As we move towards 2025, the creator economy continues to evolve at a breakneck pace. As someone who speaks with hundreds of creators through my investment and operating firm, I've had a front-row seat to the AI revolution transforming the industry. Here's my insider perspective on the most impactful AI tools that will help creators scale their output in 2025. Opus Clip: Revolutionizing Video Repurposing One of the most significant challenges creators face is maximizing the reach of their content across multiple platforms. Opus Clip has emerged as a game-changer in this space. What sets it apart is its ability to analyze long-form videos and automatically identify high-engagement moments that will resonate on platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. I've seen creators in our portfolio increase their short-form output 5x while maintaining high engagement rates. The tool's ability to understand context, emotion, and pacing has proven particularly valuable for podcasters and educational channels. Midjourney: The Thumbnail Revolution The significance of thumbnails in driving click-through rates on YouTube cannot be overstated, and Midjourney's latest iterations have transformed how creators approach thumbnail creation. The tool's ability to generate photorealistic images with precise emotional impact has become invaluable. The key lies in the tool's understanding of human attention patterns and its ability to create visually striking images that remain authentic to the content. Pro tip: Use Midjourney's style mixing feature to maintain visual consistency across your channel while ensuring each thumbnail stands out. Several creators in our portfolio have developed distinct "thumbnail personalities" that their audiences can instantly recognize. ElevenLabs: The Voice Revolution Voice cloning technology has matured significantly this year, and ElevenLabs leads the pack as we go into 2025. For content creators, this tool has opened up unprecedented possibilities in content scaling and localization. We're seeing creators effectively clone their voices to: - Create multilingual versions of their content - Maintain consistent output during illness or travel - Develop interactive experiences where their voice responds to audience inputs The technology's ability to maintain natural intonation, emotion, and personality has made it nearly indistinguishable from original recordings, revolutionizing how creators approach audio content. Stable Diffusion: Transforming Animation Production The animation community has particularly benefited from Stable Diffusion's specialized features for style transfer and asset generation. What previously required hours of manual illustration can now be accomplished in minutes, allowing creators to focus on storytelling and creative direction. Several channels in our portfolio have reduced their production time while maintaining or improving quality. The key has been using Stable Diffusion not as a replacement for artistic vision, but as a tool for rapid prototyping and style experimentation. ChatGPT and Gemini: The Creative Partners While many focus on these tools' writing capabilities, their real value lies in their role as creative partners in the ideation and research phase. We've developed a systematic approach with our creators: 1. Initial Brainstorming: Use the AI to generate diverse content angles and identify trending topics within your niche. 2. Research Enhancement: Cross-reference AI-suggested sources with traditional research methods for comprehensive topic coverage. 3. Script Structure: Utilize AI to create multiple outline variations, then refine based on your storytelling style. 4. Engagement Optimization: Analyze successful content patterns and incorporate them into new scripts. The most successful creators in our portfolio use these tools not as replacement for their creative process, but as enhancers that allow them to focus on their unique value proposition. Looking Ahead For creators, the key to success isn't just adopting these tools, but integrating them thoughtfully into your creative workflow. The creators seeing the most success are those who maintain their authentic voice while leveraging AI to enhance their production capacity and content quality.Where are the Bread cast now? Inside lives of the stars after BBC showUNIVERSAL ROBINA Corp. (URC) shares dropped last week as challenges outweighed the opening of a new flour mill in Quezon. URC was the seventh most actively traded stock last week with 14.26 million shares worth P1.11 billion changing hands from Dec. 2-6, data from the Philippine Stock Exchange showed. Shares of the Gokongwei-led food and beverage company closed at P76.15 apiece, 3.6% lower than the P78.95 close on Nov. 29. For the year, the stock’s price fell 35.6% from a P118.2 close on the last trading day of 2023. Analysts attributed the weaker week-on-week close to the lingering effects of its earnings report released on Nov. 12 and higher inflation in November. “In our view, the recent decline in the stock price [last] week appears to be a continuation of the negative sentiment following last month’s dismal earnings. This spillover effect suggests that investors’ confidence remains fragile as concerns over its near-term prospects persist,” Jemimah Ryla R. Alfonso, equity analyst at Unicapital Securities, Inc., said in an e-mail. For the third quarter, URC posted a net attributable income of P1.42 billion, falling 53.7% from P3.07 billion in the same period last year. The company’s revenues likewise dropped 1.81% to P38.14 billion in the third quarter. “It is hard to say how long the negative effects from its earnings report will last,” Mercantile Securities Corp. Head Trader Jeff Radley C. See said in a Viber message. “The latest inflation data may have also added to the decline in investors’ sentiment [last] week,” Ms. Alfonso added. Inflation quickened to 2.5% in November, as typhoons increased prices, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Dec. 5. