Syria’s Assad is under siege and making overtures to USBeyondBrain Unveils Lumi AI Travel Agentworld series of poker game 。

BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Assad's status Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. Diplomacy in Doha In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated PressLABOUR-supporting trade union Unite has been rocked by accusations of bullying and victimisation. Staff at its London HQ walked out on strike this week claiming bosses were fostering a “toxic culture” of intimidation and smears. Unite is one of Labour ’s biggest financial backers, donating more than £500,000 to the party’s MPs this year alone. But it has been plunged into turmoil after employees at the union’s National Bargaining and Disputes Support Unit downed tools. Unit chief Jack Clarke — who is the husband of the union’s general secretary Sharon Graham — has been caught up in the complaints. Members of his team have alleged that managers exhibited angry and aggressive behaviour and used inappropriate language. read more on politics They are being represented by the GMB trade union . Danny Adilypour, GMB regional organiser, said: “Our members are sending a clear message that they will not tolerate the toxic bullying culture and victimisation they have experienced at Unite. “Underhand tactics have been used to undermine these workers’ legitimate concerns and their right to pursue industrial action. “Today they were met by a counter-protest, in yet another attempt to intimidate them. Most read in The Sun "We again call on Unite to suspend the managers accused of bullying behaviour.” GMB also accused Unite online of union-busting tactics — the same sort of strategies they vow to protect workers from. In a statement, Unite said the allegations are untrue. It added: “Unite will not shy away from continuing to clean up the union and will not allow the harassment of women.”

Record Roundup 29: Turntable-Friendly Powered Speakers Gift GuideTORONTO — Canada's main stock index pushed higher to end Monday up almost 150 points on light trading action, while U.S. stock markets also gained ahead of the Christmas break. "Today is a quiet pre-Christmas Day of trading," said Kevin Burkett, a portfolio manager at Victoria, B.C.-based Burkett Asset Management. While markets in both Canada and the U.S. were mild, Burkett suggests watching the markets closely during the holiday season, a contrast to what's typically a sleepy period for markets. "We're continuing to watch markets very closely here because you've got some tectonic plate shifting in terms of the macroeconomic backdrop," he said. "It's all the political conversations both in Canada and in the U.S." Burkett added fiscal policy seems to be disconnected from monetary policy in the post-pandemic period. "The fiscal policy may shift and that shift absolutely has market implications both in the short and long term," he said. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 149.50 points at 24,748.98. Statistics Canada released its latest numbers on Canada's economic growth, up 0.3 per cent in October — driven by the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector. The loonie continued its slide, trading for 69.47 cents US compared with 69.61 cents US on Friday. The telecom sector was the biggest loser at the closing on TSX, which Burkett attributed to "tax loss selling happening at the end of the year." Competition Bureau Canada announced on Monday it was suing Rogers Communications Inc. for allegedly making misleading claims about its infinite wireless plans. The stock price for Rogers, which is hovering near 52-week lows, fell 0.7 per cent on Monday. Meanwhile, BCE was down almost 1.4 per cent and Telus dropped 0.9 per cent. Burkett suggested the day's poor performance among telecom companies was likely tax loss selling since it's almost the end of the year. "It's been a tough year for the communication services sector," he said. South of the border, communications services was the top-performing sector, led by large-cap tech companies. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 66.69 points at 42,906.95. The S&P 500 index was up 43.22 points at 5,974.07, while the Nasdaq composite was up 192.29 points at 19,764.89. The February crude oil contract was down 22 cents at US$69.24 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down six cents at US$3.35 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$16.90 at US$2,628.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down one cent at US$4.09 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX: GSPTSE, TSX: CADUSD, TSE: BCE, TSE: RCI. B) Ritika Dubey, The Canadian PressEnzo Maresca ‘thankful’ for connection at Leicester ahead of return with Chelsea

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Jagdalpur : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, December 15, appealed to Naxals to give up arms and join the mainstream, or else they will have to face the strong action of security forces. He said the rehabilitation of the surrendered Naxals is the responsibility of the government. Addressing a sporting event — ‘Bastar Olympics’ — in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur, Shah also said the country would be free of Maoists by March 2026. “I appeal to Naxals, please come forward. Give up arms, surrender and join the mainstream. Your rehabilitation is our responsibility,” he said. He said if the Maoists do not listen to the appeal of surrender, they will be crushed by the security forces. “Chhattisgarh Police is committed to fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to make India Naxal-free by March 31, 2026,” he said. The Union home minister said the Chhattisgarh government’s rehabilitation policy is the best in the country. “If you surrender and join the mainstream, you will contribute to the development of Chhattisgarh and India,” he said. Shah said when the Congress was in power in Chhattisgarh before the BJP assumed charge a year ago, the action against the Maoists became slow. “But after our government came to power in Chhattisgarh, action against the extremists speeded up resulting in killings of 287 Naxals in last one year, arrest of 992 Naxals and surrender of 836 others,” he said. Shah said since the Modi government assumed charge, there has been a 73 per cent reduction in the casualties in security forces and a 70 per cent decline in civilian deaths. “If Naxalism ends in Bastar (Chhattisgarh), it will attract more tourists than Kashmir due to its natural beauty,” he said. He further said those who know the process of change taking place within the society also know that it is not limited to only 1.5 lakh people participating in the Bastar Olympics. “Everyone is saying that Bastar is changing. I assure you that when I come to the 2026 Bastar Olympics, I will say that Bastar has changed,” he said, adding that this change has been initiated by the Bastar Olympics. The Union home minister said this event will write a new saga of the development of Bastar in the coming days and will become a strong basis for the complete eradication of Naxalism. He also said many development works are being done, through which Naxalism is being defeated.The decision to cut P12 billion from the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget for 2025 has sparked a heated debate, with various perspectives coming out on the effects and justifications of this fiscal adjustment. Despite the cuts, the DepEd’s annual budget for 2025 has actually increased by P20 billion compared to the 2024 budget. According to Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate finance committee, this overall increase demonstrates the government’s continued commitment to prioritizing education. Additionally, the budget for teaching supplies allowance has more than doubled from P4.825 billion in 2024 to P9.948 billion in 2025, highlighting the government’s emphasis on directly supporting teachers and students. While this increase is a positive step, we have to note that further measures are definitely necessary to support teachers who are often overworked, underpaid, and forced to cover classroom expenses out of their own pockets. The reduction in specific programs, particularly the P10 billion cut from the DepEd Computerization Program, has raised significant concerns. Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed disappointment, noting that this program was intended to bridge the digital divide, an issue that became glaringly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic. Critics argue that deprioritizing this initiative could worsen existing inequalities and leave millions of students unprepared to meet the demands of a technology-driven world, especially as AI technology continues to transform the modern landscape. This digital divide, while a significant issue, can actually be addressed through other initiatives such as public-private partnerships, community-based programs, and collaborations with technology companies. These alternative solutions may even be more cost-effective and sustainable in the long run. Moreover, reducing government funding for certain programs can actually create opportunities for private sector participation and investments in education, leading to more innovative and efficient solutions. Private entities often bring in new technologies, management practices, and funding models that can complement public efforts, enhancing the overall educational landscape. The decision to cut P12 billion from the DepEd budget for 2025 is a multifaceted issue involving various factors. Although the overall DepEd budget for 2025 has increased, the reductions in specific programs highlight the need for fiscal prudence and efficiency. By addressing systemic problems, balancing national priorities, and exploring alternative solutions, the government can strive to create a more sustainable and effective education system. Ultimately, we must remember that education is a right, not a privilege, and that investing in it is both a constitutional obligation and a moral imperative. The government must continue to prioritize education while ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively. The ultimate goal should be to establish a comprehensive education system that supports both teachers and learners, whileequipping them to face the many challenges of the modern world. Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II received his Law degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1994. He is currently engaged in the General Practice of Law through the firm he established, Jose M. Rojas Law Office. Prior to getting his Law degree, Atty. Rojas graduated Cum Laude in Economics and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts. He used to chair the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) and, more recently, used to sit as Vice-Chairman and General Manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Atty. Rojas is an opinion columnist for the Business Mirror and Pilipino Mirror, and 2014 awardee of People Asia’s “Men Who Matter.” He is a member of the Saturday Group of artists and is married to Atty. Patricia A.O. Bunye.(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 .

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With sleek, ultra-flat, iconic stylish giant screen . Innovative technology brand TECNO today unveiled its new AI-enhanced, second-generation flip smartphone, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G in the Philippines with Pia Wurtzbach as brand ambassador A remarkable fusion of on-trend aesthetic design and powerful technologies, the iconic phone will bring a fun, fashionable and functional flip phone experience to stylish individuals. Bringing pocket-sized ease and elegance to daily life, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is freshly equipped with TECNO’s brand-new TECNO AI suite of AI functions. The suite features an upgraded Gemini-integrated Ella AI Assistant, AI Artboard, AI Writing and much more. It also upgrades the flip experience with a stunning infinity pool-inspired ThruPool cover screen, a flagship imaging system, an ultra-flat flagship main screen and a long-lasting 4720mAh Super Battery with 70W Ultra Charge. TECNO AI is a Masterpiece of Creativity Despite its tiny size, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is packed with innovative AI functions that deliver a massive creativity boost to content creators and fashion-forward individuals. TECNO AI is a new suite of AI functions that boost creativity, convenience and fun, helping every user stand out on socials with their creativity unlocked. Whether scrolling social media, managing work projects, or organizing a party with friends, TECNO AI’s Gemini-integrated Ella AI Assistant is always on hand to help. Ella offers online search capabilities and Smart Q&A to give intelligent answers based on real-time information, responding to questions fluently. In addition, users can interact more intelligently with over 400 system functions with Ella, from setting wallpapers to switching the system language. PHANTOM V Flip2 5G also features AI Text Summary and face-to-face AI Translation. Meanwhile, AI Writing functions, such as text summary, text generation, proofreading and rewriting capabilities also save users’ valuable time. Combining the limitless human imagination with the power of AI for mind-blowing results, TECNO AI’s creative tools allow users new ways to express themselves. With AI Artboard and AI WallPaper, anyone can create an artistic masterpiece, as AI turns users’ simple scribbled sketches into incredible works of art, while Magic AI Eraser allows users to rescue their photos by removing clutter or passersby, and One Click Cutout lets users automatically recognize and extract subjects with a long press, enabling quick and effortless image sharing. Picture-perfect ThruPool Cover Screen An icon of sleek and flowing design, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G’s ThruPool Cover Screen is a stylish creation inspired by infinity pools. The cover features a 3.64” screen that is perfectly integrated with the slightly curved main body, while the suspended camera lens is immersed in the pixels that beautifully flow across the display. PHANTOM V Flip2 5G reimagines everyday uses of the cover screen, supporting over 2,000 apps to make life easy for users who often won’t even need to open up the main screen. The screen is larger and more regular in shape to make it natural to use, while it’s 413PPI display is delicate and dynamic. Users can set up shortcut icons for instant access to useful features like step count and weather. The screen also supports a full keyboard display for easy dialing and typing, including quick replies. Users can also bring more character to their smartphone interactions with customizable displays and adorable interactive pets. The cover screen can be personalized with a range of styles, from magazine to graffiti or contrast. There are also five new animal additions to Outer Screen Cute Pet 2.0, bringing even more cuteness to the display. Users can stroke their pet to engage in cute interactions. For game lovers, the screen offers a host of mini-games such as Cute Pet Jump, 2048 Landmark Edition, Cute Pet Elimination Music, Sudoku, and more, so users can have fun without even opening the main screen. The ThruPool cover provides easy access to a fully interactive touchscreen Flagship Imaging Elevated by FreeCam Despite being perfectly pocket-sized, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G delivers a flagship candy bar smartphone level camera system, with a 50MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide angle camera, and front 32MP camera, while its flip form unfolds new shooting perspectives. The powerful rear cameras offer amazing optical grade lossless zoom results, with 2x extended focal length and 2x-10x zoom. Image quality is maintained even when zoomed in. For photos of friends or unforgettable party moments in low light, a 1/1.57” large main camera sensor and 1μm pixels produce clear, detailed photos with improved clarity, brightness, and tone. The main camera also supports 4K@30fps Ultra Steady video stabilizer for clear, stable videos, even on the move. The 32MP shining selfie front camera is ideal for capturing super selfies or shooting exciting vlogs, with advanced phase detection autofocus (PDAF) with more accurate human eye autofocus that achieves finer feature recognition. Equipped with a front flash and physical-level fill light, it also solves the problem of no light source for selfies in low-light environments, making selfies clearer, brighter and more realistic. With its foldable design, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G flips standard shooting on its head for a more creative imaging experience. Capable of hovering at any angle from 30-150°, users can explore new perspectives with FreeCam shooting. FreeCam Selfie, FreeCam Group Selfie and FreeCam Video all let users make the most of the folding design to capture exciting hands-free shots. Hovering the phone also lets users shoot incredible FreeCam Timelapse and FreeCam Long Exposure shots without the need for a tripod. Besides FreeCam, the foldable dual screen design allows even more unexpected shooting methods. With Ultra Selfie, users can shoot highly detailed, ultra wide-angle selfies without unfolding the device, using the device’s flagship-level rear cameras. With Cover Screen Preview, the shooting screen is displayed on both the main screen and the cover screen so the subject of the shot knows exactly how the shot will look in real-time. With Retro DV Mode, users can feel the classic video camera vibes with the device hovered, creating atmospheric shots with built-in templates and filters. The FreeCam Imaging System is packed with groundbreaking features that unleash your creative side Ultra-flat Flagship 120Hz Main Screen Aside from its iconic ThruPool cover screen, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G also features an immaculate ultra-flat 6.9” flagship main screen to bring users an immersive viewing experience. The 120Hz LTPO self-adaptive refresh rate display offers seamless and dynamic screen interactions. The AMOLED FHD+ display with 100% P3 color gamut delivers a rich viewing experience, while 2160Hz high-level PWM dimming controls brightness to reduce the impact of usage on the eyes. Even with regular folding and unfolding, the main screen’s crease line is kept to a minimum, thanks in part to the device’s double helix star track water drop hinge. Constructed using aerospace-grade super strength steel, the hinge ensures a tight fit when opened and closed, while providing a lifetime of at least 400,000 normal temperature folds, 150,000 high temperature folds and 100,000 low temperature folds. The main screen and strong hinge also enable FreeForm hovering. With the cellphone at any angle from 30-150°, users can hover the device and use it in new ways. FreeForm supports a wide range of apps, including system applications like Camera and Visha Player, as well as popular third-party apps such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Netflix, Disney+, Zoom, Google Meet and Messenger. The ultra-flat main screen delivers a next-level viewing experience Fast Charge, Big Battery PHANTOM V Flip2 5G lets users chill all day without worrying about charging, boasting one of the largest battery capacities and fastest charging speeds in its category. A powerful 4720mAh Super Battery makes it a reliable companion for all-day activities. Meanwhile, 70W Ultra Charge achieves 50% charge in just 15 minutes and a full charge in 43 minutes. This combination of a large battery capacity and rapid charging technology guarantees uninterrupted usage and superior convenience, making PHANTOM V Flip2 5G the perfect flip companion for hours and hours on the go. Cutting-edge battery technology provides dependable and sustained power for an on-the-go lifestyle Combining an iconic aesthetic and innovative AI, TECNO’s new PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is a futuristic flip phone that brings forward-thinking individuals an amazing creative boost. Through advanced technologies and eye-catching design, it promises to take everyday experiences to a new level of pocket-sized style and fun. Set the trend, order ahead! The PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is priced at Php 34,999 officially. From 11.28 to 12.08, customers in Luzon region and the cities of Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo can preorder the PHANTOM V Flip2 5G by paying a reservation fee of only Php2,000. The first 200 customers will receive a limited edition PHANTOM luggage plus a customized PHANTOM Flip 2 pin and digital video phone case. After the limited edition items run out, customers who will preorder will receive the digital video phone case. During the open sale from 12.09, customers who will purchase offline will also receive a digital video phone case. They will also have the option to pay over 18 months at 0% interest through Home Credit. Special discounts on Tiktok Shop and Shopee On 12.06-12.12, customers can purchase the PHANTOM V Flip2 5G during its first sale at a special price lowest to Php27,999 at TECNO Mobile PH in TikTok Shop . Starting from 12.08, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G will also be available on TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee , TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Lazada , as well as at TECNO Partner Retail Stores nationwide. ## END ## About TECNO As a global innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets, TECNO has been committed to revolutionizing the digital experience in global emerging markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies. TECNO offers a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of “Stop At Nothing”, TECNO is committed to unlocking the best and newest technologies for forward-looking individuals, inspiring them to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com . Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.Lawmakers team up for some footwork

