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Kids in tears and Christmas ‘ruined’ by ‘blatantly fake’ Santa ClausScholastic Corporation Announces Third Quarter Dividend
AP Business SummaryBrief at 2:22 p.m. ESTThere's nothing worse than buying a new piece of tech and realizing that it did not come with the necessary charger. That's why it's always a good idea to have extra on hand. For just $13 with an Amazon Black Friday deal , you can get two 5-foot Anker USB-C chargers and cables, equivalent to 32% off retail price. However, to get this price, you'll need to be an Amazon Prime member . Getting just a single charger and cable at this price would be a decent deal, so getting two is impressive. Each charger has a 20-watt USB-C port, which is enough for fast-charging the latest iPhones or Android devices . A legacy USB-A port is also included for folks who need it, meaning you can charge more than one device at a time. The two included USB-C cables are 5 feet long. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money . This deal is available in both white and black finishes, so make sure to pick the one you like best before adding your new chargers to your cart. Looking for more tech deals? CNET's roundups of the best Black Friday discounts on Apple products , laptops , tablets and more guarantee incredible savings on the best tech. These roundups are constantly updated, so keep checking back regularly if you're on the hunt for a good deal. Why this deal matters These chargers don't get discounted very often. The last time we saw them on sale was during the October Prime Day sale event. Even though this is only a $6 savings, it brings the chargers from more than $9 a pop to just over $6 each. Since you can never have too many chargers, we think it's a good idea to take advantage of deals on these essential devices whenever they come along. Since we're officially in the holiday shopping season , it's worth noting that they also make a practical stocking stuffer or a thoughtful add-on if you're gifting someone a new tech device this year.
Kyrie Irving's big second half leads Mavericks past Hawks
AGNC Investment Corp. Declares Fourth Quarter Dividends on Preferred StockStocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones notched another record high. The S&P 500 rose 0.3 per cent. The benchmark index’s 1.7 per cent gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week. Wall Street has steadied after a volatile few weeks. Credit: AP The Dow rose 1 per cent as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2 per cent. The Australian sharemarket is set to climb, with futures pointing to a rise of 52 points, or 0.6 per cent. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump’s victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It’s now within about 0.5 per cent of its all-time high set last week. Loading “Overall, market behaviour has normalised following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 12.8 per cent after handily beating analysts’ third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2 per cent after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.8 per cent after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company’s Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8 per cent. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.2 per cent. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $US3.6 trillion ($5.5 trillion) behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7 per cent. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7 per cent following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. All told, the S&P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41 per cent from 4.42 per cent late Thursday. In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $US99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $US99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts’ expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Loading Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It’s still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers’ inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6 per cent, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the US releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank’s meeting in December. AP The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the day’s trading. Get it each we e kday afternoon . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. World markets Wall Street Shares Most Viewed in Business LoadingIllinois coach Brad Underwood believes in players pushing each other during practice to improve themselves and the team. That's why he often pits starting guards Kylan Boswell and Kasparas Jakucionis against each other in practice. Underwood figures if it worked for Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier, why not his newest backcourt? So far, that method appears to be paying off again as Boswell and Jakucionis are keying a strong start for the No. 24 Fighting Illini (8-3). They'll shoot for a non-conference win Sunday afternoon when Chicago State (0-14) visits Champaign, Ill. Boswell and Jakucionis' imprints were all over Illinois' 80-77 Braggin' Rights win over Missouri in St. Louis on Dec. 22. They combined for 37 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, with Jakucionis scoring 21 for his sixth straight game with at least 20 points. Underwood said pitting the two against each other in practice is a win-win. "I play them opposite each other so they can just exhaust each other and beat each other up," the coach said. Jakucionis, who averages a team-high 16.5 points a game on 46.8 percent shooting from the field, co-signs on that philosophy. "We elevate each other," he said. "In practice, we're pushing each other by defending and attacking each other. And it makes one another better each day and every day." Boswell adds 10.6 ppg to go with 3.5 assists, while teammates Tomislav Ivisic (13.9 ppg) and Will Riley (12.5) also are in double figures in scoring. Perhaps the best thing about this team is that it appears to have more ceiling left. Illinois is averaging 83.6 points a game without being efficient from the field (43.3 percent) or the 3-point line (32.3 percent). The Illini likely will find more efficiency against the winless Cougars, who are searching for answers and consistency in their first year as a member of the Northeast Conference. They haven't played since Dec. 21, when they fell 81-57 at Cal State Northridge. It was predictable that Chicago State would struggle. After earning 13 wins last season at a program that has had a hard time winning consistently, coach Gerald Gillion left to serve as Rod Strickland's lead assistant at Long Island. New Cougars coach Scott Spinelli, who worked under Mark Turgeon (Maryland) and Jim Christian (Boston College), not only had to replace most of his roster but brought a new style of play to town. Gillion played a methodical half-court game, and Spinelli is trying to play at a faster pace. "We want to have guys out there that can get up and down the floor," Spinelli said this past summer. That hasn't come to fruition yet. The Cougars are last in Division I in field-goal percentage at 35.1 and third from the bottom in scoring at 59.6 points per game. They also rank near the bottom in free-throw percentage, 3-point percentage, rebounding, assists and turnovers. Jalen Forrest is the team's leading scorer at 9.1 ppg but is shooting only 33.6 percent from the field. Cameron Jernigan averages a team-high 4.5 rebounds. --Field Level MediaThe United States Mission to Nigeria has marked the culmination of a five-year effort to preserve and document Sungbo’s Eredo, a historic 100-mile system of earthworks in South-West Nigeria. Funded by a $400,000 grant from the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) in 2019, the project underscores the United States’ commitment to preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage and fostering international collaboration, a statement issued on Wednesday by the US Embassy in Abuja said. Built between 800-1000 C.E. as part of the Yoruba Ijebu Kingdom, Sungbo’s Eredo is believed to be one of the largest ancient cities in the world. The AFCP grant enabled the College of William and Mary to deploy advanced remote sensing and 3D scanning technology to document the structure comprehensively. In addition to producing survey data, the project designed a conservation strategy for two five-mile sections of the enclosure and raised awareness to support Sungbo’s Eredo’s nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During a December 10 ceremonial handover of the project’s survey data to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), US Deputy Chief of Mission, David J. Greene, spoke about cultural heritage preservation as a bridge between nations. “Preserving cultural heritage strengthens the bonds between nations and connects future generations to their history,” Greene remarked. He added that, “Over the last five years, the United States has allocated $1.2 million to preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage through 15 AFCP projects across 21 states. Today, we celebrate the collaborative work at Sungbo’s Eredo, which not only honors Nigeria’s history but also paves the way for sustainable tourism and cultural resilience.” The survey data will be instrumental in planning restoration efforts and developing strategies to protect Sungbo’s Eredo from natural disasters. The project is a testament to the longstanding partnership between the United States and Nigeria in protecting cultural landmarks. From reviving the Sukur UNESCO Heritage Site in Adamawa State to digital surveys of the Busanyin Shrine in the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, the US Mission has supported numerous initiatives to safeguard Nigeria’s historical treasures. The US Mission looks forward to continuing its work with Nigerian partners such as NCMM, and international institutions, to preserve and celebrate Nigeria’s extraordinary cultural legacy for future generations.
The recently concluded Jharkhand Assembly elections highlighted the growing political focus on women voters, with all major parties proposing women-centric welfare schemes to woo this critical segment. Both the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led INDIA coalition and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA devised targeted strategies to secure women’s support. Jharkhand Assembly elections 2024: Full coverage The JMM government launched the Maiyya Samman scheme, distributing ₹1,000 per month to women in August 2024. Lokniti-CSDS data revealed that two-thirds (66%) women members of surveyed households registered for this scheme. Among these households, nearly half (47%) voted for the INDIA coalition, indicating the scheme’s electoral impact. On the other hand, the BJP’s Gogo Didi scheme, which promised a higher payment of ₹2,100 per month on BJP’s victory, also garnered attention. BJP workers at the grassroots level, actively encouraged women to register for the scheme, bolstering the party’s outreach. Survey findings suggest that households where women registered for the Gogo Didi Scheme saw a higher BJP vote share compared to its overall average, reflecting the initiative’s effectiveness in securing votes for the NDA. In response to the Gogo Didi scheme, the JMM-led government later hiked the payment for the Maiya Samman scheme to ₹2,500 per month. A nuanced analysis of gender-wise voting patterns further highlights women’s role in shaping the electoral outcome. While men and women extended equal support for the BJP (38%), the INDIA coalition outperformed among women, securing 45% of their votes compared to 43% among men. In tune with the overall advantage INDIA had among rural and Adivasi voters, women from these sections too voted more for the INDIA coalition. Among rural women, nearly half (48%) supported the coalition, versus 37% of urban women. Adivasi women also emerged as a stronghold for the INDIA coalition, with three in five (60%) casting their vote for the coalition. The 2024 Jharkhand elections reaffirm the growing importance of women as a critical voter base. Women-centric welfare policies played a significant role in shaping voter preferences, ultimately favouring the INDIA coalition. The findings indicate that the INDIA coalition’s focus on rural and tribal women, coupled with welfare schemes such as Maiya Samman, significantly contributed to its victory. By contrast, while the BJP’s Gogo Didi scheme gained traction, its appeal was comparatively stronger in urban areas and among non-ST women. Jyoti Mishra is a research associate at Lokniti-CSDS Published - November 26, 2024 02:00 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Jharkhand / Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024
Hegseth meets with moderate Sen. Collins as he lobbies for key votes in the Senate
TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. LONDON — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," has died, her family said on social media Saturday. She was 73. Hussey died on Friday, "peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones," a statement posted to her Instagram account said. Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy after spotting her onstage in the play "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," which also starred Vanessa Redgrave. "Romeo and Juliet" won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new... Associated Press
No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streak
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. The bill passed the House by a vote of 281-140 and will next move to the Senate, where lawmakers had sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay has failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. “No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “This bill goes a long way to fixing that.” The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation’s borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a “tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. “We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it,” Wicker said. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. “These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives,” Smith said. “And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar servicemembers' children from having access to that.” Story continues below video Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted upon the ban and said the provision “taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation.” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, “I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates.” Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, “and yet, here it is in this bill.” Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because “we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint.” He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. “It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity,” said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. “They don’t get paid very much, so they’re going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level.” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team was not telling Democrats how to vote on the bill. “There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well,” Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats ended up voting for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against. “It’s disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission,” Johnson said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration had requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.
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