Nehemiah Benson scores 28 and Binghamton defeats LIU 75-70 in OT
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Dovydas Butka had 18 points in Pepperdine's 85-46 win over UC Davis on Saturday. Butka had 10 rebounds for the Waves (6-7). Jaxon Olvera scored 15 points and added three steals. Stefan Todorovic went 4 of 10 from the field (1 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points. Carl Daughtery Jr. led the way for the Aggies (7-5) with 11 points. Ty Johnson added nine points and two steals for UC Davis. Niko Rocak had seven points. Pepperdine took the lead with 18:20 remaining in the first half and did not give it up. Olvera led their team in scoring with 11 points in the first half to help put them up 43-19 at the break. Pepperdine pulled away with a 13-0 run in the second half to extend a 29-point lead to 42 points. They outscored UC Davis by 15 points in the final half, as Butka led the way with a team-high 10 second-half points. Both teams next play Saturday. Pepperdine visits Santa Clara and UC Davis squares off against Cal Maritime at home. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. If ever a year deserved to be summed up in a cheap meme, it was 2024. It was the year that felt like being awake during surgery . Sometimes the social media chuckle gallery hits the nail right on the head, but for all the spot-on accuracy of that assessment, it’s also a year that warranted a search for its better angels; a sifting through the flotsam and jetsam for the fairy dust and joy. And there were halos to be found if you looked hard enough. “This is the biggest show we’ve done on this tour or any tour,” Taylor Swift told the crowd of 96,000 at the MCG. Credit: Jason South There was, for instance, a moment back in February when the MCG – traditionally a place that brings the feels during footy in September or the cricket on Boxing Day – seemed to swallow the entire city in a joyous embrace as host to the largest crowd of Taylor Swift’s entire 149-show Eras Tour . It was a tour, and a show, unlike anything Australia or Swift herself had ever seen. “You’re making me feel like I get to play a show for 96,000 beautiful people in Melbourne tonight,” a visibly stunned Swift told the heaving crowd, which was boosted by several thousand more fans “Taylor-gating” outside the stadium. “This is the biggest show that we have done on this tour, or any tour, ever.” The Swiftian joyfest then moved north to Sydney, where the total turnout was even bigger (320,000 across four shows). “Sydney, you are making me feel absolutely phenomenal,” she declared. The feeling was clearly mutual and spread far beyond the venues. As she had done on other stops on the Eras tour, Swift proved a human tonic to everything that ails us — from economic worries (Swiftonomics became a subject worthy of study) to general social malaise. We spend much of our time worrying about the yoof; especially young women. Well, in 2024 Taylor Swift turned up to show us that the kids are alright. And she wasn’t alone. Swiftmania was the herald of what would become the year that “girl power” – a worn and slightly tatty ’90s concept – received a fresh, ferocious update for the 21st century as something deeper, stronger and powered by a kind of worldly-wise joy. Year of the brat Forget sense and sensibility; 2024 was all sass and sensibility. Sabrina Carpenter parlayed her supporting status on the Eras Tour into a blockbuster year that elevated her to near the very top of the tree with no need for Swift’s booster seat. In Carpenter, pop music added another voice that was savvy, sassy, sexy and smart — from the unavoidable bop of Espresso to the come-to-bed brashness of her smash album Short n’ Sweet . Charli XCX took things a step further. The British singer staked her claim to the year by giving 2024 a word, a colour and an attitude all wrapped up in one album – Brat . She summed it up like this: “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes. Who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of like, parties through it, is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat.” Was 2024 the year of the brat? Charli XCX fans certainly thought so. If it doesn’t make sense to you, that’s probably because it isn’t meant to. But as a sensibility, it rode a cultural wave – the joy wave – so adroitly Kamala Harris even hitched her (ill-fated) Joy Wagon to the phenomenon. On a similar train was American Chappell Roan – dubbed the Joy Rebel of the Year – whose success confirmed young women were increasingly sailing different seas from the rest of the culture, and landing in happier places. Gold medal to Celine Dion’s Paris Olympics performance. Credit: Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images In July, it was a diva of a different era who elevated the Paris Olympics, as a wet and occasionally weird opening ceremony gave way to the thing we mostly remember about it – the moment we heard the voice and then spotted the figure of a glistening Celine Dion perched within the Eiffel Tower . It was a moment of extraordinary power – of personal resilience and vocal artistry – that lifted the event out of the damp Paris streets and elevated it to a moment of genuine collective emotion. Paris in summer was where we went looking for hope during the Australian winter, and our team delivered. Well, the women did anyway, bringing home 13 of the 18 gold and 27 of the 45 medals overall for our greatest Games ever. Alongside the usual heroics in the pool ( Kaylee McKeown became the first Australian to win four individual