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As the year draws to a close, reflecting on how it unfolded can feel overwhelming—especially if the memories feel blurry or tinged with pain. For some, trauma makes it hard to take stock. For others, the absence of significant milestones can leave them wondering where the time went. If you’re struggling to summarise the year, let me assure you that this is entirely natural. Not every year demands a neatly packaged conclusion. Life isn’t an itemised ledger, and we owe no one an account of how we’ve spent our days—except, perhaps, our Creator and even that reckoning is meant for the end of life, not the end of a year. If you’re finding it hard to reflect on 2024, you’re not alone. Many of us have faced challenges that make looking back feel more like a burden than a celebration. There can be many reasons why it is hard to summarise the year. It could be the economy. Economic hardship has been a defining struggle for many this year. In Nigeria, the economy hit rock bottom, creating unbearable conditions for citizens. The toll has been both collective and personal, leaving many exhausted and traumatised. It could be personal challenges. For me, the highs of 2024 were often accompanied by lows, creating a confusing emotional landscape. I faced mental and emotional battles I hadn’t anticipated, and the hardest blow was losing my unborn child. Reflecting on the year inevitably stirs up these painful memories, making it difficult to process or find closure. These two factors—the state of the economy and personal hardships—are why many, myself included, find it easier to look forward to a fresh start in 2025 than to make sense of the year gone by. If you find yourself unable to put the year into words, there are some steps I’ve taken to navigate the difficulty. Acknowledge your feelings It’s okay if you can’t summarise the year. Some experiences are too complex to categorise, and there’s no rule saying you must tie everything together neatly. Accept the feelings—whether they’re sadness, confusion, or frustration—and don’t force yourself to unpack them all at once. Focus on the present Instead of dwelling on the past, try to make the most of the remaining days of the year. For instance, I approached Christmas differently this year. I recognised the emotions that could have dampened my mood and instead chose to enjoy simple pleasures: sharing food and movies with loved ones. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was meaningful. Create intentional moments The last days of the year don’t need to be perfect. They simply need to come and go, and you can make them worthwhile by being mindful. Engage in small activities that bring you joy, whether it’s journaling, taking a walk, or connecting with someone you care about. This year has been a confusing one for many people, myself included. I’ve read countless posts online where others share their heartbreaks, losses, and setbacks. 2024 has been universally difficult, reminding me not to take my struggles too personally. The year was full of contradictions for me. Things that should have made me happy left me sad. Opportunities that seemed like breakthroughs became sources of stagnation. This duality—where joy and pain coexist—has made it challenging to look back without feeling overwhelmed. But I’ve realised that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Instead, I’m choosing to end the year with intention, however small. Moving Forward It’s okay if 2024 feels like a blur or a mess. Not every year will have a clear story or a satisfying conclusion. What matters is how we choose to move forward. As the final days of the year unfold, allow yourself grace. Be present, engage in activities that bring peace, and know that you’ve done your best to navigate this chapter. There’s no need to force closure; sometimes, it’s enough to simply let the year come to an end and trust that the new one will bring fresh opportunities to grow, heal and thrive. *** Feature Image by Polina Tankilevitch for Pexels

From Jelly Roll to TWICE, top acts hit 'Amazon Music Live' to spotlight their upcoming projectsNASHVILLE, Tenn. — It was during the pandemic when the Rev. Kira Austin-Young and her puppet-maker husband, Michael Schupbach, were going a little stir-crazy that they came up with the idea. Instead of a star or some stylized humanoid angel to top their Christmas tree, why not create a biblically accurate angel? The result was a pink, blue and gold-feathered creature with six wings and dozens of eyes that went a little bit viral. "I think in, particularly, the times of the world that we're in, where things seem kind of scary and weird, having a scary and weird angel sort of speaks to people," she said. This Dec. 12, 2021, photo shows the biblically accurate angel Christmas tree topper created by the Rev. Kira Austin-Young and her puppet-maker husband, Michael Schupbach, atop the tree in their former home in Nashville, Tenn. There are a number of different kinds of angels that show up in the Bible, said Austin-Young, associate rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin in San Francisco. For the most part, we don't get a lot of description of them, but both Revelations at the end of the Bible and some of the books of the prophets in the Old Testament describe strange creatures around the throne of God. "Some of them have six wings with eyes covering the wings," she said. Others have multiple animal heads. "I think one of the delightful things about the Bible and the Scripture is just kind of how bizarre it can be and just how kind of out there it can be." About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe in angels, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted last year. Still, there's no agreement about what they look like or even exactly what they are. Social media is full of various interpretations of "biblically accurate angels" imagined not just in tree toppers but also drawings, tattoos, even makeup tutorials. The many-eyed creatures reject traditional portrayals of angels in Western art, where they often look like humans with wings, usually white and often blonde or very fair. Esther Hamori, a professor of Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary, makes a distinction between angels and other "supernatural species" in the Bible like seraphim and cherubim, but she said she loves the biblically accurate angel trend, even if it conflates them. "It shows that people are thinking about ways in which the Bible contains far stranger things than what's often taught," the author of "God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible" wrote in an email. "The biblical heavens are filled with weird, frightening figures. In the Bible, God has an entourage of monsters." One of Austin-Young's favorite portrayals of the annunciation — a favorite theme of Christian art depicting the archangel Gabriel's appearance to Mary to announce that she is going to bear the son of God — is by Henry Ossawa Tanner. It conceives of Gabriel as a vaguely humanoid shaft of light. "It kind of makes you rethink, 'What would that be like to be approached by an angel?'" she said. "If it's somebody you don't know, or if it's a strange creature, or if it's just this kind of manifestation of God's message to you. ... That could be anything." ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Red Square, the GUM department store, center, and St. Basil's Cathedral, right, are decorated for the New Year and Christmas festivities, seen Dec. 13 through a window of the Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow in Moscow, Russia. Coco Jones performs Dec. 4 during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in New York. A 42-meter-tall candle, which is actually an illuminated medieval tower, shines Nov. 30 in the historic city centre of Schlitz, Germany. A large inflatable Santa Claus decorates the stall of a Christmas tree dealer Dec. 3 on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany. People walk through the annual year-end illumination Dec. 16 in the Roppongi district of Tokyo. A woman looks at disco and Christmas balls illuminated with lights on display Dec. 18 for the Christmas Festival at a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing. A child plays Dec. 9 among space-themed holiday lights near a replica of shuttle Independence at Space Center Houston. A visitor takes photos of a Christmas tree Nov. 20 at the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea. The Los Angeles County Christmas Tree is lit up Dec. 2 at the Jerry Moss Plaza at Music Center in Los Angeles. People take pictures with Christmas decorations Nov. 22 at the waterfront of the Victoria Harbour in West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong. The Kremlin Wall, the Spasskaya Tower, Red Square, the GUM department store, St. Basil's Cathedral and the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge over the Moscow River are decorated Dec. 13 for the New Year and Christmas festivities in Moscow, Russia. Visitors pose in a sledge for a picture Dec. 5 with Christmas lights and decorations in the background at Covent Garden in London. People look at the illuminations Nov. 16 at the Wiener Chritkindlmarkt, one of Vienna's most popular Christmas markets, in front of City Hall in Vienna, Austria. Visitors walk in front of an illuminated Christmas tree Dec. 16 at Cathedral Square in Vilnius, Lithuania. Christmas lights are displayed Nov. 20 on Regent Street in London. In this photo taken with a long exposure, a person walks a dog past Christmas lights in a park Dec. 15 in Lenexa, Kan. People ride a chain carousel Dec. 11 at the Red Square Christmas Fair in Moscow. A couple stops to view Christmas lights on the facade of a building Dec. 4 in downtown Lisbon. People stand on a bridge Dec. 9 as Christmas lights illuminate the Darsena dei Navigli, the neighborhood named for the canals that run through this area of Milan, Italy. The supermoon rises Nov. 14 behind street lights in Santiago, Chile. In a timed exposure, motorists pass a pair of cowboys boots, standing 40 feet tall and 30 feet long, that were decorated with lights for the holidays, on Dec. 10 in San Antonio. Visitors stand before an illuminated installation, one of many displayed across the Cologne Zoo as part of the China Lights Art Festival, on Dec. 20 in Cologne, Germany. Visitors walk through the "Cathedral" on the Christmas light trail Nov. 12 as it returns for its 12th year, with a showcase of new installations set within the UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape of Kew Gardens in London. People experience the holiday lights Dec. 11 at the Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, Tenn. A Christmas wreath and lights adorn the Windansea surf shack Dec. 12 on Windansea Beach in San Diego. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree after being lit Dec. 4 during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in New York. Traditional luminarias, also known as farolitos, flicker Dec. 13 throughout the Jemez Historic Site during the annual Lights of Gisewa event in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. Actors welcome visitors for the Christmas festival of lights Dec. 13 at a zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa. Spectators walk on the Champs Élysées Avenue after attending the Nov. 24 illumination ceremony for the Christmas season in Paris. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

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Americans are more optimistic about 2025 than they were about 2024 — in large part because of President-elect Donald Trump, according to new polling. In a December CBS News/YouGov poll, 57% of respondents said that, when looking ahead to 2025, they feel more hopeful than discouraged . Meanwhile, 23% said they feel more discouraged, and 20% said they feel both equally. In contrast, a poll taken during December 2023 found that 47% of respondents were hopeful about 2024 — marking a 10-point difference. An additional 22% said they were discouraged, and 31% said they felt both equally. The latest poll — fielded between Dec. 18-20 with a sample of 2,244 adults — asked the hopeful respondents what makes them feel mostly optimistic about the new year. It provided them with seven options. Sixty percent said “Trump becoming president” made them feel mostly hopeful, making it the most popular choice. Following that, 55% said family and personal relationships, 51% said personal finances and opportunities, and 51% said the U.S. economy, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points. Slightly less than half, 47%, said personal health, 34% said American politics generally and 33% said “the state of the world.” The poll, using the same seven choices, then asked the discouraged respondents what makes them feel mostly pessimistic about 2025. The vast majority, 85%, said Trump becoming president made them mostly disheartened, again making it the most popular choice. Meanwhile, 74% said American politics generally, 71% said the state of the world and 58% said the American economy. Less than half, 46%, said personal finances and opportunities, while 28% said personal health, and 17% said family and personal relationships. The responses were largely skewed based on partisan affiliation, with 85% of Republicans saying they feel hopeful and 38% of Democrats saying the same.The US egg industry kills 350M chicks a year. New technology offers an alternative

China is taking a new approach to its efforts to work around the West’s growing export restrictions on semiconductor tech, going straight to the source and hiring engineers. According to a report by , German intelligence officials have been investigating an increase in attempts by Chinese firms to recruit personnel with access to Western semiconductor secrets. In particular, headhunters for Huawei were making a concerted effort to recruit employees from Zeiss SMT. The US and its allies have engaged in a multi-year effort to restrict China’s access to the most advanced semiconductor technology. The US has used its export control regulation to restrict US firms and any firms worldwide that rely on US technology to make their products from exporting advanced chip tech to China. Huawei, along with ZTE and a few others, has felt the brunt of the restrictions. The Commerce Department recently began preparing new restrictions that would impact 200 additional Chinese tech firms. Faced with an ever-narrowing opportunity to remain competitive in the computer, mobile, and AI space, China clearly believes its best option is to recruit the engineers and personnel needed to be able to compete on its own merit, rather than rely on chip imports. Moving forward, Western governments will likely have to address the issue directly if they intend on maintaining a technological lead over China.

