Wall Street stocks were little changed on Thursday while Asian equities rose in thin Boxing Day trade, extending their "Santa Claus Rally" with several bourses still shut for the holiday. Japan's Nikkei index closed up 1.1 percent, boosted by comments from the Bank of Japan governor and share price gains for top-selling automaker Toyota. China's plans for massive bond issuances in 2025 also bolstered investor sentiment. "Even though many in the region are still shaking off a bit of a holiday hangover, with several markets closed for Boxing Day, Asian stocks opened higher, riding a favorable wave from China's financial bond juggernaut," said Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management. In New York, major indices veered in and out of positive territory in a sleepy post-Christmas session. The broad-based S&P 500 finished down less than 0.1 percent. Large technology companies that have led the market in much of 2024 mostly took a breather. These included Netflix, Tesla and Amazon, all of which declined. "What's interesting today is that we're seeing small stocks bounce back a little bit," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers, noting that the Russell 2000 index put on 0.9 percent. Holiday consumer data showed a 3.8-percent increase in US retail spending from November 1 to December 24, according to a Mastercard SpendingPulse review of a key period for retailers. London Stockton, an analyst at Ned Davis Research, noted that the "Santa Claus rally could still be alive, with strong seasonality into the end of the year." Stock markets have traditionally fared well in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in the new year, a trend known as the "Santa Claus rally." Among a number of possible reasons advanced by experts include the festive holiday mood and purchasing ahead of the end of the tax year. Innes said remarks from Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda in which he refrained from signaling a potential interest rate hike next month also "influenced bullish regional sentiments." Japanese market heavyweight Toyota ended nearly six percent higher after reports in the Nikkei business daily said it aimed to double its return on equity -- a key measure of a company's financial performance. New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 43,325.80 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 6,037.59 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,020.36 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.1 percent at 39,568.06 points (close) Hang Seng: UP 1.1 percent at 20,098.29 points (Tuesday close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,398.08 points (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0424 from $1.0414 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2526 from $1.2538 Dollar/yen: UP at 158.00 yen from 157.06 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.19 pence from 83.05 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.7 percent at $69.62 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $73.26 per barrel bur-jmb/ahaNEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. The stories and images that defined 2024. Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!slot game online mega888 free credit 。