Risk adjusted net present value: What is the current valuation of Simcere Pharmaceutical Group’s (Dexborneol + Edaravone)?The Kansas City Chiefs won their fifth-straight game on Saturday, defeating the Houston Texans to stay undefeated at home. The Chiefs didn't escape the game without an injury, though. Starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor left the game in the second half with a knee injury and didn't return. Sophomore tackle Wanya Morris came in the game in his place and didn't allow a pressure in the 20 snaps that he played. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.

London back in favour with banks amid chaos in France and GermanyNATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile

Fluxx Awards 2025: Global Innovation CelebrationLegit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements. CHECK OUT: Don't let unemployment hold you back. Start your digital marketing journey today. The former governor of Niger state, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu , has said that to protect the security personnel, Nigeria must formulate a policy that stipulates the death penalty for anyone who kills uniform personnel. He stated this at the National Institute of Security Studies (NISS), in Abuja during a graduation ceremony for members of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC), 17. According to Aliyu, the death penalty measure would encourage security personnel. As reported by Leadership on Saturday, December 7, the former governor stressed that patriotism must be taken to the highest level. PAY ATTENTION : Standing out in social media world? Easy! "Mastering Storytelling for Social Media" workshop by Legit.ng. Join Us Live! The two-time governor, spoke while reacting to the death of over 30 soldiers in Niger state in 2023. He wondered why anyone would threaten and kill personnel while on duty and still go free. Aliyu said: Read also Tobi Adegboyega: UK judges explain why Nigerian-born pastor's deportation was approved “I am happy that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa is here. Although, they say the CDS or the military are not involved in issues of policies. But let me say this; I have not seen any country where about 38 soldiers would be killed and there will be deafening silence afterwards. I want to recommend that anybody that kills uniform person must die.” However, to buttress the former governor's assertion, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu , who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event, stated that all those threatening Nigeria’s peace must be brought to book whether they are in the country or abroad. PAY ATTENTION : Legit.ng Needs Your Opinion! That's your chance to change your favourite news media. Fill in a short questionnaire Source: Legit.ng

What's Happening: Week of Dec. 9, 2024

2 card poker game Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing and moves within 100 of Dickerson's record PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, reaching the milestone with a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. That rush gave Barkley 2,005 yards with one game left and left him exactly 100 yards from Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley could potentially top the record in next week’s finale against the New York Giants. However, that game will be mostly meaningless for the Eagles, who could opt to rest Barkley to protect him from injury ahead of the playoffs. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Mayfield throws 5 TD passes and Bucs keep playoff, NFC South hopes alive with 48-14 rout of Panthers TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep their division and playoff hopes alive with a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The team’s fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South at 9-7. The Falcons played on the road later Sunday night at Washington. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay’s three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers. Lakers send D'Angelo Russell to Nets in trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn. Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points per game for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick. Finney-Smith is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Russell is being traded by the Lakers to the Nets for the second time in his career. He also made the move in 2017. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State's polarizing QB Drew Allar puts critics on mute and keeps winning games SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much. They mention he might not be flashy, but he gives the team a chance to win. And here’s the thing about Penn State since Allar stepped under center: The Nittany Lions have won games. A lot of them. Sometimes that’s hard to remember considering the lukewarm reception he often gets from fans. The polarizing Allar has another chance to quiet his critics on Tuesday, when Penn State plays Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Feels like 1979: Nottingham Forest moves into 2nd place behind rampant Liverpool in Premier League The Premier League table is starting to have a 1979 kind of feel to it with Liverpool at the top of the standings and Nottingham Forest in second place as the closest challenger. Liverpool padded its lead with a 5-0 rout of West Ham on Sunday while upstart Nottingham Forest climbed into second place by beating Everton 2-0 to continue its surprising push for a Champions League place. Manchester City marked Pep Guardiola's 500th game in charge by beating Leicester 2-0 but is still 14 points behind Liverpool having played a game more. Snoop's game: Snoop Dogg thrills the crowd in the bowl that bears his name TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Miami of Ohio beat Colorado State in the Arizona Bowl, but Snoop Dogg was the main attraction. The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop was much a spectacle as a football game. Snoop Dogg seemed to be everywhere all at once, from a pregame tailgate to the postgame trophy presentation. Snoop Dog donned a headset on Colorado State's sideline, spent some time in the broadcast and even led both marching bands as conductor during their halftime performance. Snoop Dogg saved the best for last, rolling out in a light green, lowrider Chevy Impala with gold rims and accents, the shiny Arizona Bowl trophy in his hand as fans screamed his name.Take Five: The last mile

Cassia Seed Extract Market to see Huge Growth by 2031 11-23-2024 07:27 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Orion Market Research The global cassia seed extract market is anticipated to grow at a considerable CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period (2024-2031). Growing consumer demand for plant-based, sustainable products in several end-user industry especially in skin care is a key factor driving the growth of the global market. Consequently, regulatory focus and consumer awareness play a crucial role in determining the future of the cassia seed extract market. Additionally, companies like Naturalin Bio-Resources Co. Ltd., Xuancheng Quality Herb Company Ltd, and Katyani Exports are partnering with recognized certification bodies and have been granted the certifications like USDA Organic, ISO 9001, GMP, FSSC and many others to win customer confidence and survive in this volatile market. To Request a Sample of our Report on Cassia Seed Extract Market: https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/cassia-seed-extract-market Market Coverage The market number available for - 2023-2031 Base year- 2023 Forecast period- 2024-2031 Segment Covered- By Type By Application Regions Covered- North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World Competitive Landscape- includes Shaanxi Yongyuan Bio-Tech Co.Ltd., Xi'an Green Spring Technology Co.Ltd., Changsha Wanrun Bio-Technology Co. Ltd., Botaniex Biotech Inc., and Fyzplantextract, among others. Cassia Seed Extract Market Report Segment By Type Purity 25% Purity 12.5% Purity 10% By Application Pharmaceutical Nutraceutical Food & Beverages Others (Cosmetics) A full Report of Identity Theft Insurance Market is Available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/cassia-seed-extract-market Company Profiles Botaniex Biotech Inc. Fyzplantextract NATUREX FRANCE AVIGNON Nutraonly Shaoxing Marina Biotechnology Co. Ltd. Teatox Au Xi'an Nature Choice Reasons to buy from us - We cover more than 15 major industries, further segmented into more than 90 sectors. More than 120 countries are for analysis. Over 100+ paid data sources mined for investigation. Our expert research analysts answer all your questions before and after purchasing your report. For More Customized Data, Request for Report Customization @ https://www.omrglobal.com/report-customization/cassia-seed-extract-market Media Contact: Company Name: Orion Market Research Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari Email: info@omrglobal.com Contact no: +91 7803040404 About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies. This release was published on openPR.Scottish international Adams scores long-range stunner in Serie A win for TorinoPosted by Abdirisaq Shino The dispute between Mogadishu and Kismayo now enters a critical phase, The Federal Government of Somalia has issued a strong rebuke to the election held today in Kismayo that re-elected Ahmed Mohamed Islam for a third term as the leader of Jubaland. In an emergency cabinet meeting convened shortly after the election results were announced, the Somali government described the election process as “illegal” and vowed to take immediate legal action against both Madobe and the electoral process. In a formal legal document, the cabinet outlined several grounds for challenging the election, citing violations of Somali law and irregularities in the electoral process. Among the primary allegations are: As part of its response, the federal cabinet has ordered Somalia’s Prosecutor General to initiate legal proceedings against the election process, calling for a case to be brought before the Supreme Court to challenge the legitimacy of the election and seek to nullify Madobe’s re-election. This latest development marks a significant escalation in the already tense relations between the Somali federal government and the Jubaland State of Somalia, which is led by Madobe. The dispute between Mogadishu and Kismayo now enters a critical phase, with the federal government asserting its legal authority to intervene in the internal affairs of regional states. The legal challenge is expected to heighten political tensions, possibly leading to a prolonged legal battle that could further polarize the country’s political landscape. Supporters of Ahmed Madobe have defended the election, claiming it was conducted according to the region’s constitutional procedures and that it represents the will of the people of Jubaland. However, critics have long accused Madobe of consolidating power and manipulating political processes to remain in office. HORSEED MEDIA

Kim Kardashian's face looks very different at SKIMS opening and fans think they know whySan Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers Current Records: San Antonio 12-12, Portland 8-16 When: Friday, December 13, 2024 at 10 p.m. ET Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter -- Portland, Oregon TV: FanDuel SN - Southwest Follow: CBS Sports App Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Ticket Cost: $6.19 The Spurs have enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Portland Trail Blazers at 10:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter after having had a few days off. The Trail Blazers took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on the Spurs, who come in off a win. The Spurs will bounce into Friday's game after (finally) beating the Pelicans, who they had gone 2-8 against in their ten prior meetings. The Spurs snuck past the Pelicans with a 121-116 win on Sunday. The victory was some much needed relief for San Antonio as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak. The Spurs' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Victor Wembanyama led the charge by dropping a double-double on 25 points and ten rebounds. Wembanyama is becoming a predictor of the Spurs' success: when he posts at least eight rebounds the team is 6-2 (and 6-10 when he doesn't). The Spurs smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive rebounds in four consecutive matchups. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers' recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Sunday after their fourth straight loss. They fell 107-98 to the Lakers. The win got San Antonio back to even at 12-12. As for Portland, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-16. Going forward, the Spurs are the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 3.5 points. This contest might not be the best time to bet them against the spread since they've let bettors down the last four times they've played. The Spurs beat the Trail Blazers 118-105 in their previous matchup back in November. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spurs since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference. San Antonio is a 3.5-point favorite against Portland, according to the latest NBA odds . The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Spurs as a 3-point favorite. The over/under is 225 points. See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now . San Antonio has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Portland. Nov 07, 2024 - San Antonio 118 vs. Portland 105 Jan 26, 2024 - San Antonio 116 vs. Portland 100 Dec 29, 2023 - Portland 134 vs. San Antonio 128 Dec 28, 2023 - San Antonio 118 vs. Portland 105 Apr 06, 2023 - San Antonio 129 vs. Portland 127 Jan 23, 2023 - Portland 147 vs. San Antonio 127 Dec 14, 2022 - Portland 128 vs. San Antonio 112 Nov 15, 2022 - Portland 117 vs. San Antonio 110 Apr 03, 2022 - San Antonio 113 vs. Portland 92 Apr 01, 2022 - San Antonio 130 vs. Portland 111

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card game 4 players Solvay SA (OTCMKTS:SVYSF) Short Interest Up 25.4% in December"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.

