z2 188 flight status
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower Tuesday in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation that’s coming on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high . They’re the first back-to-back losses for the index in nearly a month, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Tech titan Oracle dragged on the market and sank 6.7% after reporting growth for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts’ expectations. It was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500, even though CEO Safra Catz said the company saw record demand related to artificial-intelligence technology for its cloud infrastructure business, which trains generative AI models. AI has been a big source of growth that’s helped many companies’ stock prices skyrocket. Oracle’s stock had already leaped more than 80% for the year coming into Tuesday, which raised the bar of expectations for its profit report. In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher ahead of Wednesday’s report on the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Economists expect it to show similar increases as the month before. Wednesday’s update and a report on Thursday about inflation at the wholesale level will be the final big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week, where many investors expect the year’s third cut to interest rates . The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to take pressure off the slowing jobs market, after bringing inflation nearly down to its 2% target. Lower rates would help give support to the economy, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts through next year have been a big reason the S&P 500 has set so many records this year. Trading in the options market suggests traders aren’t expecting a very big move for U.S. stocks following Wednesday’s report, according to strategists at Barclays. But a reading far off expectations in either direction could quickly change that. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.22% from 4.20% late Monday. Even though the Fed has been cutting its main interest rate, mortgage rates have been more stubborn to stay high and have been volatile since the autumn. That has hampered the housing industry, and homebuilder Toll Brothers’ stock fell 6.9% even though it delivered profit and revenue for the latest quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. CEO Douglas Yearley Jr. said the luxury builder has been seeing strong demand since the start of its fiscal year six weeks ago, an encouraging signal as it approaches the beginning of the spring selling season in mid-January. Elsewhere on Wall Street, Alaska Air Group soared 13.2% after raising its forecast for profit in the current quarter. The airline said demand for flying around the holidays has been stronger than expected. It also approved a plan to buy back up to $1 billion of its stock, along with new service from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul . Boeing climbed 4.5% after saying it’s resuming production of its bestselling plane , the 737 Max, for the first time since 33,000 workers began a seven-week strike that ended in early November. Vail Resorts rose 2.5% after the ski resort operator reported a smaller first-quarter loss than analysts expected in what is traditionally its worst quarter. All told, the S&P 500 fell 17.94 points to 6,034.91. The Dow dipped 154.10 to 44,247.83, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 49.45 to 19,687.24. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in China after the world’s second-largest economy said its exports rose by less than expected in November. Stocks rose 0.6% in Shanghai but fell 0.5% in Hong Kong. Indexes fell across much of Europe ahead of a meeting this week by the European Central Bank, where the widespread expectation is for another cut in interest rates. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.Jimmy Carter's underrated legacy: A strong, ethical America and a more peaceful world | OpinionMexico President Claudia Sheinbaum To Trump: 'Neither Threats Nor Tariffs' Will Solve Your Fentanyl CrisisNEW YORK (AP) — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. The attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses, she said. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. Leavitt said law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted and Trump and his transition team are grateful. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations ; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general ; Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, whom Trump chose to lead the Department of Labor , and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Law enforcement officials are also looking into whether Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz’s replacement, and other incoming administration officials were also victims — as well as how each was targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation continues. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was investigating with its law enforcement partners. White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma said President Joe Biden had been briefed and the White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and Trump's transition team. Biden “continues to monitor the situation closely," Sharma said, adding the president and his administration “condemn threats of political violence.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. Police swept Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices, New York State Police said. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had also been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X . “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe." In Florida, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area" Wednesday. While a family member resides at the address, the office said, Gaetz “is NOT a resident.” No threatening devices were found. Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration after allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations ended with no charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Trump was also the subject of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot , with a man saying he had been tasked with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect. Also this week, authorities arrested a man they say posted videos on social media threatening to kill Trump, according to court documents. In one video posted on Nov. 13, Manuel Tamayo-Torres threatened to shoot the former president while holding what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle, authorities said Among the other videos he posted was one from an arena in Glendale, Arizona on Aug. 23, the same day Trump held a campaign rally there, according to court papers. An attorney for Tamayo-Torres did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. About a year ago the FBI responded to an uptick in such incidents at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses across the country around the holidays. Many were locked down and evacuated in early January after receiving bomb threats. No explosives were found and no one was hurt. Some of those targeted last year were Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio, received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that anytime a member of Congress is the victim of a swatting' incident, “we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners.” The force declined to provide further details, in part to “minimize the risk of copy-cats.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump," he wrote on X . “Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats.” He added: “It is not who we are in America.” ___ Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.
