casino slots bonus
FGIC Announces NYSDFS Approval of CPP Upward Adjustment
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Malik Nabers said calling the New York Giants “soft” after Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a mistake, although the star rookie receiver still plans to speak out when he thinks it’s necessary. After talking with coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen and watching video of , Nabers said Tuesday that “soft” was a poor choice of words. “I don’t think it was really soft. I think it was just a lack of technique,” Nabers said. “We were playing our butts off, we just lacked technique.” The Giants (2-9) trailed 23-0 at halftime and had run only 19 plays on offense. Nabers was not targeted in first the half but still finished with a team-high six catches for 64 yards. The No. 6 overall pick in the draft, Nabers said his rant after the game — in which he said the Giants’ quarterbacks weren’t to blame for the team’s poor performance — was just the competitor in him talking. “That’s just how I’m wired. That’s just who I am,” he said. “I just don’t like losing. If I feel like if I had an opportunity to help the team win, I’m going to express that.” Nabers said not being targeted in the opening half was tough because his body is prepared to play and not doing anything throws him off his game. “You’re not getting involved early, then you’re not getting the feel of the ball, you’re not getting hit,” Nabers said. “After football plays as an offense, after you get hit, you’re like, ‘All right, I’m ready to go.’” Nabers has a team-high 67 catches, the most by a player in his first nine NFL games. He said he sees himself as a resource, someone who can change the game for the Giants. “I’m not going to just sit back just because I’m a younger guy and not speak on how I feel,” Nabers said. “They want me to speak up. They feel like my energy helps the offense, in a way, to be explosive. So, of course, I’m going to speak up if something doesn’t go my way. That’s just how I am.” ___ AP NFL:NoneSyrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay home after rebel takeover
Hezbollah fires about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel in heaviest barrage in weeks
NoneNone
The Washington Commanders put kicker Austin Seibert on injured reserve Tuesday, just over 48 hours since he missed an extra point that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left against Dallas. Seibert also missed a field-goal attempt and another extra point in the loss to the Cowboys. He missed the previous two games with a right hip injury but said afterward he was fine and made the decision to play. The Commanders filled that roster spot by signing running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. off their practice squad. Austin Ekeler had a concussion and Brian Robinson Jr. sprained an ankle Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflStock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talk
JonBenét Ramsey's father says advances in DNA technology can help solve daughter's cold case murderSpecial counsel Jack Smith's move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump's presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it's possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith's team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump's presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump's 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump's argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith's team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump's two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump's second term, while Trump's lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case.
Hezbollah fires about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel in heaviest barrage in weeks
ENVESTNET INC. ANNOUNCES MAKE-WHOLE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE AND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES UNDER ITS 0.75% CONVERTIBLE NOTES DUE 2025 AND 2.625% CONVERTIBLE NOTES DUE 2027
The Sweden midfielder hailed Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of the champions as the best game of his career. The 24-year-old delivered an outstanding performance as Spurs shattered the champions’ 52-game unbeaten home run, helping start the rout with a superb cross for James Maddison’s opening goal. Kulusevski said: “I believed (we would win) this because in the past years, we’ve come here and played really well. “So this is the game I look forward to most in the year and, once again, it happened – glory to God. “I’d say it’s the best result ever in my career. It’s a big night for the whole club, for the coach, for the players. “Because City have a lot of the ball sometimes, we can rest when we defend. There’s also so much space up there, we play one against one and then it’s always dangerous because we have a lot of quality. “It’s always great to play great teams because they always want to play football. When you play lower teams, sometimes it’s not. There’s not much football played because they are a lot of fouls, a lot of injuries and it’s slow going.” Maddison stole the show with two goals in quick succession in the first half while Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson later got on the scoresheet. Kulu-chef-ski cooked 👨🍳 📊 @KumhoTyreUK pic.twitter.com/CsrTh5oUgn — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 24, 2024 Yet Kulusevski’s performance was also eye-catching and the player himself believes there is plenty more to come from him. Asked if his form made him feel “unstoppable”, Kulusevski said: “I feel like that. I feel very good and I’m trying to keep this way. I’m very happy, I’m trying to improve. “I started the season good but there is over half of the season left and I hope I can do much better. “I think I have something that no other player has. With my engine, with my heart – I don’t get tired – I feel like I can do a lot still in my career.” Spurs have won more matches against Pep Guardiola's Man City than any other side 👀 pic.twitter.com/BHLZqde9sP — Premier League (@premierleague) November 23, 2024 Tottenham’s scintillating performance marked a spectacular return to form after their dismal loss to Ipswich in their previous Premier League outing. Kulusevski said: “We have to be much more consistent. It’s not a turning point. We just have to be better in other games. “This game suited us perfectly but we have a lot of improvement to make in the other games.”
