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NoneKorea Startup Forum (KSF, Chairman Sangwoo Han), the official organizer of the global startup festival COMEUP, announced that COMEUP 2024, held on December 11 and 12 at COEX in Seoul, successfully concluded. Now in its 6th year, COMEUP 2024 welcomed participants from 45 countries, including startups, investors, global corporations, large enterprises, aspiring entrepreneurs, and the general public, achieving a successful finale. Under the “Innovation Beyond Borders” theme, this year’s event captured attention with diverse programs focused on global ecosystem keywords such as deep tech, inbound innovation, and sustainable innovation (SIS, Sustainable Innovation by Startup). Breaking Boundaries of Innovation with Participation from 45 Countries and 260 Startups COMEUP 2024 hosted approximately 260 startups from 45 countries, with over half being international companies, reaffirming its status as a global festival. The keynotes over the two days drew significant interest. On December 11, Qamar Aftab, Investment Manager at Wa’ed Ventures (Saudi Aramco’s CVC), and Sunghyun Park, CEO of Rebellions, the first Korean startup to secure funding from Wa’ed Ventures, discussed “Innovation Beyond Borders” On December 12, SooJong Kim, CEO of INNOSPACE, delivered a presentation on the space age, garnering strong interest from attendees. Future Talk conference sessions further provided global insights on startup globalization strategies, overseas investment attraction, and global deep-tech trends, aligning with the key themes of COMEUP 2024. This year’s event also saw an expansion in participation from national pavilions. The UAE, India, Japan, and Sweden showcased their technologies and achievements. At the same time, H.E ALIA AL MAZROUEI, UAE Minister of Entrepreneurship, delivered a speech on opportunities for entering the UAE market, drawing attention. Additionally, the Global Community program, which featured 120 startups from 21 countries, including Germany, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, and South Africa, facilitated pitching sessions, exhibitions, and networking events over two days, fostering exchange and business expansion. The event also saw notable participation from international organizations such as the International Trade Center(ITC) and the Africa Development Bank(AfDB). The Open Innovation (OI) Ground program facilitated collaboration between startups and leading companies. Global tech giants such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, Dassault Systèmes, Ensys, Siemens, L’Oréal Korea, Hyundai Motor Company, Musinsa Partners, Kyobo Life Insurance, CJ E&M, and LX Ventures shared their success stories of co-innovation with startups. The customized matchmaking track featured sessions including: COMEUP’s business matchmaking platform, On the COMEUP, further connected startups and investors through online and offline activities. The platform achieved approximately 1,900 successful business matches this year, nearly doubling last year’s record. Deep Tech, Inbound Innovation, and Sustainability Shape the Trends of COMEUP 2024 Future Talk sessions offered insights from global ecosystem stakeholders and experts, making them a deep-tech trend report for COMEUP 2024. Diverse sessions featured leading authorities discussing topics such as K-Space, AI semiconductors, generative AI, and autonomous driving—the newly introduced Tech Talk 15 track showcased cutting-edge technologies and products through 15-minute pitches. Participants included Seoul Robotics, Upstage, and Variowell Development, a German sleep-tech company, delivering a showcase of innovative technologies. The public IR pitching program, Startup Valley, concluded with Toonimotion, Foretell My Health, and POSCORE as the winners of the Rookie League on December 12. These three companies earned the opportunity to participate in Viva Technology 2025 in France. Alongside them, finalists, including CUBIG, ZETIC.ai , and Tublet Korea, also garnered attention for their contributions to fields such as information security and on-device AI solutions, highlighting the growth of deep-tech startups. The Runner League also captivated the audience by featuring aspiring entrepreneurial teams and fireside pitches from selected Rocket League companies. The theme of sustainability, a key industry agenda, resonated throughout COMEUP 2024. Programs such as Future Talk and Open Innovation, which focused on sustainable innovation (SIS, Sustainable Innovation by Startup), featured participation from GridWiz, Sopoong Ventures, SK Innovation, and Hyundai E&C, which discussed climate-tech commercialization strategies and investment trends. The Inbound agenda, which aims to support foreign startups’ innovation in Korea, also gained attention. The Startup Korea Pavilion hosted over twenty foreign startups, enabling networking with Korean startups and investors. Among them, AiMA Beyond AI, a Spanish startup developing AI-powered digital human solutions and the first recipient of the Startup Korea Special Visa, showcased its solutions, drawing significant interest. A National Celebration Engaging Aspiring Entrepreneurs, Students, and Professionals COMEUP 2024 expanded its reach beyond startup professionals to aspiring entrepreneurs, students, and corporate employees, offering programs for a diverse audience. The Future Talk sessions featured beginner, expert, and founder tracks tailored to participants’ familiarity with the startup ecosystem, earning positive feedback from attendees. Interactive events and networking opportunities also enhanced the experience. These included docent programs for student groups, a public idea contest via COMEUP’s social media, a mobile-friendly networking platform, and live Q&A sessions with speakers. Such initiatives reinforced COMEUP’s position as a global startup festival with broad public appeal. Sangwoo Han, Chairman of the Korea Startup Forum (COMEUP 2024 Advisory Chair), remarked, “COMEUP 2024 has become a truly global festival where startups and investors from around the world come together to break boundaries of innovation and discuss the future. COMEUP will continue to encourage startups to rise to new challenges and serve as a hub for innovation that drives success on the global stage.” COMEUP 2024 can be revisited through replays available on its official YouTube channel.FORT MYERS, Fla. — Zach Freemantle scored 16 points, Dailyn Swain added 14, and No. 25 Xavier beat South Carolina 75-66 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Monday night. Ryan Conwell added 13 points, Dayvion McKnight had 11 and Jerome Hunter chipped in 10 off the bench for the Musketeers (6-0). Collin Murray-Boyles led South Carolina (3-3) with 13 points while Jamarii Thomas added 11 and Jacobi Wright 10. The Musketeers jumped out to a 7-0 lead but South Carolina responded with the next 17 points as Xavier went scoreless for 6:35. The Gamecocks led 34-29 at halftime. These teams last played in the 1941-42 season. Xavier now is 26-11 against SEC schools going back to 2008. Takeaways Xavier: This was the Musketeers’ first game away from the Cintas Center after starting the season with five home games. Xavier has a brutal stretch coming up that will included three straight games at No. 16 Cincinnati (Dec. 14), at No. 2 UConn (Dec. 18) and at home against No. 10 Marquette (Dec. 21). South Carolina: The Gamecocks 17-0 run was highlighted by great defense. Xavier had no second chances, was contested on drives and couldn’t hit from the outside. Key moment Xavier used 11-2 and 8-2 runs to regain the lead at 50-44. The Musketeers led by as much as 66-55 before South Carolina went on a 7-0 spurt. The Gamecocks would get no closer. Key stat Xavier won despite shooting 4 of 18 from the 3-point line. The Musketeers had made at least 10 treys in their first five games. Up next Xavier plays Michigan on Wednesday for the title, the same day South Carolina plays Virginia Tech in a consolation game.NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota pitchers Justin Topa and Brock Stewart agreed to one-year contracts ahead of Friday's tender deadline along with fellow right-hander Triston McKenzie of Cleveland and Cole Sulser of Tampa Bay. Agreements and non-tenders reduced players eligible for arbitration to 169 from 238 at the start of last week. Teams and players are to exchange proposed arbitration salaries on Jan. 9, 2025, and those who don’t reach agreements will be scheduled for hearings from Jan. 27 through Feb. 14, 2025, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Topa was guaranteed $1,225,000 as part of a deal that included a $1 million salary for 2025 and a $2 million team option for 2026 with a $225,000 buyout. Stewart agreed to an $870,000 salary and can earn $30,000 in bonuses for days on the active roster: $10,000 for 112 and $20,000 for 142. McKenzie agreed to a $1.95 million, one-year contract and Sulser to a one-year deal that pays $900,000 in the major leagues and $450,000 while in the minors. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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Japan's National Police Agency is considering introducing undercover investigations from next year into "dark part-time work" such as thefts and fraud performed by people often recruited online, sources close to the matter said Friday. Known as yami baito , the illicit work has become a social issue due to many cases across the country in which it has been linked to burglaries allegedly carried out by individuals recruited via social media enticed with promises of lucrative part-time work. It would be the first time Japanese police have employed an undercover operation in their investigation of crimes other than drug trafficking, according to the sources. On Thursday, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's cybercrime committee proposed undercover investigations to tackle the issue while pointing out that preparing fake identifications to apply for the jobs may be illegal, and the government should establish guidelines to address such concerns. The NPA believes that creating fake IDs for undercover operations would be justifiable and is consulting with relevant ministries to clear legal issues. The LDP's committee also proposed that messaging apps require account owners to provide official identification, and companies that do not comply should be prohibited from operating. For internet service providers, the committee proposed a system in which illegal or harmful online posts are mandatorily deleted. It says foreign companies must set up a local office to make smooth information sharing possible. It also demanded job sites conduct stringent checks before posting ads to prevent cases in which people apply without realizing a role requires illegal work.

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rode their dominant defense to a big win over a division rival to vault into first place in the NFC West. No, it isn’t 2013. These are the 2024 Seahawks, who, after struggling mightily against the run earlier this season, held the visiting Arizona Cardinals to 49 rushing yards in . The defensive line kept Kyler Murray under consistent pressure thanks to a dominant performance from Leonard Williams, the secondary flew around to smack away passes, and safety Coby Bryant scored on a 69-yard pick-6. Sunday’s defensive performance was reminiscent of the Seahawks of a decade ago and a promising sign that first-year coach Mike Macdonald’s system is starting to click. Macdonald, who coordinated Baltimore’s NFL-best defense last year, was leading one of the worst rush defenses in the league earlier this season. But Seattle consistently stuffed the Cardinals, who came in as the fifth-best running team in the league at 149.4 yards per game. “Three games in a row now we played pretty decent on defense,” Macdonald said. “There is an expectation and standard here throughout the course of our Seahawks history that we’re trying to live up to and build on. So that’s the idea.” At 6-5, the Seahawks drew even with the Cardinals in the tightly bunched division. The teams play each other again in two weeks at Arizona. What’s working Last month’s trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly paid off. Seattle hasn’t allowed a running back to rush for more than 79 yards since its Week 8 loss to Buffalo, which was Jones’ first game in a Seahawks uniform. He has led the team in tackles in every game he’s played and has helped resurrect the run defense. What needs help The Seahawks’ run game continues to underperform. Seattle got 65 yards on the ground Sunday, with the Cardinals holding Kenneth Walker III to 41 yards on 16 attempts. Zach Charbonnet had 22 yards on six carries. Walker hasn’t topped 100 yards since Week 1. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to think of something different to get the running backs involved. Stock up Williams single-handedly disrupted the Cardinals with 2 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed. “I thought he was dominant,” Macdonald said. “I knew he played great and then I looked at the stat line and he played out of his mind.” The Seahawks finished with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and six pass deflections against the Cardinals, shutting down a team that had averaged 29.3 points over its previous three games. Stock down Geno Smith finished with 254 yards passing and a touchdown, but he threw another momentum-stalling interception. Smith was picked off on a third-and-6 play on the Arizona 18-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, ending an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Smith has an NFL-most 12 interceptions this season, more than in either of his previous two seasons as the Seahawks’ full-time starter. “That was a huge drive for us. ... Obviously made a terrible mistake down there, something I got to clean up,” Smith said. “But it was a big drive. We wanted to put the game ahead at least two scores.” The offensive line has contributed to the problem. Guard Anthony Bradford left with an ankle injury, and the line struggled to protect Smith, who was sacked five times. Injuries Macdonald said Bradford is expected to miss next week’s game. Key number 77 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, marking the fourth consecutive game that Smith-Njigba has led the team in receptions. He topped 100 yards receiving in the previous two games. “He’s getting open,” Smith said. “He’s catching the ball. He’s doing a great job in the screen game. All-around great player. I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage-wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect.” Up next The Seahawks play at the struggling New York Jets on Sunday. ___ AP NFL:

New Orleans Police Arrest Man Accused of Killing Paradegoers During Multiple Mass ShootingsChristmas is almost here, and it’s the perfect time to spread joy and festive cheer through WhatsApp status updates. If you’re searching for the ideal Christmas video to set as your status, we’ve got you covered! Here’s a simple guide to help you download and share your favourite Christmas videos using two quick methods: dedicated websites and YouTube downloads. Option 1: Using a Dedicated Website A convenient way to find and download Christmas videos is by visiting websites that offer free content tailored for WhatsApp statuses. These platforms often provide festive-themed videos in high-quality formats. Follow these steps to get started: Search for “Christmas WhatsApp status videos” using your preferred search engine. Explore websites like Pinterest, Pexels, or other festival-focused content hubs. These sites usually have well-organised Christmas-themed sections for easy browsing. Select your favourite Christmas video or photo from the list. Click the download button to save it to your device. Make sure the file is in a WhatsApp-compatible format like MP4 for videos. Option 2: Downloading from YouTube YouTube offers a treasure trove of Christmas-themed videos, from animated greetings to traditional holiday messages. Here’s how to download your favorite video: Open YouTube and search for “Merry Christmas 2024 WhatsApp status video.” Browse the wide variety of options available. Once you find a video you like, click on “Share” and select “Copy Link.” Head to a YouTube downloader site or app, paste the copied link, and choose a format such as MP4 for download. Save the video to your device and upload it to your WhatsApp status to share the holiday spirit with your loved ones. With these two easy methods, you can quickly find and share the perfect Merry Christmas video to brighten your WhatsApp status. Spread love, joy, and warmth this holiday season by connecting with your friends and family through these delightful Christmas updates. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Technology Science and around the world.

Tips for Safe Winter DrivingLuigi Mangione, who is accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, fought extradition to New York during a hearing in a Pennsylvania court on Dec. 10. During the hearing, Mangione was denied bail—something he has 14 days to challenge—while prosecutors raised concerns about him being a flight risk. Mangione’s attorney, Thomas Dickey, said his client wanted a hearing on extradition and on whether a second-degree murder charge from New York might be eligible for bail. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said that it would seek a governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition. A felony warrant from New York cited Altoona police stating that written admissions to the crime were found in Mangione’s belongings. A law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that Mangione was likely motivated by anger toward health insurance companies. A Pennsylvania police complaint alleged that Mangione committed forgery, carried a firearm without a license, tampered with records or identification, possessed instruments of crime, and falsely identified himself to law enforcement. The law enforcement bulletin said that Mangione described Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber,” as a political revolutionary and that Mangione’s targeting of Thompson appeared to be symbolic. It also said Mangione described health care companies as parasitic and wrote about how profits increased while life expectancy didn’t. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland House of Delegates member Nino Mangione, posted a family statement on social media on Dec. 9. “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione,” the statement read. “We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.”

For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract , with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets that’s the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it’s going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn’t seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There’s reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He’s also the rare baseball player . His every move ( ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers’ coffers. Then there’s Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It’s rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation’s great players but didn’t hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It’s a major factor that led to him with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn’t been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn’t been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto’s deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn’t in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that’s what makes Soto so unique. And it’s also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. ___ AP MLB: David Brandt, The Associated Press

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While Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was playing the "Monday Night Football" game against the Dallas Cowboys in Texas, his Anderson Township, Ohio, home was broken into, officials said Tuesday. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office confirmed to ABC News that Burrow's house was burglarized shortly after 8 p.m. local time. One of Burrow's employees told deputies on the scene that when she arrived at his home she found a bedroom window broken and the room ransacked. Deputies cleared the house and the employee was able to give a general list of what was missing, according to officials. An investigation into the incident is ongoing and deputies have been in contact with Burrow's neighbors to see if any security footage was obtained of the burglary. The break-in at Burrow's Cincinnati residence follows a spate of incidents at fellow prominent NFL players' homes. However, a sheriff's department spokesperson said, at this time, there is no indication that this attempted robbery was part of the larger string of athlete robberies. Last month, the NFL issued a security alert to teams' security directors and the players' union warning of "organized and skilled criminals" that are increasingly targeting the homes of professional athletes. The NFL and other professional sports leagues received a briefing from the FBI, a source told ABC News at the time. The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized on consecutive days in October in the Kansas City area, according to the NFL memo. Additionally, the Minnesota home of former Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who now plays for the Dallas Cowboys, was targeted in a burglary in November, the NFL said. Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood. Burglars have entered through side doors, via balconies or through second-floor windows. They've targeted homes in secluded areas and focused on master bedrooms and closet areas. Players were warned to avoid updating any social media with check-ins or daily activities until the end of the day and discouraged from posting expensive items on social media. ABC News' Jack Date and Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.

