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Niger junta suspends BBC accusing it of ‘spreading false news’ in coverage of attackNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are climbing Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 was pulling 0.7% higher, as of 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, after flipping between modest gains and losses several times in the morning. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 532 points, or 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2%. Nvidia's rise of 1.4% was the strongest force pushing the S&P 500 upward after yet again beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations thanks to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia's revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” How Nvidia’s stock performs has tremendous impact because it’s quickly grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. Its meandering up and down through the day dragged the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.3% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 9.1% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 were also rising, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.9%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 5.5% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. Drops for other Big Tech stocks also weighed on the market, including a 2.4% slide for Amazon. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani, 62, in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of duping investors by concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before easing back to roughly $98,250, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin also got a boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission who has pushed for more protection for crypto investors, said he would step down in January . Bitcoin and related investments, of course, have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that's been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early gain of 14.6% for its stock on Thursday quickly disappear. It was most recently down 10.7%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In the bond market, Treasury yields edged higher following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday. One report said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.

Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’

Lawyers for the Massachusetts House and Senate said a reginited effort by Auditor Diana DiZoglio to investigate the two chambers in the wake of a successful ballot question is “untimely” because the law has not yet taken effect.

BOC extends role as settlement bank for Sri Lanka’s USD clearing systemKUWAIT: Kuwait Coast Guard is working on refurbishing and modernizing its fleet, Kuwait News Agency reported Thursday. Commodore Sheikh Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah, Director General of Kuwait’s Coast Guard, said a budget of KD 45 million has been allocated for this purpose, with 11 boats currently being sent to Abu Dhabi for major overhauls, including the replacement of engines and other equipment. This initiative aims to enhance the operational readiness and efficiency of the Coast Guard in carrying out its duties. As part of its efforts to further secure Kuwait’s waters, the Coast Guard will soon integrate “maritime drones” into its fleet. These drones are set to begin operations during Ramadan in 2025 and will be active 24/7 for two years. Equipped with live-streaming cameras, warning systems, and tracking technology, the drones will significantly enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to monitor and safeguard Kuwait’s waters from potential security threats. Sheikh Mubarak also announced that the Coast Guard is preparing for a comprehensive shift towards digital operations. By January 1, 2025, the Coast Guard will fully transition to electronic systems for managing licenses and documentation, eliminating paper-based processes. This transition will include maritime licenses for boats, vessels, and maritime driving, streamlining operations and improving efficiency. Furthermore, Sheikh Mubarak emphasized the importance of enhancing the training and readiness of Coast Guard personnel. The administration has been conducting weekly live-fire exercises in Kuwait’s territorial waters to ensure that its forces are well-prepared for any security challenges they may face. Additionally, the Coast Guard is updating its training programs, incorporating new technologies such as artificial intelligence, and implementing a more robust training system to prepare future leaders. Sheikh Mubarak also underscored the organization’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the role of women in the security of Kuwait’s territorial waters. He emphasized that the Coast Guard recognizes women as key contributors to its mission, and they are actively involved in critical roles, both in military and civilian capacities, to protect the nation’s maritime borders. He pointed out that women have been instrumental in the management of several major projects within the Coast Guard, including the new radar system designed to enhance Kuwait’s maritime security. One such project is being led by Farah Ibrahim, who is overseeing the implementation of the radar system, which will significantly improve the monitoring and security capabilities of Kuwait’s territorial waters. Notably, 40 percent of the team involved in this critical project comprises women, highlighting the Coast Guard’s dedication to empowering women in both military and civilian roles. The radar system, which is expected to be fully operational within 16 months, aims to bolster efforts to protect Kuwait’s waters from illegal activities such as smuggling and unauthorized intrusions. The system will involve the construction of 12 new towers, complete with radar, cameras, communication devices, and new electronic navigation systems, marking a major advancement in the Coast Guard’s technological capabilities. Additionally, the project will include maintenance and training over the next 10 years, ensuring its long-term sustainability and effectiveness. Sheikh Mubarak also took the opportunity to commend the work of the General Department of Anti-Drug Control, with whom the Coast Guard has been working closely to combat the illegal trafficking of drugs into Kuwait. He explained that the Coast Guard has developed comprehensive plans and strategies to deal with security threats, and part of this includes the reorganization of its personnel to ensure a more effective response to illegal activities in Kuwait’s waters.

Voice Evacuation Systems Market to Grow by USD 1.1 Billion (2024-2028), Real Estate and Construction Boosts Growth, AI Impact on Trends - Technavio

Exciting times for AI enthusiasts: a new project -Ozak AI - recently announced the launch of its presale of its very own $OZ token, which’ll power its decentralized financial platform. The presale offers early participants the chance to purchase $OZ tokens at a starting price of $0.001, with a target price of $1. With AI in finance expected to boom at a whopping 28% CAGR between 2024 and 2032, now may be a great time to become a $OZ token holder. What You Get From The Ozak AI Token Presale 1. Early Access to Tokens: Secure $OZ tokens at a highly discounted rate before their value rises as demand grows. 2. A Chance to Win Big: Participate in the $1 million giveaway for a chance to become one of 100 lucky winners, each receiving a share of the prize. To enter, simply hold at least $100 worth of $OZ tokens. 3. Advanced AI Financial Insights: Gain access to Ozak's financial models designed to help you predict market trends, anticipate price movements, and manage risks more effectively. 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Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise prices, won't rule out revenge prosecutions

Kpando MP-Elect outlines vision for development based on three pillarsChristmas came early for Trump. Car companies and other top CEOs are rushing to donate millions of dollars to the president elect’s inauguration fund before Trump, 78, enters the Oval Office on Jan. 20 — with Toyota being the latest to hand over the cash. A rep for the Japan-based automotive manufacturer confirmed it had contributed $1 million to the fund in a statement to The Post on Christmas Eve. Toyota’s contribution came after Ford and General Motors both said they would also be shelling out $1 million for the incoming president’s fund, Reuters reported . Trump has floated a 25% tax on all imports coming from the Mexico, potentially hampering Toyota, which manufactures their Tacoma pickup truck there. The Republican also threatened during his 2024 campaign that he could slap up to a 200% tariff on cars coming from Mexico in an effort to protect American automobile manufacturing. The efforts to upend tax and trade policies when he gets to the White House has prompted even those who have sparred politically with the 45th president in the past to turn the other cheek. Companies that previously vowed to not support Political Action Committees (PACs) that disputed the 2020 election after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot are also pitching in with massive donations, per the Wall Street Journal , including, Intuit, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, AT&T and Stanley Black & Decker. Uber has given the largest donation, coming in at $2 million, per the Journal. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago. “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Tech CEOs have also been frolicking around Mar-a-Lago in recent weeks, hoping to cozy up before the 47th president’s term kicks in, as Trump has expressed interest in significant tech innovation alongside his confidant Elon Musk. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was spotted dining with Trump at the Florida estate earlier in December, and he wrote a $1 million check later to the inaugural fund. Bezos, who had previously spoken out against Trump, said he was “optimistic” about his second term in power. “I’m actually very optimistic this time around,” Bezos revealed at the the New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York earlier in December. “He seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation. If I can help do that, I’m going to help him,” Bezos said. “We do have too many regulations in this country.” Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg also gave the same amount after visiting Trump at Mar-a-Lago the month prior, and Open AI CEO Sam Altman was another billionaire who gave $1 million to the inauguration fund. “I want to get ideas from them,” Trump said of his conversations with business leaders. “Look, we want them to do well,” he said at the New York Stock Exchange after being deemed “person of the year.” Foreign companies have also gotten in on the action. Softbank, a Japanese investment holding company, announced it would be investing $100 billion in US tech projects during Trump’s administration, the once and future president unveiled in a press conference at Mar-a-Lago last week. Trump had previously promised to award companies that invest at least $1 billion “fully expedited approvals and permits” in the US. “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals. GET READY TO ROCK!!!” he said on Truth Social in early December.Michael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Julia Bradbury said she has become more focused on her health than she has ever been after “death looked her in the eyes”. The 54-year-old TV presenter revealed in 2021 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and later underwent a mastectomy during which her breast plus two lymph glands were removed before reconstruction took place. Bradbury has since stopped drinking alcohol and has changed the priorities in her life, but revealed she has received some pushback on social media from sharing her approach. She told The Times Weekend magazine: “I wasn’t close to death, but death looked me in the eyes. So I am more focused on my health than I ever have been. “I don’t drink, I eat a healthy diet and exercise every day. “When I came home from my mastectomy, I promised I would spend time outside every day, and that is my mantra, however poor it might be in this shitty winter.” Bradbury, who has since been given the all-clear, said a doctor recently helped her reframe how she utilises her energy. She recalled: “He said, ‘This drive that you have – you’re running on a credit card. You can push through all sorts of things. But is that the best thing for you?’. “I realised you don’t have to win every race. You don’t have to overcome everything. I don’t want to max out the credit card.” The presenter previously discussed her experience in an ITV documentary, Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me, which followed her as she came to terms with her diagnosis and prepared to undergo her single mastectomy. She also regularly shares her wellness and fitness tips with her more than 270,000 Instagram followers. However, she revealed she has had pushback from people saying, “I was healthy, I go to the gym, I got cancer, and now its metastasised and I’ve got secondary cancer. So are you blaming me for my illness?”. Responding to the accusations, she added: “No. All I’m saying is, this is what I went through. It was a wake-up call, and it made me look at life differently. “It made me prioritise my sleep, emotional health, and give more time to my loved ones. “If I drink more than four units of alcohol a week, my risk of reoccurrence goes up by 28%. But people find me giving up drinking infuriating.” Bradbury, who has a 13-year-old son Zephyr, and nine-year-old twins Xanthe and Zena, said having children later in life has caused her to not be as “patient” as she feels she should be at times after becoming more set in her own ways. “People think that after you’ve got a cancer diagnosis, you become this beautiful angel with a halo, and a super mum and do everything right”, she added. “But no, you make the same mistakes. I lose my temper, and I can hear myself saying things that I can’t believe I’m saying. “None of us know what we’re doing, really. We’re just doing our best. I know they do have lots of love. They are told that they’re loved every day.”ROSE BOWLShort Interest in Storebrand ASA (OTCMKTS:SREDF) Declines By 29.5%Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise prices, won't rule out revenge prosecutions

Five things to know about QB Brandon Allen, the 49ers’ starter against the Packers this weekendNoneBenzinga examined the prospects for many investors’ favorite stocks over the last week — here’s a look at some of our top stories. Major U.S. indexes ended the week higher, with the Dow up 0.4%, S&P 500 gaining 0.7%, and Nasdaq rising 0.8%, breaking a three-week decline streak. The S&P 500’s strong Christmas Eve performance fueled hopes for a “Santa Rally,” a historical trend showing gains 64 out of 96 years during December’s final week. Markets started recovering from the Fed’s hawkish rate cut signals but faced renewed volatility Friday, tempering Santa Rally expectations. Despite near-term uncertainty, 2024 remains exceptional, with the S&P 500 matching last year’s 24% gain and U.S. stocks outperforming global markets by the widest margin since 1997. Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week’s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look. The Bulls “ AMD And Micron Are Top Analyst Picks For AI And Next-Gen Tech Growth ,” by Anusuya Lahiri , highlights Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD being a top 2025 analyst’s pick for CPU/GPU momentum and AI edge opportunities, and Micron Technology, Inc. MU for its dominance in high-bandwidth memory. “ Dogecoin Whales Load Up Coins Worth $92 Million Over 4 Days As Meme King Outperforms Bitcoin, Ethereum In 2024 ,” by Shivdeep Dhaliwal , reports that whale investors acquired 270 million Dogecoin DOGE/USD , worth $92 million, over four days, boosting DOGE's 274% YTD rally, far outpacing Bitcoin BTC/USD and Ethereum ETH/USD gains of 132% and 53%, respectively. “ Quantum Computing Stock QUBT Soars 157% While Bitcoin Drops Post Google's ‘Willow’ Reveal ,” by Aniket Verma , highlights Quantum Computing Inc. QUBT surging after Google's “Willow” chip breakthrough, outperforming key indices, while Bitcoin faced a downturn amid concerns Willow’s quantum power could undermine cryptographic security. For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following: Top 7 Blue-Chip Stocks With The Best Return Potential Going Into 2025 GM’s $60,000 Cadillac Lyriq Was Its Best Selling EV In 2024 As Of Q3: Is Premium The Way To Go For EV Makers? Why Trump’s Return To Office Could Drive Gold Demand In 2025 The Bears “ MicroStrategy Sinks After Nasdaq 100 Inclusion: Bitcoin Bet Under Fire ,” by Piero Cingari , reports MicroStrategy Inc. MSTR shares dropping 8.5% after its Nasdaq 100 debut, as analysts question its $561 million Bitcoin purchase at a 12% premium to current levels, marking its smallest acquisition amid declining stock performance. “ Are Sub-$30,000 Cars Disappearing? Trump’s Tariff Plans Could Reshape US Auto Market ,” by Chris Katje , explores Donald Trump 's proposed 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports, potentially pushing the price of vehicles like Ford Motor Co. ‘s F Maverick and Honda Motor Co. ‘s HMC Civic above $30,000, with one-third of sub-$30,000 cars currently made in Mexico. “ Tesla Shorts Gordon Johnson And James Chanos Skeptical Of Robotaxi Potential Amid Usage Data Debate ,” by Kaustubh Bagalkote , details criticism from Gordon Johnson of GLJ Research and short-seller James Chanos , who argue Tesla Inc. ‘s TSLA robotaxi ambitions overpromise revenue potential, citing New York City ride-share data. For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts: Lyft Sues San Francisco Over $100 Million Tax Bill, Says Payments To Drivers By Passengers Misclassified US Markets Likely Headed For 10% Correction, Says Jay Woods: Trump’s Tariff Plans, Musk’s DOGE Advocacy Among Contributing Factors ‘Zelle Became A Gold Mine For Fraudsters’: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Lawsuit Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter . Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney. This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

PASADENA, Calif. — The Rose Bowl is the next stop on No. 1 Oregon's national championship quest. And Ohio State or Tennessee will be the Ducks' opponent in the 111th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All. Oregon (13-0) received the top seed in the first 12-team College Football Playoff on Sunday, sending the Ducks to celebrate the new year in Pasadena for the ninth time in school history as they continue to fight for their first national championship. But first, the eighth-seeded Buckeyes (10-2) and the ninth-seeded Volunteers (10-2) will meet in Columbus on Saturday, Dec. 21, to determine Oregon's opponent in the Rose Bowl Game, which is also a playoff quarterfinal. The first-round matchup pits a pair of college football powerhouses with little history together. The Volunteers beat the Buckeyes 20-14 in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 1996, in the schools' only previous meeting. People are also reading... Ohio State got home-field advantage despite missing out on a Big Ten title game date with Oregon after a humiliating 13-10 loss at home to Michigan last month. The Buckeyes also lost a 32-31 thriller to the Ducks in Eugene in October, but they might still get that rematch in California. Oregon is clearly the class of this jumbled college football season, finishing as the only undefeated team in the FBS and the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 after holding off Penn State 45-37 to win its first Big Ten championship. The Ducks' road to a title looks fairly daunting with two elite opponents vying for their quarterfinal shot, and social media filled up Sunday with fans and commentators bemoaning the relative difficulty of Oregon's path. The rough road doesn't bother Oregon coach Dan Lanning, however. "What an opportunity, right?" Lanning said on ESPN. "We focus on the things that you can control, and winning a national championship isn't supposed to be easy. If our path is a little bit tougher, kudos to us if we go through it and take care of business." For decades, the Rose Bowl cherished its position as a near-annual meeting of teams from the Big Ten and the West Coast conference most recently known as the Pac-12. The breakup of the Pac-12 and the permanent change in the Rose Bowl's postseason position happened simultaneously over the past year, throwing the bowl's future into flux. But Oregon's familiar presence in Pasadena next month will smooth that change significantly — and if the Ducks' opponent is Ohio State, the traditionalists will still get exactly what they crave out of this game anyway. Oregon and Ohio State met in the Rose Bowl in 1958 and again on Jan. 1, 2010, with Terrelle Pryor leading the Buckeyes to a 26-17 victory. Oregon is 4-4 in its previous trips to the Rose Bowl, and the modern Ducks have spent their holiday in Pasadena four times since 2010. They've won in their past three appearances in the Granddaddy, most recently beating Wisconsin 28-27 in Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's final game for his hometown school in 2020. Ohio State has made 16 previous appearances in the Rose Bowl, third-most in the game's history behind USC (34) and Michigan (21). The Buckeyes have won their last four games in Pasadena, most recently beating Washington in 2019 and Utah in 2022. A trip to Pasadena would be a treat for Tennessee's vast fan base. The Vols made two trips to the Rose Bowl during the 1940s, but they haven't been back there since 1945. Oregon and Tennessee have faced each other twice, with the Ducks winning both matchups in 2010 and in 2013. Be the first to know

