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Lisa Weston has announced her candidacy for La Crosse’s District 12 city council seat, challenging long-time incumbent Doug Happel’s bid for reelection. District 12 begins at state Highway 33 and follows Pammel Creek to Hintgen Elementary School. Weston Weston has spent much of her adult life in La Crosse. She graduated with a degree in secondary education from UW-La Crosse in 2005 and later returned to the area after earning her master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She is an as an associate director of residence life at UW-L and wants to continue making a difference in the community. “La Crosse is a great, family friendly place to live and work,” said Weston. “I have always been civically engaged, as I grew up with parents who role-modeled the importance of giving back to the community and doing the hard work of public servants. Even as a teenager, I knew a great deal about how the school board, fire department, and church decisions were made because of how my parents spent their time.” This background has influenced her decision to run, and if elected, she hopes to use her experience to make a difference in La Crosse. “I value collaboration, effective communication, and being a problem solver. I care a great deal about ensuring that community members can share their voice, feedback, and ideas,” said Weston. “I know that most La Crosse residents want a sense of belonging, safety, and a variety of opportunities for social interaction and meaningful work. We want our children to have the same in this community. And I know, first hand, that many college students who come here to study at our institutions of higher education, experience this, and often want to stay.” While Weston has not previously run for elected office, she has a history of community involvement. Currently, she volunteers at several local organizations including the Mormon Coulee Lion’s Club, State Road PTO, and the English Lutheran Church. The spring election for La Crosse mayor, council members in districts 7-13, and a special election for the District 5 seat will take place Tuesday, April 1. All positions are elected to four-year terms. The deadline to file ballot documents is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the city clerk’s office.Native American patients are sent to collections for debts the government owes
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Winston's performance in snowy win over Steelers adds new layer to Browns' quarterback conundrumEvery president makes their mark on the White House in some way. They extend, rebuild or renew. First Ladies order new China sets or redesign the grounds. And when Joe Biden checks out on Jan. 20, the staff have to begin a rapid makeover. Unusually, however, the new White House residents have been there before–and the staff will be bringing back their creature comforts. Which is why, the Daily Mail reports, President-elect Donald Trump ’s Resolute Desk will have a vital feature re-installed: the Diet Coke button. The small red button, mounted in a wooden box with the presidential seal, sits in front of the Resolute Desk’s array of phones and was a frequent power flex for the 45th president when he conducted interviews in the Oval Office. One press and a butler brings in a chilled glass of his favorite drink. The White House staff will also rearrange furniture and the Oval Office’s collection of art, particularly presidential portraits. Biden removed Trump’s portrait of the populist Andrew Jackson and replaced it with Benjamin Franklin and also added a bust of the labor organizer César Chávez. An Azerbaijan Airlines plane which crashed in a fireball in Kazakhastan was “likely shot down by a Russian military air defense system,” an aviation security firm has said. The plane was en route to Grozny, in Chechnya, when it was diverted almost 300 miles to the east after the pilot declared an emergency. Instead of landing at Aktau in Kazakhstan, it came down almost two miles short of the runway and exploded in flames, killing 38 passengers and crew. Twenty nine people survived. Although the airline said it was diverted because of fog, UK-based Osprey , said there appeared to have been Ukrainian drones attacking Grozny at the time. A second security firm boss, Justin Crump of UK-based Sibylline, told the BBC that the damage to the plane was consistent with an air defense missile strike. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are both allies of Putin, while Chechnya is a Russian autonomous republic run by a bloodthirsty warlord who is one of Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin’s closest associates. The Kremlin has declined to speculate on the cause of the crash. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Martin Scorsese. Bill and Hillary. Martha Steward. These are just some of the people we are unlikely to meet in person, but at least we can get up close and personal with them by taking their MasterClass online courses —and at a major discount for a limited time. The expert-led platform has a robust library of educational classes on far-ranging topics: science , music, arts , personal empowerment, and more. The classes are taught by industry experts and household names, including Gordon Ramsey, Mariah Carey, David Lynch, Jeff Koons, and many more. Right now, you can score up to 50 percent off on MasterClass subscriptions just in time for last-minute holiday gifting. You do have to take a short quiz to get to the deal, but honestly, it’s worth the 60 seconds. Honestly, whether you waited until the last minute or not, you’ll be gifting the dad in your life with intelligent, cultured content and giving them the opportunity to learn something new from someone famous. The up-and-coming actor Hudson Meeks has died aged 16, days after falling from a moving vehicle in his Alabama hometown, according to his official Instagram page. The teenager, famous for his Baby Driver role as the child version of the hit film’s title character, was first injured on Dec. 19 in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills. He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead two days later from “blunt force injuries.” News of the accident didn’t emerge until Wednesday after a since-edited statement was posted to his Instagram page. “His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met,” the statement read, according to The Hollywood Reporter . It remains unclear how Meeks fell from the vehicle, but the case is being probed by police. In addition to his 2017 role on Baby Driver , Meeks also notched credits on the network series MacGyver and Found , and also featured in the 2024 film The School Duel . An obituary said he was a sophomore member of his high school football team and was a superfan of The Simpsons , having binged all 36 seasons. A post shared by Hudson Meek (@hudsonmeek) Chinese student s in the United States are being advised not to return home for the holidays amid uncertainty over whether it could become more difficult for them to get back into the country once Donald Trump moves into the White House. China ’s Consulate General in Chicago wrote on its website that students should “try to reduce unnecessary cross-border travel.” The Chinese Embassy in Washington is also reminding students about security concerns coming into the U.S. During the president-elect’s first term, Chinese students faced tougher restrictions with 1,000 having visas revoked in 2020 over concerns that their scientific study posed security risks, according to the Wall Street Journal . Several colleges, including UPenn and Cornell University, have also highlighted the issue of holiday travel with their foreign students. Meanwhile, the number of Americans studying in China has dropped dramatically since the pandemic, from 11,000 pre-COVID to just 469 in academic-credit courses in China in the 2022-23 year, wrote the Journal. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. 2025 is quickly approaching, and there’s no better way to celebrate the new year than with 2024’s cocktail du jour—the espresso martini. It’s the perfect way to toast 2025 with sophistication, flavor, and an energy boost. Think you can’t make the buzzy beverage at home because you’re not a bartender? Think again. You can create this beloved cocktail effortlessly with just a cocktail shaker, fresh espresso, vodka, coffee beans, and Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur . It all starts in the land Down Under—Australia. Mr Black sources its ingredients, including 100 percent specialty-grade Arabica coffee, from local farmers and cooperatives. The liqueur is then slowly brewed with purified cold water to preserve its delicate, complex flavors. The result? A bittersweet masterpiece with bold flavor, balanced sweetness, and a lasting coffee kick. Its rich, coffee-forward taste is a crowd-pleaser, and the sleek bottle design adds a touch of elegance to any bar cart. Making an espresso martini is simple. Combine Mr Black , vodka, and freshly brewed espresso in a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously until cold. Then, strain the mixture into a martini glass and finish with three coffee beans as a garnish. Skip the champagne toast this year and ensure you stay awake for the countdown to 2025 with a Mr Black espresso martini. Netflix is celebrating the holidays with the release of the first teaser trailer for Happy Gilmore 2 . Starring Adam Sandler, the highly-anticipated flick is a sequel to the ‘90s golf comedy, Happy Gilmore , that followed Sandler’s character as he tried to win a golf tournament to raise enough money for his grandmother’s house. For its second round on the golf course, Happy Gilmore 2 packs on a star-studded ensemble including artists Eminem and Bad Bunny, as well as Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce who opens the teaser with a cheeky, “It’s good to have you back, Mr. Gilmore.” Elsewhere in the teaser, Christopher McDonald returns as Sandler’s nemesis in the film, Shooter McGavin, much to the delight of fans. While Netflix hasn’t announced the exact date for the sequel’s release, it’s so far slated to premiere sometime in 2025. Have a HAPPY New Year with HAPPY GILMORE 2. Coming to Netflix in 2025. pic.twitter.com/aY7JVz2r5X Luigi Mangione ’s first Christmas behind bars likely involves a festive meal. In an interview with People magazine, prison consultant Sam Mangel disclosed that Mangione will be given a meal of Cornish hen and green beans. Although the consultant isn’t working with Mangione, he previously worked for other clients like Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro. Along with his Christmas meal, Mangel also said that Mangione is sleeping on a mattress that’s “2-inches thick at best” with a “little bump in the end for a pillow.” If Mangione is in protective custody, he’ll spend Christmas day alone in his cell, however if he’s been moved to a different unit with other inmates, he’ll be allowed an hour-long visit from family. It’s unclear what unit Mangione is in while he’s in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center. The 26-year-old was arrested Dec. 9 in Pennsylvania for his alleged involvement in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York. He faces charges in both states, as well as federal charges. He has pleaded not guilty to his murder charges in New York. Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed off a slimmer build in a Christmas day tweet in which he declared himself, “Ozempic Santa.” In the photo shared with the tweet, Musk strikes a modelesque pose in front of a Christmas tree while dressed as Santa Claus. In follow up tweets, Musk suggested that his smaller frame was the result of a weight loss drug. Musk added, “Like Cocaine Bear, but Santa and Ozempic!” In another tweet, he added, “Technically, Mounjaro, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it.” His post was quickly retweeted and co-signed in the dark corners of #DarkMAGA, with unhinged MAGA politico wannabe Valentina Gomez commenting, “African Santa*” under his post. Musk is only the latest political player who has been pawing for the public’s attention during the holidays. Musk’s bff President-elect Donald Trump also posted his way through the afternoon with troll worthy claims against China, Canada, and “the Radical Left Lunatics.” Ozempic Santa pic.twitter.com/7YECSNpWoz The Kardashian-Jenner clan opted for a more “low-key” Christmas eve party this year. Although the family is known for their annual star-studded bash, this year they rang in Christmas by celebrating at home with some card games and Legos. Kim also posted a video to her Instagram Stories of their guests' parting gift—a tequila bottle from her sister Kendall’s brand 818. “We’re doing a really low-key Christmas Eve party this year,” Kim told Vogue at the opening of her SKIMS flagship store in New York. “Just because we have a lot of construction going on, so we’re doing a really family intimate one that I’m really excited about.” She added they were still planning on “dressing up to the nines” because that’s “what we do.” Managing your period shouldn’t feel like a full-time job—you already have one of those. That’s why Knix’s leakproof period underwear is an incredibly thoughtful holiday gift for yourself or someone special. What makes Knix underwear special is the unique gusset. Built into the underwear’s crotch section, the gusset is a liner that—depending on the style chosen—absorbs up to five tampons worth of liquid. Knix offers more than just underwear, too. You’ll also find supportive wireless bras, silhouette-accentuating bodysuits, and ultra-comfy PJs (perfect for those tough, crampy days). Right now, you can score up to 60 percent off sitewide, including shapewear, leakproof underwear, loungewear, activewear, and more during its epic end-of-the-year sale . This is one of Knix’s biggest sales of the year, so if you’ve been wanting to try the brand or restock some of your favorite items, now’s the time to get shopping. A “stressed” Amazon driver in Massachusetts has fessed up after they ditched dozens of undelivered packages in the woods just days before Christmas, police said. The employee, who has not been identified, came clean after police stumbled across 80 discarded packages in a wooded area of Lakeville around 2 a.m. Sunday, USA Today reported . The driver told cops that they had left the packages “because they were stressed.” No charges will be filed against the driver, who said they plan to report the incident to their supervisor. “I am proud of the way our Lakeville Police officers handled and investigated this matter. At this time, we are not seeking criminal charges and are considering this a human resources matter for Amazon,” Police Chief Matthew Perkins said. It may have been the most expensive pizza pie ever sold, but all for a good cause. Dave Portnoy, the president of Barstool Sports, saved a Baltimore pizza shop from closing down on Christmas Day by gifting its owner $60,000 to keep its doors open for a year. The polarizing media mogul stopped by TinyBrickOven in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Charm City to test out a slice as part of his wildly popular One Bite Pizza Reviews series. In the nearly 6-and-a-half-minute video, which is posted on Portnoy’s @stoolpresidente social accounts and his YouTube page, TinyBrickOven’s upbeat, enthusiastic owner tells Portnoy that, because the shop hasn’t been able to attain a liquor license, it hasn’t been making enough money and will close down. Barstool Pizza Review - TinyBrickOven (Baltimore, MD) pic.twitter.com/hDqhclD45D After being impressed by the pizza—he scored it a 7.9—and the shop’s commitment to paying it forward by supporting veterans, Portnoy asks how much money it would take to keep doors open for another year: “If there’s somebody super rich right in front of your face who’s in the pizza business, and by serendipity he’s like, ‘What do you need to stay open for a year?’ you gotta give him some figure, because otherwise he’s gonna walk away.” They eventually land on $60,000, which Portnoy pledges to give before Christmas.