HONESDALE, Pa., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Norwood Financial Corp (NASDAQ: NWFL) (“Norwood” or the “Company”), parent company of Wayne Bank, announced today that it has launched an underwritten public offering of shares of its common stock. The Company intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional shares of its common stock. Norwood expects to use the net proceeds from this offering for investment into its bank subsidiary to support its capital ratios in connection with the repositioning of a substantial portion of the Company’s available-for-sale debt securities portfolio, and for general corporate purposes, repurchase of our common stock and support acquisitions of other institutions or branches if opportunities for such transactions become available. Piper Sandler & Co. is serving as lead book-running manager for the offering, and Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acted as joint book-running manager for the offering. Additional Information Regarding the Offering The offering of common stock is being made pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-279619) that was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 11, 2024. A preliminary prospectus supplement to which this communication relates will be filed with the SEC. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus will be filed with the SEC. Prospective investors should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the offering. Copies of these documents are available at no charge by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement, the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering may be obtained by contacting by emailing Piper Sandler & Co. at prospectus@psc.com or by emailing Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, at prospectus@janney.com . No Offer or Solicitation This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. There will be no sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. ABOUT NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORP Norwood Financial Corp is the parent company of Wayne Bank, which operates from fourteen offices throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania and fifteen offices in Delaware, Sullivan, Ontario, Otsego and Yates Counties, New York. The Company’s stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “NWFL”. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning and protections of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control, and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “will”, “anticipate”, “assume”, “should”, “indicate”, “would”, “believe”, “contemplate”, “expect”, “estimate”, “continue”, “plan”, “point to”, “project”, “could”, “intend”, “target”, and other similar words and expressions of the future. These forward-looking statements may not be realized due to a variety of factors, including, general economic conditions, either nationally or in our market areas, that are worse than expected; business or economic disruption from a national or global epidemic or pandemic events; changes in the level and direction of loan delinquencies and write-offs and changes in estimates of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses; our ability to access cost-effective funding; fluctuations in real estate values and both residential and commercial real estate market conditions; demand for loans and deposits in our market area; our ability to implement changes in our business strategies; the effects of competition from other commercial banks, thrifts, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies, credit unions, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market and other mutual funds and other financial institutions operating in our market area and elsewhere, including institutions operating locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, together with such competitors offering banking products and services by mail, telephone, computer and the internet; inflation and changes in the interest rate environment that reduce our margins and yields, or reduce the fair value of financial instruments or reduce the origination levels in our lending business, or increase the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans we have made and make whether held in portfolio or sold in the secondary markets; adverse changes in the securities markets; changes in laws or government regulations or policies affecting financial institutions, including changes in regulatory fees and capital requirements; changes in monetary or fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC, and other accounting and reporting standard setters; our ability to manage market risk, credit risk and operational risk in the current economic conditions; our ability to enter new markets successfully and capitalize on growth opportunities; our ability to successfully expand our franchise, including acquisitions or establishing new offices at favorable prices; our ability to successfully integrate any assets, liabilities, customers, systems and management personnel we have acquired or may acquire into our operations and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames and any goodwill charges related thereto; an increase in the Pennsylvania Bank Shares Tax to which our bank subsidiary’s capital stock is currently subject, or imposition of any additional taxes on the capital stock of us or our bank subsidiary; changes in consumer demand, borrowing and savings habits; the ability of third-party providers to perform their obligations to us; the ability of the U.S. Government to manage federal debt limits; cyber-attacks, computer viruses and other technological risks that may breach the security of our websites or other systems to obtain unauthorized access to confidential information and destroy data or disable our systems; technological changes that may be more difficult or expensive than expected; changes in the financial condition, results of operations or future prospects of issuers of securities that we own; other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and operational factors affecting our operations, pricing products and services; volatility in the securities markets; disruptions due to flooding, severe weather, or other natural disasters or Acts of God; and acts of war, terrorism, or global military conflict. If one or more of the factors affecting our forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, then our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release. Therefore, we caution you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs and assumptions at the time they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our periodic and current reports that we file with the SEC. Also note that we provide a cautionary discussion of risks, uncertainties and possibly inaccurate assumptions relevant to our businesses in our periodic and current reports to the SEC. These are factors that, individually or in the aggregate, management believes could cause our actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results. Norwood Financial Corp Contact: John M. McCaffery Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 272-304-3003 www.waynebank.com

card game 7s Barring a market meltdown in the second half of December, it looks like 2024 will be a very successful year for the Mickleboro ASX share portfolio. As things stand, I am poised to record a return of over 40% for the 12 months. How did I get here? My exposure to high-quality companies in the tech, retail, and healthcare sectors helped my portfolio outperform this year. The star of the show was undoubtedly my overweight position in ( ). At the time of writing, the location technology company's shares are up 200% year to date. The now departed also gave me significant funds to reallocate elsewhere after being taken over by Renesas this year. I didn't stick around to see the takeover complete. Instead, I locked in the gains in April and reinvested them back into the tech sector through ( ) and ( ). Both of these ASX tech stocks have rocketed in value since then, compounding the funds even further. I like to buy high-quality companies when an opportunity presents itself. This proved successful with ( ) and ( ) last year. ResMed's shares were down heavily because of weight loss wonder drug concerns. They have returned approximately 50% this year. Whereas doom and gloom in the retail sector dragged youth fashion retailer Universal Store to very inviting levels. Its shares are up approximately 85% in 2024. Also contributing to the good performance were ASX share portfolio holdings such as ( ) and ( ), ( ), and the ( ). I also took advantage of a sharp pullback in the ( ) share price. This high-quality company's shares have rallied over 30% since then. It's not all sunshine and rainbows I would love to say that all portfolio holdings performed well in 2024, but that isn't the case. And will almost never be the case. This is why is so important. I was let down by ( ) and ( ), and ( ) underperformed the market. Nevertheless, I believe the quality of these companies remains high (certainly CSL!) and I expect them to perform better in 2025. I may even take advantage of this weakness to add to positions in 2025. There were also plenty of missed opportunities. ( ) and ( ) shares are two that I planned to buy and never did. They are up in the region of 45% to 70% in 2024. Another one I missed was ( ). I had intended to purchase the coffee chain giant's beaten down shares the same day I bought Disney shares. But the announcement of a new CEO that day saw Starbucks rocket 30% before I could and left me wondering what could've been. What's the plan in 2025? I'm confident in my ASX share portfolio as we head into 2025. But as always, I will look for opportunities to buy high-quality companies when they are trading at fair (or cheap) prices. I will also continue to stay clear of speculative stocks that promise the world and deliver nothing but losses. After all, it's just as important to avoid bad stocks as it is to buy great ones.Preview: Barnsley vs. Reading - prediction, team news, lineups

Advance Directives Market New Trends, Size, Share, Top Companies, Industry Analysis, Advance Technology, Future Development & Forecast – 2028President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday he would work to end the "inconvenient" custom of moving clocks forward one hour every spring, which he said was imposing an unnecessary financial burden on the United States. "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time (DST) is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation," Trump posted on his website, Truth Social. DST was adopted by the federal government during World War I but was unpopular with farmers rushing to get produce to morning markets, and was quickly abolished. Many states experimented with their own versions but it wasn't reintroduced nationwide until 1967. The Democratic-controlled US Senate advanced a bill in 2022 that, like Trump's plan, would bring an end to the twice-yearly changing of clocks, in favor of a "new, permanent standard time." But The Sunshine Protection Act called for the opposite switch -- moving permanently to DST rather than eliminating it -- to usher in brighter evenings, and fewer journeys home in the dark for school children and office workers. The bill never made it to President Joe Biden's desk, as it was not taken up in the Republican-led House. It had been introduced in 2021 by a Republican, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who is about to join the incoming Trump administration as secretary of state. He said studies had shown a permanent DST could benefit the economy. Either way, changing to one permanent time would put an end to Americans pushing their clocks forward in the spring, then setting them back an hour in the fall. Colloquially the practice is referred to as "springing" forward and "falling" back. The clamor has increased in recent years to make DST permanent especially among politicians and lobbyists from the Northeast, where frigid conditions are normal in the early winter mornings. "It's really straightforward. Cutting back on the sun during the fall and winter is a drain on the American people and does little to nothing to help them," Rubio said in a statement ahead of the vote. "It's time we retire this tired tradition." Rubio said the United States sees an increase in heart attacks and road accidents in the week that follows the changing of the clocks. Any changes would be unlikely to affect Hawaii and most of Arizona, the Navajo Nation, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, which do not spring forward in summer. ft/nro

Hello! Welcome back! The worst of the NBA Cup-related scheduling confusion is now behind us, so hopefully, we can just focus on what should be a fun final three games. I went deep last week on how the NBA Cup schedule impacted Fantasy, so we should be able to spend only a couple of sentences on that this week. Fantasy-wise, Week 9 is straightforward: there are fewer games than usual and no games at all on Tuesday* or Wednesday, so any extra games you can fit into your Fantasy lineup will matter more. Weekly managers target teams with extra games. Daily managers, target teams playing on Friday's and Sunday's small three-game slates (no team plays both days). *The NBA Cup Championship is on Tuesday, but will not count towards Fantasy matchups As always, the players in this article must be rostered in less than two-thirds of CBS leagues. Players are listed in the order that I recommend adding them, assuming they are equally good fits for your team. Adds for all leagues Herb Jones, Pelicans (67% rostered) Jones, at 67% rostered, is basically the universe's way of begging me to include him in this column. Longtime readers will know of my deepest affection for the skinny second-round fourth-year defensive ace. He just returned from a month-long absence due to a shoulder injury and has been atypically points-y in his first few games back. But even if the 16 points per game of his first three appearances doesn't last (and it already dropped in Game 4 Thursday night), he's still worth rostering due to his ability to contribute nearly three stocks per game. Last season, he got up to 1.5 3s per game, and he chips in enough rebounds and assists to avoid causing any harm. Also, the Pelicans are apparently cursed (do you have an alternative explanation for how many things have gone wrong for them this year?), so he should continue to get extra minutes and usage while his teammates miss games. Goga Bitadze , Magic (57% rostered) Wendell Carter has been back for eight games now, and Bitadze continues to start. This marks the first time in Bitadze's six-year career (citation needed) that a coach has had the ability to bench Bitadze and chosen not to. Coach Jamahl Mosley has elected to go with a twin towers approach, starting Carter alongside Bitadze. Paolo Banchero (oblique) nominally plays power forward most often, but he's versatile enough that it's conceivable all three players could start simultaneously as long as Franz Wagner (oblique) is still out. Banchero is due for a re-evaluation soon, with the expectation that he'll return shortly thereafter. Bitadze's current role appears safe at least until Banchero returns, and possibly even longer – until Wagner returns in mid-to-late January. I spent all those words focused on Bitadze's role because that's always been the only question with him. He's an excellent, well-rounded, per-minute Fantasy producer. Since Carter has returned, Bitadze is averaging 11-10-3 with 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks. And he's taken on a much larger role in the first two games without Wagner. As long as Bitadze is playing good minutes, he's an all-league must-add. And he's currently playing good minutes. Vasilije Micic , Hornets (34% rostered) LaMelo Ball (calf) and Tre Mann (back) are both expected to miss at least another week, giving Micic at least a few more games as the starting point guard. Even including the dreadful "let's see if rookie KJ Simpson can handle it ok, good to know he definitely cannot" dud game on December 3, Micic is still averaging 12-3-7 with 2.2 3s through his six starts. And those numbers look a lot better without the December 3rd experiment, which seems unlikely to be repeated. It's rare to find this many assists on the waiver wire. Even if he turns into a pumpkin after Ball and Mann come back, the short-term boost in assists is valuable enough to prioritize him above the two potentially long-term additions below. T.J. McConnell , Pacers (33% rostered) Looking through McConnell's box scores lately, my reaction is a combination of the Arrested Development " her? " and the Star Wars " they fly now? ". T.J. McConnell scores now? Him? It's not just the 30-point explosion last Sunday, either. McConnell has scored at least 12 points in six straight and in nine of his last 11. He's averaging 14.2 points during that stretch, along with his typically solid assists and steals contributions. And he's doing this while playing just 22.2 minutes per game. McConnell's biggest drawback was always his low scoring, but if Indiana has found a way to get more points out of him, then one of Fantasy Basketball's best handcuffs can be rostered even without an injury to Tyrese Haliburton . Max Strus , Cavaliers (21% rostered) Strus (ankle) is close to making his season debut. As is common knowledge for anyone reading the fifth player blurb on a mid-December Fantasy basketball article, the Cavaliers' team build is basically "four stars and hope." Last year, they decided that Strus was their best option to round out the starting lineup. He was third on the team (including the stars) in minutes per game. He was second on the team (excluding the stars) in FGA. The roster hasn't meaningfully changed, and I still view Strus as the best fifth starter. There may be some ramp-up time, and we should always be careful not to assume a player will simply recreate their career-best season. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually settled in close to last season's 12-5-4 with 2.4 3s and 0.9 steals. Justin Champagnie , Wizards (8% rostered) It's pretty rare for a fourth-year undrafted pro who still hasn't hit 700 career minutes to casually drop a top 70 Fantasy week. Taking advantage of a decimated roster that's what East-coast Champagnie (his twin, a Spur, is in the "other recommendations" below) just accomplished. We should be highly skeptical of his ability to maintain this kind of production, but we also shouldn't ignore it. Ride this wave for as long as it lasts. Royce O'Neale , Suns (39% rostered) It looks like Kevin Durant (ankle) is trending towards returning soon, possibly in time for Friday's game, so this recommendation may already be too late to help anyone. When Durant is playing, O'Neale is an end-of-the-other-recommendations-list-level guy. But O'Neale has put up 19-7-2 with 4.7 3s in the three games Durant has missed, making him an easy all-leagues start. If Durant remains out, keep riding O'Neale. Other recommendations : Rui Hachimura , Lakers (57% rostered); Caris LeVert , Cavaliers (42% rostered); Al Horford , Celtics (46% rostered); Kevin Huerter , Kings (26% rostered); Moe Wagner , Magic (48% rostered); Julian Champagnie , Spurs (54% rostered); Anthony Black , Magic (21% rostered); Obi Toppin , Pacers (21% rostered) Just Say No Kelly Olynyk , Raptors (19% rostered) Olynyk made his season debut last week, and his roster rate immediately doubled. He actually played pretty well, and managers who started him are probably pleased with his output. But, folks, come on. He played just 14, 15, and 12 minutes in his first three appearances. He's not going to continue averaging double his career per-minute averages in steals, blocks, and 3s – as he did in his first two games. If his per-minute productivity normalizes without a massive minutes boost, he's nowhere near the Fantasy radar. Last season, Olynyk and Jakob Poeltl only played together for nine games. During those, Olynyk averaged 10-4-3 with 1.6 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 0.6 3s. That's not worth a roster spot in most leagues. He probably needs more like 24ish minutes to remain rosterable in deep leagues and closer to 29-30 to crack a standard league lineup. That's most likely not happening while the Raptors are healthy. If Olynyk's roster rate was in the low-single-digits, then sure, there would be some managers who could consider taking a chance on him. But his roster rate is already way above where it should be – if he's still available in your league, I'm confident your league isn't deep enough for you to consider him. Deep league special Duncan Robinson , Heat (14% rostered) Robinson got promoted into the starting lineup three and a half weeks ago, and his minutes and production increased as a result. The data is a little muddled due to the various injuries the Heat have dealt with – most notably to Nikola Jovic , who missed eight of those 11 games with an ankle injury – and Robinson's numbers have definitely been worse in the games Jovic has played in. That said, Robinson is averaging 12-3-3 with 2.4 3s in 25 minutes since the promotion. I'd absolutely rather add Cason Wallace if he's still available, but his roster rate is bordering on too high for this section, and I already covered him last week . Other recommendations: Cason Wallace, Thunder (19% rostered); Brandon Clarke , Grizzlies (13% rostered); Matas Buzelis , Bulls (18% rostered); Davion Mitchell , Raptors (12% rostered)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell says it was a really easy decision to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the presence of three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani played a part, too. Snell was introduced Tuesday at Dodger Stadium accompanied by his agent Scott Boras. The left-hander finalized a $182 million, five-year contract last Saturday. “It was really easy just cause me and Haeley wanted to live here, it’s something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Snell said, referring to his girlfriend. “Then you look at the team. You look at what they’ve built, what they’re doing. It’s just something you want to be a part of.” Last month, Snell opted out of his deal with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after he was slowed by injuries during his lone year with the San Francisco Giants. Snell gets a $52 million signing bonus, payable on Jan. 25, and annual salaries of $26 million, of which $13.2 million each year will be deferred . Because Snell is a Washington state resident, the signing bonus will not be subject to California income tax. “It just played out the way that people around me felt comfortable with, I felt comfortable with, they felt comfortable with,” Snell said. “We talked and found something that could work for both of us. You want your worth, you want your respect, and you want enough time to where you can really make a name for yourself. I've made a name for myself outside of LA, but I'm going to be invested.” Two-way star Ohtani, who signed a record $700 million, 10-year deal a year ago, had a historic first season with the Dodgers. He helped them win the franchise's eighth World Series while playing only as designated hitter and became MVP in the National League for the first time after twice winning the award while in the American League. “It helps with him in the lineup for sure. That’s big motivation,” Snell said. “You want to be around players like that when you’re trying to be one of the best in the game. Yeah, it played a big part.” Snell joins Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop Los Angeles’ rotation. All-Star Tyler Glasnow will be back after having his first season in LA derailed by a sprained elbow. Ohtani didn’t pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery but is expected back on the mound in 2025. The rest of the rotation includes Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack, Dustin May, Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. “I pitched on six-man, five-man, four-man rotations,” Snell said. “I'm good with it all as long as we have a plan, we'll execute it.” Snell, who turns 32 on Wednesday, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts this year, throwing a no-hitter at Cincinnati on Aug. 2 for one of only 16 individual shutouts in the major leagues this season. He struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings. He was sidelined between April 19 and May 22 by a strained left adductor and between June 2 and July 9 by a strained left groin. Snell won Cy Young Awards in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego. He is 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants. He has known Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, since he was 18. In the aftermath of winning the World Series and discussing how the Dodgers could repeat next year, Friedman said, “All conversations kept coming back to Blake.” “Usually in major league free agency, you're buying the backside of a guy's career, the accomplishments that they have had,” he said. “With Blake, one thing that's really exciting for us is, as much success as he's had, we feel like there's more in there." Snell was 2-2 against the Dodgers in his career. “We couldn’t beat him, so we’re going to have him join us,” Friedman said. .___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