gold was one stand-out among a team of them) there were more eccentric goings-on elsewhere in the Olympic city. You could, if you so chose, react to Rachael “Raygun” Gunn’s zero-point car crash with a scowl and a sneer, and many did, but the open-hearted were able to see the funny side. As were comedians around the world, who found in the Australian breakdancer one of the year’s true unifying comedic moments . In a year of much misery, this achievement should not be underappreciated. There were happy cultural warriors elsewhere, too. In Hollywood, Nicole Kidman seemed to star in every other movie and series – as Steve Martin quipped at the Emmys , “when I see an actor I don’t know, I just say, ‘I loved your scene with Nicole Kidman’, and nine times out of 10, I’m right”. Our Nic took time out from starring in everything to win everything. This included inhaling the very rare air of an American Film Institute Life Achievement Award . Flying the flag for the younger generation, Adelaide’s Sarah Snook carted home an Emmy and a Golden Globe and warmed up for her 2025 Broadway run in The Picture Of Dorian Gray with a Laurence Olivier Award for the same tour de force in London. Ms Everywhere: It was a big year for Nicole Kidman. Credit: Dave Benett/WireImage Loyalty to royalty Acting royalty elevated us to higher planes. Garden variety royalty also played its part. Mary Donaldson, erstwhile of Hobart and Sydney, became Queen of Denmark in January, giving hope to everyone who met someone in a bar during the Sydney Olympics almost 25 years ago. You don’t have to love royalty to breathe the occasional sigh of relief at the distraction they provide from the daily grind, and you don’t have to be a monarchist to be pleased that the Princess of Wales faced and emerged from a cancer diagnosis in strong and dignified spirit. In the natural world, bad news abounds when it comes to climate change – but there were bright spots. Did you know Britain closed its last coal power station in September ? Or that renewables surged even in the US, where wind generation outpaced coal for the first time? Or that in the Amazon, deforestation reached record lows this year? It did. All is not lost yet. For some old-fashioned cheer from Mother Nature, you could wallow in dog and cat videos on social media (and millions of us did) – or you could turn your gaze to another heroine we didn’t know we needed, the Tay Tay of the Choeropsis liberiensis world. In September, the world fell in love with Moo Deng , a pygmy hippo, a girl whose social media fame drew attention to the plight and past of her species. Who knew the pygmy hippo came with a history this rich, star of a Liberian legend in which Moo Deng’s kind find their way through the forest at night by carrying diamonds in their mouths to light the way? This pigmy hippo has become a viral sensation. Credit: Khao Kheow Open Zoo Now we know, and we are the better for it. Closer to home, Pesto the king penguin gained global fame as a social media superstar , famous on TikTok as the largest chick Melbourne’s Sea Life aquarium has ever seen. Big, beautiful and comfortable in his own skin, Pesto was the kind of hero – “calm, curious and friendly” – we needed in a year when male humans to admire were thin on the ground. For other bright lights in the darkness, we needed look no further than our own southern skies, with the return on several occasions of the Aurora Australis , which made rare and spectacular appearances as far north as Queensland in May, September and October. Scientists and citizens alike were dazzled by a liquid light show of pinks and whites and purples and greens. Was there a better symbol of hope than this – a phenomenon named for Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, announcing the arrival of a new day? It was as if we had been given a celestial preview of what would become the year’s biggest cultural event, one that also asked us to look skyward – or in the words of the song of the year, Defying Gravity , “look to the western sky”. Bright lights, all right. Aurora Australis seen in Victoria. Credit: Facebook/Travis Carroll The screen adaptation of Wicked landed in cinemas in mid-November, amid one of the strangest promotional tours in memory and hot on the heels of an American political earthquake two weeks earlier. The weird on-camera adventures of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were at times almost as entertaining as the film they starred in. And the movie’s storyline, adapted from the 2003 stage musical, could have been taken as a contemporary riff on the state of the world , very specifically, at the end of 2024. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star in Wicked. Credit: Out.com Wicked is a tale of defiance and friendship forged in the most difficult of circumstances; of surmounting challenges and differences; of flying, literally, in the face of a world that seeks to define you. It was, as so many of the hopeful things were in 2024, a message delivered by and to young women startling in their confidence and talent, happy to defy the doom with which the times seek to burden them. The song that ends the film became the year’s musical battle cry – a moment when art and heart met irresistible force, and art and heart won. If ever a year needed an anthem , it was this one – and in Defying Gravity it found it. In a year that insisted we be sad and scared – or summed up in a cheap meme – it was proof there was still space for hearts and minds to soar. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter .
JEFF PRESTRIDGE: Loyalty counts for nothing if you want cheaper insurance cover By JEFF PRESTRIDGE FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Updated: 16:59 EST, 28 December 2024 e-mail View comments Premiums in the car insurance market are settling down. Rampant premium inflation – Latin American-like at times – is over. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The scrutineers' numbers paint a good picture. Average premiums are either falling sharply (15 per cent, according to Pearson Ham), dropping slightly (1.1 per cent, Consumer Intelligence), or increasing modestly (4 per cent, Go Compare). To put these figures into context, Consumer Intelligence says that average quoted car premiums have risen by 117 per cent – that is, more than doubled – since October 2013 when it first started collecting data. Averages, however, don't tell the entire story, as reader Tony Anderson points out. He contacted me following receipt of his renewal notice from the AA – a provider he has been with since December 2021 when he purchased a brand new Volkswagen ID3 electric car. For Tony, there was no 15 per cent decrease, no 1.1 per cent price drop or 4 per cent increase. The AA wanted him to pay £1,079 to renew – 43 per cent more than last year and triple the £309 he paid three years ago. Driven to distraction: Average quoted car premiums have risen by 117 per cent – that is, more than doubled – since October 2013 Understandably, Tony, a retired managing director of a forklift truck company, isn't best pleased. 'I've had a driving licence since age 17,' says the 83-year-old from Crowthorne in Berkshire. 'I have not made a claim for at least 25 years and have no penalty points. The only thing that has changed is that I am a year older.' Like any smart consumer, Tony shopped around for alternative cover – and found a policy with Ageas costing a tad over £600. He says: 'I've now got near identical cover to that which I had last year, but 44 per cent cheaper than the price AA wanted me to renew at. It's also 20 per cent lower than the price I renewed at this time last year.' Not someone to be scorned, Tony will also refuse to renew his breakdown cover next year, ending a 40-year relationship with the AA. 'You would have thought that loyalty would count for something,' he says, 'but it doesn't. AA thought I would pay whatever it asked for. Well, I've called its bluff.' Anyone who has just received a renewal notice from their insurer demanding a double-digit price increase should do what Tony did and shop around. Also, please drop me a line with a copy of your renewal notice at: jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.uk . RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Woodford sheds tears over his fund but only for himself:... The insurance market flaw that must be rectified NOW Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP What you need to know about money every week: This is Money podcast Don't let lethargy hijack your fund As the name implies, investment trusts are designed to generate returns for investors. Stock-market listed, they are easy to buy and sell, with investors – be they institutional or private – becoming shareholders. Although not all are winners, they can provide super long-term returns, comprising a mix of regular income and share price gains. I'm a fan. Their company structure means investors can attend annual general meetings (I've been to a few in my time) and ask questions of the board and managers (I've asked a few). They also get the right to vote. All very democratic. Yet like all listed companies, investment trusts can attract the attention of predators, especially when their share prices are cheap. And boy, many investment trusts are as cheap as chips, with share prices sitting at deep discounts to the value of their underlying assets. The biggest predator in town is American fund manager Saba Capital, led by financier Boaz Weinstein. It has built stakes in seven trusts in the hope ultimately of taking them over – Baillie Gifford funds Edinburgh Worldwide, Keystone Positive Change and US Growth; Janus Henderson trusts European Smaller Companies and Opportunities; CQS Natural Resources Growth & Income; and Herald. Early next year, shareholders in each of these trusts will be asked to vote for the appointment of Saba-supporting directors to the board. If voted on, these newbies will then push for Saba to take over the existing investment contract before seeking to merge the seven trusts. Other trusts – it has disclosable stakes in 24 – could also be targeted. The hurdle for Saba is a low one. All it needs to start forcing through change is a simple majority of voting shareholders in individual trusts to say yes to the new directors. Given Saba is relying upon private investor lethargy to get its way, the message to shareholders is loud and clear. Use it (your vote, that is) or lose it (the trust you're actually quite happy with, despite what Saba says). Train unions have left us going nowhere If my experience is anything to go by, there is as much chance of any train you need to catch in the coming days being on time – or even running – as there is of the Government hitting its annual target of 600,000 heat pump installations by 2028. Close to zilch. Two weeks ago I gave up trying to get home from London Paddington because most GWR staff seemed to be refusing to work – perhaps preferring instead to gorge on the generous backdated pay awards handed to them by the Government. Off the rails: Unable to get home from London Paddington, Jeff cycled to a crowded Waterloo, above Instead, I jumped on a bike to Waterloo where I caught an SWR train that stopped at every conceivable station possible between London and my home town of Wokingham. I stewed like one of my late mum's hot pots. Last weekend was no different, with massive gaps in services running from Reading to Paddington. When a train finally did turn up, most people couldn't get on it. Those who did felt like human sardines. The sad fact is that our railways are not fit for purpose, either in private or public hands. They are an embarrassment, run