2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals

PRESBYTERIAN 67, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 42SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner , who began the season as if shot from a cannon, has looked a lot more ordinary over the last two months. On Wednesday he revealed why: He’s been playing with a fractured ankle since the 49ers’ Week 4 win over the New England Patriots . Advertisement “It was a fracture when I sprained it,” Warner said at his locker. “So any time you fracture a bone, if you just continue to play on it, the bone is usually not going to be able to heal. So you’ve just got to continue to fight through.” Warner had an interception return for a touchdown against the Patriots but suffered the ankle injury shortly before halftime and did not return. He was listed on the injury report with an ankle issue heading into the Weeks 5 and 6 games but has not been listed beyond that and has not missed any starts. He was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice just as he had been in previous weeks. But he said the injury is a constant impediment. “It’s something I deal with every game,” he said. “I get on that table before the game and get it shot up every single game just to be able to roll. But it’s not an excuse. It’s just what it is. That’s the NFL . You’re not gonna be healthy. You’ve got to get out there and find ways to execute and to play at a high level and to win every single week.” GO DEEPER 49ers mailbag: Why not Josh Dobbs? What changes are looming this offseason? Warner’s admission explains the noticeable dip his season has taken. Early on, he looked like one of the frontrunners for Defensive Player of the Year, forcing three fumbles, breaking up four passes and coming down with the interception-turned-touchdown over the first four games. He seemed to be everywhere during a Week 2 loss in Minnesota and singlehandedly kept the 49ers competitive in that contest. Following the Patriots game, however, his play has fallen off. And it reached a low point Sunday when Warner was cited for four missed tackles, the most of his career, in a game in which the Green Bay Packers and running back Josh Jacobs gained 169 rushing yards. As the 49ers went into their Week 9 bye, Warner noted that he hadn’t been at full strength since the injury. His performance against the Packers invited more questions about his health on Wednesday, and this time Warner felt compelled to share the details. “I probably shouldn’t get too much into it — I probably already made a mistake by even saying it,” he said. “But, yeah, back when I hurt it there was a bone fracture there.” Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. document.querySelectorAll(".in-content-module[data-module-id='scoop-city-newsletter'] .in-content-module-img img ").forEach((el) => { el.setAttribute("style", "pointer-events: none;");}) Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. Warner’s injury adds to a theme the 49ers have dealt with all season: They have perhaps the NFL’s most talented roster but that talent either has been missing or playing injured this year. Of the nine 49ers voted to the Pro Bowl last season, only Warner and Kyle Juszczyk have appeared in every game so far, and Warner has dealt with a broken bone since Sept. 29. Advertisement Warner spoke on the same day his longtime linebacker partner, Dre Greenlaw , returned to practice following his torn Achilles suffered in the Super Bowl in February. Though Greenlaw is not expected to be activated for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills , Warner said seeing Greenlaw in his uniform gave the defense a lift. “Much needed,” he said. “I’ve been watching him through his rehab for a while now. He’s been getting closer and closer. So I’m excited to finally see him out there running around a little bit.” Odds and ends • Brock Purdy attempted two very short passes in the first 20 minutes of Wednesday’s practice but otherwise didn’t attempt any throws. Purdy (throwing shoulder) was listed as limited in the practice. The session resembled last Wednesday’s for Purdy. That is, he did everything short of releasing the football. At this time last week, the 49ers thought he’d be ready to play against the Packers. But he didn’t feel right at the start of Thursday’s practice and was shut down from that point on. In that way, Thursday’s practice this week ought to be telling as far as whether he’ll play against the Bills. If he doesn’t, Brandon Allen will make his second straight start. Brock Purdy threw two very short passes at the beginning of Wednesday’s practice. Otherwise he watched the other QB’s throw — just like last Wednesday. [image or embed] — @mattbarrows ( @mattbarrows.bsky.social ) November 27, 2024 at 2:08 PM • Those not practicing Wednesday included tackle Trent Williams (ankle/heel), guard Aaron Banks (concussion), defensive end Nick Bosa (hip/oblique), defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (concussion), cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (knee), linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) and running back Christian McCaffrey (rest). Like Purdy, guard Dominick Puni (shoulder), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and Greenlaw (Achilles) were limited. Bosa said he’s “made a good amount of progress” and is “feeling a lot better” than he did a week ago. He said that the fact that Sunday’s game is on an artificial surface — the 49ers’ last such game of the regular season — will not factor into whether he plays. “I still need to get better before I’m ready to go, so this week will be big,” he said. “And I’ll know more in the next couple of days.” Williams, meanwhile, was seen getting around via a knee scooter. He’d said previously that his injury makes even walking painful. Return man Jacob Cowing is out of the concussion protocol while cornerback Charvarius Ward practiced in full on Wednesday. • Consider the plight of Ben Bartch . If the 49ers had activated Jon Feliciano from injured reserve on Monday like they wanted to, they would have had to cut someone to make room on the roster. A prime candidate: Bartch, who had been inactive for the first 10 games. Feliciano’s knee, however, continued to be problematic and he’ll remain on IR for the remainder of the season. Not only does Bartch hold onto his roster spot, but Banks’ concussion might give him his first start for the 49ers. Advertisement • The 49ers have all sorts of obstacles on Sunday, including their litany of injuries and the fact that the 9-2 Bills are coming off their bye. And here’s one more: It might snow this weekend in Buffalo. As of now the forecast is calling for a few inches in Buffalo on Saturday and for the brunt of a big storm to pass south of the city. Though the 49ers haven’t played a snow game since their playoff win over the Packers in January 2022, several 49ers noted they have plenty of experience playing in the snow. Colorado native McCaffrey remembered being a 7-year-old middle linebacker and facing his bitter rival, the Cherry Creek Bruins, in a blizzard. He said the game went to double overtime and ended on a last-second play. “They tried a double pass,” he recalled. “I tipped it and just remember all the parents — it felt like you were playing in front of 70,000 but it was probably, like, 12 people there — all the parents stormed the field. I actually remember crying at that game. And I think that’s when I decided I wanted to play football.” (Photo: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)