On December 26, 2024, IO Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ:IOBT) received a notice from the Listing Qualifications staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC indicating that the closing bid price for the company’s common stock had been below $1.00 per share for 30 consecutive trading days. This non-compliance puts IO Biotech at risk of not meeting the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). Despite this notice, there is no immediate impact on the listing of IO Biotech’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. The company will continue to trade on this platform. As per Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), IO Biotech has been granted an initial compliance period of 180 calendar days, until June 24, 2025, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. To achieve compliance, the closing bid price of the common stock must be equal to or exceed $1.00 per share for at least 10 consecutive trading days before the deadline. IO Biotech is aware that Nasdaq will evaluate its ability to correct this deficiency during the review process. If Nasdaq concludes that the company is unable to rectify the deficiency or is ineligible for an additional compliance period, IO Biotech will receive notice of potential delisting. In such an event, the company will retain the right to challenge any decision to delist its common stock, with the stock remaining listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market throughout the appeal process. It is essential to note that there are no guarantees that IO Biotech will successfully regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement or meet other relevant Nasdaq listing regulations. Investors and stakeholders are encouraged to monitor the company’s progress closely as it works towards addressing these issues. As per regulatory requirements, Mai-Britt Zocca, Ph.D., the Chief Executive Officer of IO Biotech, signed the report on behalf of the company on December 27, 2024. This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read IO Biotech’s 8K filing here . IO Biotech Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) IO Biotech, Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops immune-modulating therapeutic cancer vaccines based on the T-win technology platform. The company's lead product candidate, IO102-IO103, which is designed to target immunosuppressive mechanisms mediated by Indoleamine 2,3-dehydrogenase (IDO), and programmed death-ligand (PD-L1) that is in phase 3 clinical trial to treat melanoma, as well as in phase 2 clinical trial to treat lung, head and neck, bladder, and melanoma cancer. Further Reading

Swiss Life Holding AG (OTCMKTS:SZLMY) Short Interest Down 29.2% in December

NEW YORK (AP) — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. “The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position.” With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. “I'm not a watch guy, but I like it,” said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football’s answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. “I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways,” Hunter said. “It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery.” Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. “It just goes to show that I did what I had to do,” Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. “I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football,” Hunter said. “Being here now is like a dream come true.” Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football’s top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. “I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind,” Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. “I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position,” Ward said. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballIn a sharp rebuttal to claims that the low voter turnout in the 2024 presidential elections was the reason behind John Mahama’s victory, University of Ghana Political Science lecturer, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has dismissed such claims as “nonsensical” and a misguided attempt to deflect attention from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) failure. Speaking on TV3’s Key Points program on Saturday, December 28, Gyampo expressed his frustration with the narrative pushed by some NPP figures, who have suggested that voter apathy was the primary factor behind the election results. “The idea that John Mahama won the 2024 elections because people did not go out to vote in my view is a nonsensical propagandistic attempt at covering up for incompetence and bad governance,” Gyampo said, rejecting the theory as an attempt to avoid accountability for the party’s shortcomings. The political analyst emphasized that blaming voter apathy without examining the root causes of it was disingenuous. “If you say that people did not go out to vote without interrogating why they did not go out to vote, then it means that you’re just being propagandistic and you are trying to mask your bad governance and incompetence,” Gyampo argued. According to Gyampo, the real reasons for the low voter turnout were far more complex than mere apathy. He pointed to a range of issues such as corruption, economic mismanagement, arrogance, and nepotism, which he believes led to widespread disenchantment with the NPP government. “People didn’t vote because they felt let down, because of corruption, arrogance, economic mismanagement, nepotistic governance,” he said, asserting that these factors significantly impacted the electorate’s decision to stay home on election day. Gyampo’s comments came in response to reports that the NPP had formed a committee to investigate why the party lost the election. The lecturer questioned the need for such an inquiry, pointing out that the reasons behind the defeat were already clear. “If they know apathy caused it, why are they setting up a committee to go into the reason why you lost?” he asked rhetorically. “Come to us, we will tell you all the factors that led to the monumental defeat of the NPP.” Gyampo’s candid assessment reflects a broader frustration with the party’s failure to confront its own shortcomings and take responsibility for the factors that contributed to its electoral defeat. His remarks underscore the need for a more honest and comprehensive examination of the government’s policies and actions in order to understand the true causes of the election outcome.

Issa Odeh, 18, and Antony Saleh, 17, from Palestine win NFTE's World Youth Entrepreneurship ChallengeLeonardo DRS CEO Lynn William III sells $1.53 million in stock

BENGALURU: Karnataka CID 's SIT, probing rape charges against BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu and other allegations against his three associates, including a police official, submitted a chargesheet before a special court for elected representatives . The 2,481-page chargesheet says Naidu raped a 40-year-old woman for over two years from 2020, while R Sudhakar, P Srinivas and suspended inspector B Iyyanna Reddy have been charged with destruction of evidence, targeting the MLA's rivals in a honey-trap involving HIV-infected women, and hatching criminal conspiracy. The chargesheet contains statements from 146 witnesses and 850 pieces of documentary evidence. The SIT is also probing cases of atrocity, bribery and cheating against Naidu, chargesheets for which are yet to be filed. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .Inside America’s federal workforce that Trump has promised to eviscerate. THE tremors from Donald Trump’s decisive electoral victory have hit every corner of Washington. But their maximum intensity is felt by the United States capital’s federal workforce, which comprises tens of thousands of mostly anonymous employees not-so-fondly referred to by Trump as “the deep state.” Few notions have consumed the once and future president more than the belief that his executive power has been constrained by a cabal of unelected bureaucrats. In his first rally of the 2024 campaign in Waco, Texas, Trump framed the bureaucracy as a national adversary, declaring, “Either the deep state destroys America, or we destroy the deep state.” His intention to accomplish the latter is an explicit feature of Trump’s official to-do list, known as Agenda 47. From numerous interviews conducted with government officials spread across eight federal agencies, the overwhelming consensus is that Trump and his allies are not bluffing. And now the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) has been announced with Trump’s close associate, billionaire industrialist and owner of social media platform X Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy picked to head it. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal last Wednesday, the incoming “efficiency” tsars outlined plans for a “drastic reduction” in regulations and “mass head-count reductions”. Musk and Ramaswamy said they would rely on two recent Supreme Court rulings that limited the authority of federal regulatory agencies to “liberate individuals and businesses from illicit regulations never passed by Congress”. The heart of Trump and his allies have termed as ‘the deep state’ in Washington is bracing for changes that the Doge will bring. — Satellite image ©2020 Maxar Technologies via The New York Times “There’s definitely anxiety, no question,” said Thomas Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association, which represents about 17,000 active-duty and retired service members across six federal agencies. He said diplomats were asking him: “Is my job going to be OK? Will they shut down my bureau? What will happen to me?” Many longtime federal employees expressed exhaustion at the very prospect of a second go-round with Trump. “I believe there will be a significant exodus among the one-third of our workforce that is eligible to retire,” said Nicole Cantello, a former attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency speaking on behalf of the agency’s union, which she represents. “Many of them will be unwilling to relive all the hostility they experienced four years ago.” But most federal workers do not have the option to retire or to transfer their expertise to the private sector. So, while it has not been mentioned, yet, much of their concern centres on Trump’s pledge to re-institute Schedule F, an executive order he issued late in his presidency that would have empowered his administration to convert tens of thousands of civil servants to “at-will” workers, who could more easily be fired and replaced with political appointees. The legality of Schedule F was never tested because President Joe Biden revoked the order when he took office. “They are what makes this government work,” Natalie Quillian, a deputy chief of staff in the Biden White House, said of the federal workforce. Referring to a rule that Biden finalised this spring making it difficult to reinstate Schedule F, she continued, “I think we’ve taken all the actions we can to make sure they are protected and I’m not aware of any other action we can take.” Trump is hardly the first prominent politician to denounce the federal workforce. George Wallace, the former governor of Alabama and four-time presidential candidate, inveighed against “pointy-headed bureaucrats with thin briefcases full of guidelines.” Richard Nixon derisively termed them “little people in big jobs.” And though career government employees often serve in successive administrations from both parties, they are ultimately guided by viewpoints that some might construe as agendas. “It’s clear that there are civil servants with different policy views that work in government,” said David E. Lewis, a professor of political science at Vanderbilt University, who has written on bureaucracies. “And in some ways, that’s by design. We would expect experts to have opinions about what should be done. Sometimes those opinions fall along party lines, and you end up seeing some agencies with more Republicans and others with more Democrats. But historically speaking, that effect has been small.” Trump clearly does not believe this, Lewis acknowledged. “I would say his views of the bureaucracy are more strident than what we’ve seen from recent presidents,” he said. The closest parallel, Lewis added, was the “spoils system” administration of Andrew Jackson’s administration nearly two centuries ago, in which government jobs were doled out to cronies and family members. Officials interviewed warned that making civil servants feel more vulnerable about their livelihood would almost certainly create a chilling effect on how they go about their work. The perception of exhibiting insufficient loyalty to Trump’s agenda is more discomfiting at some agencies than at others. Three mid-level EPA officials said they feared the subject of climate change would be off-limits in the new administration. At the Pentagon, officials were trying to game out what policies might catch Trump’s attention and prompt edicts like the one he announced five years ago on social media, forbidding transgender people from serving “in any capacity in the US Military.” There also are fears inside the Education Department that its legacy of civil rights reforms could soon be terminated, or that Trump will make good on his vow to dissolve the department altogether. Aaron Ament, who served as chief of staff of the Education Department’s general counsel’s office during the Obama administration, said that even if the Trump administration kept the agency intact, it could immediately test the resolve of its staff by cutting back many of the department’s main regulatory and enforcement functions. “During his first term, Trump outsourced higher education policy to for-profit industry executives who systematically dismantled enforcement and regulatory protections for students,” Ament said. “If this term is similar, we could not only see the same harms but find Trump weaponising the Office for Civil Rights to cut off funds for state universities that teach from books he doesn’t like or disagree with him politically.” Even agencies with distinctly non-ideological missions could come under scrutiny. At the Federal Aviation Administration, for example, the mission of safely landing airplanes has found no sceptic among the authors of Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint for reshaping the federal government. But federal employees at the FAA and elsewhere have noted that Musk’s SpaceX rocket launches are regulated by the agency. Musk also has been openly contemptuous of collective bargaining rights. One FAA official said his co-workers fear that Musk may exercise undue influence in that regard and are concerned that Trump will roll back any protections against discrimination that the new president deems to be “woke.” One intelligence official predicted that many at the CIA would make their career decisions based on whether the new CIA director is respectful of the intelligence community. Several people who were interviewed pointed to Trump’s mercurial character as a factor that might ultimately save them. Though they did not doubt the sincerity of his hostility toward “the deep state,” they strained to imagine a 78-year-old man with a fleeting attention span poring over employee manifests and organisational charts. In the end, what might end up blunting any damage Trump might try to inflict upon the bureaucracy is its own hidebound imperviousness. One former official at the Transportation Department, who asked for anonymity to speak freely, recalled the more than yearlong effort to obtain the funding for a specific, relatively small project that had already been authorised. It was the nature of bureaucracy, the official said: Nothing could be done, or undone, with the stroke of a pen. — ©2024 The New York Times Company