by the unions for the good of their members. A travesty. Time may be up for bungling Starmer Victimising the elderly has become this Government's hallmark. First it cruelly removed the winter fuel payment from more than 10 million pensioners. Then this month it dealt a hammer blow to 3.6 million women now in their mid-60s and early-70s by refusing to pay compensation for being given insufficient time to prepare for a sharp increase in their state pension age. The Government's decision is wrong on two levels. First, it flies in the face of a recommendation this year by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Concluding the Department for Work and Pensions was guilty of 'maladministration' for failing to communicate effectively the change in state pension age, it recommended that those women impacted should receive up to £2,950. What is the point of the Ombudsman if the Government can ride roughshod over its independent decisions? Second, it makes hypocrites of all those Labour ministers who in opposition backed 'Waspi' (women against state pension inequality) to the hilt, only now to give them the proverbial two fingers. Revolt is in the air with a Commons vote on Waspi compensation likely in the New Year. Though the Government will win it, the backlash from Labour MPs will be stronger than over winter fuel. With the economy under siege from the hike in business taxes, the Government is wobbling more than my late Mum's jellies. Happy New Year, readers. A new PM by this time next year? Don't rule it out. This is Money podcast A decade of the This is Money podcast in our special live epsiode Will you get richer in 2025? This is Money podcast What next for house prices and is it harder to buy a home now vs 1974? Are interest rate cuts about to stall - and what does it mean for you? Why have crypto prices soared - and should you be wary of a tax sting? Are we getting a fair deal on energy bills? This is Money podcast More This is Money podcasts Share or comment on this article: JEFF PRESTRIDGE: Loyalty counts for nothing if you want cheaper insurance cover e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.Madhubani (Bihar), Nov 30: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday urged women to come forward and take benefits of central schemes to make them more capable and empowered. She was speaking at a credit outreach programme held in Madhubani, where loans to the tune of Rs 1,121 crore were provided to 50,294 beneficiaries by various banks. “Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji says there should be a ‘Lakhpati Didi’ in every village of the country... and for this, banks have launched several schemes for providing financial assistance to women. “Women are being given financial assistance and training through every Self Help Group (SHG) in Bihar. I urge women to become a part of the schemes launched by the central government... so that they can become more capable and empowered,” Sitharaman said. She said women would play an important role in achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047. “Our PM believes that India’s development should be led by women. The focus of the NDA government is clear... The poor, women, youths and farmers are the top four priorities of the government. The PM gives the example of Bihar and says that other states should also follow the same path of development and growth,” the finance minister said. Sitharaman also distributed copies of the Constitution in Maithili and Sanskrit languages to people during the programme. Besides, she visited the Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan in Saurath area in Madhubani, and interacted with artisans specialising in Mithila paintings and terracotta art. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) announced the sanction of more than Rs 155.84 crore and Rs 75.52 lakh, respectively, for various rural road projects, officials said. Later, Sitharaman met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his official residence in Patna. Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha were also present. “Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji, after her two-day Mithila tour, called on CM Nitish Kumar ji this evening at 1, Anne Marg. Several important issues related to the state were discussed between the two leaders,” Jha wrote on X.A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok's petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company's challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court's opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” Though the case is squarely in the court system, its also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. “Today’s decision is an important step in blocking the Chinese government from weaponizing TikTok to collect sensitive information about millions of Americans, to covertly manipulate the content delivered to American audiences, and to undermine our national security,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Friday. The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits , that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect — a concern mirrored by the European Union on Friday as it scrutinizes the video-sharing app’s role in the Romanian elections. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republican and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three of them denied TikTok’s petition. In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to "suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. “Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators - for which the company is covering legal costs - as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. “This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.” Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court's ruling. "I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it's time for ByteDance to accept” the law. To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm - the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan - would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.
