Live horse racing officially coming to Laramie County next year at Thunder PlainsActor and Hallow spokesperson Jonathan Roumie & Hallow CEO Alex Jones join 'Fox & Friends' to discuss Hallow's Pray25 Advent Christmas Prayer Challenge and lead a prayer. A familiar tension begins to build as Christmas music is heard in stores where weary store clerks take down Halloween displays. Black Friday sales invade my In Box in mid-November from stores I have never visited. I want to whisper words that if spoken may later show up on my computer screen through targeted ads. Commercials somehow have arrived on my streaming shows and flashing billboards announce what we already know, "Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming!" The tension has birthed full-blown anxiety by the day after Thanksgiving. I guess maybe that is why it is called Black Friday. "Does this sound vaguely familiar?" For many, the approach of Christmas sparks a flurry of activity—shopping lists grow longer, schedules are filled with festive obligations, and the pressure to create a "perfect" holiday can feel overwhelming and virtually impossible. Our culture does not promote a gradual unwinding at the end of the year and barely reflects a season of faith. ADVENT 2024: WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT HOPE FROM CHIMNEY ROCK, NC THIS CHRISTMAS We must be intentional to discover quiet in the cacophony of sound, and peace in the chaos of the season. It is much like stepping from a busy New York City sidewalk , where the "merry" jockey for position at the traffic light on Fifth Avenue, into the stillness of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The utter beauty of the holiness transcends denominational differences. It invites voices to lower to murmuring whispers or mere silence. In awe, we stand. We may not have the opportunity to walk into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City but we can enter the presence of the Lord in our own sacred spaces of faith. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) We may not have the opportunity to walk into St. Patrick’s Cathedral, but we can enter the presence of the Lord in our own sacred spaces of faith. These may be the churches we attend on Sunday but can also be discovered in the environment we create in our homes. From same-day delivery to streaming on demand, we’re conditioned to avoid waiting at all costs. But Advent invites us to lean into the discomfort of waiting. Holy places are not defined by beautiful architecture, grand steeples, and walnut pews. They are defined by the places where we feel God’s presence , His Holiness, and His peace. Amid this chaos, the church offers us a gentle invitation: the season of Advent. Far from the glitter and noise, Advent calls us to pause, to wait, and, most importantly, to find peace. IN ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS, OUR 'FAITH REALLY COMES INTO FOCUS,' SAYS FOX NEWS' RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY Advent is, at its heart, a paradoxical season. It invites us to hold two realities in tension: the ache of waiting and the joy of expectation. We remember Israel’s long anticipation of the Messiah while looking forward to Christ’s return. But Advent isn’t just about recalling a historical event or envisioning a future promise. It’s a deeply personal journey, an opportunity to encounter the Prince of Peace in the here and now. Advent isn’t just about recalling a historical event or envisioning a future promise. It’s a deeply personal journey. (iStock) Yet peace, for many of us, feels elusive. We live in a world where division, distraction, and despair often drown out the still, small voice of God. Even within us, inner peace can be hard to find. Our minds race with worries about work, family, finances, and the state of the world. How, then, can we embrace the peace Advent promises? The answer lies in the very rhythm of Advent itself. The season offers us practices that, if embraced, can quiet the noise and make room for the peace Christ longs to give. The Practice of Waiting We live in a culture of instant gratification. From same-day delivery to streaming on demand, we’re conditioned to avoid waiting at all costs. But Advent invites us to lean into the discomfort of waiting. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Waiting, in the biblical sense, isn’t passive. It’s an active trust in God’s timing, a willingness to believe that He is at work even when we cannot see the results. This kind of waiting requires us to surrender control and embrace vulnerability—a challenge for those of us accustomed to solving problems and checking items off our lists. But it’s precisely in the act of relinquishing control that we make space for God’s peace to take root in our hearts. Waiting, in the biblical sense, isn’t passive. It’s an active trust in God’s timing, a willingness to believe that He is at work even when we cannot see the results. The Practice of Reflection Advent also calls us to reflect, to take stock of our lives and examine our hearts. In a world that moves at breakneck speed, reflection can feel like a luxury, but it’s a necessity for those seeking peace. Reflection invites us to acknowledge our anxieties, name our fears, and confess the ways we’ve fallen short. It’s a time to remember that peace isn’t something we manufacture; it’s a gift from God. And it’s in the quiet moments of reflection—whether through prayer, journaling, or meditating on Scripture—that we open ourselves to receive that gift. The Practice of Hope Finally, Advent reminds us to hope. Hope, like peace, can feel elusive in our broken world. But Advent hope is not a vague optimism or a denial of reality. It’s a confident expectation rooted in the promises of God. Advent calls us to reflect, to take stock of our lives and examine our hearts. (iStock) Hope sustains us when the waiting feels long, and the burdens feel heavy. It reminds us that Christ has already come to bring peace and that He will come again to make all things new. And in the meantime, hope enables us to live as agents of peace in a world desperately in need of it. Finding Peace in the Here and Now The beauty of Advent is that it meets us where we are. Whether we’re carrying the weight of grief, stress, or unmet expectations, Advent assures us that peace is possible—not because our circumstances will change, but because God is with us amid them. The Apostle Paul captures this beautifully in Philippians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This peace isn’t dependent on external factors. It’s a peace that surpasses logic, a peace that guards us like a fortress even in the storm. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP As we light the candles of Advent—hope, peace, joy, and love—may we allow their flickering flames to illuminate the path to peace. May we embrace the waiting, the reflecting, and the hoping. And may we find, in the stillness of this sacred season, the peace our souls long for. It becomes our choice. Choose to avoid the places that create tension, and create the sacred spaces where the practices of Advent help us discover the peace we long for and cherish. Dr. Pamela Prince Pyle is a Board-Certified Internal Medicine physician, Chair of the Board of Africa New Life Ministries in Rwanda, Museum of the Bible Woman of Legacy, speaker and author of the forthcoming book, " Anticipating Heaven: Spiritual Comfort and Practical Wisdom for Life's Final Chapters ," which releases on January 7, 2025 (Thomas Nelson).slots 777 slot machine games 。