Governor stands by limit cutJim Montgomery made an immediate impact with the St. Louis Blues after replacing Drew Bannister as head coach, earning a 5-2 road victory over the New York Rangers in his debut. "It felt like something," Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. "It felt like we were having fun out there. That's the main part. It felt like we weren't sitting back and we played with energy tonight, and we played with the puck. Just wasn't a couple chances we were able to generate. Power play had a couple good looks. It was just fun to be out there." The Blues will try to keep the good times rolling Wednesday night in Newark, N.J. against the New Jersey Devils. St. Louis lost 3-1 at the New York Islanders Saturday night to fall to 9-12-1. Come Sunday morning, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong hired Montgomery to take over for Bannister. Montgomery, who was fired as head coach of the Boston Bruins last week, previously worked as an assistant coach for the Blues and forged a relationship with about half of the team's current players. "He brings a ton of energy to the rink," Schenn said. "He likes to have fun. At the same time, he's detailed and he's serious and he's respected. It's our job to bring the energy with him." When the coaching change was made, the Blues ranked 26th in the NHL standings by points percentage, 25th on the power play and 24th in penalty killing. They are scoring 2.48 goals per game, which is the league's fifth-worst average. "This is a talented roster," Montgomery said. "We've got a lot of guys with really good offensive hockey sense. If we're committed to checking like we were, the offense is going to come." The Blues will catch the Devils in the middle of a prolonged hot streak. New Jersey has won three straight games and eight of 10. After starting the season 5-4-2, the Devils have gone 10-3-0. They are coming off a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday night at home. "Every game, we have a plan," Devils captains Nico Hischier said. "If you execute it, gives ourselves a chance to win a hockey game. The plan switches, depends who you're playing." Hischier led the charge in Nashville by scoring his first NHL hat trick. "Just happy for him," Devils center Erik Haula said. "He's just such an important player for us, obviously. Eight years and first hat trick. You'd think he has five or six of them." Prior to that outburst, Hischier had gone 10 games without scoring a goal. "He starts the season on absolute fire, and then he goes cold for a while there," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. "His demeanor didn't change, his game didn't change, most importantly he didn't cheat the game. He continued to meet the tough matchups every night head on, continued to lead the way for us in the faceoff circle and penalty kill." New Jersey will be without forward Timo Meier on Wednesday after he was given a one-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville's Zachary L'Heureux and drawing blood. --Field Level Media(The Center Square) — California’s senators have sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg requesting last-minute federal funding for the state’s high-speed rail project before the Trump administration takes office in January. This move comes amid concerns that the incoming administration might pull federal funding from the now $135 billion project, and use California as a national example for redirecting federal funds from Democratic priorities. Once complete, the project is supposed to carry passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in under three hours, with one-way tickets priced at $86. It’s unclear how competitive this will be with air travel; one-way flights booked more than two weeks in advance currently cost $59 on Southwest, which includes two checked bags. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), proposed by the incoming Trump administration, aims to reduce what it views as wasteful government spending, recently spotlighted the project, and Congressmen Kevin Kiley, R-California, announced his bill to eliminate federal funding for the endeavor. Amid the state’s financial foes, a pause or withdrawal of federal funding could leave the state with no choice but to put the project on hold. During the spring, the California High Speed Rail Authority requested the use of state rainy day funding to plug the $8 billion to $10 billion funding shortfall for the system’s initial $30 billion to $33 billion, 171-mile segment connecting the cities of Bakersfield and Merced in the relatively sparsely populated Central Valley. But with the state’s legislative analyst now finding the state has “no capacity” for new spending and projecting annual deficits will soon rise to $30 billion, enhanced state support for the project is unlikely, leaving federal funding as the only option to fill the gap. The letter , signed by Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Reps. Pete Aguilar, Zoe Lofgren, and Jim Costa, requests an additional $536 million to join $134 million in state funds to complete a 30%, or preliminary, design of one tunnel in Southern California and one tunnel in Northern California. The letter also recounted the federal government’s existing $6.8 billion in support for the project, and $22 billion from California for the project thus far. “By preparing for future final design and construction of complex tunnels in this corridor, the Project will advance both state and federal goals to improve safety, expand economic strength and global competitiveness, address equity issues, and implement sustainability practices to confront climate change,” wrote the federal legislators. “These investments will continue to support living wage jobs, provide small business opportunities, and equitably enhance the mobility of communities in need – including disadvantaged agricultural communities – all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” In 2012, the state legislative analyst’s office found the bullet train would increase overall greenhouse gas emissions for the first 30 years of its operation, putting the project’s emissions impact — and state funding based on emissions reductions — into question. Kiley, who is aiming to pass a bill in Congress ending federal support for the project, said even if a grant is approved, he hopes to keep that money away from California’s bullet train. “A small group of CA Democrats is asking Biden to send even more money for High-Speed Rail ... before Congress can pass my bill to deny further funding,” said Kiley on X. “If Biden complies, we will make sure that the grant is promptly revoked.” Because U.S. Congress holds “power of the purse,” Kiley’s bill could allow the federal government to withhold any further funding from the project – even spending that is already approved. However, it's less clear whether the Trump administration could unilaterally halt funding. As a discretionary grant under the Department of Transportation, such a decision might fall within its authority, but political and legal challenges could arise.