Knight stops 20 shots, Florida rolls past Carolina 6-0 for 2nd win over 'Canes in as many days
Barcelona loses at home for the first time this seasonALL TOO FAMILIAR: Ottawa Senators need to turn the page and climb standings – fast
Georgetown coasts to fourth straight win with domination of AlbanyFRIDAY, Dec. 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Faced with rising cases of bird flu virus being detected in raw milk in California, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday announced it would mandate testing for the virus in milk nationwide. The National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) "builds on measures taken by USDA and federal and state partners since the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza [HPAI] H5N1 in dairy cattle was first detected in March 2024," the agency said in a statement . Any entity that handles pre-pasteurized raw milk -- milk processors and transporters, for example -- must hand over samples for testing to USDA staff upon request. According to the USDA, this could be an efficient way to identify herds infected with H5N1. As of Thursday, 718 cattle herds nationwide are known to be infected with the avian flu virus. The new testing initiative "will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the USDA statement. The move comes only a few days after a California dairy farm said it was expanding its recall of raw milk and cream after state health officials discovered bird flu virus in more milk samples. In a notice posted Tuesday, Fresno-based Raw Farm LLC said it has now recalled all whole milk and cream products with "use by" dates of Nov. 27 to Dec. 13. Meanwhile, California health officials took additional steps to keep consumers safe, including quarantining the farm. "While this voluntary recall only applies to raw whole milk and cream, due to multiple bird flu detections in the company's operation, the California Department of Public Health [CDPH] urges consumers to avoid consuming any Raw Farm products for human consumption including raw milk, cream, cheese,and kefir, as well as raw milk pet food topper and pet food kefir marketed to pet owners," the CDPH said in a health alert posted Tuesday. "In addition to the statewide voluntary recall, CDFA [California Department of Agriculture] has placed the farm under quarantine, suspending any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter and cheese products produced on or after November 27," the agency added. No human bird flu cases linked to the consumption of raw milk products have been confirmed at this point, the CDPH noted. Unlike raw milk, pasteurized milk is heat-treated to kill off any viruses and remains safe to drink. The latest actions follow recalls of two lots of Raw Farm products after bird flu was first reported in raw milk samples on Nov. 24. Bird flu first surfaced in U.S. dairy cows in March. Since then, the virus has been spreading across the country, particularly in California, where nearly 500 of the more than 700 infected herds nationwide have been detected, the Associated Press reported. So far this year, the virus has infected 58 people in the United States, including 31 in California, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Mild illnesses have been seen in dairy and poultry workers who had close contact with infected animals. No cases of bird flu spreading between people have been detected so far, the agency added. In a statement posted to its website, Raw Farm officials said they were working to restore raw milk supply quickly. “There are no illnesses associated with H5N1 in our products. But rather this is a political issue,” the post stated. “There are no food safety issues with our products or consumer safety. We are working towards resolving this political issue while being cooperative with our government regulatory agencies.” Any move to restrict public access to raw milk could be challenged by the incoming Trump administration, however. Robert Kennedy Jr., who has long criticized crackdowns on raw milk, has been nominated to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has vowed to push for greater distribution of raw milk products. More information The CDC has more on bird flu . SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, news release, Dec. 6, 2024; California Department of Public Health, news release, Dec. 4, 2024; Associated Press A California dairy farm has issued a full recall of its raw milk and cream after bird flu was discovered in more milk samples.De La Rosa scores 27 points as Columbia tops Fairfield 85-72
Arkansas receiver Andrew Armstrong said Tuesday that he is entering the NFL Draft. Later in the day, a school spokesman told reporters that Armstrong will skip the Razorbacks' bowl game. The destination isn't yet known. Armstrong led the Southeastern Conference in both receptions (78) and receiving yards (1,140) but caught just one touchdown in 11 games this season. His catches and yardage were both second-most in Arkansas history behind Cobi Hamilton, who had 90 receptions for 1,335 yards in 2012. "It's been a journey for the books and I wouldn't trade it for anything because it has made me into the man I am today," Armstrong said of his Razorbacks tenure in a social media post. "... I will never forget all the moments that were shared here in Fayetteville." Armstrong played two seasons at Texas A&M-Commerce before transferring to Arkansas ahead of the 2023 season. In two seasons with the Razorbacks, he caught 134 passes for 1,904 yards and six scores. --Field Level Media