ASIA-PACIFIC: Mixed economic signals from the Asia-Pacific region left markets in a state of flux on Friday, as investors digested a range of data from China and Japan, with notable developments in inflation and industrial profits. The trading session saw a return to action in Australia and New Zealand following the Boxing Day holiday, while markets across Asia reacted to a mix of economic reports. In a Sharecast news report, Swissquote Bank senior analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya summed up the sentiment: “Those glued to their screens, hoping for Santa’s arrival, were left disappointed.” Despite a mixed set of U.S. job data showing a rise in jobless claims—the highest in three years—there was no immediate boost for equity markets or dovish sentiment from the Federal Reserve. In China, equities saw some support after the government announced a massive fiscal stimulus plan, including the sale of a record 3 trillion yuan in special treasury bonds aimed at bolstering consumption and investment. However, economic data revealed ongoing struggles, with industrial profits down nearly 5% year-on-year and a major workforce contraction in the property sector, underscoring the bumpy road ahead for the country’s recovery. Nikkei soars while South Korea, and Hong Kong struggle Japan’s Nikkei 225 index surged 1.8%, closing at 40,281.16, with notable performances from companies like DeNA and Nidec Corporation, which jumped 15.58% and 4.14%, respectively. The Topix also gained 1.26%. China’s Shanghai Composite managed a slight uptick of 0.06%, closing at 3,400.14, while the Shenzhen Component dipped 0.13%. Stocks like Fujian Dongbai Group and Anyuan Coal Industry Group saw impressive gains, rising over 10%. In contrast, South Korea’s Kospi 100 fell 0.61%, dragged down by sharp losses in Korea Zinc and Samsung Securities. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also saw a minor dip of 0.04%, with declines in Zhongsheng Group, Nongfu Spring, and JD.com contributing to the lacklustre performance. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 managed a modest 0.5% rise, driven by strong performances from Mesoblast and Iperionx, while New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 outperformed with a 1% gain, buoyed by advances from Pacific Edge and Ryman Healthcare. Currency markets, oil prices show small moves In the currency markets, the U.S. dollar showed a mixed performance, slipping 0.16% against the yen to JPY 157.74 but gaining 0.14% against the Aussie to AUD 1.6097. The Kiwi fell slightly by 0.1%, trading at NZD 1.7765. Oil prices saw modest gains, with Brent crude futures up 0.76% to $73.82 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate rose 0.8% to $70.18. In economic news, China’s industrial profits fell at a reduced rate in November, declining 7.3% year-on-year—an improvement over October’s 10% drop. However, industrial profits were still on track for their steepest decline in over 20 years, reflecting persistent weaknesses in domestic consumption and a sluggish housing market. On a more optimistic note, the World Bank slightly revised China’s 2024 growth forecast upward to 4.9%, offering some hope for the year ahead, though the industrial sector remains in a tough spot. Meanwhile, Japan saw its core inflation accelerate to 2.4% in December, up from 2.2% in November, driven by sustained inflation in services. Factory output, however, fell in November, marking the first decline in three months, pointing to weak external demand. Japan’s labour market remained steady, with the jobless rate holding at 2.5%, but the broader economic outlook faces pressure as the government unveiled a record budget for the upcoming fiscal year. This ¥115.5 trillion budget, focused on debt servicing and social security costs, faces political hurdles as the ruling government lacks a parliamentary majority. Looking ahead As markets enter the final stretch of the year, the mixed economic data from China and Japan, coupled with ongoing inflation concerns, leaves investors uncertain about the direction of global recovery. With China’s road to recovery expected to be challenging and Japan’s inflationary pressures mounting, the region remains in a state of economic flux, with markets waiting for clearer signs in the new year.

The Atlanta Braves did not live up to expectations in 2024. With the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets both trying to land Juan Soto, the Braves may need to add a superstar of their own to help compete. While listing "emergency" signings the Braves can make if Soto lands in the National League East, FanSided's Christopher Kline urged the Braves to sign Houston Astros star Alex Bregman. "The best front offices in the MLB are creative. On the surface, Alex Bregman isn't a fit for Atlanta," wrote Kline. "He's a battle-tested third baseman and the Braves already have an All-Star at the hot corner in Austin Riley. Bregman has said he's open to playing second base, but that's Ozzie Albies' position. The Braves' star-studded infield, on the surface, negates the need for Bregman." Even if Bregman moves to second base, the Braves would need to move Ozzie Albies. Albies made 195 starts at shortstop as a minor league player before his debut. He only made 93 starts at second base before his debut. Playing shortstop in the big leagues is not easy, but signing Bregman and moving Albies to shortstop could do a lot for the Braves offense. Albies is an upgrade offensively over Orlando Arcia at shortstop. Bregman is a two-time All-Star and slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 home runs last season. Spotrac projects him to sign a four-year, $119 million deal in free agency. Signing Bregman would upgrade the Braves offense while also adding another superstar to keep pace with the Mets or Phillies if Juan Soto signs. More MLB: Mets urged to sign Dodgers 33 home run slugger in free agency blockbusterJohn Wayne Stock & Supply to host Hats + Art Exhibit

Broad Gains Follow Nvidia's Positive ReportReverend Franklin Graham on Saturday asked people to pray for Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson as he battles disease. “Would you join me in praying for Phil Robertson, his wife Miss Kay, and their family? Phil is having serious health issues, and his son Jase said he’s in quite a bit of pain and ‘unable to sit down and have a conversation,'” Graham wrote in a social media post. “I’ve appreciated Phil’s bold faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the way he points to the Word of God. Will you lift him up in prayer today?” he added: Would you join me in praying for Phil Robertson, his wife Miss Kay, and their family? Phil is having serious health... Posted by Franklin Graham on Saturday, December 7, 2024 Social media users immediately responded to the request with deep, heartfelt, and sincere prayers. “He has led millions to Jesus; praying for the entire family as they trudge this journey along side of Phil. One day God will call him home and say ‘Well done good and faithful servant, you may enter the kingdom!’ He is a true example of how God can redeem anyone,” one person commented . “Lord be with Phil. Give relief and comfort to him and the family. Thank you Father. Amen,” another user wrote , while someone else prayed , “Praying for complete healing and restoration! God Almighty heal this man! Just like You raised Lazarus! Restore his health completely! Be glorified just as you have done before! In the mighty name of JESUS! Add years to his life! I praise you now! I sing glory hallelujah!!! You are awesome you are mighty! You are our healer!!!” Phil Robertson/Facebook Robertson’s son, Jase, recently said his father had been diagnosed with the “early stages” of Alzheimer’s disease and doctors also believed he had some type of “blood disease,” Breitbart News reported Saturday. He added, “We’re trying to do a lot of things to try to figure out how to make him more comfortable, and maybe help with his memory. There’s a lot of different things that we’re doing.” In March, Robertson’s daughter-in-law, Korie, said thousands of people were baptized after viewing his story of addiction and redemption in the movie The Blind , per Breitbart News: “Phil said, from day one, ‘If it impacts one person, if one person changes their life and gives their life to Jesus, because of my story, because of the darkest parts of my story, I’ll do it. It’ll be worth it,'” Korie explained.

Lautaro Martinez ends goal drought as Inter keep pressure on Serie A leadersFormer sarpanch accuses Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s brothers of harassment, ends lifeAs we wind down 2024, certain crypto projects are drawing eyes with their inventive tactics and market strides. Recent Tron (TRX) news showcases AI enhancements, while Sui market analysis reveals its promising growth outlook. Moreover, the BlockDAG Network alliance with Inter Milan aims to boost its already sizeable base of over 170,000 holders by integrating blockchain with international sports. These developments not only highlight varied strategies but also underline the role of adoption and visibility in advancing the crypto market. From Tron’s push to ease the creation process, to Sui’s broadening applications and BlockDAG’s notable pre-sale achievements, each initiative provides essential insights into the blockchain environment. Yet, for those keen on trading and keen observations, BlockDAG’s progress marks it as one of the top crypto coins to watch closely in 2025. Tron (TRX) News: AI-Powered Innovation Unveiled Recent Tron news unveils the introduction of its inaugural AI agent on the Sun Pump platform. This cutting-edge function facilitates effortless generation of information and instant adjustments to parameters. The same Tron news also emphasizes a strategic partnership with Bitget, a premier crypto exchange, to broaden its ecosystem. The AI feature is designed to streamline the creation process and enhance user interactions. By integrating unique identifiers for each creation, the network boosts both usability and dependability. Following this Tron news, TRX saw a significant uptick in price, affirming its importance in today’s market. Sui Market Analysis: Can Sui Compete with the Big Names? Recent Sui market analysis indicates that this blockchain might soon contend with leading cryptocurrency entities. Despite some price fluctuations, Sui has shown growth throughout the year, with its total value locked having more than doubled since September. Experts praise Sui’s adoption of the Move programming language for easing blockchain development. Sui’s market analysis also highlights strong fundamentals like increasing adoption and strategic partnerships, such as its integration with USDC and an agreement with Revolut. Although current price trends indicate some instability, many traders view Sui as potentially undervalued. With a robust developer community and growing applications, Sui market analysis suggests significant potential for advancement in the upcoming year. BlockDAG and Inter Milan Spark Global Excitement The current collaboration with famed Italian soccer club Inter Milan has turned BlockDAG into one of the most intriguing crypto coins to watch. This alliance has elevated BlockDAG’s blockchain platform to global fame, exposing its advanced capabilities and potential for growth to millions of soccer enthusiasts around the world. This partnership is expected to boost the visibility and success of BlockDAG’s ongoing presale, which has already achieved impressive results, raising over $173 million and distributing over 17.5 billion coins. Now in its 26th batch, BDAG’s presale price is $0.0234. Early participants in the presale have enjoyed a ROI of 2240%, highlighting the project’s promising future. BlockDAG’s DAG technology enhances its blockchain with fast, scalable, and secure transactions, establishing it as a pioneer in blockchain technology. The network also supports a variety of applications across DeFi, gaming, and NFTs, offering extensive utility for developers and traders. The partnership, worth millions, not only gives fans unique blockchain-based interactions but also boosts BDAG presale dynamics and provides holders special VIP benefits. This alliance not only promotes advanced blockchain solutions with a well-known sports brand but also increases trader engagement and adoption. Over the coming weeks, it is anticipated to grow BlockDAG’s community of 170,000 holders, further enhancing its crypto presale success. Essential Crypto Coins to Keep an Eye On As we approach the end of the year, Tron (TRX) news, Sui market analysis, and BlockDAG’s strategic alliances underscore the transformative influence of blockchain, positioning them as the crypto coins to watch. Tron’s progression in AI technology simplifies processes, elevates user experiences, and marks continuous improvement within its network. Sui market analysis indicates consistent growth and broadening collaborations, showcasing its potential as a leading blockchain platform. Furthermore, BlockDAG’s collaboration with Inter Milan not only magnifies its presale achievements and global exposure but also integrates BlockDAG into the daily lives of countless soccer fans, enhancing its profile before the presale peaks. Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network Website: https://blockdag.network Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu

Martinez had gone eight matches since last finding the back of the net against Venezia on November 3 but after Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring in the 54th minute, the Argentina international struck in Sardinia. The Inter captain took his tally against Cagliari to 10 goals in as many games after 71 minutes before Hakan Calhanoglu capped an excellent night for the visitors from the penalty spot a few moments later. This moment >>> #ForzaInter #CagliariInter pic.twitter.com/aZwbAZvRVI — Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) December 28, 2024 Inter’s fifth-successive league victory led to them temporarily leapfrogging Atalanta, who reclaimed top spot but saw their lead cut to a single point following a 1-1 draw at Lazio. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side were grateful for a point in the end after falling behind to Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s first-half strike, only drawing level with two minutes remaining thanks to Marco Brescianini. Lautaro Valenti’s last-gasp strike condemned rock-bottom Monza to a 10th defeat in 18 matches as Parma edged a 2-1 victory, while Genoa defeated Empoli by the same scoreline.

CHINA is pressing ahead with plans to construct a mega-dam near its contested border with India, a colossal undertaking that could generate three times as much power as the Three Gorges Dam. The Chinese government approved the construction of “a hydropower project” in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, without giving more details. Previous reports indicated the dam would be the world’s biggest and require 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) of investment—making it one of the costliest infrastructure projects ever and likely a huge boon to Beijing’s efforts to revive growth. The dam could also become a source of renewed tension between China and India, as the Yarlung Tsangpo runs through the contested Arunachal Pradesh area and feeds into one of India’s major rivers. Ties between two nations have just stabilized after a four-year stalemate over a June 2020 border clash that killed some 20 Indian and at least four Chinese. The project would take at least a decade to build and require connecting to the grid further east as there’s “zero need” for this sort of energy supply in Tibet, said David Fishman, a Shanghai-based senior manager at the Lantau Group, an energy consulting firm. “It’s a massive engineering undertaking. The river itself has excellent hydropower resources,” he added. “Everybody downstream is going to be concerned about what it means if water flow is reduced. I know India is very anxious about it.” Beijing appears aware of the sensitivities. An article from 2020 asking whether a hydroproject on the river—known as the Brahmaputra in India—would wipe out Tibet’s last tigers was censored on messaging platform WeChat. By Friday, that link returned the message: “The content violated rules and cannot be seen.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment when contacted for further information. China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment on whether Beijing and Delhi had been in communication over the project. A colossal China-run dam on India’s doorstep would give Beijing influence over water flow into India, something leaders could use as leverage in times of political tensions. The two nations set up an exchange mechanism to manage such issues in 2006, and held a virtual meeting as recently as May 2022, according to China’s Ministry of Water Resources. Power pivot HYDRO is the second largest source of power generation in China, making up nearly 14 percent of the nation’s mix last year, according to data from BloombergNEF. But it’s growing at a slower pace than other power types. Global warming has extended droughts in China and unexpectedly cut hydropower output, leading to power crunches in water-rich provinces such as Sichuan and Yunnan. Analysts earlier saw damming the Yarlung Tsangpo as unlikely. Getting materials and workers to such a remote site would be enormously costly, as would stringing the power lines needed to get the electricity to market. Despite that, the government kept the door open. In 2020, a state media report cited the head of government-owned Power Construction Corporation of China saying the lower reaches of the river featured a huge gorge with potential for 70 gigawatt electricity generation capacity—more than triple that of Three Gorges Dam, which is the world’s largest. Environmentalists in China have long worried about the irreversible impact of dam constructions in the gorge, home to a national natural reserve declared in 2000 and one of the country’s top biodiversity hotspots. Bloomberg NewsGoogle Faces Major Antitrust Showdown: Chrome and Search Monopoly at Risk

Lead Plaintiff Deadline in The Toronto-Dominion Bank Class Action is Quickly Approaching – Contact Shareholder Rights Law Firm Robbins LLP for InformationWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.Legendary sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies at 78lucky 7 。

Mystery drones appear in US, FBI slammedFACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consentATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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The China Fund, Inc. Announces Date of Annual Meeting of StockholdersSocial media users are misrepresenting a , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont’s high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here’s a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents’ wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella’s suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella’s son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school’s assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court’s ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct” that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 on March 17, 2020. It is on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court’s ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn’t want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn’t say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court’s mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.”