England win toss, bowl in third Test against New ZealandSigning with Dodgers was really easy decision for 2-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell

card game joker FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets might be dealing with an opponent even tougher to overcome than their poor play, missed opportunities and ill-timed mistakes. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson suggested last Sunday a losing “gene” might be an explanation for the Jets’ inability to pull out victories after the team dropped to 3-10 with a loss at Miami. On Wednesday, Aaron Rodgers presented another perhaps more sinister reason. “I mean, it might be something like that," the quarterback said of Wilson's theory. "It might be some sort of curse we've got to snap as well.” Generations of frustrated Jets fans have half-jokingly insisted there have been negative forces at work against the franchise since Joe Namath delivered on his Super Bowl guarantee in January 1969. It remains the team's only appearance in the NFL's biggest game. Rodgers has been there once — and won — with Green Bay. The 41-year-old quarterback came to New York hoping to finally lead the Jets back to the Super Bowl. He even commented on how lonely the team's only Lombardi Trophy looked during his introductory news conference 20 months ago. Instead, Rodgers' first season in New York was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon just four snaps in, immediately resurrecting "curse” theories among jaded Jets fans. With its loss last Sunday, New York extended its playoff drought to 14 straight years, the longest active skid among the major North American sports leagues. And the team will be looking for a new general manager and coach after this season, and Rodgers' future in New York is very much up in the air. “Whatever the case, this team, this organization is going to figure out how to get over the hump at some point,” Rodgers said. “The culture is built by the players. There’s a framework set down by the organization, by the upper ups, by the staff. But in the end, it’s the players that make it come to life. "And at some point, everybody’s going to have to figure out what that special sauce is to turn those games that should be wins into wins.” The Jets have held the lead in the fourth quarter in five games this season. They've lost each of them, including the past three games. New York's inability to come away with wins in those prompted Wilson's “gene” theory. “I’m not exactly sure what he was talking about there,” Rodgers said with a smile. "I don’t know what the proper nomenclature is for the situation where we’ve lost some leads or haven’t been able to take the lead late in the game, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. We haven’t been great in situational football. “A lot of those games come down to the plays in the first and second, even third quarter, where if you make the play the game is not in that situation. But in those situations, we haven’t been very good on offense or defense or even (special) teams.” Rodgers said “it takes a conscious effort, it takes an intentional effort” to establish a winning culture, and it includes leadership, practice habits and setting standards inside and outside of the locker room. And this year's Jets, Rodgers said, are “on the edge” of that. “We just haven’t quite figured out how to get that special sauce worked out, mixed up,” he said. “It’s close and a lot of great guys are in the locker room. There’s some good mix of veterans and young guys, but we just haven’t quite put it all together.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

The transfer market has been tumultuous for Barcelona, with financial constraints forcing the club to make tough decisions regarding player acquisitions and sales. The departure of Lionel Messi, the club's talismanic figure, due to financial restrictions sent shockwaves through the footballing world. Now, with the possibility of losing Ilaix Moriba, Barcelona's prospects for the upcoming season are further complicated.The year 2025 is just a day away! The countdown has officially started. New Year’s celebrations are filled with parties, games, traditions, drinks, food, and gatherings. Of course, no celebration is complete without the famous countdown to midnight. One of the most iconic New Year’s Eve traditions is the ball drop at Times Square in New York City. This dazzling event has been capturing the attention of audiences all around the globe. During the New Year’s Eve ball drop, a giant crystal ball lit up with LED lights is lowered from the top of One Time Square, marking the final seconds of the year. The New Year’s Eve ball is 12 feet wide, made of Waterford crystal triangles, and shines as it welcomes the New Year. This tradition began in 1907 and has evolved over the years. New Year 2025 Lucky Food: From Grapes to Long Noodles, Bring Good Fortune to Your Table With These 5 Foods. Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Date The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop will start on December 31, 2024, and conclude on January 1, 2025. Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Timing The iconic New Year’s Eve tradition in New York City will begin at 6:00 PM on December 31, which is 04:30 AM IST on January 1, 2025. The ball will be raised to the top of the flagpole at One Times Square. At 11:59 PM, it will begin its 60-second descent down the flagpole, marking the start of the New Year 2025. Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Live Streaming Several broadcasting companies will air the New Year’s Eve celebrations live on their TV channels and streaming platforms. To watch the Times Square ball drop, you can tune in to the live stream on the official Times Square website or simply view the video below. Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will host the event live from Times Square. The celebrations will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers, De La Ghetto, Mickey Guyton, and more. Happy New Year 2025 Wishes, Greetings, Quotes and HD Images: WhatsApp Stickers, GIFs, SMS, Wallpapers and Facebook Messages To Share and Celebrate New Year. The idea of a ball dropping to show time is older than the New Year’s celebration. The first ‘time ball’ was set up in 1833 at England’s Royal Observatory in Greenwich. It helped ship captains set their clocks. Today, this tradition continues and is watched by billions around the world. It is more than just a celebration. It stands for hope, unity, and a fresh start as people come together to welcome the future. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2024 09:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).

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Ultimately, the "Self-Discipline Challenge" incident prompts reflection on the ethical implications of incentive-based initiatives and the responsibilities of organizers in upholding transparency, fairness, and integrity. It serves as a reminder that success should not be measured solely by material rewards but by the authenticity of one's efforts, achievements, and personal growth.

Furthermore, Pochettino emphasized Son's importance to the South Korean national team, where he serves as a key player and a source of inspiration for his compatriots. Son's impact on the international stage cannot be understated, as he has been instrumental in guiding South Korea to success in various competitions, including the Asian Cup and the World Cup.NEW YORK, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Investment bank Lazard's (LAZ.N) , opens new tab CEO, Peter Orszag, predicted a surge in dealmaking momentum to continue into next year, helped by private equity activity. Wall Street executives have expressed optimism that the incoming Trump administration will usher in deregulation and more openness to mergers and acquisitions. The bullish views come as investment banking activity recovers from a two-year dry spell. "There were a lot of large transactions that were being informally discussed that now are more in 'let's see if we can really make this happen,' and that's pretty much across the board," Orszag said in an interview on Wednesday at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York. President-elect Donald Trump , who takes office on Jan. 20, has said he will slap 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as additional duties on Chinese goods, which would hit companies in sectors from autos to retail and has sparked concern among investors. "There may have been a lot of rhetoric, but when you get to governing and want to make sure that inflation doesn't begin to spike, things will be done in a more tempered manner," Orszag said. He was also bullish about Lazard's prospects for next year. New York-based Lazard's financial advisory revenue climbed 39% in the third quarter to $371 million, driving a 50% jump in revenue to $785 million. Lazard was the ninth-most active investment bank in global M&A in the first nine months of the year, ranked by fees, according to data from Dealogic. To view the live broadcast of the World Stage go to the Reuters NEXT news page: https://www.reuters.com/world/reuters-next/ Sign up here. Reporting by Nupur Anand and Lananh Nguyen in New YorkEditing by Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Lananh Nguyen is the U.S. finance editor at Reuters in New York, leading coverage of U.S. banks. She joined Reuters in 2022 after reporting on Wall Street at The New York Times. Lananh spent more than a decade at Bloomberg News in New York and London, where she wrote extensively about banking and financial markets, and she previously worked at Dow Jones Newswires/The Wall Street Journal. Lananh holds a B.A. in political science from Tufts University and an M.Sc. in finance and economic policy from the University of London. Thomson Reuters Nupur Anand is a U.S. banking correspondent at Reuters in New York. She focuses on JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and regional banks. Anand covered banking and finance in India for more than a decade, chronicling the collapse of major lenders and turmoil at digital banks and cryptocurrencies. She has a degree in English literature from Delhi University and a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media in Bangalore. Anand is also an award-winning fiction writer.Treating toothache can be costly and varies greatly in price, with different institutions charging anywhere from $300 to $5000. The significant difference in treatment options has sparked a lot of attention and debate among patients seeking relief from dental pain.

During his first presidency and in his campaign leading up to the 2024 election, Donald Trump repeatedly pledged to crack down on illegal immigration. As president-elect, Trump posted on Truth Social on Nov. 18 confirming his plans to declare a national emergency and use the U.S. military for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Trump commented “TRUE!!!” with a repost of a Truth Social post from Tom Fitton, who runs the conservative group Judicial Watch . Fitton’s post reads, “GOOD NEWS: Reports are incoming @RealDonaldTrump administration prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.” Several VERIFY readers, including Debbie, Jacq and Matty, asked us whether Trump can use the military to carry out mass deportations. THE QUESTION Can the president use the military to carry out mass deportations? THE SOURCES David Bier , director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute Peter Margulies , law professor at Roger Williams University Elizabeth Goitein , senior director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty & National Security Program Brennan Center for Justice President Joe Biden’s Executive Order #14097 Department of Homeland Security The Posse Comitatus Act U.S. Section 502(f) National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 Lawfare , a nonprofit organization THE ANSWER Yes, it's legal for the president to use the military to help carry out mass deportations and other immigration enforcement actions. The National Guard, with approval from a state's governor, can detain individuals, but the other branches of the military can offer mostly logistical support. WHAT WE FOUND A president has the executive power to deploy the military to assist with immigration enforcement, but there are legal limits on the role the military can play. The Posse Comitatus Act, a 143-year-old law, prohibits the president from using active-duty, full-time service members, such as soldiers or Marines, as a police force, according to the Brennan Center for Justice . That means federal military branches like the U.S. Army or Air Force can’t perform tasks such as detaining individuals or making arrests on U.S. soil, even under a national emergency declaration. David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, explained that active-duty service members, barred from acting like police under Posse Comitatus, would likely focus on non-law enforcement tasks. That could include building infrastructure, like temporary detention facilities, transporting detainees and providing armed backup for domestic law enforcement. The Posse Comitatus Act, however, does not apply to the National Guard, Peter Margulies, a law professor at Roger Williams University, told VERIFY. “The National Guard is a state militia and can be called out by the president with the cooperation of the state governors, and so you could have the National Guard from, let's say, Texas, be used for apprehension. That would not create Posse Comitatus issues,” Margulies said. Trump's post on Truth Social mentioned declaring a national emergency, but the president can request National Guard assistance or federal military assistance with or without declaring a national emergency , according to Chris Mirasola, a contributor for non-profit Lawfare. The Brennan Center for Justice explains that declaring a national emergency grants a president with swift authority during times of crises without waiting for Congressional approval, including diverting federal funds or resources. Both Bier and Margulies told VERIFY Trump's deportation agenda would likely face significant legal challenges and be subject to congressional oversight. And if he declares a national emergency, Congress has the ability to eventually terminate that declaration , but it would require passing a law with a veto-proof supermajority, “which is increasingly difficult in our polarized political environment,” Goitein told VERIFY. Military involvement in immigration enforcement is not unprecedented. In 2019, then-President Trump declared a national emergency to redirect military funds to construct the U.S.-Mexico border wall. More recently, President Joe Biden used a national emergency declaration to deploy the National Guard to the southern border to assist with processing and facility operations tied to drug enforcement. According to Google Trends data , online searches about mass deportation have spiked, with some appearing to link the military's involvement to martial law. Martial law involves the suspension of ordinary law and government functions, with military authorities assuming control. Margulies said even if Trump uses the military in his administration’s deportation efforts, it would not equate to declaring martial law. Margulies explained that martial law hasn’t been used since the Civil War and is “profoundly unlikely” to happen as part of Trump’s proposed initiative because he doesn’t need martial law to execute his deportation plans.

As Kimi continues to carve his own path in the entertainment industry, one thing is for certain – he has inherited not only his father's good looks but also his talent and star quality. The world can expect great things from this young prodigy, who is destined for success and stardom. With his father by his side, guiding and supporting him every step of the way, there is no doubt that Kimi is set to shine bright like a star in the sky.NEW YORK, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insight Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: INAQ) announced today that its stockholders have approved an extension of the time period by which the Company has to consummate an initial business combination (the "Business Combination Period”) from December 7, 2024, to March 7, 2025 (the "Extended Termination Date"). The extension was made through the adoption of the Fourth Extension Amendment to the Company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the "Charter”), which was filed today with the Delaware Secretary of State. Adoption of the Fourth Extension Amendment required approval by the affirmative vote of at least 65% of the Company's outstanding shares of common stock. The proposal was approved by the Company's stockholders holding 4,950,037 shares, representing approximately 75.93% of the Company's outstanding shares of common stock. About Insight Acquisition Corp. Insight Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: INAQ) is a special purpose acquisition company formed solely to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Insight Acquisition Corp. is sponsored by Insight Acquisition Sponsor LLC. For additional information, please visit insightacqcorp.com. About Alpha Modus Alpha Modus is engaged in creating, developing and licensing data-driven technologies to enhance consumers' in-store digital experience at the point of decision. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Cornelius, North Carolina. Alpha Modus is party to a business combination agreement with Insight Acquisition Corp. ( INAQ ) whereby Alpha Modus plans to become a publicly trading company (the "Business Combination”). For additional information, please visit alphamodus.com . Contacts: Insight Acquisition Corp. Chelsea Saffran [email protected] Alpha Modus Shannon Devine MZ Group +1(203) 741-8841 [email protected]The targeted military facilities included weapon depots, military bases, command centers, and air defense systems. The IDF reported that the strikes successfully destroyed several air defense batteries and radar installations, significantly degrading Syria's ability to detect and intercept incoming threats.