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 15 points as UNLV beat UC Riverside 66-53 on Saturday. Thomas had five rebounds and five assists for the Rebels (6-5). Jeremiah Cherry scored 12 points and added three blocks. Jailen Bedford and Jaden Henley both added nine points. The Highlanders (8-5) were led by Barrington Hargress, who posted 17 points and two steals. Nate Pickens added 10 points and six rebounds for UC Riverside. Parker Strauss finished with six points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Tech founders and Silicon Valley VCs who supported — and threw their money behind — Donald Trump are being handsomely rewarded by the President-elect. Shortly after winning the 2024 election, Trump appointed one of his biggest supporters, Elon Musk , to head up a new agency called the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Now, Trump is rewarding another wealthy tech founder for their loyalty: investor and podcaster David Sacks. "I am pleased to announce that David O. Sacks will be the 'White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,'" Trump announced in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. "In this important role, David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness." According to Trump, Sacks' role will be to "safeguard Free Speech online" and "work on a legal framework" for the cryptocurrency industry. Trump also shared that Sacks would lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Sacks will be involved in crucial policy aspects of both a burgeoning technology in AI and a crypto industry ripe with fraud but expecting favorable treatment after throwing its support behind Trump. "Congrats to czar @DavidSacks!" OpenAI's Sam Altman posted on X shortly after the announcement from Trump. Who is David Sacks? Regular users of Musk's X , formerly Twitter, may have seen Sacks pop-up on the platform from time to time. Sacks' opinions obsessing over Russia's war with Ukraine have previously gone viral. He has often been critiqued for his seemingly pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine positions as well as fearmongering over a potential World War III. However, Sacks and Musk actually have history with each other — and a similar background. Like Musk, Sacks emigrated to the U.S. from South Africa. And in 1999, Sacks worked with Peter Thiel at PayPal, joining Musk as a member in the "PayPal Mafia," a group of early PayPal employees and founders who went on to find greater success founding their own tech startups. David Sacks and Elon Musk in 2006. In 2008, Sacks co-founded Yammer, a social media platform for enterprises. Microsoft acquired Yammer in 2012 for $1.2 billion. Microsoft would go on to integrate Yammer within its Microsoft 365 products. Since then, Sacks has invested in a number of tech startups and companies. He founded a VC firm called Craft Ventures in 2017. In 2020, Sacks started the All-In podcast alongside Jason Calacanis, Chamath Palihapitiya, and David Friedberg. The podcast, where the four entrepreneurs discuss business and current events, has gained popularity in tech circles. Over time, the show has shown increasing support for right-wing politics, including hosting Trump for an interview in June and featuring Sacks broadcasting live from the Republican National Convention during the summer. Sacks, specifically, has been increasingly making a name for himself in right-wing circles, opposing prominent progressive politicians and public servants over recent years. And while Sacks previously said that Trump's role in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol disqualified the former president from serving again, the VC quickly changed his tune and hosted a high-ticket fundraiser for Trump's campaign earlier this year. For Sacks, it appears like the pro-Trump move has paid off — barring any future falling outs with the 47th President.
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military rule
India, Ghana ink MoU to boost collaboration in sat communicationSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Spencer Knight made 20 saves, Mackie Samoskevich scored with less than a second left in the second period, and the Florida Panthers got four goals in the third to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 on Saturday and complete a two-day sweep. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues and Adam Boqvist also scored for Florida, which won 6-3 at Carolina on Friday. The Panthers have won three straight — that streak following a stretch of six losses in seven games for the Stanley Cup champions. It was Knight's fourth career shutout, his first since Nov. 9, 2022 — also at home against Carolina. Spencer Martin made 23 saves on 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who have dropped four of their last six games (2-3-1). It was Martin's fourth consecutive start for Carolina. Hurricanes: This was the first time all season that the Hurricanes failed to get a point in the game immediately following a loss. Carolina was 4-0-1 after a defeat entering Saturday. Panthers: A big day for Samoskevich — his alma mater Michigan beat Ohio State in football on Saturday, that game ending just before the Florida-Carolina game started. The Panthers are 5-0-0 when he scores this season. Sam Reinhart had each of the four most recent Florida goals at 19:59, before Samoskevich got his Saturday. The Panthers scored two goals 11 seconds apart in the third to make it 5-0, and Yaniv Perets replaced Martin in the Hurricanes' net with 8:12 remaining. It was the second NHL appearance for Perets, who came on once in relief for Carolina last season. Ekblad's goal was his first in a span of 1,045 regular-season shifts since Feb. 20. Carolina starts a two-game homestand Tuesday against Seattle. Florida goes to Pittsburgh to start a two-game trip on Tuesday. AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
SIOUX CITY -- A swearing in ceremony for the newly elected Woodbury County Board of Supervisors members and other elected officials will take place Tuesday. Republicans will continue to hold all five seats on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, as the GOP swept three contested races in November. Incumbent Mark Nelson and newcomers David Dietrich and Kent Carper each won four-year terms. The trio will be joined on the board by Republicans Matthew Ung and Dan Buttinger. New County Auditor Michelle Skaff and Sheriff Chad Sheehan will also be sworn in on Tuesday. The swearing in ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday in the board of supervisors basement room. The supervisors will then hold a regular meeting at 9:30 a.m. Following the regular meeting, a dedication ceremony for the Dennis Butler meeting room will take place on the first floor. In September, the board of supervisors voted to rename the old Woodbury County Board of Supervisors office the Dennis Butler Meeting Room, dedicated to the county's budget director, who who died of cancer on Aug. 21 at age 73.