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN ) will webcast its presentation at the 43 rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday, January 13, 2025. The presentation is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Pacific Time (5:15 p.m. Eastern Time) and may be accessed from the "Investors & Media" page of Regeneron's website at http://investor.regeneron.com/events-and-presentations.com/events-and-presentations . A replay and transcript of the webcast will be archived on the Company's website for at least 30 days. About Regeneron Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases, and rare diseases. Regeneron pushes the boundaries of scientific discovery and accelerates drug development using our proprietary technologies, such as VelociSuite ® , which produces optimized fully human antibodies and new classes of bispecific antibodies. We are shaping the next frontier of medicine with data-powered insights from the Regeneron Genetics Center ® and pioneering genetic medicine platforms, enabling us to identify innovative targets and complementary approaches to potentially treat or cure diseases. For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn , Instagram , Facebook or X . Contact Information: Investor Relations Ryan Crowe 914.847.8790 ryan.crowe@regeneron.com Corporate Communications Christina Chan 914.847.8827 christina.chan@regeneron.com
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From the plethora of top tracks that came out in the past 12 months, these are the ones you need to hear. Some rocked, some rolled, some got down and bluesy, some went up country, and we've embedded a handy Spotify list at the bottom. This crunch-rocker from finds the Robinsons saluting the Youngs as only superfans can. “If the record is a love letter to rock‘n’roll,” says Rich Robinson, “then Rats And Clowns is a love letter to .” “I think the old-school fans will be happy, for once,” Billy Corgan snarked of ’ thirteenth album, , and lead-off single is most evocative of the 90s-era Pumpkins’ way with a hook. Savage and wistful in equal measure. When the guitarist split from in 2022, the script had him melting into obscurity. Mars didn’t read it, and while his ex-bandmates unleashed the , 72-year-old Mars arguably sounds spikier and bitier on this feral thrasher. Priest frontman Rob Halford’s disdain for social media drips from this standout from , its pulverising gallop offset by the Metal God’s most Darkness-sounding lyrics (‘The clamour and the clatter of incensed keys, can bring a nation to its knees’). With the real world ravaged by war, famine and AI, it’s no wonder Sheryl Crow keeps hitting the snooze button (‘ ’, she gripes). For the rest of us, this garage-band fuzz-rocker did the job of six espresso shots. It began as a workaday jam with bandmate Craig Ross, but grew into a stately synth-rock epic, complete with squiggly talkbox solo, and a -style video featuring Len getting felt up by a harem of bedouin maidens. We were all ears when Purple kicked off , with their new guitarist Simon McBride building from an urgent chime to a funky vamp before dropping a solo that sounds like it’s sampled from . Sixteen years since , few seriously expected Robert Smith to drag over the line in 2024. Miraculously, the Cure leader not only signed it off, but also caught a little of the old magic in this bleak courtship dance of skeletal piano and industrial drums. The title track from arguably the Canadian rock maverick’s strongest album in years, is a punchy, expansive encapsulation of his heavy, dreamy and good-humoured sides. A hyperactive yet laser-focused, super-hooky swirl of big feelings and empowerment for ‘power nerds’ everywhere. It’s hardly insightful music journalism to point out that the best tune so far from Tommy Henriksen’s project sounds exactly like AC/DC. From the cludding beat and riff-raff to the throat-flaying shriek, these boys have everything except the school blazer – but that’s a good thing. Imagine Judas Priest, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Ghost in one riffy package, styled by Terry Gilliam after a particularly industrial-strength cheese dream... That probably makes these Aussies sound unhinged, so you’ll have to trust us when we say this (the title track from their latest album) is brilliant. The Aussie rock’n’rollers marry the chunky boogies of AC/DC with the nastiness of on this highlight from 2024’s So oomphy and ripping it’ll put tattoos on your skin and a moustache (like frontman Cal Kramer’s) on your face after just one listen. If motorbikes made music, it would sound like this. When the Swedish rockers nailed this monster-banger, they knew everything was going to be fine with their next album, . You can see why. Part nuclear-grade disco boogie, part biting hard rock riff-fest – with a Beastie Boys detour in the bridge – you wouldn’t want to be the band following it up on a festival line-up. One debut album, so many bangers, but we’re including Automatic here for it’s ultra-hooky, air guitar-friendly properties. Feeling a little lethargic? Need a firm but loving kick up the arse? Crank this guy up, dance, and get shit done. They only formed in lockdown, but these Brits rock with the swaggering panache of a much more long-in-the-tooth bunch. If you like and The Black Crowes – and miss the retro revivalism of The Temperance Movement – you need this. Given that syncing all four diaries for BCC is seemingly harder than solving a Rubik’s Cube, the music had better be worth it – and this squelch-funk cousin to Led Zep’s struck up the campaign in style. Jason Isbell will be lucky to get his sideman back: this year’s album revealed a singer-songwriter who deserves his own spotlight, and Vaden’s take on (The Whigs curio, not the Bee Gees standard) sums