Elias Lindholm scored with 6:19 left to break a third-period tie, and the Boston Bruins killed a five-minute penalty without allowing a shot on goal on Monday night to beat the Washington Capitals 4-1. It was 1-1 when Charlie Coyle made a long clearing pass to Lindholm and he slid it over to Brad Marchand at the blue line to start a two-on-one. Marchand passed it back, Lindholm faked goalie Charlie Lindgren to the ice and then backhanded it into the net to make it 2-1. Coyle made it 3-1 two minutes later, and Marchand added an empty-netter. Justin Brazeau also scored and Jeremy Swayman made 10 saves for the Bruins, who won for the fourth time in five games and improved to 11-4-1 since Joe Sacco replaced Jim Montgomery on the bench. Jakub Vrana scored and Lindgren stopped 18 shots for the Capitals, who came into the day leading the Eastern Conference, and have lost three of their last six games. Capitals: Are 10-6 since Alexander Ovechkin broke his leg on Nov. 18. Bruins: Forward and leading scorer David Pastrnak seemed to tweak something in the second period. He returned to the ice for a short time but then went to the locker room and was ruled out with an unspecified upper-body injury. Ten seconds into the third period, Bruins forward Oliver Wahlstrom was sent off with a game misconduct and five-minute major when he pushed Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary head-first into the boards. Washington did not get a shot on goal during the power play. The Capitals had a season-low 11 shots on goal. The Capitals visit Toronto and Detroit on Saturday and Sunday before returning home to host the Bruins on New Year’s Eve. The Bruins are in Columbus on Friday for the first leg of a home-and-home before heading to Washington.Some quotations from Jimmy Carter: We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary – which is wonderful – but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”

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Marta's magic helped get the Pride to Saturday's NWSL title game against the Washington SpiritUnlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn't access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn't really work for her. "I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds," said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. "I've done everything right with no success. It's discouraging." In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were "nonresponders" who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. "It's all about explaining that different people have different responses," said... JONEL ALECCIA AP health writer

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Persistent high surf and flooding threats along California’s coast had residents on high alert a day after a major storm was blamed for one man’s death and the partial collapse of a pier , which propelled three people into the Pacific Ocean. The National Weather Service on Christmas Eve warned of dangerous, large-breaking waves of up to 35 feet (10.7 meters). Its latest high surf warning will be in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday. “Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties and beaches,” the weather service said in a Christmas Eve bulletin. In Santa Cruz, where a municipal wharf under construction partially collapsed on Monday, most beaches were cordoned off as they were inundated with high surf and debris. Residents received an alert on their phones Tuesday morning notifying them to “avoid all beaches including coastal overlook areas such as rocks, jetties or cliffs.” It warned powerful waves could sweep entire beaches unexpectedly. Local officials said there could be further damage to the wharf, but no more pieces broke off overnight. The wharf collapsed and fell into the ocean midday Monday, taking three people with it. Two people were rescued by lifeguards and a third swam to safety. No one was seriously injured. Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said in the weeks and months ahead officials will have to assess long-term solutions for protecting the coastal city from the impacts of climate change . “Hallelujah that no one was hurt in this, which could have been orders of magnitude worse in terms of any injuries to human beings and damage to property onshore and offshore,” he said at a media briefing Tuesday. “But I think we have somewhat of a question mark as we move through time,” he added. “And I don't think we're by ourselves. I think this is what coastal communities around the world are probably dealing with.” The structure was in the middle of a $4 million renovation following destructive storms last winter about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of San Francisco. “It’s a catastrophe for those down at the end of the wharf,” said David Johnston, who was allowed onto the pier on Monday to check on his business, Venture Quest Kayaking. Tony Elliot, the head of the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department, estimated that about 150 feet (45 meters) of the end of the wharf fell into the water. It was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely. Some of the wharf’s pilings are still in the ocean and remain “serious, serious hazards” to boats, the mayor said. Each piling weighs hundreds of pounds and is being pushed by powerful waves. “You are risking your life, and those of the people that would need to try and save you by getting in or too close to the water,” the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office said on the social platform X. Building inspectors were looking at the rest of the pier’s structural integrity. Some California cities ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon as forecasters warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. In Watsonville along the Monterey Bay, first responders were called to Sunset State Beach, a state park, around 11:30 a.m. Monday for a report of a man trapped under debris. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office believes a large wave pinned him there. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. The storm’s high surf also likely pulled another man into the Pacific Ocean around noon Monday at Marina State Beach, nearly 13 miles (21 kilometers) south of Watsonville, authorities said. Strong currents and high waves forced searchers to abandon their efforts roughly two hours later as conditions worsened. The man remained missing Monday evening. Further south in Carmel Bay, a man remained missing as of Tuesday afternoon after reports that someone was swept off the rocks into the ocean at Pebble Beach on Monday, local emergency responders said. The U.S. Coast Guard will "transition to a recovery search as ocean conditions improve in the coming days,” officials said in a statement. In a post on X, the National Weather Service office in Portland, Oregon, said, “It will likely go down as some of the highest surf this winter.” Dazio reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento and Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles contributed.

NEW YORK , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Girl Scouts of the USA has received a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help more girls across the country build confidence, understand their worth, and strengthen character traits that will help them thrive. Expanding character development programs and increasing the number of girls who have access to them is being made possible through Character Development Through Youth Programs, a Lilly Endowment initiative designed to help youth-serving organizations create, test, implement and sustain strategies that support character development in the young people they serve in chapters and affiliates throughout the nation. Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is one of eight organizations being funded through the initiative. Through its 111 Girl Scout councils and USA Girl Scouts Overseas, Girl Scouts offers a fun and safe environment where girls gain the skills necessary to navigate life with purpose and joy, explore their interests, discover their strengths, and grow in character. GSUSA's grant-funded efforts include improving access to Girl Scouts, removing barriers to participation, and supporting the cultural competency needed to serve all girls equitably. Through a variety of experiences and leadership development programming, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves and strengthen their own personal character development. "We are grateful for Lilly Endowment's generosity and the commitment to helping Girl Scouts amplify our character-building programs to further our reach and impact across the country," said Bonnie Barczykowski , CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. "This support will help us accelerate and deliver on our mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place." "From the earliest days of its grantmaking, the Endowment has supported projects to encourage character development, especially among young people," said Ted Maple , the Endowment's vice president for education and youth programs. "We are heartened by the thoughtful and strategic approaches these youth-serving organizations are taking to support children and youth in developing character traits that will be important for them in their future roles as individuals, family members and citizens." About Lilly Endowment Inc. Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis -based, private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although gifts of stock remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. The Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. About Girl Scouts of the USA Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. Join us , volunteer , reconnect , or donate. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/girl-scouts-receives-30m-grant-from-lilly-endowment-inc-to-support-character-development-initiatives-that-will-help-girls-thrive-302326625.html SOURCE GIRL SCOUTS OF THE U.S.A.Mike McDaniel stepped in to keep Dolphins from trading veteran DT Calais Campbell to Ravens

I’ve built a portfolio of around 20 top UK shares inside a self-invested personal pension (SIPP). That seems the right amount for diversification purposes but what if I was only limited to five? Which ones would I save? The easiest option would be to hang on to my winners and sell my losers, but there’s an argument for doing the opposite. For example, shares in spirits giant have plunged but could stage a strong recovery once consumers feel better off. The flipside is that I’m worried about reports that younger people drink less. So which FTSE 100 stocks should I sell? On the other hand, shares in private equity specialist are up 64.17% over one year and 170.28% over two. But 3i is highly dependent on one single portfolio holding, European discount retailer , which distorts the figures. In practice, I’d take my loss on Diageo and profit on 3i (happily the latter far outweighs the former) and move on. There’s one stock I wouldn’t sell. Paper and packaging retailer (LSE: SWR) has given me a bumpy ride but things are looking up. I bought the Ireland-based company to benefit from a resurgence in e-commerce as the cost-of-living crisis eased and consumers started spending again. I didn’t know it was about to create the world’s largest cardboard box maker by merging with US operator WestRock. Markets decided the board had overpaid, and my shares slumped. But the benefits of the merger are starting to reveal themselves. Q3 results showed a net loss of $150m but that was mostly down to $500m of merger costs, while total net sales jumped by $2,915m to $7,671m. CEO Tony Smurfit said the tie-up should deliver benefits at least equal to his stated synergy target of $400m. I reckon the share price has further to go The Smurfit WestRock share price is up 23.51% over one month and 22.54% over one year, and I think there’s more to come. The group also gives me US exposure. I’d also hold on to my shares in , which I bought as a portfolio building block. I’m frustrated by accusations of motor finance mis-selling (why always Lloyds?) but don’t feel this is the time to sell. And I’d keep . Just a few weeks ago this was bombing along and giving me a 7% yield too. Now its shares have plunged due to fears that interest rates will stay higher for longer, keeping mortgage rates high and house prices down. I think it will recover, given time. Oil giant is my most recent share price stock purchase , despite the long-term threat of the energy transition. Plus I’d also keep wealth manager , which gives me . This means saying goodbye to , which may have peaked after a stellar run, consumer goods plodder , struggling miner and defence manufacturer . I wonder which I’d regret selling most? Given the state of today’s world, probably BAE. In reality, I’ll hang on to them all. Five stocks is too small for a balanced portfolio. I’ll continue to spread my risk with 20!If I could only keep 5 UK stocks from my portfolio I’d save theseMaverick McNealy birdies the last hole at Sea Island to finally become PGA Tour winner

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Aidan O'Connell shows in loss to Chiefs that he is the Raiders' QB for the rest of seasonIt has become custom for The Great British Baking show to release a series of holiday specials, and this year’s editions are out now on Netflix. The two Baking Show holiday specials, one themed around Christmas and one for New Year’s, bring back several fan favorite bakers competing for a one-off prize after enduring three seasonal challenges. The stakes feel low (especially the New year’s episode which features a group of bakers who seem a bit rusty in the tent), but if you love the show, you’ll be satisfied with the ensuing festivities regardless of the lackluster competition. THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAYS : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? Opening Shot: In a twist, there’s no cold open for the holiday edition of the Baking Show – the Christmas episode opens with the arrival of the six returning bakers to the tent. The Gist: It’s the Baking Show , but make it festive! There have been several seasons’ worth of Baking Show holiday specials, and this season follows the same formula of years past: a Christmas themed episode and a New Years’ episode filled with holiday-inspired challenges carried out by returning contestants. In the Christmas episode, former winner Sophie from season 8, Dan from season 9, Amelia from season 10, Linda from season 11, George from season 12, and Carole from season 13 are all on hand to compete again under the tent. They’re tasked with the three challenges typical of a Baking Show episode: a Signature Bake (holiday mince pies), the Technical (cinnamon snowflake bread), and a Showstopper, this one called a redemption cake, in which the contestants are told to redeem themselves with a new version of a bake that stumped them in the tent during their first go around on the show. In this episode, the returning bakers are all game for the challenge and haven’t missed a beat, seems that no one has lost any of their mojo under the tent. Typically the New Year’s episode features celebrity bakers, but this season’s festive episode features four more past contestants, season 12’s Jurgen and Maggie, plus season 13 contestant Maxy, and season 11’s Mark to compete in three more festive bakes. I wouldn’t go all out and say this episode is disappointing, but the bakers certainly have struggle moments during the first two challenges – the showstoppers are much more creative and successful, though. Through it all, Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond are on hand to root for (and distract) the competitors, while judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith debate the merits of each bake. Our Take: Watching the holiday episodes of The Great British Baking Show is bizarre experience because, despite the fact that I watch every episode of the series when it comes out, I have almost no memory of the bakers who return for the holiday series. (Am I the only one?) Over the course of the episode, a vague sense of recognition returns, but I wouldn’t say that the return of beloved bakers is the selling point of these specials as much as it’s the general holiday merriment and decor that make these episodes special. (If you’re missing Dylan and Georgie and the gang from the most recent season of the show, be warned, none of them participate here, as these episodes were filmed over a year ago.) You can practically smell the cinnamon and chestnut and orange wafting out of the TV thanks to the festive, holiday-inspired bakes, while the halls of the tent are decked out with boughs of holly and even more twinkle lights than usual. As one-off episodes, the holiday shows lack the thing that makes the regular Bake-Off series so addicting for many of us, the competitive arc, but they include all the other things we love about the show: the supportive and charming bakers, the silly jokes from Noel and Alison, Paul jamming a thick finger into under-proved dough. While the Christmas episode actually feels close and competitive, the New Years episode is more underwhelming, as none of the bakers have especially inspired or impressive bakes, but that’s the thing about this show – even an underwhelming episode still delivers. Parting Shot: A choir sings “Carol of the Bells” as all of the contestants discuss how special it is to have been reunited under the tent. Performance Worth Watching: Since her arrival to the show, I’ve become convinced that Alison Hammond is the best host this show has seen since Mel and Sue. Even though she wasn’t on the show when most of the competitors on the specials first appeared, her rapport with them and her partnership with Noel Fielding are one of the high points of the show. Memorable Dialogue: “If it looks like a vagina, you’ve done it right,” contestant Amelia says as she judges the way she’s twisted the dough of her Christmas cinnamon snowflake bread in the holiday technical challenge. Leave it to that Paul Hollywood to select a pornographic bake. Our Call: If you love The Great British Baking Show , as I do, and enjoy it for its soothing, cozy comforts, these episodes deliver everything you want from the show. While the competition is more lackluster than the regular season, some people might prefer that, as it makes the show less about winning and more about the process anyway. STREAM IT! Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.

