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CLEVELAND (AP) — Only the Cleveland Browns. Only a team beset by perpetual problems at quarterback for the better part of two decades can get a record-setting 497-yard, four-touchdown, jaw-dropping, where-did-that-come-from performance on Monday night from Jameis Winston — and still lose. History wrapped in misery. Only the Browns. Winston spoiled a high-level performance in Denver's thin air by throwing a pair of pick-sixes — the second with 1:48 remaining — as the Broncos rode big plays to a 41-32 win over the Browns (3-9), who have to wonder what their disappointing season might look like if Deshaun Watson had been benched before getting hurt. The loss ended any illusions the Browns had of making a late playoff push like they did a year ago. It also clinched the team's 22nd losing season since its expansion rebirth in 1999. In his fifth start this season, Winston provided further evidence that the Browns made a major mistake by not switching QBs long before Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon on Oct. 20 against Cincinnati. Cleveland's offense has come alive behind Winston, who has thrown for over 300 yards three times, something Watson didn't do in 19 starts over his three suspension-shortened, injury-riddled seasons with the Browns. While there were some positives, Winston's turnovers were too costly. "You’re not going to play perfect at the quarterback position. He knows that," coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday on a Zoom call. “I know that ultimately he wants to do anything in his power to help this team win and that’s going to be taking care of the ball. But he also had moments there where he was moving that offense and did a nice job.” Winston may not be the long-term answer for the Browns, but he's showing he can at least give them a viable option for 2025 while the club sorts through the tangled Watson situation, which continues to have a stranglehold on the franchise. In all likelihood, and assuming he's fully recovered, Watson will be back next season in some capacity with the Browns, who are still on the hook to pay him $92 million — of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract — over the next two seasons. Releasing Watson would have damaging salary-cap implications, and while that would be a bitter financial pill for owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam to swallow, it could the Browns' safest and easiest exit strategy. And if they needed any proof that such a strategy can work, the Browns only had to look across the field at the Broncos, who got out from under QB Russell Wilson's monster contract by cutting him, taking the financial hit and drafting Bo Nix. After some common early growing pains, Nix has settled in and the rookie has the Broncos in the mix for a postseason berth. It wasn't long ago that the Browns thought their quarterback concerns were behind them. Instead, they lie ahead. What’s working Stefanski's decision to hand over the play-calling duties to first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey has been a positive. While the move hasn't led directly to many wins, the Browns have moved the ball much more effectively and scored at least 20 points in three of five games since the switch after not scoring 20 in their first eight. What needs help An issue all season, Cleveland's defense was again gashed for long plays and TDs, including a 93-yard scoring pass in the third quarter. The Browns have allowed 48 plays of 20-plus yards and 12 of at least 40 yards. Stock up WR Jerry Jeudy. His return to Denver was a personal and professional triumph — except on the scoreboard. Vowing revenge on the Broncos, who traded him to the Browns in March, Jeudy had the best game of his career, catching nine passes for 235 yards and a TD. Since Winston took over as Cleveland's starter, Jeudy leads the league with 614 yards receiving. Jeudy just might be the No. 1 receiver the Browns have needed following Amari Cooper's trade. Jordan Hicks gets an honorable mention after recording 12 tackles. Stock down K Dustin Hopkins. He missed a 47-yard field goal to end Cleveland's first drive, setting the tone for a night of missed opportunities. After making 33 of 36 field goal tries in his first season with the Browns, Hopkins is just 16 of 23, with his inaccuracy raising questions why the team signed him to a three-year, $15.9 million contract in July. Injuries Stefanski had no updates from the game. ... LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah remains sidelined with a neck injury suffered on Nov. 2. Stefanski ruled him out again for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh. Key number 552 — Yards of total offense for the Browns, just 10 shy of the single-game franchise record set in 1989. Up next A short turnaround before visiting the Steelers (9-3), who will be looking to avenge their 24-19 loss in Cleveland on Nov. 21. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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Pat King, one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa, has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order. A judge in an Ottawa courtroom Friday said the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that King was guilty on one count each of mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and counselling others to obstruct police. He was also found guilty of two counts of disobeying a court order. The Alberta resident was found not guilty on three counts of intimidation and one count of obstructing police himself. King could be facing up to 10 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin on Jan. 16. The Crown is seeking “significant” incarceration time in a penitentiary while the defence wants King to be sentenced to time served and a period of probation. King’s attorney Natasha Calvinho said right now she is focused on the sentencing hearing and will determine if any other action, such as an appeal, will be pursued at a later date. Calvinho said she and her client are disappointed with the ruling, but she said it was well reasoned. “I think what the more important takeaway here, and what we’ve been saying from the very beginning, Mr. King was acquitted of all charges related to inciting any form of violence, specifically intimidation of Ottawa residents,” Calvinho said outside the courthouse. “So yes, he was convicted, a couple counts of mischief for his social media posts, as the judge found, and will continue to fight another day.” The maximum sentence for mischief in this instance is 10 years. In January 2022 the convoy attracted thousands of demonstrators to Parliament Hill in protest against public-health restrictions, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the federal government. The event gridlocked downtown streets around Parliament Hill, with area residents complaining about the fumes from diesel engines running non-stop, and unrelenting noise from constant honking of horns and music parties. The federal Liberal government ultimately invoked the Emergencies Act to try and bring an end to the protests, which had expanded to also block several border crossings into the United States. Ottawa Police brought in hundreds of officers from police forces across Canada to force the protest to an end. King’s defence argued that King was peacefully protesting during the three-week demonstration and was not a leader of it. But the Crown alleged he was a protest leader who was instrumental to the disruption the protest caused the city and people who lived and worked nearby. The Crown alleged King co-ordinated the honking, ordering protesters to lay on the horn every 30 minutes for 10 minutes at a time and told people to “hold the line” when he was aware police and the city had asked the protesters to leave. The Crown’s case relied mainly on King’s own videos, which he posted to social media throughout the protest to document the demonstration and communicate with protesters. The court proceedings paused for about 10 minutes when King requested a short “health break” after the first verdicts on the mischief charges were read. Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland described the honking as “malicious conduct” intended to disrupt residents, workers, businesses and others from lawfully enjoying downtown Ottawa. Hackland also said that the videos show King was seen as and accepted the leadership role. He pointed to a quote from King, finding it “hilarious” that residents could not sleep for 10 days as “gleefully” aiding and abetting mischief. This evidence also played a role in determining King’s guilt in disobeying a court order and counselling others to do the same. These charges relate to the original Feb. 7, 2022 injunction against using air and train horns in downtown Ottawa which was launched by residents. The city successfully filed a similar injunction days later. As for counselling others to obstruct police, Hackland found King’s call to “hold the line” was telling people not to move from the protest site despite police orders. The judge said that phrase can be seen as a greeting between supporters of the convoy protest, but said there was no other logical interpretation in the context of King’s videos. In the days before a multi-day police removal operation began, King called on people to link arms and sit down with their backs to police if officers tried to move them. On the intimidation charges, Hackland said that a consistent theme of King’s videos were calls to remain peaceful and non-violent. He said that the target was always the federal government and COVID-19 policies, and specific individuals were not targeted by or through King’s actions. As for an intimidation charge related to blocking highways, Hackland said that finding guilt in this instance would be an “overly broad” interpretation of the Criminal Code as the blockade was done as part of a political protest, which is protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His trial was heard over several weeks between May and July. King still has charges of perjury and obstruction of justice that need to be dealt with which is a separate matter stemming from an April 2022 bail review hearing. Details of the testimony that led to the charges are protected under a publication ban, which exists for all information that arises during a bail hearing.Women entrepreneurs are essential for the Canadian