up the album’s golden crunch. A visceral blues strut and V-sign wafted at the early doubters, toasts the Portsmouth band’s first half-decade and manifests their world domination. ‘Don’t you push me down,’ co-holler Lindsey Bonnick and Chloe Josephine, ‘you’d better believe I’m sticking around’. It turns out Herefordshire’s blues cowboy is very good at goodbyes, using the admittedly hackneyed set-up of a toxic relationship to deploy his nastiest fuzz pedals and most stinging slide licks. Stick around for the enjoyably wonky guitar solo. Over summer, the Lovell sisters trailed next year’s with a song they billed as “a rumination on the duality of the human experience”. In practice, is more hips than head, driven by levee-breaking beats and a capella vocals that you feel in your bones. If The Streets’ Mike Skinner – an old friend from the Black Country – fronted an apocalyptic blues band, the result might sound like Big Special’s breakthrough tune, where seismic beats and howls of the damned collide with Brummie gallows humour. Greta Valenti, Robin Davey and co. have gone down various musical rabbit holes over the years. On this single from the brilliant album they’re just here for a good time – a really good time, complete with pounding keyboards, Time Warp-esque energy levels and a melody you can’t help but sing along to. The former Purson mastermind’s latest solo album was made entirely in her own studio. Based on this exhilarating, ambitious highlight, we’d say it gave her the space to make the psychedelic tour de force she’s long had in her. Sumptuous, clever yet catchy stuff. Our favourite track from the rising Brighton stars’ excellent , this is retro fodder of the highest order, with a groove as thick as an anaconda – wrapped in vintage paisley scarves. It’s not difficult to picture them opening for Rival Sons, which they did earlier this year. The Canadian five-piece kick off their EP with this “good old-fashioned dumb rock song” – a 70s glam-stomping delight with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in its lungs and cowboy boots on its feet. If you don’t like it, you’re probably reading the wrong magazine. After 14 years and about 500 studio albums (okay, fine, 26; maths was never our strong point) the Melbourne psych rockers knocked out one of their juiciest singles yet, in the form of this stompy, fuzzy marriage of 70s glam, gang vocals and Frank Zappa-esque missives about adrenaline rushes, recreational gravedigging, Evel Knievel and more. Hot off the Midlands rockers’ new album , Merry-Go-Round capitalises on their influences (The Sweet, T.Rex, Suzi Quatro...) but stands on its own mega-riffed, platform-booted feet – taking a dreamlike detour into Prog Land with a flute solo and some tasty keyboard wizardry. Nice. The Brooklyn brother duo keep on delivering (and improving, even) with this glowing humdinger of an ear worm. Warm, funky and immaculately harmonised, like a Day-Glo dreamscape lined with palm trees and roller-discos. Dangerously addictive. Still daft as a brush when you hold out a dictaphone, but rapidly growing a social conscience on record, the Lancaster band’s seventh album peaked with this glistening power ballad, urging the countless men at the end of their rope to reach out, not check out. The best track on these Peterborough rockers’ new album is also one of their best overall – a stirring embodiment of the big, bittersweet melodies and classy rock tones they do so well, lyrically drawing from dark personal times for singer/guitarist David James Smith (much of which comes from his decision to quit drinking). Once a lost soul – and still prone to wobbles – Hart’s redemptive relationship with her road manager inspired this orchestral ballad. Sung by anyone else it might sound trite, but Hart has earned the sentiment, and it’s quite a thing to hear her life-ravaged roar among the strings. Listening to this in light of the band’s drummer Brit Turner’s death this year (not to mention, more recently, of their longtime British publicist Michelle Kerr) gives this gorgeous acoustic-based ballad an extra level of poignancy. A tender evocation of the hope and heartache endemic in life on this mortal coil. Nudged from his comfort zone by producer , the South Carolina guitarist sounds markedly different on his third album . Heartsick ballad bridges the old and the new, offering the albums’s only long-form virtuoso solo. This Canadian rock’n’soul collective give the Tedeschi Trucks Band a run for their money on , not least thanks to Meghan Parnell’s gorgeously rich, honeyed vocals that sound imbued with the nuances and yearning that make Susan Tedeschi such a force. Since parting ways with reggae-rockers Lionize, frontman Nate Bergman has come into his own as a singer and songwriter of real class. On he hits the sort of notes and storytelling beats that say ‘Sam Cooke’ and ‘Bruce Springsteen’, often in the same breath. One to watch. The British rockers’ debut gets off to a raring start with this raw-throated yet fiercely melodic headbanger, a whirlwind of 90s grunge, early and vibes. Exhilarating, breakneck stuff with a brooding heart. The Macclesfield duo evoke the raw power and T-bone steak riffage of their debut, wrapped in one of 2024’s most incendiary cries of despair. The voice of a troubled heart, reflecting a generation left behind with more fire and eloquence than almost any of their peers manage. These Aussie punk/pub rock big-hitters are at their smartest, funniest and fiercest on , taking