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NoneIn a surprising turn of events, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has sought refuge in Russia after losing power in his war-torn country. As he now resides in Moscow, many are left wondering what lies ahead for the once authoritarian leader. Taking a closer look at the fates of other former exiled leaders can provide some insight into the potential outcomes for Bashar al-Assad.

As the football world watches closely, Barcelona faces a daunting challenge ahead – to rise above the discord, rediscover its winning form, and prove that unity and teamwork are the cornerstones of success in the beautiful game. Whether the team can overcome these obstacles and reignite its spark remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – the path to redemption will be paved with resilience, humility, and a collective effort to come together as one Barcelona, united and stronger than ever.After dropping attorney general nomination, Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress

Overall, the November consumer price index data in Beijing reflects a balanced mix of factors influencing consumer prices, with food prices leading the decline. By understanding these factors and implementing appropriate policies, policymakers can work towards ensuring stable and affordable prices for consumers in the months ahead.

In addition to regulatory measures, the government will also increase its support for affordable housing projects and initiatives. The goal is to provide more accessible housing options for low and middle-income families, thereby addressing the issue of housing affordability and reducing the wealth gap in society. By promoting the development of rental housing and encouraging more public-private partnerships in the construction of affordable homes, the government aims to create a more balanced and inclusive housing market.

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Tech billionaire Elon Musk 's new opinion article in Germany's Welt am Sonntag led the newspaper's opinion editor to resign. Newsweek reached out to Musk's social media platform X, formerly Twitter , via email for comment from the tech tycoon and the WELT Group via email for comment on the editor's resignation Saturday afternoon. Why It Matters Musk, the owner of X, and the CEO of car manufacturer Tesla and space tech company SpaceX , has cozied up to President-elect Donald Trump , especially after his November election win. Now, Musk has grown his influence abroad, appearing in a German newspaper to support the country's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The AfD party is viewed as far right and, according to Reuters, the party, at the national level, has been classified by Germany's domestic intelligence agency as a suspected extremism case starting in 2021. What To Know Following the online publication of Musk's commentary on Saturday, which was written in German, Eva Marie Kogel, the editor of Welt am Sonntag 's opinion section, quickly resigned. "I always enjoyed heading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Kogel wrote on X early Saturday morning, according to an English translation of the post written in German. Musk wrote in the opinion piece, according to an English translation by Reuters, "The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party's leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!" Welt am Sonntag published a statement by the newspaper's editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard underneath Musk's commentary. "Musk's diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally false," he wrote. The tech tycoon's opinion piece follows a statement he wrote on X on December 20, "Only the AfD can save Germany." What People Are Saying Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, the incoming publisher of Welt am Sonntag , said in a statement to Reuters, "Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarizing positions and classifying them journalistically." They added that the discussion surrounding Musk's opinion article was "very revealing." Musk's piece had over 300 comments several hours after it was published. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat , said at a news conference on December 20 in response to Musk's X post, "We have freedom of opinion—it also goes for multibillionaires, but freedom of opinion also means that you can say things that aren't right and don't contain good political advice." He added: "I say emphatically that the democratic parties in Germany all see it differently." Weidel said in a December 20 X post that the AfD "is indeed the one and only alternative for our country; our very last option." She also shared several blurbs taken from Musk's opinion piece on X on Saturday, which have been translated from German to English: What Happens Next German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier scheduled new elections for February 23, seven months earlier than planned after Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German parliament last week amid the country's worsening economic crisis. AfD is polling in second place after the German conservatives, Reuters reported earlier this month. But, according to the Associated Press, Weidel will not realistically become chancellor given that other parties refuse to work with the AfD.The process of opening a personal pension account is straightforward and user-friendly, with online platforms and mobile apps making it easy for individuals to set up their accounts and start making contributions. With a variety of investment options available, individuals can tailor their pension plan to suit their risk tolerance and financial goals. From conservative investment strategies to more aggressive growth portfolios, personal pension plans offer flexibility and choice to suit individual preferences.

France’s Michel Barnier faced an abrupt end to his premiership on Monday after key opposition parties said they would back a no-confidence motion against his government after only three months in power. Certain that the National Assembly would deny him a majority backing the government’s social security financing plan for next year, Barnier forced through the bill without a vote, using executive powers under article 49.3 of the French constitution. The conservative premier, who formed a minority government in September after an inconclusive general election, has lived under the constant threat of a no-confidence vote that could force him to quit. The government could be toppled as early as tomorrow, when a vote is expected. “I honestly believe that the French people will not forgive us if we prefer partisan interests to the best interest of the nation,” Barnier told the lawmakers. “This is a moment of truth in which everybody must take their responsibilities. I am taking mine,” he added. Far-left opposition party LFI said immediately it would bring a no-confidence motion which the far-right National Rally (RN) — the largest single party in France’s parliament — said it would vote in favour of, after accusing Barnier of failing to negotiate on some of the bill’s provisions. “We will vote no confidence,” the RN said on X. Key to any such vote is Marine Le Pen, the parliamentary leader of the RN that has opposed several parts of the government’s 2025 budget plan, including the social security financing bill submitted to the National Assembly on Monday. In a last-ditch concession to the RN, the prime minister’s office said it was scrapping plans for a less generous prescription drug reimbursement policy from next year. It was uncertain to the last moment whether the nod to Le Pen’s concerns would be enough to save the day for Barnier, who has little hope of finding any left-wing support. But in the end the “miracle” — which RN party leader Jordan Bardella said was needed to avoid the no-confidence motion — failed to materialise. LFI deputy Mathilde Panot said Barnier had sought to avoid the no-confidence vote by making “dishonourable” concessions to the RN. “On Wednesday he will get both, dishonour and the no-confidence vote,” she said, adding that the move would allow France to emerge from “a political impasse” and “political chaos”. If the government falls, it would be the first successful no-confidence vote since a defeat for Georges Pompidou’s government in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president. The life span of Barnier’s government would also be the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic since 1958. Le Pen had already reacted icily Sunday after Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin said the government did not plan any further changes to the social security budget plan. “We have taken note,” she told AFP, calling the stance “extremely closed-minded and partisan behaviour”. The RN is the largest single party in the 577-seat National Assembly, with more than 140 deputies. On Thursday, Barnier scrapped a previously planned increase on an electricity tax, in a concession to critics. Saint-Martin has highlighted that the budget proposals have already been discussed by a parliamentary commission ahead of Monday’s debate and changed following talks between National Assembly deputies and upper house senators. “To reject this text is to reject a democratic agreement,” he said. The Senate, where right-wing parties have a majority, partly approved the 2025 budget Sunday, giving a green light to government revenue projections, in a vote boycotted by the left. The Socialist party, part of the left-wing opposition, told Barnier it would vote against him if he used article 49.3 to push through a budget. Saint-Martin warned that the fall of the government would raise the risk premium on French government debt that has reached rare heights because of the country’s shaky financial situation.chinese poker game 。

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Prospera Financial Services Inc trimmed its position in shares of iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF ( NASDAQ:IJT – Free Report ) by 94.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,755 shares of the company’s stock after selling 58,403 shares during the quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc’s holdings in iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF were worth $525,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LPL Financial LLC grew its position in shares of iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF by 1.6% in the second quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 781,445 shares of the company’s stock valued at $100,361,000 after purchasing an additional 12,110 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 463,739 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,563,000 after buying an additional 22,291 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its position in iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF by 6.8% during the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 403,693 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,311,000 after buying an additional 25,626 shares in the last quarter. One Capital Management LLC increased its position in iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF by 0.4% during the second quarter. One Capital Management LLC now owns 326,869 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,980,000 after buying an additional 1,291 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Falcon Wealth Planning raised its holdings in shares of iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF by 10.3% in the third quarter. Falcon Wealth Planning now owns 222,889 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,091,000 after acquiring an additional 20,742 shares during the last quarter. 55.81% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF Stock Up 1.6 % IJT opened at $148.34 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $6.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.69 and a beta of 1.13. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $139.85 and its 200 day simple moving average is $134.79. iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF has a 52 week low of $111.02 and a 52 week high of $149.58. iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF Announces Dividend iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF Profile ( Free Report ) iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index Fund (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market and consists of those stocks in the S&P SmallCap 600 Index exhibiting the strongest growth characteristics. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Sarah Ferguson has lifted the lid and given a rare insight into her daughters' children's lives with a major Christmas update. The Duchess of York, 65, is well and truly in the festive spirit and like most grandmothers she is ready to spoil her grandchildren this festive season “with sweets, toys and treats”. "Grannies exist to spoil their grandchildren, don't they? I'll be stuffing their stockings with sweets, toys and treats. I think I'm as excited as they are," the Duchess told Hello! Sarah - affectionately dubbed Fergie by fans and friends - is grandmother to Princess Beatrice ’s daughter Sienna, three, and stepson Wolfie, eight, as well as Princess Eugenie ’s sons, August, three, and one-year-old Ernest. And soon, Fergie will become a grandmother again as Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, is currently pregnant with her and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's second child, with the baby set to be born in early spring. When the pregnancy announcement was made in October, Eugenie was quick to take to social media to congratulate her sister and share a heartfelt message. Sarah is not one to leave her Christmas shopping to the last minute as the Dutchess plans a “long way ahead” and she even has an adorable annual Christmas tradition. She said: "I spot things I think people would like throughout the year and stash them away. “Every year I also like to get special baubles made for everyone's tree." Just a couple of days ago, Fergie shared a glimpse of her family outing at Windsor Great Park , in new footage she shared on her social media accounts. With the big day fast approaching, it is likely that the Prince and Princess of Wales will spend this Christmas at Anmer Hall, a Georgian country house gifted to the couple by Queen Elizabeth II after their wedding in 2011. Former BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond described possible Christmas scenes with the Wales family. She told OK! Magazine : "I think it is in their own family home that the Waleses let the kids run riot. So I think they'll probably be tearing open their stockings and racing around their home at some ungodly hour on Christmas morning – just like kids up and down the country."Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. ( NASDAQ:WAVS – Get Free Report ) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 200 shares, a decrease of 33.3% from the November 30th total of 300 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days. Western Acquisition Ventures Stock Performance NASDAQ:WAVS opened at $10.89 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $11.11 and its 200-day simple moving average is $10.91. Western Acquisition Ventures has a fifty-two week low of $10.27 and a fifty-two week high of $15.98. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Western Acquisition Ventures An institutional investor recently bought a new position in Western Acquisition Ventures stock. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new position in shares of Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. ( NASDAQ:WAVS – Free Report ) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 10,295 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $108,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC owned approximately 0.29% of Western Acquisition Ventures at the end of the most recent quarter. 6.55% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Western Acquisition Ventures Company Profile Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. does not have significant operations. The company intends to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. It intends to acquire businesses operating in the infrastructure and environmental services; health, wellness, and food sustainability; financial technology and financial services; enterprise software and software as a service (SaaS); and leisure and hospitality industries. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Western Acquisition Ventures Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Western Acquisition Ventures and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Ireland rookies impress as penalty-ridden Fiji dominated 52-17The Detroit Tigers are still pressing toward the mark in their pursuit of All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman . Alex Bregman could be real difference maker for Tigers The Tigers impressed last season, making the playoffs with an 86-76 record. Detroit added the talented two-time All-Star Gleyber Torres this offseason to man second base. They’re now continuing their talks with Bregman, who could elevate their ball club with his stellar play. Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold said this about the dynamic between both parties at this stage of the winter (h/t CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry): “Mutual interest remains, but there is a gap in perceived value between the two sides as negotiations continue, according to sources not authorized to speak publicly on the situation. Notable progress has been made since the start of the offseason, particularly in the past month,” Petzold reported. Bregman is an elite two-way talent at third base Bregman is one of the best third basemen in the MLB. Conveniently up for the taking in free agency, the 30-year-old was a Gold Glove Award winner in 2024. The former Houston Astros pillar would be a significant upgrade from the Tigers’ third basemen from a season ago in Gio Urshela and Jace Jung. Urshela manned the hot corner in 74 games for Detroit last time out. He committed five of his seven errors on the campaign in the Motor City, the latter of which was seventh-most at the position, on his way to a -0.3 WAR. Jung committed four errors in 27 games played for a lackluster .917 fielding percentage. Tigers need to make big play to beat out Bregman suitors On the other side of the token, Bregman led all third basemen in the MLB with 103 putouts, 242 assists and 23 double plays turned. Though, he did commit 10 errors of his own on his way to a .972 fielding percentage. The former MVP candidate would help make plays for the Tigers on defense and give them a slugger that is liable to hit 30 home runs or more on the upcoming campaign. Detroit will have to present the New Mexico native with a offer that exceeds that of other suitors heavily linked to Bregman including the New York Mets . That’ll likely have to near $30 million annually. This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.Quest Partners LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Cannae Holdings, Inc. ( NYSE:CNNE – Free Report ) by 53.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 23,106 shares of the company’s stock after selling 26,948 shares during the quarter. Quest Partners LLC’s holdings in Cannae were worth $440,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in Cannae by 1,616.0% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,390 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 1,309 shares in the last quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Cannae by 48.9% in the first quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 1,629 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 535 shares during the last quarter. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cannae during the 2nd quarter worth about $48,000. nVerses Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Cannae during the 2nd quarter valued at about $71,000. Finally, Highbridge Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Cannae in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $91,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.12% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Cannae from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Cannae Stock Up 1.7 % Cannae stock opened at $21.12 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $1.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.39 and a beta of 0.87. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $19.54 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $19.21. Cannae Holdings, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $16.94 and a fifty-two week high of $22.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 2.55 and a quick ratio of 2.55. Cannae ( NYSE:CNNE – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 12th. The company reported ($0.22) earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of ($0.22). The business had revenue of $113.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $105.67 million. Cannae had a negative return on equity of 8.26% and a negative net margin of 68.61%. The firm’s revenue was down 20.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned ($2.18) EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Cannae Holdings, Inc. will post -2.97 earnings per share for the current year. Cannae Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 17th will be paid a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 17th. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.27%. Cannae’s payout ratio is -9.98%. About Cannae ( Free Report ) Cannae Holdings, Inc is a principal investment firm. The firm primarily invests in restaurants, technology enabled healthcare services, financial services and more. It takes both minority and majority stakes. Cannae Holdings, Inc was founded in 2014 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CNNE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cannae Holdings, Inc. ( NYSE:CNNE – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Cannae Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cannae and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump didChristmas fans stunned after discovering clever hack to make tree look fuller, and it won’t cost you a penny

