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Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83
NoneChuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83Colin Smalls puts up 23 points as American tops UAlbany 81-77 at Puerto Rico Classico
(BPT) - The holidays are almost here! It means parties and events, hustle and bustle ... and figuring out what to buy for everyone on your list. Sometimes it's hard to get inspired with great ideas that your nears and dears will love at a price you can afford, right? The good news? Inspiration + savings are covered this year. One of the top gifts of Holiday 2024 is technology, and there are a lot of deals out there right now. Done and done! Here are 5 ideas for hot tech gifts for everyone on your list. Smartphones for the family T-Mobile is running a hot deal right now. Get four new smartphones at T-Mobile — this includes Samsung Galaxy S24 and other eligible devices — and four lines for just $100/month . It doesn't get better than that! These new Galaxy phones are tech-tastic, too, with features like AI, Circle to Search with Google, which can be used to help solve math problems and translate entire pages of text in a different language, and Note Assist with Galaxy AI, which lets you focus on capturing your notes and then Note Assist will summarize, format and even translate them for you. High tech spiral notebook for students We've got to admit, this is pretty cool. The Rocketbook looks (a bit) like a regular spiral, paper notebook. Here's the high tech twist: You can take notes, capture ideas, brainstorm, draw — whatever you do on paper — on the pad, and the Rocketbook digitizes your doodles and saves to the cloud device of your choice. Then you simply wipe the pad clean and it's good to go. Look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at your favorite online retailer. Wrist-worthy smartwatches for athletes (or those who want to be) Everyone loves smartwatches (if you're not already tracking your sleep and heart rate, where have you been?) and the Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm & 45mm) takes it to the next level with features for athletes or anyone who may be setting fitness goals for the coming year. The watch has workout prompts like Real Time Guidance — audio and haptic cues for when to sprint, cool down or maintain pace. It gives you the ability to program your workouts and even monitors your cadence and stride. It also has Offline Maps, with driving navigation, search and maps. Here's the deal of the century: Get it for free at T-Mobile when adding a qualifying watch line. Cute wireless keyboard for people who are all thumbs Who else is annoyed by typing email or texts or social posts on a smartphone? The Logitech Multi-Device Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard solves that problem with style! It comes in sweet colors like lavender, it's wireless, it's small and portable, and it works with just about any device. Pop it into your backpack or purse and you'll never have to thumb-out a message again. Speakers perfect for hosting and giving Have a music lover in your life or need the perfect hosting gift? T-Mobile has you covered. For a limited time, you can get the JBL Clip 5 for free when you pick up a Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 . The JBL Clip 5 is an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker perfect for those on the go and the Onyx Studio 9's sleek design and booming sound will take care of all your holiday hosting needs. For more tech-tastic holiday gift inspiration, check out T-Mobile's holiday gift guide at t-mobile.com/devices/tech-gifts .Hiring your children to work on Small Business Saturday can teach them positive work values and give you extra help for the holidays.Countries at the COP29 summit in Baku agreed on a $300 billion annual global finance target on Sunday to assist poorer nations in addressing the effects of climate change. However, the intended beneficiaries criticised the deal as grossly inadequate. The agreement, finalised after extended negotiations at the two-week conference in Azerbaijan's capital, aimed to bolster global efforts to combat climate change in what is set to become the hottest year on record. While some delegates responded with a standing ovation in the plenary hall, others condemned wealthy nations for their perceived lack of commitment and criticised Azerbaijan's leadership for rushing the controversial plan to approval. "I regret to say that this document is nothing more than an optical illusion," Indian delegation representative Chandni Raina told the closing session of the summit, minutes after the deal was gavelled in. "This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face. Therefore, we oppose the adoption of this document." United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell acknowledged the difficult negotiations that led to the agreement but hailed the outcome as an insurance policy for humanity against global warming. "It has been a difficult journey, but we've delivered a deal," Stiell said. "This deal will keep the clean energy boom growing and protect billions of lives. "But like any insurance policy, it only works if the premiums are paid in full, and on time." The agreement would provide $300 billion annually by 2035, boosting rich countries' previous commitment to provide $100 billion annually in climate finance by 2020. That earlier goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025. The deal also lays the groundwork for next year's climate summit, to be held in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, where countries are meant to map out the next decade of climate action. The summit cut to the heart of the debate over the financial responsibility of industrialised countries - whose historic use of fossil fuels has caused the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions - to compensate others for worsening damage from climate change. It also laid bare divisions between wealthy governments constrained by tight domestic budgets and developing nations reeling from the costs of storms, floods and droughts. Negotiations had been due to finish on Friday but ran into overtime as representatives from nearly 200 countries struggled to reach consensus. Talks were interrupted on Saturday as some developing countries and island nations walked away in frustration. "We are leaving with a small portion