LiveDeal stock plunges to 52-week low, touches $9.77Jannik Sinner leads Italy back to the Davis Cup semifinals and a rematch against Australia MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner won matches in singles and doubles to lead defending champion Italy to a 2-1 comeback victory over Argentina on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Davis Cup semifinals. Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press Nov 21, 2024 2:20 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Italy's Jannik Sinner, top, and Matteo Berrettini celebrate a point against Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni during their doubles tennis quarterfinal Davis Cup match at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner won matches in singles and doubles to lead defending champion Italy to a 2-1 comeback victory over Argentina on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Davis Cup semifinals. “I’m here trying to do the best I can in the singles,” Sinner said. “If they put me on the court in doubles, I’ll also try my best.” On Saturday, Italy will face Australia in a rematch of last year's final, but this time it will only be for a chance to play for the championship. Australia eliminated the U.S. 2-1 earlier Thursday to reach the final four at the team competition for the third consecutive year. The other semifinal, to be contested Friday, is the Netherlands against Germany. The Dutch got past Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals earlier in the week, sending the 22-time Grand Slam champion into retirement. Italy fell behind 1-0 in the quarterfinals when Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1 on an indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain. But then in stepped Sinner, whose season already includes two Grand Slam trophies — at the Australian Open and U.S. Open — plus the title at the ATP Finals last weekend in Turin, Italy. First he overwhelmed Sebastián Báez 6-2, 6-1. Then Sinner teamed with 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the deciding doubles match to win 6-4, 7-5 against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez. “He carried me today,” Sinner said about Berrettini. After arriving late to Malaga from Turin, Sinner did not get a chance to practice on the Davis Cup competition court before taking on Báez and stretching his streak to 22 sets won in a row. “In three minutes, he was perfectly comfortable on court,” Italy captain Filippo Volandri said. “He’s a special one.” Volandri swapped out his original doubles team, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, for Sinner and Berrettini, and the change paid dividends. Australia, the Davis Cup runner-up the last two years, advanced when Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson beat the surprise, last-minute American pairing of Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-4 in that quarterfinal's deciding doubles match. The Shelton-Paul substitution for Paris Olympics silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram was announced about 15 minutes before the doubles match began. Ebden and John Peers beat Krajicek and Ram in the Summer Games final in August. The Australians broke once in each set of the doubles. In the second, they stole one of Shelton’s service games on the fourth break opportunity when Ebden’s overhead smash made it 5-4. Thompson then served out the victory, closing it with a service winner before chest-bumping Ebden. The 21st-ranked Shelton made his Davis Cup debut earlier Thursday in singles against 77th-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis, who emerged from a tight-as-can-be tiebreaker by saving four match points and eventually converting his seventh to win 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (14). No. 4 Taylor Fritz , the U.S. Open runner-up, then pulled the Americans even with a far more straightforward victory over No. 9 Alex de Minaur , 6-3, 6-4. When their match finally ended, on a backhand by Shelton that landed long, Kokkinakis dropped onto his back and pounded his chest. After he rose, he threw a ball into the stands, then walked over to Australia’s sideline, spiked his racket and yelled, before hugging captain Lleyton Hewitt. “I don’t know if I’ve been that pumped up in my life. I wanted that for my team,” said Kokkinakis, who won the 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles title with Nick Kyrgios. “It could have gone either way, but I kept my nerve.” ___ AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Tennis US Davis Cup captain Bob Bryan's last-minute doubles switch doesn't work in loss to Australia Nov 21, 2024 9:37 AM Spain and tennis having to cope with the retirement of the great Nadal Nov 21, 2024 7:40 AM Kokkinakis gets past Shelton for Australia to lead the US 1-0 in Davis Cup Nov 21, 2024 4:18 AMJobless salesman demanding extortion for 'D-Company' held