EMPOLI, Italy (AP) — Scotland international Che Adams scored from almost the halfway line as Torino ended a run of poor form to win at Empoli 1-0 in Serie A on Friday. Adams replaced Antonio Sanabria in the 64th minute and made his mark almost immediately. With 70 gone, he spotted the Empoli goalkeeper off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from inside the center circle. The goal ended his personal eight-game drought in spectacular fashion, and will ease pressure on coach Paolo Vanoli. The Turin club was unbeaten in its first five league games and topped the table for a time. But it has won only one of 10 games since, back in late October. Friday’s win lifted Torino into 12th place, two places and three points behind Empoli. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

AP News Summary at 6:33 p.m. ESTFLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein will be activated from injured reserve and will play against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich announced Friday that Zuerlein is returning after missing seven games with a knee injury to his left, non-kicking leg. He had been shaky before the injury, but the Jets have since been unsettled at the position, with Riley Patterson, Spencer Shrader and Anders Carlson all filling in. “He came back, looked healthy, kicked the ball well this week,” Ulbrich said of Zuerlein. “So, he’ll be our guy going forward here.” Zuerlein is officially listed as questionable to play, but was a full participant the final two practices. Wide receiver Davante Adams is also questionable , but likely to play after participating on a limited basis Friday because of a hip ailment that held him out Thursday. Adams, acquired from Las Vegas in October, has 56 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns on 94 targets in nine games for the Jets. He’s 72 yards away from his fifth straight 1,000-yard season and sixth of his career. “I think at this point, it would be a crying shame to not be able to get that,” he said. Adams and Aaron Rodgers are also tied with Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton for the third-most TD connections (82), including playoffs, by a quarterback-wide receiver duo. Rodgers needs one touchdown pass to become the fifth player in NFL history to get 500 in the regular season — and Adams said he would “love” to be on the receiving end of the milestone. “I got 200, I got 400," he said of Rodgers' TD passes while they were teammates in Green Bay. “So it would be dope to get 500 as well. I think his 200th was my first, so we got some special connections in the past, so it'd be great.” Adams said he was injured early in the game against the Rams, but was still able to catch seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. He said he was optimistic about his chances of playing at Buffalo. “We’re still working on it,” Adams said. “We’re treating it, trying to get it right so we can hopefully be there and ready by game time.” Cornerback Sauce Gardner is also questionable with a hamstring injury that sidelined him in the second half of New York's loss to the Los Angeles Rams . Zuerlein, who re-signed with the Jets last offseason on a two-year deal, made just nine of 15 field goal attempts and missed one extra point in the first eight games this year. He had been one of the NFL's most consistently reliable kickers the previous two seasons with the Jets. Patterson kicked in one game after the Jets placed Zuerlein on IR. Shrader also kicked in one game before he was signed off the practice squad by Kansas City. Carlson had been the kicker the past five games, but missed a field goal and an extra point against the Rams and the Jets signed Greg Joseph to the practice squad to provide competition. Ulbrich said earlier in the week Zuerlein would also be in the mix after a long layoff. "I think sometimes that can be powerful, an opportunity just to take a deep breath, get his body healthy again and get a restart," Ulbrich said. “So I’m excited for him to do his thing these last two games and really demonstrate to everybody who he is as a kicker.” Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams could return after missing last week with a hamstring injury. He was listed as questionable and was limited at practice all week. Also questionable but expected to play are right tackle Morgan Moses (knee), safety Tony Adams (ankle), cornerback Michael Carter II (back), defensive end Haason Reddick (neck) and defensive lineman Braiden McGregor (ankle). Defensive tackle Leki Fotu was ruled out with a knee injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

It’s almost a new year, and that means it’s almost time for a bevy of new state laws to go into effect. For the 2023-24 legislative session that just wrapped up (each session spans two years) Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 1,017 bills into law, according to Chris Micheli, a veteran Sacramento lobbyist. That’s a tick more than one-fifth of t he 4,821 bills introduced over that two-year span . Most of the new laws are slated to kick in on Jan. 1. From new parking rules to health care coverage and more, here is a quick look at just 10 of those new laws: Cannabis cafes Local jurisdictions could give the green light to permit certain cannabis retailers to prepare and sell drinks and food that do not contain cannabis. The law, signed by the governor in late September , also allows the retailers to host ticketed live events on the premises. The idea is to pave the way for a version of Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, where people can use cannabis with others while also consuming coffee, sandwiches and live music, for example. The new law “will allow cannabis retailers to diversify their business and move away from the struggling and limited dispensary model,” Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat who championed the effort in the legislature, said in a news release . Newsom vetoed similar legislation last year over concerns from public health advocates. This bill included additional provisions meant to reduce health risk, including letting employees wear employer-provided masks and allowing local governments to require filtration and ventilation systems to prevent smoke from permeating nearby buildings. Child content creators Minors who make money by producing online content should get some extra financial protection as a result of two bills the governor signed this year. One expands the Coogan Act , a longtime California law that requires parents to open a trust and set aside at least 15% of their child actor’s gross earnings. The new rules have been expanded to include “kidfluencers” — or, as the bill describes them, “child influences in paid online content or internet websites, social networks and social media” — as part of the creative or artistic services that would trigger a Coogan trust account. Another extends those financial protections to children who appear in vlogs, or video blogs. Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, noted the Coogan Act covers children under contract — not necessarily children who appear in their parents’ online content. This new law requires content creators to set aside a percentage of total gross earnings in a trust for the child (to be accessed when they become an adult) if the minor is in at least 30% of their content within a month. Education Several education bills were signed into law this year, ranging from rules to protect young people from being outed against their will to rules that require elementary schools to offer free menstruation products . Other new laws cover what is taught in the classroom, including a bipartisan measure that ensures students are being taught accurately how Native Americans in California were treated during the Gold Rush era and the Spanish colonization of California. “Classroom instruction about the Mission and Gold Rush periods fails to include the loss of life, enslavement, starvation, illness and violence inflicted upon California Native American people during those times,” said Assemblymember James Ramos, D-San Bernardino. “These historical omissions from the curriculum are misleading.” California public schools also will be required to teach Mendez v. Westminster , a landmark court case involving an Orange County family and local school districts that helped bring about the end of segregation laws in local schools around the country. E-bikes Selling a device, often called a “tuning kit,” that can modify the speed capability of an electric bicycle so that it is no longer defined as an e-bike will be prohibited . California law already has speed guidelines for e-bikes. For example, a Class 1 bike has a motor that kicks in when a rider is pedaling and tops out at 20 mph; a Class 3 motor is meant to stop at 28 mph, and those bikes include speedometers. Modifying the speed of e-bikes is already illegal and unsafe, Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, said in an analysis of her bill. The new law specifically bans the sale of products that can make the alterations. Eviction notices Tenants soon will have more time to respond to an eviction notice. California law originally dictated that a landlord could not file an eviction lawsuit until after serving their tenant with a three-day notice — which excludes Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays — to pay. Tenants then had five days after they were served to file their defense in court. If they failed to do so, a judge could award a default judgment to the landlord. The new law doubles those five day-windows to 10 days. Responding to eviction lawsuits is not necessarily a simple feat, supporters of the new law have argued , particularly for people struggling to pay their rent. Tenants need to obtain hard-to-find legal aid or an expensive attorney to complete their defense filing accurately, and then they have to find the means to travel to the courthouse. Fertility treatment Certain insurers must cover fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, in 2025. This law, which won’t take effect until July 2025 , will require large group health care service plans to cover up to three oocyte (egg) retrievals. It also prohibits health care service plans from imposing different conditions or coverage limitations on fertility medications or services. Sen. Caroline Manjivar, D-San Fernando Valley, said her bill being signed into law is “a triumph for the many Californians who have been denied a path toward family-building because of the financial barriers that come with fertility treatment, their relationship status or are blatantly discriminated against as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.” Medical debt Medical debt will no longer be shared with credit reporting agencies , meaning that debt will not show up on credit reports. That said, medical debts still must be paid. In her analysis of the bill Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, noted that the new rules doesn’t forgive medical debt or restrict the collection of it. Instead, she said, the new rules are meant to help “lift the credit scores of people who have been inaccurately and unfairly saddled with medical debts on their credit reports, opening opportunities for access to healthier financial products, better housing and more employment opportunities.” Online subscriptions A new law may make it easier to opt out of pesky automatic subscription renewals. Companies will now have to obtain the “express affirmative consent” to automatically renew subscriptions entered into after July 1, 2025. Consumers also will need to be sent annual reminders about automatic renewals, what the charges are, and information about how to cancel the service. Parking near crosswalks Think you’ve finally found an open parking spot? If it’s within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, then you may want to find a new spot. Starting in 2025, motorists could be ticketed for parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk — even if there is no sign posted. The no-parking zone decreases to 15 feet if there is a curb extension present, the law says. Newsom OK’d this law in 2023 — the bill is part of the two-year legislative session that ended in 2024 — and technically it already is in effect. However, the law only allowed jurisdictions to begin ticketing offenders starting Jan. 1, 2025. Youth in residential facilities Residential treatment facilities (also called short-term residential therapeutic programs) that provide services for minors, must report certain information to the child, their parent or guardian, and California’s Department of Social Services when seclusion or restraints are used. These facilities are allowed to use seclusion or restraints when staff believe the patient may be a danger to themselves or others, said Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, who championed this law. The new law mandates that children must be informed of their rights — including the right to contact state social service workers and the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson — within one day of seclusion or restraints being used. Those minors also must be given an oral and written description of the incident, including who approved the disciplinary actions and the rationale behind them. That written information must be given to Dept. of Social Services within seven days, leaving it up to the state to review and determine if any laws were potentially violated by using seclusion and restraints, therefore warranting an investigation. Beginning in 2026, the department will need to publicly post information about these incidents, so parents and guardians can be better informed about where they send their children. The effort to bring more transparency to what punishments are used in youth residential facilities was championed by actress and activist Paris Hilton, who has detailed the “continuous torture” she faced while attending a boarding school as a teenager. Hilton has championed similar laws in other states related to what’s been dubbed the troubled teen industry as well as at the federal level . “For too long, these facilities have operated without adequate oversight, leaving vulnerable youth at risk,” said Hilton. “After being abused in a California facility in my teens, it is validating to see California taking a stand to protect our youth, and I hope our state is the standard for transparency and accountability in these facilities moving forward.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has rubbished suggestions of a rift with Kevin De Bruyne, insisting he is “desperate” to have the playmaker back at his best. A number of prominent pundits, including former City defender and club ambassador Micah Richards, have questioned why the Belgium international has not been starting games amid the champions’ dramatic slump. City have not won in seven outings in all competitions – their worst run since 2008 – with De Bruyne featuring only as a substitute in the last five of those matches after recovering from a pelvic injury. The latest came with a 12-minute run-out in Sunday’s demoralising 2-0 defeat at Premier League leaders Liverpool, a result which left City 11 points off the pace and fifth in the table. Richards said on The Rest is Football podcast it appeared “there’s some sort of rift going on” between De Bruyne and Guardiola while former England striker Gary Lineker added: “It seems like all’s not well.” Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said he felt “something isn’t right” and fellow Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville, the ex-Manchester United right-back, described the situation as “unusual, bizarre, strange”. Guardiola, speaking at a press conference to preview his side’s clash with Nottingham Forest, responded on Tuesday. The Spaniard said: “People say I’ve got a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? No, I don’t want Kevin to play? “The guy who has the most talent in the final third, I don’t want it? I have a personal problem with him after nine years together? “He’s delivered to me the biggest success to this club, but he’s been five months injured (last season) and two months injured (this year). “He’s 33 years old. He needs time to find his best, like last season, step by step. He’ll try to do it and feel better. I’m desperate to have his best.” De Bruyne has not started since being forced off at half-time of City’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan on September 18, having picked up an injury in the previous game. Both the player and manager have spoken since of the pain he was in and the need to ease back into action, but his spell on the bench has been unexpectedly long. The resulting speculation has then been exacerbated because De Bruyne is in the final year of his contract but Guardiola maintains nothing untoward has occurred. He said: “I’d love to have the Kevin in his prime, 26 or 27. He would love it to – but he is not 26 or 27 any more. “He had injuries in the past, important and long ones. He is a guy who needs to be physically fit for his space and energy. You think I’m complaining? It’s normal, it’s nature. “He’s played in 10 or 11 seasons a lot of games and I know he is desperate to help us. He gives glimpses of brilliance that only he can have. “But, always I said, he himself will not solve our problems, like Erling (Haaland) won’t solve it himself. We attack and defend together. “We want the best players back. Hopefully step by step the confidence will come back and we’ll get the best of all of us.”

Ange Postecoglou fights on as Tottenham return to scene of Antonio Conte rantPremiere Weight Loss Partners with Concorde Health to Launch Comprehensive Weight Loss and Lifestyle Management ProgramGreat businesses rarely go on sale. But one fintech stock that I have followed for years just experienced a sudden correction. Give your portfolio an early gift by investing in this quality business before the holidays hit. Nu Holdings is a growth machine backed by Warren Buffett I've been a big fan of Nu Holdings ( NU 0.58% ) since its initial public offering in 2021. And I'm not alone in my fandom. Warren Buffett has picked up more than $1 billion in shares, a stake that he has refused to trim even as the stock price skyrocketed by more than 200% since mid-2022. What do I love most about Nu? It has developed a proven recipe for growth that should be sustained for years, if not decades to come. More than a decade ago, Nu's founders realized that Latin America's banking industry was primed for new competition. At the time, the banking industry was largely consolidated, with minimal innovation despite the advent of new technologies like the internet and smartphones. What the company decided to do was a novel break from tradition, at least for a Latin American financial services business. Instead of opening a bunch of physical branches, Nu went directly to consumers through a smartphone app. While this was fairly common at the time in more developed markets, the strategy was wholly unique in Latin America. By offering its services directly through a smartphone, Nu was able to lower costs for most conventional financial services like debit and credit cards, banking and checking accounts, and basic investment accounts. This reduction in fees, plus ease of access, allowed it to grow quickly. But there was another major advantage to this strategy: Nu could innovate far more nimbly than the competition. At the push of a button, it could activate a new product or service for millions of customers. Clearly these factors were in demand by Latin American residents. The company went from zero customers to 109 million as of the most recent quarter. And with more than 650 million residents across the entirety of Latin America, the company has plenty of room for long-term growth. The discount on this fintech stock may not last long Nu has become a growth machine, and its stock price has risen consistently due to that reality. But even growth superstars like this temporarily go on sale. Over the last few weeks, shares have fallen in value by nearly 25%. What was the cause? In mid-November, the company reported blockbuster earnings. But sales growth was below historical norms, while certain profitability metrics compressed. Then this week, an analyst from Citigroup cut his rating on Nu stock to a sell from neutral with a price target of $11, down from $14.60. While the analyst noted Nu's "impressive capacity" to grow, he thought that the latest run-up was an opportunity to take profits. There's no doubt that shares were expensive in mid-November when they set all-time highs. Nu was trading at more than 10 times sales, and more than 40 times profits. That's a steep price to pay for a bank stock. But this isn't any ordinary bank stock -- this a fintech business, capable of growing rapidly with impressive economies of scale. For example, the company just turned profitable in 2023, and already its shares trade at just 33 times earnings after the correction. On a forward basis, shares trade at less than 28 times expected earnings. NU PS ratio, data by YCharts. PS = price to sales; PE = price to earnings. Did Nu's valuation get a little out of hand last month? Perhaps. But this is a business built for the next century, not just the next few years. Getting a small discount on a fantastic business that can grow for the rest of your life is an opportunity too good to pass up. Analysts are often concerned with short-term price movements. But long-term investors should use these short-term movements to their advantage. Nu' Holdings' recent quarter wasn't up to its usual standard, but everything is still headed in the right direction from a macro perspective. While the latest correction may have been warranted on a short-term basis, don't expect the discount to last through the holidays -- this is too good a bargain to pass up for patient investors.