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants have been losing on the field for months, and the sign of another potential loss might have been on the horizon this past weekend. A small plane circled MetLife Stadium roughly 90 minutes before the New Orleans Saints beat the Giants 14-11 on Sunday, urging co-owner John Mara to overhaul a team that has made the playoffs twice since winning the Super Bowl in February 2012. “Mr. Mara, enough. Please fix this dumpster fire!” read the message on a banner towed by the plane. While Mara declined to comment on the aerial message, its content was clear. Someone — probably a disgruntled fan — was sick of seeing the Giants (2-11) lose week after week. Their skid now is at eight games, one shy of the team record. Having one fan and probably scores or more upset has to be a concern for Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch. No owner wants his fan base unhappy, and it's not just about this season. Seven of the last eight seasons have ended with losing records, including the 2019 season, which featured a franchise record-tying nine straight losses. There have been two other nine-game skids, the first in 1976 and the second in 2003-04. Mara and Tisch need to make changes, but what should they do? The knee-jerk reaction would be to fire coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, who came in together in 2022 and led New York to the playoffs with a 9-7-1 record. That season began with seven wins in nine games. Since then, the Giants have posted an 11-28-1 record. The late Robert E. Mulcahy, the former head of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and later the athletic director at Rutgers, once said that the hardest decision he had to make was to keep Greg Schiano as the Scarlet Knights' coach after posting a 12-34 record in his first four seasons. Everyone wanted him fired. Mulcahy felt he had the right guy and held pat. It worked out. Mara and Tisch face a similar decision with the guys they brought in from Buffalo. If they feel Schoen and Daboll will turn around the Giants, they should stick with them. If not, change things. What they can't do is let an emotional fan base make the decision for them. What’s working The new defensive line. Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence and D.J Davidson went on injured reserve last week and fellow defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches was out with neck and shoulder injuries. That left backups Elijah Chatman and Jordon Riley, newcomer Corey Durdon, and Elijah Garcia and Casey Rogers — who were signed off the practice squad to the active roster — to handle Alvin Kamara and the Saints. New Orleans was limited to 92 yards rushing. Giants opponents had been averaging almost 146 yards. What needs help The Giants remain the NFL's lowest-scoring team. They have hit the 20-point mark four times in 13 games. They have scored 18 points or fewer nine times and were held to single digits in four games. After taking over the play-calling from Mike Kafka this season, maybe Daboll should give quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney an opportunity to call plays. It couldn't hurt. Stock up Micah McFadden. With fellow inside linebacker Bobby Okereke out with a back issue, McFadden had a team-high 11 tackles, including five for losses. Rookie Darius Muasau, who replaced Okereke, had eight tackles. Stock down The offensive line, which was without left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor for the second straight week and saw left guard Jon Runyan (ankle) and center John Michael Schmitz (neck) leave in the second half. The Saints pounded Drew Lock, recording two sacks and 13 quarterback hits. The Giants rushed for 112 yards, but most of that was Lock scrambling for 59 yards to avoid more hits. Injuries In addition to Runyan and Schmitz, safety Tyler Nubin (ankle) and cornerback Tre Hawkins, who was hurt after making a tackle, left the game. Lock was banged up and needed postgame X-rays and an MRI on Monday. Daboll said Lock will start this weekend if healthy. Key number 9 — The Giants are one loss away from matching their franchise-worst skid. Next steps To end the losing streak and win for the first time in eight games at MetLife Stadium this season, the Giants have to beat Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (8-5) on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