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Dec. 1 that the opening of URC’s flour milling factory in Quezon province is seen to improve production. Spanning 10 hectares, the plant is expected to increase URC’s flour capacity to 3,500 metric tons per day. The DA said that the plant is expected to “play a key role in ensuring a stable and affordable supply of products.” “While the recent capacity expansion may be viewed as a positive news for the firm, it appears that it did not provide enough padding for the continued gloomy outlook for URC [last] week. Investors remain focused on the broader challenges that the company is facing including the negative price mix, struggling feed volumes, and the drop in sugar profits,” Ms. Alfonso said. “Our consolidated net income forecast for URC stands at P2.4B, with an expected topline growth of 6% to P168.4B,” she added. Mr. See saw resistance at P88 and support at P70. Ms. Alfonso pegged her support between P73-75.8 and resistance between P80.25-86.25. “Chart-wise, URC remains in a bearish trend. A shift in bias would require the stock to recover and sustain levels above P86 in the short term,” Ms. Alfonso concluded. — Karis Kasarinlan Paolo D. MendozaDiversity statements will no longer be used in University of Michigan faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, a move applauded by critics who have called the practice "litmus tests" that limit diversity of thought while diversity advocates said the process was "preordained" and dishonest. Provost Laurie McCauley announced the decision Thursday based on a recommendation from a UM faculty working group to end diversity statements. But the recommendation is "deceptive," coming after the regents rejected a previous recommendation to keep the diversity statements, a faculty leader said. Diversity statements are documents written by faculty job candidates that let applicants explain to a search committee the distinct experiences they would bring to the university along with their commitment to diversity. The statements help search committees identify applicants "who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts," according to a University of California at San Diego statement referenced by UM's Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. McCauley's announcement came hours before the Board of Regents is scheduled to meet and a protest is planned beforehand at UM President Santa Ono's house. Many in the UM community are concerned the regents may dismantle a multimillion dollar diversity, equity and inclusion effort built after the school was at the center of a decade-long national debate around affirmative action in higher education, and DEI programs have been under attack across the nation.. "Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university," McCauley said in the University Record, an internal UM publication for faculty and staff, in announcing the end of diversity statements. "Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” But there is more that happened in this process, UM Faculty Senate Chair Rebekah Modrak wrote on the University Record page under the announcement. After the regents called for diversity statements to be banned last summer, McCauley formed a faculty committee to review diversity statements in the spirit of shared governance that came up with a different recommendation, Modrak wrote. "My understanding is that the committee’s first report recommended that the use of diversity statements should be up to each unit, a recommendation that honors our decentralization, independence, and academic freedom," Modrak wrote. "The Regents rejected that report and central leadership didn’t support their own faculty committee. Sending a committee back to work to give a second report with preordained results is neither honest nor respectful of faculty expertise. The University Record’s erasure of the Regents’ autocratic hand in this process is also deceptive." Regents will not vote on the provost's action, but may discuss it during the meeting, said Regent Sarah Hubbard, one of two Republicans on the eight-member UM board. "I applaud the provost for ending the practice of requiring diversity statements," said Hubbard. "This policy change removes a barrier to diversity of thought on campus by eliminating the ideological litmus test." No action is expected during Thursday's meeting around other DEI issues, added Hubbard, who previously said the regents have been looking for a long time at the university's DEI efforts and want to realign funds closer to student scholarships. Any budget decisions wouldn't happen until next year when budgetary decisions get made, she said. Even so, hundreds of students, faculty and staff demonstrated on campus earlier this week to show support for the university's DEI programs, and others are planning to attend the protest organized by UM's Black Student Union before the regents meeting and show up to the official meeting. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements came after the statements were also eliminated in May at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in June at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In June, UM's provost charged the eight-member faculty working group to examine diversity statements, though the university did not have an institutional policy on the statements but units did have the discretion to ask for them. The working group recommended the end of the statements after reviewing other policies and surveying more than 2,000 faculty members. “Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in its report. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.” The working group said it acknowledged the concerns. "But, well-written diversity statements do not necessarily require expression of one’s identity, and they need not express one's beliefs or stances on socially-charged issues," the working group wrote. "Instead, well-written diversity statements contain reflections of how identity has shaped a faculty member’s approach with their students, how they work with their colleagues, and how they interact with society. These are desirable features of current and future U-M faculty members, and this information should be considered when potential faculty are hired and current faculty are promoted." The work group also offered two other recommendations, including that the university "can and must" incorporate of content about DEI into teaching, research and service statements. "Through this incorporation, the problematic features of diversity statements can be eliminated, while the useful and necessary information that exists in diversity statements can be saved and placed where it more naturally belongs," the group wrote in its report. However, UM did not adopt those recommendations. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements followed other steps the university has taken in recent months that supporters said will create an environment that expands diverse views on campus. They include the regents' controversial adoption last month of a policy on institutional neutrality that prohibits some officials from taking public stances on political and social issues not related to the internal governance of the university. Last month the Faculty Senate passed a resolution censuring the Board of Regents and accusing the regents of "increasingly exhibiting authoritarian tendencies, and silencing free speech. ©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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( MENAFN - GetNews) "Omchele, a global leader in industrial automation with 37 years of experience, offers over 3,000 customizable products, including sensors, power supplies, and pneumatic systems. Known for quality, precision, and cost-effective solutions, Omchele helps businesses optimize efficiency and reduce costs."Omchele, a global leader in industrial automation with 37 years of experience, offers over 3,000 customizable products, including sensors, power supplies, and pneumatic systems. Known for quality, precision, and cost-effective solutions, Omchele helps businesses optimize efficiency and reduce costs. Recommendation: ***** To B or C: B2B Main Markets: Primarily Belt and Road countries (e.g., Russia, Iran, Turkey, India), with strategic plans to expand into Europe, North America, and South America for a global presence. Introducing Omchele: Leaders in Automation Omchele, an industrial automation company, was founded in 1986 and has become a world leader in its industry over the course of 37 years of experience. Resting on a solid base of automation products that includes switching power supplies, proximity sensors and photoelectric sensors and so on. This advancement helped boost Omchele's offerings for clients by creating its sub-brand, Hebai-Omch, which focuses on specific pneumatic line products. Innovative changes through adapting to how the industry business works allows Omchele to maintain a stable reputation of their input. Now, customers are offered a decent amount of over 3,000 types of models , over 30 categories and over 200 series which cuts across almost all the manufacturing inputs. Omchele is committed to providing cost efficient and reliable solutions that caters for global desires in our effort to bolster industrialisation. Owning 86 branches in different geographic locations with 72,000 different businesses paintings a good picture of Omchele as a reputable leader in the automation industry. Over two factories, companies annualy assemble up to 20 million units giving productions a good place. Superior Customization Tailored to Your Needs Omchele is recognized for the exceptional product design in a given application since the firm's products provide an unparalleled level of customization. Customizability features are found in different products such as: - Switching Power Supplies: clients are able to customize quite extensive including the power range and input voltage ranges in order to optimize different electrical mechanisms. - Proximity Sensors: Industrial limits may call for output types, sensing ranges, and their housings, which can all be supplied by clients. - Pneumatic cylinders: Material types, stroke lengths, and bore diameters are all available to clients so as to site specific machinery and different working conditions. - FRL Units: Customizable to meet your specific needs, including combining filtration, regulation, and lubrication functions, or adding accessories based on pressure range, filtration precision, and interface size to optimize system performance. Omchele also has the advantage of secondary processing , which includes CNC machining, painting, and other various forms of post-processing. Such services help the clients enhance the attractiveness of their items and gain a competitive edge. Omchele's service builds on clients needs during the customisation process. The creation of samples for approval is the first step of mass production implementation to help ensure that the finished product meets the client's specifications. In this way, Omchele fills in the market gaps which cut across different industries that have specific manufacturing and operating conditions. Due to its focus on precision engineering and flexibility to target particular objectives, Omchele has emerged to be a favored partner for companies looking for individualized automation products. This unique strength in customisation in contrast to competitors provides them a definite competitive advantage, and makes them suitable for firms with complicated automation needs. Robust Production Capacity and Industry Expertise The quality and experience Omchele possesses speaks volumes about the factories and production capabilities they have. Omchele operates through two factories that have an area of approximately 8,000m2. The modern design of the plants ensures that Omchele can handle both tasks efficiently. With a monthly production capacity of 500,000 units, the company manufactures over 20 million products annually. This gives the company the advantage to make scale as well as make prompt production to all its customers. The following are some important aspects of the production system of Omchele: - Seven Latest Models of Production Lines: Automatic pick and place system, glue dispensing system, wire cut and mostly testing machines which are most sophisticated are integrated systems in this line. - Next day shipping: Omchele Complete Control System in Supply Chain Guarantees Next Day Delivery After Order Placed. Other than the services highlighted above, Omchele also offers OEM Manufacturing Services whereby the company targets its business internationally seeking for custom made aftermarket components. This enables companies to widen their market scope in the sense that they can provide specific services to satisfy different market needs. Thanks to Omchele's long experience and advanced technology, precision, and quality of our products are guaranteed. On the other hand, orders regardless of its size are well suited for the company as they are capable of maintaining standards and meeting targets, thereby being an exceptional business partner. Therefore if standard products are required, or customized ones are sought after, then Omchele is the place because they offer quick service. Uncompromising Product Quality and Certifications At Omchele, the integrity of quality bears no compromise. Each product goes through a comprehensive quality assurance process that enhances the international standards and customer expectations. Supporting Omchele's philosophy are certifications such as CCC and CE, and IEC and GB/T14048.10 standards . The quality control measures take into account: - Thorough Examination: All the material used is cut down to batch levels which enables the discarding of all inferior lot components. - During Manufacturing Tests: Good practices of the requisite testing are retained where competent inspectors examine every stage of the manufacture. - Environmental and Durability Tests: Before it is ready for delivery, a series of performance tests within aging and extreme benchmarking conditions is done ensuring that practical use is realized after delivery. Furthermore, Omchele has made developments in technologies that are patented and enable greater performance. For example, its photoelectric sensors and proximity switches has improved a lot and are now compatible with major brand s such as Omron, SICK, and Autonics. As a result of these developments, Omchele products qualify to be termed as substitutes for more expensive products yet retaining the desired quality. With these quality