of the funding climate-vulnerable countries urgently need. It isn’t nearly enough, but it’s a start," said Tina Stege, Marshall Islands climate envoy. Nations have been seeking financing to deliver on the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels - beyond which catastrophic climate impacts could occur. The world is currently on track for as much as 3.1 C (5.6 F) of warming by the end of this century, according to the 2024 UN Emissions Gap report, with global greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use continuing to rise. Sunday's deal failed to set out detailed steps for how countries will act on last year's UN climate summit pledge to transition away from fossil fuels and triple renewable energy capacity this decade. Some negotiators said Saudi Arabia had attempted to block such a plan during the talks. "There's a challenge in getting greater ambition when you're negotiating with the Saudis," said US climate adviser John Podesta. A Saudi official did not immediately provide comment. The roster of countries required to contribute - about two dozen industrialised countries, including the US, European nations and Canada - dates back to a list decided during UN climate talks in 1992. European governments have demanded others pay in, including China, the world's second-biggest economy, and oil-rich Gulf states. The deal encourages developing countries to make contributions but does not require them. The agreement includes a broader goal of raising $1.3 trillion in climate finance annually by 2035 - which would include funding from all public and private sources and which economists say matches the sum needed to address global warming. Countries also agreed on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say could mobilise billions more dollars into new projects to fight global warming, from reforestation to deployment of clean energy technologies. Securing the climate finance deal was a challenge from the start. Donald Trump's US presidential election victory this month has raised doubts among some negotiators that the world's largest economy would pay into any climate finance goal agreed in Baku. Trump, a Republican who takes office in January, has called climate change a hoax and promised to again remove the US from international climate cooperation. President Joe Biden congratulated the COP29 participants for reaching what he called a historic agreement that would help mobilise needed funds but said more work was needed. "While there is still substantial work ahead of us to achieve our climate goals, today’s outcome puts us one significant step closer. On behalf of the American people and future generations, we must continue to accelerate our work to keep a cleaner, safer, healthier planet within our grasp," Biden said in a statement. Western governments have seen global warming slip down the list of national priorities amid surging geopolitical tensions, including Russia’s war in Ukraine expanding conflict in the Middle East, and rising inflation. The showdown over financing for developing countries comes in a year scientists predict will be the hottest on record. Climate woes are stacking up, with widespread flooding killing thousands across Africa, deadly landslides burying villages in Asia, and drought in South America shrinking rivers. Developed countries have not been spared. Torrential rain triggered floods in Valencia, Spain, last month that left more than 200 dead, and the US so far this year has registered 24 billion-dollar disasters — just four fewer than last year.
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3 reasons to involve your kids in Small Business Saturday
Santa’s Workshop 2024 ready to welcome holiday shoppersNEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
3 Durable Dividend Stocks to Buy for a Lifetime of Passive IncomeRIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Brazil's federal police say the former right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, attempted to launch a coup in 2022 to stay in office following his relection defeat. The police indicted 36 other people, as part of what they say was a criminal conspiracy working to keep Bolsonaro in power, after he lost the 2022 election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Among the dozens allegedly part of the conspiracy are Bolsonaro's former defense minister, who was also his vice-presidential running mate, and a number of former close aides. The Federal Police report called the coup an attempt to "violently dismantle the constitutional state". The nearly 900-page report now goes to Brazil's Supreme Court to be referred to the attorney general who will decide whether to go ahead and try the former president. Shortly after Bolsonaro's left wing rival took office in 2023, on January 8th, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the presidential palace, the Supreme Court and congress in the capital Brasilia. Former Bolsonaro administration officials also accused of involvement in the alleged plot, include Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto, ex-National Security Adviser Augusto Heleno, the head of Bolsonaro's party, Valdemar Costa Neto and the former Justice Minister Anderson Torres. On Tuesday, officials arrested four members of the military, including a top aide to Bolsonaro who they said colluded to assassinate then President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his vice-presidential pick and a Supreme Court Justice. The plan was to spark a federal emergency that would allow Bolsonaro to declare a "state of siege" and stay in power as a caretaker government. If convicted of attempting a coup and criminal association, the former president could face years in prison. Bolsonaro has denied all charges and says he is being politically persecuted. This is a developing story and will be updated Copyright 2024 NPRHarvey paid $3,750 to settle a lawsuit alleging the city violated the Freedom of Information Act by denying a Harvey man’s request for body-worn camera footage related to his arrest, according to the settlement agreement. City Council members approved the payment to Brandon Collymore at a council meeting Sept. 9, which was set to be paid within 45 days. Part of the agreement also called for the city to give Collymore a copy of the body-worn camera footage. The Daily Southtown requested a copy of the settlement through FOIA after the