economy, a fact recognized by the government’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy . This strategy was launched in 2018 and has seen nearly $7 billion be put toward supporting women-owned businesses in Canada. Although women in Canada engage in entrepreneurship more than in other comparable countries, there is still a significant gender gap . Only 15 per cent of women are engaged in startups and seven per cent are owner-managers of established businesses, compared to 24 per cent and nine per cent of men, respectively. If women participated in entrepreneurship as much as men, global GDP would rise by an estimated three to six per cent, adding $2.5 to $5 trillion to the global economy . This is not just about economic growth, but is a broader ethical and societal issue. By limiting women’s entrepreneurial participation, we are also limiting women’s opportunities for employment, empowerment and the promotion of gender equality more broadly. To make entrepreneurship more gender-inclusive, it’s important to confront the underlying biases that create barriers for women. As experts and researchers in entrepreneurship, we’ve identified five common misconceptions about women and entrepreneurship that need to be challenged. Misconception #1: Women don’t want to be entrepreneurs The first misconception is that women are not motivated to become entrepreneurs. This misconception partly arises from the gendered language that is often used to describe entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial language tends to be masculine, using terms like “risk-takers,” “achievement-oriented” and “confident,” which are all characteristics more commonly associated with men . This perceived mismatch may contribute to the belief that women are less motivated to pursue entrepreneurship. While women are less likely than men to start a business, in reality, there is strong entrepreneurial motivation among women. Women make up 37 per cent of self-employment statistics in Canada. Misconception #2: Women are not successful entrepreneurs The second misconception is that women are not successful entrepreneurs. This has to do with traditional measures of success, which focus on business size, profitability and growth rate. Relative to men, women are more likely to run smaller businesses with lower profitability and growth , but this does not necessarily mean they underperform. First, small businesses — regardless of the owner’s gender — have limited profitability and growth in general. Second, women are more likely to be part-time entrepreneurs because they often have to balance business ownership with family and household responsibilities. And third, women are over-represented in lower-growth and lower-wage industries like retail and food services . These factors explain the lower performance levels for women entrepreneurs, which are influenced by socially constructed and historical factors, not an inability to be successful. Misconception #3: Women can’t secure business funding The third misconception is that women entrepreneurs are not capable of securing business funding. While women entrepreneurs are less likely to receive financial backing , this is not because of lack of capabilities. Instead, women are less likely to ask for financial funding, either because they don’t require it or because they’re discouraged from applying due to fear of rejection. When women do seek financial backing, they’re usually asked different questions than men are , which affects their outcomes. Finance providers tend to ask women questions that focus on potential failures, while they ask men about potential success. Since the framing of questions influences their responses, women’s answers — which are often focused on preventing failure — instil less confidence and lead to less funding. Misconception #4: Women are risk-averse The fourth misconception is that women are risk averse, preventing them from becoming entrepreneurs. There is some research that points to this misconception being true; one study , for instance, found that women exhibit higher levels of risk aversion when making financial decisions compared to men. However, most women are not inherently risk-averse. This perception is likely a result of how women are socialized according to cultural norms and expectations. Women are often expected to be more communal and caring , while men are expected to be more competitive and risk taking. The way we define and understand “risk” may also contribute to this misconception. Success stories about entrepreneurs often focus on financial risk — something more commonly associated with men. Less attention is given to the risks women are more likely to take, such as standing up for their beliefs or choosing the ethical route when faced with a dilemma, even if it might result in lower financial success. Misconception #5: Women don’t establish the right networks The fifth misconception is that women fail to build the right networks as entrepreneurs. Research shows women tend to develop more formal mentoring and networking relationships , such as through professional associations, while men typically have a mix of both formal and informal connections. Formal mentoring often offers fewer career development benefits compared to informal connections. Women are less likely to engage in informal mentoring, not because they lack interest or ability, but because there are fewer women entrepreneurs to connect with. Despite this, women are actually more active than men in supporting others’ careers, both men and women. These misconceptions about women entrepreneurs are rooted in the historically masculine nature of entrepreneurship and can be barriers to women becoming successful entrepreneurs. By challenging these stereotypes and promoting gender inclusivity in entrepreneurship, we can help remove obstacles and create a more supportive environment for women entrepreneurs.Love Horoscope Today: Astrological Predictions on December 8, 2024, For All Zodiac Signs