Ange Postecoglou fights on as Tottenham return to scene of Antonio Conte rantNone

A number of prominent pundits, including former City defender and club ambassador Micah Richards, have questioned why the Belgium international has not been starting games amid the champions’ dramatic slump. City have not won in seven outings in all competitions – their worst run since 2008 – with De Bruyne featuring only as a substitute in the last five of those matches after recovering from a pelvic injury. The latest came with a 12-minute run-out in Sunday’s demoralising 2-0 defeat at Premier League leaders Liverpool, a result which left City 11 points off the pace and fifth in the table. Richards said on The Rest is Football podcast it appeared “there’s some sort of rift going on” between De Bruyne and Guardiola while former England striker Gary Lineker added: “It seems like all’s not well.” Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said he felt “something isn’t right” and fellow Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville, the ex-Manchester United right-back, described the situation as “unusual, bizarre, strange”. Guardiola, speaking at a press conference to preview his side’s clash with Nottingham Forest, responded on Tuesday. The Spaniard said: “People say I’ve got a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? No, I don’t want Kevin to play? “The guy who has the most talent in the final third, I don’t want it? I have a personal problem with him after nine years together? “He’s delivered to me the biggest success to this club, but he’s been five months injured (last season) and two months injured (this year). “He’s 33 years old. He needs time to find his best, like last season, step by step. He’ll try to do it and feel better. I’m desperate to have his best.” De Bruyne has not started since being forced off at half-time of City’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan on September 18, having picked up an injury in the previous game. Both the player and manager have spoken since of the pain he was in and the need to ease back into action, but his spell on the bench has been unexpectedly long. The resulting speculation has then been exacerbated because De Bruyne is in the final year of his contract but Guardiola maintains nothing untoward has occurred. He said: “I’d love to have the Kevin in his prime, 26 or 27. He would love it to – but he is not 26 or 27 any more. “He had injuries in the past, important and long ones. He is a guy who needs to be physically fit for his space and energy. You think I’m complaining? It’s normal, it’s nature. “He’s played in 10 or 11 seasons a lot of games and I know he is desperate to help us. He gives glimpses of brilliance that only he can have. “But, always I said, he himself will not solve our problems, like Erling (Haaland) won’t solve it himself. We attack and defend together. “We want the best players back. Hopefully step by step the confidence will come back and we’ll get the best of all of us.”Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’Conte’s last public act as Spurs head coach after a 3-3 draw at St Mary’s in 2023 was to launch a furious tirade against his own “selfish” players who he claimed “don’t want to play under pressure” before he seemed to turn on the board as he questioned the club’s ongoing trophy drought. Eight days later Conte had left Tottenham by mutual consent after a whirlwind 16-month period, with Postecoglou his eventual permanent successor. A post shared by Antonio Conte (@antonioconte) Postecoglou has been in charge of the Premier League club for two months longer than the Italian, but managed 12 fewer matches and is currently in the middle of an injury crisis which has resulted in a drop in form, with Spurs only able to claim one victory from their last eight fixtures. However, when Postecoglou was asked if he would jump ship in the wake of making remarks like Conte did in March, 2023, he said: “Look, I don’t think it’s fair to comment. “Antonio is a world-class manager and has his own way of doing things, his own reasons for doing that. “I am here, I am in for the fight. I am in a fight, for sure. For better or worse I am not going anywhere at the moment because everything is still in my power and my responsibility. “I still have a real desire to get us through this stage so that people see what is on the other side. My resolve and determination hasn’t wavered one little bit. “I love a fight, I love a scrap, I love being in the middle of a storm when everyone doubts because I know what it is on the other side if you get through it. My job is to get through it.” Postecoglou was Celtic boss when Conte’s extraordinary 10-minute press conference made waves around the world, but acknowledged being aware of his predecessors’ comments and attempted to explain the psyche behind why a manager would make such a move. “I was on Planet Earth at that time, and yes I was well aware of it,” Postecoglou smiled. “I think you know when a manager gets to that point that there’s obviously some underlying issues. “I think most of the time when managers do that they’re trying to get a reaction, trying to get some sort of impact on the team. “In difficult moments, what you want from your leaders is action rather than inaction of just letting things drift along. He did it to try and get a positive impact on the group, one way or another. We’ve all been in that situation as a manager where you feel this is time to send a message.” Postecoglou sent out his own message on Thursday after a 1-1 draw away to Rangers when he insisted Timo Werner’s display “wasn’t acceptable” at Ibrox. Werner was replaced at half-time following an error-strewn performance, but was not alone in being below-par in Glasgow. A day later Postecoglou explained how with Spurs missing several key first-teamers, the onus is on their fit senior players to deliver a level of application and commitment – and admitted Werner will be required at St Mary’s on Sunday. “I’ve got no choice. Who else am I going to play? I’m pulling kids out of school, I literally am,” Postecoglou mentioned in reference to 16-year-old duo Malachi Hardy and Luca Williams-Barnett, who have recently made the bench. “That was the reasoning for me pointing it out last night. We need Timo. We need all of them. “In normal times if you have a poor game, there’s a price to pay. It doesn’t exist right now. We need everybody we’ve got.”

When Gov. Jim Justice took office, West Virginia was grappling with a series of state budget cuts and mounting concerns about the future. The state’s outlook seemed to mirror the decline of what many believed to be its most vital natural resource: Coal. But coal isn’t what makes West Virginia special. It’s the state’s natural beauty — and most importantly, its people. A resilient group, West Virginians have repeatedly proven their hard work, motivation and kindness. They are a generous community committed to faith, family, country, and their beloved Mountain State. Justice understands that. He has seen it, supported it, and lived it. As one of the state’s wealthiest individuals, Justice doesn’t shy away from hard work. His family business empire stands as a testament to the power of skill and dedication. Initially convinced to run for governor as a Democrat, Justice brought his entrepreneurial mindset — and salesmanship — to the Governor’s Office. He remained true to his ideals, even switching back to the Republican Party when he believed it was necessary to achieve the state’s goals. As his term nears its final two weeks, Justice has chosen to complete his time as governor before transitioning to his next role as U.S. senator. Measuring the full impact of the Justice administration is no easy task. Most notably, state leaders no longer scramble every few months to address budget deficits. Instead, they focus on managing record budget surpluses, cutting taxes for residents and businesses, and investing in the state’s future. Justice has ensured the state’s financial success benefits its people. With the state’s coffers amply stocked, he has prioritized pay raises for state workers, securing five during his term and urging the next governor to plan for a sixth. He has also tackled critical workforce shortages, particularly in high-stress areas like child protective services and corrections. By working with lawmakers to increase salaries in these sectors, Justice has helped stabilize essential services. The governor’s investments extend to long-term initiatives. His commitment to tourism funding has attracted more visitors to the state, boosting tax revenues and fueling improvements in state parks and the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Justice has been a proponent of diversified energy development. While supporting the coal and natural gas industries, he has also positioned West Virginia as a leader in solar, wind and nuclear energy. In education, Justice has focused on creating pathways to success for West Virginia’s youth. Whether through public schools, higher education or technical training, his administration has supported innovative programs like Communities in Schools and Friends with Paws therapy dogs, championed by first lady Cathy Justice. These initiatives aim to provide a safety net for children lacking stability at home. Justice’s tenure also included navigating the pandemic. Balancing public health, economic concerns and education was a significant challenge, but he successfully brought together medical experts, state leaders and the West Virginia National Guard to guide the state through the crisis. As Justice prepares for his next chapter, many West Virginians reflect on his tenure with gratitude. Easily elected to the U.S. Senate, Justice remains one of the state’s most popular political figures. The people of West Virginia have found they can trust “Big Jim,” a successful businessman who brought his expertise to public service. West Virginia — and its people — are better for his leadership. Time will only further underscore the impact of his contributions.Fight Back Against Moss Growth With Choice Home Commercial Services 12-27-2024 09:58 PM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: ABNewswire Houston, TX - It is already difficult enough to maintain home exteriors due to the accumulation of dirt, dead insects, and other unsightly forms of debris. However, having to wage war against rapidly spreading moss only exacerbates the problem. The main source of the frustration stems from the fact that moss can quickly return if it is not eliminated in full. So, what are the best practices when fighting against moss, and other organic substances, at your residential property? Choice Home Commercial Services, [ https://choicehomecommercial.com/ ] a local pressure washing [ https://www.choicehomecommercial.com/pressure-washing-company-in-league-city-tx/ ] business that takes on this sort of work daily, outlines the causes of the problem-as well as the solutions-below. The Impact of Houston's Climate on Home Exteriors While it is true that moss grows all across the country, the effect of Houston's climate on this process cannot be ignored. Houston, as well as the state of Texas as a whole, is known for hot, humid springs and summers. This overall humidity encourages the growth of moss, as it needs moisture to sprout. In other words, it is not uncommon for moss to flourish on home exteriors whenever the warm seasons roll around. The frequent rainfall that comes with spring does not help with this predicament, either. What sorts of surfaces does moss tend to take root in? Areas that receive shade are more likely to be seized by moss, but in truth, this undesirable growth is not picky. It has been known to grow on driveways, outside walls, decks, and even rooftops. In all of these places, moss will degrade the surfaces over time, boring into them with roots and worsening the risk of moisture damage. The Benefits of Pressure Washing For Homeowners Homeowners should consider pressure washing because it is a highly effective way of eliminating moss on their property's exterior surfaces. Pressure washing uses jets of pressurized water to remove debris from materials such as wood, concrete, metal, and more. This work is done with pumps and hoses, and while some people choose to DIY their pressure washing projects, others schedule professional pressure washing from Choice Home Commercial Services. There are two primary benefits of pressure washing surfaces that are covered with dirt, moss, and other unwanted debris. For one, pressure washing improves the visual appearance of the surfaces, as they will look much better when they are not dirty. Secondly, surfaces that are clean are less likely to be damaged by debris-related erosion. For instance, moss roots into surfaces and allows moisture to pierce through. This magnifies the risk of surface damage. Choice Home Commercial Services helps residential and commercial property owners avoid this damage as well as expensive repair bills. Timing and Tips For Effective Pressure Washing in Houston, TX With the right techniques, pressure washing is a highly effective way of removing moss, algae, dirt, and other substances from a property's exterior surfaces. Choice Home Commercial Services has provided some tips to help streamline the process: * Use the Correct Water Pressure. Different materials have different limits regarding how much water pressure they can withstand. For example, concrete can be treated with more water pressure than vinyl. Know these limits before beginning a project. * Consider Treatment Chemicals. Powerful treatment chemicals can make the difference between mostly clean surfaces and totally clean surfaces. To illustrate this point, zinc powder can be used to kill moss and speed up the process of removing it. * Wear Safety Gear. Pressurized water is a tool just as much as a buzzsaw or welding torch is. Because of this, it is important to wear safety gear when using it. This safety gear includes eyewear, earplugs, and gloves. * Consider Professional Services. When there is no time in your schedule for do-it-yourself pressure washing, it may be best to schedule an appointment with a professional pressure washing business such as Choice Home Commercial Services. About Choice Home Commercial Services Choice Home Commercial Services has over eight years of pressure washing experience and is always proud to serve residential and commercial clients. When scheduling an appointment with the company, locals can expect their surfaces to be made completely clean without having to do any physical labor for themselves. Choice Home Commercial Services provides pressure washing and exterior cleaning services in Houston, TX [ https://maps.app.goo.gl/9bwotM8McLZ629Km7 ] and many other nearby locations. For more information about Choice Home Commercial Services, visit their website [ https://choicehomecommercial.com/ ] or call (713) 681-1800. Media Contact Company Name: Choice Home Commercial Services Contact Person: Larry Benham Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=fight-back-against-moss-growth-with-choice-home-commercial-services ] Phone: (713) 681-1800 City: Houston State: Texas Country: United States Website: https://www.choicehomecommercial.com/ This release was published on openPR.C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945 The prospectus supplement, the corresponding base shelf prospectus and any amendment thereto in connection with this offering will be accessible through SEDAR+ within two business days. TORONTO , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Financial Corporation (" MFC ") announced today that it intends to issue $1 billion principal amount of 4.064% fixed/floating subordinated debentures due December 6 , 2034 (the " Debentures "). MFC intends to file a prospectus supplement to its existing base shelf prospectus in respect of this issue. The Debentures will bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.064% until December 6, 2029 and thereafter at a rate of 1.25% over Daily Compounded CORRA. The Debentures mature on December 6, 2034 . Subject to prior regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the Debentures, in whole or in part, on or after December 6, 2029 at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption. The Debentures will constitute subordinated indebtedness, ranking equally and rateably with all other subordinated indebtedness of MFC from time to time issued and outstanding (other than subordinated indebtedness which has been further subordinated in accordance with its terms). The offering is being done on a best efforts agency basis by a syndicate co-led by RBC Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets and Scotiabank. The offering is expected to close on December 6, 2024 . MFC intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Debentures for general corporate purposes, including investment in subsidiaries and potential future redemptions of existing securities. The Debentures have not been and will not be registered in the United States under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act "), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities in the United States and any public offering of the securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus. Access to the prospectus supplement, the corresponding base shelf prospectus and any amendment thereto in connection with the offering of the Debentures is provided in accordance with securities legislation relating to procedures for providing access to a prospectus supplement, a base shelf prospectus and any amendment thereto. The prospectus supplement, the corresponding base shelf prospectus and any amendment thereto in connection with the offering will be accessible within two business days at www.sedarplus.ca . An electronic or paper copy of the prospectus supplement, the corresponding base shelf prospectus and any amendment to the documents may be obtained, without charge, from RBC Capital Markets by email at torontosyndicate@rbccm.com or phone at 416-842-6311, CIBC Capital Markets by email at mailbox.cibcdebtsyndication@cibc.com or phone at 416-594-8515 or Scotiabank by email at syndicate.toronto@scotiabank.com or phone at 416-863-7438. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada , we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada , Asia , and Europe , and primarily as John Hancock in the United States . Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto , New York , and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong . Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/manulife-announces-subordinated-debenture-issue-302321737.html SOURCE Manulife Financial CorporationRuben Amorim issues storm warning after smooth start with Manchester United

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In conclusion, Lauro Martinez may have been overlooked for the Double Crown and Golden Boot awards, but his talent and contributions to the game speak for themselves. As he continues to impress with his performances on the field, it is only a matter of time before he receives the recognition and accolades he truly deserves. Let us not forget the name Lauro Martinez - a player whose star is surely on the rise.As we eagerly anticipate the official unveiling of the next season's away kit, one thing is clear – the Barcelona x Kobe Bryant collaboration represents a powerful fusion of sports, art, and innovation that will continue to inspire and unite fans around the world. So, which design do you prefer? The black and gold, the gray and purple, or the colorful mix of blue, red, and yellow? Let the debate begin.

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Lautaro Martinez ended a near two-month goal drought as Inter Milan closed to within one point of Serie A leaders Atalanta by sweeping aside Cagliari 3-0. Martinez had gone eight matches since last finding the back of the net against Venezia on November 3 but after Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring in the 54th minute, the Argentina international struck in Sardinia. The Inter captain took his tally against Cagliari to 10 goals in as many games after 71 minutes before Hakan Calhanoglu capped an excellent night for the visitors from the penalty spot a few moments later. This moment >>> #ForzaInter #CagliariInter pic.twitter.com/aZwbAZvRVI — Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) December 28, 2024 Inter’s fifth-successive league victory led to them temporarily leapfrogging Atalanta, who reclaimed top spot but saw their lead cut to a single point following a 1-1 draw at Lazio. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side were grateful for a point in the end after falling behind to Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s first-half strike, only drawing level with two minutes remaining thanks to Marco Brescianini. Lautaro Valenti’s last-gasp strike condemned rock-bottom Monza to a 10th defeat in 18 matches as Parma edged a 2-1 victory, while Genoa defeated Empoli by the same scoreline.

Syrian Opposition Seizes Opportunity, Turkey Turns a Blind Eye?NoneThe chance meeting took place in a coffee shop located in a bustling district of Beijing. Zhao Liying, who is known for her protective nature when it comes to her private life, had taken her son along for the outing. Unbeknownst to the public, she had arranged to meet Lin Gengxin in a carefully planned manner to ensure their gathering remained low-key.

