California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sitesNEW YORK (AP) — A slide for market superstar Nvidia on Monday knocked Wall Street off its big rally and helped drag U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 240 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite pulled back 0.6% from its own record. Nvidia’s fall of 2.5% was by far the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after China said it’s investigating the company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. Nvidia has skyrocketed to become one of Wall Street’s most valuable companies because its chips are driving much of the world’s move into artificial-intelligence technology. That gives its stock’s movements more sway on the S&P 500 than nearly every other. Nvidia’s drop overshadowed gains in Hong Kong and for Chinese stocks trading in the United States on hopes that China will deliver more stimulus for the world’s second-largest economy. Roughly three in seven of the stocks in the S&P 500 also rose. The week’s highlight for Wall Street will arrive midweek when the latest updates on inflation arrive. Economists expect Wednesday’s report to show the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling remained stuck at close to the same level last month. A separate report on Thursday, meanwhile, could show an acceleration in inflation at the wholesale level. They’re the last big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week on interest rates. The widespread expectation is still that the central bank will cut its main interest rate for the third time this year. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set so many all-time highs this year. “Investors should enjoy this rally while it lasts—there’s little on the horizon to disrupt the momentum through year-end,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, though he warns stocks could stumble soon because of how overheated they’ve gotten. On Wall Street, Interpublic Group rose 3.6% after rival Omnicom said it would buy the marketing and communications firm in an all-stock deal. The pair had a combined revenue of $25.6 billion last year. Omnicom, meanwhile, sank 10.2%. Macy’s climbed 1.8% after an activist investor, Barington Capital Group, called on the retailer to buy back at least $2 billion of its own stock over the next three years and make other moves to help boost its stock price. Super Micro Computer rose 0.5% after saying it got an extension that will keep its stock listed on the Nasdaq through Feb. 25, as it works to file its delayed annual report and other required financial statements. Earlier this month, the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board following the resignation of its public auditor . All told, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points to 6,052.85. The Dow dipped 240.59 to 4,401.93, and the Nasdaq composite lost 123.08 to 19,736.69. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rallied 1.7% to settle at $68.37 following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, who sought asylum in Moscow after rebels. Brent crude, the international standard, added 1.4% to $72.14 per barrel. The price of gold also rose 1% to $2,685.80 per ounce amid the uncertainty created by the end of the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. In stock markets abroad, the Hang Seng jumped 2.8% in Hong Kong after top Chinese leaders agreed on a “moderately loose” monetary policy for the world’s second-largest economy. That’s a shift away from a more cautious, “prudent” stance for the first time in 10 years. A major planning meeting later this week could also bring more stimulus for the Chinese economy. U.S.-listed stocks of several Chinese companies climbed, including a 12.4% jump for electric-vehicle company Nio and a 7.4% rise for Alibaba Group. Stocks in Shanghai, though, were roughly flat. In Seoul, South Korea’s Kospi slumped 2.8% as the fallout continues from President Yoon Suk Yeol ’s brief declaration of martial law last week in the midst of a budget dispute. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.15% late Friday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
NoneThe EU and a South American trade bloc reach a giant trade deal after 25 years of talks
Analysis: Eagles, prepping for Steelers, can fix any issues with one breakout passing gamePHOENIX — A former University of Arizona football player now serving a prison sentence for murder had shocking Google searches in the days leading up to the deadly shooting. RELATED: New details in case against former Arizona Wildcats football player charged with murder Records released by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office show on Nov. 7, 2017, DaVonte' Neal repeatedly searched for information about chloroform, including the search, "What can you smell that will make someone unconscious?" and "What does chloroform smell like?" That same day, Neal also searched for shooting ranges in the Phoenix area. It's unclear what his plan entailed, but four days later, Neal shot and killed Bryan Burns, the man dating the mother of Neal's child. Burns was driving near the I-10 overpass and Elliott Road in Tempe when he was sideswiped by Neal. Neal then fired multiple shots into Burns' vehicle, striking him repeatedly. Neal fled the scene in his vehicle as witnesses rushed to help, however, Burns died from his injuries. MCSO would later learn that Burns noticed he was being followed by a vehicle unknown to him and had told his friends about it. He even relayed a license plate number to them. They relayed that information to detectives who found the license plate matched a vehicle registered to Neal's sister and mother. Dozens of hours of body camera footage and recorded interviews show MCSO's initial interactions with those close to the victim, including his girlfriend. Within minutes of speaking with detectives, she told them they needed to investigate Neal. "I wouldn't not check my child's father," she said. She then recounted strange and unusual text messages she had received from Neal the night before the shooting and in the hours after. She said Neal told her to "be careful" and the following