New Delhi [India], : All-rounder Stafanie Taylor is set to miss the upcoming white-ball series against India as she is currently rehabilitating from an injury sustained and will be absent from this tour, as per the Cricket West Indies press release. In her absence, Deandra Dottin will be seen in the upcoming series. She made her comeback to the national team during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year in the United Arab Emirates and returned back to the sport after two years of announcing her retirement from international cricket. Hayley Matthews will be the captain of the team on this tour, and Shemaine Campbelle will be her deputy in the series against Women in Blue. The Caribbeans are due to play three T20Is and three ODIs in India, starting mid-December. The series extends till December 27. The ODI matches are part of the ICC Women's Championship. The Board of Control for Cricket in India released a statement to announce the Women in Blue's fixture of their upcoming white-ball series against West Indies. "The BCCI announced Team India 's schedule for the upcoming home series against West Indies and Ireland. The action will kick off in December with a three-match T20I series at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai against West Indies women, followed by three ODIs, which will take place in Baroda. Team India will then take on Ireland Women for a three-match ODI series in Rajkot in January. The ODI series against West Indies and Ireland is a part of the ICC Women's Championship," BCCI stated. The Hayley Matthews-led side last played a white-ball series in India in 2016. They won the T20Is 3-0 and lost the ODIs 0-3. West Indies Women's Tour of India: - 15-Dec-24 - 1st T20I - Navi Mumbai. - 17-Dec-24 - 2nd T20I - Navi Mumbai. - 19-Dec-24 - 3rd T20I - Navi Mumbai. - 22-Dec-24 - 1st ODI - Baroda. - 24-Dec-24 - 2nd ODI - Baroda. - 27-Dec-24 - 3rd ODI - Baroda. West Indies ODI and T20I squad: Hayley Matthews , Shemaine Campbelle , Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Nerissa Crafton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Rashada William. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New York Giants (2-9) at Dallas (4-7) Thursday, 4:30 p.m. EST, Fox BetMGM NFL Odds: Cowboys by 4. Against the spread: Giants 3-8; Cowboys 3-8. Series record: Cowboys lead 76-47-2. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Giants 20-15 on Sept. 26, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Last week: Giants lost to Buccaneers 30-7; Cowboys beat Commanders 34-26. Giants offense: overall (24), rush (19), pass (28), scoring (32) Giants defense: overall (19), rush (30), pass (7), scoring (17) Cowboys offense: overall (21), rush (31), pass (8), scoring (T22) Cowboys defense: overall (27), rush (31), pass (21), scoring (31) Turnover differential: Giants minus-6; Cowboys minus-9. WR Malik Nabers. The No. 6 overall pick in the draft had a team-high six receptions for 64 yards despite not being targeted in the first half as the Giants fell behind the Bucs 23-0. Coach Brian Daboll said he is not going to let that happen again. Against Dallas in Week 4, Nabers had a season-high 12 catches for 115 yards, with a long of 39 yards. He was targeted 15 times by Daniel Jones. He sustained a concussion on the last attempt and missed the next two games. RB Rico Dowdle just had his second game of at least 85 yards, finishing with 86 on the road against the Commanders. The undrafted fifth-year player who has taken over as the lead back is looking to sustain momentum for the first time. After finishing with 87 yards in a victory at Pittsburgh, Dowdle came home and was held to a season-low 25 yards in a 47-9 loss to Detroit. Dallas' 31st-ranked run game has been marked by that kind of inconsistency, or worse, all season. Giants DL Dexter Lawrence vs. Cowboys OL. Lawrence is tied for sixth in the NFL with a career-high nine sacks, and the Dallas offensive front has been in flux most of the season. Injuries and youth have kept the Cowboys from establishing a rushing attack in most games. Dallas is coming off an effective showing on the ground and Cooper Rush's best performance in three starts filling in for injured star QB Dak Prescott. Lawrence will test the Cowboys' ability to get the run game going and protect Rush. Giants QB Tommy DeVito emerged with a sore throwing arm from his first start replacing the benched and subsequently released Jones. Daboll said it was uncertain whether DeVito would play and that Drew Lock would get extra reps in practice just in case. ... OLB Azeez Ojulari, who has six sacks and 10 QB hits, was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury. ... LT Jermaine Eluemunor, who started the first 11 games, was ruled out with a quad injury. ... DL Armon Watts won't play because of a shoulder issue. ... The Cowboys could be without perennial All-Pro RG Zack Martin and CB Trevon Diggs, a 2021 All-Pro, for a second consecutive game. Martin is dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries, while Diggs has groin and knee issues. ... LG Tyler Smith, who injured an ankle about the same time Martin did late in the game against Houston on Nov. 18, says he will play after missing the Washington game. ... TE Jake Ferguson was still in concussion protocol to start the week after being sidelined early against the Texans. ... WR Brandin Cooks is close to a return from a knee issue. He hasn't played since the first meeting with the Giants. The Cowboys have won 14 of the past 15 meetings with the Giants. Matching seven-game winning streaks for Dallas are separated by a New York victory in the 2020 season finale. ... This is the second Thanksgiving meeting in three seasons for the NFC East rivals. There had been just one before that, a 30-3 Dallas victory in 1992. The Cowboys won 28-20 two years ago. The Giants are 0-4 on the holiday since a 13-6 win at Detroit in 1982. The 16 combined losses for New York and Dallas are the most going into a Cowboys Thanksgiving game, according to Sportradar. The previous high was 14 three times, most recently in 2020 when Washington beat Dallas 41-16 in a matchup of seven-loss teams. Washington made the playoffs that season as the NFC East champ at 7-9. ... The first Dallas-New York meeting also was on Thursday. That happened last season with Green Bay and Detroit. The