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“Are you guys chefs or something?” It’s a question Oliver Poilevey, Marcos Ascencio and Alex Martinez get asked a lot when they tailgate at Bears home games. They hear it while setting up their butane burners and putting the blue-and-white tablecloths on their folding tables. They hear it when doing prep work. And they definitely hear it once the various dishes — seafood paella, truffle-topped soft scrambled eggs and brioche French toast with foie gras, for example — are ready and shared with those fortunate to be nearby. No surprise then that the answer is a resounding yes. Poilevey is chef/partner at Le Bouchon, Obelix, Mariscos San Pedro and Taqueria Chingon; Ascencio is chef/partner at Mariscos and Chingon; and Martinez is chef/partner at Mariscos. ( Taqueria Chingon ‘s last day in Wicker Park is Nov. 26, but the search for a new location is underway.) Season ticket holders for the last three years, the trio regularly bring their A-game to their tailgating at the 31st Street parking lot near Soldier Field — even if the Bears don’t bring theirs. Of the three, Poilevey is the biggest Bears fan and gets the most heartbroken over the team’s losses, while Ascencio and Martinez have learned to roll with the inevitable punches. Whether they’re doing a crawfish boil, steakhouse-style fare, or whatever the three conjure up, the menu planning often begins at the previous tailgate. “We’re constantly like, ‘Hey, what should we do next week?’” says Ascencio of the informal planning, which is sometimes influenced by the team the Bears are playing, or more often by what they have on hand at the restaurants. Poilevey admits having top-notch ingredients at their fingertips is a major advantage. For a recent tailgate, the plan was to do dishes that represented all their restaurants. At the end of one Saturday night’s service, the chefs gathered last-minute ingredients for the next day’s tailgate. A large plastic bin was stocked with steaks, duck breasts, caviar, cheese, butter and chorizo. Containers of various sauces, their names and dates clearly marked on blue masking tape, went into the bin too. “You don’t want to save too much of that stuff for the day of, especially if it’s a noon game,” Poilevey says. “You’re waking up at 7 a.m. after working the night before and you will forget something.” Alex Martinez says hello to an octopus while prepping in the kitchen at Mariscos San Pedro in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure the following day. Martinez and fellow chefs Oliver Poilevey and Marcos Asencio, who are Bears season ticket holders, tailgate at many of the team’s home games. Crispy octopus glazed with tare was on the menu at the game. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Chef Marcos Asencio works with chorizo to be used in a paella while prepping in the kitchen at Mariscos San Pedro in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure the following day. Asencio and fellow chefs Oliver Poilevey (cq) and Alex Martinez (cq), who are Bears season ticket holders, tailgate at many of the team’s home games. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Chef Marcos Asencio cuts up chorizo to be used in a paella while prepping in the kitchen, Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Chef Marcos Asencio organizes items to be used in a paella, Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure the next day. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Chef Marcos Asencio scans a cooler while prepping in the kitchen at Mariscos San Pedro ahead of his Chicago Bears tailgating adventure the next day. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Alex Martinez breaks eggs for a French scramble dish while prepping in the kitchen at Mariscos San Pedro on Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Alex Martinez uses an immersion blender to mix eggs and cream for a French scramble eggs dish while prepping in the kitchen at Mariscos San Pedro in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure the following day. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Alex Martinez says hello to an octopus while prepping in the kitchen at Mariscos San Pedro in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Nov. 9, 2024, ahead of a Chicago Bears tailgating adventure the following day. Martinez and fellow chefs Oliver Poilevey and Marcos Asencio, who are Bears season ticket holders, tailgate at many of the team’s home games. Crispy octopus glazed with tare was on the menu at the game. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Aiding in the preparation process is a ready-to-go kit that includes the basics — dubbed “the Bear essentials” — such as towels, knives, seasonings, wipes, cutting boards and utensils. Post-game, the kit goes back to one of the restaurants where items are cleaned and replaced as needed. An avid camper, Ascencio takes charge of the kit. Ideally, everything goes back in the box, except for that time when the salt didn’t (don’t ask). On game day, Ascencio typically arrives first as his SUV is packed with the equipment, kit and coolers. The unpacking of it resembles those circus clown cars with item after item endlessly coming out. Setup, on the other hand, looks like a race car pit change with each chef quickly organizing their respective stations. Conversation isn’t needed as they know exactly what to do. Ascencio lights the charcoal for the small Japanese grill and sets up the paella propane cooker, while Poilevey readies the snacks, such as freshly shucked oysters, pate en croute and raw tuna topped with salsa negra. “We like to have something to eat as we work,” says Poilevey, who’s also in charge of caviar bumps. “This man never leaves the house without caviar,” quips his girlfriend, Sonia Balzak. Freshly baked croissants and doughnuts grabbed from Obelix that morning are unboxed. Meanwhile, Martinez is warming up duck consommé, which will be paired with maitake mushrooms that Poilevey has thinly sliced and placed into cups for easy serving. Chicken stock for paella is warmed up on a second butane burner. Once it’s done, Martinez will get started on the soft scrambled eggs prepared in a bain-marie. Their handiwork hasn’t gone unnoticed. “You guys are fun to watch,” says Clarence Boot of Naperville, who, along with two friends, has been eyeing the chefs from their neighboring spot. “You guys are doing it right,” adds Dick Patton, also from Naperville. After the duck consommé is served — a paper cup is MacGyvered as a ladle as they forgot to bring one — Martinez gets to work on the torre de mariscos, think a multi-layered cake but with tuna, octopus, shrimp and scallops. The fish tower rests on a bed of red and green salsas and is topped with sliced avocado. Poilevey steps away from his station to help man the grill and lightly sears Wagyu steak, octopus and duck breasts. Those are topped simply with salt and sliced, making for tasty finger food. “Typically, we’re not trying to put together really complex dishes with a bunch of ingredients,” Poilevey says. “It’s more about really great product, cooked well and seasoned right.” Little by little friends and co-workers arrive, as do the Champagne splits, bottles of wine and beer. The tequila comes out later. “They all know we tailgate for home games and are invited,” Martinez says. Ascencio is now in full paella mode, methodically adding each ingredient to the large pan. There’s chorizo, mussels, shrimp, calamari and squid in addition to the rice. Chicken stock is added in waves. At 10:30 a.m., the finished product is topped with peas and drizzled with a spicy crema before being handed out to anyone who asks, including some who have gotten to know the trio from previous tailgates and search them out. “If you’re making something nice, bring enough to share,” Ascensio says. “Spreading love is what food and hospitality is about.” “Oh, paella, holy s−−−,” shouts a guy walking by. “That’s a work of art.” At the parking spot next door, Robert McClendon of Crown Point, Indiana, has been watching closely, sampling dishes here and there. Initially, he wasn’t so sure about the paella, but after trying it, he comes back for a heaping plate to bring home to his wife. “I’m glad we got parked next to them,” he says. Sharing their culinary knowledge is a big part of the chefs’ tailgating experience. “It’s not only about cooking and enjoying that but also educating too,” Martinez says. “We like to show people what we do and introduce them to new stuff.” An added bonus: Some of those folks end up visiting the restaurants. By 11 a.m. attention turns to cleanup. There is, after all, a Bears game to go to in case you forgot. Like other aspects of their tailgating, that has a system too. Early on, Ascencio sourced out where still-warm coals and garbage can be discarded, a process that’s been ongoing. Another tip? “I always tell people when they tailgate to clean as you go,” he says. Similar to setup, the breakdown is equally disciplined, although now those co-workers and friends help. Soon the only evidence of their tailgating is a small piece of octopus on the ground. Then they start their 30-minute trek to Soldier Field. So why would these chefs want to spend their day off once again cooking for others? “We don’t turn this off. It’s in our blood,” Poilevey says. “We’re chefs for a living because we love to cook and host and that carries over to all other aspects of our lives.” Lisa Shames is a freelance writer.Tranquil Waterside Residences rounds up the top 10 list, showcasing a tranquil waterfront living experience with views of the river and lush greenery. The project's emphasis on creating a serene and relaxing environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city has appealed to buyers looking for a peaceful refuge in Lianyungang.

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As Irving faced off against his teammates in grueling battles of skills and strategy, he displayed an unparalleled level of focus and determination. His smooth handles and signature moves left his opponents spinning in circles, while his sharpshooting from beyond the arc made him a scoring machine.Big Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's rise

Zhengzhou Reports Multiple People Feeling "Dizzy" in Bathing Centers: Suspected Carbon Monoxide PoisoningBayelsa State Government has restated its commitment to partner investors to make the state a hub for agricultural development. Governor Senator Douye Diri stated this on Thursday when he received Dr. Sonia Darracq of the France Embassy, who is the Regional Agricultural Counsellor for Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Nigeria, in Government House, Yenagoa. Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor noted that the government had already developed the A.S.S.U.R.E.D Agenda which is a comprehensive framework built on seven pillars. According to him, the first pillar of the agenda is hinged on Agricultural Revolution and Blue Economy which will focus on revolutionising the agricultural sector as part of the state’s development strategy. Senator Diri highlighted the four major crops where the state has a comparative advantage to include, rice, plantain, cassava, and aquaculture, stressing the need to collaborate with investors to enhance agricultural practices through advanced techniques and technologies. READ ALSO : Diri promises to leave infrastructure devt as legacy A statement signed by, Doubara Atasi, Media aide to the deputy governor, said the Governor expressed optimism that such effort will help to promote food security, and agro-business and boost the agricultural value chain in the state. He urged the Dr Darracq-led team to explore areas of collaboration with the state particularly where immediate success indicators could be achieved, noting that Bayelsa was ready to go into partnership to develop the agricultural sector with its competent team of government officials. Senator Diri, who described Bayelsa as a peaceful and hospitable state, said agriculture has the potential to facilitate industrialisation and called for investors that would help harness the state’s vast agricultural resources under its blue economy. In her remarks, Dr Sonia Darracq of the French Embassy said the team was in Bayelsa State to seek areas of partnership with the government in the development of the agricultural sector and technical education. Dr Darracq, who noted that they were also into developing agricultural business to make farming more attractive and lucrative, requested for the state government’s plans on agriculture, to enable the French Embassy to key into areas where necessary. “We are ready to learn from you. We will come to an agreement in principle on what we could do which we will report to the ambassador and let you know many financial technical tools that we have put up to date. “But before we do that, we need to know what your plans are and then we can build something together. We are happy to know that you already have a 5-year development plan for the agricultural sector,” she added. Shortly after the courtesy visit, Dr Darracq and her delegation inspected facilities at the Bayelsa Palm in Yenagoa, the state capital.

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The case against a P.E.I. teacher and school guidance counsellor has been adjourned in Charlottetown provincial court for the second time. Bethany Jean Toombs, 41, has been charged with sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference — all involving a minor. Toombs was listed as a guidance counsellor at East Wiltshire Intermediate School in Cornwall at the time the charges were laid. Her name has since been removed from the school's website. The Public Schools Branch has said it cannot comment on cases before the courts. However, the agency has told CBC News that it is co-operating fully with the investigation, and that it is procedure to place staff charged with such offences on leave. No information about the victim's identity or Toombs' connection to that person has been revealed in court. Even when it is, it cannot be shared in the media due to a publication ban put in place to protect the victim. Toombs is also facing a fourth charge of allowing a youth to use cannabis contrary to P.E.I.'s Cannabis Control Act. To date, Toombs has not entered a plea or specified whether she wants her case to continue in provincial court or go to the Supreme Court of P.E.I. The accused did not appear in court in person at her first appearance on Oct. 28 or at her second appearance Monday, but was represented by her lawyer Chris Montigny. RCMP laid charges against Toombs in September. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press) In both instances, Montigny told the court they were waiting on disclosure — the sharing of evidence used to build the case against Toombs — from the Crown before proceeding. On Monday, Crown attorney Chris White said there were some "technological impediments" in accessing some evidence collected but he said he believed it was being resolved. Toombs' next court appearance is Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. in Charlottetown provincial court, with Judge Nancy Orr presiding.

Stay Warm This Winter: Sams Gas Highlights the Importance of Reliable Propane Services in Central Florida 12-24-2024 12:38 AM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: ABNewswire Orlando, FL - December 23, 2024 - While Central Florida is known for its mild winters, the cooler months bring unique energy demands for homes and businesses. Sams Gas, a family-owned propane supplier serving the region since 1964, is reminding residents of the critical role propane plays in staying comfortable and efficient during the winter season. Propane is an essential energy source for home heating, water heating, and even outdoor activities like fire pits and patio heaters that let Floridians enjoy their outdoor spaces year-round. For businesses, propane ensures uninterrupted operations by powering equipment and providing reliable heat in colder weather. "At Sams Gas, we understand how important it is for our customers to have dependable energy solutions, especially during the winter months," said Joanna Sams of Sams Gas. "Propane is versatile, efficient, and perfect for maintaining comfort and productivity, no matter the temperature." Winter Propane Services by Sams Gas * Home Heating Solutions: Reliable propane delivery for furnaces, fireplaces, and space heaters to keep your family warm. * Water Heating: Propane-powered water heaters ensure hot water is always available, even on the coldest mornings. * Outdoor Living: Propane fuels patio heaters and fire pits, making outdoor gatherings enjoyable throughout winter. * Commercial Reliability: Bulk propane delivery and forklift cylinder services support businesses during high-demand seasons. Prepare Now for Winter Comfort Sams Gas offers flexible delivery options, tank refills, and expert advice to ensure your propane system is ready to handle winter's chill. Customers can also explore propane-powered tankless water heaters, an efficient solution to meet increased energy needs during the season. Why Propane? Propane is a clean, eco-friendly energy source that provides consistent performance and cost savings, making it a preferred choice for households and businesses alike. Don't wait for the temperatures to drop! Visit www.samsgas.com [ https://www.samsgas.com/ ] today to schedule your propane delivery or learn more about winter propane solutions. Stay warm and worry-free with Sams Gas. About Sams Gas Sams Gas is a family-owned propane supplier serving Central Florida since 1964. They offer residential and commercial propane services, including propane delivery, tank refills, and bulk supply. They also provide tankless water heaters, tank leasing, and safety guidance with a focus on reliable service across the Orlando area. Media Contact Company Name: Sams Gas Contact Person: Joanna Sams Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=stay-warm-this-winter-sams-gas-highlights-the-importance-of-reliable-propane-services-in-central-florida ] Phone: 407-855-1903 Address:8222 S Orange Ave City: Orlando State: Florida Country: United States Website: https://www.samsgas.com/ This release was published on openPR.Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, listed as questionable due to a shoulder issue, is expected to play Monday night against the visiting Baltimore Ravens, NFL Network reported. McConkey missed practice on Thursday and was limited on Friday and Saturday. Star linebacker Khalil Mack, who was questionable because of a groin injury and was a limited participant, also is expected to play, according to the report. The Chargers (7-3) made several moves Monday ahead of the game against the Ravens (7-4), placing tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) on injured reserve, activating cornerback Deane Leonard (hamstring) off IR, signing cornerback Eli Apple from the practice to the active squad, and elevating linebacker Caleb Murphy and safety Tony Jefferson for game day. McConkey, 23, has started nine of 10 games and has 43 receptions on 63 targets for 615 yards and four touchdowns. The Chargers drafted the 6-foot, 185-pound McConkey in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Georgia. Mack, 33, is a three-time first-team All-Pro, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He has started the nine games he has played and has 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks this season. For his career, Mack has 617 tackles, 106 sacks, 141 tackles for loss, 178 quarterback hits, three interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns -- 32 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries in 160 games (159 starts). He has played for the Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-21) and Chargers. Hurst, 31, has started two of seven games in his first season with the Chargers. He has seven receptions on 12 targets for 65 yards. A first-round pick (25th overall) by Baltimore in the 2018 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, Hurst has 202 receptions for 1,967 yards and 15 TDs in 86 games (41 starts) for the Ravens (2018-19), Atlanta Falcons (2020-21), Cincinnati Bengals (2022), Carolina Panthers (2023) and Chargers. Apple, 29, has two tackles in three games this season, his first with the Chargers. The 10th overall selection in the 2016 draft, Apple has 383 career tackles and six interceptions in 101 games (82 starts) for the New York Giants (2016-18), New Orleans Saints (2018-19), Panthers (2020), Bengals (2021-22), Miami Dolphins (2023) and Chargers. Leonard, who turned 25 last Tuesday, has four tackles in four games this season. His 21-day practice window on IR opened Wednesday. --Field Level MediaNEW YORK , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global AI in games market size is estimated to grow by USD 4.5 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 24.65% during the forecast period. Growing adoption of ar and vr games is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing emergence of cloud gaming. However, network latency in between games poses a challenge. Key market players include Alphabet Inc., Capcom Co. Ltd., Charisma Entertainment Ltd., COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD., Electronic Arts Inc., Konami Group Corp., Latitude, Microsoft Corp., NetEase Inc., Nintendo Co. Ltd., NVIDIA Corp., PrometheanAI Inc., Side Effects Software Inc., Sony Group Corp., Take Two Interactive Software Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd., Theai Inc., Ubisoft Entertainment SA, Unity Software Inc., and Vivendi SE. Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF AI In Games Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 24.65% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 4501.72 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 22.96 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 44% Key countries US, China, Japan, UK, and Germany Key companies profiled Alphabet Inc., Capcom Co. Ltd., Charisma Entertainment Ltd., COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD., Electronic Arts Inc., Konami Group Corp., Latitude, Microsoft Corp., NetEase Inc., Nintendo Co. Ltd., NVIDIA Corp., PrometheanAI Inc., Side Effects Software Inc., Sony Group Corp., Take Two Interactive Software Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd., Theai Inc., Ubisoft Entertainment SA, Unity Software Inc., and Vivendi SE Market Driver Cloud gaming's adoption is growing due to its accessibility and cost-effective structure. Grid computing enables streaming of high-quality games to devices via wired or wireless connections. Cloud gaming eliminates the need for expensive hardware and offers click-to-play simplicity. AI plays a crucial role in optimizing cloud costs and enhancing gaming experiences. The global AI in games market will benefit from this trend, with AI-driven techniques like auto-scaling and cost visualization helping businesses control expenses. The AI market in the games industry is experiencing significant growth. With the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), games have become more interactive and engaging. Real-time analytics and machine learning technologies are used to enhance the player experience. Two prominent AI applications are NPCs (Non-Player Characters) and predictive analytics. NPCs provide realistic and dynamic gameplay, while predictive analytics help players improve their performance. Companies are investing in AI to create and personalized gaming experiences. The use of cloud computing and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) enables the processing of large amounts of data in real-time. The future of AI in games is bright, with advancements in natural language processing and computer vision set to revolutionize the industry. Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution! • The AI in Games market experiences a major hurdle in the form of network latency. This delay between a player's action and the game server's response can negatively impact gameplay, particularly in multiplayer scenarios. Factors contributing to latency include internet connection quality, geographical distance, network infrastructure, player numbers, and server load. Despite its impact on market growth during the forecast period, efforts are ongoing to mitigate latency and enhance user experience. • In the rapidly growing AI in games market, developers face several challenges. They need to ensure that AI-powered gameforms are engaging and realistic, requiring complex programming and large datasets. Data collection and management is a significant challenge, as is ensuring that AI systems can adapt and learn in real-time. Additionally, integrating AI into existing game engines and ensuring compatibility with various platforms can be difficult. Furthermore, privacy concerns and ethical considerations must be addressed when implementing AI in games. Overall, the integration of AI in games presents numerous opportunities, but also requires careful planning and execution to overcome these challenges. Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now! This ai in games market report extensively covers market segmentation by Type 1.1 AI enabled platforms 1.2 AI enabled games Technology 2.1 Machine learning 2.2 Natural language processing 2.3 Computer vision 2.4 Robotics Geography 3.1 North America 3.2 APAC 3.3 Europe 3.4 South America 3.5 Middle East and Africa 1.1 AI enabled platforms- AI platforms in the gaming industry facilitate the development, deployment, and maintenance of deep learning and machine learning models. These tools enable faster and more accurate data analysis, prediction, and action-taking, enhancing game production. Companies like Microsoft and Alphabet AI lead this change, offering advanced graphics, real-time interactions, and player behavior insights. AI's impact on game immersion and realism, through ray tracing and AI-powered virtual characters, is driving market growth during the forecast period. Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics The AI in Games market is experiencing significant growth, with advancements in AI algorithms, machine learning, and deep learning driving innovation. Virtual and augmented reality technologies, such as Microsoft HoloLens 2, are integrating AI to provide experiences. AI-generated content, including 3D representations and image upscaling, is enhancing the gaming experience. Euphoria, a middleware system, is utilizing AI to create realistic character behaviors. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Battlefield V, Red Dead Redemption 2, and others are leveraging AI technologies, including neural networks and ray tracing, to deliver more engaging and predictive gameplay. Network latency is being addressed through AI-enabled platforms, while GPUs and CPUs continue to play crucial roles in powering 3D games. Data analysis and prediction are key applications of AI in gaming, providing personalized experiences for players. The AI in Games market refers to the integration of artificial intelligence technology in the development and creation of video games. This includes the use of machine learning algorithms for character behavior, non-player character interactions, and game design. AI in games can enhance the player experience by creating more realistic and dynamic game environments. It can also be used for game development tools, such as procedural content generation and game balancing. The use of AI in games is becoming increasingly popular, with many developers exploring its potential to create and engaging gaming experiences. The applications of AI in games span across various genres, from strategy and role-playing games to first-person shooters and sports simulations. The future of AI in games holds great promise, with advancements in technology expected to lead to even more sophisticated and interactive gaming experiences. 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Type AI Enabled Platforms AI Enabled Games Technology Machine Learning Natural Language Processing Computer Vision Robotics Geography North America APAC Europe South America Middle East And Africa 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ai-in-games-market-to-grow-by-usd-4-5-billion-from-2024-2028--fueled-by-rising-adoption-of-ar-and-vr-games-report-on-ai-driven-market-evolution---technavio-302325013.html SOURCE Technavio © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