As Hambantota International Port (HIP) gears up to enhance its container operations with the introduction of advanced crane technology in early February 2025, Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) CEO Wilson Qu emphasised the port’s commitment to exploring untapped markets to expand its portfolio. This strategic initiative aims to significantly boost container volumes and solidify Sri Lanka’s position as a competitive force in global maritime trade. To achieve this, the port is implementing a comprehensive seaside and landside strategy designed to position HIP’s container division strategically for future growth. The port’s landside strategy is progressing actively to attract investors to its industrial zone. Recently, an agreement was signed to establish a sponge-mattress factory within the zone. This business, targeting export markets in the USA, Europe, and Canada, marks a significant milestone as the first agreement finalised since the port launched container operations. Currently, the port is handling an increasing number of inquiries and anticipates finalising several additional agreements in 2025. The industrial zone is poised to create substantial employment opportunities while fostering a collaborative environment where Sri Lankan entrepreneurs can either partner with international companies or invest independently to meet rising international demand. HIPG’s industrial zone will also generate more gateway cargo, drawing liners to the port and significantly enhancing connectivity. This initiative provides a considerable logistical advantage for cargo originating in the region, further solidifying the port’s role as a strategic hub in global trade. “Hambantota Port’s strategic location on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, combined with the island’s central position along key maritime routes, offers a unique opportunity to attract customers who may not have previously considered Sri Lanka a viable option,” the CEO explained, emphasising that HIPG’s strategy goes beyond geopolitical influences and traditional market segmentation. “Instead, our focus is on delivering competitive commercial rates and exceptional service with investment in infrastructure and superstructure, because we are well aware that the port cannot rely solely on its location.” As part of its seaside strategy, the port is entering the relay cargo market, representing a new opportunity for the country, which has a set goal to handle 10 million TEUs between 2025 and 2026. HIPG is also targeting the region’s container market, particularly transhipment. Currently, more than 70% of containerised cargo from the BIMSTEC countries bypasses Sri Lankan ports, presenting a substantial opportunity for HIP to capture a significant portion of this untapped market. Through aggressive and strategic marketing to this segment, HIP aims to position itself as a key hub and unlock untapped potential in the region. Relay cargo refers to the transfer of cargo between two ships at an intermediate port, which involves vessels from the same carrier. It is a strategic move aimed at improving operational efficiency and connecting services across different regions. By utilising an intermediate port, shipping lines can optimise their routes, streamline operations, and reduce overall transit times. In contrast, transhipment involves the movement of cargo between ships — often from different carriers, at an intermediate hub port when there is no direct route between the origin and the destination. By leveraging Sri Lanka’s strategic location and offering tailored landside and seaside solutions for container operations, the Hambantota International Port is poised to redefine regional shipping dynamics and establish itself as a major player in the global logistics sector.NEW YORK (AP) — The outgoing head of the nation’s top public health agency urged the next administration to maintain its focus and funding to keep Americans safe from emerging health threats. “We need to continue to do our global work at CDC to make sure we are stopping outbreaks at their source,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. “We need to keep that funding up. We need to keep the expertise up. We need to keep the diplomacy up.” Cohen, 46, will be leaving office in January after about 18 months in the job. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday night said he picked Dave Weldon , a former Congressman from Florida, to be the agency’s next chief. Cohen said she hasn’t met Weldon and doesn’t know him. She previously voiced concern about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine advocate and CDC critic nominated to oversee all federal public health agencies . The CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. The staff is heavy with scientists — 60% have master’s degrees or doctorates. The last eight years have been perhaps the most difficult in the agency's history. The CDC once enjoyed a sterling international reputation for its expertise on infectious diseases and other causes of illness and death. But trust in the agency fell because of missteps during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, political attacks and resistance to infection-prevention measures like wearing masks and getting vaccinated. The CDC has four political appointees, out of about 13,000 employees. The rest serve no matter who is in the White House, with civil service protections against efforts to fire them for political reasons. Trump said during the campaign that he wants to convert many federal agency positions into political appointments, meaning those employees could be hired and fired by whoever wins the election. There’s also a proposal to split the agency in two: one to track disease data, and another focused on public health but with a limited ability to make policy recommendations. And then there’s a current budget proposal in Congress that would cut the agency’s funding by 22%. It would also eliminate the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses, suicides and and shooting deaths. Cohen said there’s reason to be proud of the agency’s work in recent years. The CDC has built partnerships to improve the availability of testing for different infections and to watch for signs of disease outbreaks by monitoring wastewater . There are emerging threats, as always, but no new, full-fledged public health emergencies, she said. The day after the Nov. 5 election, Cohen emailed CDC employees to urge them to keep going. “While the world may feel different with changes ahead — our mission has not changed,” she wrote. She said she’s not aware of any wave of worried CDC scientists heading for the doors because of the election results. “There is a difference between campaigning and governing,” she said. “I want to go into this in a way that we’re passing the baton.” Cohen said she doesn’t know what she’ll do next, other than spend time with her family in Raleigh, North Carolina, where her family maintained its residence while she ran the agency. Next year, for the first time, the CDC director will be subject to Senate confirmation, which could make for a gap before Trump's pick takes the helm. CDC Deputy Director Dr. Debra Houry has been assigned to help manage the transition. Aside from administration transition, the CDC has to face several looming threats. Officials this month confirmed the first U.S. case of a new form of mpox that was first seen in eastern Congo. There’s also the ongoing stream of bird flu cases , most of them mild illnesses seen in farmworkers who were in direct contact with infected cows or chickens. CDC officials say they believe the risk to the public remains low and that there’s no evidence it’s been spreading between people. “I don’t think we’re yet at a turning place. But does that mean it couldn’t change tomorrow? It could,” she said. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.Jimmy Carter's grandson says former president, 100, taps faith, stubbornness

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US lawmakers voted Wednesday after fraught negotiations to move forward with a contentious 2025 defense budget that raises troops' pay but blocks funding of gender-affirming care for some transgender children of service members. The centerpiece of the $884 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) -- which was green-lit by the Republican-led House of Representatives but still needs Senate approval -- is a 14.5 percent pay increase for junior enlisted service members and 4.5 percent for other personnel. But talks over the 1,800-page-plus text were complicated by a last-minute Republican intervention to prevent the military's health program from covering gender-affirming care for children of service members if it results in "sterilization." "Citizens don't want their tax dollars to go to this, and underaged people often regret these surgeries later in life," Nebraska Republican Don Bacon told CNN. "It's a bad hill to die on for Democrats." Gender-affirming health care for children is just one of multiple fronts in the so-called "culture wars" that polarize US politics and divide the country, with Republicans using the issue as a cudgel against Democrats in November's elections. The funding block angered progressives, and prompted the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee to come out against the legislation. "As I said a few days ago, blanketly denying health care to people who need it -- just because of a biased notion against transgender people -- is wrong," Adam Smith, who represents a district in Washington state, said in a statement. "The inclusion of this harmful provision puts the lives of children at risk and may force thousands of service members to make the choice of continuing their military service or leaving to ensure their child can get the health care they need." Smith slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson for pandering to "the most extreme elements of his party" by including the transgender provision. The must-pass NDAA -- a bill that Congress has sent to the president's desk without fail every year since 1961 -- cleared the chamber in a 281-140 vote and now moves to the Senate, with final passage expected next week. The topline figure is one percent above last year's total and, with funding from other sources, brings the total defense budget to just under $900 billion. Some foreign policy hawks on the Republican side of the Senate wanted $25 billion more for the Pentagon but they are still expected to support the bill. "The safety and security of the American people is our top priority, and this year's NDAA ensures our military has the resources and the capabilities needed to remain the most powerful fighting force on the planet," Johnson told reporters. ft/mlm Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.

Ruben Amorim issues storm warning after smooth start with Manchester UnitedSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks . Purdy underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage but the shoulder didn't improve during the week and Purdy was ruled out for the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said star defensive end Nick Bosa also will miss the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. This will be the first time Purdy has missed a start because of an injury since taking over as the 49ers’ quarterback in December 2022. Brandon Allen will start in his place. The Niners (5-5) are currently in a three-way tie for second in the NFC West, a game behind first-place Arizona, and have little margin for error if they want to get back to the playoffs after making it to the Super Bowl last season. Purdy has completed 66% of his passes this season for 2,613 yards, 13 TDs, eight interceptions and a 95.9 passer rating that is down significantly from his league-leading mark of 113 in 2023. Allen has been mostly a backup since being drafted by Jacksonville in 2016. Allen last started a game in Week 18 of the 2021 season for Cincinnati and has thrown just three passes the last three seasons — including none since joining San Francisco in 2023. Joshua Dobbs will be the backup on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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Seven-time champions Express have an opportunity to move into the top four of the Premier League if they beat Mbarara City on Thursday under floodlights at Hamz stadium, Nakivubo. The Red Eagles are on 13 points in 8 position and victory will see them move to within four points of table leaders Vipers SC who are not in action until Friday. Badru Kaddu’s men have been inconsistent in terms of wins and have registered just one win in the last five matches. In Mbarara City managed former Red Eagle Livingstone Mbabazi, they take on a resilient side that lie just two points below. The Ankole Lions ended a two-match losing streak with a deserved win over newcomers Mbale Heroes last week. Victory for the visitors whose last visit to Nakivubo ended in a stalemate with URA will come into the game very confident. Former Express player Joseph Akandwanaho will take on ex-bosses as he captains the visitors.

dota bet game For Immediate Release Paul Wynnyk, P.Eng., New APEGA Registrar & CEO Headshot Photo Wynnyk brings a wealth of experience serving the public, spanning four decades in the Canadian Armed Forces and with the Government of Alberta. Wynnyk holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, was commissioned into the Canadian Military Engineers in 1986 and currently serves as the acting deputy minister of Executive Council for the Government of Alberta. "I am honoured to join APEGA as its next registrar & CEO, and I am grateful to be selected for this role where I may continue serving the public interest,” says Wynnyk. "APEGA has a proud history of regulating the engineering and geoscience professions in Alberta, and I am dedicated to ensuring we maintain the high standards that have been built over the past century.” Wynnyk was selected after an extensive search by an executive search firm and a thorough review by an APEGA Council task force. The task force began its work in April 2024 when current RCEO Jay Nagendran, P.Eng., FCAE, ICD.D, FEC, FGC (Hon.), announced his upcoming retirement. "I am proud of what Jay has accomplished in his tenure of almost eight years as registrar & CEO of APEGA,” says APEGA President Tracey Stock, KC, P.Eng., PhD, FEC, FGC (Hon.). "On behalf of council and as the task force chair, it has been a pleasure working with Jay, and we wish him well on his upcoming retirement. I also thank the council task force for finding such an outstanding successor. With Paul's background as a professional engineer, a dedicated public servant, and an accomplished leader, APEGA will be in capable hands.” -30- BIOGRAPHY, PAUL WYNNYK, CMM, MSM, CD, P.ENG. Paul Wynnyk currently serves as the acting deputy minister of Executive Council with the Government of Alberta, and previously served as the deputy minister for several other ministries, including Health, Intergovernmental Relations and Municipal Affairs. Before joining the government, he served as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for more than 38 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant-general. Along with tours and commands overseas in Afghanistan, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Germany, he held numerous high-level positions in Canada, including command of the Canadian Army and vice-chief of the defence staff. Born in Edmonton and raised in Breton, Alberta, Wynnyk attended Royal Roads Military College and the Royal Military College of Canada. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and master's degrees in war studies and business administration. ABOUT APEGA As the regulator of engineering and geoscience in Alberta for more than 100 years, APEGA continues to drive the province forward with courage and innovation. We are the largest regulator of self-regulated professionals in Western Canada, with nearly 70,000 registrants who safeguard the public welfare and contribute significantly to Alberta's economic success and quality of life. Attachments APEGA Names Paul Wynnyk, P.Eng., as New Registrar & CEO Paul Wynnyk, P.Eng., New APEGA Registrar & CEO CONTACT: Andrew MacKendrick, External Relations Manager The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) 825-966-5815 [email protected]The system improvements are part of efforts to make doing business easier and more efficient for Illinois service providers, the department said. The Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment, or CORE, opened on Oct. 30, nearly a year after the Illinois General Assembly passed House Bill 2394, a measure authorizing the IDFPR to upgrade its antiquated system that had led to long waiting periods for licensing and renewals. The new system will “eliminate the need for paper applications, give applicants more control over their application materials, and help prevent deficient applications from being submitted,” according to a statement from IDFPR. The agency calls CORE the first part of a multiphase approach by IDFPR to, over the next two years, ensure applications for more than 300 license types and records for more than 1.2 million professionals are properly transitioned. The first professions to be licensed under the new system are clinical psychologists, music therapists and nail technicians. “Everyone wanting to earn a living in Illinois in the 21st century should have tools of the times available so they can be licensed and get to work as soon as possible,” IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto Jr., said in the statement. Music therapists On May 27, 2022, Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2243, which created a music therapy license for Illinois practitioners within the IDFPR. Music therapy is a form of treatment that incorporates “clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship” according to the American Music Therapy Association website. “We have been waiting for 2 1/2 years since our bill was passed for this new system to come,” said Mia Iliopoulos Krings, president of the Illinois Association for Music Therapy, in an interview. Instead of immediately allowing music therapists to apply for a license two years ago, Krings said that the department “didn't want to put us in the old system for us to just have to go into the new system.” Since the system’s launch, Krings praised how easy and efficient it was to complete the application process. “They have been working incredibly fast and efficiently in getting everything back to us. For example, I applied on Friday night on Nov. 1. I heard back by 8:30 a.m. Monday morning,” Krings said. She said her fellow music therapists posted their issued licenses on Facebook and shared similar experiences of a rapid response. Krings’ experience now is vastly different from what many Illinois professionals experienced in the past. Panache Perkins, director and an instructor of Your School of Beauty in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, said that before the digitization, the IDFPR was “still in 1997,” with “old school” public servants stacking “pieces of paper applications into a 75-year-old filing system.” “They (IDFPR) lose paperwork all the time, because they don’t have the right system,” she said. With new integrated software and technology services provided by Tyler Technologies, however, the department’s CORE system will “notify prospective licensees directly within the system when applications are received, reviewed, and licenses are issued by the department—eliminating the need for paper mail and email responses,” according to IDFPR’s statement. Financial barriers for business The IDFPR’s mission is “to protect the residents of Illinois” through licensing and regulating industries and professions that offer services to the public. But some say these licenses can serve as a financial barrier to doing business. The initial music therapy license is $400 and renewal costs $300. In preparation for hardships, the Illinois Association for Music Therapists held a benefit concert to raise funds to help pay for the licenses for members in need. Two years ago, state lawmakers created the Comprehensive Licensing Information to Minimize Barriers Task Force, or CLIMB, to “investigate how occupational licensing of low-to-moderate-income occupations relates to economic inequities in Illinois and to recommend reforms,” according to a statement from the task force. Last month, CLIMB released a study of their two-year findings, and recommended easing licensing burdens for specific professions. The study recommended that hair braiders, for example, should be exempt from having a license. CLIMB’s research found that “requiring a license to braid hair does not enhance public safety but does disproportionately impact individuals from minority communities,” according to the statement. Perkins said she disagrees with that recommendation. “People’s addiction to social media has changed the (standard) that licensing set. Now everyone thinks they can do it,” she said. She also said braiders may not know proper hair care, how to properly clean their tools or prevent traction alopecia – a type of hair loss caused by tension from tight hair styles. There are 33 states that do not require a license for hair braiders; an increase of 21 from 2016. This includes Indiana, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, according to the CLIMB. Perkins said she has been working in the beauty industry since she was 16 years old, noting, “my grandmother inspired me to go into cosmetology.” Perkins’s grandmother, Mildred Dixon, opened Your School of Beauty 66 years ago to train men and women to begin their careers in the beauty industry. Perkins said the beauty industry is among the most essential occupations and that it should be regulated accordingly. “Cosmetologists work closely with products that dermatologists prescribe and recommend. We were also essential during the pandemic,” Perkins said. However, she also acknowledged the state’s antiquated licensing system impacts how cosmetologists are regarded and can run their businesses. She said she doesn’t think licensing is a barrier. “If you can do enough ‘heads’ to pay taxes on your work, then you can pay the money to get your license,” she said, adding that this evokes a larger issue about how people see their futures. “If you’re not trying to get your license,” she said, “you’re also not thinking about your (long-term) future.”