NEW YORK — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.Canadian investment fund Brookfield said Wednesday it has dropped its bid for Spanish pharmaceutical firm Grifols following disagreement over its valuation. Brookfield and the Grifols family, which owns about a third of the Barcelona-based company that makes medicine derived from blood plasma, have since July been in talks to take it private. Earlier this month Brookfield made a 6.45-billion-euro bid for Grifols, offering a tentative non-binding price of 10.50 euros ($11) per share. Grifols swiftly rejected the bid, saying it "significantly underestimated the fundamental prospects and long-term potential" of the company. In a statement sent to Spanish stock market regulator CNMV, Brookfield said it was "not in a position to continue with a potential offer" for Grifols. Grifols said its board agreed that "it is not feasible that the transaction goes ahead" and remains focused on "improving the company's long-term value". Its share price plunged in January after US hedge fund Gotham City released a research note accusing the company of "manipulating" its reported debt and operational results to "artificially reduce" its debt ratio, and therefore its financing costs. Grifols has repeatedly denied the allegations. Gotham City is a prominent "short-seller" hedge fund that borrows stock in a company and sells it, hoping to buy it back cheaper to return it to the lender and pocket the difference. Grifols traces its history back to 1909, first as a blood analysis and transfusion laboratory before specialising in products derived from blood plasma. It is present in more than 30 countries including Australia, the United States and Japan. It posted revenue of 6.6 billion euros in 2023, a 10.9 percent increase over the previous year. vab/imm/cw

Police chase through Kambah ends with backyard arrest and man in courtBy HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”Southern Co. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

DONALDSON — The Ouachita Warriors are keeping their momentum progressing in the win column on the hardwood before the Christmas holiday break. The Warriors secured a huge conference home victory Friday night against a good Junction City Dragons’ squad 53-42 on the Ouachita High School All Care Pharmacy Court at OHS Gymnasium. Ouachita basketball head coach Clayton Ray emphasized Friday night’s victory was a big one for the senior high boys—now surging a 4-2 record in conference play and igniting a four-game winning streak in league hoops. For the game, Warriors’ Judd Smith led the way with 16 points, Cameron Mattingly added 13 points and Garrett Pickens finished with 11 points for a trio of Ouachita hoopsters posting in double-figures. Luke Howard poured in seven points and Corbin Bahr contributed six points in the 11-point victory Friday. Going into the Christmas holiday break, the Warriors are coming off big victories in league play against Hampton, Gurdon, Magnet Cove and Junction City for senior high boys basketball competition. The Warriors will prepare to return to home hoops this weekend as the host team of the Ouachita Holiday Hoops Tournament scheduled December 27-30 at OHS Gymnasium. The Warriors finished with the runner-up title last year to Harmony Grove Cardinals. The Warriors anticipate another standout run during the tournament again, while preparing to compete in the Rose Bud Tournament for their first taste of new year hoops in January 2025 during the Christmas holiday break. Read story details in Thursday's December 26 MDR newspaper edition.

Record numbers of basketball fans filled arenas to watch the rookie seasons of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese unfoldAfter a disappointing COP29, here’s how to design global climate talks that might actually work