DNY59 This article is part of a series that provides an ongoing analysis of the changes made to Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb’s 13F portfolio on a quarterly basis. It is based on their regulatory 13F Form filed on 11/14/2024. Please Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of GOOGL, META either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Octavio Brito poured in a game-high 27 points to be named the tournament Most Outstanding Player and the nationally No. 10 ranked Keene State College men's basketball team used a timely 15-2 run over a seven-minute stretch late in the second half to lock up No. 25 Williams College, eventually posting a 75-71 win over the Ephs at Chandler Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon as part of the Purple & Gold Classic. It was the first meeting between the sides since Dec. 7, 2011 and marked KSC's first win in Williamstown in five tries. "I thought our defense kept us in the game in the first half when we were missing some layups and shots weren't falling," said Owls head coach Steve Enright. "Our ball pressure disrupted their rhythm. In the second half we were able to make some threes and Spencer Aronson provided a big burst in the beginning and Mitch banged a timely one late to give us breathing room." The Owls finished with four in double-figures on this day, with Octavio Brito's 27-point, 15-rebound double-double (9-19 FG, 3-8 3-PT, 3 asst., 3 blk.) leading the way. Wesley Odiase added 14 points (4-6 FG, 6-8 FT) and three assists while Jean Baptiste had 12 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Spencer Aronson scored in double-figures for the second time in as many outings this season. He is 7-for-14 from three and 6-for-6 at the foul line overall. Through three games, KSC is shooting 81 percent (66-82) at the foul line and has 45 assists as a team to just 20 turnovers (opponents have 40 assists and 52 miscues). The Owls will host their long-awaited home opener two days after Thanksgiving, this Saturday (November 30) when they welcome the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (4-1) for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off. KSC has won three straight and four of six in the series.Stay Warm This Winter: Sams Gas Highlights the Importance of Reliable Propane Services in Central Florida

Rourke 2.0: Nathan’s brother Kurtis named NCAA’s top CanadianCare providers for developmentally disabled people ask Legislature for more payOracle Earnings, Revenue Fall Short of High Hopes

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The Indiana vs. Notre Dame matchup in the first round of the College Football Playoff is the most expensive ticket on StubHub, but it's Tennessee vs. Ohio State that's selling the fastest. StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said Monday that the game being hosted in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 21 has sold 34% more tickets than the game in South Bend, Indiana, on Dec. 20. “The expanded college football playoffs are seeing early high demand, especially as we see new teams enter the competition for the first time,” Budelli said. StubHub lists tickets for sale from official event organizers, but most of its offerings are from the resale market. Here's the ticket marketplace's average CFP first-round prices as of Monday evening: 1. Indiana at Notre Dame — $733 2. Clemson at Texas — $518 3. Tennessee at Ohio State — $413 4. SMU at Penn State — $271 ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Rams don't dominate, but they're rolling toward the playoffs with superb complementary footballThe agriculture visa for Pacific Island nationals has been a dismal failure from the beginning, resulting in exploitation bordering on slavery and even fatalities, writes Dr Abul Rizvi . THE SITUATION of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility ( P.A.L.M. ) visa goes from bad to worse, with government ministers continuing to deny the problems of employer exploitation, an extraordinary death/injury rate and huge numbers of P.A.L.M. workers running away from their sponsoring employers to apply for asylum. When Australia embarked on its first low-skill agriculture visa over a decade ago, I could not believe we were going to copy what every other nation with such a visa had experienced. Somehow, we were going to be so much cleverer with such a visa than every other nation where such visas have been a disaster. It was either pure arrogance or naivety — I am not sure which. Then in 2020-21, the Nationals’ David Littleproud announced broadening this Pacific Island visa to a demand-driven agriculture visa for ASEAN nations that he said would be up and running by Christmas 2021. The National Farmers’ Federation , which had been lobbying for such a visa for decades, was ecstatic. It would at last get the easily exploitable farmer labourers it always wanted. System fails to protect migrants — asylum applications soar Is the ongoing rise in asylum applications from Pacific Island nations a case of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shifting risks and costs to other agencies? At that time, I wrote that going down that path would forever change the character of Australia for the worse. I wrote about the range of risks associated with such visas. Not surprisingly, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ( DFAT ) dragged its feet in establishing agreements for this visa. Even DFAT could see the disaster such a visa would be (and it's usually DFAT that is the last to understand such risks). The new Labor Government abolished Littleproud’s agriculture visa (apart from allowing 1,000 agriculture visa workers from Vietnam due to an existing MOU). Australia had dodged a bullet. But it continued with a low-skill agriculture visa for Pacific Island nationals, presumably for regional security reasons. That has had appalling consequences. Exploitation Extreme exploitation of poor people with few English skills and little agency to demand better treatment from farmers was inevitable. A Senate Committee in early 2022 heard from Pacific Island workers that they were “being treated like slaves” . One Pacific Island worker said he was made to sign contracts in English – despite not understanding the language – and was not provided with an interpreter to understand the terms. He would end up earning $300 as his net pay after working 73 hours in one week. Another worker told the Committee that he ‘picked strawberries for 73 hours another week — and he earned only $100’ . Another worker said: “The way we are made to work through the heat of the sun or rain, without rest, we feel like we are being treated like slaves.” DFAT insists these are isolated incidents but has provided little evidence to back up this claim. A problem is the reportedly exorbitant deductions that are often made to pay for things like transport and accommodation. Visa system still leaving migrants jobless and homeless With record-sized growth in temporary entrants straining rental and job markets, Home Affairs must do more to help struggling migrants secure skilled jobs and permanent residency. Coalition Senator Matt Canavan criticised his own Government for operating a system that amounted to indentured labour. The Labor Government made changes to address some of the concerns. However, as recently as late 2024, AAP reports the scheme as a ‘breeding ground for slavery’ . It says: ‘Workers, who can't leave their employer without approval from the Employment Department, are sometimes left with as little as $100 to $200 a week due to bosses being allowed to take deductions from their wages.’ Between 2019 and 2024, the Fair Work Ombudsman conducted 228 investigations covering 1,937 Pacific Island workers recovering $760,000. But in all likelihood, this is the tip of the iceberg. The Immigration Advice and Rights Centre says ‘employers regularly threatened workers with deportation and some in Bundaberg didn't have basic living standards, which resulted in rough sleeping and needing to go to soup kitchens to eat. Most who left the scheme in NSW's Riverina region did so because of exploitation’ . The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Tomoya Obokata , found in November 2024 that the P.A.L.M. Scheme is a ‘a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery’ . East Timor President José Ramos-Horta criticised the scheme during a national address in Australia, alleging people were forced to pay $700 a week to live in a dormitory for eight people with bunk beds. Visa lottery: Solution in search of a problem A new lottery-style system for issuing permanent residency visas is a poorly-planned idea that will create its own share of problems. Death and injury rate As with similar schemes in Europe and North America, the P.A.L.M. Scheme has been plagued by an extraordinary death and injury rate. The Australia Institute has found more than 230 Pacific Island workers were seriously injured and 45 died in Australia between 2020 and 2023. That is in a visa with only around 30,000 people. A death/injury rate such as that for nationals from a rich Working Holiday Maker nation would result in outrage. According to data from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations ( DEWR ), as of June 30 2023, P.A.L.M. visa holder deaths more than quadrupled from 2021-2022 to 2022-23, with seven deaths and 29 deaths recorded respectively. While the increase would partly be related to the increased size of the Scheme, and the Government notes not all the deaths and injuries were workplace-related, the death and injury rate remains shocking. Albeit politically motivated, we held a Royal Commission when four Australians died as a result of the Government’s Pink Batts Scheme . A Queensland-based labour-hire company alone has had nine fatalities and 109 serious injuries during its participation in the scheme. This company has 15% of the P.A.L.M. workforce. Pacific Island Nationals seeking asylum The inevitable consequence of such appalling mistreatment is that P.A.L.M. workers are running away from their employers and applying for asylum in significant numbers. At the primary level, it is not unusual for Pacific Island nationals to comprise over 20% of every month’s asylum applications. In many months, more asylum claims are lodged by Pacific Island nationals than those from major visitor/student source nations such as China and India. These asylum claims are now increasingly making their way to the Administrative Review Tribunal ( A.R.T. ) (see Chart 1). (Data source: A.R.T. ) Due to the size of the A.R.T.’s asylum backlog, it can take many years for an asylum appeal to be considered. In that time, the asylum seeker must find another job to survive. As most Pacific Island asylum claims are eventually refused (well over 90% refusal rate), these people will eventually become undocumented migrants with no work rights and no access to any form of government support. Both major political parties continue to pay lip service to these issues. That may continue until a demagogue such as Donald Trump is elected to power in Australia to deal with this in the most harsh and inhumane way possible. Australia does not want to go there. We can deal with this in a sane and sensible manner if there is political determination to do so. Unfortunately, the politicisation of immigration policy makes that just about impossible. Dr Abul Rizvi is an Independent Australia columnist and a former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration. You can follow Abul on Twitter @ RizviAbul . This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA. POLITICS NEW AUSTRALIANS HUMAN RIGHTS ECONOMICS PALM SCHEME Pacific Australia Labour Mobility visa David Littleproud agriculture visa Auspol National Farmers Federation DFAT deaths exploitation Share ArticleTinubu’s tax reforms favourable to all states — Former FIRS Chairman Nami

Michail Antonio spoke to his West Ham team-mates via a video call from his hospital bed before they beat Wolves 2-1 on Monday night. Jarrod Bowen held Antonio’s number nine shirt aloft after scoring the winner in support of the Hammers striker, who is recovering after a horror car crash on Saturday. Boss Julen Lopetegui said: “He is not in his best moment but he kept his humour. It was a special moment for us. “I think we have a lot of reason to win matches but this was one reason more. He’s alive so we are happy.” MA9 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fXwtdSQWYE — West Ham United (@WestHam) December 9, 2024 West Ham players wore ‘Antonio 9′ shirts while warming up and walking out before kick-off. The shirts will be signed by the players, including Antonio, and auctioned off with the proceeds going to the NHS and Air Ambulances UK. Tomas Soucek headed West Ham into the lead and held up nine fingers to a TV camera. The Czech midfielder told Sky Sports: “He’s been here since I came here. He is really my favourite. I said it would be tough for me to play without him. "He was here since I came and he's really my favourite" Tomáš Souček on dedicating his goal to Michail Antonio ❤️ pic.twitter.com/smNy26wmuX — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 9, 2024 “I was so scared what was going to happen. It was a really tough week for him, his family and us.” Matt Doherty equalised for Wolves, and boss Gary O’Neil felt they should have had two penalties for fouls on Goncalo Guedes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, both of which were checked by VAR. But Bowen’s winner – O’Neil believed there was a foul in the build-up – condemned Wolves to a 10th defeat of the season and a third in a row. While under-pressure Lopetegui may have earned a stay of execution, O’Neil’s future as Wolves manager is now in serious doubt. “A lot of things went against us but ultimately we have not found a way to turn the game in our favour,” he said. “But the players showed they are still fighting for me, for the fans and the group. “Where does this leave me? In the same place I was. I’m aware of the noise. But if anyone expected this to be easy – I’m happy to be judged on results but it should be done in context. “Whenever this journey ends with Wolves I’ll be proud of it.” There was an acrimonious end to the match as captains Bowen and Mario Lemina scuffled after the final whistle, with the Wolves midfielder angrily shoving people including one of his own coaches, Shaun Derry. “I just went to shake his hand after the game,” Bowen said. “He didn’t want to shake my hand, two captains together just to say ‘well done’ after the game. “I know it’s difficult when you lose. I’ve been on the end of that situation.” O’Neil added: “Mario is calm now. He’s a passionate guy and something was said that upset him. “The instinct of the staff was to make sure he didn’t get into trouble, but he took some calming down.”

