
Heat to send Thomas Bryant to Pacers; move clears tax space, could lead to standard deal for Dru Smith
Jets' Aaron Rodgers Says 'Too Many Games Got Away From Us' During 2024 NFL SeasonArticle content Looking back over 2024, there’s good and bad news on the crime scene, statistically, for Edmonton. Year-end numbers show domestic violence was up in 2024, but homicides were down in Edmonton. Overall, the crime rate was down, but mid-year numbers showed violent crimes were up — at least in part due to repeat offenders. As of Dec. 29, homicides were down to the lowest rate in five years in the Alberta capital. There were 41 confirmed homicides in 2023 and 40 this time last year (Dec. 15, 2023). That number rises to 45 if you factor in officer-involved shooting deaths. For 2024, there are 30 confirmed homicides as of Dec. 15, 2024, a number that rises to 34 if you factor in officer-involved shooting deaths. Of these, 21 homicides are cleared, and nine remain under investigation, said Cheryl Voordenhout of the Edmonton Police Service’s public information office. Over the past four years, homicides have averaged 40 per year, according to EPS numbers. In 2018 and 2019, numbers were lower — with 29 homicides and 27 homicides, respectively. Officer-involved shooting fatalities were the same in 2023 and 2024 so far, with four deaths each year. However, the total number of officer-involved shootings was up from seven in 2023 to nine in 2024. There were fewer shooting homicides, EPS Chief Dale McFee told Postmedia in a year-end interview . McFee noted that rates go up or down depending on incidents throughout the year, but random attack numbers are stable. “What I’m looking for is a lot of that ‘stranger’ stuff. You know, those random attacks. And you know what? It doesn’t seem like there’s a real increase in relation to that,” he said. Domestic and interpersonal violence has replaced catalytic converter theft as the highest call for service, McFee said. “It could be anything from an argument to a bad beating to homicide,” he said. “So that area, going forward, in 2025 is going to need a little bit of a change in relation to how we approach that, and we’ve asked for that plan to come forward,” McFee said. On the positive side, resolving homicide cases has been going well, he said. “Our homicides, you know, got a significant clearance this year,” he said. Crime rate decreases: Statistics Canada Statistics trail calendar dates, and final numbers on the year’s crime indicators are expected in early-to-mid 2025. But according to mid-year results released in 2024 from Statistics Canada’s National Crime Data, Edmonton’s crime rate decreased by 11 per cent in 2023 from 2022, while nationally, the overall police-reported crime rate increased by three per cent from the previous year. “This marks one of the largest decrease(s in) crime rates among Canadian metropolitan cities in 2023,” said an EPS release, which attributed the improvement to targeted initiatives. “Safer public spaces, targeting social disorder and victimization, had an impact in Edmonton’s Downtown core and surrounding communities,” said Ron Anderson, chief innovation and technology officer for EPS, attributing improvements in the first two quarters of 2024 to the provincial government’s new navigation centre and dedicated LRT deployments. However, data from the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics showed Edmonton’s violent crime severity index (CSI) increased by four per cent in 2023, “a trend in which repeat offenders continue to play a significant role,” the July 2024 release said. The City of Edmonton’s overall CSI remained stable (0.6 per cent increase) between 2022 and 2023, and it decreased by 13 per cent between 2018 and 2023. “Make no mistake, violent crime continues to be a major concern in our city,” Anderson said. “While we still need to keep our foot on the crime-fighting pedal, we’re beginning to see some tangible traction with some of our targeted initiatives. EPS will continue to rely on evidence and data to deploy resources effectively while working collaboratively with our partners.” Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) had the 11th highest police-reported total crime rate, a drop from its place as the 10th highest in 2022, among the nation’s 41 CMAs in 2023. The City of Edmonton’s total crime rate decreased by 11 per cent between 2022 and 2023, the report found. The Edmonton CMA violent crime rate was 18th highest among CMAs, up slightly from 19th in 2022. The City of Edmonton’s violent crime rate increased by two per cent between 2022 and 2023 and is higher than the national average but below the provincial average. The Edmonton CMA property crime rate was 11th highest among CMAs, a drop from holding ninth place in 2022. The City of Edmonton’s property crime rate decreased by 15 per cent between 2022 and 2023. Fraud and extortion were both up in 2023. Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton SunCameron Diaz “met” her husband Benji Madden after practically knowing him for years—he's the twin brother of Joel Madden, the husband of her close friend Nicole Richie. For some reason, it took one special night to finally open her eyes and really him as a romantic option, and she’s never looked back. The couple have had a whirlwind romance that’s lasted nearly a decade and includes marriage and a child. They aren’t terribly public or present on social media, but here’s their complete relationship timeline so far. Diaz and Madden had been in similar social circles before and knew one another as celebrities, but they officially “met” at a party hosted by Diaz at her house when he accompanied her friends Nicole Richie and Joel Madden. “Joel said, ‘Hey, can my brother come over?’” Diaz said later. “And I said, ‘Of course, it’s family, we’re having a barbecue’ and then [Benji] walked in the door and I was like—you! You!” Rumors of an engagement began six months later in October when Diaz was seen wearing an engagement ring. The couple finally confirmed their engagement just before Christmas that year. “Everyone thinks it’s wild but are so happy for them,” a source told . “Benji always tends to fall in love easily, but this time it’s for real, and he landed a great girl. They obviously both make each other incredibly happy, and there’s nothing better than that.” The pair were married on Jan. 5, 2015, less than 10 months after they started dating. The wedding was held in Beverly Hills with a guest list that included Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lionel Richie, Judd Apatow, and Drew Barrymore. “We couldn’t be happier to begin our new journey together surrounded by our closest family and friends,” the couple in a statement at the time. “[Marriage] was the biggest thing I’ve done in my 40s, and it opened me up in different ways,” Diaz told later. “It’s pretty awesome. I didn’t think it was something I’d do, and I don’t know if I’d have done it if I hadn’t met my husband. It was a surprise.” In March 2015, Madden a photo of his new chest tattoo of Diaz’s first name, writing in a now-deleted post “thinking about you.” In April 2016, Diaz told Andy Cohen on his that finding her husband has changed her life. “Nothing matters now that I have my husband,” she said. “Like that’s the thing, that’s how I know he’s my husband because no one compares. You realize like, ‘Oh right, this is what the real thing is, this is what real love is and this is what commitment and devotion is.’” Over a year later, she felt the same, telling the audience at Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Summit, “I have a husband who is just my partner in life and in everything. [But] talk about two very different people! We are so different from one another, but we share the same values—we’re totally two peas in a pod.” The feeling is mutual, and Madden celebrated his wife’s birthday later that summer, calling himself the “luckiest guy alive.” “I don't think anyone could ever know the Depth, Kindness, and Compassion that I get to experience everyday thanks to My One and Only,” he wrote. “You got me til the end baby.” He celebrated her again in a pic in 2018, captioning it simply, “True love.” For her birthday that year, he again wrote a touching tribute, saying, “Thank you for being the best friend and partner to me and taking this journey of Marriage. The way you live your life everyday, and your compassion for the world shines thru in your eyes and you inspire me to want to be the best man I can be in this lifetime.” “Getting married to him was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Diaz told about Madden in 2019. “My husband’s the best. He’s the greatest human being, and he’s my great partner. Marriage is certainly hard, and it’s a lot of work. You need somebody who’s willing to do the work with you, because there’s no 60-40 in marriage. It’s 50-50, period. All the time.” In January 2020, the couple welcomed their daughter, Raddix Madden. “We are so happy, blessed and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden,” they announced on Instagram. “She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family.” On her friend Gucci Westman’s YouTube series Diaz gushed, “I love being married. The best thing that’s ever happened to me is finding my husband, and our partnership, and our friendship.” She had similar feelings about being a new mom. “I love being a mother. It’s the best, best, best part of my life,” she said. “I’m so grateful and so happy, and it’s the best thing ever, and I’m so lucky to do it with Benj and we’re having the best time. I’m thrilled. I can’t believe it.” Of Madden, she added, “He’s such an amazing father. I’m so lucky he’s my baby’s father. He’s incredible. He puts her down, and I go into the kitchen, and I pour myself a nice glass of red wine. I start my cooking, I put on my show, whatever it is.” For her first Mother’s Day, Madden wrote on Instagram, “Forever grateful to my wife for making me a Father, and taking such good care of us everyday. Best Mom and Wife and Friend.” “Whether waking up extra early to take care of everyone (3 humans and a dozen animals) or doing all the research and reading to make sure we try our best to be good parents for our daughter, she’s a force of nature and I’m very grateful. 6 years together just get more meaningful and true love each day. What a blessing.” In an interview on , she addressed what it was like being a new parent right when the world was in retreat during COVID-19 quarantine. “Before, my baby was an excuse to stay home, now I don’t have to make that excuse,” Diaz replied. “It’s just what it is. I get to be with her.” She continued, “The best part of it for having to stay within our little bubble for this COVID situation is that her dad, my husband Benji, he gets to be home. He works from home. So he gets to be with her as much as I do—well, not as much because he’s working all day long —but he actually gets to come out of a meeting and give her a kiss and play with her for a little bit, where if he was going to the office every day, he wouldn’t have been able to do that...So we’re just having a lot of gratitude for that.” Madden and