LAS VEGAS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Formula One leader Max Verstappen said he was surprised to be ahead of title challenger Lando Norris after qualifying fifth for the Las Vegas Grand Prix despite a rear wing disadvantage. Verstappen's Red Bull has been slower on the Las Vegas straights than his rivals, with the team explaining they had not designed a special low downforce rear wing for cost reasons. The Dutchman can capture his fourth successive Formula One championship on Saturday if he beats McLaren's Norris, who was sixth in qualifying. "We tried to do the best we could," Verstappen told reporters after qualifying, where Mercedes driver George Russell took the pole. "We worked well together. We tried a lot of different things to see what was the right direction... still clearly not enough to fight for pole. I'm still quite happy. "We are still in front of McLaren, which for me is a bit of a surprise but I'm quite happy with how qualifying went and my laps." Verstappen, 62 points clear of Norris with 60 remaining to be won after Las Vegas, downplayed expectations that he would clinch the title on Saturday at the race he won in its first iteration last year. "At the moment, it's difficult to tell," he said. "Both of us were not great on the long run, we both (degraded) on the tyres compared to other teams. "But a lot of teams have made changes, so only time will tell tomorrow how we will perform." Norris said Mercedes and Ferrari have both shown the superiority of their cars in Las Vegas and that he was not comfortable pushing too hard. "When you are trying to find lap time but not go over the limit it's a difficult balance," he said. "So just too much of a challenge for us and that showed." The Briton said beating Verstappen to extend the battle for the championship to Qatar was his focus. "I'll do everything I can, of course. That's what I'm here to do," he said. "I'm not going to give up until the end even if the chance is extremely thin. "But I'm here to do the best in every race I can whether I'm fighting for a championship or not. "So I'll go out tomorrow, it's a long race, many things can happen. We're quick in the straight so hopefully that can come to our advantage." Sign up here. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Las Vegas, Additional reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Los Angeles-based sports reporter who interviews the most impactful athletes and executives in the world. Covers breaking news ranging from the highs of championship victories to the lows of abuse scandals. My work highlights the ways in which sports and the issues of race, gender, culture, finance, and technology intersect.South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military rule
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Hello, readers! My name is Solomon Wesley Sua , and I’m honored to be sharing my thoughts and expertise with you through this column. As a professional in the field of Cyber Security, Cyber Defense, Cyber Assurance, Cyber Crime, Cyber Forensic, Cyber Intelligence, and Cyber GRC (Governance, Risk & Compliance ), I’ve come to realize that, in today’s digital world, protecting our online presence is not just important—it’s essential. I’ve always had a passion for Information Technology (IT) when I was introduced to computers in the Year 2002 when doing my fist year at the University of Papua New Guinea where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Computer Science. I was fascinated by how technology could solve complex problems and improve lives. But it wasn’t until I delved deeper into Cyber Security, Cyber Defense, Cyber Assurance, Cyber Crime, Cyber Forensic, Cyber Intelligence, and Cyber GRC (Governance, Risk & Compliance , that I truly understood the critical role these play in shaping our future. The rise of cyber threats, fraud, and data breaches made me realize that this is a field where I can make a real difference. Why Cyber Security? In my case, it’s personal. After seeing firsthand how easily cybercriminals can disrupt lives, I knew I wanted to help build safer digital environments for people and businesses. That’s why I pursued a Master of Science in Cyber Security from EC-Council University , where I graduated Summa Cum Laude —an honor that recognizes the highest level of academic achievement. PNG’s Role in the Global IT Ecosystem As a proud Papua New Guinean, I’ve often wondered where we fit into the