Biden gives life in prison to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates before Trump can resume executions WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row. He's converting their punishments to life imprisonment just weeks before Donald Trump, an outspoken proponent of expanding capital punishment, takes office. Biden says the commutations are consistent with a pause on executions put in place by his administration in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. Biden says he couldn't let a new administration resume executions. Trump has talked about subjecting drug dealers and human smugglers to the death penalty. A spokesperson for Trump said Biden's decision is “abhorrent" and a “slap in the face” to victims and their families. House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee has accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for sex, including once with a 17-year-old girl, and purchasing and using illicit drugs as a member of Congress. The 37-page report was released Monday by the bipartisan panel after a nearly four-year investigation that helped sink his nomination for attorney general. The report includes explicit details of sex-filled parties and vacations that Gaetz took part in while representing Florida in the House. Congressional investigators concluded that he violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office. Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and he filed a lawsuit Monday trying to block the report’s release. Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to murder and weapons charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO's death NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare has pleaded not guilty to murder and terror charges in a state case that will run parallel to his federal prosecution. The Manhattan district attorney formally charged Luigi Mangione last week with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism. Mangione's attorney complained during a brief hearing Monday that statements coming from New York’s mayor would make it tough for him to receive a fair trial. Mangione was shackled and seated in a Manhattan court when he leaned over to a microphone to enter his not guilty plea. Man faces murder charges in the death of a woman who was lit on fire in New York City subway A man is facing murder charges in New York City for allegedly setting a woman on fire inside a subway train and then watching her die after she was engulfed in flames. Police on Monday said the man, identified as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta, had been taken into custody as a person of interest in the case hours after the woman died. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Jeff Carter said he is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally after he had been previously removed in 2018. Transit police apprehended the man hours after the fatal fire. Middle East latest: Defense minister acknowledges Israel killed Hamas leader Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland, the ice-covered semi-autonomous Danish territory. That's added to the list of allied countries he’s picking fights with, even before taking office on Jan. 20. Greenland insists it's not for sale and Trump's initial calls to purchase it in 2019 came to nothing. But his latest suggestion comes after the president-elect suggested the U.S. could retake control of the Panama Canal and that Canadians wanted their county to become the 51st U.S. state. Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. Magdeburg mourns Christmas market attack victims as fears swirl of deeper German social divisions MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Mourners are laying flowers near the scene of the deadly Christmas market attack as investigators puzzle over the motive of the suspect and his previous encounters with authorities are scrutinized. At the same time there are fears that the rampage could deepen divisions in German society. A church a short walk from the scene of the attack has become a central place of mourning since the suspect drove a car into the busy market on Friday evening and killed five people. Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had received permanent residency. They say he doesn't fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. How faith communities can be welcoming of believers with disabilities this holiday season and beyond This holiday season, some religious congregations across the U.S. are holding events designed to be accommodating to and inclusive of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They range from a “Calm Christmas” in West Virginia to an inclusive Hanukkah in New Jersey. Many disabled people, advocates and families want more houses of worship to know that there are ways to fully incorporate and welcome people with these and other disabilities and their families — and not just during the holidays but year round. Tennessee and Auburn remain 1-2 in AP Top 25 poll featuring 10 SEC teams Tennessee and Auburn remained Nos. 1-2 atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. They were the headliners among the Southeastern Conference's haul of 10 ranked teams. Iowa State, Duke and Alabama rounded out the top five. Kentucky had the week's biggest fall, sliding six spots to No. 10 after a loss to Ohio State. Mississippi State, Arkansas, Illinois and Baylor rejoined the poll after stints in the rankings earlier this season. They replaced Memphis, Dayton, Michigan and Clemson. The Big 12 and Big Ten were tied for second with five teams each in the AP Top 25.S&P unveils new stocks added to the S&P 500 - TheStreet

Kyrie Irving had 32 points, six assists and seven rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Atlanta Hawks 129-119 on Monday night without star Luka Doncic. Jaden Hardy had a season-high 23 points in his first start of the season for Dallas, which has won five of six. Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie had 22 points each. Irving had 10 points at halftime after being stifled by Hawks guard Dyson Daniels but heated up in the second half, including a stretch where he hit five consecutive field goals. Doncic missed his third straight game with a right wrist strain. Jalen Johnson had 28 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who have lost four of five. Trae Young had 18 points and 16 assists.CDC Chief Urges Focus on Health Threats as Agency Confronts Political Changes

PEP GUARDIOLA will throw the ‘new Lionel Messi’ straight into Manchester City’s creaking squad next month. Argentine starlet Claudio Echeverri , 18, arrives from River Plate — a year after a £12million deal was completed. Advertisement 2 Pep Guardiola is taking drastic action to tackle Man City's plight Credit: Getty 2 Claudio Echeverri is arriving from Argentinians River Plate to help City Credit: Getty City agreed to let him stay in his homeland for another season while the South American giants hoped to keep him even longer. But boss Guardiola has decided he wants to be able to call upon the attacking midfielder during the second half of the campaign. So Echeverri is moving to England in the new year to spend the rest of the season training with the first team. He will be available to step in straight away but is likely to need time to find his feet in his new surroundings. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL COURT CLASH Man City's hearing over 115 alleged Prem financial rule breaches has concluded City had previously considered sending the teenager to one of their sister clubs to gain some European experience. That remains a possibility for the summer if the feeling is he is still not ready to challenge for a spot in Pep’s team. But the Etihad boss admitted at the weekend he is desperately short of options after a pile-up of injuries. And Echeverri will be given every chance to show he can play a part in the set-up. Advertisement Most read in Football ANY EXCUSE Ex-Rangers star blasts Philippe Clement for excuses before Spurs & Celtic games AWAY DAYS Brendan Rodgers says he's convinced Celtic can end UCL away hoodoo in Zagreb MARK MY WORDS I scored hat-trick vs Celtic 10 years ago - now I'm ready to haunt them again RIGHT ENGEL Celtic star Arne Engels' 'reckless' tackle gets no-nonsense verdict from ex-ref FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS The reigning Premier League champions beat off competition from around the world as they clinched the signing of the Argentina Under-17s captain last winter. His position and style have seen him compared to his country's World Cup-winning skipper and Barcelona legend Messi — who Guardiola helped mould into a superstar at the helm of the Spanish giants. 'Who the f*** do you think you are?' Man City told after 'making outrageous bid for Lionel Messi by accident' Echeverri broke into River’s first team 18 months ago and has been playing regularly for them since. Advertisement His arrival comes in the wake of the news that the hearing into the 130 breaches of Financial Fair Play rules levelled at City by the Premier League is now over. A three-man panel, who have heard both sides over the last three months, will now consider the evidence before writing up the report . While the earliest an outcome is expected to be known is spring, there are fears it could run into next season. The hearing began on September 16 at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London and was originally scheduled to take ten weeks. Advertisement It has overrun by around a fortnight but it is understood closing statements were heard at the end of last week. Abu Dhabi-owned City are also accused of failing to co-operate with the investigation — which began in 2018 — of their alleged breaches of FFP. Read more on the Scottish Sun WHITE XMAS Scots to wake up to 60cm of snow on Christmas as blizzard to blanket country 'vicious circle' I live in Scotland's benefits hotspot -I've only worked 4 years of my life If they are found guilty, they could face a huge points deduction which may condemn them to relegation. But both sides would have the option to appeal against the decision if they are not satisfied — meaning it could be several more months before any such penalties are imposed. Advertisement What will happen to Man City? MAN CITY began the season as favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants. Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS .... Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season? Lipton : Yes.... probably! It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky. Custis : Why is that? Lipton : If the result is in City's favour, that's the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face. But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League. I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they're not in the Premier League next season. Check out the full discussion on Man City's future .

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lucky jason mraz lyrics NEW YORK, NY — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. “Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date. Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.” Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.” Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics. Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer. “Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford. “I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’” NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak. Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you! Connect with us: share@abc15.com Facebook | Instagram | YouTube “Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician. The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.” After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.” Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.” After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution. He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism. “President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said. Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.” During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency. “The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020. Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died. Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted. Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.” In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said. Latest from ABC15: Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week AP via Scripps News Mother of murdered teen discusses killer’s sentencing, daughter's legacy Adam Mintzer Man dead after being pulled from canal near 22nd Avenue and Indian School Road abc15.com staff The Vegas Golden Knights go head-to-head with the Montreal Canadiens Stephanie Aceves

Thousands of protesters marched through Barcelona on Saturday demanding lower rents in Spain's second city. Barcelona, which has already taken action to stop the spread of holiday rental apartments, is the latest Spanish city to see protests for cheaper housing. Backed by left-wing parties and unions, the demonstrators gathered in central Barcelona behind a giant banner declaring "Lower the rents". "Today a new political cycle starts concerning housing," Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Catalan Tenants Union, the main organiser, told reporters. "Investors must not be allowed to come to our cities and play with the apartments like a game of Monopoly," she added. The union would target "profiteers" who are taking "half of our salaries", Arcarazo said. The demonstrators demanded a 50 percent cut in rents, leases with an unlimited term and a ban on "speculative" sales of buildings. They threatened to start a rent strike. An estimated 22,000 people took part in a similar demonstration in Madrid on October 13. Campaigns have been launched in other cities. According to the Idealista specialised website, rental prices per square metre have risen 82 percent across Spain over the past decade. The average salary has gone up by 17 percent in that time, according to the national statistics institute. Facing pressure over a housing crisis, the government in 2023 passed legislation calling for more social housing, greater restrictions on rents in high demand areas and penalties for owners who do not occupy properties. But rents have continued to rise while the government has battled city and regional authorities to get some parts of the law applied. vid-vab/tw/jmBatties scores 16, Harvard takes down Iona 67-61

Lilyanne is described as being five foot four inches tall, of slim build, with long brown wavy hair. She has nose piercings on both sides, which may help in identifying her. The police are urging anyone who has seen Lilyanne or has information about her whereabouts to come forward. If you have any details, please call 101 or send a message to @MetCC on social media, quoting reference 01/1112099/24. #APPEAL | Can you help us find 19-year-old Lilyanne who is #missing from #Lewisham . She is about 5ft4ins, of slim build, with long brown wavy hair and a nose piercing on both sides. If you see her, please call 101 or message @MetCC quoting 01/1112099/24 #missingperson pic.twitter.com/47YZZxqxfkBrock Purdy will miss Sunday's game for the 49ers with a shoulder injury

Barcelona, which has already taken action to stop the spread of holiday rental apartments, is the latest Spanish city to see protests for cheaper housing. Backed by left-wing parties and unions, the demonstrators gathered in central Barcelona behind a giant banner declaring "Lower the rents". "Today a new political cycle starts concerning housing," Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Catalan Tenants Union, the main organiser, told reporters. "Investors must not be allowed to come to our cities and play with the apartments like a game of Monopoly," she added. The union would target "profiteers" who are taking "half of our salaries", Arcarazo said. The demonstrators demanded a 50 percent cut in rents, leases with an unlimited term and a ban on "speculative" sales of buildings. They threatened to start a rent strike. An estimated 22,000 people took part in a similar demonstration in Madrid on October 13. Campaigns have been launched in other cities. According to the Idealista specialised website, rental prices per square metre have risen 82 percent across Spain over the past decade. The average salary has gone up by 17 percent in that time, according to the national statistics institute. Facing pressure over a housing crisis, the government in 2023 passed legislation calling for more social housing, greater restrictions on rents in high demand areas and penalties for owners who do not occupy properties. But rents have continued to rise while the government has battled city and regional authorities to get some parts of the law applied. vid-vab/tw/jm

On its face, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s screwball scheme to create a provincial border patrol force intended to prevent Canadian citizens from crossing the U.S. border into Montana is blatantly unconstitutional. As evidence, I give you section 6.1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms : “Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada.” Plus, of course, controlling the border is clearly federal jurisdiction – never mind Smith’s hypersensitivity about federal intrusions, mostly imagined, into provincial jurisdiction. If truckloads of Alberta Sheriffs passing their time driving around in the vicinity of Coutts or Del Bonita have probable cause to believe a passing pickup is carrying a load of fentanyl, for example, they would be within their rights to pull the vehicle over and take a peek in the cargo bed. After all, we have criminal laws in Canada about that kind of thing. If the driver and passengers of the pickup are not Canadian citizens, the situation might be murkier, but only slightly. But if the occupants of the pickup intend to present themselves properly to U.S. officials at the border, the Smith’s promised squad of border Sheriffs have no business harassing them. And if they do not, well, that’s not our problem! Indeed, that is why our neighbour’s government has its own United States Border Patrol with a budget of $5.4 billion US in 2022 and which, by all accounts, is quite capable of doing its job properly, at least along the long border with Canada. If large numbers of Canadians are sneaking into Montana to improperly spend their Loonies buying cheap garments made in American Samoa at the Target store in Great Falls, the two national governments presumably know what number to call to discuss what to do about it. There is in fact, notwithstanding Smith’s unseemly rush to defend Trump’s crude fantasies, not much of a problem on the Americans’ northern border – at least going in a southerly direction. Yes, it is well understood that a significant number of American truckers – indeed, almost all of them – illegally bring firearms into Canada whenever they cross the line to carry fresh vegetables from California or Arizona to Canadian grocery shelves. But this is largely winked at by Canadian authorities because they understand the truckers need firearms for protection back home in the Benighted States and are unlikely to discharge them at passers-by in the short time they are north of the border. As for illegal migrants, we Canadians are the ones who should be preparing to harden the border to prevent an unmanageable flow of refugees from the United States, including many U.S. citizens, who are bound to try to cross into Canada if Trump keeps some of his non-tariff promises. In the unlikely event Trump is actually able to impose his 25-per-cent tariff on All Things Canadian, then searching trucks originating in the United States and impounding their drivers’ firearms would seem like a perfectly reasonable and constitutionally defensible activity for the Canada Border Services Agency to engage in. But as was noted in this space yesterday, Trump’s fairy tale about an influx of illegal border-crossers from Canada or shipments of dangerous illegal drugs manufactured in Canada is performative, intended to justify his use of the 1974 U.S. Trade Act to impose tariffs on an emergency basis without the assent of the U.S. Congress. Even so, such tariffs would be restricted to 15 per cent, for 150 days, without Congressional approval. Smith knows this, too, of course, and she is gaslighting when she claims Trump has a sound point, as she did again today when she published a whiny official statement about Trudeau’s meeting with Trump to discuss tariffs (embarrassingly spelled “tarif” in the notice emailed to media), which she used as an excuse to complain about the federal emissions cap the UCP persists in calling a production cap. Premier Smith’s repeated defence of Trump is based more in her sympathy with the president-elect’s MAGA worldview than any honest belief his complaints about the U.S.-Canadian border are justified, which they clearly are not. Evidence? Well, the UCP and its federal Conservative allies certainly never hesitated to attack policies of recent Democratic U.S. presidents like Barack Obama or Joe Biden with whom they disagreed, or to ignore them if they could. It is becoming increasingly clear from her words and deeds that this premier and close advisors like Chief of Staff Rob Anderson, one of the authors of the “Free Alberta Strategy,” despise Canada, distrust Canadians, and wish Alberta could be remade in the image of the United States. So this nonsense about creating an Alberta border patrol is intended above all to poke a stick in Ottawa’s eye, open another front in the UCP’s taxpayer supported campaign against the Liberal Government, and create incursions into federal jurisdiction to see if anyone will push back – which the preoccupied Trudeau Government never seems to do. That’s a pity. Support rabble today! We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year. rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today. Nick Seebruch, editor Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet. Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today. Nick Seebruch, editor Support rabble.ca

Even at just 19 years old, Chloe Kingi-McCarthy has always dreamed of a job in aviation . Now she is about to turn that dream into reality. From Christchurch, Chloe is swapping her job as a checkout operator at a local supermarket to working as cabin crew for Jetstar . "My first career pick was to be a pilot but I really enjoyed the customer interactions at my previous job, so I leant more towards the flight attending side of aviation," said Chloe. READ MORE: Travel agent's game-changing luggage move "I have always loved to travel and now I get to work in a job that gives me all of that plus more." She has joined more than 50 new staff at the low-cost carrier as it expands its service around New Zealand and across to Australia. Earlier this year the airline announced trans-Tasman flights from Dunedin and Hamilton, and the launch of a service between Auckland and Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, and from Christchurch to Cairns. READ MORE: What you need to know when booking a cruise, according to an expert Jay Kumar is another of the new recruits. Originally from India, the 45-year-old migrated to New Zealand in 1992 and settled into a life as a recruitment consultant in the transport and logistics industry. He said it was a "dream come true" when he was passed the initial Jetstar interview as he's "very passionate about people and travel": "This job brings both together. I am super excited." Jay said the training has been intense and has given him an appreciation of the work flight attendants do. "Cabin crew are definitely a lot more than smiling faces on aircraft looking after our needs," he said. "They are well trained, qualified professionals in the air, that provide more than just customer care. I am so proud of all cabin crew the world over after having gone through this process. Hats off!" Chloe agreed: "I think my perception has changed a lot from being a passenger to being a flight attendant. There is a lot more in this job role than just great customer service, we are responsible for keeping our passengers and the aircraft safe." Simon Willoughby admits he has had a "crazy eclectic job history" up to now, including stints in the army, logistics, and infrastructure. The 38-year-old, who now lives in Rolleston, said he applied for the Jetstar role thanks to his "sense of adventure, or my thinly veiled ADHD perhaps?" "I grew up reading Biggles books and wanting to be a fighter pilot or astronaut." Chloe said the group has done a lot in training: "We've learnt how to evacuate passengers from the plane effectively and safely, we've learnt how to treat different medical emergencies that could occur on an aircraft. "There is definitely more to being a flight attendant then what you think." She admitted she found it tough being away from home, something Simon agreed with. For Jay, learning about the different configurations of aircraft and their individual characteristics has been the most difficult aspect. "Like in any roles, attention to detail is very important along with processing and understanding of procedural information." Jetstar's Head of New Zealand, Shelley Musk, said it was great to see the recruits come a range of different backgrounds. "We're really excited to be ramping up recruitment as we prepare for the biggest expansion of our New Zealand operations in more than a decade ," said Musk. "The new recruits will certainly be busy, with Jetstar set to launch five new trans-Tasman services, increase capacity on key domestic routes and expand its fleet in Aotearoa." The good news for all three recruits is they passed the training with flying colours and will be working in a Jetstar cabin near you soon. This story was originally published by Stuff and has been reproduced here with permission.