standards, Omchele's name has become a reference point when reliability and performance is mentioned as it is an innovator in industrial automation. Flexible and Customer-Focused Service Approach The customer service of Omchele is intended to interlink with the client embarrass-free and in a friendly manner. The culturally flexible and clientele outlook of the company encompasses the following: - Product Recommendations: Omchele is the best place for those customers who present competitor models since the company provides proper models which are either higher or equivalent at a reasonable price. - Product Search Simplification: Clients are able to find the required products by means of item codes, product names, product numbers, technical drawings or samples in the quickest and most convenient manner for them. - Customization Workflow: This process commences with creation of sample prototypes which after approval are taken as the standard benchmark for mass production thus ensuring accuracy and client satisfaction. - 24/7 Prompt Support: Omchele provides the services any time and all the time, attending to queries and offering technical assistance at any hour. Being in the presence of 86 branches in various countries and already well-established distribution networks, Omchele is able to guarantee all the local and international clients that all of their concerns will be dealt with promptly. The passion to offering competent and flexible customer support and service adds to the reputation of the company common in providing industrial automation partnership. Industry-Wide Trusted Automation Solutions Omchele's products find applications in a wide category of industries including automation, automation Line,medical,etc. Their automation solutions integrate well with leading international brands like Omron, SICK, and SMC, and are known for their flexibility. Some of the more popular uses of Omchele's products are: - Switching Power Supplies: Expansive use in industrial automation, electronics sector, medical power solutions, and telecommunications. They provide efficient power conversion, reduced energy consumption, and reliable performance. - Proximity Sensors: Widely used in industrial automation, robotics navigation, equipment limits, and automated gate systems to ensure precise and efficient operations. - Photoelectric Sensors: Widely used in industrial automation, material handling, packaging industry, and logistics to provide precise detection, improve efficiency, and enhance automation processes. - Pneumatic Cylinders: Commonly used in automation systems and production, the automotive industry, the food and beverage industry, and packaging machinery to provide reliable motion control, enhance efficiency, and support precise operations in various industrial processes. - FRL Units: Essential in manufacturing, automation, and process control to filter, regulate, and lubricate air, ensuring smooth and efficient operation of pneumatic systems. It is apparent from Omchele's strategy and implementation capabilities that their target customers are firms which are using or planning to use premium brands and products thus ensuring a smooth transition. The solutions are helpful since they increase the operational efficiency of the firm while saving on costs, allowing firms to make profits irrespective of the industry in which they operate. Partner with Omchele: Your Trusted Automation Expert MENAFN23122024003238003268ID1109025456 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The U.S. Surgeon General recently released an advisory identifying parental stress as a significant public health issue. The advisory shows that almost half of parents report feeling "overwhelmed" daily, compared to 26% of non-parents. That stress only goes up over the holidays. Local therapist Beatrice Klopah joined Eyewitness News. She said that combined, parents feel worn thin and burned out. RELATED: US surgeon general issues advisory on parents' mental health Social media, public safety threats, and new cultural demands on parenting have made parenting more stressful now than it was generations ago. The holiday season can add financial stress, travel stress, and pressure from extended family, leading parents to compromise their wellness. Klopah advises her clients to be "bold." That involves setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. She said modeling those behaviors will have a healthy impact on the whole family through the holidays and beyond. For updates on this story, follow Briana Conner on Facebook , X and Instagram .
Riding a 3-game win streak, the Bengals cling to playoff hopes with the Broncos next
Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Cloudflare NET . And retail traders should know. We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga. Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with NET, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen. So how do we know what these investors just did? Today, Benzinga 's options scanner spotted 8 uncommon options trades for Cloudflare. This isn't normal. The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 37% bullish and 62%, bearish. Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $123,510, and 5 are calls, for a total amount of $318,897. Expected Price Movements Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $80.0 to $155.0 for Cloudflare during the past quarter. Insights into Volume & Open Interest In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Cloudflare stands at 164.86, with a total volume reaching 615.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Cloudflare, situated within the strike price corridor from $80.0 to $155.0, throughout the last 30 days. Cloudflare Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days Largest Options Trades Observed: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume NET CALL SWEEP BEARISH 12/19/25 $10.2 $10.15 $10.15 $155.00 $153.7K 13 146 NET CALL SWEEP BULLISH 02/21/25 $24.35 $24.1 $24.33 $90.00 $60.8K 229 30 NET PUT TRADE BEARISH 01/17/25 $4.35 $4.3 $4.35 $112.00 $56.5K 0 131 NET CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $3.85 $3.8 $3.85 $114.00 $38.5K 0 131 NET CALL TRADE BEARISH 12/19/25 $42.65 $41.8 $41.8 $80.00 $37.6K 159 9 About Cloudflare Cloudflare is a software company based in San Francisco, California, that offers security and web performance offerings by utilizing a distributed, serverless content delivery network, or CDN. The firm's edge computing platform, Workers, leverages this network by providing clients the ability to deploy, and execute code without maintaining servers. Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Cloudflare, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance. Present Market Standing of Cloudflare With a trading volume of 981,147, the price of NET is down by -1.05%, reaching $111.5. Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought. Next earnings report is scheduled for 45 days from now. Professional Analyst Ratings for Cloudflare In the last month, 4 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $129.0. Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access .* An analyst from Morgan Stanley upgraded its action to Overweight with a price target of $130. * An analyst from Jefferies has decided to maintain their Hold rating on Cloudflare, which currently sits at a price target of $125. * An analyst from Mizuho has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Cloudflare, which currently sits at a price target of $125. * An analyst from Stifel has elevated its stance to Buy, setting a new price target at $136. Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Cloudflare options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro . © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.MONTREAL - A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion earlier this week says one of the victim’s sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Thi Cam Nhung Lê says she grew up with Sebastien Gauthier in Quebec City and considered him her best friend. Lê says Gauthier’s older sister was also on the boat in Florida’s Broward County when it exploded and she was taken to a hospital. She says Gauthier’s family was in Florida to celebrate the holidays and that his sudden death feels “unimaginable.” Video posted on social media Monday shows the vessel engulfed in flames following the explosion, with a thick column of black smoke billowing into the sky. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has confirmed that Gauthier died of his injuries, saying a preliminary investigation shows the 37-foot vessel exploded after its engines were started. Lê remembers Gauthier as someone who was always smiling and says she is waiting for answers about what led to her friend’s death. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024.None
See how Hoda Kotb honors ex-fiance Joel Schiffman in her new house’s holiday decor
The traditional holiday movie launch may be getting supplanted by blockbuster video games, with major interactive releases increasingly taking up prime advertising space and drawing consumer dollars. There have been examples of video games out-grossing the box office since the ’90s. Culturally, films have been thought of as a group entertainment activity, while games have been regarded as more of a gift to put under the tree for kids and game fans. A new study suggests that’s shifting. An ad for holiday blockbuster game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on a Melbourne tram. Credit: Simon Schluter About three in five adult Australians play games, and more than half of the population intends to make a gaming-related purchase as part of their holiday spending, according to the survey conducted by YouGov. Of those people, the average anticipated spend was about $200, whereas Australians in general anticipated spending about $82 at the cinema. Millennials were expected to be the highest spenders, with the largest proportion of that age group planning to spend up to $250 on gaming purchases over the holiday period. The survey, commissioned by Xbox, also found that more than half of adult Australians prioritised games in their holiday entertainment, and that 61 per cent of families with children agreed gaming was a bonding family tradition. Xbox Australia’s games lead Eve Oorloff said the medium was becoming more of a shared holiday experience, as families increasingly have multiple generations of game-players. “This shift in perception is really encouraging, as more people are beginning to see the value of gaming in bringing people together, much like the movies have done for generations,” she said. “We love being at the forefront of this continued evolution and adoption of gaming across generations, and watching it become a shared experience between players.” Telsyte analyst Foad Fadaghi, who was not involved in the research, said video games are appealing as gifts and activities when families are looking to maximise value in terms of dollars spent per hour of entertainment. A trip to the cinema with the whole family can easily cost as much as the most expensive new game. “According to everything we’ve seen, there’s been a shift against that kind of retail spending. People are spending a lot more time at home for their entertainment,” he said. “Entertainment is always a function of discretionary income, and clearly families see a lot of value in games.” Xbox says families are increasingly playing video games together as a holiday tradition. New games for this holiday period include Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Call of Duty Black Ops 6 , both published by Microsoft-owned studios, as well as Astro Bot , Lego Horizon Adventures , Super Mario Party Jamboree and Sonic X Shadow Generations . Microsoft’s own games are included in its Game Pass Ultimate subscription service – meaning families could also play Indiana Jones and hundreds of other games for $23 a month, roughly the price of a movie ticket – on Xbox consoles or on PCs, which the study indicated were used for gaming by about half the playing population. But Fadaghi said the increased digitisation of the games marketplace came with certain dangers for game sales, especially at Christmas. Digital gifts are available but might not be preferred by family members who want to wrap up a present, and games could become less favourable as a gift if the trend towards subscriptions continue. In the era of Netflix, few people get DVDs as a gift. Harrison Ford has been digitally recreated as he looked in 1980 for The Great Circle, a globe-spanning, fascist-punching adventure set just after Raiders of the Lost Ark. “Subscriptions represent great value for money. But they represent an ongoing payment, so for some people it’s a little bit different from that one-off gift,” he said. The YouGov study indicated that, of the people who intended to make a gaming purchase these holidays, about two in five expected to buy a gift card or voucher. Oorloff said Xbox invested in a wide variety of games to enhance the value of Game Pass, but Hollywood-style release campaigns were still vital for blockbuster games, which take many years and millions of dollars to make. “Making a splash at launch helps capture interest and build momentum and awareness. It also sets the title up for ongoing success through fan engagement with downloadable content, updates, expansions, and community events,” she said. “Games offer rich narratives, cinematic experiences, and interactive storytelling that rival any Hollywood production; the launch of a hotly anticipated title can feel similar to a movie premiere.” Get news and reviews on technology, gadgets and gaming in our Technology newsletter every Friday. Sign up here.