As Ghana readies for its ninth democratic elections on December 7, 2024, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has announced comprehensive preparations to ensure a transparent and credible process. At a press briefing in Accra, CODEO Co-Chairs Mrs. Elizabeth Joyce Villars and Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, detailed the coalition’s efforts, emphasizing the importance of impartial observation in strengthening Ghana’s democracy. Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, Co-Chair of CODEO, reiterated the need for all stakeholders to act responsibly during the elections. “We appeal to political parties, the Electoral Commission and other actors to prioritize the nation’s peace and stability by upholding integrity and accountability,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of public awareness and calmness throughout the electoral period. “We remind Ghanaians to seek legal redress for any grievances instead of resorting to violence. Let us work together to ensure a process that reflects the best of our democracy,” Rev. Dr. Deegbe said. Addressing the media, he encouraged balanced reporting to avoid escalating tensions. “The media must rise to the occasion by disseminating accurate information. This is key to preventing misinformation and maintaining unity,” he added. Rev. Dr. Deegbe reiterated CODEO’s commitment to ensuring peaceful elections. “This is a defining moment for Ghana. Let us demonstrate to the world our collective dedication to democracy, peace, and unity,” he said. Mrs. Elizabeth Joyce Villars, Co-Chair of CODEO, elaborated on the coalition’s operational plans for the elections. “CODEO will deploy 4,000 observers nationwide to monitor the electoral process comprehensively. This includes 3,401 stationed observers and 307 mobile monitors, in addition to representatives at all collation centers,” she disclosed. She highlighted CODEO’s continued use of the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology to verify the credibility of election results. “The PVT is an essential tool for assessing the quality of the electoral process and ensuring the official results align with the will of the people,” Mrs. Villars explained. Mrs. Villars also assured the public of CODEO’s readiness to address incidents that may compromise the elections. “Our critical incident desk will handle reports from observers on issues such as voter inducement or disruptions. Verified reports will be escalated to the relevant authorities for immediate action,” she noted. She further announced CODEO’s schedule for public updates on election day. “We will provide three key updates: a midday situational report, an end-of-day statement, and a preliminary observation briefing on December 8. These updates are crucial to keeping the public informed,” she added. In collaboration with international partners such as WADEMOS and WAEON, CODEO is well-positioned to promote free, fair, and transparent elections. As December approaches, the coalition remains resolute in its mission to uphold Ghana’s democratic ideals. Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh
Knight stops 20 shots, Florida rolls past Carolina 6-0 for 2nd win over 'Canes in as many daysDuring the holiday season, people tend to feel more inclined to give their time and money to those less fortunate than themselves. The agencies that work with members of the community in need say they need that help more than ever this time of year. The Salvation Army Hospitality House on North Main Avenue on Nov. 23. The Hospitality House provides emergency shelter for those in need. It’s “the nature of the holiday season” that motivates people to volunteer, believes Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona’s volunteer coordinator Mikay Wright. “As we are all reflecting on the gifts or the blessings that we have, I think it tends to be a perspective shift season for a lot of people,” she said. Beyond the holidays, volunteering helps places like the Ronald McDonald House, Casa Maria, Sister José Women’s Center and The Salvation Army operate on a day-to-day basis. Casa Maria Casa Maria Soup Kitchen is part of the Tucson Catholic Workers Movement. Their mission is to feed and clothe those in need, whether that be the unhoused or people living in low-income situations. Brian Flagg has worked and lived at Casa Maria for 41 years. “The Catholic Worker believes in living simple and in community and everyday seeking to practice the works of mercy and the works of justice, so we are always out doing justice work,” said Flagg, who identifies as a Catholic Worker. Casa Maria needs volunteers in the soup kitchen every day from 8:30-11:30 a.m. All you have to do is show up and Flagg will put you to work, or you can fill out the volunteer form at casamariatucson.org/get-involved . Casa Maria relies almost entirely on volunteers and donations; the organization doesn’t receive government funding. Jobs in the soup kitchen include packing lunches, bagging chips and cookies, serving soup, doing food preparation and cleaning up. Flagg said it seems like people want to volunteer more during the holidays, but they