After turning to Tommy DeVito as his starting quarterback following and over the past week, coach Brian Daboll said he was counting on the second-year passer to recreate the "spark" he ignited last season in his memorable rookie run. On Sunday, however, it was more of the same for the NFL's lowest-scoring offense and a franchise now tied for the league's worst record at 2-9. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rolled to a 30-7 win over the Giants as DeVito threw for just 189 yards and took four sacks. After the game, multiple Giants standouts vented their frustration with the organization. "It ain't the quarterback," said rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who led the Giants with six catches for 64 yards. "Same outcome when we had DJ at quarterback. "I don't know what it is," Nabers added when asked to identify the team's problem. "Everybody know better than me. ... I know I'm tired of losing." Nabers also described the team's performance as "soft as (expletive)." Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence also ridiculed New York's toughness on the day. “We played soft, and they beat the (expletive) out of us today,” Lawrence told reporters after the game. The Buccaneers scored on five of their first six possessions to race out to a 30-0 lead over the Giants by the early third quarter. Four different players scored a rushing touchdown for Tampa Bay, while 11 recorded a reception. Devin Singletary's 1-yard score in the fourth quarter prevented New York from being shut out. Jones was officially waived by the Giants on Saturday in what co-owner John Mara called a "mutual" decision. The sixth-year starter sought a separation after he was demoted and later buried on the depth chart behind DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle. But with DeVito in the lineup, the Giants were sent to their sixth straight loss as the Buccaneers ended their own four-game skid. Frustration with the offensive game plan seemed to boil over for Nabers, who wasn't targeted until the start of the third quarter. "I mean, can’t do nothing," Nabers said. "Start getting the ball when it’s 30-0. What do you want me to do?” Asked why he wasn't getting the ball earlier, Nabers turned the question back to his head coach. “Talk to (Daboll) about that,” Nabers said. “They come up to me and ask me what plays I want, and that was that."If you're building a portfolio of ASX shares, these broker recommendations may be of help in the decision-making. Analysts have lifted ratings on three stocks in notes to clients this week: ( ), ( ), and ( ). Why the change of heart on these companies, you might ask? Each has its own strengths and advantages., so let's see what the experts think and what it could mean for your portfolio. Analysts lift ratings on ASX shares Anyone following the EML Payments story will know the company has the stock up 27% in the past week alone. The animal spirits of EML have awakened again, and two points from its quarterly numbers stand out: The 46% jump in pre-tax earnings and management reaffirming full-year guidance of $54 million to $60 million, where it could earn 13 cents per share by FY28. At the ASX share's closing price of 89 cents on Tuesday, this equals a 14.7% five-year forward earnings yield. CEO Ron Hynes laid out bold plans to streamline operations and drive "double-digit transaction revenue growth by FY27" alongside the earnings target. This suggests a 35% upside potential from Tuesday's closing price. With management investing in leadership and efficiency gains, there's hope this battered ASX share could claw back some of its former glory. Webjet takes flight Webjet Group – which is no longer associated with ( ) – has been flying under the radar since its listing in September. Shares are down 9% in the past week, but Jeffries sees some value in the business and has upped its rating to a buy with a $1.10 price target. Jeffries joins the likes of Goldman Sachs, which already rated the stock a buy at the exact same valuation. The online travel agency delivered solid half-year results, prompting both brokers to turn more constructive on its outlook. Goldman was particularly impressed by Webjet's GoSee business, which is showing higher margins, and its improving online travel agency (OTA) run rates. It says management's guidance for flat earnings growth in FY25 might be a bit "conservative", leaving room for upside surprises. As investors, we like surprises of this kind. From Webjet Group's closing price of 83.5 cents on Tuesday, the $1.10 price objective implies a tidy 31.7% upside potential. For investors who are bullish on the , Webjet might just be worth a boarding pass. Lottery Corp: A jackpot for income investors? Finally, for those investors seeking ASX shares with more stability and Jeffries upgraded The Lottery Corp to a buy with a $5.80 price target this week. According to CommSec, it joins the consensus rating of buy on the stock, with analysts turning more constructive after the company's annual results. ", with management highlighting plans to refresh 'Saturday Lotto.' It says the business can deliver a 4.5% free yield on its forecasts, and it looks to of 19 cents per share over the coming two years. ASX shares takeout Brokers have turned more constructive on these ASX shares after recent updates in their investment stories. Zooming out, markets continue to trend higher, which means finding selective opportunities like these could be of merit. In the last 12 months, EML has fallen 19%, whereas The Lottery Corp is up 15%. Webjet Group was carved out in September and has climbed 4% since then.