'I visited the top Christmas Markets just an hour's flight from Manchester Airport and it made me realise what our city needs'
President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska's Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one" or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley's home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama's action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska's senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump's suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.The discovery of missing hiker Vendula "Wendy" Rose, 38, in the Talladega National Forest has brought a somber close to a weeks-long search. Local officials, including Sheriff Jon Daniel and Coroner Adam Downs, took to social media this week to share their appreciation for those involved in the search efforts while expressing condolences to Rose’s family. Rose, a Marysville, Ohio, resident, was reported missing on Oct. 3 after failing to return from a hiking trip. Her body was discovered Nov. 30 by a hunter near a remote campsite near Alabama 281. Authorities confirmed on Dec. 4 that the remains were hers. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
12. Clemson Tigers 10-3 (7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season) What's next: First-round at No. 5 seed Texas, Dec. 21 Head coach: Dabo Swinney (17th season, 180-46 overall) About Swinney: The 55-year-old, who is 6-4 in the CFP, took over during the 2008 season and has won two national titles (2016, 2018). He will take the Tigers to the CFP the first time since the 2020 season and the seventh time overall. Resume The Tigers, the only three-loss team in the 12-team field, were in a must-win situation in the ACC championship game, prevailing on a last-second, 56-yard field goal to defeat SMU 34-31. Clemson lost two games to SEC opponents (Georgia and South Carolina) this season. The Tigers' other defeat came at home to Louisville. The matchup with Texas will be Clemson's first true road game against the SEC this season. Postseason history A nine-time winner of the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers notched a double-figure win total for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons. Along with its two national titles, Clemson reached the title game two other times (2019 and 2015). This will be the first Clemson-Texas matchup. The road to Atlanta It will be a tricky road for the Tigers to reach the CFP title game in Atlanta at a venue familiar to Clemson fans. The Tigers will take at least two and maybe three trips outside of their own time zone to qualify for the final. Names to know QB Cade Klubnik Klubnik, a Texas native, has been taking snaps in crucial situations since a limited role as a freshman in 2022, when he rescued the Tigers in an ACC Championship victory vs. North Carolina. Sporting a 19-8 career record as a starter, Klubnik has thrown for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns along with five interceptions this season. He tossed four TDs in the ACC title game Dec. 7 against SMU after receiving All-ACC honorable mention following the regular season. "He's battle-tested," Swinney said. "He has got a lot of experience under his belt. He has had some failure, which has made him better." RB Phil Mafah The senior has racked up 1,106 rushing yards with eight touchdowns this season and has 28 career scores. Mafah has averaged fewer than 17 carries per game, so he makes the most of his opportunities, and at 230 pounds he can be a load to bring down. DE T.J. Parker He's been disruptive on a regular basis, racking up 19 tackles for loss (11 sacks) this season. The 265-pound sophomore helped set the tone in the ACC title game when the Tigers feasted on early SMU mistakes. Parker is tied for the Division I lead with six forced fumbles this season. K Nolan Hauser The freshman joined the Tigers this season with great acclaim and produced a career highlight with a 56-yard game-winning field goal -- the longest in ACC title game history -- to beat SMU at the buzzer. --Field Level MediaGeneral Dynamics Board Declares Dividend, Authorizes Additional Share Repurchases
AIT Stock Soars to All-Time High, Reaching $277.05Deciding which way this engrossing second Test will go depends on whether you’re a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty type of person. After four enthralling days of Test cricket between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Gqeberha, there is almost nothing in it. The tourists closed the penultimate day on 205 for five, pursuing a target of 348 to ensure a famous win. They need 143 runs with five wickets in hand to level the series at 1-1. Their last two recognised batters, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis, are at the crease, well set on 39 each, on a St George’s Park pitch that has offered a magnificent contest between bat and ball. With a new ball due in 28 overs, will the two Sri Lankans try to go on the attack on day five and slash and burn most of the deficit on their way to the target? Or will they use the ample time they have left in the match to chip away at the deficit? Given that the ball is 52 overs old, it does feel that if the Sri Lankan pair knock off more than 100 runs before the new ball, it would get the job done. Conversely, for a Proteas attack that stuck to its task throughout a hot fourth afternoon after they were dismissed for 317 in their second innings shortly after lunch, they will back themselves to snare the five wickets. The morning sessions have tended to be best for bowlers throughout the Test. South Africa resumed their second innings on day four at 191 for three, but lost seven wickets for the addition of only 126 runs. The Proteas will be hoping that the pattern holds on the fifth morning as they look to break the 83-run stand between Dhananjaya and Mendis. No side has ever chased down more than 300 to win a Test at St George’s — the record stands at 271 by Australia in 1997. However, Sri Lanka have chased in excess of 190 to win here, the last time they were in South Africa in 2019. Mendis was the star on that occasion, so he has some positive memories to call on. Proteas captain Temba Bavuma’s rich form continued as he top-scored in the Proteas’ second innings with 66, having resumed day four with his score on 48. Tristan Stubbs was well set with the skipper at the start of play but some terrible calling led to his demise for 47, run out in a terrible mix-up with Bavuma. That ended another promising innings, especially as Stubbs has the hitting ability to accelerate the score if needed. Bavuma followed soon after, when the spin of Prabath Jayasuriya turned viciously from outside leg and appeared to hit Bavuma’s pad and bat before dislodging the bails. Bavuma’s 66 was his third half-century of the series, in addition to a century in Durban. He is in the purplest of purple patches. From then on the wickets tumbled regularly as Jayasuriya returned figures of five for 129. He added the scalps of Marco Jansen (eight off 11 balls) and David Bedingham (35 from 55 balls), who were both looking to score quickly after Bavuma fell. Still, a lead of 347 is massive and the Proteas, despite a mediocre morning with the bat, were well set. With a big target to chase, the tourists made a poor start, losing opener Dimuth Karunaratne (1) to a searing in-swinger from around the wicket by Kagiso Rabada. It was the perfect message from the home team, although Pathum Nissanka and Dinesh Chandimal dug in with a 37-run second-wicket stand that caused some frustration. Nissanka (18 off 44 balls) fell to a ball