Ruling on Monday after an emergency hearing at Belfast High Court, judge Mr Justice McAlinden rejected loyalist activist Jamie Bryson’s application for leave for a full judicial review hearing against Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. The judge said Mr Bryson, who represented himself as a personal litigant, had “very ably argued” his case with “perseverance and cogency”, and had raised some issues of law that caused him “some concern”. However, he found against him on the three grounds of challenge against Mr Benn. Mr Bryson had initially asked the court to grant interim relief in his challenge to prevent Tuesday’s democratic consent motion being heard in the Assembly, pending the hearing of a full judicial review. However, he abandoned that element of his leave application during proceedings on Monday, after the judge made clear he would be “very reluctant” to do anything that would be “trespassing into the realms” of a democratically elected Assembly. Mr Bryson had challenged Mr Benn’s move to initiate the democratic consent process that is required under the UK and EU’s Windsor Framework deal to extend the trading arrangements that apply to Northern Ireland. The previously stated voting intentions of the main parties suggest that Stormont MLAs will vote to continue the measures for another four years when they convene to debate the motion on Tuesday. After the ruling, Mr Bryson told the court he intended to appeal to the Court of Appeal. Any hearing was not expected to come later on Monday. In applying for leave, the activist’s argument was founded on three key grounds. The first was the assertion that Mr Benn failed to make sufficient efforts to ensure Stormont’s leaders undertook a public consultation exercise in Northern Ireland before the consent vote. The second was that the Secretary of State allegedly failed to demonstrate he had paid special regard to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK customs territory in triggering the vote. The third ground centred on law changes introduced by the previous UK government earlier this year, as part of its Safeguarding the Union deal to restore powersharing at Stormont. He claimed that if the amendments achieved their purpose, namely, to safeguard Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, then it would be unlawful to renew and extend post-Brexit trading arrangements that have created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK. In 2023, the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland are lawful. The appellants in the case argued that legislation passed at Westminster to give effect to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement conflicted with the 1800 Acts of Union that formed the United Kingdom, particularly article six of that statute guaranteeing unfettered trade within the UK. The Supreme Court found that while article six of the Acts of Union has been “modified” by the arrangements, that was done with the express will of a sovereign parliament, and so therefore was lawful. Mr Bryson contended that amendments made to the Withdrawal Agreement earlier this year, as part of the Safeguarding the Union measures proposed by the Government to convince the DUP to return to powersharing, purport to reassert and reinforce Northern Ireland’s constitutional status in light of the Supreme Court judgment. He told the court that it was “quite clear” there was “inconsistency” between the different legal provisions. “That inconsistency has to be resolved – there is an arguable case,” he told the judge. However, Dr Tony McGleenan KC, representing the Government, described Mr Bryson’s argument as “hopeless” and “not even arguable”. He said all three limbs of the case had “no prospect of success and serve no utility”. He added: “This is a political argument masquerading as a point of constitutional law and the court should see that for what it is.” After rising to consider the arguments, Justice McAlinden delivered his ruling shortly after 7pm. The judge dismissed the application on the first ground around the lack consultation, noting that such an exercise was not a “mandatory” obligation on Mr Benn. On the second ground, he said there were “very clear” indications that the Secretary of State had paid special regard to the customs territory issues. On the final ground, Justice McAlinden found there was no inconsistency with the recent legislative amendments and the position stated in the Supreme Court judgment. “I don’t think any such inconsistency exists,” he said. He said the amendments were simply a “restatement” of the position as set out by the Supreme Court judgment, and only served to confirm that replacing the Northern Ireland Protocol with the Windsor Framework had not changed the constitutional fact that Article Six of the Acts of Union had been lawfully “modified” by post-Brexit trading arrangements. “It does no more than that,” he said. The framework, and its predecessor the NI Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. Under the arrangements, which were designed to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland continues to follow many EU trade and customs rules. This has proved highly controversial, with unionists arguing the system threatens Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. Advocates of the arrangements say they help insulate the region from negative economic consequences of Brexit. A dispute over the so-called Irish Sea border led to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022, when the DUP withdrew then-first minister Paul Givan from the coalition executive. The impasse lasted two years and ended in January when the Government published its Safeguarding the Union measures. Under the terms of the framework, a Stormont vote must be held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpin the EU trade laws in force in Northern Ireland, before they expire. The vote must take place before December 17. Based on the numbers in the Assembly, MLAs are expected to back the continuation of the measures for another four years, even though unionists are likely to oppose the move. DUP leader Gavin Robinson has already made clear his party will be voting against continuing the operation of the Windsor Framework. Unlike other votes on contentious issues at Stormont, the motion does not require cross-community support to pass. If it is voted through with a simple majority, the arrangements are extended for four years. In that event, the Government is obliged to hold an independent review of how the framework is working. If it wins cross-community support, which is a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists, then it is extended for eight years. The chances of it securing such cross-community backing are highly unlikely.

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Interlocking Service Market Outlook and Future Projections for 2030 12-15-2024 03:27 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Interlocking Service Market The interlocking service 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 interlocking service 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/Interlocking-Service-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 interlocking service 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 Interlocking Service Market: JHC Landscaping Ontario Quality Landscaping Ultrascape Avanti Landscaping My Landscapers VIP Paving Simple Solutions Landscaping and Snow Removal Green Warriors Landscaping Interlocking Toronto Action Home Services Captain Handy Dallas Paving Capital Yardworks Meadowlands Immaculate Landscaping EGE Interlock Milton Stone Glow Safety Kingsway Paving & Interlocking Drocon 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 interlocking service 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 interlocking service 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 interlocking service market with clarity and confidence. Balancing Market Forces and Strategic Impact This report delivers a comprehensive analysis of the factors shaping the interlocking service 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 interlocking service market. Competitive Landscape Our in-depth examination of the interlocking service 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 interlocking service 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: Installation Service Maintenance Service Others Application: Residential Properties Commercial Properties Public Parks Others 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 interlocking service 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 Reach Type Unmanned Forklift Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Reach-Type-Unmanned-Forklift-Market Nitrate Sensor Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Nitrate-Sensor-Market Hand Trucks Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Hand-Trucks-Market High-performance Gaming Headphones Market https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/High-performance-Gaming-Headphones-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.MEDIA ADVISORY: CanadaHelps, Co-Founders of GivingTuesday in Canada, Encourages Generosity on December 3rd

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The hitman who killed a young U.S. Navy officer in Newport News 17 years ago was among the 37 death row inmates whose sentences were commuted by President Biden on Monday. David Anthony Runyon was found guilty in 2009 in the murder-for-hire slaying of Cory Allen Voss outside a Langley Federal Credit Union on Jefferson Avenue in the Oyster Point section of Newport News. Voss, 30, was a well-liked officer aboard the USS Elrod , a frigate based at the Norfolk Naval Station. The father of two was shot and killed in April 2007 in what was designed to look like a robbery gone bad. It turned out the plot was organized by Voss’ wife, Catherina “Cat” Voss, and her boyfriend, Michael Draven. Their goal: Collect $500,000 in insurance proceeds and live happily ever after. Prosecutors said Cat Voss sent her husband to the ATM off Jefferson Avenue, where Runyon — a former U.S. Army soldier — was waiting. He entered Voss’ pickup, forced him to drive around nearby before shooting him five times at close range. The trial, held for several weeks in U.S. District Court in Norfolk in the summer of 2009, was the last federal death penalty trial in Hampton Roads. The jury’s foreman later told the Daily Press that a handwritten note scrawled on a map that police found in Runyon’s pickup truck was a “devastating” piece of evidence against him. The map, found in the truck’s center console, had several notations about Cory Voss. It also had notes referencing the location of the Langley Federal Credit Union and a description of the gray pickup Voss would be driving. “That was one of the things that pushed it over — and the fact that he couldn’t explain it,” foreman Jeff Fink told the Daily Press in late 2009. Recorded phone calls, intercepted text messages and other evidence also played a role. The 12-member jury sentenced Runyon to death , and he’s been on death row in Terre Haute, Indiana, ever since. The Morgantown, West Virginia, native was 36 years old at the time of the killing and is now 53. But on Monday, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row inmate, giving them life sentences without the possibility of parole. “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden wrote in a statement. “But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender” and his roles in the Senate and as president, “I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level.” “In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted,” Biden added. Aside from Runyon, Biden also commuted the sentences of five other death row inmates in federal murder cases from Virginia. That includes two from Richmond, and one each from Alexandria, Lee County and Mount Vernon. Biden said he would leave on death row those inmates whose cases arose from terrorism and “hate-induced mass murder.” Still on death row are the man who carried out the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, the killer of nine at a historically Black church in South Carolina in 2015, and a man who killed 11 at a Pittsburgh Synagogue in 2018. Incoming President Donald Trump had promised to increase the pace of federal executions in his administration, with Trump sharply criticized the commutations in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” Trump wrote. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” In an interview Tuesday, Voss’ sister, Kristen Smith, 44, of Monroe, Michigan, said the jury’s death sentence against Runyon should have stayed in place. “My take on it is, if someone is going to purposely take another life, they forfeit the right to their own,” Smith said. “If you take yourself out of the laws of civilization and don’t act like a civilized person, then you take yourself out outside of that.” “My brother didn’t die because of an accident,” Smith said, saying Runyon “did this purposely for personal gain.” Voss’ mother, Barbara Wilson, 72, also of Michigan, said she learned about Biden’s commutations on the radio Monday, then got a call from Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa McKeel, one of the federal prosecutors on the Newport News case. Wilson said she’s normally “philosophically opposed to the death penalty” because of the chance of executing an innocent person. But she was in favor of the death penalty in her son’s case. That’s not only because Cory “was an eye for an eye kind of guy” and would have supported it, she said, but also because of the overwhelming evidence that Runyon killed her son. “In this case it’s very much warranted,” Wilson said. Still, though she would “prefer he be on death row, I’m kind of OK with life in prison without parole.” Runyon’s lead 2009 trial attorney, Lawrence H. Woodward Jr. of Virginia Beach, declined to comment on the commutation Monday. Runyon’s current attorneys, Kathryn Ali with Ali & Lockwood LLP in Washington and Elizabeth J. Peiffer and Robert Edward Lee Jr. with the Virginia Capital Representation Resource Center in Charlottesville, could not be immediately reached Tuesday. Litigation over the Runyon case has been active over the past several years, with the inmate’s attorneys having pressed hard for a new sentencing hearing. Among other things, they contended that one of Runyon’s lawyers at the 2009 trial, the late Steve Hudgins, failed to adequately explore evidence that Runyon was suffering from brain damage when he killed Voss in 2007 If jurors knew about that brain damage — possibly caused by child abuse and being later hit head-on by a drunk driver while serving in the Army — they might have spared Runyon’s life, his lawyers contended. In December 2020, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the claim had merit . They told the original Norfolk trial judge to conduct an evidentiary hearing to further explore the issue. Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith did just that, finally holding a 15-day evidentiary hearing on the issue in November 2023, with Runyon’s attorneys pitted against the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Seven months later, in June 2024, Smith handed down 100-page ruling saying a new sentencing is unwarranted. “The court will not set aside the jury’s unanimous verdict by imposing an impossibly high standard for the performance of death penalty trial counsel some fifteen years after-the-fact,” Smith wrote. The trial attorney’s performance, she wrote, was “eminently reasonable at the time” and as such didn’t violate Runyon’s right to effective counsel. Smith’s ruling meant the 2009 jury’s death sentence would stand. But with Biden’s commutations Monday, that ruling is now moot. Runyon now gets several life sentences without the possibility of parole, which is what his lawyers have been pushing for more than a decade. Runyon now has identical sentences as both Catherina Voss and Draven. Voss, 49, is locked up at a federal prison in Alabama, while Draven, 44, is at a federal prison in California. Peter Dujardin, 757-897-2062, pdujardin@dailypress.com Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Police identify Hampton man found dead at Great Dismal Swamp Police identify Hampton man found dead at Great Dismal Swamp 45 years ago, a Virginia Beach woman was killed. Her family is still waiting for answers. 45 years ago, a Virginia Beach woman was killed. Her family is still waiting for answers. Hampton considers accessory dwelling units as solution to housing shortage Hampton considers accessory dwelling units as solution to housing shortage Man sentenced to life in prison for drug-robbery slaying of popular skateboarder Man sentenced to life in prison for drug-robbery slaying of popular skateboarder David Teel: Why Norfolk State? For Michael Vick, the 757 is home David Teel: Why Norfolk State? 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Article content Earlier this year, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into more than three-quarters of a million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles from model years 2021 to 2023 to understand the source of reported under-hood fires. Now, some owners are taking Jeep to task over the issue by turning to the American legal system. In a complaint filed south of the border, plaintiffs from states ranging from Kentucky and Tennessee to Oregon and California are seeking unspecified damages and a fix to the alleged defect. Those bringing the suit to court say they would not have bought the models in question, or paid significantly less for them, had they known about such issues. In nine reported incidents with one reported injury, conflagration – ahem, fiery – incidents may have occurred while the vehicles had their ignitions turned off, though some are said to have caught fire whilst running. It is suggested an electrical connector at the power steering pump contributes to the problem. Online searches for dockets and filings tell us this legal challenge is titled ‘Graves et al v. FCA US LLC,’ and was launched on November 7 of this year with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Fun fact: it cost a fee of $405 to do so, not counting whatever untold rate is being charged by the phalanx of lawyers listed in the proceeding. The name “Graves” listed in the lawsuit seems to refer one Jeff Graves of California. Interestingly, there is also a historical record of one Robert Graves bringing legal action against Jeep back in 2021 for a litany of complaints about his 2014 Jeep Cherokee. There is nothing to say he is related to the Jeff Graves whose name headlines this latest legal challenge against the brand, but they did both own Jeeps and are both listed in court documents as being from California. (There are, of course, also nearly 40 million people living in California.) The plaintiffs in this case seek to represent a national class of buyers and lessees of the allegedly affected Jeeps in the United States. This lawsuit raises legal claims including a so-called breach of warranty and unjust enrichment for the automaker. Graves et al are looking for remedies including a repair for the alleged defect; restitution; and everyone’s absolute favourite legal ask, damages. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.Looking At Datadog's Recent Unusual Options Activity