need help year-round. Casa Maria is located at 352 E. 25th St. Sister José Women’s Center Sister José Women’s Center is a nonprofit that serves women who are unhoused, experiencing insecure or insufficient housing and severe poverty. Sister José can house up to 60 guests in need of emergency shelter. The organization also serves women through its day program. Any guest who walks through their doors can receive meals, clothing, do laundry and use their showers. The volunteer opportunities at Sister José, 1050 S. Park Ave., seem to be endless. “We are always looking, we’re always happy to bring new people on board, especially people who are really ready to serve and to be present,” said Rachel Milles, the volunteer outreach coordinator. A lot of volunteers work in the morning emergency services, helping guests get clothing, do laundry and serve breakfast. Food preparation volunteers are also important at Sister José. These jobs include preparing and serving breakfast and prepping snacks, lunches and dinners. The most popular volunteer work is their supper club, which serves dinner to the overnight guests at Sister José and is open every night, even on days when the center isn’t open. While Sister José is a women’s center, they have opportunities for male volunteers. Working in donations, indirect service areas, cooking for supper club and doing donation pick-ups are typical jobs for male volunteers. Sister José is also open to nonbinary people. Sister José sees a spike in people wanting to volunteer during the holiday season, which is a benefit. “As the weather turns, that creates a very immediate need,” said Jamie Albrecht, the volunteer engagement coordinator. “People focus a lot on the holidays, and we do serve meals on those holidays which we’re very proud of, but we also like to sort of call attention to the other days, too,” Albrecht said. “The days surrounding those holidays are very important to our outside guests to receive services.” To volunteer at Sister José, visit sisterjose.org/volunteer . Ronald McDonald House The Ronald McDonald House of Southern Arizona is a nonprofit that houses families who have a sick child in the hospital. Families can stay at the house free of charge, allowing them to focus on their child’s care. Everything, from meals to accommodations, is taken care of largely with year-round volunteer help. One of the most popular volunteer opportunities is “Chef for A Day,” where volunteers buy and prepare meals for all of the families staying at the house. With a large group of volunteers pitching in, the cost of food can be quite inexpensive, Wright said. She’s seen people cook extravagant meals and not-so-extravagant ones, including hot dogs and fruit salads. The Ronald McDonald House event season happens in the fall and early winter of each year, when the nonprofit needs volunteers to help with their events and one-time volunteer opportunities. This January, the organization will be looking for long-term volunteers to work at the house and their family rooms at the hospitals. Long-term volunteers will work one shift a week at the same time every week for a minimum of six months. The family rooms are spaces in hospitals where families who have sick children can go and relax. A family does not have to be staying at the facility to use these rooms. The responsibilities of volunteering in the family rooms include keeping the rooms tidy and stocked with drinks and snacks. “But ultimately, the greatest role that the volunteers get to step into in the family rooms is they just get to be a warm presence, a warm, welcoming presence to families using the room,” Wright said. Volunteers ask how the families are doing, and sometimes, it’s the only time they are asked during the day, as every other conversation is about the sick child, Wright points out. These rooms are meant to feel like home, and one parent even described it as an oasis, Wright said. At the house, which is at 2155 E. Allen Road, volunteer responsibilities can look different each shift. Jobs include loading and unloading the dishwasher, keeping the common rooms clean, tidying up the toy rooms, working at the front desk or helping with administrative work. Visit rmhctucson.org for more information. Because the Ronald McDonald House has many University of Arizona student volunteers, Wright said the house also needs help in May, when students leave for the summer. The Salvation Army Tucson The Salvation Army has multiple programs in Tucson, including the Amphi Corps Community Center, the Hospitality House and All Nations. These programs help unhoused and low-income people in need of food, shelter and other services. Volunteers can help with a range of duties, including assisting kitchen staff to make sandwiches and serve meals, providing administrative support, and ringing the red bell to collect donations during the holidays. To volunteer for The Salvation Army, contact the Salvation Army volunteer centers: Tucson Amphi Corps, 520-888-1299; Tucson Hospitality House, 520-795-9671; Tucson All Nations, 520-795-4504. Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. 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