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Bill Belichick is coming to college football . According to multiple reports , North Carolina and Belichick are finalizing a deal for the former New England Patriots coach and general manager to become the Tar Heels ' next coach, landing them arguably the biggest hire of the offseason. Belichick will replace Mack Brown , who was fired on Nov. 26 after six years into his second tenure with the Tar Heels. REQUIRED READING: Bill Belichick updates: Latest rumors, news about UNC football coaching search The hiring of Belichick is an interesting one on several levels, perhaps most notably because the legendary NFL coach hasn't coached at the collegiate level. NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. The other is his age. Brown, who was fired after three-plus decades of being a head coach across Appalachian State, Tulane, Texas and two stints at North Carolina, is 73 years old. But the coach coming in to replace him isn't much younger. Indeed, at 72 years old, Belichick replaces Brown as the oldest active coach in college football. Belichick brings an impressive head coach resume to North Carolina, including 333 career wins and six Super Bowl wins. Now he will be tasked with rebuilding the Tar Heels program, which had flashes of success under Brown but hasn't won a bowl game since 2019, hasn't had double-digit wins since 2015 and hasn't won the ACC since 1980 — eight years before Brown's first stint in Chapel Hill. Here's what you need to know about Belichick's age and where he now ranks among the oldest active college football coaches in the FBS: How old is Bill Belichick? Bill Belichick is 72 years old. He was born on April 16, 1952 in Nashville, Tennessee. He is just under eight months younger than Brown. Oldest college football coaches With North Carolina's hiring of the six-time Super Bowl coach, Belichick now becomes the oldest coach in college football, at 72 years old. Behind Belichick is Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz, who is three years younger than him at 69 years old. Ferentz is currently in his 26th season coaching the Hawkeyes , a position that he has held since 1999. Here's an updated full list of the oldest active college football coaches: Ages listed as of day of reported hiring on Wednesday, Dec. 11The Arab Union for International Exhibitions and Conferences (AUIEC) announced during its recent meeting in Cairo the launch of a major exhibition for Arab industries, set to take place in Iraq in 2025. This initiative underscores the Union’s dedication to fostering Arab industrial collaboration and enhancing trade across the region. According to Mahmoud Jarrah, Secretary-General of AUIEC, the exhibition will serve as a comprehensive platform to showcase cutting-edge industrial products and technologies from Arab countries. It will highlight the vast potential of Arab industries across various sectors while promoting intra-Arab trade and facilitating the exchange of expertise and innovation. Jarrah outlined several key goals for the exhibition: In tandem with the exhibition, AUIEC will organize an intensive training course on event and exhibition management. The program will target exhibition organizers from various Arab countries, aiming to enhance their professional skills and capacity to deliver world-class events. Jarrah also issued a warning about fraudulent activities by entities impersonating the Union. He urged companies and institutions to verify information through official AUIEC channels to avoid falling victim to scams. The Secretary-General extended an open invitation to Arab industrial companies and institutions to participate in this landmark event. He emphasized the importance of collaboration to ensure the exhibition’s success, calling for support and the provision of necessary resources. Earlier this month, Jarrah led a delegation to visit the Food Africa and Pacprocess exhibitions. He noted these events demonstrate the potential for Arab countries to host world-class exhibitions, citing Egypt’s success in attracting nearly 1,000 local and international exhibitors. This upcoming exhibition in Iraq is positioned to further cement the region’s reputation as a hub for industrial innovation and trade. The AUIEC’s announcement reflects a strategic vision for Arab industrial advancement, offering unparalleled opportunities for businesses to network, expand their reach, and contribute to regional economic growth.