bigger picture of global IT. The truth is, while Papua New Guinea may seem small in the grand scheme of things, we’re just as vulnerable to cyber threats as any other nation. In fact, as we continue to embrace technology in our daily lives—from banking to social media—the need for robust cybersecurity systems is more important than ever. We, too, need to educate ourselves about the risks and protect what matters most. The Future of Cyber Security in PNG As I continue this journey, my goal is to make complex cybersecurity topics easier to understand, particularly for those of us who may not be familiar with the technical jargon. Through this column, I want to break down the basics, provide practical tips, and discuss the emerging threats that could impact us all. In my next post, we’ll dive into the very real dangers of bank card cloning fraud —a topic that’s affecting people globally, including here in Papua New Guinea. I’ll explain how fraudsters work, how to spot the signs, and what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Thank you for joining me on this journey and a big appreciation to Post Courier Online for the Cyber Security columnist opportunity. I’m excited to share more insights and help make the digital world a safer place for all of us. Stay tuned, and remember: knowledge is power, and awareness is the first step toward protection.(The Center Square) – The question before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday was whether a Tennessee law banning gender dysphoria treatment for minors is unconstitutional. Twenty-three other states have similar bans, but the Tennessee case is the first one to have made it to the nation's highest court. Behind the legal questions debated are medical questions that are in dispute. A transgender girl identified as "L Williams" is at the center of the case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and later supported by the Biden administration. In an article posted on the ACLU's website, L said she was emotionally distressed as she began puberty. “You're at a point where not only are you going through puberty, but you're also going through nightmare puberty,” L said. “I mean, obviously, nobody's 100% comfortable with [the changes,] but you're immensely uncomfortable with them.” L's parents sought puberty and hormone blockers in another state when Tennessee lawmakers passed its ban in 2023. They were on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court when the case was argued. Also on the steps was Dr. Jared Ross, a member of Do No Harm, a group of medical professionals who say their mission is to keep identity politics out of medical education, research, and clinical practice. Ross has a story, too, about a blue-haired girl who came into an emergency room one night. She described herself as "gender-confused," Ross said in an interview with The Center Square. "She was cutting herself with a razor blade because voices were telling her to," Ross said. "Can you imagine if I had affirmed these voices, affirming what she was hearing? That would have been malpractice, that would have been criminal. I didn't affirm those voices. I also didn't affirm her gender confusion." Do No Harm filed an amicus brief challenging the medical evidence presented by the ACLU and the Biden administration. It points to a study called the "Cass Review," a multi-year project from the United Kingdom that said studies of the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones were uncontrolled observational studies subject to bias." The ACLU says it also has medical evidence on its side. The American Medical Association and the American College of Pediatrics are among the groups that support gender dysphoria treatment for minors. At least one medical organization is taking a second look at the treatments. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons said in April that it is reviewing the practice. "ASPS currently understands that there is considerable uncertainty as to the long-term efficacy for the use of chest and genital surgical interventions for the treatment of adolescents with gender dysphoria, and the existing evidence base is viewed as low quality/low certainty. This patient population requires specific considerations," the organization said in a statement. Doctors who don't support treatments for gender dysphoria for minors are accused of discrimination and not caring about the patients. But that's not the case, Ross said. "The other side often plays this as we're neglecting these kids or we're minimizing their suffering that they're going through," Ross said. "I don't doubt that they're suffering. They're suffering tremendously. They need love and compassion and good evidence-based mental health care." Until the Supreme Court rules in 2025, the Tennessee law and others like it will stay on the books.