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MINNEAPOLIS — Just over a week ago, the Lakers’ mission was clear. But what has transpired over the last week has been a reversal of what was desired. The Lakers’ offense was humming coming off a frustrating 119-118 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Nov. 21 that ended their six-game winning streak. Their 118.3 offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) ranked No. 4 through the first 15 games, delivering on the belief that the Lakers could be an elite offensive team. They scored at least 110 points in seven of eight games through the loss to the Magic and 12 of the first 15 games, helping them to a 10-5 record. The next step was clear: improve on the defensive end of the court, with the Lakers’ defensive rating of 117.4 in the first 15 games ranking 26th. The Lakers accomplished their goal: their defense has improved, with a defensive rating of 114.9 in their past six games (19th), including 109.8 (12th) in their last four. But it’s come at a cost – their once elite offense has fallen off significantly over the last week-plus, most evident in their 109-80 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night . “It’s very frustrating,” All-Star big man Anthony Davis said. “We were really good offensively and our defense was a problem and we kind of start just focusing on defense and now our offense is kind of shifted. So we got to get back to how we were [at] the beginning of the year, playing on both sides of the ball very well. “The good thing about it is, offensively it doesn’t take that much to get back going. Defense is a little bit tougher. So with the guys that we have in this locker room, I think we will be fine to figure it out.” The Lakers’ offensive rating has plummeted to 102.4 in their past six games for the league’s third-worst mark (28th) in that stretch. The absence of Austin Reaves, the team’s third-leading scorer who has missed the last two games because of a bruised left pelvis and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game in Miami, has impacted the offense. But the Lakers’ offensive regression started before Reaves’ injury. The ball and player movement has taken a notable dip compared to earlier in the season. The Lakers are passing fewer times per game during this offensive lull. Old habits have replaced the ones Coach JJ Redick tried to replace with an offensive system that values player and ball movement. “I feel like the offense was fun,” Redick said. “I really believe we’ve gotten better defensively. We’ve spent a lot of time as a staff defensively. And this is the nature of the NBA season. You don’t have a ton of time. The things you emphasize, hopefully you get better at. And sometimes when you don’t emphasize something, or you don’t work on something because you don’t necessarily have time, or you think you’re good at it and you think you have buy-in at it, you just get slippage. We gotta clean that up.” To LeBron James, the Lakers improving their offense will come down to investing similar energy as they did to improve their defense. “Just watching the film and seeing ways we can do better,” James said. “We did that a lot when we wanted to get our defense corrected and we corrected it. You spend a little bit more time on offense things too.” When: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. Where: Kaseya Center, Miami TV/radio: NBA TV, Spectrum SportsNet/710 AMWhat’s your mobile phone usage ? Where do you intend to travel? These are some of the questions that you may face as India rolls out quarterly surveys starting next year to eliminate seasonality effects and capture the demand in various sectors. Over 5,000 top companies are also being tapped, an official said. Companies are being assessed on their investment plan for the next three years. The official said the inaugural edition of ‘Forward looking survey on Private Corporate Sector’, which started in October and is currently underway, will be released in March next year. Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Data Analysis Learn Power BI with Microsoft Fabric: Complete Course By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Legal Complete Guide to AI Governance and Compliance By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Design Microsoft Designer Guide: The Ultimate AI Design Tool By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Learn InVideo AI: Create Videos from Text Easily By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT The ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) will roll out the first ‘ Comprehensive Modular Survey ’, in January-March 2025, focussing on information technology, the official told ET. This survey will comprehensively assess internet penetration and mobile phone usage in the country, the official said, adding that the results of the survey would be released within 1-1.5 months after the completion of the survey. In India, 59.8% of individuals aged 15 and above can use the internet, according to the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey 2022-23 released in October. ‘ACCURATE PICTURE OF TRENDS’ Quarterly surveys are expected to mitigate the effects of seasonality. Providing an example, the official explained that school admissions typically conclude at a specific time. “The idea is to get robust data that can be updated on a regular basis for a more accurate picture of the economic trends,” the official said. The Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES) and the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) will be conducted from July 2025 to June 2026 to assess travel spending of Indian households. The official said these surveys were requested by the ministries of tourism and railways and their results are expected to be released around September-October. The DTES, initially scheduled for 2020 as part of the NSS 78th round, was postponed due to the pandemic. The NHTS aims to evaluate the classwise demand for various types of coaches and analyse the price elasticity of travel demand. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

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The Prime Minister has urged G7 leaders to show caution in Syria following the overthrow of Bashar Assad . Sir Keir Starmer told a meeting of the G7 leaders on Friday that “the fall of (Bashar) Assad’s brutal regime should be welcomed but we must be cautious about what comes next”, according to a Downing Street spokesperson. The spokesperson added that the safety of the Syrian people should be a “priority” along with supporting a peaceful transition to a “credible, inclusive and non-sectarian” government. The leaders again stressed the importance of respecting Syria’s “territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty”, the spokesperson concluded. Friday’s virtual meeting came less than a week after the collapse of Mr Assad’s regime following a lightning offensive by rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Since then, Western governments have debated how to deal with HTS, which is a proscribed organisation in the UK because of its closeness to al Qaida, although its current leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who had used the alias Mohammed al-Golani before taking power, has attempted to distance his movement from the terrorist group. There is also concern that a power vacuum in Syria could exacerbate regional tensions and create conditions for the Islamic State group to regain ground. In a statement on Thursday, the G7 leaders said they were committed to “work with and fully support” a future Syrian government that agreed to ensure “respect for the rule of law, universal human rights, including women’s rights, the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities, transparency and accountability”. Meanwhile, Israeli troops have pushed into Syria and bombed targets across the country, with the government in Tel Aviv saying it is attempting to secure its border after the collapse of the Assad regime and prevent weapons falling into the wrong hands.Timberwolves blow out Lakers 109-80 behind Randle, Gobert and tough defense

People help the injured passengers of a bus after it crashed in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil on September 6, 2015. At least 15 people died and 40 were injured Sunday when a bus crashed in the Brazilian resort town of Paraty, state officials told AFP. (File photo by CARLOS VALIM / FOLHA DO LITORAL NORTE / AFP) Twenty-three people died Sunday when a bus on a remote mountain road in Brazil’s Alagoas state dived into a ravine, regional authorities said. Rescue services confirmed that 22 died at the scene and another person — a pregnant woman — succumbed after being taken to hospital, the Alagoas state government said in a statement. Brazilian media said “dozens” of people were injured, and that the bus had been carrying 40 passengers. The accident occurred near the town of Uniao dos Palmares. State governor Paulo Dantas declared on the social media platform X three days of mourning over the “tragedy.” The bus went off the road in an area difficult to access, in a mountainous area called Serra da Barriga. The regional Mata Hospital declined to give AFP information on the number of dead and wounded it had received. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .

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ds vs betboom Cytokinetics director Wendall Wierenga sells $37,100 in stockDAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An American citizen who disappeared seven months ago into former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system was suddenly discovered Thursday outside Damascus after being released and handed over to rebel forces, Syria’s new authorities said. The political affairs office of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that led the lightning offensive to topple Assad’s government, said the group had secured the release of U.S. citizen Travis Timmerman. In interviews with media in Syria, Timmerman said he was imprisoned after crossing from Lebanon into Syria on a Christian pilgrimage. He appeared to be among the thousands of people released from Syria's sprawling military prisons this week after rebels reached Damascus, overthrowing Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule. “We affirm our readiness to cooperate directly with the U.S. administration to complete the search for American citizens disappeared by the former Assad regime,” the group said, adding that a search was underway for Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago. As footage emerged online Thursday of Timmerman, looking disheveled and disoriented as rebels led him out of a family's home near Damascus, some initially mistook him for Tice. In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket. A group of men in the video said that he was being treated well and would be safely returned home. A Syrian family told The Associated Press they found Timmerman barefoot on a main road in the countryside of Damascus early on Thursday. He appeared cold and hungry so they brought him back to their home. “I fed him and called a doctor,” said Mosaed al-Rifai, the 68-year-old waste collector who first found Timmerman. Al-Rifai said it was hard to communicate because of the language barrier but it seemed Timmerman had been held by an internal security agency. A few hours after al-Rifai discovered him, rebels arrived at the family’s house to pick him up, he said. Mouaz Mostafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a U.S.-based nonprofit group, said he met Timmerman at the house and arranged for a car to take him to Damascus, where the new authorities gave the ex-detainee food and water and brought him clothes and shoes. Timmerman had lice in his long, unkempt hair, Mostafa said, and reported walking for 13 miles barefoot before being discovered. Timmerman — now recovering until the rebels can figure out how to hand him to U.S. authorities — was planning to get to Jordan after his release to obtain a new passport, Mostafa said. Earlier this year, a Missouri State Highway Patrol bulletin identified him as “Pete Travis Timmerman,” 29, and said he had gone missing in Hungary in early June. In late August, Hungarian police put out a missing persons announcement for “Travis Pete Timmerman,” saying he was last seen at a church in Hungary’s capital, Budapest. Authorities in Missouri and Hungary had shared photos of a young man who strongly resembles the ex-prisoner who identified himself as “Travis Timmerman" in interviews with international news outlets on Thursday. Missouri court records indicate Timmerman is from Urbana, Missouri, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Springfield in the southwestern part of the state. A graduation list from Missouri State University shows he earned his bachelor’s degree in finance in the spring of 2017. Timmerman’s mother, Stacey Collins Gardiner, told National Public Radio that he returned home to Urbana after working in Chicago for a couple of years. He then left for Budapest with the goal of writing about his Christian faith and helping people, she said. Timmerman had warned her, she added, that his travels might make communication difficult. After losing contact with him during his stay in Hungary, Gardiner later learned that her son had gone to Lebanon. On Thursday, she heard that he was found through the media. “I will hug him. ... And then I probably won’t let him go,” she said, laughing. “I’ll say, well, thank God you’re still alive. And I’m so happy. Our prayers came true." U.S. officials said they were working to confirm Timmerman's identity and provide the support. From Aqaba, Jordan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that the White House was “working to bring him home, to bring him out of Syria” but declined further comment for privacy reasons. Timmerman, with a scraggly beard and grey sweatshirt, later spoke with the Al-Arabiya TV network, saying he had illegally crossed into Syria on foot from the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle seven months ago before being detained and held in a cell alone. He said that he was treated well in detention, but could hear other young men being tortured. “It was OK. I was fed. I was watered. The one difficulty was that I couldn’t go to the bathroom when I wanted to,” he said. He said he was only allowed to go three times a day. “I was not beaten and the guards treated me decently,” he added. Washington's top hostage negotiator, Roger Carstens, traveled to Lebanon earlier this week in hopes of collecting information on the whereabouts of Tice. President Joe Biden has said his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, though he also acknowledged on Sunday that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. The case has frustrated U.S. intelligence officials for years. On Thursday, Blinken emphasized the administration’s work on Tice's case. “Every single day we are working to find him and to bring him home” Blinken said. "This is a priority for the United States.” Tice, who has had his work published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and others, disappeared at a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus in August 2012 as the Syrian civil war intensified. A video released weeks after Tice went missing showed him blindfolded and held by armed men. He hasn't been heard from since. Assad's government had denied that it was holding him. Follow the AP's Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Tayshawn Comer scored 18 points as Evansville beat Campbell 66-53 on Sunday night. Comer had six rebounds and six assists for the Purple Aces (3-4). Cameron Haffner scored 16 points and added six rebounds. Gabriel Pozzato shot 3 for 5, including 2 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 10 points. Jasin Sinani led the way for the Fighting Camels (3-4) with 22 points. Colby Duggan added 11 points and Nolan Dorsey totaled eight points, seven rebounds and four steals. Evansville took the lead with 1:45 left in the first half and never looked back. The score was 34-28 at halftime, with Haffner racking up eight points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Sources: Struggling Kings fire Mike Brown

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke National Politics | With Trump as president, can TikTok in the US survive? National Politics | Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration National Politics | Expecting challenges, blue states vow to create ‘firewall’ of abortion protections The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.None

Add Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl to your watchlist Reassuringly, not much has changed in the world of Wallace & Gromit since we watched them wrestling with A Matter Of Loaf And Death in 2008. They’re still living a life that revolves round the former’s “cracking” contraptions, and it will come as no surprise to viewers when, once again, the inventor’s handiwork lands our heroes in hot water. On that bedrock of familiarity and tradition, they embark on only their second feature-length adventure, filled to the brim with laughs, jeopardy, outrageously creative physical comedy, and supporting characters who provide much more than window dressing. Significantly, there’s the return of Feathers McGraw, the duo’s dastardly avian nemesis, incarceratred in a high-security zoo at the close of 1993’s The Wrong Trousers - an early scene here references jailbird Robert De Niro in Cape Fear , one of a slew of pop culture sight gags throughout (keep your eyes peeled for nods to Captain Nemo, The Flintstones , and local TV presenter “Anton Deck”). Wallace’s new moneyspinner is an automated garden gnome called Norbot, a relentlessly upbeat, workaholic little fellow (voiced by Reece Shearsmith) and the cornerstone of West Wallaby Street’s latest business, Gnome Improvements, capable of landscaping an entire back yard in a matter of minutes. Sensing an opportunity, Feathers concocts a fiendish plan from his cell by hacking into Wallace’s cumbersome basement computer system, and mass-replicating Norbot (switched to an altogether more evil setting) until he has a veritable army to do his villainous bidding. The endgame is to stage another heist to steal the Blue Diamond he nearly got away with when first battling man and dog, but not before masterminding a gnome-perpretrated crimewave which, inevitably, is blamed on Norbot’s creator. It’s an open-and-shut case in the eyes of Peter Kay’s Chief Inspector Mackintosh (a meteoric rise through the ranks for the lowly constable from The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005), but his eager young protege PC Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) suspects something more sinister is afoot. It’s up to her and the ever resourceful Gromit to uncover the truth, as well as springing the bewildered Wallace from custody. There’s a lot going on, certainly more than could have been comfortably shoehorned into the pair’s previous 30-minute outings, and the intricate plot is noticeably better paced than the other feature in the series, Were-Rabbit. Originator Nick Park and Ardman Animations exhibit a much firmer grip on the necessities of the lengthier format, likely honed during the making of Shaun The Sheep cinema releases in 2015 and ‘19, to deliver knockabout, white-knuckle thrills aplently without sacrificing any of the characters’ innate, homespun charm. Preserving the spirit and personality of what went before is especially key in the passing of the baton to voice Wallace from the late Peter Sallis to Ben Whitehead, no stranger to the role courtesy of several video games stretching back to 2009. Even the most finely-tuned pair of ears would struggle to register any tangible difference, such is the skill with which Whitehead nails the enthusiasm, exasperation or more intimate traits of the character - essential, given the importance of how Wallace reacts to the mayhem swirling around him. Read more film reviews: Wicked review: Ariana Grande steals the show in bewitching blockbuster Nosferatu review: This creepy and compelling new take on vampire myth is a thing of beauty Gladiator II review: A sturdy sequel that revels in its more ludicrous qualities Emilia Pérez review: A musical that redefines what's possible in the genre That Christmas review: Richard Curtis's animation is twee but with a winning formula If a tiny handful of one-liners feel lazy and don’t quite hit their mark, there is nonetheless a hearty banquet of top-drawer jokes in Mark Burton’s script (with an additional material credit for comedians Holly Walsh and Barunka O’Shaughnessy) to keep things ticking along. The sets and situations are as audacious as ever, affording the characters show-stopping backdrops that liberally borrow from Tex Avery cartoons, Hitchcock thrillers and all points between - no mean feat for a film resolutely rooted in the quaintness of stop-motion. Computer graphic trickery is kept to an absolute bare minimum, because the strength with which Ardman have assembled and established this particular universe means it’s not needed. Whatever the advances in technology may have been since we last saw them, Wallace & Gromit are still big cheeses.CHICAGO , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Courte Partners, LLC ("GCP"), a private equity real estate investment firm focused on building industry-leading companies within niche real estate sectors, announced today that its sixth investment fund, Green Courte Real Estate Partners VI, LLC and its affiliates, acquired Cottages of Monroe , a 51-unit active-adult cottage community located in Monroe, Georgia , just east of Atlanta . The acquisition increases GCP's national senior living portfolio, which is managed by the firm's wholly owned operating platform, True Connection Communities, to 20 communities containing approximately 3,200 units. Matt Pyzyk , Managing Director at GCP, said, "We are excited to expand our portfolio and enter the Atlanta market with the acquisition of Cottages of Monroe , which has earned a strong local reputation and consistently maintained high occupancy rates. This gated community has been a key target for us due to its attractive location and the desirability of its single-story cottage product. With this acquisition, our senior living portfolio now includes approximately 650 cottages. We are actively pursuing opportunities to acquire or develop similar communities to expand our senior cottage portfolio." Randy Griffin , one of Green Courte's counterparties in the transaction, added, "We've had a long-standing relationship with GCP. They approached us directly and were able to structure a deal that accomplished our objectives. We were pleased with the timeline and outcome of the transaction." About Green Courte Partners, LLC Green Courte Partners, LLC is a Chicago -based private equity real estate investment firm focused on building industry-leading companies within niche real estate sectors. The firm has active investments in the following sectors: active-adult/independent senior living, land-lease communities, industrial outdoor storage, and near-airport parking. The firm combines focused investment strategies with a disciplined approach to transaction execution, operations, and asset management. Green Courte's goal is to invest in high-quality real estate assets that will generate attractive risk-adjusted returns over a long-term holding period. For additional information, please visit Green Courte's website at www.GreenCourtePartners.com . About True Connection Communities True Connection Communities operates a high-quality portfolio of 20 active-adult and independent senior living communities, containing approximately 3,200 units located in 11 states, to meet the growing needs of Americans over the age of 55 seeking an active and engaged lifestyle. To deliver an exceptional resident experience, the company focuses on five key offerings: custom-designed fitness and wellness programs, creative chef-prepared meals made with the freshest seasonal ingredients, social activities designed for a life on the move, innovative educational programs, and state-of-the-art technology. To learn more, visit www.TrueConnectionCommunities.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/green-courte-partners-acquires-active-adult-community-located-in-atlanta-georgia-msa-302330844.html SOURCE Green Courte Partners, LLC