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lucky jili casino The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1/2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Dutch director of has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film’s main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn’t disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who’s eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four.

Published 3:33 pm Saturday, December 28, 2024 By Staff Reports As they get ready to play the San Antonio Spurs (16-15) on Sunday, December 29 at Target Center, with tip-off at 8:00 PM ET, the Minnesota Timberwolves (16-14) have two players currently listed on the injury report. The Spurs’ injury report has zero players on it. Watch the NBA, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up. The Timberwolves took care of business in their last matchup 113-112 against the Rockets on Friday. Julius Randle totaled 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Timberwolves. The Spurs are coming off of a 96-87 win over the Nets in their most recent outing on Friday. Victor Wembanyama scored a team-high 19 points for the Spurs in the win. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get live and on-demand access to NBA games. Get tickets for any NBA game this season at StubHub. Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Police had to use pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the rivalry game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

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Michigan, Ohio State fight broken up with police pepper spray after Wolverines stun Buckeyes 13-10SAN ANTONIO — Colorado secured what it said was record insurance coverage for quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter as the star duo opted to complete their college careers in the Alamo Bowl rather than sit out and prepare for the NFL draft. Colorado would not disclose the amount of insurance coverage each received, citing privacy laws. Coach Deion Sanders and athletic director Rick George both said it was the largest in college football history. "We happen to have two players that are probably going to be the first two picks of the NFL draft," Sanders said Monday. "We all know who those two are and they have received, I think, the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football. It far exceeds anyone that has ever played this game of college football." While college programs maintain insurance policies for their athletes in case of injury, Colorado increased disability coverage for its entire roster in the Alamo Bowl. Sanders, the coach of the No. 20 Buffaloes, ensured his QB son and two-way star Hunter received larger policies since both are expected to be among the top 10 selections in the upcoming NFL draft. "It was his idea we should get disability insurance for our athletes for this game to ensure that they played and if there was some kind of injury that they would be well taken care of," George said. "So, we worked together on that. We're excited about it. We think it's great that all our players are playing in the game. That's what all bowl games should be like." Colorado (9-3, No. 23 CFP) will face the 17th-ranked BYU Cougars (10-2, No. 17 CFP) in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday. While most teams are scrambling with starters opting out of bowl games this year to enter the transfer portal or NFL draft, the Buffaloes did not lose any player on their two-deep roster. "It's more than what I got (when he played at Kansas State)," Colorado linebackers coach Andre' Hart said. "They gave us a helmet and said pop this on your leg and get out there and play. For them to get that (increased insurance coverage), I just think it's beneficial. To talk about where the game is, where it's going and how leadership is taking care of the players, I thought that's excellent." Shedeur Sanders completed 337 of 454 passes for 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. Many scouting services have Sanders rated as the top quarterback in this year's draft. Hunter received the Heisman Trophy as a two-way standout at cornerback and wide receiver. He had 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns and as a cornerback had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and limited the opposition to 22 receptions on 688 defensive snaps. "They've taken care of us, everybody," Colorado running back Micah Welch said. "It really means a lot to have every teammate up here. That's a big thing. What I like about Coach Prime, they're taking care of us." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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A train is due to arrive at the nation's busiest railway station five years late. Login or signup to continue reading After years of delays and disputes, the first service using a new fleet of intercity trains is due to pull in to Sydney's Central station shortly before 11am. The train left Newcastle at 8.21am on Tuesday - about five years after the first sets were originally due to enter service in NSW. The Korean-built trains were too wide to fit through some tunnels, too long for some platforms and faced opposition from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union due to plans for drivers to monitor platforms using CCTV, reducing staffing requirements. An agreement was eventually reached with the union after a long dispute with the former coalition government and modifications were made locally beginning in August 2023. Transport Minister Jo Haylen said it should not have taken so long for the trains to enter service, but they were finally taking passengers along the Newcastle and Central Coast lines. Passengers along the Blue Mountains, Illawarra and South Coast lines will have to wait a while longer, but Ms Haylen said it would be worth it. "These state-of-the-art trains will make travel between Sydney and our regional cities safer and more comfortable," she said. The trains are due to replace rolling stock that entered service almost five decades earlier. Early renders of the trains featured "NSW TrainLink" branding, which is being abolished as its operations merge with Sydney Trains. Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said getting the trains on the tracks was an incredibly complex project. "But we are pleased we have been able to work with the unions to locally modify these trains and get them into service," he said. "The Mariyung trains are quieter and roomier and will provide our passengers with a much improved and more comfortable travelling experience for decades to come." The electric trains, also known as the "D Set", have been given the name Mariyung after the Darug language word for emu. They will feature artwork from Indigenous artist Leanne Mulgo Watson. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!

Former US president Jimmy Carter has died aged 100. Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981, taking over in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the end of the Vietnam War. After his defeat by Ronald Reagan, he spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His death on Sunday was announced by his family and came more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. He was the longest-lived US president. Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia. — The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love. “My brothers, sister and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. “The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” World leaders have paid tribute to Mr Carter, including US President Joe Biden, who was one of the first politicians to endorse Mr Carter for president in 1976 and said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. “He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.” Irish President Michael D Higgins said Mr Carter was “a principled man who dedicated his life to seeking to advance the cause of peace across the world”. He added: “On behalf of the people of Ireland, may I express my sympathies to President Carter’s children and extended family, to President Joe Biden, to the people of the United States, and to his wide circle of colleagues and friends across the globe.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta and Washington DC before being buried in his home town of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and finally, the White House, where he took office as the 39th president. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked for more than four decades leading the Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center managed to virtually eliminate Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service.New Jersey fines firms $40K for sports betting violations

PITTSBURGH , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) today declared a quarterly cash dividend on all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock, in an amount equal to $0.4125 per share. The dividend is payable on December 31, 2024 to the holders of record of the common stock at the close of business on December 13, 2024 . In addition, the Board of Directors declared cash dividends on the company's 10.625% Series A Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock for the period October 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 . The dividend is $664.0625 per preferred share, or $0.6640625 per depository share, and is payable on December 31, 2024 to holders of record at the close of business on December 13, 2024 . About Wesco Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , Wesco is a FORTUNE 500 ® company with $22 billion in annual sales and a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions. Wesco offers a best-in-class product and services portfolio of Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions. The Company employs approximately 20,000 people, partners with the industry's premier suppliers, and serves thousands of customers around the world. With millions of products, end-to-end supply chain services, and leading digital capabilities, Wesco provides innovative solutions to meet customer needs across commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, educational institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. Wesco operates nearly 800 branches, warehouses and sales offices in more than 50 countries, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and global corporations. Contact Information Investor Relations Will Ruthrauff Director, Investor Relations 484-885-5648 Corporate Communications Jennifer Sniderman Vice President, Corporate Communications 717-579-6603 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wesco-declares-quarterly-dividend-on-common-stock-and-preferred-stock-302319822.html SOURCE Wesco InternationalNHL fines Edmonton Oilers forward Jeff Skinner $2,000 for embellishment

Netflix will have one of its biggest days Wednesday since the site launched in 1998 when it airs two NFL games for the first time. "NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix" begins with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the second game. The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games. Netflix's 282.3 million subscribers in over 190 countries will be able to stream the games, marking the first time one outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. Netflix will have the games available in five languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. The games will also air on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL policy dictates that games on cable or being exclusively streamed must also be on an over-the-air station in the competing teams' markets. It will also be available on mobile devices in the U.S. for those who have NFL+. The biggest reason is money. The league is getting $150 million from Netflix for the two games this season. It also continues the NFL's moves into streaming — Thursday night games are in their third season on Amazon Prime Video and the "Sunday Ticket" package moved to YouTube TV last year. But Christmas is on a Wednesday when games usually aren't played. That's true, but the league wasn't about to give up Christmas after seeing the ratings. Last year's three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way, averaging 29.48 million. The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans played on Saturday, giving them the same turnaround they would have if they played on Sunday and then Thursday. All four have clinched playoff spots in the AFC, but seeding remains up for grabs. Kansas City (14-1) can clinch the top seed — which would mean a first-round bye and home field throughout the playoffs — with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker due to a better conference record. Houston (9-6) has wrapped up the AFC South and holds the fourth seed. Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said the system was stress tested, and then some, during the Nov. 14 bout, along with internet service providers reporting they were also overwhelmed by the surge that occurred before and during the fight. The bout peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million concurrent streams in the United States. According to the website Down Detector, nearly 85,000 viewers logged problems with outages or streaming leading up to and during the fight. Possible? Yes. Likely? No. The largest audience for a streamed-exclusive NFL game was 23 million on Peacock for last season's AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs. Nielsen will measure the ratings for the Christmas Day games, with early numbers expected late afternoon on Thursday. It will probably be at kickoff for both games, but especially around 5:45 p.m. EST. That would be near halftime of the Ravens-Texans game, and when Beyoncé will be performing. Mariah Carey will kick off the day with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You." There is no word if Taylor Swift will make the trip to Pittsburgh to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour two weeks ago. How many Christmas games will Netflix carry in the next two seasons? The NFL will have at least two games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and '26, with Netflix slated to have at least one each year. Amazon Prime Video will have a night game with Christmas on a Thursday next year. Netflix's worldwide partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment will begin on Jan. 6 when "Monday Night Raw" moves to the streaming service. On Friday, Netflix secured the U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Speaker's ruling clears path for Trudeau's government to face successive tests of confidence in days ahead

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( MENAFN - Newsfile Corp) New Plymouth, New Zealand--(Newsfile Corp. - December 23, 2024) - New Zealand energy Corp. (TSXV: NZ) ("NZEC" or the " Company ") is pleased to announce that, further to its 29 October 2024 news release, it has received final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the " Exchange ") regarding the non-arm's length farmout agreement (the " Agreement" ) entered into between the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monumental Energy Corp. (" Monumental ") (TSXV: MNRG). In addition, the applicable consent of the Minister in New Zealand in accordance with the New Zealand Crown Minerals Act 1991 has also been obtained. Pursuant to the Agreement, Monumental is entitled to participate in the repair and workover of two wells, Copper Moki 1 & 2 (" CM 1 & 2 ") in order to restart production. The wells are located in a permitted block in the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand in which NZEC holds a 100% interest. In exchange for paying for the workovers, which are estimated to cost approximately NZ$800,000, Monumental will be entitled to 75% of the oil and gas revenue, net of production costs, until its investment is recovered after which it will have a 25% net revenue interest, or royalty, in the permit. Monumental and NZEC expect the workovers will begin in early 2025. On behalf of the Board of Directors Mike Adams, Chief Executive Officer New Zealand Energy Corp. Tel: +64-6-757-4470‎ New Zealand Energy Corp. Contacts Email: ... Website: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding: the Agreement, the business of the Company, including future plans and objectives, and the CM 1 & 2 wells. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects NZEC's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to NZEC and on assumptions NZEC believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: NZEC's current and initial understanding and analysis of its projects and the development required for such projects; the costs of NZEC's projects; NZEC's general and administrative costs remaining constant; and the market acceptance of NZEC's business strategy. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of NZEC to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; industry condition; volatility of commodity prices; imprecision of reserve estimates; environmental risks; operational risks in exploration and development; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, ‎affecting NZEC; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in NZEC's disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at Although NZEC has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of NZEC as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, NZEC expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit SOURCE: New Zealand Energy Corp. MENAFN23122024004218003983ID1109025336 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.PONTE VEDRA, Fla., Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. (“Treace” or the “Company”) (NasdaqGS: TMCI), a medical technology company driving a fundamental shift in the surgical treatment of bunions and related midfoot deformities through its flagship Lapiplasty ® and Adductoplasty ® Procedures, today announced that Guy Guglielmino joined the Company as Chief Commercial Officer. In this new position, Mr. Guglielmino will lead Treace’s commercial efforts and play a pivotal role in driving the Company’s next phase of rapid innovation, strategic product commercialization, and growth. “I am thrilled to welcome Guy to the Treace team,” said John T. Treace, CEO, Founder and Board Member of Treace. “With a wealth of diverse medical technology industry experience, a demonstrated track record of strong customer engagement, leadership in innovation and product development, and a proven ability to deliver exceptional market growth, Guy is ideally suited to lead our commercial efforts.” “I’ve always admired and respected Treace, having watched the team create and lead in entirely new market segments,” said Mr. Guglielmino. “Treace has established a new standard with an approach that deeply understands their customers’ unmet needs, resulting in groundbreaking innovations that democratize the practice of the surgical treatment of bunions and midfoot deformities. I look forward to working with John and the Treace leadership team to deliver class-leading innovation, product commercialization, and sustained market performance.” Mr. Guglielmino joins Treace with deep medical technology industry expertise, having served in diverse senior leadership roles. Most recently, Mr. Guglielmino was President, Recovery Sciences at Enovis. Prior to that, he held senior Marketing roles at Enovis, Wright Medical, and at Bausch + Lomb. Mr. Guglielmino received his Bachelor of Science in Business & Entrepreneurship and his MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the Company’s expectations of innovation, product commercialization, market performance, and growth. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations of future events and trends, which affect or may affect the Company’s business, strategy, operations or financial performance, and actual results and other events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Factors that could cause actual results or other events to differ materially from those contemplated in this press release can be found in the Risk Factors section of Treace’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2024, and its subsequent SEC filings. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements speak only as of their date and, except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements, whether as a result of any new information, future developments or otherwise. Internet Posting of Information Treace routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the “Investor Relations” section of its website at www.treace.com . The Company encourages investors and potential investors to consult the Treace website regularly for important information about Treace. About Treace Medical Concepts Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. is a medical technology company with the goal of advancing the standard of care for the surgical management of bunion and related midfoot deformities. Bunions are complex 3-dimensional deformities that originate from an unstable joint in the middle of the foot and affect approximately 67 million Americans, of which Treace estimates 1.1 million are annual surgical candidates. Treace has pioneered and patented the Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction® System – a combination of instruments, implants, and surgical methods designed to surgically correct all three planes of the bunion deformity and secure the unstable joint, addressing the root cause of the bunion and helping patients get back to their active lifestyles. To further support the needs of bunion patients, Treace has introduced its Adductoplasty® Midfoot Correction System, designed for reproducible surgical correction of midfoot deformities. The Company continues to expand its footprint in the foot and ankle market with the introduction of its SpeedPlateTM Rapid Compression Implants, an innovative fixation platform with broad versatility across Lapiplasty® and Adductoplasty® procedures, as well as other common bone fusion procedures of the foot. For more information, please visit www.treace.com . To learn more about Treace, connect with us on LinkedIn , X , Facebook and Instagram . Contacts : Treace Medical Concepts Mark L. Hair Chief Financial Officer mhair@treace.net (904) 373-5940 Investors : Gilmartin Group Vivian Cervantes IR@treace.netSome quotations from Jimmy Carter: We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary – which is wonderful – but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”