NEW YORK, Dec 15: An OpenAI researcher-turned-whistleblower has been found dead in his San Francisco apartment, authorities confirmed. The body of 26-year-old Suchir Balaji was discovered on November 26, after police received a call requesting a welfare check on him. The San Francisco medical examiner's office ruled his death a suicide, and there was no evidence of foul play. In the months leading up to his death, Balaji had publicly criticized OpenAI's practices. The company has been facing multiple lawsuits over its data-gathering methods. In October, the New York Times published an interview with Balaji, where he accused OpenAI of violating US copyright law while developing its popular ChatGPT chatbot. According to the article, after working at OpenAI for four years as a researcher, Balaji concluded that the company’s use of copyrighted data to train ChatGPT was illegal and that technologies like ChatGPT were harming the internet. OpenAI, however, maintains that its models are "trained on publicly available data." Balaji left OpenAI in August and told the New York Times that he had been focusing on personal projects since then. He was originally from Cupertino, California, and went on to study computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. In response to the news, an OpenAI spokesperson expressed deep sorrow, stating, "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today, and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," as reported by CNBC News. OpenAI is currently facing lawsuits from U.S. and Canadian news publishers, including the New York Times, and a group of prominent authors, including John Grisham. The lawsuits allege that OpenAI illegally used news articles to train its software. In November, OpenAI told the BBC that its software is "grounded in fair use and related international copyright principles that are fair for creators and support innovation."

When considering a new micro-entrepreneurship opportunity, it’s natural to have questions about its legitimacy and potential for success. QNET, a global lifestyle and wellness company, has attracted interest and scrutiny, which raises the question: Is QNET safe to invest in? As the company’s independent representatives can attest: Yes, it is. Becoming an independent representative with QNET is something anyone can afford: Its independent representatives’ only real investment is the time they take to build their customer base. The IRs purchase the QNET products and then sell them to make commissions. The direct selling industry offers opportunities regardless of an individual’s gender, age, educational background, or socioeconomic status. The company’s independent representatives operate as autonomous contractors, distributing its diverse product range. These entrepreneurs can develop their businesses and market QNET’s items, from luxury Swiss timepieces to health supplements. Trevor Kuna, the company’s chief marketing officer, stated: “The act of direct selling is closer to being an entrepreneur than a traditional job. That’s because it’s not rigid, doesn’t keep office hours, and can be done from anywhere.” For QNET, business success is not measured solely in monetary terms. Over its 26 years of operation, the company has consistently prioritized making a meaningful difference. It strives to contribute positively to global ecology and human welfare through various environmental sustainability programs and social impact projects. Is QNET Safe To Invest In? QNET independent representatives do not invest in the traditional sense; instead, they purchase a product they personally value and then sell it to others to earn commissions. The primary “investment” involved is one’s time and effort, rather than financial capital. It is a safe opportunity for those who understand the nature of direct selling and are willing to put in the necessary effort to build their business. QNET is not a scam or get-rich-quick scheme, but an opportunity for those willing to invest their time and energy into creating a sustainable business. Its transparent compensation plan and clear outline of initial investments empower independent representatives to make informed financial decisions. However, potential independent representatives should also be aware of the challenges inherent in direct selling, including the need for self-motivation, sales skills, and the ability to build and maintain a customer base. “QNET is not for those who are looking for overnight success. This is evident in the success stories we share. Every one of the top distributors that our network looks up to today started with nothing and built their businesses slowly but steadily,” explains QNET Deputy CEO Jean Francois Huertas. “It took them years to get to where they are today. They are our best ambassadors for the message that success at QNET takes hard work and consistent effort over a period of time.” The company operates in over 25 countries, and its business activities are subject to regulatory oversight in each market. The company emphasizes its commitment to compliance with local laws and regulations, an essential factor to consider when evaluating the safety and legitimacy of an entrepreneurial opportunity. The company’s global presence allows independent representatives to tap into local and international markets, expanding their customer base. However, it’s worth noting that the company has faced allegations and scrutiny in some markets, primarily due to misunderstandings about how direct selling works. The company actively addresses these issues and works to clarify misconceptions about its business model. The level of training and support provided by the company is crucial for those considering joining QNET as independent representatives. It offers comprehensive, multilingual training programs designed to equip its representatives with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their businesses. These training initiatives cover various aspects, including upstanding selling practices, product knowledge, and business management skills. For instance, the company’s QNETPRO initiative focuses on educating independent representatives about ethical business practices and ensuring compliance with the company’s strict code of conduct. The company also provides ongoing support through a global network of peers, regular online training sessions, webinars, and leadership programs. This support system aims to help independent representatives feel connected and supported as they build their businesses. Emphasis on High-Quality, Diverse Products When considering joining QNET, prospective independent representatives have the opportunity to align their personal and professional aspirations with a dynamic direct selling model. The company offers a diverse range of high-quality products that cater to various market needs, allowing independent representatives to select items they are passionate about promoting. QNET has invested significantly in developing its product lines and collaborating with international experts to create exclusive brands. For example, the HomePure Zayn is a six-stage air purification system designed in Switzerland. It features advanced filtration technology that can remove 99.94% of airborne viruses. The European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation has recommended it. Another notable in the company’s portfolio is the Bernhard H. Mayer luxury watch brand. These Swiss-made timepieces are known for their craftsmanship and commitment to environmental sustainability. The Omni Watch from this line was recognized as the Most Sustainable Watch Brand of the Year at the 4th International Diamond Awards, highlighting its dedication to quality and responsible production. Ultimately, the decision to join QNET as an independent representative should be based on a careful evaluation of these factors, along with a realistic assessment of one’s own abilities and commitment to building a business in the direct selling industry. By approaching this opportunity with realistic expectations, potential independent representatives can make an informed choice about whether QNET aligns with their entrepreneurial aspirations.Vanguard to Offer New Options for Meeting Investors' Short-Term Liquidity NeedsASPI Stock Falls For Third Day As Short-Seller Pressure Persists Despite CEO Rebuttal: Retail Buys The Dip

As we enter the holiday shopping season with too-good-to-be-true deals, particularly with high-traffic days like Christmas, cybercriminals are primed to exploit shoppers' excitement for deals. In today's world of AI-driven phishing scams, if impeccable grammar and flawless writing are enough to bypass your email filter and fool your defenses, then you might already be at a disadvantage. These sophisticated scams are now operating at lightning speed, outpacing even your coffee machine on a hectic Monday morning! They've got grammar, style and charm — pretty soon, they'll know your Starbucks order too. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.Global Survey Highlights Growth in Crypto Awareness, Nigeria Accounts For Top Crypto Ownership