Brighton draws 0-0 with Brentford in lackluster Premier League encounterEnvironment Don't miss out on the headlines from Environment. Followed categories will be added to My News. The last time Melbourne footballer Troy Broadbridge said goodbye to his best man Chris Lamb was at the international departure gates at Melbourne airport. Broadbridge, 24, was about to go on his honeymoon to Thailand in December, 2004. Lamb, a Demons teammate, was heading to Europe for a white Christmas to meet up with his girlfriend. “We were at the airport the day after the wedding and we were able to have a beer,” Lamb said this week. “It was his moment, he was going on his honeymoon. We’d said goodbye but then he walked back over and said: ‘I’ll see you in a year.’” Troy Broadbridge was about to go on his honeymoon to Thailand in December, 2004. Broadbridge had cemented his role on the half back flank in Melbourne’s senior team. Lamb flew to Denmark, Broadbridge and his new wife Trisha headed to Phi Phi Island. On a cold Boxing Day morning in Denmark, Lamb was watching the news. “We were looking at the TV, it was in Danish so we couldn’t understand it, but we just saw these pictures of the tsunami,” Lamb said. “Then we thought, has anyone heard from Broady?” There were many people asking the same question as the devastation caused by the world’s deadliest tsunami came into focus. A 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck in the ocean off Sumatra, Indonesia, on Boxing Day 2004. Picture: ADH/Stefan Trappe A 9.1 magnitude earthquake in the ocean off Sumatra, Indonesia, at 7.59am on Boxing Day, killed an estimated 230,000 people in 15 countries, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Broadbridge was one of those killed. Lamb struggled with returning to Australia for his friend’s funeral in Melbourne. “I thought maybe if I didn’t go home then I could think that it didn’t really happen,” he said. Broadbridge had been married eight days before he died and also just cemented his role on the half back flank in Melbourne’s senior team after coming off the rookie list in 1998. “His life was really taking off,” Lamb said. Trisha survived the tsunami and was named Young Australian of The Year in 2006 for her charity work on Phi Phi Island, dedicated to Broadbridge. Lamb also assisted in some of that work in 2005. Chris Lamb was devastated after hearing about Broadbridge’s death. Lamb first met Broadbridge at Football Park in Adelaide while playing a practice game in 1999. They bonded as some of the youngest players on Melbourne’s AFL list, and that Broadbridge, who moved across from Adelaide, and Lamb, who was from Wodonga, both had to make new friends in a new town. They shared the ups and downs of fighting for a senior place in an AFL team. But Lamb said that Broadbridge was always thinking of others. “He was so positive about life, his shoulder would pop out and he knew that would mean weeks or months out of football but there was never any ‘Woe is me,’” he said. “I’m not just reminiscing and adding a bit of mayo, he was just that kind of guy. “He would be injured and he would be the first one to text you and ask you how you were going.” Lamb still keeps in touch with Broadbridge’s parents, Pam, a tireless volunteer, and Wayne, a former Port Adelaide footballer. They see each other every year when Wayne presents Melbourne’s VFL best and fairest award, which is named after Broadbridge. Trisha, Broadbridge’s partner, survived the tsunami and was named Young Australian of The Year in 2006 for her charity work on Phi Phi Island. This year, Lamb took his sons to Adelaide to watch the Western Bulldogs, the team he follows, play there. Lamb’s eldest son Ben has the middle name of Troy, in a nod to his best mate. “Wayne was showing him around, saying this is where Troy used to play,” he said. Broadbridge played 40 AFL games with the Demons. His last game of football was in the VFL grand final in 2004, lining up alongside Lamb on the half back line for Melbourne’s reserves team at the time, Sandringham. Broadbridge was a last-minute call up after a player had become ill on the day. Sandringham won by four points, with reports from the time highlighting Lamb’s late mark on the goal line, denying Port Melbourne the lead in the dying moments. Lamb shied away from that moment, instead focusing on the joy he felt playing alongside Broadbridge in his final game. He has a photograph of the two of them, sitting on the turf, drinking in the moment that still hangs on the wall in his lounge room, keeping that memory alive. More Coverage Weather warnings: How Boxing Day tsunami changed the world David Mills 'You don't want to go there': What I saw after Boxing Day tsunami Sarah Blake Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Environment Weather warnings: How Boxing Day tsunami changed the world The Boxing Day tsunami caused catastrophic devastation and there were unexpected ways in which it changed the world. See how in these harrowing before and after photos. Read more National Warning as crazy bushfire ‘out-of-control’ A major warning has been issued over an out-of-control bushfire burning through thousands of hectares of land - all ahead of a scorcher weekend in Australia. Read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth , Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.None

Posts area Latest 1 of 1 Latest posts Latest posts 7.30am Woman charged with manslaughter over roadside death of partner Police have charged a Perth woman with manslaughter after a man, believed to be her partner, was found unresponsive on the side of a road and later died. The 32-year-old woman will front Joondalup Magistrate’s Court this morning. It’s alleged police were called to an incident on Marmion Avenue in Jindalee around 5.40pm on Saturday, where a man in his 30s was found dying on the side of the road near a silver Mitsubishi Outlander. Homicide detectives are investigating whether the man was struck by the car, with witnesses telling 9 News Perth they heard a couple arguing and swearing loudly shortly before the incident. Anyone who was in the vicinity of Marmion Ave in Jindalee between 5.15pm and 6.16pm, who saw the incident, or who has any dash-cam, or mobile phone vision, or who has any information relating to this incident, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. 7.30am Across the nation and around the world Here’s what’s making headlines across Australia and around the world this morning. Pressure is on the Albanese government to make headway on its long list of stalled legislation during the final sitting week of 2024. Peter Dutton will use a private Coalition meeting to calm MPs who are fearful that Labor’s teen social media ban is a Trojan horse for government control of the internet. A media storm threatens to thwart plans to transfer five of the Bali Nine drug traffickers to Australia by the end of the year after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to approve the transfer during a meeting in Peru last week. Shapelle Corby cries during the the trial today. Overseas, countries at the COP29 summit in Baku adopted a $460 billion a year global finance target on Sunday to help poorer nations cope with the impacts of climate change. 7.30am Today’s weather Mostly sunny with a max of 25 degrees. Advertisement 7.30am This morning in Perth Good morning, and welcome to our live news blog for your Monday. Making headlines this morning, mining magnate Andrew Forrest has implored those negotiating an ambitious treaty to end plastic production to include a tax on manufacturers, amid mounting research into the human health impacts. He’s also penned an opinion piece where he has called on delegates finalising a global treaty to end plastic pollution in South Korea this week to impose a “polymer premium”, arguing the world needed more than downstream measures to avoid a plastic health and environmental crisis. Andrew Forrest. Credit: Bloomberg And in an event-studded Perth weekend that has included the rescheduled WA Day Festival, Pride Parade and first Test against India , the state government has announced a repeat of last year’s free public transport over summer . Premier Roger Cook also floated the idea of changing the WA Day public holiday from the first Monday in June to later in the year. Stay with us as we bring you the news as it happens, throughout the day. Latest 1 of 1 Latest Most Viewed in National Loading

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The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.”

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has appointed Charles Kushner, his son-in-law’s father, to be the US ambassador to France. The president-elect, 78, pardoned Mr Kushner, who in 2006 served a prison sentence for tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign donations, at the end of his first administration. Chris Christie, a former New Jersey governor, described Mr Kushner’s case as “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes” he ever prosecuted as a US attorney. Announcing the appointment, Mr Trump said the property developer, 70, was a “tremendous business leader, philanthropist and dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our country and its interests”. He referenced , his former White House adviser, but did not mention that he is married to his daughter Ivanka. “Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their four children, and 14 grandchildren”, he wrote on Truth Social. He added: “His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform and the Abraham Accords. “Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest ally, and one of our greatest!” The appointment underscores Mr Trump’s commitment to filling his administration with loyalists and close allies. pardoned Mr Kushner as part of an 11th-hour clemency spree during the final days of his first presidency, with the White House citing Mr Kushner’s charitable work since he completed his 2006 prison sentence. Mr Kushner pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission in 2005. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Part of the case involved the real estate developer hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law William Schulder, who was cooperating with a federal investigation against him. He filmed the encounter and sent the footage to his wife, Esther. The Schulders took the videotape to the prosecutors who tracked down the woman. In 2019, Mr Christie, a former presidential candidate, called it “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes” he had ever prosecuted. Jared, 43, previously described the deep impact his father’s imprisonment had on him. He was in his early 20s and a law and business school student in the mid-2000s when his father was sentenced and suddenly found himself having to run the family’s businesses while shuttling back and forth on weekends to see his father in Alabama. “When you’re on the other side of the system, you feel so helpless,” Mr Kushner said in 2018. “I felt like I was on this side of the system, so how can I try to do whatever I can do to try to be helpful to the people who are going through it and deserve a second chance.”Baylor wins 6th straight as Sawyer Robertson throws 4 TDs in 45-17 win to end Kansas season