previous — and only other — time was 1923 with the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cardinals. ... The Giants' six-game losing streak is their longest since a nine-game skid, the franchise record, in 2019. ... The Cowboys ended a five-game losing streak with the victory at Washington but are 0-5 at home. It’s the worst home start since Dallas lost all eight games at old Texas Stadium while finishing 1-15 in 1989, the year owner Jerry Jones bought the team. The home losing streak is six going back to a wild-card loss to Green Bay in January. Before losing to the Packers, the Cowboys had won 16 in a row at AT&T Stadium. ... DeVito was 21 of 31 for 189 yards in his first action this season against the Buccaneers. He was sacked four times. ... WR Wan’Dale Robinson has 61 catches, surpassing his career high of 60 in 2023. ... Nabers has 67 catches, the most by a player in his first nine games. Puka Nacua of the Rams set the record of 64 last season. ... WR Darius Slayton had his streak of catching a pass snapped at 26 games against Tampa Bay. ... New York has gone 11 consecutive games without a positive turnover differential, extending the longest single-season streak in franchise history. ... The Giants have not intercepted a pass in 10 consecutive games, tying the NFL record held by the 1976-77 San Francisco 49ers and the 2017 Oakland Raiders. ... New York has one sack in the past three games after getting an NFL-high 35 through the first eight games. ... The Giants have the fewest points in the league (163) and they have played seven games without scoring a first-half touchdown. ... Rookie S Tyler Nubin has led New York with 12 tackles each of the past two games. ... Rush had his highest passer rating as the Dallas starter at 117.6 against the Commanders. He threw for two touchdowns with no interceptions. Rush beat the Giants for one of his victories when he went 4-1 filling in for Prescott early in 2022. He had a TD with no picks in a 23-16 win. ... WR CeeDee Lamb leads the NFL with 77 catches. He and Jarvis Landry are the only players in league history with at least 70 catches in each of their first five seasons. Lamb led the NFL last season with a career-high 135 grabs. ... Star pass rusher Micah Parsons had two sacks against the Commanders and has a sack in each of his three Thanksgiving games. ... WR/KR KaVontae Turpin, who returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown against Washington, is the fifth player since the 1970 merger to have TDs on punt and kickoff returns along with a scoring catch of at least 60 yards. The most recent was Chicago's Devin Hester in 2007. Lamb has averaged 91 yards receiving per game against the Giants in his career, but without a bunch of touchdowns (four). While the Giants lag in most team statistical categories, they do have the seventh-best pass defense in the NFL. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflEngland World Cup winner can’t remember kids’ names and recalls nothing of tournament triumph after shocking diagnosisTyrese Hunter tossed in a game-high 26 points to lead Memphis to a 99-97 upset victory over No. 2 UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii. Hunter, who played at Iowa State and Texas before transferring to Memphis, made eight field goals with 7-of-10 3-point shooting. The Tigers (5-0) connected on 12 of their 22 3-point attempts in the win. UConn's Hassan Diarra made a free throw to cut the Memphis lead to 99-97 with 2.2 seconds left. He intentionally missed the second free throw and collected the loose ball, but his desperation shot was off the mark. It was 92-92 when UConn's Liam McNeeley was called for an offensive foul with 40.3 seconds left. UConn coach Dan Hurley received a technical for arguing the foul call, and PJ Carter made all four free throws to give the Tigers a four-point lead. Memphis, which squandered a 13-point lead with four minutes to play in regulation, received 22 points from PJ Haggerty, 19 from Colby Rogers and 14 from Dain Dainja. Memphis will play the winner of Monday night's game between Colorado and Michigan State in Tuesday's semifinals. UConn will face the loser of that contest. Tarris Reed Jr. had a team-high 22 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for UConn (4-1) before he fouled out with 3:18 to play. He made 10 of his 13 field goal attempts. Alex Karaban added 19 points for the Huskies. Jaylin Stewart scored a career-high 16 points, Diarra had 12 and McNeeley added 10. UConn trailed 82-79 after Diarra made two free throws with 24.2 seconds to play in regulation. The Huskies then forced a turnover and tied the game on a 3-pointer by Solo Ball with 1.2 on the clock. Although Memphis shot 56.5 percent from the field (13 for 23) and 50 percent from 3-point territory (5 for 10) in the first half, the game was tied 40-40 after 20 minutes. Neither team led by more than six points in the half. UConn received 29 points from its bench in the first half. Reed scored 15 of those points and Stewart supplied the other 14. --Field Level Media
Analysis: After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon
As the central intelligence hub of the manufacturing process, the control room is the brain of the organization. When investing in technology to make the process more efficient (i.e., smarter), it is a logical place to start. Control rooms have made a major technological leap in recent years, transforming from on-site, reactive, and highly stressful spaces into professional, digital, and highly flexible environments that proactively avoid potential issues. Although they tended to look spectacular, with lots of screens or even flashing lights, traditional process control rooms were straightforward environments with limited possibilities. Operators monitored and controlled the manufacturing process on-site, based on limited sensor data. Anomalies were typically met with high stress, as it often took time to identify the root cause of the issue. This vision contrasts with that of their modern counterparts. While the screens are still in place, all information is now digitally available and can easily be distributed to any location. This means the control room could be located 100 miles away and even control multiple production plants. Alternatively, multiple small control rooms can handle day-to-day decisions, with a central crisis room managing escalations. Any configuration is possible, which makes contemporary control rooms very flexible. The large amount of available real-time data also allows staff to drastically cut the time needed to pinpoint and resolve issues. For example, in the past an alarm would be triggered when a temperature sensor exceeds a certain threshold. In most cases, a field worker would need to investigate the situation on-site. Today, a lot more information is available, allowing the control room staff to assess what’s happening from behind their desks. Boosting Efficiency The ultimate goal of the control room is to use predictive analytics to proactively prevent all emerging issues. While even the most sophisticated current systems cannot guarantee this, modern technology certainly plays a pivotal role in risk mitigation. This includes not only production hazards but also upholding safety protocols for workers. It is therefore critical that operators have direct access to all the information they need. This may sound basic, but it often isn’t the case; information is often not available in the same system. Organizations may choose to separate networks — for example, placing process data on one network, internal data on another, and a third that accesses the internet. This is a nightmare for operators, who must constantly switch between computers to do their jobs. That’s why state-of-the-art systems can integrate all information into a single (virtual) environment. Although the networks are still separated, the information appears to be in the same environment (“integration at the glass”), and operators only need a single keyboard and mouse to do their jobs, resulting in a more ergonomic way of working. Empowering the Operator The most critical presence in the control room is always the operator. Firms need to avoid overloading staff with an abundance of data. The optimal way to present and visualize the information is important and this will not only increase efficiency it will also enhance the operator’s job satisfaction and retention. For example, in Barco’s Global Control Room Report 2024 , 91 percent of operators working in highly efficient control rooms reported job satisfaction—significantly higher than the 51 percent of satisfied workers in less efficient environments. Smarter Systems, Reduced Risk In the control room every component is expected to function 24/7, and even scheduled interruptions should be minimal. How can organizations achieve this always-on ideal? The Barco report recommends investing in high-quality equipment. Control rooms are typically environments designed for the long haul, and this should be reflected in the hardware and software. Redundancy of all critical components, with seamless takeovers when the original unit fails, also helps ensure uptime. However, not all risks are related to the system. External threats, such as hackers, can arise. Security breaches can result in weeks of downtime or millions of dollars in ransom payments. Systems should therefore be extremely secure, shielding against all possible penetration attempts. Some organizations address this by completely isolating their critical systems (so-called “air-gapping”). However, this is not 100 percent safe and it can create a false sense of security while severely limiting system flexibility. Instead, the modern approach is to deploy a software platform that is completely secure upon installation (“secure by default”). Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.NEW YORK (AP) — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. The attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses, she said. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. Leavitt said law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted and Trump and his transition team are grateful. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations ; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general ; Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, whom Trump chose to lead the Department of Labor , and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Law enforcement officials are also looking into whether Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz’s replacement, and other incoming administration officials were also victims — as well as how each was targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation continues. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was investigating with its law enforcement partners. White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma said President Joe Biden had been briefed and the White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and Trump's transition team. Biden “continues to monitor the situation closely," Sharma said, adding the president and his administration “condemn threats of political violence.