meeting but did not receive it for more than two months. In Illinois, government agencies must respond to a FOIA request within five business days of filing. Agencies can extend the response time by up to five additional business days, but must notify the requester in writing if more time is needed. “Every person in Illinois has a right to know what the government is doing in their name, and the Freedom of Information Act is the tool to do that, the tool that helps hold police accountable,” said Daniel Massoglia, director of the Civil Rights Clinic at First Defense Legal Aid, which provides free legal representation for victims of police abuse and represented Collymore in the case. “We filed a lawsuit alleging that the city had violated the law and we’re pleased with the results.” Collymore filed a FOIA request with the city in May 2023 seeking police reports, narratives, body-worn and in-car camera footage, tactical response reports and other records related to his arrest in July 2022, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that within five business days of the city’s acknowledgment of Collymore’s request, the city did not seek an extension, prompting Collymore to contact the clerk’s office for an update. The lawsuit states both parties agreed to an extension deadline of June 15. During a conversation with the city’s FOIA officer, Liliana Gonzalez, the lawsuit states that she expressed uncertainty about whether the city had purchased or could afford the technology required to blur faces. Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark is the FOIA officer for Calumet City. On June 16, Collymore followed up with Gonzalez, but both his emails and phone calls went unanswered, according to the lawsuit. Almost two weeks after the agreed upon deadline, the city partially denied the request for the in-car and body-worn camera footage, claiming they lacked the means to blur faces and protect the identities of third parties and individuals providing information to law enforcement, the lawsuit states. “Defendant’s (Harvey) actions, whether the product of individual subjective malfeasance or structural bad faith through underfunding and mismanagement, constitute willful and intentional violations of the Act,” according to the lawsuit. The city’s spokesperson, Glenn Harston, did not provide comment on the lawsuit or whether the city obtained the necessary technology to blur faces in police footage. The lawsuit says other municipalities, such as Chicago, routinely blur faces when third parties are present on in-car or body-worn camera footage requested under FOIA. The lawsuit states several body-worn camera providers and technology companies offer video redaction software at affordable rates, listing Axon’s “redaction studio” in the Pro Tier license package for $26 more per month than the basic plan, Redaction by Reduct’s manual redaction software for $24 annually and Caseguard’s comprehensive redaction services ranging from $99 to $329 per month. “Technology is not that expensive to blur somebody’s face,” Massoglia said. Massoglia, who took on Collymore’s case after the initial lawyer left the legal aid firm, said he is unsure whether attempts were made to appeal the city’s decision before filing the lawsuit, which is often a last resort to compel municipalities to turn over public records. “I suspect there was because we typically don’t just jump to sue municipalities when there’s a way to work it out informally, because it’s just easier for everybody if there can just be an agreement,” he said. Filers can appeal by submitting a request for review to the attorney general’s office public access counselor if a request is denied, or if no reply is received within the mandatory five-day response time. The process is free and requires sending a letter, a copy of the original FOIA request and any communication with the public body. Although, filers have said it often takes a long time to hear back on these requests for help. smoilanen@chicagotribune.com
Behind Donald Trump's Win, The Misplaced Optimism Of The White LiberalIran said on Sunday that it would hold nuclear talks in the coming days with the three European countries that initiated a censure resolution against it adopted by the UN’s atomic watchdog. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany and the United Kingdom would take place on Friday, without specifying a venue. “A range of regional and international issues and topics, including the issues of Palestine and Lebanon, as well as the nuclear issue, will be discussed,” the spokesman said in a foreign ministry statement. Baghaei described the upcoming meeting as a continuation of talks held with the countries in September on the sidelines of the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York. On Thursday, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution denouncing Iran for what it called a lack of cooperation. The move came as tensions ran high over Iran’s atomic program, which critics fear is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon — something Tehran has repeatedly denied. It also came after IAEA head Rafael Grossi returned from a trip to Tehran, where he appeared to have made headway. During the visit, Iran agreed to an IAEA demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity. In response to the resolution, Iran announced it was launching a “series of new and advanced centrifuges”. Centrifuges enrich uranium transformed into gas by rotating it at very high speed, increasing the proportion of fissile isotope material (U-235). “We will substantially increase the enrichment capacity with the utilisation of different types of advanced machines,” Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran’s atomic energy organisation spokesman, told state TV. The country, however, also said it planned to continue its “technical and safeguards cooperation with the IAEA”. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in power since July and a supporter of dialogue with Western countries, has said he wants to remove “doubts and ambiguities” about his country’s nuclear programme. In 2015, Iran and world powers reached an agreement that saw the easing of international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. But the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed biting economic sanctions, which prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its commitments.