Three Greenspoon Marder Lawyers Bolster Southeast Presence MIAMI , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ice Miller is pleased to announce the addition of esteemed international transactional lawyers Jon Lyman and Gai Sher to help launch the firm's new Miami office . Bringing 30 years of experience counseling corporate and financial institution clients on all manner of deals, often involving cross-border transactions, Miami -based Lyman reinforces Ice Miller's strong transactional roster on both a regional and international scale, while Sher concentrates her practice on representing and providing legal counsel to startups, emerging growth companies, brands, creators, and executives in media, technology, and consumer products in all aspects of commercial transactions. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Highlights from Trump's interview with Time magazineGering holds pool input meeting to share study results, explore optionsAI adoption is surging — but humans still need to be in the loop, say software developers from Meta, Amazon, Nice, and more
DoorDash will require its drivers to verify their identities more often as part of a larger effort to crack down on unauthorized account sharing. DoorDash has been under pressure to ensure its drivers are operating legally. Over the summer, for example, it pledged to do a better job identifying and removing dangerous drivers after a flood of complaints of dangerous driving from cities. Officials in Boston, New York and other cities have said that in many cases, people with multiple traffic violations continue to make deliveries using accounts registered to others. The San Francisco delivery company said Thursday it was requiring some drivers to complete real-time identity checks immediately after they complete a delivery. Previously, drivers were occasionally asked to re-verify their identities before or after a shift. DoorDash has introduced the new system in Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle and other cities, and said it planned a wider rollout next year. DoorDash said it also has developed an advanced machine learning system that can flag potential unauthorized account access, including login anomalies and suspicious activity. If the company detects a problem, it will require drivers to re-verify their identity before they can make more deliveries . U.S. drivers must verify their identities with a driver’s license or other government-issued identification, and upload a selfie that matches their identification photo before they can do work for DoorDash. They also must submit to background checks, which require a Social Security number. The company said it found that some drivers were getting around the requirements by sharing accounts with authorized users. In some cases, drivers who were not authorized to drive for DoorDash paid authorized users for access to their accounts. Some federal lawmakers have demanded that DoorDash and other delivery apps do a better job of keeping people who are in the U.S. illegally off the platforms. Republican U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Braun of Indiana and Ted Budd of North Carolina sent letters to delivery companies in April asking them to crack down on account sharing. “These illegal immigrants are delivering food directly to consumers’ doors without ever having undergone a background check and often without even using their real names,” the letter said. It added that working illegally can also be dangerous for migrants, creating the potential for exploitation and abuse. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment Thursday with Gig Workers Rising and Justice for App Workers, which both represent delivery drivers. DoorDash won’t estimate how many drivers are using shared accounts, but said its safeguards are effective. Last year, it began asking drivers to re-verify their identities monthly by submitting a selfie. The company said it is now asking more than 150,000 drivers to complete selfie checks each week, and it’s removing them from the platform if they don’t comply. Dee-ann Durbin, The Associated PressOn a day where President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street failed to build on a furious rally that has picked up steam after his election win. In focus was fresh inflation data, which helped cast doubt on investor confidence for the path of interest rates ahead. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI ) was down and the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC ) were both about 0.5%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( ^IXIC ) fell roughly 0.6% while shares of Apple ( AAPL ) rallied less than 1% to close at a record high. In bonds, the 10-year Treasury yield ( ^TNX ) added 5 basis points to hit 4.32%, its highest closing level since Nov. 22. The market received another piece of the inflation puzzle on Thursday — an update on wholesale prices — after the latest consumer inflation data invigorated stocks on Wednesday , lifting the Nasdaq above 20,000 for the first time. The in-line consumer price index reading cleared one of the last remaining risks to easing by the Fed in December. That boosted bets on a quarter-point rate cut in December to a near 99% chance, per the CME FedWatch tool . But the November producer price index released on Thursday morning came in hotter than expected , rising 0.4% from the previous month. Economists had been expecting an increase of 0.2%. That has put the chances of the Fed holding rates steady in January in focus, as several officials have voiced a cautious stance on policy. A downbeat revenue forecast from Adobe ( ADBE ) also helped dampen the mood, revealing the Photoshop maker's struggle for a payoff from its AI investments. Shares in the software maker sank nearly 14%. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Costco ( COST ) slightly beat estimates in its fiscal first quarter results as inflationary-weary shoppers turn to the wholesale retailer. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $4.04, compared to Bloomberg consensus estimates of $3.81. Revenue of $62.15 billion also beat expectations of $61.98 billion. Same-store sales, excluding fuel, grew 7.2% in the quarter, boosted by its US business, followed by international and then, Canada. Foot traffic, up 5.1%, missed the 6.87% jump Wall Street hoped for, but ticket size grew 0.1%, besting the 0.40% decline the Street predicted. Shares were up less than 0.5% in after-hours trading. Read more here. All three major indexes slid as more stocks in the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC ) closed lower than higher for the ninth straight day. This marked the first time that's happened in the market since 2001. Notably, during the nine-day stretch to start December the S&P 500 has still been in the green for the month, largely led by Big Tech. But should this weak breadth in the market continue, it could be a worrisome about the health of the stock market rally. "Savvy traders should at least pay attention to some of the warning signs about the overall health of the market. So far, it is the sniffles or just a case of bad breath," Interactive Brokers chief strategist Steve Sosnick wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. "But there are some symptoms that can lead to something more meaningful if left unattended." A first glance at Thursday mornings weekly jobless claims release could be seen as a warning sign for the labor market. Weekly unemployment claims shot up to 242,000 from 225,000 the week prior, and above economists' expectations 220,000. Given that the current labor market has been defined by low layoffs, an uptick in claims on a consistent basis would be a worrisome signal. But economists were quick to point out that the start of the holiday season is typically a volatile period for the data set. "Jobless claims data can be particularly volatile during the holiday period," Citi's team of economists wrote in a note. "Therefore, it is too early to conclude whether there is a concerning trend in claims data yet. A sustained increase in initial claims over a few weeks would be a more concerning sign of weakness in the labor market." This brings us back to a common truth about economic data. The economic narrative rarely hinges on one print , especially when considering that a variety of factors from weather-related disruptions to seasonal trends can distort an already volatile dataset like jobless claims during any given week. Stock losses accelerated in afternoon trade. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI ) was down about 0.5%, while the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC ) was off 0.4%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( ^IXIC ) fell roughly 0.4% as shares of Nvidia ( NVDA ) slipped about 1%. Meanwhile, the interest rate sensitive small-cap Russell 2000 Index ( ^RUT ) fell more than 1% as investors continued to question the Federal Reserve's path forward ahead of the central bank's final meeting of the year next week. The stock market will end 2025 lower than its current levels, according to Stifel chief equity strategist Barry Bannister. Bannister sees sticky inflation prompting the Federal Reserve to hold interest rates high as economic growth weakens, serving as key catalysts to the eventual pullback in the stock market rally. Bannister sees the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC ) ending 2025 in the mid-"5,000s." As of Thursday afternoon, the S&P 500 was hovering just shy of an all-time high at about 6,070. Among the more than 17 strategists tracked by Yahoo Finance who have listed 2025 year-end calls for the S&P 500, Bannister is the lone strategist to call for the benchmark index to fall in 2025. Still, his call for a pullback in the second half of the year after further gains in the rally isn't alone. On Wednesday, Fundstrat head of research Tom Lee said he believes the S&P 500 will rally to 7,000 midway through the year before falling to 6,600. "The environment does not appear conducive to continued equity mania, and we prefer more defensive sectors," Bannister wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. He added that slower economic growth would benefit "defensive value," including the Healthcare ( XLV ), Utilities ( XLU ), and Staples ( XLP ) sectors. Yahoo Finance's Claire Boston reports: Mortgage rates dropped for the third consecutive week after fresh economic data kept expectations about the Federal Reserve’s next interest rate cut intact. The average 30-year mortgage rate fell to 6.6% in the week through Wednesday, compared with 6.69% a week earlier, according to Freddie Mac data . Average 15-year mortgage rates also dropped to 5.84% from 5.96%. “The combination of mortgage rate declines, firm consumer income growth, and a bullish stock market have increased homebuyer demand in recent weeks,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement. “While the outlook for the housing market is improving, the improvement is limited given that homebuyers continue to face stiff affordability headwinds.” Read more here. Google-owned YouTube TV ( GOOG , GOOGL ) is raising the prices of its monthly subscription plans, with plans rising to $82.99 per month up from the prior $72.99. "We don't make these decisions lightly, and we realize this has an impact on our members," YouTube wrote in an email to customers. The company said the increase comes amid the "rising cost of content and the investments we make in the quality of our service." YouTube TV, the internet pay-TV service that allows viewers to watch live channels and access local broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, launched in 2017. Since then, its breadth of content, as well as its price point, has made it attractive to consumers looking for a cheaper replacement for their cable packages. According to Nielsen's latest TV viewing report, YouTube, which also includes the main digital platform, notched another consecutive month as the most-watched streaming service on television screens during the month of November. In total, YouTube captured 10.8% of total US TV viewing, up from the prior-year period's 9%. It also delivered a sizable beat compared to Netflix's 7.7% market share. Other à la carte streaming platforms have also raised prices this year. Disney ( DIS ) hiked the prices of its various subscription plans in October, while Comcast's ( CMCSA ) flagship streaming service, Peacock, implemented price hikes in July , just ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. And in June, Warner Bros.' ( WBD ) Max streaming platform raised prices for its ad-free streaming plans, also ahead of key programming: the second-season debut of its blockbuster "Game of Thrones" prequel, "House of the Dragon." Nvidia ( NVDA ) shares declined as much as 2% on Thursday to lead most of the chip sector lower. Peers Broadcom ( AVGO ), Micron ( MU ), and AMD ( AMD ) also fell. With the exception of Wednesday's rally, Nvidia shares have wavered in recent days. Earlier this week the stock slumped after China opened an antitrust inquiry against the chipmaker amid a struggle between Beijing and China over AI dominance. Nvidia is reportedly expanding hiring in China as it focuses on artificial intelligence chips for autonomous cars, according to Bloomberg . Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley reports: Google ( GOOG , GOOGL ) on Thursday debuted an all-new version of its Android operating system designed to power virtual and augmented reality headsets and glasses. Dubbed Android XR, the software, which Google developed in conjunction with Samsung, will allow users to interact with everything from virtual reality apps to real-world objects via your voice, motion controls, and eye-tracking capabilities. Shares of Google were largely flat immediately following the news. Read more here. Stocks came off their session lows on Thursday morning but the major averages were still trading just below the flatline at 11 a.m. ET. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI ) slipped slightly, while the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC ) fell 0.1% The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( ^IXIC ) dropped nearly 0.2% after slipping as much as 0.5%. Tesla ( TSLA ), which closed at a record high in the prior session, turned positive after sliding more than 1% in early trading. Microsoft ( MSFT ) also climbed more than 1%. Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) has risen 2% in the past 24 hours to hold above the $101,000 level. The world's largest cryptocurrency first broke the $100,000 threshold last week, reaching an all-time high of about $103,900. Bitcoin has soared since Donald Trump's presidential victory last month on optimism of crypto-friendly policies under his administration. President-elect Trump rang the opening bell on Thursday morning as stocks pulled back from record highs after fresh inflation put a question mark over whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI ) edged down 0.1%, while the S&P 500 ( ^GSPC ) slipped roughly 0.2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( ^IXIC ) fell 0.4% after closing above the 20,000 level for the first time. Tech stocks led the decline on Thursday with Nvidia ( NVDA ) falling more than 2%. Adobe ( ADBE ) shares also sank at the open after the company issued weak guidance for its 2025 fiscal year. Wholesale prices in November came in hotter than expected, putting into question whether Federal Reserve officials will cut interest rates at their next policy meeting on Dec. 18. The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will step down on Jan. 20, the day President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office. Michael Whitaker said he will leave his post in a letter released on Thursday morning. Stock market futures edged lower after data released this morning showed wholesale prices rose more than expected in November, putting a question mark over whether Federal Reserve officials will want to cut interest rates at their policy meeting next week. The producer price index (PPI) rose 0.4% from the prior month, compared to expectations of 0.2%. Wholesale prices, excluding volatile food and energy prices, increased 3.4% year over year, versus expectations of 3.2%. Federal Reserve officials want to see inflation slow as they continue their easing cycle. The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will convene on Dec. 17-18 for its last rate-setting meeting of the year. Adobe ( ADBE ) shares fell more than 11% before the market open on Thursday after the company issued weak guidance for its 2025 fiscal year. In its earnings Wednesday, Adobe said it expects revenue in the range of $23.3 billion to $23.6 billion and adjusted earnings per share between $20.20 and $20.50, according to Bloomberg consensus estimates. Wall Street analysts had expected the company to guide for an annual revenue of $23.8 billion and adjusted EPS of $20.52, Bloomberg data showed. The worse-than-anticipated outlook stoked investor fears that AI will disrupt Adobe's business . TD Cowen downgraded the stock to a Hold rating Thursday morning. Still, Wall Street analysts largely maintained their Buy ratings on the stock. Some 34 analysts tracked by Bloomberg recommend buying Adobe shares. Economic data: Initial jobless claims (week ending Dec. 7); Producer Price Index (November) Earnings: Broadcom ( AVGO ), Costco ( COST ), Lovesac ( LOVE ) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Why a top Wall Street bull thinks the S&P 500 rally will cool Adobe stock slumps as sales forecast misses amid delayed AI payoff What Cruise's self-driving end means for Tesla and Waymo SNB surprises with a 50 basis point rate cut, biggest in nearly a decade Nvidia steps up hiring in China to focus on AI-driven cars Microsoft sees $800 million charge on stake in GM’s Cruise Meta donates $1 million to Donald Trump’s inaugural fund It's going to be a busier than normal day out front of the iconic New York Stock Exchange as President-elect Donald Trump is slated to ring the opening bell. The bell-ringing on the podium feels befitting to an incoming president who has long viewed the stock market's performance as an indicator of how his policies are doing. As a memory jogger, in 1985 Ronald Reagan became the first sitting US president to ring the bell. “With tax reform and budget control, our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation,” Reagan said. “We’re going to turn the bull loose.” The bull was let loose for stocks in Trump's first term and during President Joe Biden's term. The S&P 500 rose 61% under Trump from Inauguration Day through Dec. 11. It has advanced 58% from Biden's Inauguration Day to Dec. 11. Below is a historical watch from that Reagan visit. Yahoo Finance's Jared Blikre will be out front of the NYSE this morning. Tune in live on Yahoo Finance for his reporting and more from our team!
