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The New Orleans Pelicans (5-27) are 6.5-point underdogs as they look to break a nine-game losing streak when they host the Los Angeles Clippers (18-13) on Monday, December 30, 2024 at Smoothie King Center. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET on Gulf Coast Sports and FDSSC. Place your bets on any NBA matchup at BetMGM. Sign up today using our link. Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Put your picks to the test and bet on the Clippers with BetMGM Sportsbook. Looking for officially licensed NBA gear? Fanatics has jerseys, hats, apparel, memorabilia, trading cards, collectibles and more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .
2025 will be a crucial year for Indian creator economy as the industry is expecting to see some stark trends. While some of these trends will be inspired by the current waves in western social media, the others would address the critical challenges in the Indian creator ecosystem. Here is a list of the top 10 upcoming trends in the Indian creator economy, curated by : 1. Growth in meme marketing: With memes breaking all barriers and running the show as the marketing strategy for so many brands, in the coming year, analysts tracking the industry believe it will grow further. According to a report, meme marketing will become a 3000 crore ($360 million) industry next year. 2024 was the year of memes and meme marketing. hit 4.5 billion views in 2024 according to YouTube. Ganji chudail featured in so many ads for brands like YouTube, Netflix, Nykaa . 2. Growth in channel membership revenues: Channel memberships have grown significantly for , he told . Posting viral exclusive content on memberships for example his show India’s got latent, is a great strategy to monetise content and YouTube and creators are expecting for this model to grow further next year. 3. Growth in creator led startups: This year, creator led startups like Flying beast's Rosier Foods and Tech burner's Layers have made their mark in their respective markets. Analysts expect this trend to continue further as creators look at diversification of investments and income streams and starting their businesses. Not just that, creators Flying beast and Tech burner told that they will look for fundings after scaling up next year. 4. Rise of long form content: After intellectual properties like Samay Raina's "India's got latent" blew up, brands have started showing interest in sponsoring long form content like never before. This is incentivising creators to make more original long form content. Viewers showing interest and buying subscriptions for watching creators' long form content further heightens the demand for it. Coming year, Ashish Solanki's pretty good roast show will come back with its second season that would be sponsored, along with Samay Raina planning to upload a web series for his channel members, both, told . Comedian Harsh Gujral and his team have rolled out a unique intellectual property, The Escape Room for confessions, meanwhile Samay Raina, Rohan Cariappa and Seedhe Maut have announced a rap show called The SoundCheck in the coming year. 5. More creators moving into the entertainment sector: Creator talent management agencies have started strengthening their ties with broadcasters and production houses promising talent a ticket to big screens. Some have already started offering roles in advertisements and web series. 6. Brands hiring in-house content creators for strong social media presence: Realizing the power and importance of social media and content creation, many brands have started investing in and hiring in-house for their social media pages. This trend is set to grow with more brands joining next year. 7. Indian content creators collaborating with other creators globally: After Carryminati's collaboration with Mr Beast's, followed by the world's biggest creator and his "gang" flying into India and launching their brands, a gateway for global collaborations has been opened. During their visit, Mr Beast, KSI and Logan Paul have shot content with a bunch of Indian creators which is yet to be released. Heads of companies believe there will be a rise in global collaborations for content creators creating high budget content together going forward. 8. Rise of AI influencers: After the launch of AI influencers like Influencer Marketing Firm Collective Artist Network’s Kavya Mehra and AI firm Avtr’s Naina and Virat, India is witnessing a revolution in content creation and influencer marketing. Brands like Ajio, Joyalluka’s etc have already started using ai to generate models for their advertisements. This is poised to increase further. 9. More financial products for creators: After the launch of financial services like prepaid cards by fintech Wyld and Giga by HDFC, next year, creators are expecting more from the BFSI sector. Looking at the threats, social media insurance is one of the most anticipated services for creators. Dedicated professional management is also one of the financial services creators are looking to subscribe to next year. 10. Rise of tier II-III influencers: As smartphones have penetrated to over 50% of India according to data from consumer firm IDC, the participation of “Bharat" in India’s creator economy is poised to rise. Platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are anticipating this and working in this direction, .
The ceasefire announced Tuesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. An international panel led by the United States will monitor compliance. The ceasefire began at 4 a.m. Wednesday, a day after Israel carried out its most intense wave of airstrikes in Beirut since the start of the conflict that in recent weeks turned into all-out war. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. The ceasefire does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. Residents fled. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah is required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.