The Nigerian All-Share Index (ASI) closed the trading session on November 22, 2024, in negative territory, shedding 163.53 points to settle at 97,829.02—a modest decline of 0.17%. Adding to the subdued performance, trading volume fell by 21.60%, with only 366 million shares exchanged—a significant drop from the 467 million shares traded in the previous session. On the gainers’ chart, EUNISELL emerged as the star performer, surging by 9.99% to claim the top spot. Related Stories Market Wrap: AUSTINLAZ and WAPCO lead gains as All-Share Index rises by 0.26%; NNFM, RTBRISCOE lag Market Wrap: JOHNHOLT tops gainers as ASI edges up 0.03%; MECURE, TIP drag market Following closely were AUSTINLAZ and HMCALL, which posted impressive gains of 9.92% and 9.91%, respectively, showcasing strong investor confidence in these equities. Conversely, the decliners’ list was led by MECURE and MULTIVERSE, which faced sharp losses of 9.83% and 9.03%, respectively, as bearish sentiment weighed heavily on their prices. In terms of activity, FBN Holdings (FBNH) and Guinea Insurance (GUINEAINS) commanded the trading floor, emerging as the most actively traded stocks of the day. Market Summary Current ASI: 97,829.02 points Previous ASI: 97,992.55 points Day Change: -0.17% Year-to-Date Performance: +30.83% Volume Traded: 366 million shares Deals: 9,677 Top 5 gainers EUNISELL: up 9.99% to N19.27 AUSTINLAZ: up 9.92% to N2.66 HMCALL: up 9.91% to N5.10 THOMASWY: up 9.77% to N1.91 TANTALIZER: up 9.26% to N1.18 Top 5 losers MECURE: down 9.83% to N10.55 MULTIVERSE: down 9.03% to N6.55 DAARCOMM: down 8.82% to N0.62 FBNH: down 5.75% to N25.40 WAPCO: down 5.26% to N54.00 Activity in the Nigerian equities market softened as daily trading volume dipped by 21.60%. Investors exchanged 366 million shares, a significant drop from the 467 million shares recorded in the previous session, signalling reduced market engagement. FBN Holdings (FBNH) dominated the trading session, with an impressive 42.4 million shares changing hands, cementing its position as the day’s most actively traded stock. Hot on its heels was Guinea Insurance (GUINEAINS), which saw 34.9 million shares traded. Other notable players in the volume chart included PRESTIGE with 27 million shares, CUTIX with 21.9 million shares, and ZENITHBANK, which rounded out the top five with 15.7 million shares. On the value front, FBNH also claimed the spotlight, driving trade worth a substantial N1.1 billion. UBA followed, recording an impressive N466.7 million in transaction value. ARADEL and ZENITHBANK demonstrated robust investor interest, contributing N465.8 million and N455.2 million, respectively, to the day’s trading value. WAPCO rounded out the top five, attracting transactions worth N437.5 million, underscoring its continued appeal among investors. In the SWOOT category—featuring stocks with market capitalizations exceeding N1 trillion—OANDO emerged as the lone gainer, advancing by 1.67%. On the other hand, the FUGAZ stocks, which include FBN Holdings (FBNH), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Access Holdings (ACCESSCORP), and Zenith Bank (ZENITHBANK), ended the session in the red. FBNH led the declines with a significant drop of 5.75%, followed by UBA and ACCESSCORP, which slipped by 1.67% and 0.43%, respectively. Notably, GTCO saw no price movement, maintaining a flat close. Despite the day’s decline, the Nigerian equity market shows strong potential for recovery, supported by sustained rallies and solid Q3 earnings across various sectors, which are expected to drive upward momentum. This, in turn, could bolster broader market participation and set the stage for gains in upcoming sessions.

GIRONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Jude Bellingham was not injured after his midfielder asked to substituted for what appeared to be a left thigh issue during a 3-0 win at Girona in La Liga on Saturday. “Bellingham is fine,” Ancelotti said. “He was just a bit tired and preferred not to risk anything in the final minutes.” That means Bellingham should be available when Madrid visits Atalanta on Tuesday in the Champions League, where it has lost three of five matches. Bellingham led Madrid's win after extending his scoring run to five consecutive league games for Madrid. He then set up Arda Guler to double the lead. The England midfielder asked to leave the match after he went down following contact with a Girona player with half an hour left. He rubbed his inner left thigh while he remained on the turf before walking off when replaced by Dani Ceballos with Madrid winning 2-0. Kylian Mbappé added a third goal after Bellingham was on the bench. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerBSL Stock Hits 52-Week High at $14.62 Amid Positive Market SentimentVANCOUVER — British Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput.

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Saudi Arabia has been unveiling quite a few impressive constructions and structures recently, and they don’t seem to be slowing down. They recently announced another project – a massive and impressive stadium that is supposed to be the world’s largest once constructed. It is designed to mimic a seed germinating in the desert. Populous unveiled the plans for the stadium called the King Salman Stadium and Masterplan. It will be located in Riyadh, near a big park area that is under construction at the moment. Designer: The stadium will include a circular building consisting of segmented sections with green walls and green roof spaces. The roof will also include walking paths. It will be able to seat over 92,00o, making it the largest stadium in Saudi Arabia and one of the largest in the world. It will contain the main seating, a royal box, hospitality skyboxes, and lounges. It will also hold 2,200 VIP seats and 300 “VVIP” seats. It will be integrated with internal screens, climbing walls, gardens, and an aquatics center with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a small athletic stadium. The stadium will also include a running track. The structure is heavily inspired by Saudi Arabia’s natural landscapes, and it will resemble seeds emerging from the Earth, thereby showcasing the country’s initiative to encourage sports participation. “Inspiration for the design is drawn from Saudi Arabia’s mesmerizing natural landscape, with the symbolic concept of each venue within the masterplan representing a seed that germinates, cracks the earth, and emerges as a dynamic yet seemingly natural intervention,” said Populous. “The planting of these ‘seeds’ symbolizes Saudi Arabia’s commitment to nurturing and growing sports participation across the country, from the grassroots to the elite level.” The stadium is expected to be completed in late 2029, and it will function as the primary headquarters for the national soccer team. The King Salman Stadium and Masterplan is a part of a whole bunch of stadiums that are currently being constructed in Saudi Arabia – they’re being designed by Populous as well.online game in philippines 。

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year so far. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan’s Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump’s preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders are still confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They’re betting on a nearly three-in-four chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. The key report this week that could guide the Fed’s next move will arrive on Friday. It’s the monthly jobs report , which will show how many workers U.S. employers hired and fired during November. It could be difficult to parse given how much storms and strikes distorted figures in October. Based on trading in the options market, Friday’s jobs report appears to be the biggest potential market mover until the Fed announces its next decision on interest rates Dec. 18, according to strategists at Barclays Capital. In financial markets abroad, the value of South Korea’s currency fell 1.1% against the U.S. dollar following a frenetic night where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and then later said he’d lift it after lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Stocks of Korean companies that trade in the United States also fell, including a 1.6% drop for SK Telecom. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead global markets. Some analysts think Japanese stocks could end up benefiting from Trump’s threats to raise tariffs , including for goods coming from China . Trade relations between the U.S. and China took another step backward after China said it is banning exports to the U.S. of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The counterpunch came swiftly after the U.S. Commerce Department expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software. The 140 companies newly included in the so-called “entity list” are nearly all based in China. In China, stock indexes rose 1% in Hong Kong and 0.4% in Shanghai amid unconfirmed reports that Chinese leaders would meet next week to discuss planning for the coming year. Investors are hoping it may bring fresh stimulus to help spur growth in the world’s second-largest economy. In France, the CAC 40 rose 0.3% amid continued worries about politics in Paris , where the government is battling over the budget. AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.Plea Filed In Supreme Court Seeking Probe In US Indictment Of Gautam AdaniElon Musk Named Innovation Newsmaker of the Year 2024: How His Vision Reshapes the World

15 small and discreet tattoo ideas with big meanings to inspire youVan Lith scores 17 to help No. 11 TCU women beat Brown 79-47BJP stands firm on Congress-Soros links, rejects calls for apologyAustralian Senate begins debate on world-first social media ban for children under 16

Liberal GST holiday expected to pass soon as government introduces solo billOlema Oncology Reports Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns running back Jerome Ford left Sunday’s game against the Dolphins following a run with 6:06 left in the second quarter and the game tied at 3. Ford was tackled by for no gain by linebacker Chop Robinson and defensive tackle Zach Sieler on a play wiped out by a hold on right guard Wyatt Teller. Ford tried to hop off the field on his left leg but went down before he could get to the sideline. He was helped off the field by the training staff, still putting no weight on his right leg. More Cleveland Browns coverage Giants beat Colts, 45-33, which moves Browns up the 2025 NFL Draft order Browns vs. Dolphins: Live updates and highlights from Week 17 Browns QB Jameis Winston inactive 3rd QB again with Bailey Zappe as No. 2; Tyler Huntley to start for Dolphins Week 17 NFL Preview: Find everything you need to know with our Week 17 NFL preview. Ford was able to walk back to the locker room, but was announced as questionable to return with an ankle injury. He rushed six times for 22 yards before leaving the game. Last week, for rushed for 66 yards on the first play of the game against the Bengals. He finished the game with 11 carries for 92 yards and had 39 receiving yards on five catches. Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com's Browns reporters.

Met Office forecasters have issued a new weather warning for wind in as Storm Darragh continues to wreak havoc across the UK. Road closures, event cancellations and public transport delays have been experienced across the county so far this weekend as the result of strong winds. An when the storm first arrived in the UK. Gusts of over 50mph have battered much of the county since, reaching closer to 60mph along Kent's coastline. The first yellow weather alert is due to be lifted at 6am tomorrow (December 8), at which time it will be replaced with another Met Office warning. Again for wind, and covering all of Kent, this yellow warning will be in effect for 12 hours - ending at 6pm tomorrow evening. Forecasters have said that Storm Darragh’s strong winds will gradually ease throughout the day, but could still result in further disruption. Weather maps show maximum wind gusts of up to 60mph in Kent on Sunday, once more feeling strongest in coastal areas such as , and . Elsewhere in Kent, speeds between 53mph and 55mph are expected for towns including , , and . By the afternoon, these will have dropped to below 50mph for the majority of the county and will continue to wind down for the remainder of the day. Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Willington said: “Storm Darragh will gradually ease from late morning as it crosses the UK, so the strongest winds in the west will start to reduce through Saturday. As the low pressure moves away to the east, colder northerly winds will move across the UK bringing the risk of overnight frosts and some wintry showers over high ground in the north on Sunday. “By Monday high pressure becomes centred over the north of the UK and conditions will become much more settled.” While the new warning is in place on Sunday, the public is urged to prepare for further travel disruption, including to rail, bus, ferry and air journeys. Roads may once again see closures, high-sided vehicles on exposed routes could be subject to delays and fallen trees could block busy carriageways. Forecasters have also warned of some short-term losses of power or other services, such as phone signal. To best prepare for the expected disruption, those needing to travel are being urged to check their full routes before departing and keeping an eye on bus and train timetables, amending travel plans if required. To reduce the impact of power cuts, pre-emptively gather torches and batteries, charge phones as well as power packs and stock up on other essentials, forecasters say. Kent has already been hit hard by the storm, with the today (December 7), railway lines disrupted and multiple pre-planned events cancelled.