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler birdied every hole but the par 3s on the front nine at Albany Golf Club on Friday and finished his bogey-free round with an 8-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Hero World Challenge. Two months off did nothing to slow the world's No. 1 player. Scheffler already has eight victories this year and is in position to get another before the end of the year. Scheffler was at 13-under 131, two ahead of Akshay Bhatia (66) and Justin Thomas (67), both of whom had to save par on the 18th hole to stay in range going into the weekend. Scheffler started with a lob wedge to 2 feet for birdie and never slowed until after he went out in 29 to seize control of the holiday tournament against a 20-man field. Scheffler cooled slightly on the back nine, except it didn't feel that way to him. “Front nine, just things were going my way. Back nine, maybe not as much,” Scheffler said. “A couple shots could end up closer to the hole, a couple putts go in, just little things.” Asked if he felt any frustration he didn't take it lower — he once shot 59 at the TPC Boston during the FedEx Cup playoffs — Scheffler sounded bemused. “I think in this game I think a lot of all y’all are looking for perfection out of us,” he said. “Today I shot 8 under on the golf course, not something I hang my head about. A lot of good things out there — clean card, bogey-free, eight birdies. Overall, I think I'm pretty pleased.” Thomas felt his 67 was stress-free, particularly the way he was driving the ball. The wind laid down again, rare for the Bahamas, though it is expected to pick up on the weekend. Thomas wasn't concerned to see Scheffler get off to a hot start, especially with three par 5s on the front nine and a short par 4 that at worst leaves a flip wedge to the green. “You literally can birdie every hole as soft as the greens are,” Thomas said. “He's a great player, a great wedge player, and you have a lot of birdie holes to start. I'm honestly surprised he only shot 8 under. It's a sneaky course because if you fall asleep on some shots, you can get out of position. But if you're on and focused and really in control of everything — like these last two days with no wind — you can just make so many birdies.” Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley had a 67 and was four shots behind. No matter how benign the conditions, it wasn't always easy. Cameron Young, who opened with a 64 for a two-shot lead, followed with a 75 despite making five birdies. That included a double bogey on the final hole when his approach tumbled down the bank into the rocks framing the lake that goes all the way down the 18th hole. Patrick Cantlay was trying to keep pace playing alongside Scheffler, but he had three bogeys over the final seven holes and fell seven shots behind with a 71. The tournament, hosted by Tiger Woods, is unofficial but offers world ranking points to all but the bottom three players because of the small field. It's the weakest field in 25 years, but Scheffler at No. 1 gives it enough cachet. He is the first player since Woods in 2009 to start and finish a year at No. 1 in the world. And even after a layoff — giving him time to tinker with a new putting stroke — it looks like it might be a while before anyone changes that. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower following some potentially discouraging data on the economy. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% Thursday, its third loss in the last four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report earlier in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than forecast. A separate update showed that inflation at the wholesale level was hotter last month than economists expected. Adobe sank after issuing weaker-than-expected financial forecasts. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are drifting lower Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, potentially on track for its third loss in the last four days. That would count as a stumble amid a big rally that’s carried the index toward the close of one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154 points, or 0.4%, as of 1:45 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3% from its record set the day before. A report earlier in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they tug at one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders see it as a near-certainty that the Fed will cut its main interest rate at its meeting next week. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which eased rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.5% despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.6% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move "enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 2.5% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.31% from 4.27% late Wednesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, rose to 4.18% from 4.16%. ___ AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated PressChristopher Nolan's next film, "Odyssey", to star Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya
Photo: Unsplash The Westbank First Nation has issued a cougar warning. The warning was issued on Thursday evening after a cougar was spotted near the ball diamond on Falcon Lane on WFN lands. "Please use caution in and around the community. Avoid walking alone or at night if possible," said WFN on social media. According to the RCMP , cougars can be especially dangerous to small children, because their higher voices, more erratic movements, and smaller size make it difficult for cougars to identify them as human and not prey. People are advised not to approach cougars but if you do come into contact with a cougar you are advised to stay calm, give the cougar an escape route and talk to the cougar in a confident tone of voice. "Do not turn your back and do not run, try to back away from the cougar slowly. Sudden movement or flight may trigger an instinctive attack," said the RCMP advice.MOSCA, Colorado — A handmade sign at the start of a long dirt road in the rural San Luis Valley indicates to visitors that they’ve arrived at the future site of . The peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains barely make a dent in the big blue skies above the 40 acres purchased by founder and CEO Gamal Jadue Zalaquett. He aims to transform the land into a resort featuring 20 villas, a spa, a restaurant and a planetarium. “It’s a place of alignment. Kosmos is a place of connection,” Jadue Zalaquett said. “Kosmos, in a way, is a place to heal, and the San Luis Valley has a lot to do with healing.” He bought the property for $11,000 in December 2020. But with glass domes for stargazing and expensive price tags to stay the night, Jadue Zalaquett’s ambitious brainchild falls snugly into the