Donald Trump assigned Doug Burgum a singular mission in nominating the governor of oil-rich North Dakota to lead an agency that oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore: “Drill baby drill.” A flare for burning excess methane, or natural gas, from crude oil production is seen at a well pad in Watford City, N.D., Aug. 26, 2021. That dictate from the president-elect's announcement of Burgum for Secretary of Interior sets the stage for a reignition of the court battles over public lands and waters that helped define Trump's first term, with environmentalists worried about climate change already pledging their opposition. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew up on his family's farm. He represents a tame choice compared to other Trump Cabinet picks. Public lands experts said his experience as a popular two-term governor who aligns himself with conservationist Teddy Roosevelt suggests a willingness to collaborate, as opposed to dismantling from within the agency he is tasked with leading. That could help smooth his confirmation and clear the way for the incoming administration to move quickly to open more public lands to development and commercial use. “Burgum strikes me as a credible nominee who could do a credible job as Interior secretary,” said John Leshy, who served as Interior's solicitor under former President Bill Clinton. “He’s not a right-wing radical on public lands,” added Leshy, professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Frictions over lands The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the country's land with a mandate that spans from wildlife conservation and recreation to natural resource extraction and fulfilling treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Most of those lands are in the West, where frictions with private landowners and state officials are commonplace and have sometimes mushroomed into violent confrontations with right-wing groups that reject federal jurisdiction. Burgum if confirmed would be faced with a pending U.S. Supreme Court action from Utah that seeks to assert state power over Interior Department lands. North Dakota’s attorney general has supported the lawsuit, but Burgum’s office declined to say if he backs Utah’s claims. U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject Utah's lawsuit. They said Utah in 1894 agreed to give up its right to the lands at issue when it became a state. Turbines operate at the Block Island Wind Farm, Dec. 7, 2023, off the coast of Block Island, R.I. Trump's narrow focus on fossil fuels is a replay from his 2016 campaign — although minus coal mining, a collapsing industry that he failed to revive in his first term. Trump repeatedly hailed oil as “liquid gold” on the campaign trail this year and largely omitted any mention of coal. About 26% of U.S. oil comes from federal lands and offshore waters overseen by Interior. Production continues to hit record levels under President Joe Biden despite claims by Trump that the Democrat hindered drilling. But industry representatives and their Republican allies say volumes could be further boosted. They want Burgum and the Interior Department to ramp up oil and gas sales from federal lands, in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The oil industry also hopes Trump’s government efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk can dramatically reduce environmental reviews. Biden’s administration reduced the frequency and size of lease sales, and it restored environmental rules that were weakened under Trump. The Democrat as a candidate in 2020 promised further restrictions on drilling to help combat global warming, but he struck a deal for the 2022 climate bill that requires offshore oil and gas sales to be held before renewable energy leases can be sold. “Oil and gas brings billions of dollars of revenue in, but you don't get that if you don't have leasing," said Erik Milito with the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore industries including oil and wind. Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind energy projects. But Milito said he was hopeful that with Burgum in place it would be “green lights ahead for everything, not just oil and gas.” Conservation, drilling and grazing It is unclear if Burgum would revive some of the most controversial steps taken at the agency during Trump’s first term, including relocating senior officials out of Washington, D.C., dismantling parts of the Endangered Species Act and shrinking the size of two national monuments in Utah designated by former President Barack Obama. Officials under Biden spent much of the past four years reversing Trump's moves. They restored the Utah monuments and rescinded numerous Trump regulations. Onshore oil and gas lease sales plummeted — from more than a million acres sold annually under Trump and other previous administrations, to just 91,712 acres sold last year — while many wind and solar projects advanced. Developing energy leases takes years, and oil companies control millions of acres that remain untapped. Biden's administration also elevated the importance of conservation in public lands decisions, adopting a rule putting it more on par with oil and gas development. They proposed withdrawing parcels of land in six states from potential future mining to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. North Dakota is among Republican states that challenged the Biden administration's public lands rule. The states said in a June lawsuit that officials acting to prevent climate change have turned laws meant to facilitate development into policies that obstruct drilling, livestock grazing and other uses. Oil production boomed over the past two decades in North Dakota thanks in large part to better drilling techniques. Burgum has been an industry champion and last year signed a repeal of the state's oil tax trigger — a price-based tax hike industry leaders supported removing. Burgum’s office declined an interview request. In a statement after his nomination, Burgum echoed Trump’s call for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. The 68-year-old governor also said the Interior post offered an opportunity to improve government relations with developers, tribes, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts “with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” Under current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the agency put greater emphasis on working collaboratively with tribes, including their own energy projects. Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, also advanced an initiative to solve criminal cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and helped lead a nationwide reckoning over abuses at federal Indian boarding schools that culminated in a formal public apology from Biden. Burgum has worked with tribes in his state, including on oil development. Badlands Conservation Alliance director Shannon Straight in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Burgum has also been a big supporter of tourism in North Dakota and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Yet Straight said that hasn't translated into additional protections for land in the state. “Theodore Roosevelt had a conservation ethic, and we talk and hold that up as a beautiful standard to live by," he said. “We haven't seen it as much on the ground. ... We need to recognize the landscape is only going to be as good as some additional protections.” Burgum has been a cheerleader of the planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of starsCLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy had the third-most receptions by a Browns receiver in a game during Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the Dolphins, but had he made three more catches, he would have surpassed the 14 Josh Gordon had on November 24, 2013 and Ozzie Newsome had on October 14, 1984. He had an opportunity for those three catches, too, and a fourth, but he dropped three and failed to get his feet inbounds on another, marring what was an otherwise strong day for the Browns’ new No. 1 receiver. “I guess I just wanted to make a play and got my eyes off the ball,” Jeudy said. “I can’t have crucial drops, especially on third down. That’s the money down. I’ve got to make those. I’ve got to catch the ball first before I make any move, any play. That’s on me.” More Cleveland Browns coverage Dorian Thompson-Robinson on loss to Dolphins, Jerry Jeudy, Tyler Huntley, and more: Transcript Kevin Stefanski on loss to Dolphins, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, injuries, and more: Transcript Browns running back Jerome Ford gives update after suffering ankle injury vs. Dolphins Week 18 NFL Preview: Find everything you need to know with our Week 18 NFL preview. Jeudy finished with 12 catches on 18 targets for 94 yards. His first drop came on a first-down throw by quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson with 1:37 left in the opening quarter at the Dolphins’ 46. Thompson-Robinson rolled to his right and threw back to Jeudy on the left. Dolphins safety Jevón Holland leapt in front of Jeudy and he was unable to haul the throw in inside the 30-yard line. “Hell yeah I’m frustrated,” Jeudy said looking back on the plays. “The first one was a big deep over route that would have been a big play,” he said. Jeudy’s next mistake wasn’t a drop, it was just sloppy footwork. With 11:20 left in the second quarter and the Browns at their own 20, Thompson-Robinson threw to Jeudy on the sideline, who was falling backwards. It looked like a catch initially, but in a league where wide receivers consistently manage to get both feet down in tighter quarters, Jeudy simply didn’t. His left foot touched down out of bounds. Stories by Dan Labbe With Browns’ draft position improving, can we trust this front office to pick the next quarterback? Browns lose starting cornerback to shoulder injury against Dolphins Browns starting running back leaves game against Dolphins, returns in third quarter Then, on the very next play, Jeudy dropped the ball again and it was almost disastrous. Jeudy motioned into the backfield and Thompson-Robinson threw to him standing to his right and, as Jeudy started to run, the ball bounced out of his hands. Miami recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown, but an expedited review ruled the throw a forward pass and an incompletion. His third drop of the game came on third-and-six on the Browns’ opening drive of the third quarter, a sure conversion in front of Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, leaving Jeudy hopping and clapping his hands in frustration. “The under (route) third down and the bubble (screens), I’m just too ready to make a play,” Jeudy said. “I can’t have those drops like that.” Drops aren’t foreign to Jeudy, but he has improved dramatically from a rookie season in which, according to data from Pro Football Focus , he dropped 12 passes and had a drop percentage of 18.8%, the second-highest percentage in the league. Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy was unable to haul in this pass in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Dolphins. John Kuntz, cleveland.com He had 10 drops combined over his final three seasons in Denver. This year, he has eight drops and a drop percentage of 8.7%, tying him for 38th among qualified receivers. The reality is you can live with drops when a player produces as Jeudy has, especially over the last seven games — but when they come in bunches like they did today, it’s tough for everyone to stomach. Still, his quarterback, who threw an interception and lost a fumble, wasn’t about to blame his top target for Sunday’s offensive woes. “It’s a team sport. Especially in offensive football,” Thompson-Robinson said. “All 10 guys got to be working together to be able to make a play go. Ultimately, I’m the one with the ball in my hand. I have to make better decisions and can’t have those two turnovers.” Looking past the drops, the important development Sunday was Jeudy’s 18 targets, a career high, a week after he was targeted just three times in a 24-6 loss to the Bengals. “I wish it was more,” Thompson-Robinson said. “You know, it’s our best receiver. We have to be able to get the ball in his hands as much as possible.” Head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed that sentiment. “Jerry’s our best player on offense,” he said. “We’re trying to get him the ball any which way we can.” Jeudy leads the Browns with 84 catches and 1,166 yards, more than double the yardage of the team’s second-leading receiver, tight end David Njoku, who missed Sunday’s game and has 505 yards this season. Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy was targeted a career-high 18 times on Sunday against the Dolphins. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com He is tied for fifth for most receptions in a season in Browns history and needs just six next week against the Ravens to set the team mark and pass two seasons by Newsome — 1983 and 1984 — and Kellen Winslow Jr. in 2006 for the all-time mark. He’s within shouting distance of the team’s second all-time yardage mark for a season. Currently sixth, he is eight yards behind Jarvis Landry’s 2019 season, 70 behind Webster Slaughter’s 1989, 84 behind Amari Cooper last season and 123 behind Braylon Edwards’ 2007 season. Josh Gordon’s 1,646 receiving yards in 2013 is the team record, 480 yards ahead of Jeudy. What does Jeudy want out of that Week 18 game in Baltimore? “I want to win,” he said. So how does he put a game like Sunday’s behind him to accomplish that goal? “The plays that you drop are going to be the one that’s in your head,” he said. “I just have to keep playing, not focus on those drops, just keep playing.” Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com's Browns reporters.