his brother are twins, so Diaz answered the hard questions on about whether she finds both men attractive. “I met mine [husband] through my now sister-in-law and brother-in-law, I met them first and then they didn’t set us up but we were in the same room because of them, and then we found each other,” she said. “I was like, ‘How come I didn’t see him before?’” Another podcast guest Katherine Power joked, “Which is funny because you saw his twin brother.” “They’re not the same, they’re so different,” Diaz replied. “Even though they’re twins, they’re very, very different obviously...I saw him walking towards me, and I was like, ‘Huh, he’s hot, I haven’t seen him before,’ but then when I saw him, like who he was, that’s what made me really be like, ‘Oh you, you’re special, you’re the guy, you’re the hidden gem in my life.’” On their seventh wedding anniversary, Madden posted some art and a gorgeous caption. “Today 7 years married ❤️ Always dreamed of having a family like this. Happy, peaceful, consistent, loyal and unconditional equally filled with passion and depth. Calling it a Honeymoon doesn’t cover it. Real life. The only real challenge we have is making time go slower cause life goes by fast in the happy lane, Always and forever knowing we are home @camerondiaz Happy Anniversary I love you!❤️❤️❤️.” In the comments, Diaz wrote: “"I ✨❤️✨YOU MORE AND MORE EVERYDAY. Happy, peaceful, consistent, loyal and unconditional. Passionate and deep = OUR LOVE LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS ✨❤️✨.” Madden wrote that he has taken a step back from posting on social media but likes his “tradition” of wishing his wife a happy birthday on Instagram. Sharing a sweet picture of Diaz with a cat, he wrote, “I’m off line mostly these days, just working, painting, making things and doing family life, but I have grown to like my little tradition of coming back on special occasions to show love to my Queen- so today, it’s a very Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife, best friend, best partner in everything, ride or die, greatest Mom to our little girl, @Avaline wine boss, family chef, advisor, collaborator and everything else.” He added, “You do it all ❤️So grateful to have our family and I am one lucky man - I know that seems obvious but it really is nice to say it out loud now and then when you’re feeling it ❤️ 🙏 I love you •forever •always •yours •true love ❤️ Happy Birthday Cameron ❤️😍.” Diaz shared rare insight into her relationship with Madden during an interview on Molly Sims and Emese Gormley’s podcast in mid-December. When discussing their partners’ sleeping habits, Diaz said, via , “We should normalize separate bedrooms. To me, I would literally, I have my house, you have yours. We have the family house in the middle. I will go and sleep in my room. You go sleep in your room. I’m fine. And we have the bedroom in the middle that we can convene in for our relations.” When told the confession may be controversial, Diaz clarified, “I’ve already said it. By the way, I don’t feel that way now because my husband is so wonderful. I said that before I got married.” On Friday, December 29, Diaz and Madden were in Santa Barbara with daughter Raddix outside of a Von's grocery. The actress was in a pair of Ugg boots, a white hat with a black band, and a denim coat over a gray sweater set. Madden was in black sweats and matching hoodie with a black baseball cap. Raddix held her mother's hand and wearing a blue onesie. On Sunday, January 7, Diaz and Madden were on a snowboarding date in Aspen, Colorado. The actress hit the slopes in a black Burton snow jacket, , and chestnut-colored . She completed her ski look with a white helmet and . The couple looked happy as they walked with snowboards in hand. On Friday, March 22, Diaz and Madden announced they welcomed their second child, a son named Cardinal Madden. The couple shared a joint statement on Instagram with an illustration and no photos of the infant. “We are blessed and excited to announce the birth of our Son, Cardinal Madden❤️🙏,” they wrote in the caption. “He is awesome and We are all so happy he is here! For the kids safety and privacy we won’t be posting any pictures- but he’s a really cute ☺️We are feeling so blessed and grateful 🍀Sending much love from our fam to yours 🙏❤️Best wishes and Good Afternoon!!” Diaz and Madden were spotted showing some rare PDA in new photos published by . They shared a sweet smooch as they left a restaurant in Montecito, California, pushing along their newborn son, Cardinal, in a stroller. They both opted for casual outfits. Diaz wore a black tee layered under an olive green cardigan, while Madden coordinated with her in a black T-shirt and green baseball cap. On Oct. 15, during a at ’s Most Powerful Women Summit, Diaz shared why Madden made it possible to step back from acting for a while. “We were in the house for a long time, which was amazing,” she shared. “So, I had to push myself. My husband, he’s just the best. He was just like, ‘You’ve been supporting us and building the family.’ And supporting him in his businesses. He’s like, ‘It’s time for us to support you and let mommy ascend and do her do her thing.’” She continued, “It felt like the right thing for me to reclaim my own life, and I just really didn’t care about anything else. Nobody’s opinion, nobody’s success, no one’s offer, no one’s anything could change my mind about my decision of taking care of myself and building the life that I really wanted to have. I think it really comes to what are you passionate about? For me it was to build my family.”