he shouldn’t have, edging a wide one from first innings hero Dane Paterson into wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne’s grateful grasp. Chandimal (29 from 57 balls) fell victim to Paterson soon after, unable to cope with a ball that nipped back off the seam to trap him leg before. Chandimal reviewed in hope rather than expectation, but technology confirmed what the naked eye knew. He was stone dead. A 53-run fourth wicket stand between veteran Angelo Mathews and wunderkind Kamindu Mendis followed before left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj broke through. Mathews (32 off 59 balls) bizarrely charged down the wicket to a floated delivery and was beaten by the flight and spin to be bowled. Kamindu was Maharaj’s next victim in his next over. The elegant right-hander tried to turn the ball to leg, but was deceived by the spin and edged it into his pad where the ball spat out to the offside. Verreynne reacted like a cheetah stepping on a mamba as he flung himself forward to complete a remarkable catch, almost under Kamindu’s spikes. At 122 for five, and with about 20 overs in the day remaining, thoughts briefly turned to a possible Proteas win on day four. The stubborn resistance of Dhananjaya and Kusal though, ensured that a tense denouement to this gripping contest will play out on day five. DM
BOGOTA, — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005. And those fires contributed to deforestation, with authorities suspecting some fires were set to more easily clear land to run cattle. The Amazon is twice the size of India and sprawls across eight countries and one territory, storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise warm the planet. It has about 20% of the world’s fresh water and astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species. But governments have historically viewed it as an area to be exploited, with little regard for sustainability or the rights of its Indigenous peoples, and experts say exploitation by individuals and organized crime is rising at alarming rates. “The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be ominous indicators that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” said Andrew Miller, advocacy director at , an organization that works to protect the rainforest. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking, but still open.” There were some bright spots. The level of Amazonian forest loss fell in both Brazil and . And nations gathered for the annual United Nations conference on biodiversity agreed to give Indigenous peoples more say in nature conservation decisions. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a determinant factor,” Miller said. Forest loss in Brazil’s - home to the largest swath of this rainforest - dropped 30.6% compared to the previous year, the lowest level of destruction in nine years. The improvement under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contrasted with deforestation that hit a 15-year high under Lula’s predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. In July, reported historic lows in deforestation in 2023, driven by a drop in environmental destruction. The country’s environment minister Susana Muhamad warned that 2024’s figures may not be as promising as a significant rise in deforestation had already been recorded by July due to dry weather caused by El Nino, a weather phenomenon that warms the central Pacific. Illegal economies continue to drive deforestation in the Andean nation. “It’s impossible to overlook the threat posed by organized crime and the economies they control to Amazon conservation,” said Bram Ebus, a consultant for Crisis Group in Latin America. “Illegal gold mining is expanding rapidly, driven by soaring global prices, and the revenues of illicit economies often surpass state budgets allocated to combat them.” In Brazil, large swaths of the rainforest were draped in smoke in August from fires raging across the , Cerrado savannah, Pantanal wetland and the state of Sao Paulo. Fires are traditionally used for deforestation and for managing pastures, and those man-made blazes were largely responsible for igniting the wildfires. For a second year, the Amazon River fell to desperate lows, leading some countries to declare a state of emergency and distribute food and water to struggling residents. The situation was most critical in Brazil, where one of the Amazon River’s main tributaries dropped to its lowest level ever recorded. Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who lives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, said he believes people are becoming increasingly aware of the Amazon’s fundamental role “for the survival of society as a whole.” But, like Miller, he worries about a “point of no return of Amazon destruction.” It was the worst year for Amazon fires since 2005, according to nonprofit Rainforest Foundation US. Between January and October, an area larger than the state of Iowa - 37.42 million acres, or about 15.1 million hectares of Brazil’s Amazon - burned. Bolivia had a record number of fires in the first ten months of the year. “Forest fires have become a constant, especially in the summer months and require particular attention from the authorities who don’t how to deal with or respond to them,” Ipenza said. Venezuela, , Ecuador, and Guyana also saw a surge in fires this year. The United Nations conference on biodiversity - this year known as COP16 - was hosted by . The meetings put the Amazon in the spotlight and a historic agreement was made to give Indigenous groups more of a voice on nature conservation decisions, a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people’s role in protecting land and combating climate change. Both Ebus and Miller saw promise in the appointment of Martin von Hildebrand as the new secretary general for the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organization, announced during COP16. “As an expert on Amazon communities, he will need to align governments for joint conservation efforts. If the political will is there, international backers will step forward to finance new strategies to protect the world’s largest tropical rainforest,” Ebus said. Ebus said Amazon countries need to cooperate more, whether in law enforcement, deploying joint emergency teams to combat forest fires, or providing health care in remote Amazon borderlands. But they need help from the wider world, he said. “The well-being of the Amazon is a shared global responsibility, as consumer demand worldwide fuels the trade in commodities that finance violence and environmental destruction,” he said. Next year marks a critical moment for the Amazon, as Belém do Pará in northern Brazil hosts the first United Nations COP in the region that will focus on climate. “Leaders from Amazon countries have a chance to showcase strategies and demand tangible support,” Ebus said. Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro had reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said with a thin smile. “Sooner or later other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development.” But he added, “we have this system now. And this is important.” Testing the missile will continue, “including in combat, depending on the situation and the character of security threats created for Russia,” Putin said, noting there is “a stockpile of such systems ready for use.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia’s bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. “The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined,” he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement.