day, he told her he had seen her friend on the news. Burns had not yet been publicly identified as the shooting victim at the time of that text message. "Back when me and my child's father both first broke up three years ago, he found out that I was talking to Bryan and it was a really big deal. He felt like his family was stolen from him," Burns' girlfriend told detectives. Neal was quickly considered an investigative lead in the case. Five days after the shooting, he was brought in by MCSO for questioning. "I'm confident in myself that I didn't do it. I know that I didn't do it. I know where I was," Neal said. Neal claimed he had been home with his child at the time of the shooting. After sitting in the interrogation room for around three hours, he asked for a lawyer. "Is there a way that we can talk about this with a lawyer or something like that?" Neal asks. Neal was let go and the investigation would continue for close to five more years. He continued to live his life. He coached at Higley High School. He then was hired as an assistant football coach at Idaho State University. The silver vehicle seen by witnesses with the license plate that matched what Burns had reported was tracked down. It had damage consistent with a sideswipe collision and the interior of the vehicle tested positive for gunshot residue. MCSO also obtained Neal's cell phone records. On the day of the murder, Neal received a suspicious text message from his aunt, advising him to get rid of something and then to delete that text message. In addition to the concerning search history leading up to the shooting, there were unusual searches in the hours following. Neal repeatedly checked local news websites for information about the shooting in Tempe. A 1,500-page incident report shows that MCSO received that cell phone data in November of 2021. They also obtained location data from Neal's phone that placed him at the scene of the crime the night it happened. In March of 2022, MCSO submitted its case to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Two months later, he was arrested in Idaho. "Please note that criminal investigations, especially those involving serious felony charges such as murder, take time to ensure a complete and accurate case is provided to the MCAO. When the Detectives felt they had enough and the strongest case possible for the MCAO, it was submitted to them," said Sgt. Calbert Gillett of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office regarding the timeline of the case. Earlier this year, Neal pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in October and has now begun his time behind bars. His projected release date from prison is May of 2042. Prior to playing football at the University of Arizona, he played at Notre Dame. He was also an Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year at Chaparral High School. Watch 12News for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12+ app! The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV . 12+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12+ app to add to your account , or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
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President Bola Tinubu has said that recent reforms in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will open up economic opportunities and improve travel processes for Nigerians and visitors. “We believe that if we rejig the immigration, as it has happened, we will benefit tremendously from economic opportunities, ease of entry, ease of exit,” Tinubu said during the commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC) in Abuja on Tuesday. The state-of-the-art facility, built by the NIS and named after the president, features advanced infrastructure, including a Data Centre, Command and Control Centre, Visa Approval Centre, ECOWAS Card Centre, Solar Farm, and Passport Centre. Tinubu described the BATTIC inauguration as a fulfilment of his administration’s promise to implement impactful changes in governance, according to Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Tuesday. Tinubu noted that the complex and its services would enhance the security architecture, transform the ease of doing business in the country, and ultimately boost investor confidence in Nigeria. “The integration of security, whether air, land, or sea, embarked upon by you is a fulfilment of a dream. From the beginning of our administration, we promised to deliver and execute excellent and innovative solutions across the government and the Nigeria Immigration Service. “This state-of-the-art complex comprises seven key components, including a Data Centre, Command and Control Centre, Visa Approval Centre, ECOWAS Card Centre, Solar Farm, and Passport Centre,” he said. Tinubu stressed the need for Nigeria to embrace technology, change and knowledge-based innovations for the good of the nation and commended the Minister of Interior for the Ministry’s achievements regarding issues surrounding the Nigerian passport. According to him, Nigeria, as a country with more than 200 million people, a leader in Africa, must embrace technology, change, innovation, and knowledge-based opportunities to drive a process that is greater for the generality and the larger number of people.Credit ratings have become the most integral part of the modern global financial system. These agencies rate the creditworthiness of individual citizens, corporations, and even governments. The process was based on traditional human analysis and manual evaluation. However, with tremendous developments in AI , these agencies are witnessing drastic change. AI is remodeling the pattern through which credit ratings are ascertained more efficiently, accurately, and equitably. Traditionally, credit score assignments by credit rating agencies relied more on historical data and some expert judgment than financial statements. While historically effective to a point, they have limitations because human biases, errors in processes, and the inability to process big data quickly have been critical factors against them. The rise of AI helps solve many of these problems. AI technologies, like machine learning and natural language