category of “luxury ecotourism.” His site is an ideal spot for admiring constellations and distant galaxies. According to the National Park Service, the nearby is considered an International Dark Sky Park. Jadue Zalaquett said the area is a class two location on the Bortle dark-sky scale, which translates to “ ” skies. The resort’s planetarium will include a 1-meter telescope. In terms of getting visitors to Kosmos, “that’s gonna be the biggest attractor,” Jadue Zalaquett said. Development is still in the early stages, but it’s already garnering attention from the public: More than 12,000 Instagram users follow where project renderings and updates are shared. Kosmos plans to open its first villa early next year, said marketing operations manager Jennifer Geerlings. Although it’s still under construction, the resort has already booked more than 2,000 reservations, she added. “A lot of it, for some people, is the excitement of being the first to be able to stay in an experience like this,” Geerlings said in a phone interview. “There’s really no other resort that’s doing this.” While Jadue Zalaquett put about $500,000 toward getting the project off the ground, raised $1.9 million, Geerlings said. Donors paid a one-time fee to receive 50% discounts off their reservations for early 2025. So instead of paying the usual $700 nightly rate, they booked at $350 per night, Geerlings said. And after the campaign’s end, people continued to contribute directly via Stripe, which put total revenue from crowdfunding at more than $2 million, Jadue Zalaquett added. So why is it worth it to stay at Kosmos? For Geerlings, the answer is a combination of the villas — with their jacuzzis nestled in glass domes under the stars — and amenities like the planetarium. “You’re able to experience some of the best stargazing. The Milky Way is visible to the naked eye,” Geerlings said. “A planetarium is something that’s never been at a resort before.” In November, director of field operations Auston Duncan stepped over sagebrush and loose hardware to outline the state of construction on the project. An unfinished villa offered a hint of what’s to come. The rectangular building with exposed wooden rafters and newly-installed glass sliding doors will soon house a bedroom and a bathroom. Jeremy Stephen, the founder of Steamboat Springs-based , built the villa out of , which is made of hemp, water and lime. It works as an eco-friendly insulator, helping to mitigate heating and cooling costs and lending itself to the vision of Kosmos as a resort with sustainability in mind. On one side of the villa, a hot tub will be installed. On the other, a dome made out of glass and wood from will cover the kitchen and loft area. The development will occur in phases. Next year, 16 stargazing villas (which hold up to four guests) and 4 galaxy villas (which hold up to eight guests) will be constructed, Geerlings said. Every stay includes an hour of a guided stargazing experience and telescope training. In 2026, the amenities will be built out. Those include the Mediterranean-style restaurant and the wellness center with spa features like hyperbaric chambers, a sauna and a cold plunge. In 2027, the planetarium will be added to the resort. To ensure dark skies, guests will park their cars and use electric golf carts to navigate the resort, Jadue Zalaquett said. He mentioned that discussions with consultants on the stargazing center included a NASA representative, who was interested in hosting a mission workshop at Kosmos next year. Both the planetarium and the spa will be open to the public, Geerlings added. All in all, it’s a bold plan. And Kosmos is looking to hire to make it happen. Right now, the business is in search of employees to lead their stargazing experiences. So far, it’s recruited a former Great Sand Dunes ranger, Geerlings said. The team is considering college students from Adams State University in Alamosa as interns. Kosmos will also need to staff resort operations, including housekeeping, security and front desk workers. “We’re gonna try and hire pretty much everyone locally,” Geerlings said. For Jadue Zalaquett, taking on an endeavor like this runs in his blood. Related Articles He currently lives between Alamosa and Boulder, but Jadue Zalaquett was born in Chile and grew up in Miami. When his family migrated to Chile, they ran hotels. Several paternal relatives work as architects. However, Jadue Zalaquett didn’t initially follow the family business. Instead, he worked in technology startups for almost a decade. Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he visited the San Luis Valley. He realized that, although the Great Sand Dunes were located less than a half hour away, tourists could only choose from a few lodging options. So came the idea for Kosmos. And “here I am, back at my roots,” Jadue Zalaquett said.
NoneThis is a customer submitted press release. Submit your press release. Washington, D.C. — SpaceNews, the leading B2B news organization covering the business, politics and technology of the space industry, announced the winners of the 7th annual SpaceNews Icon Awards on Dec. 6. The event, hosted by SpaceNews as part of its 35th anniversary celebrations and held at the InterContinental Hotel in Washington, recognized exceptional achievements across 10 categories, including: innovation, leadership, and sustainability in the burgeoning global space economy. The categories and winners were: “The Icon Awards are not just about recognizing extraordinary achievements; they’re about celebrating our collective progress,” said SpaceNews President Paige McCullough. “The space economy is expected to reach $1.8 trillion within the next decade, and events like this remind us of the ingenuity and collaboration driving that growth.” The event brought together 150 Icon Award winners, nominees, past honorees, and industry VIPs. As SpaceNews continues to expand its reach—serving over 25 million pageviews annually, nearly 200,000 social media followers, and offering content across print, digital, video, and audio formats—the Icon Awards exemplify its mission to be the most trusted source for space news and an advocate for industry excellence. With its multi-platform reach, SpaceNews remains committed to delivering the stories that matter most to the space community. This includes introducing a new weekly video podcast and redesigned magazine debuting in January 2025. For a detailed recap of the event and information on the winners, visit spacenewsawards.com . About SpaceNews SpaceNews is the leading source for reliable and timely space industry news and analysis. Since 1989, SpaceNews has provided award-winning journalism and insight into the space economy. With millions of monthly readers and an expanding range of products, SpaceNews continues to shape conversations on space exploration, technology, and business. For further information, please contact: Paige McCullough President, SpaceNews, Inc. +1.571.278.4090 pmccullough@spacenews.com