Bamboo Houseware Market Outlook and Future Projections for 2030 12-28-2024 11:59 AM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Bamboo Houseware Market The bamboo houseware market represents a dynamic and continually evolving landscape, shaped by changing consumer demands and technological advancements. In this comprehensive report, we provide an in-depth exploration of the market, designed for a wide range of stakeholders including manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and investors. Our goal is to equip industry participants with essential insights that enable informed decision-making in an ever-changing market environment. This analysis not only examines the current state of the bamboo houseware market but also forecasts its future trends. Scope and Purpose This report serves as an extensive resource, thoughtfully curated to deliver actionable intelligence to industry stakeholders. It covers critical elements such as market dynamics, competitive environments, growth opportunities, challenges, and regional differences. The insights provided go beyond mere descriptions, offering a valuable tool for stakeholders to refine their strategies and make informed choices in a competitive market. Request for Sample Report: https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Bamboo-Houseware-Market/request-for-sample-report Comprehensive Market Analysis We are committed to providing a thorough analysis that explores every aspect of market growth, including shifts in consumer preferences and technological innovations driving demand for bamboo houseware products. We also address the challenges faced by the industry, such as economic uncertainties and intense competition, offering insights to help stakeholders navigate these complexities. Key Players in the Bamboo Houseware Market: Oceans Republic Eco Go Yongyu Longtai Jiuchuan BambooVision bambu Yi Bamboo ANYO Vietnam Bamboo Corporation Tianchi Kerala State Bamboo Mutha Industries Long Bamboo Technology Group Totally Bamboo Strategic Guidance for the Future This report invites stakeholders to delve into a detailed examination of the competitive landscape. By profiling key players in the bamboo houseware market and analyzing their strategies, we offer crucial insights to help industry participants make informed strategic decisions. Whether it's about outpacing competitors or learning from successful approaches, our analysis is designed to guide stakeholders toward success. Anticipated Insights Understanding the diverse segments within the bamboo houseware market is critical to success. Our report breaks down segment sizes, potential growth trajectories, and key trends, offering actionable insights that allow stakeholders to develop targeted strategies and optimize resource allocation. The knowledge provided empowers stakeholders to navigate the complexities of the bamboo houseware market with clarity and confidence. Balancing Market Forces and Strategic Impact This report delivers a comprehensive analysis of the factors shaping the bamboo houseware market. By evaluating both the drivers of market growth and the obstacles that could impede it, stakeholders gain a holistic understanding of the market's dynamics. For manufacturers, this analysis helps align innovation efforts with consumer demands and regulatory trends, while investors and decision-makers gain a deeper understanding of economic risks and supply chain vulnerabilities, allowing them to make more informed strategic choices. Our goal is to provide stakeholders with the knowledge needed to confidently and successfully navigate the bamboo houseware market. Competitive Landscape Our in-depth examination of the bamboo houseware market's competitive landscape highlights key players, scrutinizing their strategies and impacts on the industry. By analyzing the approaches of major companies, stakeholders gain a valuable understanding of market dynamics and can leverage these insights to identify growth opportunities, innovate, and make informed strategic decisions. Market Segmentation The report begins with a detailed analysis of the unique characteristics defining each segment within the bamboo houseware market. Segmentation can occur across various dimensions, including product types, customer demographics, or specific use cases. Understanding these differences allows stakeholders to tailor their strategies, products, and marketing efforts to meet the specific needs of each segment, enhancing competitive positioning and maximizing opportunities for success. Market Segments: Product Type: Furniture Tableware and Kitchenware Storage and Decoration Others Application: Household Use Commercial Use Market Size and Segment Growth Potential A crucial part of the report focuses on understanding the size and significance of each market segment. We provide quantitative data that illustrates the market share and contribution of each segment, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, strategic prioritization, and investment. This section offers insights into the growth potential of each segment, including factors driving future expansion, evolving consumer preferences, and technological adoption. Conclusion This report serves as a strategic guide for stakeholders in the bamboo houseware market, offering comprehensive insights into market segmentation, competitive dynamics, and growth potential. By understanding the market's complexities and emerging opportunities, industry participants can make well-informed decisions that drive success and innovation in this rapidly evolving market. Other Reports Adult Expandable Anesthesia Circuits Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Adult-Expandable-Anesthesia-Circuits-Market Junction Box Adhesive Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Junction-Box-Adhesive-Market Metal Cable Trays Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Metal-Cable-Trays-Market Date Paste Grinder Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Date-Paste-Grinder-Market "Contact Us Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited Contact No: +91 7580990088 Email Id: sales@dhirtekbusinessresearch.com" "About Us Dhirtek Business Research & Consulting Pvt Ltd is a global market research and consulting services provider headquartered in India. We offer our customers syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Our objective is to enable our clientele to achieve transformational progress and help them to make better strategic business decisions and enhance their global presence. We serve numerous companies worldwide, mobilizing our seasoned workforce to help companies shape their development through proper channeling and execution. We offer our services to large enterprises, start-ups, non-profit organizations, universities, and government agencies. The renowned institutions of various countries and Fortune 500 businesses use our market research services to understand the business environment at the global, regional, and country levels. Our market research reports offer thousands of statistical information and analysis of various industries at a granular level." This release was published on openPR.
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