Hezbollah fires more than 180 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding at least 7 BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah has fired at least 185 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding seven people in the militant group's heaviest barrage in several days. The attacks in northern and central Israel happened Sunday in response to deadly Israeli strikes in central Beirut on Saturday. Meanwhile, negotiators pressed on with cease-fire efforts to halt the all-out war. Lebanon's military says an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center in the southwest killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. Israel's military has expressed regret and said its operations are directed solely against the militants. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister condemned the latest strike as an assault on the U.S.-led cease-fire efforts. Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was killed, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. Moscow offers debt forgiveness to new recruits and AP sees wreckage of a new Russian missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to fight in Ukraine. The measure, whose final version appeared on a government website Saturday, underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly 3-year-old war, even as it fired last week a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. Russia has ramped up military recruitment by offering increasing financial incentives to those willing to fight in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Security Service on Sunday showed The Associated Press wreckage of the new intermediate-range ballistic missile that struck a factory in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. After Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizers ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump's victory has dismayed many politically engaged Black women, and they're reassessing their enthusiasm for politics and organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote, and they had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Kamala Harris. AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Uruguay's once-dull election has become a dead heat in the presidential runoff MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans are heading to the polls to choose their next president. In Sunday's election, the candidates of the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition are locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month’s vote. It's a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, a coalition of leftist and center-left parties that governed for 15 years until the 2019 victory of center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou — overseeing the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.RENO, Nev., Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) (“Ormat” or the “Company”), a leading geothermal and renewable energy technology company, announced today the commencement of an underwritten secondary offering of an aggregate of 3,700,000 shares of its common stock on behalf of ORIX Corporation. Ormat is not offering any of its common stock in the offering for its own account and will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares being offered by the selling stockholder. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as the sole book-running manager and underwriter for the offering. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC will have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 555,000 shares of Ormat’s common stock from ORIX Corporation. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. The offering is being made pursuant to an automatically effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 11, 2024. The offering may be made only by means of a base prospectus and a related prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained by contacting c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, or by telephone at (866) 471-2526, or email at prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com . ABOUT ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES With over five decades of experience, Ormat Technologies, Inc. is a leading geothermal company and the only vertically integrated company engaged in geothermal and recovered energy generation (“REG”), with robust plans to accelerate long-term growth in the energy storage market and to establish a leading position in the U.S. energy storage market. The Company owns, operates, designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and REG power plants primarily based on the Ormat Energy Converter – a power generation unit that converts low-, medium- and high-temperature heat into electricity. The Company has engineered, manufactured and constructed power plants, which it currently owns or has installed for utilities and developers worldwide, totaling approximately 3,400MW of gross capacity. Ormat leveraged its core capabilities in the geothermal and REG industries and its global presence to expand the Company’s activity into energy storage services, solar Photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage plus Solar PV. Ormat’s current total generating portfolio is 1,500MW with a 1,230MW geothermal and solar generation portfolio that is spread globally in the U.S., Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guadeloupe, and a 270MW energy storage portfolio that is located in the U.S. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Information provided in this press release may contain statements relating to current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events that are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements concerning the completion of the offering. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties and other risks described under “Risk Factors” as described in Ormat’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 23, 2024, and in Ormat’s subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K that are filed from time to time with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and, except as legally required, Ormat undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

XRAY Investors Have Opportunity to Lead Dentsply Sirona Inc. Securities Fraud LawsuitLuigi Mangione was reportedly found with a 3D printed ghost gun, an illegal firearm ‘scary on so many levels’Special election dates set for vacant state Senate seat in Orange and Los Angeles counties

Saints QB situation remains cloudy as matchup with Washington nearsNone

Google's new AI tool lets you make chess as weird as you want it - for freeMaura Higgins 'confirms' Pete Wicks romance on I'm A Celeb as she fumes over kissing picturesNEW YORK — The last of the crystal triangles that make up this year's Times Square New Year's Eve ball were installed Friday morning. It's the first time in 10 years that all 2,688 were replaced at once. Singer Pitbull attends the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Crystal Installation on Friday at One Times Square in New York. Rapper Pitbull and inventor Joy Mangano were among those on hand to help the organizers of the celebration put the final pieces in place atop One Times Square, the skyscraper from which the 11,875-pound geodesic sphere drops to mark the new year. Singer Pitbull, left, and Joy Mangano, right, founder of CleanBoss, install a crystal Friday during the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Crystal Installation at One Times Square in New York. A New Year's Eve ball was first dropped in Times Square in 1907. Built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the 700-pound, 5-foot diameter ball was made of iron and wood and featured 100 25-watt lightbulbs. Six newer versions of the ball were featured in the century-plus since that first celebration. Times Square New Year's Eve Ball is displayed Friday at One Times Square in New York. The only years no ball drop occurred were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly "dimout" during World War II to protect itself from attacks. Crowds instead celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square. As the new year approaches, many people begin thinking about their resolutions—typically focusing on physical health, saving money, or spending more time with family. One area that often gets overlooked is mental health. The pressure to "get fit" or "eat better" is well-known, but taking care of mental well-being is just as important as improving physical health, especially since mental health impacts every aspect of life. At first glance, mental health goals can seem intangible and subjective, but there are scientifically-proven ways to set achievable, measurable, and personalized mental wellness goals that will help anyone thrive in 2025. Vivian Chung Easton, a mental health therapist at Blueprint , a company focused on building AI-powered tools to help therapists, shares recommendations for setting mental health resolutions. One of the most important mental wellness goals for 2025 is to prioritize self-compassion and resilience. In a culture that often celebrates hustle and perfection, it's easy to push yourself too hard, setting unrealistic expectations that only add to stress and anxiety. But research shows that self-compassion and resilience are critical factors in coping with stress and maintaining long-term mental well-being. A 2021 study by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer highlights that self-compassion—treating yourself with kindness when things don't go as planned—can reduce emotional distress and improve resilience. Instead of criticism for not meeting a goal or making a mistake, practice affirmations or positive self-talk. A simple goal, like being kinder to yourself during setbacks, can help reduce stress and boost mental wellness. A goal can look something like this: Making room for self-compassion this year can be a transformative step toward building resilience and enhancing overall mental health. Social connection is one of the most important factors in mental wellness, yet it's often overlooked in favor of individual self-improvement goals. Physical isolation can lead to loneliness, but social isolation is also strongly linked to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, according to a study by Juliannee Holt-Lundstad. Meaningful relationships and community support can improve how satisfied you feel in your life on a day-to-day basis. This year, make it a goal to strengthen and nurture social connections, whether that means reconnecting with old friends, regularly scheduling family time, or joining social groups and clubs—like a book club, gym, or church group. For example, a social wellness goal can look like: Building mental wellness isn't just about managing thoughts and feelings; it's also about fostering a strong support network. Social connections are integral to building emotional resilience. Just as physical fitness is associated with physical health, mindfulness is often associated with mental fitness. However, practicing mindfulness is just as important as going for a run or lifting weights when it comes to mental wellness. Mindfulness-based practices—such as meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises—have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve focus, and boost emotional well-being according to research by Stefan Hofman in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Incorporating mindfulness into a routine doesn't have to be time-consuming or difficult. Start small by committing to 5–10 minutes of mindfulness practice a few times a week . Focus on breath, practice guided meditation, or even engage in mindful walking or eating. A simple goal might be: These exercises are called a practice for a reason: doing them consistently and often can strengthen your ability over time. These practices not only reduce stress in the moment but also help to build resilience over time, making it easier to handle future challenges. Whatever New Year's resolution you might have, a large obstacle is setting goals that are too ambitious or unrealistic. Whether it's aiming to exercise every day or cutting out all sugar, overambitious goals can lead to burnout and disappointment when progress isn't immediate. This is especially true for mental health goals, which often require patience and consistency. Using these suggestions for mental health goals, focus on how to personalize them to make them realistic and achievable for your life. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that people are more likely to succeed in their resolutions when they set realistic and incremental goals. Instead of vague, broad goals like "be happier" or "stress less," focus on small, concrete actions that can lead to big changes over time. One effective approach is to use SMART goals—goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example: These specific, measurable actions make it easier to track progress and feel a sense of accomplishment along the way. Plus, they're more realistic and achievable, which increases your chances of success. It happens every year—gyms always seem to empty out before spring starts. One of the challenges of New Year's resolutions is that many people abandon their goals as early as January. However, mental health goals require ongoing attention and flexibility. Unlike weight loss or fitness goals, mental wellness is a journey, not an endpoint. Regularly tracking progress is essential. By setting aside time to evaluate personal progress, it's easier to adjust your goals and make necessary changes to keep things on track. Research shows that regular goal check-ins increase the likelihood of long-term success. Consider setting quarterly check-ins with yourself to assess your mental health goals: If you're not meeting your targets, adjust them to make them more realistic. Mental health progress doesn't always follow a straight line, so it's important to be flexible and forgiving with yourself. The new year is inherently a time of change, and that can be a helpful mindset in seeing new potential for growth and taking action. As you set your resolutions for 2025, don't forget to prioritize mental wellness. By focusing on achievable, realistic goals—you're setting yourself up for a healthier, more fulfilling year. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and nurturing it can help to reach other goals more effectively. Even if, in a month or two, you feel like you're falling behind—mental health goals can and should be flexible and adaptable. You can always adjust your approach if things aren't serving you, and check in with yourself regularly to stay on track. Goals are personal, and you're always in control. Here's to a year of growth, balance, and emotional well-being in 2025. This stor y was produced by Blueprint and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Photo Credit: Alberto Menendez Cervero / Shutterstock As anyone who’s ever started a business knows, getting one off the ground is not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneurs face numerous challenges in the early years, from solidifying business plans to navigating the complexities of hiring employees and acquiring licenses and insurance. These hurdles often determine the fate of a startup, making the journey from an idea to a successful enterprise both difficult and uncertain. Each year, millions of Americans file new business applications , but only a fraction of these ventures transition to hiring employees. Among those that do, surviving the critical first few years can still be an uphill battle. However, survival rates differ significantly by location, influenced by a variety of factors such as economic conditions, state policies, and industry-specific demand. The good news is that businesses that weather the initial hurdles see a much greater likelihood of long-term success. This analysis explores the states where new businesses are most likely to survive their earliest years based on the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The findings reveal important insights into how location and time impact the chances of business success. The chances of staying in business increase dramatically after the first few years Source: Simply Business analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Simply Business One of the most significant challenges for new business owners is simply staying in operation. The risk of failure is highest during the first year, but it diminishes considerably over time. For those businesses that survive the initial hurdles, the likelihood of long-term success grows each year. According to recent BLS data, only about 79% of businesses survive their first year, making it the most difficult period for startups. However, for businesses that survive their first year, roughly 85% make it to the next. By the fifth year, 91% of businesses manage to continue operations, and for those that reach the 10-year mark, an impressive 93% make it through to another year. These figures underscore the importance of persistence and adaptability, especially during the critical early years when the risk of failure is highest. They also highlight that while starting a business is undeniably challenging, those who endure the startup years enjoy far better odds moving forward. Washington & California lead the country in new business survival rates Source: Simply Business analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Simply Business New business success varies widely across the United States, with some states providing a more favorable environment for startups to thrive. Based on survival rates for the first three years of operation, Washington and California stand out as the nation’s leading states. Washington claims the top spot, with businesses in the state enjoying an 86.4% chance of surviving their first year, 89.3% in their second year, and an impressive 91.8% in their third year. These figures highlight Washington's robust support for young businesses, likely fueled by its thriving tech ecosystem and a generally favorable economic climate. California ranks second, with survival rates of 86.0% in the first year, 89.8% in the second, and 91.4% in the third. Despite challenges such as high costs of living and regulatory complexities, California’s strong economy, innovation hubs, and access to venture capital contribute to its high ranking. Outside of the West Coast, West Virginia —whose economy is deeply rooted in energy production, natural resources, and manufacturing—ranks third, boasting the highest third-year survival rates at 91.9%. North Carolina —a major banking center and home of the Research Triangle—follows closely with similar numbers. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Minnesota businesses face the toughest challenges in their early years, with only 72.3% surviving their first year and 80.2% their second. These regional differences highlight the importance of local economic conditions in shaping a startup's odds of success. For entrepreneurs planning their next move, this analysis offers insight into where businesses are thriving and where challenges are more pronounced. Factors like industry presence, regulatory environments, and access to resources can create opportunities—or hurdles—that significantly affect survival rates in the critical early years. Choosing the right location isn’t just about personal preference; it can mean the difference between failure and success. This analysis was conducted by Simply Business —an online insurance marketplace for small businesses—using 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For complete results, see the original post: States Where New Businesses Are Most Likely to Succeed . Photo Credit: Alberto Menendez Cervero / Shutterstock The data in this report comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Business Employment Dynamics . To determine the states where new businesses are most likely to succeed, researchers at Simply Business developed a business survival index. This index is based on a weighted average of the most recent survival rates for private-sector establishments during their first, second, and third years of operation, as of March 2024. The survival rates were calculated using sequential benchmarks. The first-year survival rate is the percentage of businesses still active one year after opening. The second-year rate is the percentage of those first-year survivors that remained operational for another year. Similarly, the third-year rate is the percentage of second-year survivors that continued into the following year. The data focuses exclusively on private-sector businesses with at least one employee. For complete results, see States Where New Businesses Are Most Likely to Succeed on Simply Business. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