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. Police swept Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices, New York State Police said. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had also been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X . “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe." In Florida, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area" Wednesday. While a family member resides at the address, the office said, Gaetz “is NOT a resident.” No threatening devices were found. Story continues below video Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration after allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations ended with no charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Trump was also the subject of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot , with a man saying he had been tasked with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect. Also this week, authorities arrested a man they say posted videos on social media threatening to kill Trump, according to court documents. In one video posted on Nov. 13, Manuel Tamayo-Torres threatened to shoot the former president while holding what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle, authorities said Among the other videos he posted was one from an arena in Glendale, Arizona on Aug. 23, the same day Trump held a campaign rally there, according to court papers. An attorney for Tamayo-Torres did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. About a year ago the FBI responded to an uptick in such incidents at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses across the country around the holidays. Many were locked down and evacuated in early January after receiving bomb threats. No explosives were found and no one was hurt. Some of those targeted last year were Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio, received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that anytime a member of Congress is the victim of a swatting' incident, “we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners.” The force declined to provide further details, in part to “minimize the risk of copy-cats.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump," he wrote on X . “Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats.” He added: “It is not who we are in America.” ___ Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.
Former US president Jimmy Carter has died aged 100. (Neil Hall/PA). The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Jimmy Carter made a state visit to the UK in 1977 and received a private congratulatory message from the King on his 100th birthday. (PA) Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Jimmy Carter’s presidency was characterised by troubles at home and abroad, including the 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran, but was also marked by the conclusion of the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. (AP) A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceNonehas hit back at a claim from fellow billionaire that he supposedly predicted would lose this month’s presidential election to Vice President Harris. "Just found out tonight at Mar-a-Lago that Jeff Bezos was telling everyone that [Trump] would definitely lose, so they should flog all their Tesla and SpaceX stock," Musk posted on social platform X, which he owns. "Nope," Bezos retorted to Musk’s post. "100% not true." Replying, Musk said: "Well, then, I stand corrected." Musk established himself as a key ally to Trump along the 2024 campaign trail, pumping millions into his campaign. After winning the election, Trump appointed the billionaire tech and media tycoon to head up a new agency, the "Department of Government Efficiency," to tackle what he and many Trump-loyal Republicans believe is unnecessary federal spending. Bezos made waves and caused a stir less than two weeks before the election, when he prevented the Washington Post from publishing an editorial endorsing Harris that the newspaper’s editorial board had written. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's Bezos defended the decision in a subsequent op-ed in the Post, arguing presidential endorsements "create a perception of bias" and are detrimental to the publication’s mission at a time when trust in media is on the wane.
BERLIN Germany and France expressed readiness Monday to work with Syria's new government while emphasizing that respect for fundamental human rights and the protection of minorities would be essential conditions for cooperation. The joint position emerged from a phone conversation between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron following the weekend overthrow of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad by anti-regime forces. “Assad had caused terrible suffering to the Syrian people and great damage to his country,” German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit quoted the leaders as saying in a statement following their discussion. “Both agreed that they are ready to work with the new rulers on the basis of fundamental human rights and the protection of ethnic and religious minorities,” he stressed. In their conversation, the two leaders emphasized the importance of preserving Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Hebestreit noted. “Both agreed to work together to strengthen the European Union's engagement in Syria, including supporting an inclusive political process in Syria,” he said, adding the leaders would discuss the next steps in close coordination with partners in the region.
Lin Ziqi's 'The Correct Way of Youth' Premieres, Offering a New Perspective on Adolescent Challenges