La fondue chinoise épicée vise le marché mondial

Ukraine says war has damaged most civilian airportsAre you looking for a new addition to your traditional Christmas decor? After much digging, I'm making a case for this 100-year-old German tradition that is the answer to all my whimsical, folky Christmas dreams. Sure, we all know the Christmas decorating classics: tree ornaments, fairy lights, pine cones, Christmas wreaths , and Christmas garlands , but have you ever considered a putz house or two? The charm of the vintage Christmas decor trend isn't fading just yet, so I've been on the hunt for something sugary sweet, and totally retro to add to my collection of paper garlands, mercury baubles, and icicle tinsel. Here, I'm making a case for the return of putz houses. So I'm sure you're wondering what is a 'putz house' anyway? These miniature festive houses hail from Germany and became popular in the early 20th century, around 100 years ago. Designed to look like little festive European homes with pitched roofs and pretty decor, the name comes from the German word putzen , which means 'to decorate' or 'to adorn'. Usually around 5-10 inches tall, the original versions were typically handmade using paper or cardboard and accessorized with glitter to create a nostalgic Christmas village to display on the mantel, window, or under the tree. When you bring a cluster of them together, they create an enchanting, magical display that is perfect for capturing that cozy, vintage Christmas vibe we're all seeking. Today, you'll find them made from paper, ceramic, or wood and can pick them up from Target for as little as $5, shop handcrafted versions from small sellers, or go all out and score this rare Complete set of 8 Christmas Putz Houses at 1st Dibs that is currently selling for just under $7,000. Here are a few of my favorites I have found to shop now in time for Christmas. Surprisingly, Amazon have a great selection of handmade putz houses from small sellers including this pretty pink townhouse complete with miniature red bows. I want to move in. Dating from the early 1940s and made in the U.S.A, these four vintage putz houses depict a snowy chalet scheme and are in great condition. They might be tiny and a little fragile, but nothing does it like the real thing. This light-up LED paper house from Target is just as sweet as its vintage counterparts. I love the soft green color scheme and mini car, this will cast a warm glow from your mantel once you add the included batteries. Super sturdy thanks to being made from clay, these intricately decorated village houses from Pottery Barn are finished with a hint of glitter and gingerbread-style trim. They also have LED bulbs fitted inside. Another rare vintage find, these 6 little pink, blue, and white glittered houses hail from 1950s Japan (the seller has noted a stamp on the bottom). Sure, shopping vintage isn't budget-friendly, but they're so irresistibly charming. For a more contemporary take, the team at Terrain has adorned this large faux foliage wreath with tiny, colorful paper putz houses and brush trees for a really cheerful addition to your front door. MacKenzie-Childs home decor is always hand-crafted and hand-painted, so to get this set for just under $90 feels like a good deal. Featuring her signature check print, they're a lovely mix of old and new charm. These 2 coordinating houses from Amazon are full of rustic charm. Made from wood, they can be powered with 2AA batteries to glow from within. I love the bottle trees and soft pink roofs. Finally, if you feel like doing a little DIY, this crafting kit from Anthropologie helps you to build 3 houses, 3 delicately decorated trees, 1 mailbox (for Santa, of course), and a clock. A fun stocking filler for sure. If you’re looking to add a unique and personal touch to your Christmas decorations, putz houses might just be the missing piece you've been looking for. Beyond just being super cute, they embody a rich heritage of craftsmanship and will bring a sense of warm nostalgia to your home.Most years, the pro wrestling rumor mill might ease off a little for the winter months before really heating back up again for WrestleMania season. But that's just an impossibility this year. Not only is one of WWE's flagship shows headed to Netflix soon, the company has also revived Saturday Night's Main Event for a big event soon, too. As such, there are massive rumblings making the rounds that involve names like The Rock. Tack on details about the how and why of Netflix programming and the usual expected buzz about surprise returns, and the mill is packed more than usual. To help fans keep pace, here is a quick look at the most notable rumors and whether fans should buy or sell on each. The Rumor Not all that long ago, The Rock made a big return at the Bad Blood PLE...and hasn't been seen since. According to Fightful Select (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), there was no greater plan for the segment—all involved just wanted fans to see him. Reaction Ok? The whole thing was weird in the moment because Rock's music hit, he came out and did his goosebumps-slapping thing, then held up a few fingers, never walked down the ramp to the ring and the show ended. But there was, at least, some hope that it was planned and hinting at something bigger. Buy or Sell? Buy. To get cliche, this is par for the course when it comes to Rock's involvement. Last year was as sloppy as it gets before 'Mania and risked derailing the likes of Cody Rhodes. That there's no actual plan right now seems obvious. The Rumor Surely, at least, Rock will be at Raw's debut episode of Netflix, right? According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Ortman ), the company doesn't have "official word" from Rock about his commitment. Reaction Regardless of his availability for 'Mania, it always felt like Rock would be involved in the Netflix debut. He does, after all, have more at stake in WWE than ever before after that TKO merger. Buy or Sell? Sell. This is exactly what one would leak while trying to hold back a surprise, right? Rock is going to be there because it is too important to miss and, if he's eventually committing to 'Mania, it's the perfect stage with the maximum amount of eyeballs to kick off whatever feud they do. The Rumor Whether WWE will maintain the PG rating in the new streaming era is a hot debate. According to Wrestling Observer Radio's Bryan Alvarez (h/t Ortman ), one big change is coming—they won't censor crowd chants anymore. Reaction This might just be the best way to do it. Actual on-screen characters cussing left and right doesn't add much to the story. But the organic, passionate reactions of fans in the buildings at shows? That's something special that is earned by the performers and shouldn't be edited. Buy or Sell? Buy all the stock. Censoring crowd noise and natural reactions makes the viewing experience worse and WWE has to know it. Refusing to lean into the advantages of getting off cable television would be silly. The Rumor Drew McIntyre shockingly returned and attacked Sami Zayn recently. According to PW Insider (h/t Ortman ), this only happened because Bronson Reed suffered an injury at the Survivor Series PLE. Reaction McIntyre was inevitable. He was always going to hang around the main-event scene, too, so it's not all that shocking he returned and did what he did while CM Punk moves on to other things. Buy or Sell? Big sell. It's hard to see what one has to do with the other and Reed's injury doesn't sound all too serious. McIntyre's star power around this time and into the 'Mania build was a must, and some of the Bloodline saga stuff resolving at Survivor Series opened the door. The Rumor Finn Bálor keeps spotlighting in a major way. And that's by design, it seems. According to WrestleVotes (h/t Ortman ), there is a "sustained singles push" for Bálor on the way in 2025. Reaction If it can happen for Damian Priest, it can certainly happen for Bálor. He's an awesome singles star and even gets the supernatural going sometimes with The Demon persona, so perhaps we see that again in the process. Buy or Sell? Easy buy. Bálor's faction has and will fall apart. Beyond the injury concerns, he's always been a globally renowned top singles star who seemed destined for huge singles things in WWE. He'd be a fun foil for the likes of Gunther.The U.S. Navy is transforming a costly flub into a potent weapon with the first shipborne hypersonic weapon, which is being retrofitted aboard the first of its three stealthy destroyers. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard Nov. 21 in Pascagoula, Miss. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of them by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute. The U.S. has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the U.S. military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added maneuverability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defense department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon previously acknowledged the weapon's development, it had not recognized its testing. One of the U.S. programs in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the “Conventional Prompt Strike." It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a $7.5 billion warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard Nov. 21 in Pascagoula, Miss. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an Advanced Gun System with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155 mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was canceled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost between $800,000 and $1 million. Despite the stain on its reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warship in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimize radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The Zumwalt arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 2023 and was removed from the water for the complex work of integrating the new weapon system. It is due to be undocked this week in preparation for the next round of tests and its return to the fleet, shipyard spokeswoman Kimberly Aguillard said. A U.S. hypersonic weapon was successfully tested over the summer and development of the missiles is continuing. The Navy wants to begin testing the system aboard the Zumwalt in 2027 or 2028, according to the Navy. The U.S. weapon system will come at a steep price. It would cost nearly $18 billion to buy 300 of the weapons and maintain them over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Critics say there is too little bang for the buck. “This particular missile costs more than a dozen tanks. All it gets you is a precise non-nuclear explosion, some place far far away. Is it really worth the money? The answer is most of the time the missile costs much more than any target you can destroy with it,” said Loren Thompson, a longtime military analyst in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Navy intercepted Houthi missiles and drones targeting two warships and three merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. But they provide the capability for Navy vessels to strike an enemy from a distance of thousands of kilometers — outside the range of most enemy weapons — and there is no effective defense against them, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Ray Spicer, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, an independent forum focusing on national security issues, and former commander of an aircraft carrier strike force. Conventional missiles that cost less aren’t much of a bargain if they are unable to reach their targets, Spicer said, adding the U.S. military really has no choice but to pursue them. “The adversary has them. We never want to be outdone,” he said. The U.S. is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to U.S. national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities,” said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defense department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said. Image Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock The financial challenges facing U.S. military households are a significant concern throughout the year. Holidays such as Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, or Veterans Day highlight the ongoing struggles that service members face, particularly amid rising costs for everyday essentials. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey shows a troubling trend: Military personnel and their families are finding it more difficult to cover basic household expenses such as food, housing, and transportation than the average American. Our analysis examines how service members are faring in today’s economy compared to civilian households, highlighting the states where military families report the greatest challenges in managing their finances. As we enter Giving Season, we’ve also highlighted meaningful ways to support service members and their families through charitable contributions, offering an opportunity to make a direct impact on those who serve our nation. Service members are struggling more financially than the average American. Image Credit: Upgraded Points According to recent Household Pulse Survey data, members of the armed services are experiencing financial strain at higher rates than the general U.S. population. Over 40% of service members report difficulty covering their usual household expenses, compared to 36.6% of all U.S. adults. The data also shows heightened anxiety among service members regarding rising prices. Nearly 80% of military personnel express stress about recent price increases, significantly higher than the 71.8% of all U.S. adults who share similar feelings. Furthermore, 81.8% of service members are concerned about future price hikes, reflecting widespread uncertainty about inflation’s long-term impact on household budgets. More than half of service members in certain states have difficulty covering basic household expenses. Image Credit: Upgraded Points Across the U.S., the financial burden on service members varies significantly from state to state, primarily influenced by local economic conditions. According to the most recent data, Utah leads with 53.7% of service members reporting difficulty covering basic household expenses, closely followed by Louisiana (52.9%) and Alaska (52.8%). Other states where over half of service members are struggling include Indiana (52.0%), Tennessee (51.2%), New York (50.8%), and Florida (50.3%). A key issue service members frequently raise is that their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) has not kept pace with the rapidly rising cost of housing. In states where service members face the greatest financial difficulties, such as Utah, Indiana, Tennessee, and Florida, home price increases have far exceeded the national average, exacerbating the strain on household budgets. Another critical factor affecting military families is the employment challenges military spouses face. According to the Department of Defense, the military spouse unemployment rate was 21% in 2023, compared to a national rate of 3.6% that year. Many military bases are located in rural or remote areas, limiting job opportunities for spouses, particularly in specialized fields. Additionally, frequent relocations make it difficult for spouses to sustain long-term careers, especially for those in professions requiring state-specific occupational licenses that can be difficult to transfer. Service members are also more likely to report financial struggles in states with higher-than-average unemployment rates, such as Louisiana, Alaska, and New York. Conversely, the state unemployment rate is below average in 9 of the 10 states where service members report the least financial difficulty. This suggests that strong local employment opportunities, particularly for spouses, significantly ease the financial burden on military households. Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock One of the most impactful ways to support service members, veterans, and their families who are facing financial hardships is through donations to reputable charities. These organizations are dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by military families and veterans, providing vital assistance in areas like housing, medical expenses, scholarships, and career training. To help guide your generosity, we’ve compiled a list of top-rated charities based on scores from Charity Navigator , CharityWatch , and GuideStar , which assess organizations on criteria such as impact, efficiency, accountability, and transparency. Here are some of the best charities supporting military families and veterans in need: 1. USO For over 80 years, the USO has provided crucial support to active-duty service members and their families. From financial assistance programs to community-building initiatives, the USO helps service members stay connected to loved ones while addressing their most pressing needs during deployments and transitions. 2. Homes For Our Troops This charity is focused on providing specially adapted homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. It helps veterans regain independence. Homes For Our Troops also provides financial planning and household budgeting to ensure long-term stability for the recipients. 3. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Dedicated to advocating for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, IAVA works to improve government policies and programs that support military families. Its advocacy ensures veterans have access to financial resources, healthcare, and education opportunities. 4. Fisher House Foundation This foundation builds “comfort homes” near military and VA medical centers, allowing families to stay free of charge while a loved one is hospitalized. By reducing travel and lodging expenses, Fisher House eases financial stress during difficult times. 5. Hope For The Warriors Offering a range of programs focused on financial stability, wellness, social support, and education, Hope For The Warriors provides critical support to service members, veterans, and their families. Its services include direct financial assistance for transitioning service members and veterans in need, career training and job placement, and scholarships for spouses. 6. Semper Fi & America’s Fund Semper Fi & America’s Fund assists wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families through direct financial assistance and case management during hospitalization and recovery. The organization also provides educational support, career assistance, and health and wellness services. 7. Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) WWFS supports families of those wounded or killed in combat through programs like medical travel grants, meal and housekeeping assistance, in-home care services, and family retreats. By addressing these families' immediate and ongoing needs, WWFS alleviates the financial burdens of those suffering from recent tragic events. For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, see Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help on Upgraded Points . Photo Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock Upgraded Points conducted the analysis using the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey Phase 4.0–4.2 , covering the period from January 9, 2024, to September 16, 2024. Service members were defined as adults currently serving in the U.S. armed forces (Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard) and their spouses. This analysis focuses on 3 key questions from the survey: Statistics with fewer than 50 survey responses were omitted from the analysis. Additional statistics on home prices were sourced from Zillow’s Home Value Index , and unemployment rates were sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates . For complete results, see Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help on Upgraded Points. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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

Batcho added eight rebounds for the Bulldogs (7-0). Amaree Abram added 14 points while going 5 of 11 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 3 for 3 from the line and also had eight rebounds. Al Green had 12 points and shot 4 of 9 from the field, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 4 from the line. The Bulldogs extended their winning streak to seven games. George Kimble III finished with 21 points for the Colonels (4-3). Devontae Blanton added 17 points and five assists for Eastern Kentucky. Jordan Crawford also had nine points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

The Witcher 4 is finally in full production, as CD Projekt announced during its Q3 financial update . The game, which is still codenamed Project Polaris, moved into full-scale production several weeks ago, chief financial officer Piotr Nielubowicz said. Speaking to Eurogamer , CD Projekt Red's vice president of technology, Charles Tremblay, discussed the switch from the internally developed REDengine, last used on Cyberpunk 2077, to Unreal Engine 5. "I will not say it's easy," he said, "but I think that we have some cool stuff going, and hopefully that will have some good showcase [of the technology]. The only thing I will say is that changing the tech for us does not change the fact that we always will be ambitious". Tremblay went on to declare Project Polaris, which is currently being worked on by 400 members of CDPR's 650-strong staff, would be bigger and better than anything the studio had done before. "And the next game we do will not be smaller, and it will not be worse. So it will be better, bigger, greater than The Witcher 3, it will be better than Cyberpunk—because for us, it's unacceptable [to launch that way]. We don't want to go back." Changing to a completely different engine can't be easy, and Tremblay didn't deny that there would be issues. "Even if there will be some 'sweaty moments' and maybe even some bad stuff happening," he said, "still, I think that we will try everything we can to make it even more than what we achieved in the past years. So the technology should not be a blocker for us, basically." The next Witcher game doesn't have a release date yet, and given the multiple delays of Cyberpunk 2077 it wouldn't be surprising if the studio waited until it had really nailed down the schedule before announcing anything. We do know that Geralt voice actor Doug Cockle is returning, although Geralt won't be the main character . The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the Senate WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation. The Florida Republican made the announcement Thursday. Gaetz’s withdrawal is a blow to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party. Trump said in a social media post that Gaetz “did not want to be a distraction for the Administration.” Gaetz said “it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work" of the transition team. He added, “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.” Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fighting THE HAGUE (AP) — The world’s top war-crimes court has issued arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The warrants issued Thursday accuse them of crimes against humanity in connection with their war that began more than a year ago. The warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant focus on allegations Israel has used food as a weapon in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza, a charge Israeli officials deny. The action by the International Criminal Court came as the death toll from Israel’s campaign in Gaza passed 44,000 people. Local health authorities say more than half of those killed were women and children. Several of Trump's Cabinet picks — and Trump himself — have been accused of sexual misconduct WASHINGTON (AP) — Former congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name as President-elect Donald Trump's choice for attorney general in the face of sexual misconduct allegations. He's not the only member of Trump’s chosen staff and Cabinet accused of some form of misconduct. Others include: Elon Musk, his choice to help lead a new outside panel seeking to boost government efficiency, Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump’s choice for defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Linda McMahon, his choice to lead the Department of Education. They all deny the claims. Death toll in Gaza from Israel-Hamas war passes 44,000, Palestinian officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say the death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year. Elon Musk's budget crusade could cause a constitutional clash in Trump's second term WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has put Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in charge of finding ways to cut government spending and regulations. It's possible that their efforts will lead to a constitutional clash. This week, Musk and Ramaswamy said they would encourage the Republican president-elect to refuse to spend money allocated by Congress, which would conflict with a 1974 law that's intended to prevent presidents from blocking funds. If Trump takes such a step, it would quickly become one of the most closely watched legal battles of his second administration. Musk and Ramaswamy also aim to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce. Putin touts Russia's new missile and delivers a menacing warning to NATO The new ballistic missile fired by Russia struck a military-industrial facility in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, but its real mission was delivering a deadly new message to NATO. Hours after Thursday’s strike touched off a debate over whether the Ukrainian plant was hit by an intercontinental ballistic missile, President Vladimir Putin cleared up the mystery in a rare and surprise appearance on Russian television. He described it as a new, intermediate-range ballistic missile that raced to its target at 10 times the speed of sound and couldn't be stopped by modern anti-missile systems. One Western expert said it was the first time that such a missile was used in the war — and perhaps in any conflict. Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lied to Chicago police. The state’s highest court ruled Thursday on Smollett’s argument that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene after the local state’s attorney initially dropped charges. The 5-0 decision did not address Smollett's claims of innocence. The Black, gay actor claimed two men assaulted him, spouted slurs and tossed a noose around his neck. Smollett was on the television drama “Empire,” which filmed in Chicago. Testimony at his trial indicated Smollett paid $3,500 to two men to carry out the attack. SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler will step down from his post on January 20. Since taking the lead at the SEC, the commission has been aggressive in its oversight of cryptocurrencies and other regulatory issues. President-elect Donald Trump had promised during his campaign that he would remove Gensler, who has led the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry and repeatedly called for more oversight. But Gensler on Thursday announced that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated. Bitcoin has jumped 40% since Trump’s victory. US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water NEW YORK (AP) — Fights are cropping up nationwide over fluoride in drinking water. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months. And several have decided to stop adding it to drinking water. In August, a federal agency for the first time reported that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. And in September, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate it in drinking water. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, but advisers to Donald Trump have suggested he would push to remove it. Was it all a joke? How stand-up comedy helped reelect Trump Did stand-up comedians help reelect Donald Trump? Not a joke, as outgoing President Joe Biden might say. Trump has been the butt of countless late-night monologues and “Saturday Night Live” sketches for the better part of a decade, but the once and future president's path to reelection relied a lot on stand-up comedy. Trump sat for long, friendly interviews on comedians' podcasts in an effort to reach young men. But he also employed his own stand-up-like campaigning style replete with meandering stories and digressions, a rhetorical tactic that connected with audiences and also made it hard to tell what exactly was policy and what was a joke.None