Donald Trump doesn’t appear to measure up to Prince William’s 6-foot-3

The Israeli government confirmed on Monday that Omer Neutra, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was killed during Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Neutra, 21, was a tank platoon commander in the IDF. He was thought to be alive in captivity. His parents, Ronen and Orna Neutra, spent the last year campaigning for his release and the release of the remaining hostages thought to be held in Gaza. They spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, wrote op-eds, stayed in steady communication with the Biden Administration and the White House, and made regular media appearances, including with Scripps News . The whole time, they sought to pressure U.S. and Israeli leadership to resolve the hostage crisis. RELATED STORY | Families of Gaza hostages bring their message to both the current and upcoming White Houses "In the 423 days since October 7th, we expected our leaders to demonstrate the same courage displayed so bravely by Omer and rise to the occasion on behalf of those who were killed and kidnapped, just as our beloved Omer showed until the very end," Ronen and Orna Neutra wrote in a statement released Monday. "Leadership will only be revealed in actions and results going forward. We call upon the Israeli government to work with President Biden and President-elect Trump, to use all of their leverage and resources to return all 101 hostages — living and the deceased — to their families as soon as possible." A propaganda video released by Hamas Saturday showed Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American held hostage who was also captured while serving in the IDF. In the video, Alexander calls on Trump to keep negotiating for the freedom of the hostages remaining in Gaza. Trump on Monday demanded release of the remaining hostages, writing on Truth Social: "Please let this truth serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume office as President of the United States, there will be all hell to pay in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity."Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump didNew Delhi [India], December 29 (ANI): Most manufacturers recognise technology adoption as a critical driver of profitability and competitiveness, but current investments remain modest, with many allocating less than 10 per cent of their budgets, stated a Manufacturing Competitiveness Study of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). However, the report added that a shift towards higher investment–targeting 11-15 per cent of budgets–is expected in the next two years, particularly in Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and Big Data. Challenges such as high costs, unclear Return on Investment, and the integration of legacy systems persist, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it said. Additionally, the report underscores the urgent need for workforce upskilling to bridge the skills gap and enable seamless adoption of advanced technologies. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) released Manufacturing Competitiveness Study, focusing on the transformative impact of smart technologies on India’s manufacturing sector. The report, titled ‘Smart Manufacturing: Unlocking India’s Potential,’ highlights the sector’s ongoing digital transformation and its critical role in achieving the ambitious goal of increasing the manufacturing GDP share to 25 per cent in the near future. The report showcases how cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), robotics, and automation are reshaping the manufacturing landscape, driving optimization, innovation, and global competitiveness. High-capital industries like Semiconductors, Aerospace, and Automotive are leading the charge in adopting these technologies, while traditional sectors like Textiles and Food Processing are gradually transitioning towards digitalization. To address these barriers, the study recommends fostering public-private partnerships to establish shared technology hubs, increasing budget allocations for technology, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, and implementing supportive policies to encourage broader adoption of smart manufacturing. Speaking about the report, Deepak Shetty, Chairman of the Council on Manufacturing Excellence, CII and CEO & Managing Director, JCB India Limited, said, “India’s manufacturing landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the rapid adoption of innovative technologies.” Deepak Jain, Co-Chair of the Council on Manufacturing Excellence, CII and Chairman, Lumax Group, said, “This report highlights a transformative moment for India’s manufacturing sector, where advanced technologies are reshaping processes and addressing challenges like supply chain visibility to drive industrial excellence.” (ANI) This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

Manchin: Biden's Refusal to Admit Mistake in Afghanistan Makes You Wonder If It Was IntentionalThe nation mourns as former president Jimmy Carter was a remarkable 100-years-old when he passed away in hospice care at his home in Georgia . The beloved 39th president, revered for being the oldest living former commander-in-chief , spent his final days in hospice care in his home state of Georgia, where he had been under care since February 2023 following some health setbacks. A proud Georgian and the only president hailing from the Peach State, Carter held office from 1977 to 1981. His son, Chip Carter, confirmed that his father died peacefully at their family home in Plains around 3:45 p.m. Jimmy Carter's tragic 10-word dying wish as he faces death's door in hospice in Plains, Georgia Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter celebrates her 96th birthday with Jimmy and ice cream Despite a presidency marred by challenges such as the Iran hostage crisis, Carter's diplomatic triumphs included brokering peace between Israel and Egypt. His post-presidential years have been defined by compassionate outreach, through his work at the Carter Center and with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, alongside his wife Rosalynn Carter underscoring his enduring legacy. Reflecting on who Jimmy Carter was, we remember him as born into a humble farming family on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, as James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr. From watching his father succeed in business to absorbing the humanitarian values of his mother, a nurse known for her pioneering public health efforts, Carter's early life set the stage for his later political ascent and influential career, reports the Irish Star . Carter, a 1946 graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, embarked on a naval career that included service in the submarine sector and contributions to the development of nuclear submarines. After his father's death in 1953, he returned to Plains to manage the family peanut farm, modernizing and expanding it while becoming more involved in community affairs. His political journey began in the Georgia State Senate in 1963, where he prioritized education, healthcare, and civil rights. In 1970, he was elected as Georgia's governor, campaigning on racial equality and government reform. His governorship saw significant progress in desegregation and environmental protection. Carter's outsider image and reputation for honesty and humility helped him secure the presidency in 1976 during a period of widespread disillusionment following the Watergate scandal. His presidency focused on human rights, energy independence, and environmental conservation. However, challenges such as high inflation, the energy crisis, and the Iran hostage crisis overshadowed his achievements, leading to his defeat in the 1980 election by Ronald Reagan.Expert: Repressions Will Intensify Before“Elections” In Belarusdownload poker game 。

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Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100

(The Center Square) – Paula Scanlan is hopeful the narrative around gender ideology is shifting, especially as Republicans prepare for majorities in both chambers of the 119th Congress and a seat in the White House. “I am hopeful that with the majorities now that we will be able to get across the finish line,” Scanlan told The Center Square on Thursday, speaking of more legislation on the way to protect women's spaces. “Obviously, this goes beyond sports ... So ideally, I think that the biggest thing would be to federally pass something that says this is what a woman is.” Scanlan a day earlier was part of a panel where U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., announced that Republicans plan to soon introduce legislation to “protect children from transgender medical procedures.” A report from the advocacy group Do No Harm released four weeks before Election Day included documented evidence of such activity being performed on a 7-year-old . “We’ll be introducing the STOP Act soon,” said Marshall . “We are going to use the Commerce Act to punish people who perform any type of surgery, or who use any type of medications on minors.” STOP is an acronym for Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors. The panel said that the legislation is an important and necessary step to protect children. Scanlan and Marshall, a host with the American Principles Project, were on the panel alongside U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.; Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project; and Sarah Parshall Perry, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “We all know by now that so-called gender affirming care is anything but caring,” Tuberville said. “It is pure insanity and has caused irreversible damage to countless children. This isn’t about politics, this is about good and evil.” Scanlan is an ambassador for Independent Women's Voice and a former collegiate swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania. Swimming for the Quakers, she and teammates endured being not only on the same team but in the same locker room as a swimmer who for the first three years swam on the men's team. “I was a swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania and the administration, the university and the NCAA said , ‘Here's a man who wants to swim on your team, please accept him,’” she explained during the panel. “This entire situation really made all female athletes feel isolated and alone, and like they know where to go.” Scanlan said that it wasn’t just competing that isolated the female athletes. “Eighteen times per week, my teammates and I were forced to undress next to a 6-foot-4, fully-intact male,” Scanlan said. “As a female athlete, this was just something I couldn't even imagine. It was something I never imagined would happen to me when I went off to college.” The STOP Act is one of a few beginnings. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has proposed legislation seeking to protect women’s spaces on all federal property nationwide. This would include bathrooms, locker rooms and prisons. Scanlan said this shows that public opinion is on the side of her and the panel. “This is really the first time we're seeing more of these people in power stepping up and actually doing the right thing and saying enough is enough” she said. “Now, we are looking at entire teams that are feeling empowered to be able to boycott ... or object to competing against males. It's widespread.” A notable case of that is San Jose State, where Blaire Fleming's participation has led to seven opponents forfeiting rather than playing a women's team that includes a man saying he is a woman. Tuberville and Marshall emphasized they believe the majority of Americans would agree with the proposed legislation. "The American people are sick of this nonsense," Tuberville said . "It’s time we restore some sanity and get common sense back in this country." Scanlan said that while she supports the national legislation Republicans are considering, it is important for states to also continue to pass legislation. “I always remind people who are really excited about having a presidency that we don't know what might happen in four years," she said. "So, of course, it's also important to codify this in states. We are going to continue our efforts. There's still a lot of work to be done, and I don't really see it as a win until we've finished this on the state level.”The wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has urged market leaders in the state to consider the adoption of technological solutions, particularly in the area of waste management and dissemination of information, on the path to ensure the security and safety of marketplaces. She said these are important to ensure a sustainable market environments for a healthy state. “Harnessing technology is another key aspect of improving market operations. Tools like CCTVs, public address systems, and digital platforms, including social media, can enhance waste management, public health, and security in our markets.” Doctor Sanwo-Olu, who is also the Chairman, of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials, (COWLSO) said at a Day Seminar on Market Sanitation and Security for Market Leaders in Lagos East Senatorial District. At the event organised by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, the Governor’s wife stated that the administration of Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu recognizes the strategic importance of markets in achieving the vision of making Lagos a 21st-century economy. “Consequently, markets have been given high priority since the inception of this administration.” She stated. Speaking further during the event held at the Babajide Sanwo-Olu International Model Market, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, the Governor’s wife noted that efforts to maintain safe and secure marketplaces are yielding results as markets in the state are now becoming cleaner. She added that COWLSO will continue to partner with stakeholders in the advocacy for a clean and hygienic Lagos, expressing satisfaction with the level of awareness of and compliance to environmental and market sanitation codes among market men and women as seen so far with Lagos East and West senatorial Districts. Sanwo-Olu disclosed the group’s intention to take the advocacy into the neighbourhoods through community-based associations in line with the THEMES Plus Agenda In his opening remarks, Commissioner of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development Bolaji Robert, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Kikelomo Bolarinwa, said the theme: “Improving Waste Management and Public Health in Markets: A Recipe for Economic Growth and Prosperity in Lagos East Senatorial District” resonate with the THEMES Plus Agenda of the present administration in the state. Also, Commissioner for Environment and Water Infrastructure, Tokunbo Wahab, represented by a Director in the Ministry, Hassan Sanuth, said Ikosi Isheri had not committed any sanitation infraction so far this year, however, implored Market Leaders to discourage the dumping of refuse on the median of the Ikorodu express road. Chairman of Ikosi Isheri, LCDA, Samiat Bada, thanking Sanwo-Olu for the commitment to the general well-being of Lagosians, restated her commitment to supporting various initiatives of the state government in its bid to keep the Market environment clean. Present at the event which featured presentations of stakeholders on various topics were the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Oluremi Hamzat, Iyaloja/President General, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, General Manager, Lagos State Waste Management, Muyiwa Gbadegesin and others.

Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative premier names new 21-member cabinetNEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Paragon 28, Inc. FNA between May 5, 2023 and September 20, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), and those who purchased Paragon 28 call options or sold put options during the Class Period, of the November 29, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm. SO WHAT: If you purchased Paragon 28 securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Paragon 28 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=27557 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 29, 2024 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Paragon 28 understated its Adjusted EBITDA losses, required provisions for excess and obsolete inventory, cost of goods sold, operating loss; (2) Paragon 28 overstated its net inventories and gross profit; (3) Paragon 28 lacked adequate disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting; (4) Paragon 28 would be required to restate its financial statements to conform with generally accepted accounting principles, and; (5) as a result, defendants' statements about Paragon 28's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Paragon 28 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=27557 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40 th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The Haryana government on Saturday approved the proposal to increase external development charges (EDC) of various potential real estate zones in the state by 20% for 2025, and a 10% increase every year from 2026. The decision will likely increase the cost of real estate development, which might make properties costlier for buyers. However, the positive impact could be a potential boost to infrastructure development funded by these higher EDC collections.. “The cabinet approved a one-time increase of 20% from January 1, 2025, and further an increase of 10% every year with effect from January 1 of every year was approved,” the government spokesperson said. EDC is the fee collected from real estate developers to build external infrastructure facilities outside the boundaries of a project, such as roads, drains, electrical infrastructure, water and sewage lines. EDC is calculated by the department of town and country planning (DTCP) area-wise, depending on the potential for growth of a particular residential, commercial, industrial or mixed-use locality. The rates were last revised in 2015. The 10% annual EDC increase will put major financial burden on developers and end users across the state and particularly Gurugram, said Parveen Jain, president, Naredco (National Real Estate Development Council), Haryana. “Around 2015-2016, developers had almost stopped taking licence as EDC rates were very high after which the government slowed down on that and did not increase the charges. The 10% increase will be unviable, and the government should rethink this decision,” he said, adding that existing infrastructure in the city including roads has not been developed while developer and homebuyers have paid thousands of crores of rupees in EDC. Vinod Behl, a real estate expert based in Gurugram, said that increasing EDC rates will badly hit the real estate industry as the rates are already high and affordability is low in the realty market. “The government had recently increased circle rates and property prices have already hit the roof in the city. High rate of interest and high cost of properties will ensure that real estate markets witness a slowdown in 2025,” he said. According to experts, the current cost of EDC in a project in Gurugram is 7-8% of the entire project cost. A government spokesperson said that existing EDC rates were based on an indexation policy that had taken EDC rates of 2015 as the base, and these were not increased in the last eight years. Prior to the indexation policy of 2015, EDC rates were increased every year. According to officials aware of the matter, the state government in 2018 requested the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, to determine EDC rates form Gurugram and Rohtak, and IIT-Roorkee for Faridabad, Panchkula and Hisar. However, both institutes expressed their inability to do the work due to which the indexation policy and previous EDC rates continued till date, they added. Following the state cabinet’s decision on Saturday, DTCP can issue policy instructions under Section 9A of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Area Act, 1975 and undertake amendments in the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Rules, 1976. In another decision, the state cabinet has approved the engagement of a consultant to decide the base EDC rates to determine indexation rates in future, the government spokesperson said.