aim at singer Amy Taylor’s more brain-dead critics. Plus that bass line is one of the fattest, grooviest things we’ve heard all year. From an album full of absurdly catchy, punk-sized singles, l has that marriage of sugar and human yearning present in all the best powerpop songs. Slightly longer than the average Bad Nerves choon (but still compact), it burrows its way into your heart and stays there. In a parallel universe, we’re all 21 again, losing our inhibitions at the world’s coolest house party, and is the soundtrack. Built on a woozy yet pounding one-note guitar hook, it’ll make you feel drunk in a sexy way just by listening to it. Fresh from their justifiably lauded latest album is the thrusting, insistent sound of these alt.rock heroes refusing to compromise standards or rest on their laurels. So much more than anyone had a right to expect, 26 years on from their last studio release. One of these British progressive stalwarts’ most commanding singles yet, (taken from the excellent ) balances straight-up rocking with deft electronics, complex beats and Bruce Soord’s fragile yet warm, penetrative tenor. Everyone knows That David Gilmour can do the spacey, reverb-soaked guitar stuff in his sleep, but it’s good to hear him get a little down ’n’ dirty on this solo album highlight, which opens with a squeal of feedback and references a ‘night of hard drinking and ecstacy’. Back in 2017 these progressive mavericks from Leeds wowed us with their self-titled debut. Now they’re back with a harder-hitting energy, psychedelic ambiance and flashes of noodly dexterity on this standout banger from their new album Onism. Big and clever. By turns wistful, dreamlike and beautifully strange, tender vignette was the first thing we heard from Bowness’s boundary-blasting new record – at London’s Hope & Anchor, ahead of its release this year. Quietly heartbreaking, spine-tingling stuff. Hackett has a vivid take on the 1950s London of his youth, and this standout from leads us through an evocative soundscape where sirens wail, babies cry, radios crackle and shady figures emerge through pea-soup fog. It’s like a time machine with added shredding. After the sudden death of their frontman David Longdon in 2021, these Brit progressives’ future was thrown into question. Now that future looks bright; they honour the pastoral sensibilities of their past and begin a new chapter on this epic ode to founder Greg Spawton’s childhood home town, and the heartbreaking truths of mortality. Few singers manage to sound sweet and chilling in the way that Iamthemorning’s Marjana Semkina does. Teamed up with Caligula’s Horse vocalist Jim Grey, the dark folk/prog songstress creates a cutglass, Tori Amos-infused spiral of pastoral warmth and haunted dreams on this highlight from her latest solo album. Classic Rock is the online home of the world's best rock'n'roll magazine. We bring you breaking news, exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes features, as well as unrivalled access to the biggest names in rock music; from Led Zeppelin to Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses to the Rolling Stones, AC/DC to the Sex Pistols, and everything in between. Our expert writers bring you the very best on established and emerging bands plus everything you need to know about the mightiest new music releases.Liverpool have gone seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table after coming from behind to beat Leicester City 3-1. The game played at Anfield saw visiting Foxes get ahead as early the sixth minute through Jordan Ayew but the hosts fought back to next three goals. Cody Gakpo levelled right on the stroke of half-time with a curling finish from the edge of the box, before Curtis Jones marked his 100th Premier League appearance by turning in Alexis Mac Allister’s cross. Mohamed Salah made it three on 82 minutes when he swept home his 19th of the season. Read Also: Iwobi, Bassey in action as Fulham stage late comeback at Chelsea Elsewhere, Manchester United fell to yet another defeat as they lost 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers after playing with 10 men for about 50% of the game. It was captain Bruno Fernandes who was sent off for the third time this season, whole Wolves continued their perfect start under new manager Vitor Pereira. Fernandes was dismissed for a second yellow card two minutes into the second half, having already been sent off against Tottenham and Porto earlier in the campaign. United manager Ruben Amorim has now collected seven points from his six league games in charge. Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. 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CLEVELAND (AP) — Shortly after doing a face-down snow angel, firing a few celebratory snowballs and singing “Jingle Bells” on his way to the media room, Jameis Winston ended his postgame news conference with a simple question. “Am I a Brown yet?” he asked. He is now. And who knows? Maybe for a lot longer than expected. Winston entered Cleveland football folklore on Thursday night by leading the Browns to a 24-19 win over the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, who had their five-game winning streak stopped. Winston's performance at Huntington Bank Field, which transformed into the world's largest snow globe, not only made him an instantaneous hero in the eyes of Browns fans but added another wrinkle to the team's ever-changing, never-ending quarterback conundrum. In his fourth start since Deshaun