Highlights from Trump's interview with Time magazineMIAMI — The Miami Heat in its Jimmy Butler era has been consistently good enough to tease and tantalize but not good enough to turn the hope into celebration. So it is again now, just past the quarter mark of his sixth NBA season in South Florida, with a team 12-10 after three impressive straight wins. You can predict how this will play out, though, right? Coach Erik Spoelstra’s men will marshal the fierce competitiveness that defines Heat Culture to be the proverbial tough out in the first round of the playoffs. But the Heat will be nobody’s threat to raise the franchise’s fourth championship trophy in a conference with reigning champ Boston and a half dozen other teams with better title odds. Pretty good. Not good enough. It might feel like harsh judgment of where the Heat stands, and of the Butler era, but it also is fair and accurate as fresh speculation swirls around the possibility Miami might part with Butler before the league’s Feb. 7 trade deadline. The introduction of Butler before Thursday night’s home game vs. Toronto might in turn feel a bit different. A bit more like goodbye? Like thank you? Butler’s five-plus seasons in Miami have been an on-balance success if you’re a bottom-liner. Two NBA Finals and an Eastern Conference final series (though all ending in loss) have seen the Heat as legit contenders in three of five seasons. And Butler already has risen to fifth all-time in club win shares, after only Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning and current teammate Bam Adebayo. Playoff Jimmy has proved able to lift his game in the postseason with epic performances ... though not able to lift the ultimate trophy. Eccentric, colorful, he has a lasting place in Heat lore, albeit with the big goal unfinished. So the Heat faces a decision right now: — Continue to believe that the Butler-Bam-Tyler Herro Big 3 core is the answer and championship-capable. — Or acknowledge it is not and that it’s time to tweak and retool with a Butler trade. Choice seems pretty clear to me. Butler has an opt-out after this season, can become a free agent and reportedly would pursue that path. So the choice is to keep him the rest of this season, then lose him and get nothing in return for him but the memories. Or trade him in the next seven weeks and get something in return to kick-start the retool. Easy answer: Trade him and get something, obviously assuming the offers are sufficient. Because, as is, Butler is an expensive veteran with an expiring contract — a time bomb. If there is a fair offer, jump on it. ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania (a.k.a. The New Woj) reported Tuesday Miami is “open” to offers for Butler and that the player cites Houston (where he’s from), Dallas and Golden State as preferred destinations. There has been speculation involving Denver and the L.A. Lakers, too. He reportedly wants a win-now team, an acknowledgment he doesn’t think Miami is one. There would be presumed interest, market value I think, even though Butler is 35 and with a somewhat onerous $48.7 million salary. A team close but needing a missing piece might have room or make room for a proven scoring option and fierce defender. What I won’t get into here (you’re welcome) is the machinations of what deals might work under the league’s new CBA trade rules. I leave that to Andy Ellisburg, the Heat’sVP/general manager who deals with the salary cap and such. Start mentioning “tax aprons” and my eyes glaze over. But I know this: Houston, Dallas and Golden State among them have a combined 10 tradeable first-round draft picks to dangle in a deal for Butler. Each has young players good enough to be a part of Heat plans moving forward. No team will give up a comparable star for Butler, but a package of players and picks, yes. High draft picks, players obtained in return and available current veterans such as Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier might be something Miami could parlay. Next summer’s free agents list also includes one Kyrie Irving, whom Pat Riley has privately had on his radar for awhile. Herro, having a great season, and Adebayo remain players to build around. Young rising star Jamie Jacquez Jr. can step into Butler’s role. The challenge is that Miami must parlay what it gets for Butler to get somebody younger and better. Or do the same in free agency. Bottom line: With Butler leaving soon, either by trade or in free agency, the Heat must confront its pressing need to replace him. Miami should strike a worthy deal and get something for Butler before he gets away for free. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Patna: A group of people and government job aspirants held a protest here on Wednesday, December 25, demanding the cancellation of the December 13 combined preliminary exam conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) over the alleged question paper leak. Police lathi charged the protesters after some of them broke past barricades and reached the BPSC office in Patna, disrupting traffic movement, senior officer said. “A group of people, including job aspirants, gathered near the BPSC office on Bailey Road in the second half on Wednesday. They wanted to proceed towards the BPSC office, which the police did not allow. Some of them managed to reach the BPSC office and disrupted the movement of traffic. “Despite repeated requests by the security personnel, they refused to vacate the road. It is a restricted area where protests are not allowed. Finally, mild force, including baton charge was used to disperse the protestors,” Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeev Mishra told PTI on Wednesday. Protesters claimed that two or three persons were injured in the baton charge, which the SSP denied. #WATCH | Patna | Aspirants hold protest against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) demanding re-exam of 70th BPSC Examination. pic.twitter.com/AqZuapo38g “No protesters were injured. Mild force was used to disperse them,” he said. The job aspirants have been demanding cancellation of the preliminary examination of the BPSC and requested the commission to announce a fresh date for the test at the earliest. Protesters alleged that question papers were leaked before the examination started at certain centres. However, BPSC chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai on Tuesday ruled out the cancellation of the entire exam. He, however, made it clear that BPSC would conduct a re-examination of candidates who appeared for the test at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre in Patna on December 13. Manubhai announced that the re-examination would be held on January 4, 2025. The BPSC recently