A South Albury woman who used the promise of sex to lure a man who became the victim of an armed carjacking has copped a hefty jail term. or signup to continue reading Mikaela Morgan will remain behind bars for at least another nine months over the incident from August, 2023, when the man was assaulted and had a knife held to his throat. Her two co-offenders had arrived at the BP service station in South Albury several hours after she made contact with him by phoning the number on his Locanto listing. Morgan previously pleaded guilty in Albury Local Court to charges of aggravated assault with the intention to take or drive a vehicle and dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. For that she was sentenced before the District Court in Albury on Friday, November 29, to three years and three months in jail. Judge Justin Smith set a non-parole period of 18 months, making Morgan eligible for release on August 27, 2025. A 25 per cent discount on sentence was provided because of an early guilty plea by the offender, who will turn 22 next Monday, December 9. Morgan, of Ebden Street, must also pay $7599 compensation to the victim. The court also granted Morgan leave to withdraw a severity appeal against a two-month jail term handed down in the Local Court on a larceny charge, though the starting date for the sentence was varied to begin from October 15. A set of Director of Public Prosecutions agreed facts used on sentence for the aggravated assault and deception charges outlined how the victim was using Locanto "to meet people for a sexual relationship". Morgan responded to the post through a phone call she made on August 16, 2023. He was told she was at an address in Kiewa Street, South Albury, and asked to meet him near the BP service station on Wodonga Place. The man arrived, she got in the car and introduced herself and then asked to go to the nearby McDonald's restaurant followed by the BP. He agreed to buy cigarettes and sunglasses for her from the service station. Morgan then asked if he could drive her to her mother's home in Ebden Street to deliver the McDonald's food she bought. She went inside for five minutes while he waited in the car. When Morgan returned, she asked him for $150 to give to her brother. He gave her $120, then Morgan got out and texted him a few minutes later asking to drive his car. He refused. After another cash request by text, which he refused, he drove to Kiewa Street to collect the then 20-year-old. Morgan and two other men, one her boyfriend, then devised a plan to steal his car and other property. The court was told the victim arrived in Kiewa Street at 2.52am and Morgan got in and they drove to Townsend Street. "My sister's going to bring me out a bag," she told him, then they waited in the car for about 10 minutes. At 3.07am, Morgan got a text from one of the men asking "what way are you facing ... towards BP or Maccas?" to which she replied "BP". Morgan asked the victim to turn off the headlights so he did it by turning off the engine, then two men were seen lurking near the car in the dark. About 30 seconds later, the driver's door opened and one of the men - wearing a face mask and a hoodie pulled over his head - grabbed the victim by the shoulder and held a knife to his throat. He yelled at the victim to "get out of the f---ing car" so he did just that, but with the knife still being held to his neck. The knife was pulled away as the victim stood in the middle of the road, then the man got into the driver's seat. "What the f--- are you doing? I don't even f---ing know you," Morgan said to the man. "Shut up b-----," he replied, "just stay in the car". The man got out with the knife and again approached the victim, who walked backwards with his hands in front of him. With that, the man returned to the car then drove off at high speed towards Ebden Street, before making his way to Townsend Street. Inside the car was the victim's phone, house keys, car keys and wallet. Morgan and the two men travelled to Wodonga, where several purchases were made with the man's debit card before returning to Albury. The victim accessed his internet banking account on August 17 and found an unauthorised transaction for $2599 for the purchase of a Samsung mobile phone. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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 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. 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! Advertisement AdvertisementAkron 97, Alabama St. 78

You know, the worst. In the case of Ellian, a princess from the land of Lumbria, her parents literally are monsters — unsightly, rambunctious and uncommunicative creatures — thanks to an encounter with some dark magic. That’s the state of royal play in “Spellbound,” a semi-enchanting film from Skydance Animation on Netflix. The movie had a chance to be a gem thanks to some of the folks who brought it to life. The list starts with director Vicky Jenson, who, most notably, helmed 2001’s beloved romp “Shrek.” Then there’s composer Alan Menken — working herewith lyricist Glenn Slater — who has contributed to animated Disney classics including “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast.” And singing the original songs of Menken and Slater is Rachel Zegler, who delighted us in director Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of “West Side Story” and last year impressed in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” These talented people and others — John Lithgow, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem contribute voice work — help make “Spellbound” a relative winner even if it falls short of the quality of the aforementioned animated films. As we meet Ellian (Zegler) — on her birthday, flying through mountains, above water and eventually back to the kingdom with her friends riding giant birds — she and a few others, such as Lithgow’s Minister Bolinar, have been keeping the truth about her parents a secret from the citizens and even some important types. Ministers Bolinar and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis) think it is time for Princess Ellian to become the ruler of Lumbria, but she hasn’t given up on the idea of finding a way to break her parents’ curse, which they encountered in the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness — where it’s, like, seriously dark. She summons to the castle the Oracle of the Moon (Tituss Burgess) and the Oracle of the Sun (Nathan Lane), a pair of little guys who arrive by Uber-like frog. Before they can reveal how the curse can be broken, her mom tries to eat one of them, causing them to bolt. Ellian chases them down, of course, and, with Mom and Dad in tow, sets about her quest to return them to normalcy. As the three spend time together, Ellian is able to communicate, increasingly effectively, with Queen Ellsmere (Kidman) and King Solon (Bardem). It is then that we see the darkness that surrounded them was not just figurative; the more intelligently they can speak, the more they argue with one another. Despite this friction, Ellian continues a search for a source of lightness — again, both literal and metaphorical — to restore things as they should be. Penned by Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda, “Spellbound” offers some valuable lessons to young viewers — for whom this film is mainly targeted — including the importance of handling negative feelings in a positive way. There’s also a lesson for parents, however. If nothing else, the not-so-neat-and-tidy resolution of the story isn’t exactly what you’d predict. You just wish the journey were a little more entertaining. The jokes are OK, not hilarious, and the songs are merely fine — certainly below Menken’s best work. Nevertheless, Zegler’s lovely singing voice elevates those songs, and the actress gives a strong performance overall. And Lithgow — who voiced the villainous Lord Farquaad in “Shrek” — is fun, especially after Bolinar runs afoul of some magic himself. With its bright-and-colorful palette (but only so-so design work), “Spellbound” should keep the little ones busy for nearly two hours as you prepare for Thanksgiving. And that’s a real magic trick, isn’t it?COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and stunned Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday, likely ending ’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game. Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines (7-5, 5-4) at Ohio State's 17-yard line with two minutes remaining in the game. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Ohio State (10-2, 7-2, No. 2 CFP) got the ball back but couldn't move it, with Will Howard throwing incomplete on fourth down to seal the Wolverines' fourth straight win over their bitter rival. “You come to Michigan to play this game,” Zvada said. “So, it's the biggest one of the year. It's the one that everyone looks forward to, and to be able to come in here and take the win, it's amazing.” This Ohio State loss in the “The Game” might have been the toughest of the past four because Michigan was unranked and wrapping up a disappointing season. The Wolverines were also playing without a couple of top players: tight end Colston Loveland and cornerback Will Johnson. The Buckeyes were favored by 21 points, the widest point spread for this rivalry since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Records — and point spreads, for that matter — rarely mean much when these two teams meet. “Our defense played outstanding," Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. "We held a high-powered offense to 10 points, 77 rushing yards.” The Buckeyes were off all afternoon. Howard was 19 for 33 for 175 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and Jayden Fielding missed two field-goal attempts. The run game was hardly there. “It's hard, man,” an emotional Howard said. “I really don’t have much right now. I do know we're a two-loss team. We're going to get into the playoffs and make a run. But, I mean, this one hurts.” Mullings was Michigan's primary weapon. He rushed for 116 yards and the Wolverines only touchdown of the game in the first half as neither team could get much going offensively on the frigid afternoon. “They made plays, we made plays, so as the game wore on you could definitely, slowly feel them starting to lose confidence, lose that energy and lose that faith,” Mullings said. Howard was clunky all day. In the first half he threw an interception from deep in his own territory that led to Michigan's touchdown. He went out for a play in the second quarter to be checked for a head injury. After the game, he said he was fine. “We're very disappointed, and never thought this would happen right here,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “We expected to win this game and go play in the Big Ten championship game.” After the game, Michigan players attempted to plant their flag at midfield and were confronted by Ohio State players. A as both teams pushed and shoved before being separated. The Takeaway Michigan: Did just enough and caught Ohio State on an off day. Ohio State: It's inexplicable how badly the Buckeyes played in their biggest game of the season. They would need No. 4 Penn State and No. 10 Indiana to lose later Saturday in order to make it into the Big Ten title game next week. Seniors let down There has been talk all season about how many of the Ohio State team leaders, including receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive end Jack Sawyer, chose to return for another year instead of entering the NFL draft because they wanted to beat Michigan at least once. Those players were inconsolable after the game. One of them, linebacker Cody Simon, was asked how he felt. “I just can't speak that right now,” Simon said. “I feel like we let the whole Buckeye nation down.” Up next Michigan will wait for a minor bowl game. Ohio State, assuming either Penn State or Indiana wins on Saturday, will see how the final College Football Playoff rankings shakeout on Dec. 8. ___ AP college football: and . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press

No. 21 Nebraska women lose the 3-point battle, and an entertaining game, to Creighton

how to bet dota 2 using gcash Ben Fordham left stunned as top professor exposes what Australia got wrong during Covid Professor casts doubt of Covid measures Said they were 'madness' and 'disgraceful' READ MORE: Mother blames Covid vaccine for her daughter's death By DAVID SOUTHWELL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 20:46 GMT, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 20:48 GMT, 24 November 2024 e-mail View comments A visiting UK professor of medicine stunned radio host Ben Fordham by taking a blistering aim at Covid lockdowns, quarantine, masks, and vaccines. Angus Dalgleish, a professor of oncology at the prestigious St George's University in London who also sits on the European Commission Cancer Board, told Fordham Australia's Covid response was 'absolutely appalling', 'madness' and 'disgraceful'. His unconventional views go against the recent Covid Response Inquiry verdict that 'Australia fared well relative to other nations that experienced larger losses in human life, health system collapse and more severe economic downturns'. But Prof Dalgleish insisted Australia bungled its Covid response. He was also scathing about Britain's handling and said 'Australia, New Zealand and Canada all over-reacted exactly the same'. 'The only people who got it right long-term were Sweden ,' Prof Dalgleish said. 'They didn't have any lockdown mandates, they had no other mandates, the vaccines were for people over 70 and they have the lowest excess death rates in the Western world.' Sweden relied on voluntary social distancing, mask-wearing, working from home and avoiding public transport, with 80 per cent of the country saying they complied. Angus Dalgleish, a professor of oncology at the prestigious St George's University in London has taken blistering aim at almost all the Covid measures employed by Australia and other countries Prof Dalgleish attacked mandated masks being worn outdoors. 'That's absolute madness, the only reason you get people to wear masks is to instil a state of fear in them,' he said. 'I said right at the very beginning with the very best mask the smallest hole is three times bigger than the largest virus. There is no science behind it whatsoever. 'You wear masks in (operating) theatres to stop you coughing into someone's abdomen, it's not for viruses.' He also believed lockdowns achieved next to nothing. 'We know it is respiratory, so lockdowns make no sense whatsoever, particularly when there is no quarantine [which there wasn't in Britain at the start of their lockdown]'. He believed hotel quarantine was a 'complete waste of money' and didn't think it 'saved any lives whatsoever' because it only delayed the natural herd immunity, which was always the best defence against Covid. 'You get the virus naturally you can build up an innate immunity to it, and they denied this,' Prof Dalgleish said. Professor Dalgleish said he did not believe lockdowns, quarantines, masks or even vaccines saved lives Fordham asked whether lockdowns were necessary to protect the elderly, but Prof Dalgleish hailed the Swedish approach as far more pragmatic. 'They say "your grandmothers and people are at risk just be careful, don’t go too close to them",' Prof Dalgleish said. 'They didn’t lock everybody down, so society wasn’t strangled at the neck. 'And it worked very well. Why did you have to lock up young, fit people who couldn’t work?' He also slammed the controversial vaccine mandates. 'I think it was absolutely disgraceful. It was totalitarian, it was descent into an Orwellian dystopia,' he said. 'Especially as we knew when the vaccines were rolled out, the virus had changed completely. 'I don’t believe [the vaccines] had any beneficial effect whatsoever because the virus changes, mutates so quickly. Sydney radio talkback king Ben Fordham was clearly taken aback by some of the professor's claims 'We know that when our vaccine program was rolled out, the wave of infection was falling off naturally. It didn’t need any help to damp the wave,' he said. 'It was the same with the lockdown - we introduced the lockdown as the first wave was flattening out and if you had done no lockdown, there would have been no difference.' A clearly taken aback Fordham asked Prof Dalgleish if he thought the vaccine saved no lives. 'They came in too late they gave the appearance of saving lives because they were coming in on a wave of people doing in and dying,' he replied. 'There might have been a very few, it might have been under one or two percent but not significant compared to what they wanted to do with them. '(That was) roll them out to everybody and have mandated vaccines when there was no evidence it prevented transmission at a time when the disease was killing 0.085per cent of the population with an average age of 82. 'It was complete utter blindness and madness.' London Ben Fordham Sweden Canada Share or comment on this article: Ben Fordham left stunned as top professor exposes what Australia got wrong during Covid e-mail Add comment

"Democrat propaganda": Marjorie Taylor Greene plans to team up with Musk to defund NPRNone

Runner's World: Top RBs take flight when Ravens entertain Eagles‘American Idol’ Alum Caleb Kennedy Pleads Guilty, Gets 8 Years in Prison After Fatal DUI Crash

ANDOVER, Mass. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedics Group, Inc. ("TransMedics") (Nasdaq: TMDX), a medical technology company that is transforming organ transplant therapy for patients with end-stage lung, heart, and liver failure, today announced that members of the management team will present at the upcoming 43 rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. The presentation will take place on Monday, January 13, 2025 , at 2:15 p.m. Pacific Standard Time / 5:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Romania PM fends off far-right challenge in presidential first round

Harris Dickinson toys with ambiguity in ‘Babygirl,’ and keeps a secret from Nicole Kidmanhe have placed quarterback on injured reserve following a concussion he sustained during their Week 13 loss to the . The injury occurred in the first half of Sunday's game when Lawrence, while scrambling to his left and attempting to slide, . The hit, which involved Al-Shaair extending his forearm into Lawrence's head, was deemed illegal. Lawrence displayed immediate signs of a concussion, including entering the fencing position, and had to be taken off the field on a golf cart. The incident led to significant repercussions on the field. Al-Shaair was . However, the situation escalated when multiple Jaguars players came to Lawrence's defense, resulting in an on-field altercation. Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones In the aftermath, Al-Shaair has been . Jon Runyan, the NFL's vice president of football operations, called the hit " ," highlighting the league's commitment to player safety. Lawrence's injury raises questions about Jaguars' future Lawrence's placement on injured reserve means . With only five games remaining in the season and the Jaguars struggling at 2-10, it appears unlikely that Lawrence will return this year. The team has little incentive to rush him back, . This marks another setback in what has been a challenging season for Lawrence, who also missed two games earlier in the year due to a left shoulder injury. Over 10 games, he completed 60.6% of his passes for In Lawrence's absence, former first-round pick during Sunday's game. Jones performed admirably under the circumstances, completing 20 of 32 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns, though the Jaguars ultimately fell short. Moving forward, for the remainder of the season. The Jaguars will now have to navigate the rest of their schedule without their franchise quarterback, while Lawrence focuses on his recovery. As the team looks ahead, they will likely lean heavily on Jones and other key players to finish out what has been a difficult season.

By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” The Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages on Wednesday. Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed reporting.