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Growing nest eggWarren Buffett has attracted a lot of attention this year thanks to some very big high-profile stock sales. The Oracle of Omaha has sold a total of $133 billion worth of equities from Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio through the first nine months of 2024. Some of the biggest sales include Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) , of which he sold more than two-thirds of Berkshire's stake, and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) . Despite the sales, Berkshire still holds $300 billion in stock, but only a handful of companies are safe from getting a trim these days, it seems. Many see Buffett's massive stock sales as a big warning for investors that the stock market is overpriced and investors should reduce their exposure to equities. Indeed, Buffett's Apple and Bank of America sales suggest he thinks both stocks currently trade near or above their intrinsic values . Investors will be hard-pressed to earn solid returns buying stocks above their actual value, so it may be smart to trim positions like Apple or Bank of America. But Buffett doesn't think every stock is overpriced right now. It's just that he faces a unique challenge as someone in charge of managing $600 billion in assets when you include Berkshire's cash and Treasury bill positions. His stock purchases this year tell the whole story. This small $550 million purchase speaks volumes Berkshire's biggest equity purchase during the third quarter was about $550 million worth of Domino's Pizza ( DPZ -1.25% ) . Yes, it pales in comparison to the $36 billion Buffett and his team sold in other stocks during the quarter, and the purchase accounts for just 0.2% of the entire equity portfolio. But the purchase accounts for 3.7% of the entire pizza purveyor. Domino's may be a great stock to buy. Its fortressing strategy has enabled it to grow its market share around the world. It's showing strong profitability at the store level even as it cannibalizes itself by opening new locations near existing ones. It's producing strong operating margin expansion and is returning capital to shareholders. These are all signs of a great company. Buffett's challenge is that Domino's market cap is currently less than $16 billion as of this writing. He could buy 20 companies the size of Domino's Pizza with Berkshire's cash pile if the market would let him. He has run into similar problems with other stocks he found attractive in 2024: Ulta Beauty has a market cap of about $17 billion, Sirius XM has a market cap of about $9 billion, Pool Corp has a market cap around $14 billion, and Heico has a market cap of $32 billion. The market constrains how much of those stocks Buffett can actually buy. He explained the challenge facing Berkshire in his letter to shareholders in February: In other words, the big companies where Buffett could invest tens of billions of dollars aren't very attractive right now -- at least not according to the consummate value investor, Warren Buffett. Bank of America's stock price has climbed to about 1.8 times its tangible book value , which might be more expensive than Buffett likes. (He notably stopped buying back Berkshire shares as the price floated above 1.6 times book value.) Apple shares currently trade for nearly 32 times forward earnings, far higher than the multiple Buffett originally paid while accumulating shares between 2016 and 2018, when shares consistently traded well below 20 times earnings. But the smaller companies like Domino's Pizza appear far more attractive. The restaurant's forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 27 is still somewhat expensive, but it compares favorably to other fast-growing quick-service restaurants. And while Buffett can only invest so much without significantly moving the market, an individual investor should have no problem buying as much as they like for their portfolio. The bigger takeaway for investors Buffett's decision to buy Domino's last quarter doesn't necessarily mean investors should follow his lead precisely. In fact, it may indicate that he feels there are a lot more opportunities in the stock market than Berkshire can actually take advantage of due to its size. Domino's is a relatively small company for Berkshire to invest in, but it's still one of the members of the large-cap S&P 500 index. In other words, in the grand universe of the stock market, Domino's is bigger than roughly 80% of investable companies in the U.S. alone. Considering it's one of the smallest options Buffett could consider, that means there may be a whole lot of other opportunities in the mid- and small-cap markets. Indeed, stock valuations suggest Buffett would be much happier if he could invest more in companies with market caps less than Domino's. The S&P 500 trades for a forward P/E of 22.1 as of Dec. 2. If you get rid of the "Magnificent Seven," the large-cap stocks look somewhat more attractive at a forward P/E of 19.5. Still, the mid-cap S&P 400 and the small-cap S&P 600 each trade for just 17.1 times forward earnings. That gap was even wider just a few months ago. Thus, the big message Buffett is sending to investors is to consider smaller companies. That could mean taking a closer look at individual stocks like Domino's Pizza, but it could be as simple as buying an index fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF). Vanguard offers the Vanguard Extended Market ETF ( VXF 0.53% ) , which tracks the performance of virtually all stocks except those in the S&P 500. With an expense ratio of just 0.06%, it can be an