NoneNoneLumen Christi is headed to Ford Field to play in a state championship game for the third year in a row after beating Marine City 35-6 in Saturday’s Division 6 semifinal in Novi. After a scoreless first quarter, Timmy Crowley got the Titans on the board with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Wes Learned. Lumen Christi added another score with 19 seconds to play in the half on an eight-yard Kadale Williams run.

According to Aaron Wilson , the Commanders brought in five players for workouts on Tuesday including RB Boston Scott . The full list includes: CB Jason Maitre CB Qwuantrezz Knight CB Jerry Jacobs RB James Robinson RB Boston Scott Scott, 29, is a former sixth-round pick of the Saints back in 2018. He signed a three-year, $1.71 million contract with New Orleans, but was waived coming out of the preseason. The Saints later signed Scott to their practice squad after clearing waivers and he was eventually signed to the Eagles’ active roster in 2020. He returned to the Eagles on an exclusive rights offer before signing another one-year deal with the team for 2022. Scott re-signed to another one-year deal with Philadelphia last offseason and was testing the market as an unrestricted free agent when he signed with Los Angeles back in April. However, the Rams cut him and he quickly caught on with Pittsburgh. He re-signed to the Steelers’ practice squad and was placed on their injured list in September before being released. In 2023, Scott appeared in 15 games for the Eagles and recorded 20 rushing attempts for 86 yards (4.3 YPC) and no touchdowns. He also recorded four receptions for 52 yards (13 YPC). This article first appeared on NFLTradeRumors.co and was syndicated with permission.NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” He said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have “record participation” of more than 1,400 companies in 2025." Alexandra Olson And Cathy Bussewitz, The Associated Press

The Pittsburgh Steelers take on what is typically an unenviable task -- traveling on a short week for a Thursday night primetime game. However, a few things are playing in Pittsburgh's favor as Week 12 of the NFL regular season kicks off. Namely, the "trip" to Cleveland is a little more than two hours by road and when the Steelers arrive there, they'll be facing a backup quarterback at the helm of a massively underwhelming 2-8 Browns team. The Steelers (8-2) are coming off a huge win over Baltimore to stay atop the AFC North. And Pittsburgh is beginning to set its sights on potential home-field advantage come playoff time. ODDS AND TRENDS The Steelers are a consensus 3.5-point favorite. That includes at BetRivers, where they have been backed by 80 percent of the spread-line money. Pittsburgh's -195 moneyline to simply win the game has been even more popular, drawing 95 percent of all money wagered. The Browns enter Thursday night having failed to cover the spread in nine of their past 12 games. Meanwhile, the Steelers have covered the spread in every game during their five-game win streak. The 37.0 total points line has seen the Over backed by 65 percent of the money and 70 percent of the total bets. Each of Cleveland's past eight November home games has gone under the total points line. PROP PICKS --Steelers WR George Pickens Over 50 Receiving Yards (-195 at DraftKings): Russell Wilson has thrown six touchdowns in the four games since he took over as the starting quarterback. Two of those have gone to Pickens, who has at least 74 receiving yards in each of those games. There is some concern that Pittsburgh gains a big early lead and turns to a run-heavy attack, but Wilson throws an excellent deep ball and that plays into Pickens' strength. This is the most popular player prop at the book. --Steelers RB Najee Harris Anytime TD (+100 at BetRivers): That potential for a run-heavy approach should benefit Harris, who found the sledding tough against Baltimore with 63 yards on the ground. He was also held out of the end zone for the second time in three games. Keep in mind that Cleveland has allowed only three touchdowns on the ground all season, but the Browns have allowed 12 through the air. Harris has a trio of scores on the ground and receiving through 10 games. KEY STAT The Browns have won the first quarter in five consecutive home games against the Steelers. THE NEWS The Steelers have certainly been locked in. They are currently riding a five-game winning streak, most recently edging the Baltimore Ravens 18-16 on Sunday. Chris Boswell booted six field goals against Baltimore, while Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 205 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, Cleveland continues to go through the wringer. The Browns ended up on the wrong end of a 35-14 blowout while facing the host New Orleans Saints on Sunday, marking their seventh loss in the past eight games. Cleveland now has to go up against one of the most unforgiving defenses in the league. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston is determined to direct a fundamentally sound performance against Pittsburgh, which allows the second-fewest points per game in the NFL (16.2). "It's precision passing. Getting the ball out on time. Elite operation and just doing our job. It's the simple things," Winston said. "This team (the Steelers) is not going to try and fool you. They're going to line up and say, 'Give us your best, we're going to give you our best.'" Winston threw for 395 yards and two touchdowns on 30-for-46 passing in the setback against New Orleans, with Jerry Jeudy hauling in six catches for 142 yards and a score. Star running back Nick Chubb continued to struggle since his return from a knee injury that cut his 2023 season short, finishing with 50 yards on 11 carries. INJURY REPORT The Browns could be without standout defensive end Myles Garrett, who missed practice on Tuesday because of a hip injury. Wide receiver Elijah Moore (shoulder), guard Joel Bitonio (pectoral) and cornerbacks Denzel Ward (ribs/ankle) and Greg Newsome II (shoulder) were among those limited during the session. Linebacker Alex Highsmith is dealing with an ankle issue and was ruled out by the Steelers along with cornerback Cory Trice Jr. (hamstring). THEY SAID IT Wilson is starting to feel like he might be part of something special, but he also doesn't want Pittsburgh to get ahead of itself. "I definitely think that we have a chance (to make a deep playoff run)," said Wilson, who has played in two Super Bowls. "I think the biggest thing for us is continuing to just take each week as the most important week of it all. "I think that it's not really even just the week, it's just the day, it's just the moments in between. I think the greatest teams, the greatest players, in any sport, especially the teams I've been on, is the moment -- it's never too far away. It's right here, right now. And you're just locked into that." PREDICTION Divisional road games on short weeks typically shape up as a daunting task. That's not the case for the Steelers, who will be hyper-focused to put this one out of reach early before enjoying 10 days ahead of a trip to Cleveland. With a second game against the Browns before a huge game at Philadelphia, this is not an under-manned opponent Pittsburgh will look past. --Steelers 27, Browns 19 --Field Level MediaVideo shows 'avalanche' of sea lions tumbles into waters near Monterey Harbor