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CM to unveil Telangana Thalli statue at Secretariat on Dec 9

President Bola Tinubu has rejected proposals to cut his 48-member cabinet, stating that it is essential for efficient government. Tinubu made this known during a media chat on Monday at his Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi, Lagos. “I am not ready to bring down the size of my cabinet,” Tinubu said. “I saw the need when I put them together. You don’t assign responsibilities to people who cannot fulfill them. The job description must be efficient and effective.” The president also explained that sufficient staffing is necessary to achieve desired results. He compared the size of his cabinet to the demands of hosting over 100 million guests, saying, “If you have to entertain over 100 million guests just on entertainment, calculate how many stewards you will require.” He then noted that efficiency and effectiveness must be the main priorities, adding that he is not ready to shrink the size of his cabinet. “Excuse me, let’s pay attention to efficient and effective. I am not ready to shrink a little bit; I need them.”(TNS) — Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (collectively "the HSCs") are providing notice of a recent incident which may impact the information of certain individuals. This notice explains the incident, the measures taken and the steps potentially affected individuals can take in response. In September 2024, the HSCs identified issues that resulted in a temporary disruption to some computer systems and applications. Immediately after identifying these issues, the HSCs took steps to ensure the security of the network and began an investigation. The investigation confirmed that a cybersecurity event caused the technology issues, resulting in access to or removal of certain files and folders from the HSCs' network between Sept. 17 and Sept. 29, 2024. As a result, the HSCs conducted a detailed review of the systems involved to determine what information they may contain and to whom it belongs. The information varies by each individual, but may include name, date of birth, address, driver's license number, government-issued identification number, financial account information, health insurance information and medical information, including medical records numbers, billing/claims data and diagnosis and treatment information. The HSCs are in the process of notifying individuals directly whose information may be involved in this incident. Out of an abundance of caution and as part of the direct notification, the HSCs are providing potentially affected individuals with access to complimentary credit monitoring services. Individuals seeking additional information about this event can contact the toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-866-902-1996 available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, excluding major U.S. holidays. Additional information can be found at and . To help prevent a recurrence, the HSCs are reviewing existing security policies and procedures as part of the investigation and are implementing additional safeguards to enhance system protection and monitoring. Individuals whose information may be affected by this incident are encouraged to remain vigilant against identity theft and fraud, review account statements and monitor their credit reports, as well as health care and health insurance billing statements, for suspicious activity or errors. Individuals may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the three major credit reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission or the state Attorney General. Instances of known or suspected identity theft or fraud should also be reported to law enforcement, the state Attorney General and relevant banking or financial institutions. ency, LLC.NoneSEIC Stock Soars to All-Time High, Reaching $83.16

The Bookworm: Little Kids Will Enjoy These Holiday BooksHarris Dickinson toys with ambiguity in ‘Babygirl,’ and keeps a secret from Nicole Kidman

A hunter took trophy photos with a mountain lion he shot in Missouri, but was then cited for killing the protected cat, officials said. While hunting in Iron County on Nov. 16, the man saw a mountain lion pass under a tree stand he was on, according to court documents. “He got excited at what it was, stood up, and then decided to shoot (the mountain lion” as it was walking off,” Missouri Department of Conservation officials said in a probable cause statement filed on Dec. 19. The mountain lion ran about 50 yards after it was shot, then it died, according to court documents. In Missouri, it is illegal to kill a mountain lion unless it is posing a threat to humans or attacking domesticated animals or livestock, conservation officials said. The man was cited for killing a protected species illegally, a misdemeanor, according to court documents. If convicted, he could face up to a year in prison and a $2,000 fine, officials said. The tag on the mountain lion’s ear indicated it had been marked by the Nebraska Games and Parks Commission, according to court documents. That means the mountain lion would have traveled more than 400 miles to Iron County, Missouri. The man is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 20. Mountain lions are a threatened species, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Iron County is about a 95-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.

Florida State continues torrid star with rout of UMassBlame it on the food and drink?

SEIC Stock Soars to All-Time High, Reaching $83.16

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how to stream bet plus Sebi MUMBAI: Markets regulator Sebi plans to use government's DigiLocker system to reduce instances of unclaimed assets in the securities market. This includes MF folios and stocks left with fund houses and depositories after the death of an investor. The regulator has proposed that fund houses and depositories should provide demat and MF holding statements on DigiLocker. Sebi also wants KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs) to share information on an investor's demise with DigiLocker. By integrating DigiLocker with the process of transferring these assets to the rightful heirs, Sebi intends to minimise unclaimed assets in the securities market. It has come out with a draft circular on this issue and has asked for public comments by December 31. DigiLocker is a govt-initiated digital document storage platform that currently integrates Aadhaar, PAN, driving licence and a host of other govt-issued documents on a single, digital app. In December 2020, govt notified to integrate bank accounts, insurance policies and statements of new pension schemes on the DigiLocker platform. "The proposed inclusion of MF and demat holding statements within DigiLocker can make available the entire financial holdings of individuals in a single DigiLocker account," Sebi's draft circular noted. In October 2023, Sebi had initiated a centralised process for reporting the death of an investor through the KRAs. The proposed method of integrating the same with DigiLocker aims to further smoothen the process. Currently, DigiLocker users have the option to nominate individuals for their accounts. Sebi now wants KRAs to also share information about an investor's death with DigiLocker, after verifying such information. "At Sebi's instance, the Digital India Corporation (DIC) has created a mechanism where the DigiLocker system automatically notifies the DigiLocker Nominee(s) about demise of the user through SMS and e-mail," the draft circular said. Stay ahead in business with The Times of India . Check out Financial Calculators like SIP , PPF , FD , NPS and Mutual Fund Calculators.Advisors Asset Management Inc. Increases Position in AppFolio, Inc. (NASDAQ:APPF)Hugh Grant Has Always Played the Villain

World News | EAM Jaishankar Reflects on Gulf Region's Importance for India, Affirms Hope for Progress of 'I2U2' GroupingGlobal stock markets mostly retreated Tuesday as traders eyed looming US inflation data and a key European interest rate call amid global political upheaval. After winning numerous records in the weeks since the November 5 US presidential election, US stocks fell for the second straight day as analysts pointed to profit-taking. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Boeing BA , and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in BA usually suggests something big is about to happen. We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 77 extraordinary options activities for Boeing. This level of activity is out of the ordinary. The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 66% leaning bullish and 24% bearish. Among these notable options, 14 are puts, totaling $2,387,493, and 63 are calls, amounting to $2,860,084. Expected Price Movements Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $90.0 to $250.0 for Boeing over the last 3 months. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Boeing's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Boeing's significant trades, within a strike price range of $90.0 to $250.0, over the past month. Boeing 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot Noteworthy Options Activity: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume BA PUT TRADE BEARISH 04/17/25 $7.05 $6.9 $7.0 $140.00 $1.0M 456 1.5K BA CALL SWEEP BULLISH 12/20/24 $17.85 $17.75 $17.75 $135.00 $175.7K 398 113 BA CALL TRADE BULLISH 03/21/25 $10.05 $9.85 $10.0 $160.00 $99.0K 2.0K 201 BA CALL TRADE BULLISH 03/21/25 $40.95 $40.8 $40.95 $115.00 $81.9K 28 20 BA CALL TRADE BEARISH 03/21/25 $31.4 $31.3 $31.3 $125.00 $78.2K 218 59 About Boeing Boeing is a major aerospace and defense firm. It operates in three segments: commercial airplanes; defense, space, and security; and Global services. Boeing's commercial airplanes segment competes with Airbus in the production of aircraft that can carry more than 130 passengers. Boeing's defense, space, and security segment competes with Lockheed, Northrop, and several other firms to create military aircraft, satellites, and weaponry. Global services provides aftermarket support to airlines. Having examined the options trading patterns of Boeing, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance Current Position of Boeing With a volume of 5,859,759, the price of BA is down -0.93% at $151.67. RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought. Next earnings are expected to be released in 64 days. What Analysts Are Saying About Boeing A total of 4 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $161.0. Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access .* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Underweight rating for Boeing, targeting a price of $85. * An analyst from JP Morgan persists with their Overweight rating on Boeing, maintaining a target price of $190. * Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Bernstein lowers its rating to Market Perform with a new price target of $169.* In a cautious move, an analyst from RBC Capital downgraded its rating to Outperform, setting a price target of $200. Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely. If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Boeing, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

No. 21 Purdue aims to apply the brakes on a two-game skid when it hosts Toledo on Sunday in a nonconference game in West Lafayette, Ind. The Boilermakers (8-4) are returning home after coming up short in a pair of neutral-court contests against Southeastern Conference opponents. They dropped a 70-66 decision to then-No. 17 Texas A&M in the Indy Classic on Dec. 14 and an 87-69 setback to then-No. 2 Auburn in the Battle in Birmingham on Dec. 21. "You want to play a great schedule to figure your team out, figure out what you need to work on, but you also want to win," Purdue head coach Matt Painter said. "So we've done it the three previous years and were undefeated in all three nonconferences and played a lot of difficult people. I don't want to go away from that standard. This is where we are. Deal with it. Get better as a coach, get better as a player, get better collectively as a team. "... We're not a great team. We're a good team and we need to work so hopefully come March, we can be a great team." C.J. Cox recorded a career-high 16 points off the bench versus the Tigers, his third double-digit scoring performance in his last four games. "It's hard to be consistent with inconsistent minutes," Painter said. "It's hard to feel good about yourself and have confidence and know you belong, but you don't feel that way because you might not play in a game, or you might play 5-to-10 minutes, or you don't get any shot attempts. It's really, really difficult. So, for those guys to be in there and get some confidence ... that's what we need." Trey Kaufman-Renn, who had 15 points versus the Tigers, has scored in double digits in all 12 games this season. Purdue, which lost consecutive games for the first time since February 2023, is banking that a return home will get the team back on track. This season, the Boilermakers are 6-0 on their court. Toledo (6-5), in turn, has lost four of its last five games, with the lone victory coming at the expense of NAIA opponent Defiance on Dec. 7. Sam Lewis followed up an 18-point performance in that game with team-high totals of 21 and 14 points, respectively, in the team's next two contests. Unfortunately for the Rockets, they shot just 29.6 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 50-29 (including 16-6 on the offensive glass) in their 78-49 setback at then-No. 15 Houston on Dec. 18. "I'm disappointed where we're at right now," Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk said recently, per The Blade. "We're a better team than we've been playing." Sonny Wilson averages a team-best 15.2 points and 3.3 assists per game, while Lewis contributes 13.9 points to go along with a club-best 4.9 rebounds. --Field Level Media

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Chris Kutz, a Boise State athletics spokesman, said in an email the university would not “comment on potential matchups at this time.” Doug Hoffman, an Aggies athletics spokesman, said in an email Utah State is reviewing the court’s order. “Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on,” Hoffman wrote. San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

(The Center Square) – Texas Department of Public Safety officers working through Gov. Greg Abbott ’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star, continue to apprehend “Special Interest Aliens” and unaccompanied minors illegally entering Texas from Mexico between ports of entry. In one recently apprehended group, a two-year-old girl from El Salvador tells a trooper her age and that she arrived alone. He asks her in Spanish, “Are you by yourself?” She nods. KEY DATES FOR THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION When asked how old she was, she held up two fingers. When asked, “Did you come with your parents?” she shook her head. When asked where she was going, she replied, “With my mom and dad .” When asked, “Where are they?” she replied, “In the United States.” She was holding a small piece of paper with a phone number and name on it. HERE’S WHICH BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDERS WILL BE THE FIRST TO GO UNDER TRUMP She was one of 60 unaccompanied minors among a group of 211 foreign nationals who illegally crossed the border in Maverick County. The children’s ages ranged between 2 and 17. In several videos posted by DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez, dozens of children interviewed claim to be between the ages of 4 and 17. They said they are from Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. They also said they were going to “ California , Carolina, Florida, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Orlando, New York, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and ‘to the states’.” WHAT MAGA AND THE GOP WILL LOOK LIKE IN A POST-TRUMP ERA “This is a stark example of the precarious journey these children make from their home country and how criminal organizations traffic these children across the southern border and further into the interior,” Olivarez said. “Regardless of political views, it is unacceptable for any child to be exposed to dangerous criminal trafficking networks. “With a record number of unaccompanied children and hundreds of thousands missing, there is no one ensuring the safety and security of these children except for the men and women who are on the frontlines daily. Despite the criticism over the years, the reality is that many children are exploited and trafficked, never to be heard from again.” Abbott lauded OLS officers at recent Thanksgiving events at the border, saying they are saving lives. DPS officers have rescued more than 900 unaccompanied children since OLS began in early 2021. DPS officers also apprehended six SIAs from Mali and Angola who were in the group in Maverick County. HOW ELON MUSK HELPED WILL TRUMP BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE SIAs are noncitizens who, based “on an analysis of travel patterns,” are “known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism” who “potentially poses a national security risk to the United States,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security explains. Having an SIA designation does not necessarily mean the individual is a terrorist, but their travel pattern “indicates a possible nexus to nefarious activity (including terrorism) and, at a minimum, provides indicators that necessitate heightened screening and further investigation,” DHS says. Texas DPS has been sounding the alarm about an increased number of arrests of SIAs, the Center Square has reported. Recent arrests are primarily of men from countries of foreign concern, including Iran, a U.S. State Department designated State Sponsor of Terrorism. Other SIAs DPS has apprehended are from Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Mali, and Turkey, the Center Square has reported. President Joe Biden recently extended executive orders declaring multiple national emergencies, citing national security threats related to Iran, ISIS, Syria, Afghanistan, the DRC, among others, the Center Square reported . CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Meanwhile, under Biden, Border Patrol agents identified “an exponential increase” in SIAs ... with significant ties to terrorism” a retired sector chief told Congress, saying he was instructed not to publicize their arrests. No administration has ever published the number of SIA arrests. In September, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Georgia, introduced a bill requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to publish every month the number of arrested SIAs and their country of origin, the Center Square reported .None

HELENA — Kalispell Glacier's journey to the 2024 Class AA state championship game started at the end of the 2023 championship game. That was a loss on the road to Bozeman. But from that moment, the Wolfpack vowed to get back, with another result in mind. However, the journey wasn't entirely smooth. It got bumpy against Helena Capital when the Bruins knocked off the Wolfpack 35-14. That sent Glacier on the road last week, instead of playing at home. It meant that the Wolfpack would need to do something they've never done — win a Class AA semifinal playoff game on the road. And thanks to a 46-27 win over Gallatin, the trip back for another state championship will be complete as the Wolfpack will return to Vigilante Stadium in Helena to play the Capital Bruins for the Class AA state championship. "It was pretty cool to see these seniors, after that tough, hard-fought loss say, you know what, we are getting back and we are going to finish it," Glacier head coach Grady Bennett said. "It's been fun watching them go on that journey for that one year. All the commitment. All the dedication to get back and it's hard. It's hard to get to state championship games. It's hard to win championships and to watch them grind all year with that goal in mind, and pull it off and get back to the big show, it's special." Glacier is back in the state championship for the second year in a row and they'll have the same starting quarterback, Jackson Presley. The Boise State commitment accounted for six touchdowns (3 rushing) and 325 total yards (107 rushing) last week during a snow game in Bozeman. "Friday night, Jackson Presley showed who he is and what he is," Bennett said of the Gallatin game. "He was the real deal. He competed. He led our team. His energy and his enthusiasm — it was just amazing. He was everything that he's built to be." Presley is known for his arm but carried the ball 20 times last week up from just four per game during the regular season. "If we wanted to, we could run Jackson 20 plus time per game," Bennett said. "We haven't really needed to and we don't really want to. When you have Kobe (Dorcheus) back there having so much success, we just decided not to (run with Presley). But, you get to the semifinals and the (state) championship and it's all on the table." Behind Presley and Kobe Dorcheus, Glacier ran 249 yards against Gallatin last week, an effort that included four rushing touchdowns. Dorcheus, a senior running back, actually set the Wolfpack season record last week as the 142 yards he gained pushed his season total to 1,538. "Talk about a kid to be proud of," Bennett said about Dorcheus. "His development from his freshman year to the young man he is now and the leader he is now, it's incredible. I could talk about Kobe forever. He's worked so hard to be our guy and at the beginning of the year we decided we were going to feed him the rock. We know we have Jackson back there and we can always go to that, but it was nice (this season) to give the ball to Kobe and let our O-line do their work." Glacier has run the ball well this season and is 9-1 when the Wolfpack outrush their opponent. Capital just so happens to be 10-0 when it gains more rushing yards than their opponent. So if there's a game within the game, that might be it since the Bruins out-rushed the Wolfpack 254-41 in the previous matchup. "We were running the ball pretty well early," Bennett said. "We were establishing it pretty well but once we unraveled a bit and got behind, we might have gone away from it a bit too early especially with the wind blowing like it was. It's going to be a huge key but I think we'll be a lot more patient. We were last week." Bennett said the win over Gallatin reminded him a lot of the Capital game. The Wolfpack led the Bruins by two scores before allowing 35 unanswered points. Against Gallatin, Glacier jumped ahead 20-7, before surrendered two touchdowns in the last few minutes of the first half, allowing the game to be tied. "Last Friday night was almost identical (to Capital)," Bennett said. "But there was a totally different attitude in the locker room. It was we're fine. We got this. You could see the kids determination. So I was proud of how far they have come. After the third quarter, it was 27-27, and we just kept with what we are. Our mindset was so perfect and put it away in the fourth quarter — on our way to the state championship." "I love how far this team has come."