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:49 p.m. EST
Nitish Reddy celebrates his stunning century in the MCG Test with a heartfelt and humorous tribute to his batting partner, Mohammad Siraj . Discover the emotional moment and the partnership that turned the game. Melbourne: In a thrilling display of resilience and talent, Nitish Kumar Reddy etched his name in cricket history by scoring a stunning century during the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The 21-year-old batter, playing his fourth Test match, became the third-youngest Indian to score a century on Australian soil. Reddy’s gritty knock came amidst a collapsing Indian middle order. Battling against a formidable Australian bowling attack, he reached his milestone in 172 deliveries, showcasing exceptional temperament and skill. Partnering with Washington Sundar, the duo forged a record 8th-wicket stand, pulling India out of trouble and keeping the match alive. The excitement peaked when Reddy was stranded at 99, with only the last wicket in hand. Jasprit Bumrah fell cheaply for a 3-ball duck, leaving Mohammad Siraj to face Pat Cummins. Siraj held his nerve, surviving three deliveries to hand Reddy the strike. Reddy capitalised on the opportunity, smashing a lofted drive off Scott Boland to reach his maiden Test century. His emotional celebration, witnessed by his father in the stands, became the day’s highlight. After the day’s play, Reddy shared a heartfelt moment with Siraj on social media, posting, “I also believe in Siraj bhai.” The post referenced Siraj’s viral statement earlier this year after India’s T20 World Cup victory, where he lauded Jasprit Bumrah as a “game-changer.” I also believe in Siraj bhai. 😅❤️ @mdsirajofficial pic.twitter.com/4oihPncWj5 Ab sirf Ek hi Insaan ye match jeeta sakta hai, I only believe in jassi bhai bcs he is the GOAT of this game #jaspreet #Bumrah pic.twitter.com/R9CQWgOECt Reddy’s unbeaten 105 propelled India to 358/9, trailing Australia’s first-innings total of 474 by 116 runs. With rain halting play early on Day 3, the match remains in balance, though the flat MCG pitch offers some hope for the visitors to salvage a draw. Also Read: 2024: From Modi 3.0 to Global Political Crises – A Year of Power Shifts Reddy’s heroics have revived India’s innings and positioned him as a standout performer in the series. Cricket enthusiasts and experts are hailing him as India’s ‘find of the series,’ with expectations soaring for the young Andhra batter.
Tele-serial actor held for sexually harassing colleague
NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”‘Thanksgiving no talking politics fight’ by Rick McKee, CagleCartoons.com.
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Are you a manager? If so, you will appreciate the importance of keeping your workers motivated and reasonably content within the dynamics of the employment relationship (which is naturally conflictual at its heart). One part of the welfare at work model is being able to detect when employees are unhappy or professing grievances. What is the extent of employee disgruntlement? Looking into the U.S. economy, one poll finds that employees are more unhappy at work than they have been in years, and currently more than a quarter of U.S. citizens are looking to change roles. This is the highest in a decade. To aid new business owners boost employee satisfaction , the firm Wix.com has provided to Digital Journal with signs to spot that will inform the employer that the employee is starting to slip. How to spot when employees are losing morale? Decreased productivity and poor performance This may be evident when employees aren’t getting as much done as they used to. They may miss deadlines or demonstrate a reduced quality of work. Increased absenteeism, lateness and time off When your staff are disengaged, stressed or burnt out, they may begin to call in sick more often, show up late, and leave early. High employee turnover If employees are leaving in droves, it can be due to lost morale and general disengagement from the workplace. However, this also creates a vicious cycle whereby employees that remain at the company become equally low in morale and sceptical of management and the organization as a whole. Lack of enthusiasm and innovation When staff begin to feel as though their work is boring and meaningless, you’ll find that they are uninspired, perhaps less creative and less likely to take initiative. Lack of teamwork and camaraderie If you’ve noticed a team member being less active in team activities or conversations, whether remote or in the office, they’re likely suffering from low morale. Doing the bare minimum Staff may meet deadlines and quality standards but won’t go above and beyond, they’ll complete the minimum of what is expected of them and nothing further. This can also be seen as ‘quiet-quitting’, that is not doing so little that it’s brought to management’s attention but also not going above and beyond. Avolition If an employee struggles to start or finish a task without constant supervision, they may feel disengaged from work. It’s important to determine the root cause of this and provide appropriate support. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.