inexpensive way to add exposure to smaller companies. Another great option for those looking to focus on value stocks is the Avantis U.S. Small-Cap Value ETF ( AVUV -0.54% ) . It's technically an actively managed ETF, but it uses simple valuation and profitability filters to take the universe of small-cap value stocks and weed out potential value traps . It then invests in the remaining stocks, weighting each based on market cap. The results of the fund (and its predecessor at Dimension Funds) have been well worth the 0.25% expense ratio thus far. Whether you want individual stocks or ETFs, Buffett's buying decisions suggest there's a lot more upside for investors in smaller companies. They would be wise to listen to the message he's sending.The United States is on the verge of finalizing a $988 million arms and equipment package for Ukraine, aimed at bolstering its defense against Russia's ongoing invasion, as revealed in a document obtained by Reuters. This package constitutes nearly half of the remaining funds available in the $2.21 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), emphasizing the Biden administration's strategy to procure weapons from industry sources rather than depleting U.S. weapon reserves. The move highlights Washington's commitment to supporting Ukraine while managing its own military inventory efficiently. (With inputs from agencies.)
OpenAI is reportedly exploring the development of its own web browser, a move that aligns with its recently announced plans to launch a dedicated search engine. These steps mark a significant shift for the company, signaling its intent to challenge Google’s dominance in the search and browser markets. The potential browser, which could incorporate OpenAI’s ChatGPT, is said to have been shown in prototype or design form to companies such as Conde Nast, Redfin, Eventbrite, and Priceline, according to The Information. This development comes amid heightened scrutiny of Google’s dominance in the browser market. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has intensified its antitrust case against Google, suggesting that the tech giant sell its Chrome browser to curb its monopolistic hold on online search. Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 16 (Feb 10 – May 3, 2025 ) opens registrations; register today for early bird discounts. Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here. Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and i nvest in Africa’s finest startups here . The DOJ’s arguments are part of a broader effort to dismantle barriers to competition in the tech industry. The emergence of OpenAI-backed browser and search services could provide the competition regulators have been seeking, particularly as OpenAI is strategically positioned as a disruptor. Backed by Microsoft, OpenAI has rapidly evolved from being a leader in generative AI to positioning itself as a comprehensive tech challenger. Microsoft’s deep integration of OpenAI technology into its own products, including Bing and Office, has already pushed it into direct competition with Google in the search and productivity software markets. OpenAI’s potential entry into the browser arena, powered by its advanced AI tools, could offer consumers a uniquely integrated experience—far beyond traditional browsing or searching functionalities. For years, Google has faced minimal competition in search and browsers. Rivals like Microsoft Explorer (Edge) and Firefox have struggled to capture significant market share, leaving Google virtually unchallenged. However, OpenAI’s plans, coupled with the financial and technical backing of Microsoft, could turn it into the competitor Google never had. This transformation could reshape the ecosystem, especially as OpenAI leverages AI-first capabilities, such as conversational search and personalized web interactions, to attract users. OpenAI’s ambitions are bolstered by its ongoing partnerships with major tech players. It is reportedly in talks to bring AI features to Samsung devices, a partnership that could disrupt Google’s reliance on Samsung as a key Android partner. Additionally, OpenAI’s collaboration with Apple, which powers “Apple Intelligence” features on iPhones, highlights its growing influence in consumer tech. Despite these advances, OpenAI’s browser plans remain in their infancy. According to The Information, the company is “not remotely close” to launching the product. However, with the DOJ pushing for the divestiture of Chrome and OpenAI’s accelerating moves in the search space, the stage is set for a potential shift in the digital landscape. OpenAI’s entry into the browser market could intensify competition at a time when Google is already under pressure to prove its relevance in an AI-driven future. Alphabet shares fell approximately 1% in after-hours trading following a 5% decline earlier, reflecting market concerns about increasing competition and regulatory pressures. This development aligns with OpenAI’s broader strategy to embed its technology across platforms, a move that could accelerate its influence beyond its chatbot origins.NBA fines Minnesota guard Edwards $75,000 for outburst
Liverpool face Man City side with no excusesSports on TV for Sunday, Dec. 8