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Some people highlight the negative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and try to undermine its importance. Earlier, we used to give commands to computers and robots. But, the advancement in science and technology has enabled us to produce robots and machines that do not require our commands to function. AI is one such technology, enabling robots to make decisions on their own without human intervention. It is worth mentioning that all the things which were once beyond our imagination, are now a part of our daily lives. Similarly, AI is bound to be a significant tool in our lives. Some experts and scientists believe that it may become as important as a ventilator for a patient. The opponents of AI technology argue that it has deprived humans of a number of job opportunities. This may well be true. However, if we analyse the situation closely and on a wider scale, we will realise that the problem of unemployment is actually decreasing with the birth of new branches in the industrial sector. Hence, AI is not a threat or a curse; it is a great gift of science that aims at making our lives easier. Many writers and philosophers believe that human beings would suffer a lot and would become slaves of these robots in the future, but researchers do not agree with such an opinion. They are very clear that humans are developing these robots, and they know what to do and how to use them to their benefit. Just like every lock has a key, every working robot is controlled with algorithms. The human control over robots, as it exists today, is complete. MIAN FARHAN MAHMOOD LAHORE Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );From Chili's 'triple dipper' to The Cheesecake Factory, restaurant chains are reviving malls

NoneNoneJohn Fetterman slams liberal magazine for calling assassination of health insurance boss 'inevitable' Follow all the latest news and updates in the manhunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killer By BETHAN SEXTON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 22:00 GMT, 7 December 2024 | Updated: 22:00 GMT, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments Senator John Fetterman has slammed New York magazine for saying the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompso n was, 'inevitable'. The Pennsylvania Democrat blasted the outlet in an post on X on Saturday in which he decried 's**tty takes' on the murder. Thompson, 50, was gunned down steps away from a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan in the early hours of Wednesday. His attacker remains at large despite a massive manhunt. 'No shortage of s**tty takes on the 2024 election or on this assassination,' Fetterman said. 'The public execution of an innocent man and father of two is indefensible, not 'inevitable.' Condoning and cheering this on says more about YOU than the situation of health insurance.' His comments came after New York published an article titled, 'The Shooting That Was Inevitable. Our political system is breaking down. Now it has killed.' A motive has not been released by police, however bullet casings found at the scene were inscribed with the words 'deny', 'defend' and 'depose'. The messages bear similarity to a 2010 book by Jay M Feinman called 'Delay, Deny, Defend', which details 'why insurance companies don't pay claims and what you can do about it.' Senator John Fetterman has slammed New York magazine for saying the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was, 'inevitable' Thompson, 50, was gunned down steps away from a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan Thompson's killing has placed the healthcare insurance sector under the microscope amid speculation the gunman had a vendetta against his company. UnitedHealthcare was recently forced to shutdown comments on its social media pages after it was inundated with irate comment from patients who allege their medical claims have been denied. On other corners of the internet, many people have been openly cheering Thompson's death and have styled the killer as a vigilante figure. A UnitedhealthCare post paying tribute to the late executive attracted callous comments and more than three thousand 'laugh' emoji reactions. On Saturday, Mayor Eric Adams said the 'net is closing in' on the culprit as he revealed that police now have a name. The city leader said it will not be released at this stage as investigators are hoping to catch the killer off guard. John Fetterman New York Brian Thompson Share or comment on this article: John Fetterman slams liberal magazine for calling assassination of health insurance boss 'inevitable' e-mail Add commentUnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New Yorklive bets batangas 。

President-elect Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to let him negotiate a deal to save TikTok from an imminent US ban. In an filed to the court, Trump says he “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office,” and that he “alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform.” Last week, the Supreme Court that a bill passed by Congress banning TikTok on national security grounds violates the First Amendment. The bill gives wide latitude to the president to delay its enforcement if there’s progress being made towards a deal ensuring TikTok isn’t fully controlled by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. But the deadline for that determination is January 19th — one day before Trump is set to assume the presidency. In his Supreme Court filing, Trump asks for the bill’s January 19th deadline to be stayed, arguing that the deal he’d negotiate “would obviate the need for this Court to decide the historically challenging First Amendment question presented here on the current, highly expedited basis.” He argues that having over 14 million followers on TikTok, along with his ownership of Truth Social, gives him unique ability to “evaluate TikTok’s importance as a unique medium for freedom of expression, including core political speech.” He also cites Brazil’s temporary ban of Elon Musk’s X as an example of “the historic dangers presented” by banning TikTok. While Trump pushed for a TikTok ban during his first term, he changed his tune after his campaign successfully used the platform during the 2024 election. He recently at Mar-a-Lago and that “maybe we gotta keep this sucker around for a little while.”

HAMISH MCRAE: There's method in the Bitcoin madness By HAMISH MCRAE Updated: 21:53 GMT, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments It is madness that bitcoin should break through the $100,000 barrier, as it did briefly on Thursday. But as Polonius observes in Hamlet: 'Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.' The madness is easy to chart. This is an asset that is intrinsically worthless. It's just a line of computer code that generates no income and is backed by nothing. It is hard to identify any real investment that results from it: no houses are built, no companies launched, no medicines discovered. But it has extrinsic value in that people are prepared to buy, trade, and hold it. A year ago they put the value at $44,000. Two years ago it was $17,000. Go back another year to 2021 and it was $50,000. Five years ago it was $7,500. So it's all over the place. You can have a debate about why people should want to hold it, but it gets nowhere. Why should an anonymous buyer pay $142 million for a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Coupe, as someone did two years ago? That was the highest price ever paid for a classic car. Or $6.2 million for a banana duct-taped to a wall at an auction in New York last month? Bitcoin is like every other asset. It is worth what a purchaser will pay for it at a particular moment of time. It's as simple as that. Warning: The Bitcoin boom does carries a message that this is a time for caution The 'method' – what this surge in the price of Bitcoin tells us about global markets – is more complicated. The recent surge has been fuelled by hopes that the Trump administration will lead to a friendly regulatory system for crypto-currencies, for the price has shot up by nearly 50 per cent since the election. This is likely to broaden the range of holders. But behind the surge is strong performance of financial assets more generally. To pick just a few, US equities are close to all-time peaks, the German DAX index is there too, and here in the UK the Halifax house price index shows prices are up 4.9 per cent on the year and are reaching a new record. There are laggards, of course, and the poor old FTSE100 index is one of them. But it is up 8 per cent this year, so even unloved investment sectors have been pulled up by their more fashionable cousins. There are lots of reasons why asset prices should be so strong. We had a decade of central banks printing industrial quantities of money under their quantitative easing programmes. That had to go somewhere. With generative artificial intelligence, we have a technological revolution that looks like bringing huge improvements to the efficiency of service industries and the quality of their output. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Bitcoin tipped to rocket to $120,000 early next year after... Bitcoin tops $100,000 for the first time as Trump fuels... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account There are likely to be even more expansionary economic policies in the US, and there is the prospect of further cuts in interest rates next year if inflation keeps falling. The global policy-makers, notably in the US, have created a financial boom. There is, however, a fine line between a boom and a bubble. So where are we now? It is hard to feel comfortable about what has happened to the price of bitcoin. If the most speculative assets are soaring, that shouts bubble. And even the most doughty supporters of cryptocurrencies would have to acknowledge they are towards the speculative scale. US equities are towards the top end of their historical values. But they are not yet at extreme levels, so that says boom rather than bubble. We know, too, that booms generally carry on much longer than people expect, then end more suddenly. My guess is there will be some big event that will signal the bull market for assets has gone over the top. We haven't had that yet. Bitcoin topping $100,000 is a warning that markets have become frothy, but cryptocurrencies are not important enough to rock the global boat. We could have a crypto-crash without a wider collapse in mainstream assets, notably equities. Indeed there may be no sudden collapse in global share prices – just a topping out and gradual drift downwards before eventual recovery. We cannot realistically follow Polonius's advice: 'Neither a borrower nor a lender be.' But the Bitcoin boom does carries a message that this is a time for caution. 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We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.AP News Summary at 5:39 p.m. ESTColeen Rooney set to be new queen of daytime TV with HUGE pay deal after I’m A Celebrity final

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Cornerback Riley Moss is “good to go” for the Denver Broncos' crucial game at Cincinnati on Saturday. “He's doing good,” coach Sean Payton said Thursday. “He'll be ready to go.” The Broncos (9-6), who would end their eight-year playoff drought with a win or a tie against the Bengals (7-8), have sorely missed the second-year pro from Iowa since he sprained an MCL against Las Vegas in Week 12. The Broncos allowed 26.3 points per game during his absence. With Moss in the lineup opposite superstar Patrick Surtain II, Denver gave up just 16.8 points per game. Aside from allowing defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to go back to employing more man coverage, Riley's return is expected to give the Broncos defense back its bite. “I think he's got an awfully competitive juice, yeah, I would say you definitely felt his absence, not just physically as a player but also his presence," Payton said. Earlier this week, Surtain said, “it’s great to have him back” at practice. “I mean, you talk about a guy who was playing lights-out before the injury, but to see him back out there with confidence, out there practicing, getting his mojo back, it brings a lot of confidence to the team.” Moss has enjoyed a breakout season in Denver with 71 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception. He played in 14 games as a rotation player his rookie season after recovering from core muscle surgery that relegated him to special teams and spot duty in 2023. Moss wasn't available for comment Thursday as he was receiving treatment during the locker room access period. Moss has been the perfect complement to Surtain because of the physical play, bravado and the production he provides as opposing offenses shy away from Surtain. “It's going to be really good” having him back on the field, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said. “I mean, I know the work that he's been putting in to get back and just knowing the type of season that he's had I'm just happy that he's going to be able to come back against an opponent like this.” Denver's defense hasn't been the same without Moss. The Broncos allowed 32 points to the Cleveland Browns when former teammate Jerry Jeudy caught nine passes for a career-best 235 yards. Jonathan Taylor’s unforced fumble at the goal line as he was about to score a 41-yard touchdown and give Indianapolis a 20-3 lead saved the Broncos in Week 15 and allowed Denver to seize momentum and get the victory. And Denver couldn’t stop Justin Herbert , who led the Los Angeles Chargers back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit for a 34-27 win last week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Why Is MAGA 'Turning Against' Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy?JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and witnesses in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aid to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. But in a video released earlier Thursday, Netanyahu listed what he said were the many kind and charitable acts by his wife and blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” It was the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus — highlighted by the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial . Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media.President-elect Donald Trump wasted little time selecting another candidate for attorney general after Matt Gaetz dropped his bid amid sexual misconduct allegations. Pam Bondi, Florida's attorney general for eight years, was part of Trump's defense team during his first impeachment trial and supported his false claims of fraud following the 2020 election. She's remained in Trump's orbit since then, continuing to advise him on legal matters. Despite the shake-up, Bondi seems easily positioned to pick up the mantle on Trump's goal of overhauling the Justice Department and his pledge for retribution against political opponents. "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore," Trump wrote in his official announcement of Bondi for attorney general. "Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again." MORE: Trump announces Pam Bondi as his AG pick to replace Matt Gaetz In August 2023, during an appearance on Fox News, Bondi railed against the criminal indictments against Trump and what Fox host Sean Hannity described as a "two-tiered system of justice." "When Republicans take back the White House, and we will be back in there in 18 months or less, you know what's going to happen? The Department of Justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted -- the bad ones -- the investigators will be investigated," she said. "Because the deep state last term for President Trump, they were hiding in the shadows," Bondi continued. "But now, they have a spotlight on them and they can all be investigated ... We can clean house next term and that's what has to happen." She also implied action could be taken against President Joe Biden amid Republican allegations that Biden was personally involved in and benefited from his family's overseas business dealings, which have yet to be supported by direct evidence. "When we have a new administration, absolutely, Sean. It has to," Bondi said at the time. The comments echo Trump's own vows on the campaign trail to go after his perceived political enemies, intelligence officers, prosecutors and more. Trump in 2016 led chants of "lock her up" against Hillary Clinton, though he never went after her legally once in office. Bondi, at the 2016 convention, when the crowd shouted "Lock her up," responded: "'Lock her up,' I love that." MORE: Trump's dark 'retribution' pledge at center of 2024 bid, but can he make it reality? Bondi was also a supporter of Trump's false claims regarding the 2020 election, helping file several unsuccessful lawsuits alleging voter fraud. She appeared alongside Rudy Giuliani in Philadelphia the day after the 2020 race declaring Trump "won Pennsylvania" while votes were still being counted. The state went for President Biden by roughly 80,000 votes. Critics say the comments raise questions as to whether she could be trusted to enforce the law. "As AG, would she drop cases against violent insurrectionists? Continue pushing the Big Lie under oath?" Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who next year will join the Senate, wrote on X. "She will have to answer those questions and a lot more during her confirmation hearings." ABC News' Soorin Kim and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.

Broncos cornerback Riley Moss is set to return after missing a month with knee injuryThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that it has approved an injectable version of Bristol Myers Squibb’s BMY-N blockbuster cancer drug, Opdivo. Opdivo is part of a class of drugs called PD-1 inhibitors, which enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer by removing its natural brakes. Like other PD-1 drugs such as Merck’s Keytruda, it was previously available through infusions and patients received it via an intravenous drip in a health office. The new injectable form is expected to be more convenient for patients and could help shield the company from erosion of sales when the patent for the intravenous version expires later this decade. The injection, branded as Opdivo Qvantig, has been approved to treat all previously approved adult, solid tumor indications, either on its own, as maintenance therapy or in combination with chemotherapy. The drug will be available in early January, and will be priced at parity with the list price of the IV version, Adam Lenkowsky, Bristol’s chief commercialization officer, told Reuters ahead of the approval. The IV version of the drug has a list price of $7,635 per infusion for two weeks for the lower dose and $15,269 per infusion for four weeks for the higher 480-milligram dose. The approval was based on data from a late-stage study, which showed that the subcutaneous form of the drug was not inferior to the intravenous formulation in patients with advanced kidney cancer who have received prior systemic therapy. The drugmaker is relying on newer treatments like Opdivo Qvantig to drive growth as patents on older drugs, such as cancer drug Revlimid and blood thinner Eliquis, expire later this decade. Opdivo Qvantig was co-formulated with Halozyme Therapeutics’ drug delivery technology, which helps reduce treatment administration from hours-long IV infusions to subcutaneous injections delivered in minutes.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Cornerback Riley Moss is “good to go” for the Denver Broncos' crucial game at Cincinnati on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Cornerback Riley Moss is “good to go” for the Denver Broncos' crucial game at Cincinnati on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Cornerback Riley Moss is “good to go” for the Denver Broncos’ crucial game at Cincinnati on Saturday. “He’s doing good,” coach Sean Payton said Thursday. “He’ll be ready to go.” The Broncos (9-6), who would end their eight-year playoff drought with a win or a tie against the Bengals (7-8), have sorely missed the second-year pro from Iowa since he sprained an MCL against Las Vegas in Week 12. The Broncos allowed 26.3 points per game during his absence. With Moss in the lineup opposite superstar Patrick Surtain II, Denver gave up just 16.8 points per game. Aside from allowing defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to go back to employing more man coverage, Riley’s return is expected to give the Broncos defense back its bite. “I think he’s got an awfully competitive juice, yeah, I would say you definitely felt his absence, not just physically as a player but also his presence,” Payton said. Earlier this week, Surtain said, “it’s great to have him back” at practice. “I mean, you talk about a guy who was playing lights-out before the injury, but to see him back out there with confidence, out there practicing, getting his mojo back, it brings a lot of confidence to the team.” Moss has enjoyed a breakout season in Denver with 71 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception. He played in 14 games as a rotation player his rookie season after recovering from core muscle surgery that relegated him to special teams and spot duty in 2023. Moss wasn’t available for comment Thursday as he was receiving treatment during the locker room access period. Moss has been the perfect complement to Surtain because of the physical play, bravado and the production he provides as opposing offenses shy away from Surtain. “It’s going to be really good” having him back on the field, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said. “I mean, I know the work that he’s been putting in to get back and just knowing the type of season that he’s had I’m just happy that he’s going to be able to come back against an opponent like this.” Denver’s defense hasn’t been the same without Moss. The Broncos allowed 32 points to the Cleveland Browns when former teammate Jerry Jeudy caught nine passes for a career-best 235 yards. Jonathan Taylor’s unforced fumble at the goal line as he was about to score a 41-yard touchdown and give Indianapolis a 20-3 lead saved the Broncos in Week 15 and allowed Denver to seize momentum and get the victory. And Denver couldn’t stop Justin Herbert, who led the Los Angeles Chargers back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit for a 34-27 win last week. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl AdvertisementBroncos cornerback Riley Moss is set to return after missing a month with knee injuryIf You Like Big Tech, You'll Love This ETF That Lets You Invest in Microsoft, Nvidia And Apple At The Same Time

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