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:05 p.m. ESTGenerating passive income can help you become more financially free. As your passive income grows, you'll become less reliant on your job to help meet your financial needs. Those savoring the idea of becoming more financially independent have many ways to increase their passive income. Investing in dividend stocks can be a great way to help satisfy your craving for more passive income. Three mouthwatering ones to consider for those hungry for more income in the next year are Kraft Heinz ( KHC 0.43% ) , PepsiCo ( PEP 0.29% ) , and Mondelez International ( MDLZ 0.60% ) . A tasty dividend Kraft Heinz currently pays an appetizing dividend. The food company, which owns the iconic Heinz, Philadelphia, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Ore-Ida, Velveeta, and Lunchables brands, currently has a dividend yield of 5.2%. That's several times higher than the S&P 500 's dividend yield (1.2%). This higher rate will certainly satisfy your appetite for more income. For perspective, every $100 invested into Kraft Heinz stock would produce about $5.20 of dividend income each year compared to about $1.20 for a similar investment in an S&P 500 index fund. Higher-yielding dividends are often at a higher risk of reduction. That has been the case with Kraft's dividend in the past. It reduced its payout by 36% in 2019 to its current level to retain more cash for debt reduction and greater financial flexibility. That strategy has been a success. The company's leverage ratio is currently below its 3 times target (2.9 times at the end of the third quarter). On top of that, Kraft produces ample free cash flow to cover its current dividend level ($2 billion in free cash through the first nine months of the year compared to nearly $1.5 billion in dividend payments). That gave it the financial flexibility to repurchase $350 million of its shares. Meanwhile, the company expects its earnings and free cash flow to rise over the long term, which should enhance the sustainability of its high-yielding dividend. Delighting dividend investors for more than 50 years PepsiCo owns several well-known global food and beverage brands, including Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. Many of those iconic brands generate over $1 billion in annual retail sales. The company has a remarkable record of paying dividends. Whereas Kraft Heinz has had to cut its payment in the past, PepsiCo has increased its dividend for 52 years in a row. That qualifies it as a Dividend King , a company with 50 or more years of consecutive annual dividend increases. It currently offers a dividend yield of 3.5%. PepsiCo is on track to pay investors $7.2 billion in dividends this year. It also plans to return another $1 billion in cash to shareholders through share repurchases. The company can easily afford to return that money to investors thanks to its strong cash flow and balance sheet (it had about $8 billion of cash and short-term investments at the end of Q3 ). Meanwhile, with its earnings continuing to grow, PepsiCo should continue its reign as a leading dividend stock. Satisfying investors' craving for more income Mondelez owns several well-known snacking brands. Oreo, Milka, Cadbury, Ritz, Chips Ahoy!, and Clif all generate over $1 billion in annual sales. It's the world's largest biscuit seller and has the second-largest share of the global chocolate market. The global snacking giant currently pays a dividend yielding 3.1%. The company has grown its payout at a more than 10% annual rate over the last five years, including by 11% earlier this year. Mondelez produces lots of cash. It generated $2.5 billion in free cash flow through the first nine months of the year . That easily covered its dividend outlay ($1.7 billion). It used that excess free cash and its strong balance sheet to repurchase $1.2 billion of its stock. The company's growing cash flow should allow it to continue boosting its dividend. Satiating income stocks Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo, and Mondelez pay high-yielding dividends. Because of that, you can generate more passive income for every dollar you invest in these dividend stocks compared to the market's average. That would go a long way to help satisfy your desire to generate more passive income in 2025.Plea Filed In Supreme Court Seeking Probe In US Indictment Of Gautam Adani

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As the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, Alibaba remains focused on enhancing its fire prevention and emergency response capabilities to prevent similar incidents in the future. The company's proactive approach to addressing the challenges posed by the data center fire will be closely monitored by industry observers and stakeholders as a test of its resilience and preparedness in facing unforeseen disruptions.

Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, a key figure in Yoon's administration, has also been implicated in the scandal. As a trusted ally of the president, his involvement in the alleged wrongdoing has further tarnished the reputation of the government and its top officials. The decision to include him on the arrest list has sent shockwaves through the military establishment and raised concerns about the country's national security.

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Life of Valor, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, has captured the hearts of players around the world with its intricate storyline, stunning graphics, and immersive gameplay. For years, the development team at Sora has been working tirelessly to create new content and updates to keep the game fresh and engaging. However, with the growing demand for customization and personalization in gaming, Sora has decided to take a revolutionary step by allowing users to create and share their own content within the game.Deepfake: Growing menace and complex security concernOne of the most intriguing aspects of the update is the introduction of new challenging gameplay mechanics that will test the skills and strategic thinking of players. From intense boss battles to intricate puzzles and obstacles, players can expect to be fully immersed in a world that demands creativity, quick reflexes, and mastery of combat techniques. The developers have promised a truly engaging and rewarding gameplay experience that will push players to their limits.In the aftermath of the fire, Alibaba reiterated its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of security and reliability for its cloud services. The incident served as a reminder of the importance of comprehensive disaster preparedness and effective risk management strategies in safeguarding critical infrastructure.

Regardless of what the future holds for Halo: Treasure Hunter, one thing is certain - the creativity and innovation of the Halo team knows no bounds. By reimagining Master Chief as Dr. Jones, they have once again demonstrated their ability to surprise and captivate audiences, keeping fans eagerly anticipating each new release.In the end, after a hard-fought battle that left both teams exhausted and exhilarated, the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match. The Iron Wolves Team emerged victorious, their determination and teamwork paying off in a hard-earned victory over their rivals.

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Brendan Rodgers praises Celtic and Cameron Carter-Vickers’ mentalityQuest Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Columbia Banking System, Inc. ( NASDAQ:COLB – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 26,146 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $683,000. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Columbia Banking System by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,327,719 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $432,041,000 after purchasing an additional 574,509 shares during the last quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new stake in Columbia Banking System during the first quarter worth about $867,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Columbia Banking System by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 108,148 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,093,000 after acquiring an additional 6,351 shares in the last quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Columbia Banking System by 21.4% in the 1st quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC now owns 4,468,643 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $86,468,000 after acquiring an additional 788,383 shares during the period. Finally, Interval Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of Columbia Banking System during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,829,000. Institutional investors own 92.53% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on COLB. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Columbia Banking System from $25.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Columbia Banking System from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 5th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Columbia Banking System from $29.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Columbia Banking System from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Columbia Banking System from $29.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Columbia Banking System has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $27.12. Columbia Banking System Trading Up 3.2 % COLB opened at $31.64 on Friday. Columbia Banking System, Inc. has a 1-year low of $17.08 and a 1-year high of $31.86. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $27.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $23.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.63 billion, a PE ratio of 13.70 and a beta of 0.62. Columbia Banking System ( NASDAQ:COLB – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The financial services provider reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $765.06 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $478.80 million. Columbia Banking System had a return on equity of 10.13% and a net margin of 16.15%. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.79 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Columbia Banking System, Inc. will post 2.63 EPS for the current year. Columbia Banking System Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Friday, November 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.36 per share. This represents a $1.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 29th. Columbia Banking System’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.34%. Columbia Banking System Profile ( Free Report ) Columbia Banking System, Inc operates as the holding company of Umpqua Bank that provides banking, private banking, mortgage, and other financial services in the United States. The company offers deposit products, including business, non-interest bearing checking, interest-bearing checking and savings, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts; and insured cash sweep and other investment sweep solutions. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COLB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Columbia Banking System, Inc. ( NASDAQ:COLB – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Columbia Banking System Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Columbia Banking System and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .DEADLINE ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims on Behalf of Investors of DENTSPLY SIRONA

COP 29: Here's what to know about the new funding deal at UN climate talks‘Not good enough’: Meta probe flagged as fake Albanese makes Facebook comebackPINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Quintell Quinn ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns to lead Texas Southern to a 31-23 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. Quinn scored on a 32-yard run to open the scoring midway through the first quarter, and his 75-yard touchdown run gave Texas Southern a 17-13 lead with 6:59 remaining in the third. A little more than three minutes later, Jace Wilson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Trenton Leary that stretched the Tigers' lead to 24-13. Athean Renfro added 55 yards rushing with a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter for Texas Southern (5-6, 4-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference). DJ Stevenson threw a touchdown pass and an interception for Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-8, 2-6). Abdulbasit Osholake had an 80-yard pick-6 that tied it 7-all late in the second quarter for the Lions. ___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Lawyers, loyalists and Wall Street executives: a look at who's on Trump's tariff teamNo. 3 USC welcomed its first sell-out crowd of the season Saturday, looking to build off the excitement of its first Pac-12 title in a decade and first Elite Eight appearance in three years. Instead, No. 6 Notre Dame came into USC’s house and poured cold water all over the Trojans’ early ambitions. In a game between top-10 teams, USC appeared overmatched by the Fighting Irish, falling behind early and losing contact in the fourth quarter, as Notre Dame won 74-61 and collected arguably the most impressive win of the young college basketball season. Advertisement The nation’s two best sophomores showed out, as Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 24 points and eight assists and JuJu Watkins had 24 points and five assists for the Trojans. However, it was Notre Dame’s defense that set the tone. The Irish flew all over the court, limiting USC to 10 first-quarter points and 35.8 percent shooting for the day. Hannah Hidalgo steal ➡️ Hannah Hidalgo bucket. 🔥 Doing it ALL for @NDWBB . 📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/pD8FCc2Kve — On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) November 23, 2024 Notre Dame forced 21 turnovers, scoring 22 points off those miscues, and was particularly effective in slowing down Kiki Iriafen . The preseason All-American was repeatedly bothered by Kate Koval at the rim and could often barely hold on to the ball into the post due to digs from the Irish guards. Meanwhile, Notre Dame got a stellar performance from its second star, as Olivia Miles controlled the tempo, had three steals and created multiple looks for her teammates on drives and kicks. Miles added 20 points, including four 3-pointers, as she showed off her jumper in front of the many WNBA personnel in attendance. A WALKING BUCKET @oliviamiles06 with a tied career-high of 4⃣ 3-pointers, her second straight game with 4 of them 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/OuEqRDCVls — Notre Dame Women's Basketball (@ndwbb) November 23, 2024 This story will be updated. Required reading (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)

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online game meaning Australia Is Banning Social Media For Teens. Should Canada Do The Same? #Australia #Banning #Social #Media #Teens. #Canada #Same? #Apple #Samsung #Google #AI #Chat #GPT #Cyber #SecurityNEW YORK — Stoli Group USA, the owner of the namesake vodka , has filed for bankruptcy as it struggled to contend with slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack that has snarled its operations and several years of fighting Russia in court. The company in its bankruptcy filing said it is “experiencing financial difficulties” and lists between $50 million and $100 million in liabilities. Stoli vodka and Kentucky Owl bourbon will continue to be available on store shelves while the company navigates the Chapter 11 process, which only pertains to its U.S. business. Until 2022, Stoli was sold as Stolichnaya in the United States, which loosely translates to “capital city” in Russian. The company shortened its title following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and boycotts against Russian-branded vodkas . Stoli Group’s founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, was exiled from that nation in 2000 because of his opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Intel announced on December 2 that CEO Pat Gelsinger has resigned after a difficult stint at the company. The once-dominant chipmaker’s stock cratered as it missed the AI boom and was surpassed by most of its rivals. The liquor has long been marketed as a Russian vodka, but its production facilities have been in Latvia for several decades. Stoli Group is a unit of Luxembourg-based SPI Group, which owns other spirit and wine brands. “The Stoli Group has been targeted by the Russian Federation since it was formed nearly 25 years ago,” said Stoli Group CEO Chris Caldwell in a statement. “Earlier this year the company and our owner were both named by the Russian state as ‘extremist groups working against Russia’s interests.’” Its ongoing legal battle with the Russia government has forced Stoli to “spend dozens of millions of dollars on this long-term court battle across the globe with the Russian authorities,” according to its court filing. Caldwell also said that Stoli’s global operations has been a “victim of a malicious cyber attack” that has forced the company to operate “entirely manually while the systems are rebuilt.” A slowdown in demand for alcohol has crushed several company’s bottom lines following the pandemic when people were stuck at home and stocked up. Stoli’s filings said that it has seen a “decline and softening of demand for alcohol and spirits products post-Covid and especially beginning in 2023 and continuing into 2024.” Stoli Group USA, maker of Stoli vodka, has filed for bankruptcy due to slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack, and ongoing legal battles with Russia. The-CNN-WireTM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

Spaid, Winner of CES Innovation Awards for Redefining the Future of Geospatial with AI, to Unveil AI Solution and OpenAI Platform at CES 2025THE POWER OF ALLO'S ALL-FIBER NETWORK COMING TO FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA

President-elect Donald Trump is adopting a wide-ranging legal strategy in suing media companies over what he describes as false or misleading coverage about him, filing cases under civil anti-fraud laws in addition to defamation lawsuits. Some legal experts say the cases appear aimed at punishing outlets for critical coverage, and that the novel legal strategies are an effort to get past steep hurdles in defamation lawsuits, which can be difficult for public figures in the US to win. Trump has said the lawsuits, three of which were filed in the past year, are necessary because media companies are “very dishonest” and need to be held accountable. “President Trump will continue to hold those who have committed, and are committing wrongdoings, accountable for blatantly false and dishonest reporting, which serves no public interest and only seeks to interfere in our elections on behalf of political partisans,” Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to Reuters when asked about the president-elect’s legal strategy. Trump has one pending defamation case and is appealing a loss in another. His legal campaign against the media also includes at least two lawsuits brought under unfair trade practices laws and civil anti-fraud statutes aimed at protecting consumers from subpar products. Media advocacy groups said Trump’s use of such laws against news outlets could be a way of circumventing legal protections for the press, which can only be held liable for defamation against public figures if they say something they knew or should have known was false. Trump on Monday told reporters he planned to aggressively pursue defamation cases against journalists. He followed through that night by suing the Des Moines Register newspaper in Iowa state court over an opinion poll by the newspaper that showed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris ahead of Trump before the Nov. 5 election – but not for defamation. He instead brought his case under Iowa’s deceptive and unfair trade practices law, which makes it illegal to deceive or mislead consumers in the sale of merchandise, the Reuters report adds. Trump’s lawsuit said millions of Americans “were deceived by the doctored Harris Poll.” The Register acknowledged in a statement that the poll did not reflect Trump’s ultimate margin of victory but said it stands by its reporting and believes the lawsuit is meritless. On Monday, Trump also mentioned his ongoing $10 billion lawsuit against CBS over the network’s October “60 Minutes” interview with Harris, which Trump said was deceptively edited. CBS said in a statement that it did not mislead the public and believes the lawsuit is meritless. Suing media companies under different laws could avoid some of the obstacles that often doom defamation cases, but it still carries risks, legal experts said. “This is creative lawyering. It doesn’t mean that it’s easier to win these other kinds of cases,” said Ilya Shapiro of the conservative Manhattan Institute. Iowa’s consumer protection law, for instance, requires plaintiffs to prove a business knowingly did something deceptive and intended it to influence consumers. Some legal experts said Trump could have a hard time convincing a judge that news coverage aimed at selling newspapers fits under laws typically wielded against businesses that swindle consumers. In a long line of cases, courts have rejected efforts to bring what are essentially defamation cases under the guise of other laws. Trump’s lawsuits could still saddle news outlets with litigation costs and force them to turn over potentially embarrassing internal documents. Some experts said it would be corrosive to press freedoms if judges allow the cases to proceed. If courts allowed Trump to use consumer protection laws to go after news outlets, for instance, it could open the door for state attorneys general to open official investigations using their broad authority to police the marketplace.

Trudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister saysIsrael strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while WHO chief says he was meters away3alexd Investment thesis I previously covered Aspen Aerogels (NYSE: ASPN ), a company that produces thermal insulation materials that have applications in the oil and gas and electric vehicle industries. In that article I delved into the company's positive points, applications and Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

New Delhi: After months of gruelling election campaigns from Lok Sabha polls 2024 to Assembly elections, Sunday marked a relaxing and refreshing weekend for the Gandhi family. Rahul and Priyanka, both Congress MPs from Rae Bareli and Wayanad Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively, took a break from their official engagements and assembled at the city’s iconic Kwality restaurant, to spend some ‘family time’ together. They were accompanied by mother Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka’s husband Robert Varda, daughter Miraya Vadra and also her mother-in-law. The whole Gandhi family gathered at the Kwality restaurant to gorge on chole-bhature and other lip-smacking dishes. Rahul also shared some photos of the family sitting and dining together, on his WhatsApp status. The images, as landed on social media, also elicited many likes and comments from the netizens, many of whom hailed the family sharing some special moments on the dining table. In the photos, Rahul and family could be seen sitting in a cozy space of the restaurant and flaunting broad smiles on their faces. Sonia Gandhi is also seen sharing a smile while Robert Vadra flaunting a fully-bloated bhatura. Putting the photos on his status, Rahul wrote, “Family lunch at the iconic Kwality Restaurant.” “Try the Chole Bhature if you go,” he said further in an advice to the foodies. The picture also makes for a powerful frame as it represents three Parliamentarians in a single snap, the largest ever representation from the Gandhi family. Rahul Gandhi is Leader of Opposition (LoP) as well as MP from Rae Bareli, his sister Priyanka is MP from Wayanad while mother Sonia Gandhi — a former Congress president — is a Rajya Sabha member. For the unversed, the Kwality restaurant situated in Delhi’s Connaught Place was patronised by American soldiers in the pre-Independence era. For many decades, the restaurant has remained a favourite food joint for connoisseurs because of its eclectic variety of multi-continental cuisines. The chola-bhatura served at the restaurant remains one of the most sold-out items for generations. Many of its regular customers include celebrities from varied fields, including Bollywood. Late actress Nargis was a regular visitor here.Top 5 mistakes that could expose your financial data to cybercriminals

The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.

Oklahoma State's 3-point accuracy sends Miami to defeatRUBEN AMORIM is on a mission to steer crisis-hit Manchester United away from relegation as he ruled out a European finish. The Red Devils conceded directly from a corner AGAIN for Matheus Cunha ’s opener — with keeper Andre Onana at fault . 5 Ruben Amorim gave a shock reply when asked about making Europe Credit: Getty 5 Matheus Cunha embarrassed Andre Onana by scoring with a corner Credit: AFP 5 Bruno Fernandes saw red just 90 seconds into the second period Credit: Reuters Then sub Hee Chan Hwang struck in injury- time at a foggy Molineux. Bruno Fernandes was sent off at 0-0 — the United’s skipper’s third dismissal of the season — for two yellow cards. Defeat leaves United 14th — eight points above the bottom three. Asked about the prospect of relegation, Amorim said: “We just have to survive and to win sometimes, to work on the team. “We have tough games and it’s a long journey. Like I said on the first day, we have to continue and we have to fight the bad moments because this is part of football. READ MORE ON MAN UTD 'MAKE YOUR OWN MIND UP' Amorim gives worrying update on axed star Rashford's Man Utd future "When you don’t have the results, it is even harder for them to believe.” Asked about European qualification, Amorim said: “No, no, no, no. “We have to work on a lot of things in our club inside the pitch, outside the pitch. “Let’s focus on each game and use every minute of training to improve the team.” Most read in Football TV TREAT Former Rangers star given shock name-check in Gavin and Stacey Christmas finale PHIL OF ANGER Clement blasts Gers flops' MENTALITY & claims he could've subbed NINE stars ST MIRREN 2 RANGERS 1 Boyd-Munce stuns Gers with winner deep into added time in Paisley XMAS TRAGEDY Real Madrid star's 'brother-in-law' is shot dead in Christmas Day horror 5 Wolves had more of the ball and completed far more passes FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS Onana was unable to keep out Cunha’s corner just seven days after stand-in stopper Altay Bayindir was embarrassed by Son Heung-min in Tottenham’s 4-3 Carabao Cup quarter-final win . Amorim added: “The first half was controlled by us but we lacked aggression in the last third. Harry Maguire reveals Man Utd weakness that rivals are 'targeting' after defeat to Wolves “At half-time, we talked in the dressing room, tried something different and then the sending off changed the game.” Fernandes received a second yellow card for a tackle on Nelson Semedo. Amorim said: “I am always frustrated with a red card. “He wants to go to the ball — it’s not like he wants to stop a player with a yellow. “The other guy touches the ball first, there is contact and that thing is tough on him also.” Marcus Rashford was left out of the squad for a fourth game in a row and Amorim said: “It’s always the same reason. “We have to be the same professionals, winning or losing. “Losing, I have to be stronger. I’ll continue with my idea until the end.” New Wolves boss Vitor Pereira , who has won his first two games, said: “It is a fantastic feeling, especially because of the spirit of the team. “We can see the players are ready to suffer, run and fight for each ball.” Wolves scorer Cunha was playing because the FA are yet to decide on a punishment for elbowing an Ipswich staff member earlier this month. Read more on the Scottish Sun CHRISTMAS MIRACLES Christmas baby joy for Scots parents as little ones begin arriving EDGE OF THE WORLD Inside the remote Scots golf club dubbed 'the world's loneliest course' The Arsenal target said: “Vitor came with a lot of energy and we feel this. “It means a lot — in the stadium you can see how happy they are.” 5 Amorim reckons the Red Devils did well before the break

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The last couple of years have been transformative for streaming platform Netflix ( NFLX 1.84% ) . The company has proven that it can compete with legacy media businesses through the creation of its own original content. Netflix's nascent advertising business has also demonstrated some promising results as the company seeks to diversify its business beyond streaming subscriptions. One way that Netflix has bolstered both its subscription and advertising businesses is by getting into live entertainment. Let's explore how live events are serving as the next phase for Netflix's evolution, and how one upcoming event occurring on Christmas Day is a major catalyst that could send the stock parabolic going into the New Year. Netflix and live entertainment are a match made in heaven, and... As far as live events go, Netflix has deliberately chosen to focus on one specific area for now: Sports. As an avid sports viewer myself, I think this move by Netflix makes complete sense. Let's face it -- cable is expensive and the average viewer almost certainly doesn't watch every channel available to them. Besides the news, sports, and maybe a couple of network TV miniseries, I'd wager that the average television viewer watches a couple dozen channels at most. While this dynamic has given rise to the cord-cutting movement and propelled streaming platforms into the spotlight, one big challenge remains. What do you do if a big sports event is on TV and you've already canceled service with your provider? Candidly, I find myself in this very situation quite frequently. Among my friends, the one person who still pays for cable constantly has to volunteer their house and entertain us so that no one misses the big game. As all innovative companies do, Netflix has identified this issue and made it into a lucrative opportunity. Take boxing as an example. Unlike basketball or baseball, boxing is not the type of sport that is broadcast on a daily basis. For this reason, boxing matches take a long time to prepare -- including training, marketing campaigns, and sponsorships. Given all these moving pieces, boxing matches are almost always pay-per-view (PPV) events. And just like with cable, who actually wants to foot the bill for this? Well, apparently Netflix does, and I think it's a genius idea. A few weeks ago, acclaimed boxer Mike Tyson fought outspoken YouTuber and social media superstar Jake Paul in an extremely highly publicized event. The catch? You needed a subscription to Netflix to watch. While this may seem like a bit of a gimmick, I'd encourage you to consider the following: PPV events can often be in the range of $80. As far as Netflix is concerned, it doesn't matter what subscription tier you sign up for -- you'll still have access to the live event. I have Netflix's lowest subscription plan ($6.99 per month) and was able to stream the Tyson-Paul fight live. Sure, while there isn't much of a difference between the annualized cost of $6.99 per month and an $80 PPV event, keep in mind that I now have access to any upcoming Netflix live events as well and do not have to pay a separate fee for the next live event. ... a Christmas surprise is right around the corner In addition to priceless family time, Christmas Day can come with the sweetener of live sports. In particular, the National Football League (NFL) occasionally broadcasts games on Christmas Day -- depending on what day of the week the holiday tends to fall on. As usual with the NFL, these games are broadcast nationally in the U.S. on the sports affiliates of Fox and CBS. However, Christmas 2024 has a trick play up its sleeve ... and it involves Netflix. On Dec. 25, Netflix will be livestreaming the NFL's Christmas Day games on its platform. This is an absolute game-changing event, as the NFL has traditionally been extremely stringent with its broadcasting and licensing arrangements with television networks. I see this deal as a win-win for both Netflix and the NFL. Both organizations have the benefit of the Christmas Day games being viewable around the globe -- not just in the U.S. This level of engagement could be appealing for marketers, who subsequently turn to the NFL and Netflix for advertising and brand deals. Lastly, the most obvious appeal for Netflix in particular is for viewers to convert into longstanding subscribers who become sticky within the streamer's ecosystem. Is Netflix stock a buy right now? The one minor drawback I see with investing in Netflix pertains to valuation. The company's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) of 45 is expensive. As the graph below shows, the company's valuation has expanded considerably over the last few months and hasn't shown many signs of taking a breather. In fact, the stock has risen about 9% since the Tyson-Paul boxing match on Nov. 15. NFLX PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts. Despite its pricey valuation, I think Netflix's premium is warranted. The company has put on a masterclass in navigating around other streaming platforms, and I see the entry into live sports as the first stepping stone in its journey to become more involved with live events in general. In turn, should this strategy drive more engagement in the form of higher subscriptions and increased advertising revenue, Netflix may have just unlocked a virtuous cycle that could fuel its streaming business to the forefront of all media and entertainment. As with the boxing match, I could very well see Netflix stock popping higher following the NFL games on Christmas Day. To me, Netflix is a terrific buy-and-hold opportunity for investors with a long-run time horizon, and I think that dollar-cost averaging into the stock is the most prudent strategy to build a position.