processing, allow for the analysis of much more data at unprecedented speed and accuracy. Indeed, this has moved on from subjective evaluation to what is truly observed. One of the great contributions that AI can make to credit rating agencies is its capability to handle and analyze vast data quantities. While traditional methods are usually restricted to focusing on a humble list of financial metrics, AI considers a greatly enhanced list of factors. For instance, AI systems may be able to consider data from nontraditional sources such as social media , online transactions, and market trends. Such a large dataset can enlighten an entity's financial health and creditworthiness to a greater extent. In short, they can identify patterns and correlations that human analysts would not. These findings help provide much more accurate credit ratings and better predictions of default risks. Another big issue for credit assessments over the years is human bias. Analysts may make decisions based on several subjective factors, thereby providing inconsistent or unfair ratings in some cases. AI helps reduce this risk by purely following data-based algorithms . Taking personal opinions out of this is the only way for credit ratings to be transparent and directed by pure rules. This will bring about fairness and inclusion, especially for groups left behind by old ways. As far as speed goes, AI may outperform classical approaches. A conventional credit scoring procedure takes weeks or even months to prepare, yet in only a few minutes, an AI machine could scan and process all data, producing credit scores. This efficiency benefits both the lending and borrowing parties. Lenders enjoy speedier credit decisions, while the latter enjoy timely access to funds. Moreover, AI-based credit assessments allow credit rating agencies to respond more to changing market conditions. It is revolutionizing risk management in the financial sector. AI systems' ability to predict defaults by deciphering historical data and identifying trends is very accurate, enabling credit rating agencies to give lenders good risk assessments. Finding risks early helps banks and financial companies act in advance. They can change interest rates or adjust loans. These actions protect the lenders and also help the borrowers stay out of money problems. Although AI has several benefits, it also has many challenges. The primary one is the lack of transparency that AI algorithms provide. For instance, AI systems, at specific points, make opaque decisions about which rating is most likely. Therefore, the criteria indicated by regulators and the market will maintain the possible trust in the credit rating agencies, but certainly only if the AI systems of explanation are transparent. Another concern is data privacy . Most AI systems require immense databases, and such huge collections often include personal information that must be kept safe from breaches and violations of privacy laws. This integration of AI into credit rating agencies is in its infancy, but the scope is undoubtedly undeniable. As more and more AI technologies emerge, they are expected to be ever so intricately complex, much more reliable, and, hence, more trustworthy. In the future, AI can be applied to credit rating agencies to devise real-time credit scoring systems that monitor financial behavior constantly and adjust credit scores dynamically. These innovations may transform lending practices and open credit access to millions of people. AI transforms the credit rating agency beyond its weaknesses in old approaches. AI improves data analysis while reducing bias, is more efficient, and raises the bar on accuracy and fairness in credit scoring. However, its adoption has also sparked several ethical and regulatory issues. Innovation should, therefore, be accorded accountability to ensure that AI-based credit rating systems benefit all parties in the financial sector.
Tote Bags Market to grow by USD 9.19 Billion (2024-2028), driven by luxury bag personalization, with AI redefining the market landscape - TechnavioINDIA Bloc Challenges EVM Integrity in Supreme CourtDrone operators worry that anxiety over mystery sightings will lead to new restrictionsWhat we know about Luigi Mangione, the former Ivy League grad arrested and linked to UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing
NonePost falsely links comedian to UnitedHealthcare CEO killing | Fact check
NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does. Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably global elections , to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google's overall trending searches in 2024. Copa América topped those search trends globally, followed by the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men's T20 World Cup . Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year's Olympic Games followed. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google's people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales , U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif , who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late Liam Payne , Toby Keith and O.J. Simpson led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024. In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar's “Inside Out 2” was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix's “Baby Reindeer” led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” dominated song trends. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the Olympic village's chocolate muffin , made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google's global recipe trends this year. The New York Times' “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about online trends like the word “demure” and “ mob wife aesthetic .” You can find more country-specific lists, and trends from years past , through Google’s “Year in Search” data published online . The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year. Google isn't the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. Spotify Wrapped , for example, as well as Collins Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024.Immigration reforms will ease entry, exit – Tinubu