From classrooms to controversy: AI tools flood schools globally as experts warn of inequality, isolation and doubts over effectiveness

PV Sindhu net worth: How much property does PV Sindhu own? she earns money from...Pakistani authorities launch operation to clear Imran Khan supporters from the capitalBEERSE, BELGIUM, Dec. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Janssen-Cilag International NV, a Johnson & Johnson company, today announced data from the Phase 3 AQUILA study showing that DARZALEX ® (daratumumab) subcutaneous (SC) formulation significantly delayed progression from high-risk smouldering multiple myeloma (SMM) to active multiple myeloma (MM) and extended overall survival compared to the current standard of care of active monitoring. 1 The data were presented for the first time as an oral presentation at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting (Abstract #773), taking place in San Diego, California, United States from 7-10 December, as part of the Press Programme and were selected for the Best of ASH session. 1 "Patients with high-risk smouldering multiple myeloma, which has no approved treatment, have a high probability of progressing to active multiple myeloma - a life-threatening stage of the disease,” said Meletios A. Dimopoulos, M.D., Professor and Chairman of the Department of Clinical Therapeutics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine and presenting author.* "Findings from AQUILA highlight the potential of early intervention with daratumumab SC to delay disease progression, extend overall survival and prevent end-organ damage associated with active multiple myeloma.” In the AQUILA study, 194 patients received daratumumab SC and 196 patients were actively monitored per current standard of care treatment for high-risk SMM. 1 At a median follow-up of 65.2 months (range, 0-76.6), patients who received daratumumab SC showed statistically significant improved progression-free survival (PFS; defined as progression to active MM, as assessed according to the International Myeloma Working Group diagnostic criteria for MM [SLiM-CRAB], or death) vs patients who underwent active monitoring arm; 63.1 percent in the daratumumab arm vs 40.8 percent in the active monitoring arm remained alive and progression-free at 60 months (Hazard Ratio [HR], 0.49; 95.0 percent Confidence Interval [CI], 0.36-0.67; p

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Juan Sebastian Gorosito scored 21 points as Ball State beat Bellarmine 86-82 on Saturday. Gorosito added three steals for the Cardinals (4-6). Mickey Pearson Jr. added 18 points while going 3 of 6 and 12 of 12 from the free-throw line and he also had three steals. Jermahri Hill shot 6 for 9 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 1 of 3 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points. The Knights (3-8) were led in scoring by Billy Smith, who finished with 33 points. Bellarmine also got 18 points, six rebounds and two steals from Dylan Branson. Gorosito scored 12 points in the first half for Ball State, who led 47-42 at the break. Hill's jump shot with 16:02 remaining in the second half gave Ball State the lead for good at 52-50. NEXT UP Up next for Ball State is a Saturday matchup with Evansville at home, and Bellarmine visits Wyoming on Thursday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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