cancelled its combined preliminary examination held at Bapu Pariksha Parisar in Patna’s Kumhrar locality, where an on-duty official died of a heart attack after a ruckus was created by “unruly” candidates on December 13. The commission also served show-cause notices to 34 aspirants, who were allegedly part of the disruption created at Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre.NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler birdied every hole but the par 3s on the front nine at Albany Golf Club on Friday and finished his bogey-free round with an 8-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Hero World Challenge. Two months off did nothing to slow the world's No. 1 player. Scheffler already has eight victories this year and is in position to get another before the end of the year. Scheffler was at 13-under 131, two ahead of Akshay Bhatia (66) and Justin Thomas (67), both of whom had to save par on the 18th hole to stay in range going into the weekend. Scheffler started with a lob wedge to 2 feet for birdie and never slowed until after he went out in 29 to seize control of the holiday tournament against a 20-man field. Scheffler cooled slightly on the back nine, except it didn't feel that way to him. “Front nine, just things were going my way. Back nine, maybe not as much,” Scheffler said. “A couple shots could end up closer to the hole, a couple putts go in, just little things.” Asked if he felt any frustration he didn't take it lower — he once shot 59 at the TPC Boston during the FedEx Cup playoffs — Scheffler sounded bemused. “I think in this game I think a lot of all y’all are looking for perfection out of us,” he said. “Today I shot 8 under on the golf course, not something I hang my head about. A lot of good things out there — clean card, bogey-free, eight birdies. Overall, I think I'm pretty pleased.” Thomas felt his 67 was stress-free, particularly the way he was driving the ball. The wind laid down again, rare for the Bahamas, though it is expected to pick up on the weekend. Thomas wasn't concerned to see Scheffler get off to a hot start, especially with three par 5s on the front nine and a short par 4 that at worst leaves a flip wedge to the green. “You literally can birdie every hole as soft as the greens are,” Thomas said. “He's a great player, a great wedge player, and you have a lot of birdie holes to start. I'm honestly surprised he only shot 8 under. It's a sneaky course because if you fall asleep on some shots, you can get out of position. But if you're on and focused and really in control of everything — like these last two days with no wind — you can just make so many birdies.” Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley had a 67 and was four shots behind. No matter how benign the conditions, it wasn't always easy. Cameron Young, who opened with a 64 for a two-shot lead, followed with a 75 despite making five birdies. That included a double bogey on the final hole when his approach tumbled down the bank into the rocks framing the lake that goes all the way down the 18th hole. Patrick Cantlay was trying to keep pace playing alongside Scheffler, but he had three bogeys over the final seven holes and fell seven shots behind with a 71. The tournament, hosted by Tiger Woods, is unofficial but offers world ranking points to all but the bottom three players because of the small field. It's the weakest field in 25 years, but Scheffler at No. 1 gives it enough cachet. He is the first player since Woods in 2009 to start and finish a year at No. 1 in the world. And even after a layoff — giving him time to tinker with a new putting stroke — it looks like it might be a while before anyone changes that. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfWearable Heart-Sound Sound Devices Can Revolutionise Cardiac Care; Reveals Study
will require to verify their identities more often as part of a larger effort to crack down on unauthorized account sharing. DoorDash has been under pressure to ensure its drivers are operating legally. Over the summer, for example, it pledged to do a better job dangerous drivers after a flood of complaints of dangerous driving from cities. Officials in Boston, New York and other cities have said that in many cases, people with multiple traffic violations continue to make deliveries using accounts registered to others. The said Thursday it was requiring some drivers to complete real-time identity checks immediately after they complete a delivery. Previously, drivers were occasionally asked to re-verify their identities before or after a shift. DoorDash has introduced the new system in Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle and other cities, and said it planned a wider rollout next year. DoorDash said it also has developed an advanced machine learning system that can flag potential unauthorized account access, including login anomalies and suspicious activity. If the company detects a problem, it will require drivers to re-verify their identity before they can . U.S. drivers must verify their identities with a driver’s license or other government-issued identification, and upload a selfie that matches their identification photo before they can do work for DoorDash. They also must submit to background checks, which require a Social Security number. The company said it found that some drivers were getting around the requirements by sharing accounts with authorized users. In some cases, drivers who were not authorized to drive for DoorDash paid authorized users for access to their accounts. Some federal lawmakers have demanded that DoorDash and other delivery apps do a better job of keeping people who are in the U.S. illegally off the platforms. Republican U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Braun of Indiana and Ted Budd of North Carolina sent letters to delivery companies in April asking them to crack down on account sharing. “These illegal immigrants are delivering food directly to consumers’ doors without ever having undergone a background check and often without even using their real names,” the letter said. It added that working illegally can also be dangerous for migrants, creating the potential for exploitation and abuse. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment Thursday with Gig Workers Rising and Justice for App Workers, which both represent delivery drivers. DoorDash won’t estimate how many drivers are using shared accounts, but said its safeguards are effective. Last year, it began asking drivers to re-verify their identities monthly by submitting a selfie. The company said it is now asking more than 150,000 drivers to complete selfie checks each week, and it’s removing them from the platform if they don’t comply. Dee-ann Durbin, The Associated Press
Tulane QB Mensah transfers to Duke; Mississippi State’s Van Buren, Cal’s Mendoza enter portal