, which was destroyed by a Russian rocket attack, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
NoneBURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — TJ Hurley scored 23 points as Vermont beat Northeastern 68-64 on Saturday. Hurley shot 6 for 14 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line for the Catamounts (5-4). Jace Roquemore scored 13 points and added five rebounds. Ileri Ayo-Faleye shot 3 of 5 from the field and 3 for 4 from the line to finish with 10 points. Rashad King led the way for the Huskies (5-3) with 27 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Northeastern also got nine points and 10 rebounds from Youri Fritz. Hurley put up 13 points in the first half for Vermont, who led 35-22 at halftime. Vermont used an 8-0 run in the second half to build a 16-point lead at 47-31 with 12:26 left. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Macy's Cyber Monday deals: The best sales from Le Creuset, Keurig, Clarks and more
Democrat Jerry Nadler steps aside from top Judiciary role, avoiding party fightGeorgia quarterback Carson Beck has been ruled out for the second half of Saturday's SEC Championship Game against Texas after being injured on the final play of the first half. Texas' Trey Moore forced a fumble on Beck's pass attempt, appearing to injure the Georgia quarterback's throwing arm. Beck remained motionless on the field for a short time before joining the team in the locker room. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.WASHINGTON >> Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch will not participate in an environmental case to be argued next week involving a proposed railway in Utah, the court said on Wednesday, a move that followed a call by some Democratic lawmakers for him to recuse over a possible conflict of interest. The one-paragraph announcement made public by a court official came in a letter addressed to lawyers in the case due to be argued next Tuesday. The other eight justices will hear and decide the case. Gorsuch decided to withdraw from participating in the case consistent with the code of conduct adopted by the court last year, the statement said, but provided no further explanation. U.S. congressman Hank Johnson and 12 other Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Gorsuch on Nov. 21 urging his withdrawal because businessman Philip Anschutz, a former legal client of the justice, has “a direct financial interest in the outcome” of the case. The lawmakers said that the Anschutz Exploration Corporation and other companies tied to the businessman could be affected by the case. Johnson, who has called for stiffer ethics requirements at the Supreme Court, applauded Gorsuch on Wednesday for his recusal decision, calling it “the right and honorable thing.” “It is important that the court show the public that it is not in the pocket of billionaire benefactors,” Johnson added. “That said, I believe we need a system that does not just rely on individual justices to do the right thing in every case.” The court last year announced its first code of conduct for the justices amid revelations related to undisclosed luxury trips and other financial ties to wealthy benefactors, though it lacked any enforcement mechanism. The case from which Gorsuch withdrew involves a bid by a group of counties in Utah to build a railway line to connect the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah to an existing freight rail network that would be primarily used to transport waxy crude oil. The case tests the scope of environmental impact studies that federal agencies must conduct under a 1970 federal law called the National Environmental Policy Act, which is aimed at preventing environmental harms that might result from major projects.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been ruled out for the second half of Saturday's SEC Championship Game against Texas after being injured on the final play of the first half. Texas' Trey Moore forced a fumble on Beck's pass attempt, appearing to injure the Georgia quarterback's throwing arm. Beck remained motionless on the field for a short time before joining the team in the locker room. Coach Kirby Smart told ESPN at halftime that Beck was done for the day. During the third quarter, Beck was seen with ice on his right elbow. Beck completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards and was sacked once before exiting. Georgia backup Gunner Stockton entered and led Georgia on a 10-play, 75-yard opening second-half drive, giving the Bulldogs their first lead at 10-6. Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson injured his left knee in the third quarter and was ruled out of the contest. He was taken off on a cart. --Field Level Media