Kaley Cuoco Isn't a Fan of Mommy-and-Me Classes: 'Wow, This Is Not For Me' (Exclusive)Ian Schieffelin came within two assists of a triple-double and Clemson handed Penn State its first loss with a 75-67 decision for the championship of the Sunshine Slam tournament Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Schieffelin finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Tigers (6-1), leading four players in double figures. Chase Hunter added 17 points, while Chauncey Wiggins scored 14 and reserve Del Jones chipped in 10 points. Clemson sank 9 of 19 3-pointers, converted 16 of 20 free throws and was able to limit the impact of the Nittany Lions' full-court pressure. The Tigers committed just 13 turnovers, helping them hold Penn State (6-1) to less than 85 points for the first time this year. Ace Baldwin starred in defeat with game highs of 20 points and 11 assists, while center Yanic Konan Niederhauser added 14 points. Nick Kern came off the bench to score 11 but Penn State was outscored 15-2 on the fast break and made just 4 of 18 attempts from 3-point range. Schieffelin came up big down the stretch, assisting on a 3-pointer by Jaeden Zackery with 6:04 left that made it 65-61. Then he made two foul shots and tossed in a jump hook from the lane to up the margin to 71-66 with 1:03 left. The big storyline going into this game was which team would be able to control the pace. Penn State came in averaging 96 ppg, while Clemson demonstrated its ability to enforce a slower tempo in March, advancing to a regional final in the NCAA Tournament. In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Tigers made the Nittany Lions play at a crawl, opening up a 17-10 advantage when Schieffelin converted a short hook in the lane. But Penn State answered with an 18-4 run over nearly six minutes, establishing a 28-21 lead when Kern shook free for a layup. Clemson rallied with nine straight points but the Nittany Lions had the last say as Baldwin converted a layup with 24 seconds left, cutting the Tigers' edge to 38-36 at halftime. --Field Level MediaAlex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. The Capitals updated Ovechkin’s status Thursday after he was evaluated by team doctors upon returning from a three-game trip. The 39-year-old broke the leg in a shin-on-shin collision Monday night with Utah's Jack McBain, and some of his closest teammates knew it was not good news even before Ovechkin was listed as week to week and placed on injured reserve. “Everyone’s bummed out,” said winger Tom Wilson, who has played with Ovechkin since 2013. “We were sitting there saying: ‘This is weird. Like, it’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt.’ It’s one of those things where like, he’s going to miss games? I’ve been around a long time, and it’s new to me.” Ovechkin in his first 19 seasons missed 59 games — and just 35 because of injury. Durability even while throwing his body around with his physical style is a big reason he is on track to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals that once looked unapproachable. “He doesn’t go out there and just coast around,” Wilson said. “He’s played 20 years every shift running over guys and skating. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he’s a power forward that plays the game really hard.” Ovechkin surged to the top of the league with 15 goals in his first 18 games this season. He was on pace to break the record and score No. 895 sometime in February. “You know when goal-scorers start scoring, it’s dangerous,” said defenseman John Carlson, who has been teammates with Ovechkin since 2009-10. “There was a bit of that in the downs that everyone was feeling about it too, of course. We see him coming to the rink every day, we know what’s at stake. You never want anyone to get injured, but there’s a lot to it and certainly he was playing his best hockey in years.” AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhlNEW YORK (AP) — A slide for market superstar Nvidia on Monday knocked Wall Street off its big rally and helped drag U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 240 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite pulled back 0.6% from its own record. Nvidia’s fall of 2.5% was by far the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after China said it’s investigating the company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. Nvidia has skyrocketed to become one of Wall Street’s most valuable companies because its chips are driving much of the world’s move into artificial-intelligence technology. That gives its stock’s movements more sway on the S&P 500 than nearly every other. Nvidia’s drop overshadowed gains in Hong Kong and for Chinese stocks trading in the United States on hopes that China will deliver more stimulus for the world’s second-largest economy. Roughly three in seven of the stocks in the S&P 500 also rose. The week’s highlight for Wall Street will arrive midweek when the latest updates on inflation arrive. Economists expect Wednesday’s report to show the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling remained stuck at close to the same level last month. A separate report on Thursday, meanwhile, could show an acceleration in inflation at the wholesale level. They’re the last big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week on interest rates. The widespread expectation is still that the central bank will cut its main interest rate for the third time this year. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set so many all-time highs this year. “Investors should enjoy this rally while it lasts—there’s little on the horizon to disrupt the momentum through year-end,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, though he warns stocks could stumble soon because of how overheated they’ve gotten. On Wall Street, Interpublic Group rose 3.6% after rival Omnicom said it would buy the marketing and communications firm in an all-stock deal. The pair had a combined revenue of $25.6 billion last year. Omnicom, meanwhile, sank 10.2%. Macy’s climbed 1.8% after an activist investor, Barington Capital Group, called on the retailer to buy back at least $2 billion of its own stock over the next three years and make other moves to help boost its stock price. Super Micro Computer rose 0.5% after saying it got an extension that will keep its stock listed on the Nasdaq through Feb. 25, as it works to file its delayed annual report and other required financial statements. Earlier this month, the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board following the resignation of its public auditor . All told, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points to 6,052.85. The Dow dipped 240.59 to 4,401.93, and the Nasdaq composite lost 123.08 to 19,736.69. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rallied 1.7% to settle at $68.37 following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, who sought asylum in Moscow after rebels. Brent crude, the international standard, added 1.4% to $72.14 per barrel. The price of gold also rose 1% to $2,685.80 per ounce amid the uncertainty created by the end of the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. In stock markets abroad, the Hang Seng jumped 2.8% in Hong Kong after top Chinese leaders agreed on a “moderately loose” monetary policy for the world’s second-largest economy. That’s a shift away from a more cautious, “prudent” stance for the first time in 10 years. A major planning meeting later this week could also bring more stimulus for the Chinese economy. U.S.-listed stocks of several Chinese companies climbed, including a 12.4% jump for electric-vehicle company Nio and a 7.4% rise for Alibaba Group. Stocks in Shanghai, though, were roughly flat. In Seoul, South Korea’s Kospi slumped 2.8% as the fallout continues from President Yoon Suk Yeol ’s brief declaration of martial law last week in the midst of a budget dispute. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.15% late Friday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
NEW YORK — For about 50 years, adding cavity-preventing fluoride to drinking water was a popular public health measure in Yorktown, a leafy town north of New York City. But in September, the town’s supervisor used his emergency powers to stop the practice. The reason? A recent federal judge’s decision that ordered U.S. regulators to consider the risk that fluoride in water could cause lower IQ in kids. “It’s too dangerous to look at and just say ‘Ah, screw it. We’ll keep going on,’” said the town supervisor, Ed Lachterman. Yorktown isn’t alone. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, and fights are cropping up nationwide. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months — the total number is in the dozens, with several deciding to stop adding it to drinking water, according to Fluoride Action Network, an advocacy organization against water fluoridation. In Arkansas, legislators this week filed a bill to repeal the state’s fluoridation program. The debates have been ignited or fueled by three developments: —In August, a federal agency reported “with moderate confidence” that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure — more than twice the recommended limit — and lower IQ in kids. —In September, the federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. —This month, just days before the election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that Donald Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day as president. Trump later picked Kennedy to run the Department of Health and Human Services. In Durango, Colorado, there was an unsuccessful attempt to stop fluoridating the water during Trump’s first term in office. A new push came this year, as Trump saw a surge of political support. “It’s just kind of the ebb and flow of politics on the national level that ultimately affects us down here,” said city spokesman Tom Sluis. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1950, federal officials endorsed water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay, and the addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, but drinking water is the main source for Americans, researchers say. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water , according to CDC data. There is a recommended fluoridation level, but many communities exceed that, sometimes because fluoride occurs naturally at higher levels in certain water sources. Opposition is nothing new, though for decades it was considered a fringe opinion. Adherents included conspiracy theorists who claimed fluoridation was a plot to make people submissive to government power. Health officials could point to studies that showed that cavities were less common in communities with fluoridated water, and that dental health worsened in communities without it. But fluoride isn't just in water. Through the years it became common in toothpaste, mouthwash and other products. And data began to emerge that there could be too much of a good thing: In 2011, officials reported that 2 out of 5 U.S. adolescents had at least mild tooth streaking or spottiness because of too much fluoride. In 2015, the CDC recommended that communities revisit how much they were putting in the water. Beginning in 1962, the government recommended a range of 0.7 milligrams per liter for warmer climates where people drink more water to 1.2 milligrams in cooler areas. The new standard became 0.7 everywhere. Over time, more studies pointed to a different problem: a link between higher levels of fluoride and brain development. The August report by the federal government’s National Toxicology Program — summarizing studies conducted in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico — concluded that drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter was associated with lower IQs in kids. “There’s no question that fluoride prevents cavities,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, who was director of the CDC when the agency changed the recommended fluoride levels. “There’s also no question we’re getting more fluoride than we were 50 years ago, through toothpaste and other things.” Frieden said “a legitimate question” has been raised about whether fluoride affects brain development, and studies making that link “need to be looked at carefully.” Many people in health care strongly embrace water fluoridation. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed their endorsement of current CDC recommendations in the wake of the federal report and the judge’s ruling. Colorado’s health department, which weighed in during a Nov. 5 Durango city council meeting, said in a statement that it “seeks to align its public health recommendations with the latest scientific research. The facts of this court ruling are not sufficient” to revise current fluoridation levels. Durango officials are waiting to see what the EPA does in reaction to the recent court decision, said Sluis, the city spokesman. “We follow the science,” he said. “It wouldn’t be in the best interest of the city to stop fluoridation based on one judge’s interpretation.” In Yorktown, Lachterman concluded the judge’s decision was enough to halt fluoridation. He recalled a community discussion several years ago in which most people in the room clearly favored fluoridation, but recently it seems public comment has reversed. “It’s like a total 180,” he said. But not all public pressure these days is against the idea. In September, Buffalo, New York, announced it would resume water fluoridation after not having it for nearly a decade. News reports had described an increase in tooth decay and families sued, seeking damages for dental costs. The Buffalo Sewer Authority’s general manager, Oluwole McFoy declined to discuss the decision with The Associated Press, citing the litigation. For its part, the EPA “is in the process of reviewing the district court’s decision,” spokesman Jeff Landis said this week. In Monroe, Wisconsin, fluoridation “has become a very hot issue,” said its mayor, Donna Douglas. The small city, near Madison, started fluoridating its drinking water in the early 1960s. But in the late summer, some residents began calling and emailing Douglas, saying she needed to do something about what they saw as a public health danger. The first call “was more like a threat,” she recalled. Douglas said she did not take a position on whether to stop, but decided to raise it to the city council for discussion. The discussions were unusually emotional. Few people tend to speak during public comment sessions at council meetings, said Douglas. But more than two dozen people spoke at a city council meeting last month, most of them in favor of fluoridation. At a subsequent meeting, about a dozen more people — all opposed to fluoridation — came out to speak. “This is the first time we’ve had any debates at all” like this, Douglas said. “I didn’t realize it would be such a heated discussion.” ___ AP video journalist Brittany Peterson and AP reporter Andrew DeMillo contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.PTI claims arrests, teargas shelling enroute Islamabad as govt vows to stop protesters no matter what