Watson's season-ending Achilles tendon injury, Winston made enough big plays to help the Browns (3-8) get a victory that should quiet conjecture about coach Kevin Stefanski's job. Some wins mean more than others. In Cleveland, beating the Steelers is as big as it gets. But beyond any instant gratification, Winston has given the Browns more to consider as they move forward. Watson's future with Cleveland is highly uncertain since it will still be months before the team has a grip on whether he's even an option in 2025, his fourth year since signing a $230 million, fully guaranteed contract that has proven calamitous. It's also possible the Browns will cut ties with Watson. They signed Winston to a one-year contract to be Watson's backup. But the unexpected events of 2024 have changed plans and led to the possibility that the 30-year-old Winston could become Cleveland's full-time QB or a bridge to their next young one. So much is unclear. What's not is that Winston, who leaped into the end zone on fourth-and-2 for a TD to put the Browns ahead 18-6 in the fourth quarter, is a difference maker. With his larger-than-life personality and the joy he shows whether practicing or throwing three touchdown passes, he has lifted the Browns. A man of faith, he's made his teammates believe. Winston has done what Watson couldn't: made the Browns better. “A very, very authentic person,” Stefanski said Friday on a Zoom call. “He’s the same guy every single day. He's the same guy at 5 a.m. as he at 5 p.m. He brings great energy to everything he does, and I think his teammates appreciate that about him.” Winston, who is 2-2 as a starter with wins over the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, has a knack for inspiring through fiery, preacher-like pregame speeches. But what has impressed the Browns is his ability to stay calm in the storm. “He doesn’t get rattled,” said Myles Garrett, who had three sacks against the Steelers . “He’s just tuned in and focused as anyone I’ve seen at that position. Turn the page. There was a turnover, came back to the sideline, ‘Love you. I’m sorry. We’re going to get it back.’ He was already on to the next one, ‘How can we complete the mission?’ “I have a lot of respect for him. First was from afar and now seeing it on the field in front of me, it’s a blessing to have someone who plays a game with such a passion and want-to. You can’t ask for a better teammate when they take those things to heart and they want to play for you like we’re actually brothers and that’s what we have to attain. That brotherhood.” What's working Winston has done something else Watson couldn't: move the offense. The Browns scored more than 20 points for just the second time this season, and like Joe Flacco a year ago, Winston has shown that Stefanski's system works with a quarterback patient enough to let plays develop and unafraid to take shots downfield. What needs help The conditions certainly were a factor, but the Browns were a miserable 1 of 10 on third down, a season-long trend. However, Cleveland converted all four fourth-down tries, including a fourth-and-3 pass from Winston to Jerry Jeudy with 2:36 left that helped set up Nick Chubb's go-ahead TD run. Stock up RT Jack Conklin. Garrett outplayed Steelers star T.J. Watt in their rivalry within the rivalry partly because Conklin did a nice job containing Pittsburgh's edge rusher, who was held without a sack and had one tackle for loss. Conklin has made a remarkable comeback since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery last year. Stock down Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. Their desire to build a dome is well intended, but an indoor game could never come close to matching the surreal setting of Thursday night, when snow swirled throughout the stadium and covered nearly all the yard lines and hash marks. “It was beautiful,” Winston said. Injuries WR Cedric Tillman is in the concussion protocol. He had two catches before taking a big hit on the final play of the third quarter. Key numbers 9 — Consecutive home wins for the Browns in Thursday night games. Three of those have come against Pittsburgh. What's next An extended break before visiting the Denver Broncos on Dec. 2. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Tom Withers, The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing . But it wasn't just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin , gold and other investments also drove higher. Here's a look at some of the numbers that defined the year. All are as of Dec. 20. Remember when President Bill Clinton got impeached or when baseball's Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run against the Montreal Expos? That was the last time the U.S. stock market closed out a second straight year with a leap of at least 20%, something the S&P 500 is on track to do again this year. The index has climbed 24.3% so far this year, not including dividends, following last year's spurt of 24.2%. The number of all-time highs the S&P 500 has set so far this year. The first came early, on Jan. 19, when the index capped a two-year comeback from the swoon caused by high inflation and worries that high interest rates instituted by the Federal Reserve to combat it would create a recession. But the index was methodical through the rest of the year, setting a record in every month outside of April and August, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The latest came on Dec. 6. The number of times the Federal Reserve