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Scott Turner, President-elect Donald Trump choice to lead the , is a who ran the during Trump’s first term. Turner, 52, is the first Black person selected to be a member of the Republican’s Cabinet. Here are some things to know about Turner: From professional football to politics Turner grew up in a Dallas suburb, Richardson, and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a defensive back and spent nine seasons in the NFL beginning in 1995, playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. During offseasons, he worked as an intern then-Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. After Turner retired in 2004, he worked full time for the congressman. In 2006, Turner ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California’s 50th Congressional District. Turner joined the Texas House in 2013 as part of a large crop of tea party-supported lawmakers. He tried unsuccessfully to become speaker before he finished his second term in 2016. He did not seek a third term. Motivational speaker and pastor Turner also worked for a software company in a position called “chief inspiration officer” and said he acted as a professional mentor, pastor, and councilor for the employees and executive team. He has also been a motivational speaker. He and his wife, Robin Turner, founded a nonprofit promoting initiatives to improve childhood literacy. His church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, lists him as an associate pastor. He is also chair of the center for education opportunity at America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term. Headed council in Trump’s first term Trump introduced Turner in April 2019 as the head of the new White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Trump credited Turner with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” The mission of the council was to coordinate with various federal agencies to attract investment to so-called “Opportunity Zones,” which were economically depressed areas eligible to be used for the federal tax incentives. The role of HUD HUD is responsible for addressing the nation’s housing needs. It also is charged with fair housing laws and oversees housing for the poorest Americans, sheltering more than 4.3 million low-income families through public housing, rental subsidy and voucher programs. The agency, with a budget of tens of billions of dollars, runs a multitude of programs that do everything from reducing homelessness to promoting homeownership. It also funds the construction of affordable housing and provides vouchers that allow low income families pay for housing in the private market. During the campaign, Trump focused mostly on the prices of housing, not public housing. He railed against the high cost of housing and said he could make it more affordable by cracking down on illegal immigration and reducing inflation. He also said he would work to reduce regulations on home construction and make some federal land available for residential construction. ___ Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated PressA look back at 2024: Did the Blockchain industry meet expectations?Funtay/iStock via Getty Images NYSE: BTI The London-based tobacco giant gained about 5.2% in the preceding seven sessions. Overall, the stock has gained over 26% so far thisTrump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction

BEIJING , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 22, 2024 , the " Global Gen Z Views on Beijing " event organized by China Daily New Media Center and 21st Century Media and Education officially launched. The event will spotlight three key themes: Beijing's cultural legacy, technological innovation, and environmental conservation. During the event, over 20 international influencers will visit notable sites including the Capital Museum and the Zhoukoudian Site Museum to explore the Beijing's rich history. They will also visit Beijing's leading tech enterprises and innovation hubs to experience the city's technological advancements. Additionally, the influencers will visit iconic locations such as the Yanqing Ecological Civilization Exhibition and the Beijing Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park, gaining a firsthand perspective on the integration of environmental conservation and industrial development in the city. Through dynamic and youthful storytelling, the event aims to showcase Beijing's rich cultural heritage and its achievements in sustainable, high-quality development to audiences worldwide. During the first day of the event, Veronica, an Italian exchange student at Tsinghua University, expressed her excitement, saying, "I am delighted to be part of this event. My deep interest in Chinese culture brought me to China for my studies, and I have gained a lot from this experience." This event serves not only as a cultural exploration but also as a key platform for sharing Beijing's historical and modern development with audiences worldwide. Through the influencers' firsthand experiences, Beijing's rich cultural heritage and contemporary achievements will be vividly showcased to worldwide audiences. This event offers an international stage for Beijing to highlight its unique appeal, while promoting cultural exchange and fostering global understanding. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-gen-z-views-on-beijing-a-journey-through-the-citys-culture-innovation-and-ecology-302314744.html SOURCE China Daily

Acrylic Rubber Market 2024-2033: Global Outlook, Business Statistics, Latest Trends And Major Players

Lucknow, Dec 26 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Thursday said that the law and order situation has improved in the state but there was still time before it could be termed as "100 per cent safe for women". She said that she hoped a day would come when women would debate in the Parliament while their husbands would wait for them at home after preparing a meal. "We must check within our families if we are ready to give rights to women. In Panchayats, despite women becoming gram pradhans, the decisions are still being made by the men in their families," the governor said. "During functions, I always ensure that women pradhans sit on their designated seats. There are many women pradhans who are aware and are taking decisions independently,” the Governor said during an interaction with reporters at the Lucknow Raj Bhavan on Thursday. The Governor’s remarks came in response to a query if the society and political parties were willing to change their approach towards women especially after the women reservation bill was passed. "The fact is that before the BJP government came to power in UP, it was difficult for women to venture out after 5 pm. This situation was in stark contrast to Gujarat where women move freely even at midnight. Now the situation in UP has much improved on the law and order front too. But if you ask if the state is 100% safe, then I will say that there is still some work to do," she said. The governor refused to comment on a query seeking her take on growing ‘temple-mosque’ disputes in the state. During the interaction, she defended her speech at a convocation event in Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University in Lucknow when she credited Vedic-era sage Bharadwaj and not Wright Brothers for having conceptualized the idea of an aircraft. She said, "Yes, that’s true. Our scriptures do tell us about Maharishi Bharadwaj and the fact that sages and scholars of ancient India made remarkable discoveries. We need to study those." She referred to a research paper presented at the 102nd Indian Science Congress in 2015 that claimed that Shivkar Bapuji Talpade had flown a flying machine over Chowpatty in 1895, eight years before the Wright Brothers. The paper, Governor referred to, also claimed that aeroplanes existed in India 7,000 years ago and were capable of travelling between countries and even planets. When asked about the higher education scenario and the issue of meritorious students migrating out of UP to states like Maharashtra and Karnataka, she said, “Things have improved but it would take five years for a complete turnaround. Seven UP universities have now got A++ in NAAC ratings, four have got A+ and one university has got A grade. As many as 16 universities from the state are now ranked higher in National Institute of Ranking Framework 2024." She further added that she continues to share the concerns faced by people with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and they are resolved promptly. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)It's been a long road back to the highest levels of motorsport for Canadian driver Robert Wickens. Six years after he was paralyzed in a violent wreck, Wickens will again be behind the wheel against some of the best drivers in North America. Wickens, from Guelph, Ont., was named the newest driver for DXDT Racing earlier this week, moving the 35-year-old up to IMSA GTD competition for 2025, the highest class on the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. His promotion was made possible by a new hand control braking system created by Bosch Electronics, with help from GM Motorsports and Corvette Racing/Pratt Miller. "It's not going to be easy but I wanted to get to the highest levels of motorsport again because, frankly, that's where I was when I was injured," said Wickens, who crashed at Pocono Raceway in 2018 during IndyCar's ABC Supply 500. "But not only that, I want to prove to myself and other generations of people with disabilities that you can really do anything. "Maybe you're having a hard time getting back to your place of work after a life-altering accident and — whatever your discipline, it doesn't even have to be athletics — but I know it's possible as long as you align yourself with a strong support system." For Wickens, that's been his wife Karli Wickens, his family and, in his professional life, organizations like Bosch and GM. Wickens's crash left him with a thoracic spinal fracture, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, a fractured elbow, four fractured ribs, a pulmonary contusion, and an indeterminate spinal injury that combined to make him a paraplegic. As he has slowly recovered some movement in his legs, Wickens has eased back into motor racing. He drove the parade lap of the 2019 Honda Indy Toronto, competed in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then in January 2022 it was announced he would drive in the Michelin Pilot Challenge for Bryan Herta Autosport. He and co-driver Mark Wilkins won twice in the Michelin Pilot Challenge's TCR category with three podiums in 2022. In 2023 the pairing didn't win, but they reached the podium seven times to earn the TCR championship. All of Wickens's post-accident cars have been fitted with hand controls. Those conventional systems rely on paddles around the steering wheel that activate pneumatics that then press the foot pedals. Hand controls like that are acceptable for regular road vehicles and even lower levels of motorsports but in the highest classes, like IMSA GTD where cars top out at more than 280 kilometres, the lag between the driver toggling the paddle and the car responding is unacceptably slow. That's where the Bosch electronic system comes in, with the controls linked directly to the car's braking system, removing the pneumatics as an intermediary. "When you hit the brakes to slow the car down for each corner that was always a big challenge for me where (with) the Bosch electronic system, the latency is milliseconds not tenths of a second," said Wickens. "It's basically as accurate as I would be if I was an able-bodied driver wanting to apply the brake. "Honestly, it's just better in every facet imaginable. It's just been a true blessing." Advances in physical rehabilitation from spinal cord injuries as well as the ongoing development of vehicle technology has made Wickens's return to competitive motorsport possible. "I'm very fortunate in the timing of my paralysis and my career," Wickens said Wednesday from Tampa, Fla. "If this was even a decade ago we'd be having a very different conversation today." The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has four classes of vehicles: two sports prototype categories and two grand tourer classes. GTD is considered the highest of the four classes because each team must have at least a silver or bronze driver and more than one platinum-rated driver on a team is prohibited. "I want to win," said Wickens. "I think the big thing for me on this journey back was I wanted to race again because I truly felt like I could still win. "I want to raise awareness for spinal cord injury and disability, not by just being a participant, but by being the guy. I want to win races, fight for podiums, win championships, every time I'm sitting in the car." Wickens said he won't just be a role model for people living with paralysis or other mobility disabilities, but the technology his car will employ in 2025 will likely become commercially available for use in road vehicles. "Motorsports and the automotive racing industry were founded to be a proving ground for everyday automotive vehicles," he said. "From there you make road cars and road safety better. "Hopefully we can provide the technology and have regularly available components that can make any race car accessible for anyone that needs hand controls or any other form of disability." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Follow jchidleyhill.bsky.social on Bluesky. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

Sinn Fein actively pursuing route into government, insists leader McDonald

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Police had to use pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the rivalry game. Ohio State police said in a statement “multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray.” Ohio State police will investigate the fight, according to the statement. After the Ohio State players confronted their bitter rivals at midfield, defensive end Jack Sawyer grabbed the top of the Wolverines' flag and ripped it off the pole as the brawl moved toward the Michigan bench. Eventually, police officers rushed into the ugly scene. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he understood the actions of his players. “There are some prideful guys on our team who weren't going to sit back and let that happen,” Day said. The two Ohio State players made available after the game brushed off questions about it. Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown, didn't like how the Buckeyes players involved themselves in the Wolverines' postgame celebration. He called it “classless.” “For such a great game, you hate to see stuff like that after the game," he said in an on-field interview with Fox Sports. “It’s just bad for the sport, bad for college football. But at the end of the day, you know some people got to — they got to learn how to lose, man. ... We had 60 minutes, we had four quarters, to do all that fighting.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said everybody needs to do better. “So much emotions on both sides," he said. "Rivalry games get heated, especially this one. It’s the biggest one in the country, so we got to handle that better.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Needed: Comprehensive solution and not piecemeal remediesDr Manmohan Singh Dies: 'Nation will always remember Dr Saheb,' Harbhajan Singh Pays Tribute To Former Prime Minister On Veteran Politician's Passing Away