has cut its main interest rate this year from a two-decade high, offering some relief to the economy. Expectations for those cuts, along with hopes for more in 2025, were a big reason the U.S. stock market has been so successful this year. The 1 percentage point of cuts, though, is still short of the 1.5 percentage points that many traders were forecasting for 2024 at the start of the year. The Fed disappointed investors in December when it said it may cut rates just two more times in 2025, fewer than it had earlier expected. That’s how many points the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by the day after Election Day, as investors made bets on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world . The more widely followed S&P 500 soared 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. Aside from bitcoin, stocks of banks and smaller winners were also perceived to be big winners. The bump has since diminished amid worries that Trump’s policies could also send inflation higher. The level that bitcoin topped to set a record above $108,000 this past month. It's been climbing as interest rates come down, and it got a particularly big boost following Trump's election. He's turned around and become a fan of crypto, and he's named a former regulator who’s seen as friendly to digital currencies as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing someone who critics said was overly aggressive in his oversight. Bitcoin was below $17,000 just two years ago following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Story continues below video Gold's rise for the year, as it also hit records and had as strong a run as U.S. stocks. Wars around the world have helped drive demand for investments seen as safe, such as gold. It's also benefited from the Fed's cut to interest rates. When bonds are paying less in interest, they pull away fewer potential buyers from gold, which pays investors nothing. It's a favorite number of Elon Musk, and it's also a threshold that Tesla's stock price passed in December as it set a record. The number has a long history among marijuana devotees, and Musk famously said in 2018 that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Tesla soared this year, up from less than $250 at the start, in part because of expectations that Musk's close relationship with Trump could benefit the company. That's how much revenue Nvidia made in the nine months through Oct. 27, showing how the artificial-intelligence frenzy is creating mountains of cash. Nvidia's chips are driving much of the move into AI, and its revenue through the last nine months catapulted from less than $39 billion the year before. Such growth has boosted Nvidia's worth to more than $3 trillion in total. GameStop’s gain on May 13 after Keith Gill, better known as “Roaring Kitty,” appeared online for the first time in three years to support the video game retailer’s stock, which he helped rocket to unimaginable heights during the “ meme stock craze ” in 2021. Several other meme stocks also jumped following his post in May on the social platform X, including AMC Entertainment. Gill later disclosed a sizeable stake in the online pet products retailer Chewy, but he sold all of his holdings by late October . That's how much the U.S. economy grew, at annualized seasonally adjusted rates, in each of the three first quarters of this year. Such growth blew past what many pessimists were expecting when inflation was topping 9% in the summer of 2022. The fear was that the medicine prescribed by the Fed to beat high inflation — high interest rates — would create a recession. Households at the lower end of the income spectrum in particular are feeling pain now, as they contend with still-high prices. But the overall economy has remained remarkably resilient. This is the vacancy rate for U.S. office buildings — an all-time high — through the first three quarters of 2024, according to data from Moody's. The fact the rate held steady for most of the year was something of a win for office building owners, given that it had marched up steadily from 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Demand for office space weakened as the pandemic led to the popularization of remote work. That's the total number of previously occupied homes sold nationally through the first 11 months of 2024. Sales would have to surge 20% year-over-year in December for 2024's home sales to match the 4.09 million existing homes sold in 2023, a nearly 30-year low. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. A shortage of homes for sale and elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many would-be homebuyers.SM approaches 2025 with cautious optimismThe U.S. House of Representatives has passed a significant defense policy bill, governing an unprecedented $895 billion in military expenditures. The approval comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding a policy included within the legislation that targets gender-affirming care for transgender children. With a vote of 281-140, the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, will now proceed to the Democratic-led U.S. Senate for further consideration. The bill's passage reflects a complex intersection of defense priorities and socio-political debates. As policymakers continue to navigate these nuanced issues, the legislative process surrounding the NDAA emphasizes the challenges of balancing national security needs with broader social concerns. (With inputs from agencies.)